The Tabernacle

Andy Iversen | Apr 04, 2016

Scripture: Exodus 25-31

Exodus 25-31 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

Offerings to Build the Tabernacle

25 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites to take an offering for me. You are to take my offering from everyone who is willing to give. This is the offering you are to receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair; ram skins dyed red and fine leather;[a] acacia wood; oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx[b] along with other gemstones for mounting on the ephod and breastpiece.[c]

“They are to make a sanctuary for me so that I may dwell among them. You must make it according to all that I show you—the pattern of the tabernacle as well as the pattern of all its furnishings.

The Ark

10 “They are to make an ark of acacia wood, forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.[d] 11 Overlay it with pure gold; overlay it both inside and out. Also make a gold molding all around it. 12 Cast four gold rings for it and place them on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other side. 13 Make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark in order to carry the ark with them. 15 The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed from it. 16 Put the tablets of[e] the testimony that I will give you into the ark. 17 Make a mercy seat of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide.[f] 18 Make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At its two ends, make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat. 20 The cherubim are to have wings spread out above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and are to face one another. The faces of the cherubim should be toward the mercy seat. 21 Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark. 22 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 from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

The Table

23 “You are to construct a table of acacia wood, thirty-six inches long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.[g] 24 Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding all around it. 25 Make a three-inch[h] frame all around it and make a gold molding for it all around its frame. 26 Make four gold rings for it, and attach the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 27 The rings should be next to the frame as holders for the poles to carry the table. 28 Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, and the table can be carried by them. 29 You are also to make its plates and cups, as well as its pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold. 30 Put the Bread of the Presence on the table before me at all times.

The Lampstand

31 “You are to make a lampstand out of pure, hammered gold. It is to be made of one piece: its base and shaft, its ornamental cups, and its buds[i] and petals. 32 Six branches are to extend from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from one side and three branches of the lampstand from the other side. 33 There are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a bud and petals, on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a bud and petals, on the next branch. It is to be this way for the six branches that extend from the lampstand. 34 There are to be four cups shaped like almond blossoms on the lampstand shaft along with its buds and petals. 35 For the six branches that extend from the lampstand, a bud must be under the first pair of branches from it, a bud under the second pair of branches from it, and a bud under the third pair of branches from it. 36 Their buds and branches are to be of one piece.[j] All of it is to be a single hammered piece of pure gold.

37 “Make its seven lamps, and set them up so that they illuminate the area in front of it. 38 Its snuffers and firepans must be of pure gold. 39 The lampstand[k] with all these utensils is to be made from seventy-five pounds[l] of pure gold. 40 Be careful to make them according to the pattern you have been shown on the mountain.

The Tabernacle

26 “You are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains. You must make them of finely spun linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with a design of cherubim worked into them. Each curtain should be forty-two feet[m] long and six feet[n] wide; all the curtains are to have the same measurements. Five of the curtains should be joined together, and the other five curtains joined together. Make loops of blue yarn on the edge of the last curtain in the first set, and do the same on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. Make fifty loops on the one curtain and make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set, so that the loops line up together. Also make fifty gold clasps and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single unit.

“You are to make curtains of goat hair for a tent over the tabernacle; make eleven of these curtains. Each curtain should be forty-five feet[o] long and six feet wide. All eleven curtains are to have the same measurements. Join five of the curtains by themselves, and the other six curtains by themselves. Then fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. 10 Make fifty loops on the edge of one curtain, the outermost in the first set, and make fifty loops on the edge of the corresponding curtain of the second set. 11 Make fifty bronze clasps; put the clasps through the loops and join the tent together so that it is a single unit. 12 As for the flap that remains from the tent curtains, the leftover half curtain is to hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13 What remains along the length of the tent curtains—a half yard[p] on one side and a half yard on the other side—should hang over the sides of the tabernacle on either side to cover it. 14 Make a covering for the tent from ram skins dyed red and a covering of fine leather[q] on top of that.

15 “You are to make upright supports[r] of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 16 Each support is to be fifteen feet[s] long and twenty-seven[t] inches wide. 17 Each support will have two tenons for joining. Do the same for all the supports of the tabernacle. 18 Make the supports for the tabernacle as follows: twenty supports for the south side, 19 and make forty silver bases under the twenty supports, two bases under the first support for its two tenons, and two bases under the next support for its two tenons; 20 twenty supports for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, 21 along with their forty silver bases, two bases under the first support and two bases under each support; 22 and make six supports for the west side of the tabernacle. 23 Make two additional supports for the two back corners of the tabernacle. 24 They are to be paired at the bottom, and joined together[u] at the top in a single ring. So it should be for both of them; they will serve as the two corners. 25 There are to be eight supports with their silver bases: sixteen bases; two bases under the first support and two bases under each support.

26 “You are to make five crossbars of acacia wood for the supports on one side of the tabernacle, 27 five crossbars for the supports on the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the supports of the back side of the tabernacle on the west. 28 The central crossbar is to run through the middle of the supports from one end to the other. 29 Then overlay the supports with gold, and make their rings of gold as the holders for the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold. 30 You are to set up the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you have been shown on the mountain.

31 “You are to make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen with a design of cherubim worked into it. 32 Hang it on four gold-plated pillars of acacia wood that have gold hooks and that stand on four silver bases. 33 Hang the curtain under the clasps[v] and bring the ark of the testimony there behind the curtain, so the curtain will make a separation for you between the holy place and the most holy place. 34 Put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. 35 Place the table outside the curtain and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table; put the table on the north side.

36 “For the entrance to the tent you are to make a screen embroidered[w] with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. 37 Make five pillars of acacia wood for the screen and overlay them with gold; their hooks are to be gold, and you are to cast five bronze bases for them.

The Altar of Burnt Offering

27 “You are to construct the altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, 7½ feet long, and 7½ feet wide;[x] it must be 4½ feet high.[y] Make horns for it on its four corners; the horns are to be of one piece.[z] Overlay it with bronze. Make its pots for removing ashes, and its shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans; make all its utensils of bronze. Construct a grate for it of bronze mesh, and make four bronze rings on the mesh at its four corners. Set it below, under the altar’s ledge,[aa] so that the mesh comes halfway up[ab] the altar. Then make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. The poles are to be inserted into the rings so that the poles are on two sides of the altar when it is carried. Construct the altar with boards so that it is hollow. They are to make it just as it was shown to you on the mountain.

The Courtyard

“You are to make the courtyard for the tabernacle. Make hangings for the south side of the courtyard out of finely spun linen, 150 feet[ac] long on that side 10 including twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and silver bands[ad] for the posts. 11 And so make hangings 150 feet long for the north side, including twenty posts and their twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and silver bands for the posts. 12 For the width of the courtyard, make hangings 75 feet[ae] long for the west side, including their ten posts and their ten bases. 13 And for the width of the courtyard on the east side toward the sunrise, 75 feet, 14 make hangings 22½ feet[af] long for one side of the gate, including their three posts and their three bases. 15 And make hangings 22½ feet long for the other side, including their three posts and their three bases. 16 The gate of the courtyard is to have a 30-foot[ag] screen embroidered[ah] with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It is to have four posts and their four bases.

17 “All the posts around the courtyard are to be banded with silver and have silver hooks and bronze bases. 18 The courtyard is to be 150 feet long, 75 feet wide at each end, and 7½ feet high,[ai] all of it made of finely spun linen. The bases of the posts are to be bronze. 19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use and all its tent pegs as well as all the tent pegs of the courtyard are to be made of bronze.

The Lampstand Oil

20 “You are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil from crushed olives for the light, in order to keep the lamp burning regularly. 21 In the tent of meeting outside the curtain that is in front of the testimony, Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamp from evening until morning before the Lord. This is to be a permanent statute for the Israelites throughout their generations.

The Priestly Garments

28 “Have your brother Aaron, with his sons, come to you from the Israelites to serve me as priest—Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty. You are to instruct all the skilled artisans,[aj] whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him to serve me as priest. These are the garments that they must make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a specially woven tunic,[ak] a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they may serve me as priests. They should use[al] gold; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.

The Ephod

“They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered[am] with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. It must have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges so that it can be joined together. The artistically woven waistband that is on the ephod[an] must be of one piece,[ao] according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.

“Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of Israel’s sons: 10 six of their names on the first stone and the remaining six names on the second stone, in the order of their birth. 11 Engrave the two stones with the names of Israel’s sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal. Mount them, surrounded with gold filigree settings. 12 Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord as a reminder. 13 Fashion gold filigree settings 14 and two chains of pure gold; you will make them of braided cord work, and attach the cord chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece

15 “You are to make an embroidered breastpiece for making decisions.[ap] Make it with the same workmanship as the ephod; make it of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen. 16 It must be square and folded double, nine inches long and nine inches wide.[aq] 17 Place a setting of gemstones[ar] on it, four rows of stones:

The first row should be

a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald;[as]

18 the second row,

a turquoise,[at] a lapis lazuli, and a diamond;[au]

19 the third row,

a jacinth,[av] an agate, and an amethyst;

20 and the fourth row,

a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper.

They should be adorned with gold filigree in their settings. 21 The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of Israel’s sons. Each stone must be engraved like a seal, with one of the names of the twelve tribes.

22 “You are to make braided chains[aw] of pure gold cord work for the breastpiece. 23 Fashion two gold rings for the breastpiece and attach them to its two corners. 24 Then attach the two gold cords to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece. 25 Attach the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings, and in this way attach them to the ephod’s shoulder pieces in the front. 26 Make two other gold rings and put them at the two other corners of the breastpiece on the edge that is next to the inner border of the ephod. 27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the ephod’s two shoulder pieces on its front, close to its seam,[ax] and above the ephod’s woven waistband. 28 The artisans are to tie the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the ephod’s waistband and does not come loose from the ephod.

29 “Whenever he enters the sanctuary, Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons over his heart on the breastpiece for decisions, as a continual reminder before the Lord. 30 Place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece for decisions, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the Lord. Aaron will continually carry the means of decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

The Robe

31 “You are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue yarn. 32 There should be an opening at its top in the center of it. Around the opening, there should be a woven collar with an opening like that of body armor[ay] so that it does not tear. 33 Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on its lower hem and all around it. Put gold bells between them all the way around, 34 so that gold bells and pomegranates alternate around the lower hem of the robe. 35 The robe will be worn by Aaron whenever he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he enters the sanctuary before the Lord and when he exits, so that he does not die.

The Turban

36 “You are to make a pure gold medallion and engrave it, like the engraving of a seal: Holy to the Lord. 37 Fasten it to a cord of blue yarn so it can be placed on the turban; the medallion is to be on the front of the turban. 38 It will be on Aaron’s forehead so that Aaron may bear the guilt connected with the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate as all their holy gifts. It is always to be on his forehead, so that they may find acceptance with the Lord.

Other Priestly Garments

39 “You are to weave the tunic from fine linen, make a turban of fine linen, and make an embroidered sash. 40 Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons to give them glory and beauty. 41 Put these on your brother Aaron and his sons; then anoint, ordain,[az] and consecrate them, so that they may serve me as priests. 42 Make them linen undergarments to cover their naked bodies; they must extend from the waist to the thighs. 43 These must be worn by Aaron and his sons whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the sanctuary area, so that they do not incur guilt and die. This is to be a permanent statute for Aaron and for his future descendants.

Instructions about Consecration

29 “This is what you are to do for them to consecrate them to serve me as priests. Take a young bull and two unblemished rams, with unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers coated with oil. Make them out of fine wheat flour, put them in a basket, and bring them in the basket, along with the bull and two rams. Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. Then take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe for the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastpiece; fasten the ephod on him with its woven waistband. Put the turban on his head and place the holy diadem on the turban. Take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him. You must also bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. Tie the sashes on Aaron and his sons and fasten headbands on them. The priesthood is to be theirs by a permanent statute. This is the way you will ordain Aaron and[ba] his sons.

10 “You are to bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on the bull’s head. 11 Slaughter the bull before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 12 Take some of the bull’s blood and apply it to the horns of the altar with your finger; then pour out all the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 13 Take all the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. 14 But burn the bull’s flesh, its hide, and its waste outside the camp; it is a sin offering.

15 “Take one ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram’s head. 16 You are to slaughter the ram, take its blood, and splatter it on all sides of the altar. 17 Cut the ram into pieces. Wash its entrails and legs, and place them with its head and its pieces on the altar. 18 Then burn the whole ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the Lord. It is a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the Lord.

19 “You are to take the second ram, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on the ram’s head. 20 Slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on his sons’ right earlobes, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Splatter the remaining blood on all sides of the altar. 21 Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle them on Aaron and his garments, as well as on his sons and their garments. So he and his garments will be holy, as well as his sons and their garments.

22 “Take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat covering the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat on them, and the right thigh (since this is a ram for ordination[bb]); 23 take one loaf of bread, one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer from the basket of unleavened bread that is before the Lord; 24 and put all of them in the hands of Aaron and his[bc] sons and present them as a presentation offering before the Lord. 25 Take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the Lord; it is a fire offering to the Lord.

26 “Take the breast from the ram of Aaron’s ordination and present it as a presentation offering before the Lord; it is to be your portion. 27 Consecrate for Aaron and his sons the breast of the presentation offering that is presented and the thigh of the contribution that is lifted up from the ram of ordination. 28 This will belong to Aaron and his sons as a regular portion from the Israelites, for it is a contribution. It will be the Israelites’ contribution from their fellowship sacrifices, their contribution to the Lord.

29 “The holy garments that belong to Aaron are to belong to his sons after him, so that they can be anointed and ordained[bd] in them. 30 Any priest who is one of his sons and who succeeds him and enters the tent of meeting to minister in the sanctuary must wear them for seven days.

31 “You are to take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. 32 Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 33 They must eat those things by which atonement was made at the time of their ordination[be] and consecration. An unauthorized person must not eat them, for these things are holy. 34 If any of the meat of ordination or any of the bread is left until morning, burn what is left over. It must not be eaten because it is holy.

35 “This is what you are to do for Aaron and his sons based on all I have commanded you. Take seven days to ordain them. 36 Sacrifice a bull as a sin offering each day for atonement. Purify[bf] the altar when you make atonement for it, and anoint it in order to consecrate it. 37 For seven days you must make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. The altar will be especially holy. Whatever touches the altar will be consecrated.

38 “This is what you are to offer regularly on the altar every day: two year-old lambs. 39 In the morning offer one lamb, and at twilight offer the other lamb. 40 With the first lamb offer two quarts[bg] of fine flour mixed with one quart[bh] of oil from crushed olives, and a drink offering of one quart of wine. 41 You are to offer the second lamb at twilight. Offer a grain offering and a drink offering with it, like the one in the morning, as a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the Lord. 42 This will be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet you[bi] to speak with you. 43 I will also meet with the Israelites there, and that place will be consecrated by my glory. 44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. 45 I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. 46 And they will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

The Incense Altar

30 “You are to make an altar for the burning of incense; make it of acacia wood. It must be square, eighteen inches long and eighteen inches wide;[bj] it must be thirty-six inches high.[bk] Its horns must be of one piece with it. Overlay its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold; make a gold molding all around it. Make two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with. Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

“You are to place the altar in front of the curtain by the ark of the testimony—in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony—where I will meet with you. Aaron must burn fragrant incense on it; he must burn it every morning when he tends the lamps. When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn incense. There is to be an incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. You must not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt or grain offering; you are not to pour a drink offering on it.

10 “Once a year Aaron is to perform the atonement ceremony for the altar. Throughout your generations he is to perform the atonement ceremony for[bl] it once a year, with the blood of the sin offering for atonement on the horns. The altar is especially holy to the Lord.”

The Atonement Money

11 The Lord spoke to Moses: 12 “When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom for his life to the Lord as they are registered. Then no plague will come on them as they are registered. 13 Everyone who is registered must pay half a shekel[bm] according to the sanctuary shekel (twenty gerahs to the shekel). This half shekel is a contribution to the Lord. 14 Each man who is registered, twenty years old or more, must give this contribution to the Lord. 15 The wealthy may not give more and the poor may not give less than half a shekel when giving the contribution to the Lord to atone for[bn] your lives. 16 Take the atonement price[bo] from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will serve as a reminder for the Israelites before the Lord to atone for your lives.”

The Bronze Basin

17 The Lord spoke to Moses: 18 “Make a bronze basin for washing and a bronze stand for it. Set it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet from the basin. 20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister by burning an offering to the Lord, they must wash with water so that they will not die. 21 They must wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this is to be a permanent statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations.”

The Anointing Oil

22 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23 “Take for yourself the finest spices: 12½ pounds[bp] of liquid myrrh, half as much (6¼ pounds[bq]) of fragrant cinnamon, 6¼ pounds of fragrant cane, 24 12½ pounds of cassia (by the sanctuary shekel), and a gallon[br] of olive oil. 25 Prepare from these a holy anointing oil, a scented blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be holy anointing oil.

26 “With it you are to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, 27 the table with all its utensils, the lampstand with its utensils, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. 29 Consecrate them and they will be especially holy. Whatever touches them will be consecrated. 30 Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them to serve me as priests.

31 “Tell the Israelites: This will be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It must not be used for ordinary anointing on a person’s body, and you must not make anything like it using its formula. It is holy, and it must be holy to you. 33 Anyone who blends something like it or puts some of it on an unauthorized person must be cut off from his people.”

The Sacred Incense

34 The Lord said to Moses: “Take fragrant spices: stacte, onycha, and galbanum; the spices and pure frankincense are to be in equal measures. 35 Prepare expertly blended incense from these; it is to be seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36 Grind some of it into a fine powder and put some in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It must be especially holy to you. 37 As for the incense you are making, you must not make any for yourselves using its formula. It is to be regarded by you as holy—belonging to the Lord. 38 Anyone who makes something like it to smell its fragrance must be cut off from his people.”

God’s Provision of the Skilled Workers

31 The Lord also spoke to Moses: “Look, I have appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with God’s Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every craft to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every craft. I have also selected Oholiab[bs] son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be with him. I have put wisdom in the heart of every skilled artisan[bt] in order to make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat that is on top of it, and all the other furnishings of the tent the table with its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, the basin with its stand— 10 the specially woven[bu] garments, both the holy garments for the priest Aaron and the garments for his sons to serve as priests, 11 the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. They must make them according to all that I have commanded you.”

Observing the Sabbath

12 The Lord said to Moses: 13 “Tell the Israelites: You must observe my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the Lord who consecrates you. 14 Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people. 15 Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord. Anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. 16 The Israelites must observe the Sabbath, celebrating it throughout their generations as a permanent covenant. 17 It is a sign forever between me and the Israelites, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.”

The Two Stone Tablets

18 When he finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God.

Footnotes:

  1. 25:5 Hb obscure
  2. 25:7 Or carnelian
  3. 25:7 Traditionally, breastplate
  4. 25:10 Lit two and a half cubits its length, one and a half cubits its width, and one and a half cubits its height
  5. 25:16 the tablets of supplied for clarity, also in v. 21
  6. 25:17 Lit two and a half cubits its length, one and a half cubits its width
  7. 25:23 Lit two cubits its length, one cubit its width, and one and a half cubits its height
  8. 25:25 Lit Make it a handbreadth
  9. 25:31 = the outer covering of a flower
  10. 25:36 Lit piece with it
  11. 25:39 Lit It
  12. 25:39 Lit a talent
  13. 26:2 Lit 28 cubits
  14. 26:2 Lit four cubits, also in v. 8
  15. 26:8 Lit 30 cubits
  16. 26:13 Lit the cubit
  17. 26:14 Hb obscure
  18. 26:15 Or frames, or beams
  19. 26:16 Lit 10 cubits
  20. 26:16 Lit a cubit and a half
  21. 26:24 Lit and together they are to be complete
  22. 26:33 The clasps that join the ten curtains of the tabernacle; Ex 26:6
  23. 26:36 Or woven
  24. 27:1 Lit five cubits in length and five cubits in width
  25. 27:1 Lit wide; and its height three cubits
  26. 27:2 Lit piece with it
  27. 27:5 Perhaps a ledge around the altar on which the priests could stand; Lv 9:22
  28. 27:5 Or altar’s rim, so that the grid comes halfway down
  29. 27:9 Lit 100 cubits, also in v. 11
  30. 27:10 Or connecting rods, also in v. 11
  31. 27:12 Lit 50 cubits, also in v. 13
  32. 27:14 Lit 15 cubits, also in v. 15
  33. 27:16 Lit 20-cubit
  34. 27:16 Or woven
  35. 27:18 Lit be 100 by the cubit, and the width 50 by 50, and the height five cubits
  36. 28:3 Lit all wise of heart
  37. 28:4 Hb obscure
  38. 28:5 Lit receive
  39. 28:6 Or woven
  40. 28:8 Lit waistband of its ephod, which is on it
  41. 28:8 Lit piece with the ephod
  42. 28:15 Used for determining God’s will; Nm 27:21
  43. 28:16 Lit a span its length and a span its width
  44. 28:17 Many of these stones cannot be identified with certainty.
  45. 28:17 Or beryl
  46. 28:18 Or malachite, or garnet
  47. 28:18 Hb obscure; LXX, Vg read jasper
  48. 28:19 Hb obscure
  49. 28:22 The same chains mentioned in v. 14
  50. 28:27 The place where the shoulder pieces join the front of the ephod
  51. 28:32 Hb obscure
  52. 28:41 Lit anoint them, fill their hand
  53. 29:9 Lit you will fill the hand of Aaron and the hand of; Ex 29:23-24
  54. 29:22 The priest would normally receive the right thigh to be eaten, but here it is burned; Lv 7:32-34.
  55. 29:24 Lit in the hands of his
  56. 29:29 Lit him for anointing in them and for filling their hand
  57. 29:33 Lit made to fill their hand
  58. 29:36 Or Make a sin offering on
  59. 29:40 Lit offer a tenth
  60. 29:40 Lit a fourth of a hin
  61. 29:42 = Moses
  62. 30:2 Lit one cubit its length and one cubit its width
  63. 30:2 Lit wide; and two cubits its height
  64. 30:10 Or on
  65. 30:13 A shekel is about two-fifths of an ounce of silver
  66. 30:15 Or to ransom, also in v. 16
  67. 30:16 Lit the silver of the atonement
  68. 30:23 Lit 500 (shekels), also in v. 24
  69. 30:23 Lit 250 (shekels)
  70. 30:24 Lit a hin
  71. 31:6 LXX, Syr read Eliab
  72. 31:6 Lit everyone wise of heart
  73. 31:10 Hb obscure
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