What does Beseleel make for the sanctuary, and what weight is given for the candlestick?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

He makes the ark, propitiatory and cherubim, table and vessels, candlestick and lamps, incense altar, anointing oil and incense. The candlestick together with all its vessels weighs one talent of gold.

Chapter breakdown

What does Beseleel make for the sanctuary, and what weight is given for the candlestick? He makes the ark, propitiatory and cherubim, table and vessels, candlestick and lamps, incense altar, anointing oil and incense. The candlestick together with all its vessels weighs one talent of gold.

Beseleel makes a setim ark two and a half cubits long, one and a half wide and one and a half high, covered inside and outside with the purest gold. It has a gold crown around it. Four gold rings are cast at its four corners, two on each side. Setim bars covered with gold are placed through the side rings to carry it.

He makes the propitiatory, also called the oracle, of the purest gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half wide. Two cherubim of beaten gold stand on its two sides, one at the top of each side, at its two ends. Their wings spread to cover the propitiatory, and they look toward one another and toward it.

The setim table measures two cubits long, one wide and one and a half high. It is covered with the finest gold and has a gold ledge around it. On the ledge is a polished gold crown four fingers broad, with another gold crown upon it. Four gold rings are cast at the four corners, at each foot, opposite the crown. Setim bars covered with gold pass through them to carry the table. Its vessels for different uses—dishes, bowls, cups and censers for drink offerings—are pure gold.

The candlestick is beaten work of the finest gold, with branches, cups, bowls and lilies coming from its shaft. Six branches extend from its two sides, three on each side. Each branch has three nut-shaped cups, with bowls and lilies, and all six have equal work. The shaft has four nut-shaped cups, with bowls and lilies at each one. Bowls sit under two branches in three places, making six branches from one shaft. Bowls and branches are of the same beaten work of the purest gold.

He makes seven lamps, their snuffers and the vessels where snuffings are put out, of the purest gold. The candlestick and all its vessels weigh a talent of gold.

The incense altar is setim wood, square with each side one cubit, and two cubits high, with horns projecting from its corners. The altar, grate, sides and horns are covered with the purest gold. A gold crown goes around it, with two gold rings beneath it at each side, to receive bars and carry the altar. The setim bars are covered with gold plates.

He also compounds the oil for the ointment of sanctification and incense of the purest spices, according to the perfumer’s work.

The story inside

The chapter records the making of the furnishings in sequence. The ark has its measured wooden body, gold covering, crown, corner rings and carrying bars. The measured propitiatory and beaten-gold cherubim follow, with their wings covering it and their faces directed toward each other and it. The table has its own measurements, gold covering, ledge and crowns, foot rings, carrying bars and drink-offering vessels. The candlestick’s shaft, six branches, cups, bowls and lilies are then described, followed by seven lamps and snuffing vessels; the weight applies to the candlestick and all its vessels together. The square incense altar has horns, gold covering, crown, rings and bars. The perfumer’s oil and incense close the account. It reports what is made without specifying the later placement or service of these objects. (Exodus 37:1–29.)

Lessons worth keeping

1
The gold work is described differently for different parts. The ark is wood covered with gold, the propitiatory is of the purest gold, and the cherubim are beaten gold. The chapter does not state that the propitiatory and cherubim are a single seamless piece. (37:1–9.)
2
The table’s bars have a stated purpose. Four rings at its corners and feet receive bars so the table can be carried. Its two crowns are described, including the four-finger breadth, without a stated function of securing loaves. (37:10–16.)
3
The talent is the finished weight of the candlestick and all its vessels. The account separately names the six branches, nut-shaped cups, bowls, lilies, seven lamps and snuffing equipment. It does not say a talent was the starting amount used for a single piece. (37:17–24.)

Test your recall

Why are bars put through the ark’s and table’s rings? To carry them. Where do the cherubim look? Toward one another and the propitiatory, which their spread wings cover. What is four fingers broad? The polished gold crown on the table’s ledge. What weighs one talent? The candlestick with all its vessels. What method is named for the oil and incense?

Show answer

The perfumer’s work. (37:5, 9, 12–15, 24, 29.)

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 10151–10156
Exodus Chapter 37 Beseleel maketh the ark: the propitiatory, and cherubims, the table, the candlestick, the lamps, and the altar of incense, and compoundeth the incense.
Lines 10157–10171
37:1. And Beseleel made also, the ark of setim wood: it was two cubits and a half in length, and a cubit and a half in breadth, and the height was of one cubit and a half: and he overlaid it with the purest gold within and without. 37:2. And he made to it a crown of gold round about, 37:3. Casting four rings of gold at the four corners thereof: two rings in one side, and two in the other. 37:4. And he made bars of setim wood, which he overlaid with gold, 37:5. And he put them into the rings that were at the sides of the ark to carry it.
Lines 10172–10185
37:6. He made also the propitiatory, that is, the oracle, of the purest gold, two cubits and a half in length, and a cubit and a half in breadth. 37:7. Two cherubims also of beaten gold, which he set on the two sides of the propitiatory: 37:8. One cherub in the top of one side, and the other cherub in the top of the other side: two cherubims at the two ends of the propitiatory, 37:9. Spreading their wings, and covering the propitiatory, and looking one towards the other, and towards it.
Lines 10186–10207
37:10. He made also the table of setim wood, in length two cubits, and in breadth one cubit, and in height it was a cubit and a half. 37:11. And he overlaid it with the finest gold, and he made to it a golden ledge round about, 37:12. And to the ledge itself he made a polished crown of gold, of four fingers breadth, and upon the same another golden crown. 37:13. And he cast four rings of gold, which he put in the four corners at each foot of the table, 37:14. Over against the crown: and he put the bars into them, that the table might be carried. 37:15. The bars also themselves he made of setim wood, and overlaid them with gold. 37:16. And the vessels for the divers uses of the table, dishes, bowls, and cups, and censers of pure gold, wherein the libations are to be offered.
Lines 10208–10228
37:17. He made also the candlestick of beaten work of the finest gold. From the shaft whereof its branches, its cups, and bowls, and lilies came out: 37:18. Six on the two sides: three branches on one side, and three on the other. 37:19. Three cups in manner of a nut on each branch, and bowls withal and lilies: and three cups of the fashion of a nut in another branch, and bowls withal and lilies. The work of the six branches, that went out from the shaft of the candlestick was equal. 37:20. And in the shaft itself were four cups after the manner of a nut, and bowls withal at every one, and lilies: 37:21. And bowls under two branches in three places, which together made six branches going out from one shaft. 37:22. So both the bowls, and the branches were of the same, all beaten work of the purest gold.
Lines 10229–10234
37:23. He made also the seven lamps with their snuffers, and the vessels where the snuffings were to be put out, of the purest gold. 37:24. The candlestick with all the vessels thereof weighed a talent of gold.
Lines 10235–10248
37:25. He made also the altar of incense of setim wood, being a cubit on every side foursquare, and in height two cubits: from the corners of which went out horns. 37:26. And he overlaid it with the purest gold, with its grate, and the sides, and the horns. 37:27. And he made to it a crown of gold round about, and two golden rings under the crown at each side, that the bars might be put into them, and the altar be carried. 37:28. And the bars themselves he made also of setim wood, and overlaid them with plates of gold.
Lines 10249–10252
37:29. He compounded also the oil for the ointment of sanctification, and incense of the purest spices, according to the work of a perfumer.