Exodus 37:25

He made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns were of one piece.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The narrative records the artisan’s execution of divine instructions during the construction of the tabernacle furnishings. The verse specifies the dimensions and materials for the incense altar before its subsequent metal overlay.

The words — The text highlights מִזְבַּ֥ח (miz.Bach) as the altar and שִׁטִּ֑ים (shi.Tim) as the acacia wood used for its frame. These terms anchor the physical object to the specified materials before its gold overlay.

The thread — The construction details follow the initial command in Exodus 30:1 and proceed directly to the gold overlay in Exodus 37:26. The passage links the physical sanctuary object to the later New Testament description of Christ's ongoing intercession in Hebrews 7:25.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition of precise craftsmanship and material obedience in the worship space. It requires the reader to trace how physical sanctuary details connect to the theological claim of Christ's perpetual mediation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיַּ֛עַשׂva/i.Ya.'asand/ he made אֶת־'et-<obj.>מִזְבַּ֥חmiz.Bach[the] altar of הַקְּטֹ֖רֶתha./ke.To.ret<the>/ incense עֲצֵ֣י'a.Tzeiwood<s> of שִׁטִּ֑יםshi.Timacacia אַמָּ֣ה'a.Mah[was] a cubit אָרְכּוֹ֩'a.re.K/olength/ its וְאַמָּ֨הve./'a.Mahand/ [was] a cubit רָחְבּ֜וֹra.che.B/obreadth/ its רָב֗וּעַra.Vu.a'square וְאַמָּתַ֙יִם֙ve./'a.ma.Ta.yimand/ [was] two cubits קֹֽמָת֔וֹko.ma.T/oheight/ its מִמֶּ֖נּוּmi.Me./nufrom/ it הָי֥וּha.Yuthey were קַרְנֹתָֽיו׃kar.no.Ta/vhorns/ its

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Exodus 30:1 “You are also to make an altar of acacia wood for the burning of incense.
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Revelation 8:3 Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.
Exodus 40:5 Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony, and hang the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.
Exodus 40:26 Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the veil,
2 Chronicles 26:16 But when Uzziah became powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.
Matthew 23:19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?
Luke 1:9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Hebrews 13:10 We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.