You shall make the altar uses the singular You, for Yahweh is instructing Moses. But one may also say “You must have them make,” because Moses would not be constructing the altar himself. Since this is the first verse of a new section, it may be helpful to begin with something like “The LORD said to Moses, ….” The use of the definite article, the, is surprising, since no mention of this altar has been made previously. Some translations have “an altar” (Good News Translation), since this is new information, but any shrine in the ancient world was expected to have an altar. The word for altar is derived from the verb “to slaughter,” so it refers to a place for sacrificing an animal. A number of modern cultures have similar elevated structures for sacrificing animals or for offering gifts to a deity. Sometimes this will be a stone or wood platform or table. Such terms may be used here if it is clear that this altar is dedicated to God. For acacia wood see the comment at 25.5. It is surprising that a place for burning a sacrifice would be made of wood, even though it was to be overlaid with bronze (verse 2), but at least it would be portable.

Five cubits long and five cubits broad means that it was to be “7½ feet” by “7½ feet” (Good News Translation) (or “2.2 meters” by “2.2 meters”). This of course made it square. And its height shall be three cubits means “4½ feet high” (Good News Translation) (“1.3 meters”). The cubit is discussed at 25.10.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .