The Meaning of Exodus 38:1 Explained

Exodus 38:1

KJV: And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.

YLT: And he maketh the altar of burnt-offering of shittim wood, five cubits its length, and five cubits its breadth (square), and three cubits its height;

Darby: And he made the altar of burnt-offering of acacia-wood; five cubits the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof, square, and three cubits the height thereof.

ASV: And he made the altar of burnt-offering of acacia wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof, foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he made  the altar  of burnt offering  [of] shittim  wood:  five  cubits  [was] the length  thereof, and five  cubits  the breadth  thereof; [it was] foursquare;  and three  cubits  the height  thereof. 

What does Exodus 38:1 Mean?

Study Notes

shittim
i.e. acacia.

Chapter Summary: Exodus 38

1  The altar of burnt offering
8  The laver of brass
9  The court, and its hangings
21  The sum of what the people offered, and the use to which it was applied

What do the individual words in Exodus 38:1 mean?

And He made - the altar of burnt offering of wood acacia five its length [was] cubits and five cubits its width [it was] square and three its height [was]
וַיַּ֛עַשׂ אֶת־ מִזְבַּ֥ח הָעֹלָ֖ה עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים חָמֵשׁ֩ אַמּ֨וֹת אָרְכּ֜וֹ וְחָֽמֵשׁ־ אַמּ֤וֹת --רָחְבּוֹ֙ --רָב֔וּעַ וְשָׁלֹ֥שׁ קֹמָתֽוֹ

וַיַּ֛עַשׂ  And  He  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
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.
מִזְבַּ֥ח  the  altar 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
הָעֹלָ֖ה  of  burnt  offering 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
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.
חָמֵשׁ֩  five 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
אַמּ֨וֹת  its  length  [was] 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אַמָּה 
Sense: cubit—a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 8 in (.
אָרְכּ֜וֹ  cubits 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹרֶךְ  
Sense: length.
וְחָֽמֵשׁ־  and  five 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, feminine singular
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
אַמּ֤וֹת  cubits 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אַמָּה 
Sense: cubit—a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 8 in (.
--רָחְבּוֹ֙  its  width 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹחַב  
Sense: breadth, width, expanse.
--רָב֔וּעַ  [it  was]  square 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: רָבַע  
Sense: to square, be squared.
וְשָׁלֹ֥שׁ  and  three 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
קֹמָתֽוֹ  its  height  [was] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹומָה  
Sense: height.