And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.

EXODUS 30:5KJV
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Exodus 30:5 (KJV)

What does Exodus 30:5 mean?

Exodus 30:5 instructs that the poles (called "staves" in the King James Version) used for carrying a sacred object should be made from acacia wood and then covered with gold. This verse is part of the detailed directions God gives to Moses about constructing items for the tabernacle.

In this setting, God is speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, giving him precise instructions for building the altar of incense and its related parts. The use of acacia wood and gold shows the importance and sacredness of these objects, as both materials were highly valued and durable in the ancient world.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 30:5

  • שִׁטִּים (shittim, H7848): This word refers to acacia wood, a tough and long-lasting wood common in the Sinai region. Its use here highlights the practical and symbolic value of durability and purity.
  • צָפָה (tsaphah, H6823): Translated as "overlay," this word means to cover something with a thin layer, often of metal. The instruction to overlay the wood with gold emphasizes the object's sacred status and visual beauty.
  • זָהָב (zahav, H2091): This is the Hebrew word for "gold." Gold was the most precious metal available, reserved for the most important religious items, underlining the holiness of the tabernacle furnishings.

Why Exodus 30:5 matters

  • Exodus 30:5 clarifies that even the carrying poles for the altar were to be made with great care and valuable materials, not just the altar itself, showing the thoroughness of the tabernacle's design.
  • The verse connects to a larger pattern in Exodus where every detail of worship is specified, reflecting the seriousness with which the Israelites were to approach God's instructions.
  • Understanding the materials and methods described here helps modern readers appreciate the craftsmanship and reverence involved in ancient Israelite worship practices.

Where else these words appear

“shittim” Hebrew H7848 · used in 28 verses

  • Exodus 25:5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
  • Exodus 27:1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
  • Exodus 37:4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

“overlay” Hebrew H6823 · used in 39 verses

  • Exodus 25:11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
  • Exodus 36:38 And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass.
  • 1 Kings 6:22 And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.

“staves” Hebrew H905 · used in 50 verses

  • Genesis 26:1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
  • Exodus 37:5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
  • Numbers 11:14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.