Exodus 37:1-16
An Ark and a Table
Read the passage
1Bezalel went on to construct the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
2He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it.
3And he cast four gold rings for its four feet, two rings on one side and two on the other.
4Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
5He inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark in order to carry it.
6He constructed a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
7He made two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat,
8one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold.
9And the cherubim had wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the mercy seat.
10He also made the table of acacia wood two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.
11He overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it.
12And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim.
13He cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners at its four legs.
14The rings were placed close to the rim, to serve as holders for the poles used to carry the table.
15He made the poles of acacia wood for carrying the table and overlaid them with gold.
16He also made the utensils for the table out of pure gold: its plates and dishes, as well as its bowls and pitchers for pouring drink offerings.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Bezalel makes the ark from acacia wood and covers it with pure gold, inside and out. He makes its rings and carrying poles, then the gold mercy seat with two cherubim facing one another. Their wings spread over it. He also makes the gold-covered table and its dishes, bowls, and pitchers.
Earlier, in Exodus 25, God told Moses that the ark would hold His Testimony and that He would meet Moses above the mercy seat. The table would hold the Bread of the Presence before Him. Here those promised purposes are being provided for in wood and gold.
The beauty of the objects belongs to a relationship God has already initiated. Bezalel is not crafting a replacement for God, as Aaron did with the calf. He is making what God commanded for His presence among Israel. The difference is not merely how carefully an object is made, but whether it serves God's word or replaces it.
Questions
1 What does Bezalel make in this reading?
AnswerThe ark, its carrying poles and mercy seat with cherubim, and the table with its poles and gold utensils. These are the furnishings God previously commanded.
2 How are the cherubim positioned?
AnswerThey face one another, looking toward the mercy seat, with their wings spread upward over it. They are made as part of the gold mercy seat.
3 What purpose did God give the ark in Exodus 25?
AnswerIt would contain the Testimony, and God would meet Moses above its mercy seat to speak His commands for Israel. Its importance comes from God's promise.
4 How can we tell whether something beautiful is helping our worship?
AnswerAsk whether it helps us attend to God's word and give Him thanks, or whether it has become the main thing we admire. Beauty can serve worship without becoming its object.
What This Means for Us
Israel has already seen gold used to make a false god. Here gold is used in obedience to the true God's command. Cost and craftsmanship alone cannot tell us whether something is faithful.
When choosing what to include in family worship, start with its purpose. A song, picture, or well-prepared room can help, but none can take the place of hearing and responding to God.
Prayer
We pray: God of the covenant and daily provision, anchor our household in Your word and teach us to receive what You provide with gratitude. Let our meals, memories, and habits point us back to You. Amen.