Exodus 36:31-34 · Bible study
Exodus 36:31-34 Commentary: The Gold and Acacia Bars of the Tabernacle
Hebrew · 4 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exodus 36:31-34 records Bezalel's exact execution of God's tabernacle instructions. This study shows why precise obedience matters in worship.
Research Summary
- Meaning: This passage records the faithful execution of God's instructions for the tabernacle's structural framework.
- Key words: bars (brîḥ), acacia wood (shiṭṭîm), overlay (tsāphâ), gold (zāhāv), frames (qᵊrešîm).
- Main debate: Whether the middle bar (v.33) was unique in extending the full length, or if all five bars did so. Poole suggests the other four may have been slightly shorter.
- Theological theme: Exact obedience to God's pattern for worship produces a dwelling place for His presence.
- Best use: Teaching the value of careful, faithful work in response to God's commands, and the beauty of divine-human cooperation in building a place of worship.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
31He also made five crossbars of acacia wood for the frames on one side of the tabernacle,
32five for those on the other side, and five for those on the rear side of the tabernacle, to the west.
33He made the central crossbar to run through the center of the frames, from one end to the other.
34And he overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. He also overlaid the crossbars with gold.
WEB World English Bible 2000
31He made bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
32and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the hinder part westward.
33He made the middle bar to pass through in the middle of the boards from the one end to the other.
34He overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold as places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.
KJV King James Version 1769
31And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
32And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward.
33And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other.
34And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
31And he made bars of acacia wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
32and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the hinder part westward.
33And he made the middle bar to pass through in the midst of the boards from the one end to the other.
34And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold for places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
31And he maketh bars of shittim wood, five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
32and five bars for the boards of the second side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle, for the sides westward;
33and he maketh the middle bar to enter into the midst of the boards from end to end;
34and the boards he hath overlaid with gold, and their rings he hath made of gold, places for bars, and he overlayeth the bars with gold.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
31— And he made bars of acacia-wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
32and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle at the rear, westward.
33And he made the middle bar in the midst of the boards reach from one end to the other.
34And he overlaid the boards with gold; and made their rings of gold [as] receptacles for the bars; and overlaid the bars with gold.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
31He made also bars of setim wood, five to hold together the boards of one side of the tabernacle,
32And five others to join together the boards of the other side; and besides these, five other bars at the west side of the tabernacle towards the sea.
33He made also another bar, that might come by the midst of the boards from corner to corner.
34And the boards themselves he overlaid with gold casting for them sockets of silver. And their rings he made of gold, through which the bars might be drawn: and he covered the bars themselves with plates of gold.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 36:31
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions observe that these verses report the precise execution of the commands given in Exodus 26:26-29. Matthew Henry highlights the repeated phrases 'he made' and 'he overlaid' as evidence of meticulous craftsmanship. The Geneva Bible notes the use of acacia wood and gold, materials that combine durability with dignity. Lange's Commentary draws attention to the middle bar passing through the boards from end to end, underscoring the unity and stability of the structure. The consensus is clear: the narrative's exact repetition of the pattern serves not as redundancy but as a deliberate emphasis on faithful obedience. Every detail matters because every detail was given by God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The passage describes the faithful execution of God's instructions for the tabernacle's structural framework, using specified materials and quantities.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The function of the five bars per side | All traditions agree that the bars served to bind the boards together structurally, ensuring the tabernacle could be assembled and disassembled for travel. | Some see symbolic meaning in the number five (e.g., representing the Pentateuch or human responsibility), while others caution against reading numbers allegorically where Scripture does not interpret them. |
| The unique role of the middle bar | The middle bar is described as passing through the boards from end to end, emphasizing its role in unifying the structure. | There is disagreement over whether the other four bars also spanned the full length of the wall. Poole argues they may have been slightly shorter, while others assume all five were the same length. |
| The significance of the gold overlay | The gold overlay on both boards and bars indicates the tabernacle's sacred character, as it is God's dwelling place. | Some traditions see a typological meaning (gold representing Christ's divinity, acacia His humanity), while others see it purely as a decoration signifying the beauty of holiness. |
| The use of acacia wood | Acacia wood was chosen for its durability, availability in Sinai, and resistance to decay. | Some interpret acacia as a type of Christ's incorruptible humanity, but this is not universally taught. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The tabernacle was a portable sanctuary that accompanied Israel through the wilderness. Its walls consisted of upright boards of acacia wood, each 10 cubits high and 1.5 cubits wide (Exodus 26:16). These boards were held together by crossbars that ran through gold rings. The number five appears three times in this passage: five bars for each of the three sides. While the Bible does not explain the significance of five, some interpreters connect it to the number of books of the Law or to human responsibility. More certain is the structural function: with 48 boards on the north and south (20 each) and 8 on the west, the five bars per side provided stability against desert winds and the movement of transport.
Acacia wood was abundant in the Sinai region and resistant to insects, making it suitable for a holy structure. Gold overlay signified the glory of God. The careful specification of materials and dimensions shows that the tabernacle was not a human invention but a divine pattern. The narrative's repetition in Exodus 36 of the instructions first given in Exodus 26 reinforces the theme of exact obedience. Bezalel and the craftsmen did not improvise; they followed the pattern shown to Moses on the mountain (Exodus 25:40).
Poole's annotation discusses whether the middle bar alone spanned the entire length of the wall, or if all five bars did. This minor debate does not affect the main point: the structure was designed to be both sturdy and portable, suitable for God's dwelling among a pilgrim people.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants in Exodus 36:31-34. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscript traditions for these verses. The few minor differences among English translations (e.g., 'shoot through' [KJV] vs 'pass through' [WEB]) reflect translation choices for the verb bāraḥ, which can mean both 'to go through' and 'to flee'. The context clearly indicates structural joining, not flight.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been read both literally, as a model of obedience, and allegorically, as a picture of Christ's person and the Church. Early church fathers often saw the tabernacle as a type of Christ's incarnation or a foreshadowing of the heavenly sanctuary. Medieval commentators developed elaborate allegories, associating the acacia wood with Christ's humanity and the gold with His divinity. Reformation-era figures such as John Calvin and Matthew Henry emphasized the literal obedience and the principle that God alone determines how He is to be worshipped. Modern readers tend to focus on the historicity and the value of precise craftsmanship in response to God's commands, while also appreciating the rich typological tradition.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God provides a detailed blueprint for worship (Exodus 26:26-29; 36:31-34).
- Faithful workers execute that blueprint with precise care ("he made… he overlaid").
- God’s presence dwells where His instructions are followed exactly.
Five-point outline
- The materials (acacia wood and gold) show that what we offer God should be both solid and beautiful.
- The number five (five bars per side) reminds us of God’s gracious provision and our responsibility to use it well.
- The middle bar running end to end (v.33) symbolizes the unifying presence of Christ, who holds all things together (Colossians 1:17).
- The gold rings as holders (v.34) teach us that our faith needs secure connection points to truth.
- The overlay of gold covering ordinary wood points to our transformation by grace.
Illustration hooks
- Furniture assembly: Following the instruction manual exactly makes the piece stable. Skipping a step weakens the whole. The tabernacle required no shortcuts.
- Following a recipe: A chef follows a recipe precisely the first time, knowing substitutions change the dish. The craftsmen replicated the pattern God showed Moses.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God care about such small details? Does He care about the details of my life?
- Is the repetition in Exodus just filler, or is God emphasizing something important?
- How can we apply this attention to detail in our worship and service without becoming legalistic?
Leading a Discussion
This passage might seem like a tedious inventory. But it records the faithful completion of God's instructions. The craftsmen did not add or subtract; they built exactly what God commanded. This challenges us to consider how seriously we take God's Word in our own lives.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What are the specific items listed in verses 31-34? Read Exodus 26:26-29 alongside it. How do they compare?
- Observation: What materials are mentioned, and what do we know about them from the rest of Exodus?
- Interpretation: Why do you think the author repeats the details so precisely? What might this repetition say about God's character?
- Interpretation: What does the use of acacia wood and gold suggest about the nature of the tabernacle as a dwelling place for God?
- Application: In what areas of your life might you need to pay more careful attention to God's instructions?
- Application: How can our church community demonstrate exact obedience to God's Word without falling into rigid legalism?
- Application: This passage shows human hands working with divine direction. Where do you see that partnership in your own faith journey?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 25:28 | You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them. |
| Exodus 26:26 | “You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, |
| Exodus 26:29 | You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars. You shall overlay the bars with gold. |
| Exodus 30:5 | You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
3 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points out that these bars are made in the same way as those described earlier in Exodus 26:26. Rather than giving a new explanation, he sends the reader back to his notes on that verse for the full detail. His approach highlights the
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize the middle bar that ran through every board from end to end, showing how the tabernacle was held together as one solid unit. Every bar and board was then overlaid with gold, pointing to the glory and preciousness of God's dwelling place.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights a sharp contrast between the joyful, voluntary building of the tabernacle here and the earlier frenzied gathering for the golden calf. This passage, he says, shines with New Testament spontaneity and gladness, while the earlier episode was cowardly, driven by sensuous passion, and led to a debased form of worship.