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Its poles shall be put into the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar, when carrying it.
Exodus 27:7 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.
  • BSB The poles are to be inserted into the rings so that the poles are on two sides of the altar when it is carried.
  • NKJV The poles shall be put in the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar to bear it.
  • NASB Its poles shall be inserted into the rings, so that the poles will be on the two sides of the altar when it is carried.
  • NLT Insert the poles through the rings on the two sides of the altar.

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

The poles were inserted into the rings on both sides of the altar for carrying it. This describes how the altar was to be moved.

Overview

When the camp moved, the poles slid through the rings so the altar could be carried on the Levites' shoulders without being touched directly. The careful arrangement preserved the altar's holiness in transit. Even the manner of moving the sacred altar reflected reverence for the things set apart to God.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 3

  • Exod 25:28You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them.
  • Exod 30:4You shall make two golden rings for it under its molding; on its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it.
  • Num 4:13–14“They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Exodus videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Exodus 27:7YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ExodusMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 27:7 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.