Exodus 30:5 kjv
And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
Exodus 30:5 nkjv
You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
Exodus 30:5 niv
Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
Exodus 30:5 esv
You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
Exodus 30:5 nlt
Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
Exodus 30 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 25:13 | You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. | Poles for the Ark, showing consistent material choice for mobility. |
| Exo 25:27 | The rings that are on the frame shall be for the pole holders to carry the table. | Poles for the Table of Showbread, emphasizing portability. |
| Exo 27:6 | You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. | Poles for the Brazen Altar, distinct material (bronze for outside court). |
| Exo 30:4 | And two golden rings you shall make for it... to receive the poles with which to carry it. | Immediate context, the rings for these very poles. |
| Num 4:5-15 | And when the camp is to set out... the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these. | Details Levites' responsibility for carrying Tabernacle items, including the altars. |
| Exo 35:24 | ...blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, and goats' hair, and ram skins dyed red, and badger skins, and acacia wood. | Acacia wood as an offering from the people for Tabernacle construction. |
| Exo 36:20 | He made the upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. | Acacia wood used extensively for durable Tabernacle structures. |
| Exo 37:4 | He made poles of acacia wood for the ark and overlaid them with pure gold. | Construction of the Ark's poles, reiterating wood and gold. |
| Exo 37:15 | He made poles of acacia wood for the table and overlaid them with pure gold. | Construction of the Table's poles. |
| Exo 38:6 | He made poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlaid them with bronze. | Construction of the Brazen Altar's poles, reconfirming bronze. |
| 1 Kgs 8:8 | The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen... | Ark poles visible in Solomon's Temple, indicating their symbolic significance beyond portability. |
| Heb 9:2-5 | For a tent was prepared... the table and the bread of the Presence... the altar of incense... and the ark... | Description of the Tabernacle's components, including the altar. |
| Heb 8:5 | They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things... | The Tabernacle, including its furnishings and poles, is a shadow of heavenly realities. |
| 2 Tim 2:20 | Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay... | Symbolism of different materials (gold vs. wood) in God's household, linking purity to use. |
| 1 Pet 1:7 | ...so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes... | Gold as a metaphor for something precious, tested, and pure. |
| Rev 21:18 | The wall of the city was built of jasper, and the city itself was pure gold, like clear glass. | Gold representing divine purity and glory in the heavenly city. |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us... | The combination of "wood" (humanity) and "gold" (deity) often typifies Christ's nature. |
| Phil 2:7 | But emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. | Relates to the "wood" representing Christ's humanity. |
| Col 2:17 | These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. | All Tabernacle elements, including the poles and their materials, pointed to Christ. |
| Acts 7:44 | Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it... | Affirms Moses' divine instructions for the Tabernacle's construction. |
| 1 Cor 10:11 | Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction... | The events and structures of the Old Covenant serve as spiritual lessons. |
| Matt 12:6 | I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. | Points to Christ being greater than the Tabernacle/Temple system. |
Exodus 30 verses
Exodus 30 5 Meaning
This verse provides specific instructions for constructing the poles used to carry the Altar of Incense. It dictates that these poles are to be made of acacia wood, a durable timber found in the desert, and then completely overlaid with pure gold. This instruction underscores the portable nature of the Altar and its profound sanctity within the Tabernacle, mirroring the design of other holy furnishings.
Exodus 30 5 Context
Exodus 30 is part of a larger section (Exo 25-31) detailing God's precise instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle and its furnishings, materials, priestly garments, and anointing oil. This particular verse concerns the Altar of Incense, situated inside the Holy Place, near the veil separating it from the Most Holy Place. The context highlights God's demand for holiness, meticulous detail in worship, and His desire for a portable dwelling place among His people as they journeyed through the wilderness. All major Tabernacle items, including this Altar, were designed with poles, emphasizing that God's presence was not static but accompanied His nomadic people, distinct from fixed temples of surrounding cultures.
Exodus 30 5 Word analysis
- And you shall make (וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ - və·'a·śî·ṯā): This is a divine imperative, a direct command from God to Moses. It signifies that the design and construction are not based on human ingenuity but are divinely ordained, demanding precise obedience. This emphasizes God as the ultimate architect and authority.
- poles (בַּדִּ֔ים - bad·dîm): The Hebrew word literally means "bars" or "staves." These were carrying rods essential for transporting the Tabernacle's furniture. Their presence on almost every major piece (Ark, Table, Altars) signifies the portability of God's dwelling place. This contrasted with the fixed temples of pagan deities, illustrating that Israel's God was not localized but journeyed with His people.
- of acacia wood (עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים - 'ă·ṣê šit·ṭîm): Acacia, or Shittim wood, was plentiful in the Sinai wilderness. It is remarkably hard, durable, resistant to rot, and largely immune to insects, making it an ideal material for a mobile sanctuary in a harsh environment. Spiritually, this natural wood often typifies humanity, particularly the incorruptible humanity of Christ, capable of enduring in the wilderness of the world.
- and overlay them (וְצִפִּיתָ֥ אֹתָ֖ם - wə·ṣip·pî·ṯā 'ō·ṯām): This means to cover, encase, or plate. The instruction is not just to use gold but to fully cover the acacia wood, implying a complete transformation of the outer appearance. This signifies that something earthly (wood) is rendered glorious and sacred by divine covering (gold).
- with gold (זָהָֽב - zā·hāv): Gold is the most precious and enduring metal, symbolizing divine glory, purity, holiness, righteousness, and kingship. In the Tabernacle, its use emphasizes the absolute holiness of God's presence and His requirements for worship. Theologically, the combination of acacia wood (humanity) overlaid with gold (deity) across the Tabernacle's sacred items serves as a profound typology of Jesus Christ—fully God and fully man, His perfect humanity being clothed in His divine glory.
- "And you shall make poles... of acacia wood and overlay them with gold." This phrase highlights God's foresight and the dual nature of His design. The 'poles' ensure that despite its sacredness and the weight of its symbolism, the Altar of Incense, like other holy furniture, remains mobile. This underscored God's commitment to be with His nomadic people throughout their journey, demonstrating that true worship is not bound to a fixed structure but follows His presence. The specified materials – resilient acacia wood and precious gold – symbolize strength in the earthly realm and transformation to divine glory.
- "of acacia wood and overlay them with gold." This particular material combination is foundational to understanding the typology within the Tabernacle. Acacia wood represents the human, the earthly, the natural, chosen for its practical resilience in the desert. The gold, however, represents the divine, the glorious, the sacred, completely transforming and exalting the humble wood. This union in sacred objects consistently foreshadows the person of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodied both true humanity (acacia wood) and complete deity (gold). His life and ministry perfectly blended these two natures, culminating in His high-priestly intercession before God, of which the Altar of Incense is a powerful type.
Exodus 30 5 Bonus section
The careful design and inclusion of poles for all the primary Tabernacle furniture (Ark of the Covenant, Table of Showbread, Brazen Altar, and Altar of Incense) demonstrate a crucial theological point: God's presence was mobile with Israel. This stands in stark contrast to the static, localized deities of the pagan nations around them, whose temples were fixed structures. The Altar of Incense, specifically, was critical for daily communion and atonement rituals, as it was closest to the Most Holy Place. Its portability meant that the ability to offer prayers (represented by incense) and maintain communion with God was not tied to a single geographical spot but could occur wherever God's people sojourned. The continuation of the poles as part of the Ark's design even after its permanent placement in Solomon's Temple (1 Kgs 8:8) further emphasizes that these poles were more than just functional for transport; they were integral to the divine blueprint, possibly symbolizing a ready, living, and moving God even when temporarily settled.
Exodus 30 5 Commentary
Exodus 30:5 is a meticulous instruction concerning the portability and sacredness of the Altar of Incense. God's design ensures that even the poles used for transportation share in the holiness of the altar itself, being fashioned from durable acacia wood and then completely covered with pure gold. This dual material, common throughout the Tabernacle's most sacred furniture, conveys profound spiritual truths. The strength and resilience of acacia wood symbolize the endurance of the created or human element, while the overlaid gold signifies divine glory, purity, and ultimate value. Together, they powerfully foreshadow Jesus Christ, the one who is truly human yet fully divine, mediating access to God. The very existence of poles emphasizes that God is not confined to a building but journeys with His people, accessible through faith and worship regardless of their physical location. This principle culminates in the New Covenant, where worship is "in spirit and truth," freed from geographical limitations.