And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:

EXODUS 37:10KJV
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Exodus 37:10 (KJV)

What does Exodus 37:10 mean?

Exodus 37:10 describes how Bezalel, the craftsman, made a table out of acacia wood (called "shittim wood" in the King James Version) for the tabernacle, giving its exact measurements: two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high. This verse records the careful construction of a specific piece of furniture for Israel’s portable sanctuary.

In the context of Exodus, Moses is overseeing the building of the tabernacle, and Bezalel is carrying out the work according to God’s instructions. The table mentioned here would later hold the "bread of the Presence," an important part of Israel’s worship. The verse emphasizes precision and obedience to the detailed design God gave for the tabernacle’s furnishings.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 37:10

  • שִׁטִּים (shittim): This word refers to acacia wood, a durable and common material in the Sinai region. Its use here highlights the practical and lasting nature of the tabernacle’s furniture.
  • אַמָּה (amah): Translated as "cubit," this was a standard unit of length in ancient Israel, roughly the length of a forearm (about 18 inches or 45 centimeters). The repeated use of this word shows the importance of exact dimensions in the construction.
  • שֻׁלְחָן (shulchan): This word means "table." In this context, it refers specifically to the table that would hold the sacred bread, distinguishing it from ordinary tables.
  • גֹּבַהּ (govah): Meaning "height," this word points to the vertical measurement, showing that every aspect of the table’s size was specified.

Why Exodus 37:10 matters

  • Exodus 37:10 shows that the tabernacle’s furnishings were made with careful attention to God’s detailed instructions, not left to human preference or improvisation.
  • The verse connects to the larger theme of Exodus, where obedience to God’s commands is central to Israel’s relationship with Him.
  • By recording the exact materials and measurements, the verse helps readers understand the historical and physical reality of Israel’s worship practices, grounding the story in real-world details.

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 37:1 And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: 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:

“height” Hebrew H6967 · used in 43 verses

  • Genesis 6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
  • 1 Kings 6:20 And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.
  • 2 Chronicles 6:13 For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,

“table” Hebrew H7979 · used in 62 verses

  • Exodus 25:23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
  • 1 Samuel 20:34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
  • Job 36:16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

“breadth” Hebrew H7341 · used in 89 verses

  • Genesis 6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
  • 1 Kings 7:2 He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.
  • Ezekiel 41:3 Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits.