Exodus 25:13-15
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The poles aren't just for carrying the ark; they were permanently inserted. This signifies that the Ark, representing God's presence and law, was never meant to be stationary but was always ready to be moved, to go with the people wherever their journey led.
You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is giving Moses instructions for building the tabernacle, a portable sanctuary where His presence will dwell among the Israelites. This passage details the construction of the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred chest designed to hold the stone tablets of the Law, and this verse specifically describes the poles used for carrying it. These poles, made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, were to remain permanently in the rings of the Ark, signifying that God’s presence, represented by the Ark, was meant to be moved and carried with the people throughout their journey.
Why acacia wood and gold? Discover the rich meaning behind the materials chosen for carrying God's presence.
In Exodus 25:13, God instructs Moses to make staves of 'shittim wood' (acacia wood) and overlay them with gold.
The Wood of the Desert
Acacia wood was common in the Sinai desert where the Israelites were journeying. It was known for its durability and resistance to decay. This humble, yet sturdy, wood speaks to the practical reality of God meeting His people in their current circumstances. Even in the barrenness of the desert, God provided the necessary materials for His dwelling place.
The Sheen of Divinity
Overlaying the acacia wood with gold wasn't just for decoration. Gold in Scripture often symbolizes God's divine nature, His holiness, His glory, and His kingship. By overlaying the wood, the humble acacia was transformed, reflecting the divine presence that would inhabit the Ark. It signifies that God’s presence is not ordinary; it is sacred, glorious, and set apart.
Ready for Transport
These overlaid staves were designed to be permanently inserted into rings on the Ark, allowing it to be carried. This detail highlights a crucial aspect: God's presence, though glorious and divine, was meant to be mobile, journeying with His people. The combination of sturdy, earthly wood and radiant, heavenly gold points to the nature of God's presence – He is present with us in our earthly lives, in all His divine glory, and He moves with us.
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God's presence was meant to be carried. What does this mean for us today?
The instruction to create staves and overlay them with gold for the Ark (Exodus 25:13) is about more than just construction; it's about mobility and the nature of God's dwelling among His people.
A Dwelling That Moves
Unlike the permanent temples of other nations, the Tabernacle, and specifically the Ark within it, was designed to be moved. The staves were not optional accessories; they were integral to the Ark's design, ensuring it could be carried by the Levites wherever the Israelites journeyed in the wilderness. This signifies that God's presence was not static or confined to a single location. He moved with His people.
Respectful Handling
Overlaying the staves with gold, just like the Ark itself, emphasized the holiness and preciousness of God’s presence. These were not ordinary poles; they were conduits for carrying the divine. This detail instructs that while God’s presence is mobile and with us, it is also sacred and demands reverence. We are called to handle and transport this presence with respect and awe.
Bearing God's Glory
When the Israelites carried the Ark, they were literally carrying the symbol of God's presence and glory. This served as a constant reminder that God was with them, leading them, and fighting for them. For us today, this points to the idea that we, as believers, are now carriers of God's presence through the Holy Spirit. We are called to bear His glory into the world, wherever our journey takes us.
Understand the original words
shittim · Hebrew Noun
Acacia wood (or shittim wood) is a dense, durable, decay-resistant timber common in the wilderness region. Its use in sacred furniture represents the blending of humble, earthly materials with divine holiness when overlaid with gold.
bad · Hebrew Noun
Poles were long bars used to carry heavy sacred furniture, allowing priests to transport holy objects without touching them directly. This design maintained the sanctity of the items and signified their portability for the nomadic life of Israel.
aron · Hebrew Noun
The Ark (or chest) refers specifically to the Ark of the Covenant, the sacred box containing the tablets of the Law. It served as the earthly footstool of God's throne and the place where His presence uniquely dwelt among His people.
This passage describes the actual construction of the Ark of the Covenant, directly echoing the materials and instructions given in Exodus 25:13 for the poles that would carry it.
Numbers 4:15This verse details how the poles were to remain in the rings of the Ark when it was carried, showing the practical, long-term use of the acacia wood and gold poles mandated by Exodus 25:13.
1 Kings 8:7-8This passage describes the Ark of the Covenant being placed in Solomon's Temple, and it specifically mentions the poles being in their places in the Ark, highlighting the continuity of this design element from the Tabernacle to the Temple.
Hebrews 9:4This New Testament passage references the contents of the Ark, including the 'golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded,' indirectly alluding to the Ark itself and its carrying apparatus described in Exodus 25:13.
calvinExodus 25:1-22: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
Expandentque cherubim duas alas superne tegentes alis suis propitiatorium, et se mutuo aspicient: ad propitiatorium erunt facies cherubim.
And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put th…
pulpitExodus 25:13: "And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold."
Verse 13. - Staves of shittim wood. Similar staves, or poles, are to be seen in the Egyptian sculptures, attached to arks, thrones, and litters, and resting on the shoulders of the men who carry such objects.
The poles aren't just for carrying the ark; they were permanently inserted. This signifies that the Ark, representing God's presence and law, was never meant to be stationary but was always ready to be moved, to go with the people wherever their journey led.
God is giving Moses instructions for building the tabernacle, a portable sanctuary where His presence will dwell among the Israelites. This passage details the construction of the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred chest designed to hold the stone tablets of the Law, and this verse specifically describes the poles used for carrying it. These poles, made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, were to remain permanently in the rings of the Ark, signifying that God’s presence, represented by the Ark, was meant to be moved and carried with the people throughout their journey.
God is giving Moses instructions for building the tabernacle, a portable sanctuary where His presence will dwell among the Israelites. This passage details the construction of the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred chest designed to hold the stone tablets of the Law, and this verse specifically describes the poles used for carrying it. These poles, made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, were to remain permanently in the rings of the Ark, signifying that God’s presence, represented by the Ark, was meant to be moved and carried with the people throughout their journey.
"You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it." — The poles aren't just for carrying the ark; they were permanently inserted. This signifies that the Ark, representing God's presence and law, was never meant to be stationary but was always ready to…
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Last reviewed October 2026
