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

EXODUS 37:5KJV
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Exodus 37:5 (KJV)

What does Exodus 37:5 mean?

Exodus 37:5 describes how the ark was made ready to be carried. The ark was a sacred chest, and the poles fitted through rings on its sides provided a way to move it from place to place.

The person doing the work is Bezaleel, the craftsman named in Exodus 37:1. Following the fitting of the rings and the making of the poles, this verse shows the parts being joined for their intended use.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 37:5

  • “staves” — בַּדִּים (baddim): These are poles or bars. In the KJV, “staves” means the carrying poles that pass through the rings.
  • “bear” — נָשָׂא (nasa): This word can mean to lift or carry. Here, it gives the purpose of putting the poles in place.

Why Exodus 37:5 matters

  • The carrying poles were part of the ark’s design, not an improvised addition. Exodus 25:14–15 had already instructed that poles be put through the rings and remain there.
  • The rings and poles had a practical purpose alongside their careful workmanship. The nearby verses describe the gold rings and the poles covered with gold, while verse 5 shows how they were used.

Where else these words appear

“sides” Hebrew H6763 · used in 33 verses

  • Genesis 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
  • Exodus 36:25 And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards,
  • 1 Kings 6:34 And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.

“rings” Hebrew H2885 · used in 38 verses

  • Genesis 41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
  • Exodus 28:26 And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod inward.
  • Exodus 38:7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.

“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 37:4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
  • Numbers 11:14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.