The Meaning of Exodus 37:1 Explained

Exodus 37:1

KJV: 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:

YLT: And Bezaleel maketh the ark of shittim wood, two cubits and a half its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height;

Darby: And Bezaleel made the ark of acacia-wood; two cubits and a half the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

ASV: And Bezalel made the ark of acacia 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:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Exodus 37:1 Mean?

Study Notes

shittim
i.e. acacia.

Chapter Summary: Exodus 37

1  The ark and mercy seat with cherubim made
10  The table of showbread with its vessels
17  The candlestick with its lamps and instruments
25  The altar of incense
29  The anointing oil and sweet incense

What do the individual words in Exodus 37:1 mean?

And made Bezalel - the ark of wood acacia Two cubits [was] and a half its length and a cubit and a half its width its height
וַיַּ֧עַשׂ בְּצַלְאֵ֛ל אֶת־ הָאָרֹ֖ן עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים אַמָּתַ֨יִם וָחֵ֜צִי אָרְכּ֗וֹ וְאַמָּ֤ה וָחֵ֙צִי֙ רָחְבּ֔וֹ קֹמָתֽוֹ

וַיַּ֧עַשׂ  And  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
בְּצַלְאֵ֛ל  Bezalel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּצַלְאֵל  
Sense: son of Uri and grandson of Hur; a skilled Judahite artisan in all works of metal, wood, and stone and one of the architects of the tabernacle.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאָרֹ֖ן  the  ark 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
עֲצֵ֣י  of  wood 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
שִׁטִּ֑ים  acacia 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: שִׁטָּה  
Sense: acacia tree, acacia wood.
אַמָּתַ֨יִם  Two  cubits  [was] 
Parse: Noun, fd
Root: אַמָּה 
Sense: cubit—a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 8 in (.
וָחֵ֜צִי  and  a  half 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲצִי 
Sense: half.
אָרְכּ֗וֹ  its  length 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹרֶךְ  
Sense: length.
וְאַמָּ֤ה  and  a  cubit 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַמָּה 
Sense: cubit—a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 8 in (.
וָחֵ֙צִי֙  and  a  half 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲצִי 
Sense: half.
רָחְבּ֔וֹ  its  width 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹחַב  
Sense: breadth, width, expanse.
קֹמָתֽוֹ  its  height 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹומָה  
Sense: height.