Exodus 37

THE FURTHER PROGRESS OF THE WORK — THE CONSTRUCTION OF

THE FURNITURE FOR THE HOLY OF HOLIES (vs. 1-9)

On the history of the construction of the tabernacle follows naturally that of the construction

of its furniture. The order of dignity is followed, as in ch. 25., and the furniture of the holy

of holies taken first - vs. 1-9 correspond to ch. 25:10-20)

vs. 1-9 – “And Bezaleel made the ark” - The particular maker of the various parts

and contents of the tabernacle is not elsewhere pointed out. Thus this mention of

Bezaleel is emphatic, and seems intended to mark the employment of the highest

artistic skill on that which was the most precious of all objects connected with the

new construction – “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:

And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold

to it round about. 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. And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with

gold. And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear

the ark. And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half

was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And he

made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two

ends of the mercy seat; One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub

on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on

the two ends thereof. And the cherubims 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.”

Art’s Highest Efforts Should be Concentrated on

What is Most Essential to the Work at Hand

“Bezaleel made the ark.” Bezaleel, “filled with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in

understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship” (ch. 35:31),

while he entrusted most of the rest of the work to others, reserved to himself the

construction of the ark, with the cherubim and mercy seat. The ark was clearly the

central object of the newly devised structure, that towards which the eyes of all would

be directed, on which the thoughts of all would rest, which, itself unseen, dominated

the entire edifice and formed its material basis and raison d’etre. Shrined in the holy

of holies, shrouded from sight by the veil, never seen but by the high-priest once a-year,

yet known to occupy the innermost penetrale of the sanctuary, and to lie there in the

light of the Divine presence constantly, it challenged the attention of all, and occupied

a unique position among the sacred objects which the sanctuary was to contain.

Bezaleel, the master-artist, felt that there was a call on him to construct it. What wealth

of loving work he lavished on the construction, with what rich and delicate tracery of

fanciful ornament he adorned it, no one can say. The ark never returned from Babylon;

and the master-work of the master-artist of these times has been lost to humanity. But

his choice asserted some important principles, and deserves imitation through all ages.

It pointed out:

THAT THE LAW OF ORNAMENT IS NOT ONE OF GENERAL

UNIFORM ELABORATION UP TO A CERTAIN HEIGHT, BUT ONE

OF SPECIAL CONCENTRATION UPON A POINT OR POINTS.

Compare Magdalen Tower with the Houses of Parliament, the western

front of the Parthenon with the ordinary porch of a church of the Jesuits,

the facade of St. Zeno at Verona with even the front of St. Mark’s at

Venice, and it will at once be seen how superior is ornament concentrated

to ornament dispersed, elaboration of certain parts, set off by the

comparative plainness of others, to diffusion generally of equal elaboration

everywhere. A sense of heaviness, of over-loading, of weariness, is

produced by the one plan, a feeling of unmixed pleasure by the other.

THAT THE CONCENTRATION SHOULD BE ON SUCH PARTS

OF THE WORK AS ARE MOST ESSENTIAL TO IT. If a campanile or

bell-tower be the work in hand, the concentration should be towards the

chamber in which the bells are hung, as in the great campanile of St.

Mark’s, Venice. If a college, towards the parts common to all, the chapel,

hall, library; if a sepulchral monument, towards the tomb; if a palace,

towards the state-rooms; and the like. Here, in this case of the tabernacle,

the concentration was towards the holy of holies. Most properly. And on

the ark: since, of the holy of holies, the ark was the glory.

In Christian churches, according as preaching, or the administration of the

sacraments, or the elevation of the thoughts to heaven, are regarded as the main

object of sacred buildings, the concentration of artistic effort will naturally be

towards the pulpit, or towards font and altar, or towards the roof. Examples of the

first are common in Germany and Switzerland, of the second in Roman Catholic

churches generally, of the third in English churches of the Tudor period, e.g. Henry

the Seventh’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey, and the like.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FURNITURE FOR THE HOLY PLACE

(vs. 10-28)-

vs. 10-28 – “And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length

thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:

And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round

about. Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and

made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about. And he cast for it four

rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet

thereof. Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to

bear the table. And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with

gold, to bear the table. 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.

And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick;

his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:

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: 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. And in

the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:

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. Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of

it was one beaten work of pure gold. And he made his seven lamps, and his

snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold. Of a talent of pure gold made he it,

and all the vessels thereof. 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. 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. 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 to bear it withal. And he made the staves of

shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.” Vs. 10-16 correspond to ch. 25:23-29;

vs. 17-24 to ch. 25:31-39; and vs. 25-28 to ch. 30:1-5. V. 29 is an abbreviation of

ch. 30:23-25, and 34-35. (As in the section in ch. 36 on Exactitude in Obedience –

[this web site] - The exact correspondency of paragraph with paragraph, verse

with verse, clause with clause, word with word, seems intended to teach

and enforce the lesson THAT WHAT GOD COMMANDS IS TO BE

OBSERVED TO THE LETTER, DOWN TO ITS MINUTEST POINT! –

Remember God had said, “See, saith He, that thou make all things according

to the pattern shewed thee in the mount” – [Hebrews 8:5, Exodus 25:40] – CY-

2010)

THE MAKING OF THE HOLY OIL AND OF THE INCENSE (v. 29).

Verse 29 is an abbreviation of Exodus 30:23-25,34, 35.

v. 29 – “And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet

spices, according to the work of the apothecary.”

For further readings, see the symbolisms contained in chapters 25 and 30 –

this web site.

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