And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.
Parallel translations
- WEB He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.
- BSB Then he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar for carrying it. He made the altar with boards so that it was hollow.
- NKJV Then he put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to bear it. He made the altar hollow with boards.
- NASB Then he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.
- NLT He inserted the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar. The altar was hollow and was made from planks.
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 the altar's sides, and the altar was made hollow with planks. This made it both movable and lighter to carry.
Overview
The hollow plank construction allowed the large altar to be transported with the camp. The poles enabled it to be carried without direct handling. The work follows Exodus 27:7-8, completing the altar of burnt offering.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Acts 9:15But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
- 1 Cor 2:2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
- 1 Cor 1:24But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
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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 38:7 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
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