Old Testament Commentary - Exodus 37

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 37 Bezalel makes the ark, the mercy seat, and the cherubims—He makes the table, the vessels, and the candlestick; also, the incense altar, the holy anointing oil, and he sweet incense.
1 AND Bezaleel ^amade the ^bark of ^cshittim 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: 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a ^acrown of gold to it round about. 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it^a.	3^a two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it Now most all depictions of the ark have these rings set upon the front and the back of the ark so that the poles pass parallel to the front and back of the ark. This seems to be an awkward arrangement for moving the ark into out of the Holy of Holies for the bearers would have to turn themselves about in order to take the ark out frontwise through the opening into the chamber. But if as it states, the rings were upon the two sides of the ark, rather than the front and back of it, then it would be a simple matter to stand to the sides of the ark in front and back and without turning remove the ark directly out of the chamber opening. It would also give the ark a cleaner look to not have two such rings set out upon the front of the throne of God, but to and upon its two sides.	3^a Lev. 1:1; Moses 1:17 ^b Ex. 3:12; Moses 1:1-3 4^a Deut. 327:11; D&C 124:18 (18,99) 5^a TG Obedience ^b TG Abrahamic Covenant TG Covenants ^c TG Israel, Twelve Tribes TG Peculiar People ^d TG Israel, Blessing of TG Treasure 6^a TG Election ^b TG Israel, Mission of; TG; Priesthood; TG Priesthood, History of ^c Ex. 22:31; 1 Pet. 2:9 (5-9); TG Holiness ^d TG Separation
4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold. 5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.		3^a Lev. 1:1; Moses 1:17 ^b Ex. 3:12; Moses 1:1-3 4^a Deut. 327:11; D&C 124:18 (18,99) 5^a TG Obedience ^b TG Abrahamic Covenant TG Covenants ^c TG Israel, Twelve Tribes TG Peculiar People ^d TG Israel, Blessing of TG Treasure 6^a TG Election ^b TG Israel, Mission of; TG; Priesthood; TG Priesthood, History of ^c Ex. 22:31; 1 Pet. 2:9 (5-9); TG Holiness ^d TG Separation
6 ¶ And he made the ^amercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 7 And he made two ^acherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat; 8 One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: ^aout of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof^a. 9 And the ^acherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims. The Ark's 'Mercy Seat' What the actual Mercy Seat of the Ark looked like we do not know. There are various depictions. If the covering of the ark of the testimony holds true to its name, that being the 'Mercy Seat', then one must suppose that the Lord did actually sit upon it, it being his 'throne' of the tabernacle. Knowing that the Lord was in the image of man, or rather than man was in the image of God, then we must consider an actual personage, head, sholders, knees, toes—eyes, ears, mouth and nose; sitting upon the Mercy Seat. If that be the case, the the wings of the cherubims would thought to be raise high as stated in verse 9, 'cherubims spread out their wings on high', thus allowing for the fully errect seating of the Lord upon the seat rather than the wings being artificially bent over as depicted by may such imaged images of the ark as the one above. As to whether the two sets of the cherubims wings did meet and touch in the middle above the seat, though they must have done so 'on high' above the seat again we appeal unto verse 9 as it states, 'and covered with their wings over the mercy seat'. Of course they who do suppose God to be but an essence and not a being of personage find little need to provide God a place to sit down upon the Mercy Seat as a man would so sit.	8^a the cherubims on the two ends thereof It was an Egyptian motif and even that of other nations of having 'cherubims' (winged beings) on the two sides of an enthroned object, yet since the Egyptians, as well as the others, from the beginning did but imitate the true order of God, one might suppose that the original motif was taken from that which was had before and was of a true order of God.	3^a Lev. 1:1; Moses 1:17 ^b Ex. 3:12; Moses 1:1-3 4^a Deut. 327:11; D&C 124:18 (18,99) 5^a TG Obedience ^b TG Abrahamic Covenant TG Covenants ^c TG Israel, Twelve Tribes TG Peculiar People ^d TG Israel, Blessing of TG Treasure 6^a TG Election ^b TG Israel, Mission of; TG; Priesthood; TG Priesthood, History of ^c Ex. 22:31; 1 Pet. 2:9 (5-9); TG Holiness ^d TG Separation Justice and Mercy Perhaps just a fanciful thought, but could it be that the two cheribum upon the sides of the judgment throne or mercy seat of God could be a representation of those two guiding principles of all eternity, Justice and Mercy? Justice on the one hand demanding to be satisfied with Christ in the midst being enabled to satisfy the demand of Justice with the grace of Mercy wrought about by the atonement on the other hand to all those who come unto him and repent and take upon them the name of Christ. Even as Hebrews 4:15 states, 'Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need'.
10 ¶ And he made the ^atable of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof: 11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about. 12 Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.
13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof. 14 ^aOver against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.
15 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table. 16 And he made the ^avessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and ^bhis covers to cover withal, of pure gold.
17 ¶ And he made the ^acandlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and ^bhis branch, his bowls, ^chis knops, and his flowers, were of the same: 18 And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof: 19 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.
20 And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers: 21 And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it. 22 Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.
23 And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold. 24 Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.
25 ¶ And he made the incense ^aaltar 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. 26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about.
27 And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves ^ato bear it withal. 28 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
29 ¶ And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure ^aincense of sweet spices, according to the work of the ^bapothecary.