Exodus

Exodus 38:1–7

¹Bezalel constructed^a the altar of burnt offering from acacia wood. It was square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high.^b ²He made a horn at each of its four corners, so that the horns and altar were of one piece, and he overlaid the altar with bronze.

³He made all the altar’s utensils of bronze — its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks, and firepans. ⁴He made a grate of bronze mesh for the altar under its ledge, halfway up from the bottom.

⁵At the four corners of the bronze grate he cast four rings as holders for the poles. ⁶And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. ⁷Then he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar for carrying it. He made the altar with boards so that it was hollow.

Footnotes

a 38:1 Literally He constructed
b 38:1 The altar was approximately 7.5 feet in length and width, and 4.5 feet high (2.3 meters in length and width, and 1.4 meters high).

Read all of Exodus 38

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 38:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
constructed	וַיַּ֛עַשׂ	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
the altar	מִזְבַּ֥ח	miz·baḥ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4196 altar
of burnt offering	הָעֹלָ֖ה	hā·‘ō·lāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5930 whole burnt-offering
from acacia	שִׁטִּ֑ים	šiṭ·ṭîm	Noun - feminine plural	H7848 acacia
wood	עֲצֵ֣י	‘ă·ṣê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H6086 tree, trees, wood
It was square	רָב֔וּעַ	rā·ḇū·a‘	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H7251 squared, square
five	חָמֵשׁ֩	ḥā·mêš	Number - feminine singular	H2568 five
cubits	אַמּ֨וֹת	’am·mō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H520 ell, cubit
long	אָרְכּ֜וֹ	’ā·rə·kōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H753 length
five	וְחָֽמֵשׁ־	wə·ḥā·mêš-	Conjunctive waw; Number - feminine singular	H2568 five
cubits	אַמּ֤וֹת	’am·mō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H520 ell, cubit
wide	רָחְבּוֹ֙	rā·ḥə·bōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7341 breadth, width
and three	וְשָׁלֹ֥שׁ	wə·šā·lōš	Conjunctive waw; Number - feminine singular	H7969 a three, triad
cubits	אַמּ֖וֹת	’am·mō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H520 ell, cubit
high	קֹמָתֽוֹ׃	qō·mā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6967 height

Exodus 38:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He made	וַיַּ֣עַשׂ	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
a horn	קַרְנֹתָ֗יו	qar·nō·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H7161 horn
at each of	עַ֚ל	‘al	Preposition	H5921 height
its four	אַרְבַּ֣ע	’ar·ba‘	Number - feminine singular construct	H702 four
corners	פִּנֹּתָ֔יו	pin·nō·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6438 corner
so that the horns	קַרְנֹתָ֑יו	qar·nō·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H7161 horn
were	הָי֣וּ	hā·yū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
of one piece	מִמֶּ֖נּוּ	mim·men·nū	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
and he overlaid	וַיְצַ֥ף	way·ṣap̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6823 lay out, lay over
with bronze	נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃	nə·ḥō·šeṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H5178 copper, bronze

Exodus 38:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He made	וַיַּ֜עַשׂ	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the altar’s	הַמִּזְבֵּ֗חַ	ham·miz·bê·aḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
utensils	כְּלֵ֣י	kə·lê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H3627 article, utensil, vessel
of bronze	נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃	nə·ḥō·šeṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H5178 copper, bronze
its pots	הַסִּירֹ֤ת	has·sî·rōṯ	Article; Noun - common plural	H5518 pot
shovels	הַיָּעִים֙	hay·yā·‘îm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3257 shovel
sprinkling bowls	הַמִּזְרָקֹ֔ת	ham·miz·rā·qōṯ	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4219 bowl, bason
meat forks	הַמִּזְלָגֹ֖ת	ham·miz·lā·ḡōṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H4207 fork
and firepans	הַמַּחְתֹּ֑ת	ham·maḥ·tōṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H4289 fire-holder, censer, snuff-dish

Exodus 38:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He made	וַיַּ֤עַשׂ	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
a grate	מִכְבָּ֔ר	miḵ·bār	Noun - masculine singular	H4345 a netted cloth or coverlet
of bronze	נְחֹ֑שֶׁת	nə·ḥō·šeṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H5178 copper, bronze
mesh	רֶ֣שֶׁת	re·šeṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H7568 net
for the altar	לַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙	lam·miz·bê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
under	תַּ֧חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
its ledge	כַּרְכֻּבּ֛וֹ	kar·kub·bōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3749 border, rim
halfway	חֶצְיֽוֹ׃	ḥeṣ·yōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2677 half
up from the bottom	מִלְּמַ֖טָּה	mil·lə·maṭ·ṭāh	Preposition-m, Preposition-l; Adverb	H4295 downwards

Exodus 38:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
At the four	אַרְבַּ֧ע	’ar·ba‘	Number - feminine singular construct	H702 four
corners	הַקְּצָוֺ֖ת	haq·qə·ṣā·wōṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H7117 end
of the bronze	הַנְּחֹ֑שֶׁת	han·nə·ḥō·šeṯ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5178 copper, bronze
grate	לְמִכְבַּ֣ר	lə·miḵ·bar	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4345 a netted cloth or coverlet
he cast	וַיִּצֹ֞ק	way·yi·ṣōq	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3332 pour, cast, flow
four	בְּאַרְבַּ֥ע	bə·’ar·ba‘	Preposition-b; Number - feminine singular construct	H702 four
rings	טַבָּעֹ֛ת	ṭab·bā·‘ōṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H2885 signet, signet-ring, ring
as holders	בָּתִּ֖ים	bāt·tîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1004 house
for the poles	לַבַּדִּֽים׃	lab·bad·dîm	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H905 separation

Exodus 38:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And he made	וַיַּ֥עַשׂ	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
the poles	הַבַּדִּ֖ים	hab·bad·dîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H905 separation
of acacia	שִׁטִּ֑ים	šiṭ·ṭîm	Noun - feminine plural	H7848 acacia
wood	עֲצֵ֣י	‘ă·ṣê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H6086 tree, trees, wood
and overlaid	וַיְצַ֥ף	way·ṣap̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6823 lay out, lay over
them	אֹתָ֖ם	’ō·ṯām	Direct object marker; third person masculine plural	H853 mark of the accusative
with bronze	נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃	nə·ḥō·šeṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H5178 copper, bronze

Exodus 38:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then he inserted	וַיָּבֵ֨א	way·yā·ḇê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
the poles	הַבַּדִּ֜ים	hab·bad·dîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H905 separation
into the rings	בַּטַּבָּעֹ֗ת	baṭ·ṭab·bā·‘ōṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine plural	H2885 signet, signet-ring, ring
on	עַ֚ל	‘al	Preposition	H5921 height
the sides	צַלְעֹ֣ת	ṣal·‘ōṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H6763 rib, side
of the altar	הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ	ham·miz·bê·aḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
for carrying	לָשֵׂ֥את	lā·śêṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5375 lift, take, carry
it	אֹת֖וֹ	’ō·ṯōw	Direct object marker; third person masculine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
He made	עָשָׂ֥ה	‘ā·śāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
with boards	לֻחֹ֖ת	lu·ḥōṯ	Noun - masculine plural	H3871 tablet, board or plank, plate
so that it was hollow	נְב֥וּב	nə·ḇūḇ	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular construct	H5014 hollow out