Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it: XXXVII.(1-24) This passage corresponds with Exodus 37:10-29 of Exodus 25, and contains an account of the construction of the holy furniture: (1) That of the Holy of Holies: viz., the ark (Exodus 37:1-5), the mercyseat (Exodus 37:6-9); (2) that of the Holy Place, viz., the table of shewbread (Exodus 37:10-16) and the golden candlestick (Exodus 37:17-24). Exodus 37:1-5 correspond to Exodus 25:10-14 of Exodus 25 Exodus 37:6-9 correspond to Exodus 25:17-20 of Exodus 25 Exodus 37:10-16 correspond to Exodus 25:23-29 of Exodus 25 Exodus 37:17-24 correspond to Exodus 25:31-39 of Exodus 25 (1) Bezaleel made.—Aholiab had no part in the construction of the furniture of the Tabernacle, but only in the coverings, the veil, the curtains, and the priests’ dresses. (See Exodus 38:23.)
And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat; (7) Beaten out of one piece.—Rather, of beaten work, as the word is translated in Exodus 26:18.
And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold. (16) Which were upon the table.—Or, which belonged to the table (τὰ σκένη τῆς τραπέζης.—LXX.).
Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick. (19) Another branch.—A right translation—an improvement on “the other branch” of Exodus 25:33. The meaning is that there was the same style of ornamentation in all the branches.
And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same. (25-28) And he made . . . —The order of the instructions given on Mount Sinai is here departed from. In them the directions for the altar of incense were separated off from those concerning the table of shewbread and the golden candlestick. Here the construction of the three pieces of furniture belonging to the Holy Place is given consecutively. The present passage corresponds with Exodus 37:1-5 of Exodus 30, with which it is in the closest agreement.
And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary. (29) In this verse we have the composition by Bezaleel of the holy oil and the incense, described in Exodus 30:22-25; Exodus 30:34-35, related with the utmost brevity.
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