Exodus 38:1-7
Bezalel makes the bronze altar and its utensils for burnt offerings in the tabernacle courtyard.
1 He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was five cubits, its width was five cubits, and its height was three cubits.
2 He made its horns on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.
3 He made all the vessels of the altar: the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its vessels of bronze.
4 He made for the altar a grating of a network of bronze, under the ledge around it beneath, reaching halfway up.
5 He cast four rings for the four corners of bronze grating, to be places for the poles.
6 He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze.
7 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.
Bezalel makes the bronze altar and its utensils for burnt offerings in the tabernacle courtyard.
To narrate the making of the bronze altar for burnt offerings, including its acacia-wood construction, bronze overlay, horns, utensils, grating, rings, and carrying poles according to the LORD’s earlier instructions.
This unit belongs to the execution section of Exodus, where the sanctuary commands of Exodus 25-31 are carried out after covenant renewal. It specifically corresponds to the command for the bronze altar in Exodus 27:1-8. The narrative has moved from instruction, to covenant rupture, to renewed mercy, to actual construction. Exodus 38:1-7 therefore demonstrates that Israel’s post-calf worship must be rebuilt according to the LORD’s word, not according to Israel’s imagination.
After making the ark, table, lampstand, incense altar, anointing oil, and incense, the construction report moves outward to the bronze altar of burnt offering in the courtyard. This altar corresponds to the earlier instructions in Exodus 27:1-8.
The Altar, Basin, Courtyard, and Inventory of Tabernacle Materials
The LORD’s restored people construct the altar, basin, courtyard, and material inventory of the tabernacle, showing that approach to God requires sacrifice, cleansing, ordered boundaries, and accountable stewardship.