Ex. 37: Built: The Ark, Lampstand, Altar of Incense

So, basically, chapter 37 is a rehash of what God told Moses should be done in regards to building the tabernacle while hanging out on Mount Sinai.

For example, Ex. 37:1-9 is the carrying out of what was commanded in Exodus 25:10-22. And so on. Everything here is completed exactly as commanded earlier on in Genesis. Almost down to the verse. The ark is completed word-for-word as commanded.

The Ark: Commanded Ex. 25:10-22, Completed Ex. 37:1-9

The Table: Commanded Ex. 25:23-30, Completed Ex. 37:10-16

The Lampstand: Commanded Ex. 25:31-40, Completed Ex. 37:17-24

After the lampstand, this is where there is some deviation as far as order. Earlier in Genesis, the instructions for the tabernacle are given after the lampstand. Later in Genesis, it goes from the lampstand to the altar of incense. No big deal.

The Altar of Incense: Commanded Ex. 30:1-10, Completed Ex. 37:25-29

The Anointing Oil and Incense: Commanded Ex. 30:22-33 (Anointing Oil) and Ex. 30:34-38 (Incense), Completed Ex. 37:29 (Both).

In the completion passage for the oil and incense, it is written that it was made by a perfumer. It took one verse to say in completion what took 17 verses in command. In completion, there was no recipe given, no function explained, and no consecration message. Why is that? Also, probably no big deal.

I can only postulate as to why there is this almost word-for-word repeat. God says something, God wants it done exactly as He says. He wants his commands followed to the "T." There is no wiggle room. Also, this exacting list of instructions is kind of like reading the assembly instructions for whatever you may have to assemble. And in reading the assembly instructions, you may think, "Eh, I can skip that," or "this is unnecessary, I could do this instead," and then you get to the end, and you realize the whole thing fits together, because it is designed to do so.