## Ibn Ezra on Exodus Chapter 37

###### Ibn Ezra on Exodus 37:1:1
[Ibn Ezra on Exodus 37:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Exodus/r/37:1:1)

**ויעש בצלאל.** בעבור כבוד הארון, גם הוא עשה כל כלי הקדש, והנה הזכיר המשכן והאהל, והפרכת והמסך, כי דרך אחד להם, ואחר כן הזכיר שמן המשחה עם קטורת הסמים, כי יש בשמים בשמן המשחה גם בקטורת הסמים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND BEZALEL MADE. Bezalel made the ark because of its importance.¹ Bezalel also made all the holy vessels.² (v. 10), *and he made the candelabrum* (v. 17). In the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra, this alludes to Bezalel, who made all the sacred vessels. But this is not my opinion, for in the case of the court of the Tabernacle it likewise says, *and he made the court* (Ex. 38:9), [and it would not be reasonable to say that Bezalel alone made the court]. Rather, this refers back to *every wise-hearted man* (Ex. 36:8) as mentioned in the making of the Tabernacle” (Nahmanides on Ex. 36:8, Chavel translation). Now Scripture³ mentions the tabernacle,⁴ the tent,⁵ the veil,⁶ and the screen,⁷ for they serve a similar purpose.⁸ Scripture then mentions the holy anointing oil with the incense of sweet spices⁹ because there are spices in the anointing oil and also in the sweet incense.¹⁰

footnotes:
¹ This is why our verse specifies that Bezalel made the ark.
² Though Scripture does not specifically say so. However, see Nahmanides, who writes: “Scripture states without elaboration, and he made the table
³ In chapter 36.
⁴ Ex. 36:8.
⁵ Ex 36:14.
⁶ Ex. 36:35.
⁷ Ex. 36:37.
⁸ The first two served as coverings and the latter two as partitions. According to Krinsky, Sarim, and Weiser, I.E.’s point is that Scripture tells us about the making of the sanctuary’s structure before writing about the making of its furniture, because it is the way of the world to first build a house and then to put in the furniture.
⁹ In verse 39.
¹⁰ I.E. was bothered by the juxtaposition of the anointing oil and the incense of the sweet spices. These two preparations did not serve a similar purpose. Why, then, list them next to each other?