Exodus 37 - The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann

And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood, the light, but strong wood of the Arabian acacia; two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it;

The Ark

and he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown, a molding, of gold to it round about.

And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by (on or at ) the four corners of it: even two rings upon the one side of it and two rings upon the other side of it.

And he made staves of shittim wood and overlaid them with gold.

And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark to bear the ark.

And he made the mercy-seat, the lid, or covering, of the ark, of pure gold; two cubits and a half was the length thereof and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

And he made two cherubim of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, enchased and fashioned with a hammer, on the two ends of the mercy-seat:

one cherub on the end on this side and another cherub on the other end on that side, one at the north end, the other at the south end of the lid; out of the mercy-seat made he the cherubim on the two ends thereof, not merely set on top, but so firmly attached to the covering of the ark as to be an integral part of it.

And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy-seat, with their faces to another, even to the mercy-seatward were the faces of the cherubim; they were facing toward each other, and bending forward over the ark. Cf Exodus 25:10-22.

fell back. Twice more he writhed convulsively and then died. And now the last scene is pictured.

The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, full of uneasiness and impatience over the delay of her son, otherwise so quick in returning with rich booty, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots? If he himself is delayed, why does he not at least send word of the success of his enterprise?

Her wise ladies answered her, with the wisdom of pride that cannot conceive of a defeat for Sisera; yea, she returned answer to herself,

Have they not sped? Have they not divided the prey, thereby being detained so long; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colors, beautiful colored or purple robes, a prey of divers colors of needlework, of divers colors of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil, color-embroidered vestments, two for his neck as booty? "The glowing heat of her prophetic enthusiasm shines through the irony with which she places the vain pride of unbelieving enemies over against the almighty power of God. It is not an irony of hatred, disfiguring the face with scornful smiles, but such as springs from the consciousness that God's wisdom and power are superior to all heroes and heathen. " (Lange.)

So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord, fallen and brought to naught like Sisera; but let them that love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. The rising of the sun in his full strength is a fitting picture of the rising of Israel to an ever more glorious manifestation of power, according to the intention of the Lord. And the land had rest forty years.