And make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
Parallel translations
- WEB You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
- KJV And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
- NKJV And you shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
- NASB And you shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
- NLT Make poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold were to be made for the ark. They provided a reverent means of carrying the holy object.
Overview
Like the ark itself, the poles combined durable wood with pure gold, befitting their sacred use. They allowed the Levites to bear the ark without touching it, guarding its holiness. The matching materials maintained the consistency and dignity of the whole. This attention to reverent handling underscores that approach to God's presence must be on His terms.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Exod 37:4Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
- Exod 25:28Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that the table may be carried with them.
- Exod 40:20Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark.
- Exod 27:6Additionally, make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze.
- Num 4:11Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with fine leather, and insert the poles.
- 1 Chr 15:15And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.
- Num 4:8And they shall spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with fine leather, and insert the poles.
- Exod 30:5Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
- Num 4:6They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles.
- Num 4:14and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 25:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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