Exodus 25-28

Exodus 25

¹Then the LORD said to Moses,

²“Tell the Israelites to bring Me an offering. You are to receive My offering from every man whose heart compels him.

³This is the offering you are to accept from them: gold, silver, and bronze;

⁴blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair;

⁵ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood;

⁶olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;

⁷and onyx stones and gemstones to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

⁸And they are to make a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them.

⁹You must make the tabernacle and design all its furnishings according to the pattern I show you.

¹⁰And they are to construct an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

¹¹Overlay it with pure gold both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it.

¹²Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, two rings on one side and two on the other.

¹³And make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

¹⁴Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, in order to carry it.

¹⁵The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed.

¹⁶And place inside the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.

¹⁷And you are to construct a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

¹⁸Make two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat,

¹⁹one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold.

²⁰And the cherubim are to have wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the mercy seat.

²¹Set the mercy seat atop the ark, and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark.

²²And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

²³You are also to make a table of acacia wood two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.

²⁴Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it.

²⁵And make a rim around it a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim.

²⁶Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners at its four legs.

²⁷The rings are to be close to the rim, to serve as holders for the poles used to carry the table.

²⁸Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that the table may be carried with them.

²⁹You are also to make the plates and dishes, as well as the pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold.

³⁰And place the Bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.

³¹Then you are to make a lampstand of pure, hammered gold. It shall be made of one piece, including its base and shaft, its cups, and its buds and petals.

³²Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other.

³³There are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms on the first branch, each with buds and petals, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches that extend from the lampstand.

³⁴And on the lampstand there shall be four cups shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals.

³⁵For the six branches that extend from the lampstand, a bud must be under the first pair of branches, a bud under the second pair, and a bud under the third pair.

³⁶The buds and branches are to be all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

³⁷Make seven lamps and set them up on the lampstand so that they illuminate the area in front of it.

³⁸The wick trimmers and their trays must be of pure gold.

³⁹The lampstand and all these utensils shall be made from a talent of pure gold.

⁴⁰See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

Exodus 26

¹“You are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains of finely spun linen, each with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and cherubim skillfully worked into them.

²Each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide —all curtains the same size.

³Five of the curtains are to be joined together, and the other five joined as well.

⁴Make loops of blue material on the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and do the same for the end curtain in the second set.

⁵Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the second set, so that the loops line up opposite one another.

⁶Make fifty gold clasps as well, and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle will be a unit.

⁷You are to make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven curtains in all.

⁸Each of the eleven curtains is to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.

⁹Join five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another. Then fold the sixth curtain over double at the front of the tent.

¹⁰Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and fifty loops along the edge of the corresponding curtain in the second set.

¹¹Make fifty bronze clasps and put them through the loops to join the tent together as a unit.

¹²As for the overlap that remains of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over shall hang down over the back of the tabernacle.

¹³And the tent curtains will be a cubit longer on either side, and the excess will hang over the sides of the tabernacle to cover it.

¹⁴Also make a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather.

¹⁵You are to construct upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.

¹⁶Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

¹⁷Two tenons must be connected to each other for each frame. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.

¹⁸Construct twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle,

¹⁹with forty silver bases under the twenty frames—two bases for each frame, one under each tenon.

²⁰For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, make twenty frames

²¹and forty silver bases—two bases under each frame.

²²Make six frames for the rear of the tabernacle, the west side,

²³and two frames for the two back corners of the tabernacle,

²⁴coupled together from bottom to top and fitted into a single ring. These will serve as the two corners.

²⁵So there are to be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

²⁶You are also to make five crossbars of acacia wood for the frames on one side of the tabernacle,

²⁷five for those on the other side, and five for those on the rear side of the tabernacle, to the west.

²⁸The central crossbar in the middle of the frames shall extend from one end to the other.

²⁹Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

³⁰So you are to set up the tabernacle according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

³¹Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

³²Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood, overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases.

³³And hang the veil from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the veil. So the veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

³⁴Put the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.

³⁵And place the table outside the veil on the north side of the tabernacle, and put the lampstand opposite the table, on the south side.

³⁶For the entrance to the tent, you are to make a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen.

³⁷Make five posts of acacia wood for the curtain, overlay them with gold hooks, and cast five bronze bases for them.

Exodus 27

¹“You are to build an altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high.

²Make a horn on each of its four corners, so that the horns are of one piece, and overlay it with bronze.

³Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots for removing ashes, its shovels, its sprinkling bowls, its meat forks, and its firepans.

⁴Construct for it a grate of bronze mesh, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the mesh.

⁵Set the grate beneath the ledge of the altar, so that the mesh comes halfway up the altar.

⁶Additionally, make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze.

⁷The poles are to be inserted into the rings so that the poles are on two sides of the altar when it is carried.

⁸Construct the altar with boards so that it is hollow. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.

⁹You are also to make a courtyard for the tabernacle. On the south side of the courtyard make curtains of finely spun linen, a hundred cubits long on one side,

¹⁰with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and silver hooks and bands on the posts.

¹¹Likewise there are to be curtains on the north side, a hundred cubits long, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.

¹²The curtains on the west side of the courtyard shall be fifty cubits wide, with ten posts and ten bases.

¹³The east side of the courtyard, toward the sunrise, is to be fifty cubits wide.

¹⁴Make the curtains on one side fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases,

¹⁵and the curtains on the other side fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases.

¹⁶The gate of the courtyard shall be twenty cubits long, with a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It shall have four posts and four bases.

¹⁷All the posts around the courtyard shall have silver bands, silver hooks, and bronze bases.

¹⁸The entire courtyard shall be a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with curtains of finely spun linen five cubits high, and with bronze bases.

¹⁹All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, including all its tent pegs and the tent pegs of the courtyard, shall be made of bronze.

²⁰And you are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually.

²¹In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamps before the LORD from evening until morning. This is to be a permanent statute for the Israelites for the generations to come.

Exodus 28

¹“Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.

²Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, to give him glory and splendor.

³You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest.

⁴These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they may serve Me as priests.

⁵They shall use gold, along with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

⁶They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.

⁷It shall have two shoulder pieces attached at two of its corners, so it can be fastened.

⁸And the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod must be of one piece, of the same workmanship—with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.

⁹Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel:

¹⁰six of their names on one stone and the remaining six on the other, in the order of their birth.

¹¹Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings.

¹²Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.

¹³Fashion gold filigree settings

¹⁴and two chains of pure gold, made of braided cord work; and attach these chains to the settings.

¹⁵You are also to make a breastpiece of judgment with the same workmanship as the ephod. Construct it with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.

¹⁶It must be square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide.

¹⁷And mount on it a setting of gemstones, four rows of stones: In the first row there shall be a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald;

¹⁸in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;

¹⁹in the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;

²⁰and in the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. Mount these stones in gold filigree settings.

²¹The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

²²For the breastpiece, make braided chains like cords of pure gold.

²³You are also to make two gold rings and fasten them to the two corners of the breastpiece.

²⁴Then fasten the two gold chains to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece,

²⁵and fasten the other ends of the two chains to the two filigree settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front.

²⁶Make two more gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece, on the inside edge next to the ephod.

²⁷Make two additional gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on its front, near its seam just above its woven waistband.

²⁸The rings of the breastpiece shall be tied to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the waistband of the ephod and does not swing out from the ephod.

²⁹Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he shall bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of judgment, as a continual reminder before the LORD.

³⁰And place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.

³¹You are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth,

³²with an opening at its top in the center. Around the opening shall be a woven collar with an opening like that of a garment, so that it will not tear.

³³Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn all the way around the lower hem, with gold bells between them,

³⁴alternating the gold bells and pomegranates around the lower hem of the robe.

³⁵Aaron must wear the robe whenever he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he enters or exits the sanctuary before the LORD, so that he will not die.

³⁶You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.

³⁷Fasten to it a blue cord to mount it on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban.

³⁸And it will be worn on Aaron’s forehead, so that he may bear the iniquity of the holy things that the sons of Israel consecrate with regard to all their holy gifts. It shall always be on his forehead, so that they may be acceptable before the LORD.

³⁹You are to weave the tunic with fine linen, make the turban of fine linen, and fashion an embroidered sash.

⁴⁰Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons, to give them glory and splendor.

⁴¹After you put these garments on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint them, ordain them, and consecrate them so that they may serve Me as priests.

⁴²Make linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, extending from waist to thigh.

⁴³Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This is to be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants.