Exodus 37:1-29

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37:1 VA YA'AS BETSAL-EL ET HA ARON ATSEY SHITIM AMATAYIM VA CHETSI ARKO VE AMAH VA CHETSI RACHBO VE AMAH VA CHETSI KOMATO

וַיַּעַשׂ בְּצַלְאֵל אֶת הָאָרֹן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי רָחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתוֹ

KJ: 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:

BN: And Betsal-El made the ark of acacia-wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high.


2.5 cubits = 43.75 inches - a little under four foot feet
1.5 cubits = 26.25 inches- a little over two feet
click here for more detail

So a very tiny, albeit a very ornate, box. Large enough to store two tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments, but no chance of any other stones for any other commandments. Yet Mosheh was told to write them all down (and we noted that papyrus was likely to have been lacking, and alphabet even more so); where might he have stored those?


37:2 VA YETSAPEHU ZAHAV TAHOR MI BAYIT U MI CHUTS VA YA'AS LO ZER ZAHAV SAVIV

וַיְצַפֵּהוּ זָהָב טָהוֹר מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב

KJ: And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.

BN: And he overlaid it with pure gold, inside and out, and he made a crown of gold to go around it.


37:3 VA YITSOK LO ARBA TAB'OT ZAHAV AL ARBA PA'AMOTAV U SHETEY TABA'OT AL TSAL'O HA ECHAT U SHETEY TABA'OT AL TSAL'O HA SHENIT

וַיִּצֹק לוֹ אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב עַל אַרְבַּע פַּעֲמֹתָיו וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעוֹ הָאֶחָת וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעוֹ הַשֵּׁנִית

KJ: 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.

BN: And he cast four rings of gold for it, one for each of the four feet: two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.


Once again we have TAB'OT and then TABA'OT, both apparently with the identical meaning

PA'AMOTAV: Pa'amot are usually drums, but here they are feet. A nice piece of etymology this - the root, PA'AM, gives the idea of "striking" or "beating",which one does with a drum, and also with one's bare feet when walking on wood, or running on any surface. So the root develops in both directions.

HA SHENIT: Why does the writer sometimes say HA ECHAT (or ACHAT)... HA ECHAT (or ACHAT), for 'this one... the other one', but here, and elsewhere, HA ECHAT ... HA SHENIT? Is it just a desire to vary the language, which good writing should? Or is there some subtle difference of meaning that I am missing (and all the translators I have looked at as well - which is dozens)?


37:4 VA YA'AS BADEY ATSEY SHITIM VA YETSAPH OTAM ZAHAV

וַיַּעַשׂ בַּדֵּי עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַיְצַף אֹתָם זָהָב

KJ: And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

BN: And he made staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with gold.


37:5 VA YAV'E ET HA BADIM BA TABA'OT AL TSAL'OT HA ARON LASET ET HA ARON

וַיָּבֵא אֶת הַבַּדִּים בַּטַּבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעֹת הָאָרֹן לָשֵׂאת אֶת הָאָרֹן

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

BN: And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark.


37:6 VA YA'AS KAPORET ZAHAV TAHOR AMATAYIM VA CHETSIY ARKAH VE AMAH VA CHETSIY RACHBAH

וַיַּעַשׂ כַּפֹּרֶת זָהָב טָהוֹר אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אָרְכָּהּ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי רָחְבָּהּ

KJ: 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.

BN: And he made an ark-cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long, and a cubit and a half wide.


Which is precisely the size of the box, no overlap (see verse 1).


37:7 VA YA'AS SHENEY CHERUVIM ZAHAV MIKSHAH ASAH OTAM MI SHENEY KETSOT HA KAPORET

וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁנֵי כְרֻבִים זָהָב מִקְשָׁה עָשָׂה אֹתָם מִשְּׁנֵי קְצוֹת הַכַּפֹּרֶת

KJ: And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;

BN: And he made two gold keruvim; of wrought brass he made them, and set them at the two ends of the ark-cover.


KERUVIM: See the link.


37:8 KERUV ECHAD MI KATSAH MI ZEH U CHERUV ECHAD MI KATSAH MI ZEH MIN HA KAPORET ASAH ET HA KERUVIM MI SHENEY KETSOTAV

כְּרוּב אֶחָד מִקָּצָה מִזֶּה וּכְרוּב אֶחָד מִקָּצָה מִזֶּה מִן הַכַּפֹּרֶת עָשָׂה אֶת הַכְּרֻבִים מִשְּׁנֵי קְצוֹתָיו

KJ: 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.

BN: One cherub at one end, and one cherub at the other end, the ark-cover and the keruvim at the two ends integrated as a single piece.


KETSOTAV: The Yehudit text is actually קצוותו, with a double Vav in the middle; but most Jewish editions, even Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jewish editions, "correct" it to a single Vav (rather than offering the alternative in brackets, as they often do), though I do believe that questioning the validity and accuracy of a text written by the finger of Elohim is an act of apostasy and blasphemy and heresy and disrespect for which instant excommunication (both cherem and nichretah) should be the automatic minimal punishment!


37:9 VA YEHEYU HA KERUVIM PORSHEY CHENAPHAYIM LEMA'LAH SOCH'CHIM BE CHANPHEYHEM AL HA KAPORET U PHENEYHEM ISH EL ACHAV EL HA KAPORET HAYU PENEY HA KERUVIM

וַיִּהְיוּ הַכְּרֻבִים פֹּרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה סֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו אֶל הַכַּפֹּרֶת הָיוּ פְּנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים

KJ: 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.

BN: And the Keruvim spread out their wings on high, screening the ark-cover with their wings, with their faces one to another, pointed in the direction of the ark-cover.


Which, you have to admit, sounds like the most gorgeous piece of art-work. Has anyone ever tried to make a copy of it? (Internet-surf that, and you will find literally dozens of attempts, most of them fantasising angels as add-ons, most of them stuck with the mediaeval Christian fallacy of "cherubs", which is to say little babies in diapers with grown-up faces. One at least has invented a version of No'ach's Ark, and mounted it on the roof of the box. Several very abstract-modernist imaginings, nothing much to do with the detailed instruction given here, but beautiful nonetheless.



37:10 VA-YA'AS ET HA SHULCHAN ATSEY SHITIM AMATAYIM ARKO VE AMAH RACHBO VE AMAH VA CHETSIY KOMATO

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה רָחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתוֹ

KJ: 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:

BN: And he made the table of acacia-wood, two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.


37:11 VA YETSAPH OTO ZAHAV TAHOR VA YA'AS LO ZER ZAHAV SAVIV

וַיְצַף אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב

KJ: And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about.

BN: And he overlaid it with pure gold, and and he made a crown of gold to go around it.


37:12 VA YA'AS LO MISGERET TOPACH SAVIV VA YA'AS ZER ZAHAV LE MISGARTO SAVIV

וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ מִסְגֶּרֶת טֹפַח סָבִיב וַיַּעַשׂ זֵר זָהָב לְמִסְגַּרְתּוֹ סָבִיב

KJ: Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.

BN: And he made a border, one hand-breadth around it, with a golden crown all around the border.


37:13 VA YITSOK LO ARBA TAB'OT ZAHAV VA YITEN ET HA TABA'OT AL ARBA HA PE'OT ASHER LE ARBA RAGLAV

וַיִּצֹק לוֹ אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב וַיִּתֵּן אֶת הַטַּבָּעֹת עַל אַרְבַּע הַפֵּאֹת אֲשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּע רַגְלָיו

KJ: And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof.

BN: And he cast for it four rings of gold, and set the rings in the four corners, one on each on its four feet.


see my note to verse 3, above


37:14 LE UMAT HA MISGERET HAYU HA TABA'OT BATIM LAVADIM LAS'ET ET HA SHULCHAN

לְעֻמַּת הַמִּסְגֶּרֶת הָיוּ הַטַּבָּעֹת בָּתִּים לַבַּדִּים לָשֵׂאת אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָן

KJ: Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.

BN: Close to the edge were the rings, the holders for the staves to carry the table.


37:15 VA YA'AS ET HA BADIM ATSEY SHITIM VA YETSAPH OTAM ZAHAV LAS'ET ET HA SHULCHAN

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַבַּדִּים עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַיְצַף אֹתָם זָהָב לָשֵׂאת אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָן

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

BN: And he made the staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table.


37:16 VA YA'AS ET HA KELIM ASHER AL HA SHULCHAN ET KE'AROTAV VE ET KAPOTAV VE ET MENAKIYOTAV VE ET HA KESAVOT ASHER YUSACH BAHEN ZAHAV TAHOR

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַכֵּלִים אֲשֶׁר עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֶת קְעָרֹתָיו וְאֶת כַּפֹּתָיו וְאֵת מְנַקִּיֹּתָיו וְאֶת הַקְּשָׂו‍ֹת אֲשֶׁר יֻסַּךְ בָּהֵן זָהָב טָהוֹר

KJ: 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.

BN: And he made the utensils that were on the table of pure gold - its dishes, its pans, its bowls and its pouring-jars.


pey break; end of 5th fragment


37:17 VA YA'AS ET HA MENORAH ZAHAV TAHOR MIKSHAH ASAH ET HA MENORAH YERECHA VE KANAH GEVIY'EYHA KAPHTOREYHA U PHERACHEYHA MIMENA HAYU

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַמְּנֹרָה זָהָב טָהוֹר מִקְשָׁה עָשָׂה אֶת הַמְּנֹרָה יְרֵכָהּ וְקָנָהּ גְּבִיעֶיהָ כַּפְתֹּרֶיהָ וּפְרָחֶיהָ מִמֶּנָּה הָיוּ

KJ: 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:

BN: And he made the Menorah of pure gold: of beaten work he made the Menorah, including its base and its shaft; its cups, knops and flowers were integrated as a single piece.


37:18 VE SHISHAH KANIM YOTS'IM MI TSIDEYHA SHELOSHA KENEY MENORAH MI TSADAH HA ECHAD U SHELOSHA KENEY MENORAH MI TSADAH HA SHENI

וְשִׁשָּׁה קָנִים יֹצְאִים מִצִּדֶּיהָ שְׁלֹשָׁה קְנֵי מְנֹרָה מִצִּדָּהּ הָאֶחָד וּשְׁלֹשָׁה קְנֵי מְנֹרָה מִצִּדָּהּ הַשֵּׁנִי

KJ: 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:

BN: And there were six branches going out of each side: three branches of the Menorah out of one side, and three branches of the Menorah out of the other side.


The seventh, the central candle, being the extension of the main shaft.


37:19 SHELOSHAH GEVI'IM MESHUKADIM BA KANEH HA ECHAD KAPHTOR VA PHERACH U SHELOSHA GEVI'IM MESHUKADIM BE KANEH ECHAD KAPHTOR VA PHARACH KEN LE SHESHET HA KANIM HA YOTS'IM MIN HA MENORAH

שְׁלֹשָׁה גְבִעִים מְשֻׁקָּדִים בַּקָּנֶה הָאֶחָד כַּפְתֹּר וָפֶרַח וּשְׁלֹשָׁה גְבִעִים מְשֻׁקָּדִים בְּקָנֶה אֶחָד כַּפְתֹּר וָפָרַח כֵּן לְשֵׁשֶׁת הַקָּנִים הַיֹּצְאִים מִן הַמְּנֹרָה

KJ: 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.

BN: Three cups were made on one branch, in the shape of almond-blossoms, a knop and a flower; and three cups were made on the other branch, , in the shape of almond-blossoms, a knop and a flower. Thus for the six branches that came out of the Menorah.


37:20 U VA MENORAH ARBA'AH GEVI'IM MESHUKADIM KAPHTOREYHA U PHERACHEYHA

וּבַמְּנֹרָה אַרְבָּעָה גְבִעִים מְשֻׁקָּדִים כַּפְתֹּרֶיהָ וּפְרָחֶיהָ

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

BN: And on the Menorah itself four cups in the shape of almond-blossoms, with their knops and flowers.


37:21 VE CHAPHTOR TACHAT SHENEY HA KANIM MIMENAH VE CHAPHTOR TACHAT SHENEY HA KANIM MIMENAH VE CHAPHTOR TACHAT SHENEY HA KANIM MIMENAH LE SHESHET HA KANIM HA YOTSIM MIMENAH

וְכַפְתֹּר תַּחַת שְׁנֵי הַקָּנִים מִמֶּנָּה וְכַפְתֹּר תַּחַת שְׁנֵי הַקָּנִים מִמֶּנָּה וְכַפְתֹּר תַּחַת שְׁנֵי הַקָּנִים מִמֶּנָּה לְשֵׁשֶׁת הַקָּנִים הַיֹּצְאִים מִמֶּנָּה

KJ: 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.

BN: And a knop under two of its branches, integrated as a single piece, and a knop under the next two branches, integrated as a single piece, and a knop under the third pair of branches, integrated as a single piece. Thus for the six branches coming out of it.


That is a really bizarrely long-windedly unnecessarily repetitive way of saying it.


37:22 KAPHTOREYHEM U KENOTAM MIMENAH HAYU KULAH MIKSHAH ACHAT ZAHAV TAHOR

כַּפְתֹּרֵיהֶם וּקְנֹתָם מִמֶּנָּה הָיוּ כֻּלָּהּ מִקְשָׁה אַחַת זָהָב טָהוֹר

KJ: Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.

BN: Their knops and their branches were likewise integrated as a single piece; the whole of it was a single piece of wrought work, made of pure gold.


Magnificent, again! Rococo masterpieces from the reign of Louis XIV, faience gems from the epoch of the Sforzas and the Medici, gold boxes made by ex-slaves in the waterless desert. It can be done!


37:23 VA YA'AS ET NEROTEYHA SHIV'AH U MALKACHEYHA U MACHTOTEYHA ZAHAV TAHOR

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת נֵרֹתֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה וּמַלְקָחֶיהָ וּמַחְתֹּתֶיהָ זָהָב טָהוֹר

KJ: And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold.

BN: And he made seven lamps for it, and its tongs, and its snuff-dishes, all of pure gold.


Lamps presumably meaning candle-holders, rather than anything more ornamental that might require what would not be invented for another three and a half thousand years: the light-bulb.


37:24 KIKAR ZAHAV TAHOR ASAH OTAH VE ET KOL KELEYHA

כִּכָּר זָהָב טָהוֹר עָשָׂה אֹתָהּ וְאֵת כָּל כֵּלֶיהָ

KJ: Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.

BN: Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof. 


Again so much gold - and pure gold at that - is simply implausible from these refugee slaves. About 30 kilograms - more detail here (same link as v1)

pey break


37:25 VA YA'AS ET MIZBACH HA KETORET ATSEY SHITIM AMAH ARKO VE AMAH RACHBO RAVU'A VE AMATAYIM KOMATO MIMENAH HAYU KARNOTAV

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּה אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה רָחְבּוֹ רָבוּעַ וְאַמָּתַיִם קֹמָתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ הָיוּ קַרְנֹתָיו

KJ: 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.

BN: And he made the incense-altar of acacia-wood: a cubit long, a cubit wide, four-square, and two cubits high; the horns were integrated with it to make a single piece.


37:26 VA YETSAPH OTO ZAHAV TAHOR ET GAGO VE ET KIYROTAV SAVIV VE ET KARNOTAV VA YA'AS LO ZER ZAHAV TAHOR

וַיְצַף אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר אֶת גַּגּוֹ וְאֶת קִירֹתָיו סָבִיב וְאֶת קַרְנֹתָיו וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב

KJ: 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.

BN: And he overlaid it with pure gold, its top, its sides, all around, and its horns; and he made a crown of gold to go around it.


37:27 U SHETEY TAB'OT ZAHAV ASAH LO MI TACHAT LE ZERO AL SHETEY TSAL'OTAV AL SHENEY TSIDAV LE VATIM LE VADIM LA'SET OTO BA HEM

וּשְׁתֵּי טַבְּעֹת זָהָב עָשָׂה לוֹ מִתַּחַת לְזֵרוֹ עַל שְׁתֵּי צַלְעֹתָיו עַל שְׁנֵי צִדָּיו לְבָתִּים לְבַדִּים לָשֵׂאת אֹתוֹ בָּהֶם

KJ: 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.

BN: And he made two golden rings for it, underneath its crown, on its two ribs, on both sides of it, as holders for the staves with which it was to be carried.


37:28 VA YA'AS ET HA BADIM ATSEY SHITIM VA YETSAPH OTAM ZAHAV

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַבַּדִּים עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַיְצַף אֹתָם זָהָב

KJ: And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

BN: And he made the staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with gold.


37:29 VA YA'AS ET SHEMEN HA MISHCHAH KODESH VE ET KETORET HA SAMIM TAHOR MA'ASEH ROK'E'ACH

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה קֹדֶשׁ וְאֶת קְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים טָהוֹר מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵחַ

KJ: And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

BN: And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.


samech break; end of sixth fragment; end of chapter 37.





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