Passage results

Exodus 39

The Clothes for the Priests

The Linen Apron

 ⁵ Its skillfully made waistband was made like it. The waistband was part of the apron itself. It was made out of fine gold wire, and out of blue, purple and bright red yarn, and out of finely twisted linen. The workers made it just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

 ⁶ They put the onyx stones in fancy gold settings. They carved the names of the sons of Israel on them. They did it the way a person carves a seal. ⁷ Then they connected them to the shoulder straps of the linen apron. The stones stood for the sons of Israel and were a reminder for them. The workers did those things just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Chest Cloth

 ¹⁰ They put four rows of valuable jewels on it. A ruby, a topaz and a beryl were in the first row. ¹¹ A turquoise, a sapphire and an emerald were in the second row. ¹² A jacinth, an agate and an amethyst were in the third row. ¹³ And a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper were in the fourth row. The workers put them in fancy gold settings.

 ¹⁴ They used a total of 12 stones. There was one stone for each of the names of the sons of Israel. Each stone was carved like a seal with the name of one of the 12 tribes.

 ¹⁵ The workers made braided chains out of pure gold for the chest cloth. They made them like ropes. ¹⁶ They made two fancy gold settings and two gold rings. They connected them to two corners of the chest cloth. ¹⁷ They joined the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the chest cloth. ¹⁸ They joined the other ends of the chains to the two settings. They joined them to the shoulder straps on the front of the linen apron.

 ¹⁹ The workers made two gold rings. They connected them to the other two corners of the chest cloth. They put them on the inside edge next to the apron. ²⁰ They made two more gold rings. They connected them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the apron. They put them close to the seam right above the waistband of the apron. ²¹ They tied the rings of the chest cloth to the rings of the apron with blue cord. That connected it to the waistband. Then the chest cloth would not swing out from the linen apron. The workers did those things just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

More Clothes for the Priests

 ²⁴ They made pomegranates out of blue, purple and bright red yarn and finely twisted linen. They sewed them around the hem of the robe.

 ²⁵ They made bells out of pure gold. They sewed them around the hem between the pomegranates. ²⁶ They sewed a bell between every two pomegranates all around the hem of the robe. Aaron had to wear the robe when he served as priest. That's what the Lord commanded Moses.

 ²⁷ The workers made inner robes out of fine linen for Aaron and his sons. The linen cloth was made by a skillful person. ²⁸ The workers also made the turban out of fine linen. And they made the headbands and the underwear out of finely twisted linen. ²⁹ The belt was made out of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and bright red yarn. A person who sewed skillfully made it. The workers did those things just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

 ³⁰ They made the plate out of pure gold. It was a sacred crown. They carved words on it as if it were a seal. They carved the words set apart for the Lord. ³¹ Then they tied the plate to the turban with a blue cord. They did those things just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Holy Tent is Completed

 ³³ Then they brought the holy tent to Moses along with everything that belonged to it. Here are the things they brought.
      hooks
      frames
      crossbars
      posts
      bases

 ³⁴ the covering of ram skins that were dyed red
      the covering of the hides of sea cows
      the curtain that screens the ark

 ³⁵ the ark where the tablets of the covenant are kept
      the poles and cover for the ark

 ³⁶ the table for the holy bread with all of its articles
      the holy bread

 ³⁷ the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and everything that is used with it
      the olive oil that gives light

 ³⁸ the gold altar for burning incense
      the anointing oil
      the sweet-smelling incense
      the curtain for the entrance to the tent

 ³⁹ the bronze altar for burnt offerings with its bronze grate
      its poles and all of its tools
      the large bowl with its stand

 ⁴⁰ the curtains of the courtyard with their posts and bases
      the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard
      the ropes and tent stakes for the courtyard

 ⁴¹ the sacred clothes for the priest Aaron
      the clothes for his sons when they serve as priests

 ⁴² The people of Israel had done all of the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁴³ Moses looked over the work carefully. He saw that the workers had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses gave them his blessing.

Exodus 40

Moses Sets Up the Holy Tent

 ³ "Place in it the ark where the tablets of the covenant are kept. Screen the ark with the curtain. ⁴ Bring in the table for the holy bread. Arrange the loaves of bread on it. Then bring in the lampstand. Set up its lamps. ⁵ Place the gold altar for burning incense in front of the ark where the tablets of the covenant are kept. Put up the curtain at the entrance to the holy tent.

 ⁶ "Place the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance to the holy tent, the Tent of Meeting. ⁷ Place the large bowl between the Tent of Meeting and the altar. Put water in the bowl.

 ⁸ "Set up the courtyard around the holy tent. Put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.

 ⁹ "Get the anointing oil. Anoint the holy tent and everything that is in it. Set apart the holy tent and everything that belongs to it. Then it will be holy. ¹⁰ Anoint the altar for burnt offerings and all of its tools. Set the altar apart. Then it will be a very holy place. ¹¹ Anoint the large bowl and its stand. Set them apart.

 ¹² "Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Wash them with water. ¹³ Dress Aaron in the sacred clothes. Anoint him and set him apart. Then he will be able to serve me as priest.

 ¹⁴ "Bring his sons and dress them in their inner robes. ¹⁵ Anoint them just as you anointed their father. Then they will be able to serve me as priests. They will be anointed to do the work of priests. That work will last for all time to come."

 ¹⁶ Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him.

 ¹⁷ So the holy tent was set up. It was the first day of the first month in the second year. ¹⁸ Moses set up the holy tent. He put the bases in place. He put the frames in them. He put in the crossbars. He set up the posts. ¹⁹ He spread the holy tent over the frames. Then he put the coverings over the tent. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.

 ²⁰ He got the tablets of the covenant. He placed them in the ark. He put the poles through its rings. And he put the cover on it. The cover was the place where sin is paid for. ²¹ Moses brought the ark into the holy tent. He hung the curtain to screen the ark where the tablets of the covenant are kept. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.

 ²² He placed the table for the holy bread in the Tent of Meeting. It was on the north side of the holy tent outside the curtain. ²³ He arranged the loaves of bread on it in the sight of the Lord. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.

 ²⁴ He placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting. It stood across from the table on the south side of the holy tent. ²⁵ He set up the lamps in the sight of the Lord. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.

 ²⁶ He placed the gold altar for burning incense in the Tent of Meeting. He placed it in front of the curtain. ²⁷ He burned sweet-smelling incense on it. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.

 ²⁸ Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the holy tent.

 ²⁹ He set the altar for burnt offerings near the entrance to the holy tent, the Tent of Meeting. He sacrificed burnt offerings and grain offerings on it. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.

 ³⁰ He placed the large bowl between the Tent of Meeting and the altar. He put water in the bowl for washing. ³¹ Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet. ³² They washed when they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar. They did it as the Lord had commanded Moses.

 ³³ Then Moses set up the courtyard around the holy tent and altar. He put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses completed the work.

The Glory of the Lord

 ³⁶ The people of Israel continued their travels. When the cloud lifted from above the holy tent, they started out. ³⁷ But if the cloud didn't lift, they did not start out. They stayed until the day it lifted.

 ³⁸ So the cloud of the Lord was above the holy tent during the day. Fire was in the cloud at night. The whole community of Israel could see the cloud during all of their travels.

 ²³ "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You give God a tenth of your spices, like mint, dill and cummin. But you have not practiced the more important things of the law, like fairness, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the last things without failing to do the first. ²⁴ You blind guides! You remove the smallest insect from your food. But you swallow a whole camel!

 ²⁵ "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You clean the outside of the cup and dish. But on the inside you are full of greed. You only want to satisfy yourselves. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish. Then the outside will also be clean.

 ²⁷ "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You are like tombs that are painted white. They look beautiful on the outside. But on the inside they are full of the bones of the dead. They are also full of other things that are not pure and clean. ²⁸ It is the same with you. On the outside you seem to be doing what is right. But on the inside you are full of what is wrong. You pretend to be what you are not.

 ²⁹ "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You build tombs for the prophets. You decorate the graves of the godly. ³⁰ And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of those who lived before us, we wouldn't have done what they did. We wouldn't have helped to kill the prophets.' ³¹ So you give witness against yourselves. You admit that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets. ³² So finish the sins that those who lived before you started!

 ³³ "You nest of poisonous snakes! How will you escape from being sentenced to hell? ³⁴ So I am sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers. You will kill some of them. You will nail some to a cross. Others you will whip in your synagogues. You will chase them from town to town.

 ³⁵ "So you will pay for all the godly people's blood spilled on earth. I mean from the blood of godly Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berekiah. Zechariah was the one you murdered between the temple and the altar. ³⁶ What I'm about to tell you is true. All this will happen to those who are now living.

 ³⁷ "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and throw stones in order to kill those who are sent to you. Many times I have wanted to gather your people together. I have wanted to be like a hen who gathers her chicks under her wings. But you would not let me! ³⁸ Look, your house is left empty. ³⁹ I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.' "—(Psalm 118:26)