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

EXODUS 37:4KJV
Know the Bible

Exodus 37:4 (KJV)

What does Exodus 37:4 mean?

Exodus 37:4 describes how staves, or carrying poles, were made out of shittim wood and then covered with gold. These staves were crafted as part of the instructions for building the tabernacle’s sacred furniture.

This verse is part of the account where Bezalel and the craftsmen are constructing the Ark of the Covenant, following God’s detailed instructions given to Moses. The staves allowed the Ark to be carried without being touched directly, highlighting the care and reverence required in handling holy objects.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 37:4

  • שֵׁטִים (shittim): This word refers to the wood used, which comes from the acacia tree. Acacia wood was valued for its durability and resistance to decay, making it suitable for sacred objects expected to last.
  • צִפָּה (tsaphah): Translated as “overlaid,” this word means to cover or plate something, often with a precious metal. The act of overlaying the staves with gold emphasizes the importance and sacredness of the Ark, even in its most practical parts.

Why Exodus 37:4 matters

  • Exodus 37:4 shows the careful obedience to God’s instructions, not just in the big things but in the small details like the materials and methods used.
  • The verse highlights the combination of ordinary materials (wood) and precious ones (gold), reflecting how everyday things were set apart for holy use.
  • Understanding the construction of the staves helps explain later passages where the Ark is moved, showing why these poles were essential and always kept with the Ark.

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:

“overlaid” 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 36:36 And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver.
  • 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.