The Materials Used

²¹ These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant law,^(A) which were recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar^(B) son of Aaron, the priest. ²² (Bezalel^(C) son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses; ²³ with him was Oholiab^(D) son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan—an engraver and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.)

²⁴ The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary^(A) was 29 talents and 730 shekels,^[a] according to the sanctuary shekel.^(B)

²⁵ The silver obtained from those of the community who were counted in the census^(C) was 100 talents^[b] and 1,775 shekels,^[c] according to the sanctuary shekel— ²⁶ one beka per person,^(D) that is, half a shekel,^[d] according to the sanctuary shekel,^(E) from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more,^(F) a total of 603,550 men.^{(G) 27} The 100 talents of silver were used to cast the bases^(H) for the sanctuary and for the curtain—100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent for each base. ²⁸ They used the 1,775 shekels to make the hooks for the posts, to overlay the tops of the posts, and to make their bands.

²⁹ The bronze from the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.^{[e] 30} They used it to make the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all its utensils, ³¹ the bases for the surrounding courtyard and those for its entrance and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and those for the surrounding courtyard.

Moses Inspects the Tabernacle^(A)

³² So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.^{(B) 33} Then they brought the tabernacle^(C) to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; ³⁴ the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of another durable leather^[a] and the shielding curtain; ³⁵ the ark of the covenant law^(D) with its poles and the atonement cover; ³⁶ the table^(E) with all its articles and the bread of the Presence;^{(F) 37} the pure gold lampstand^(G) with its row of lamps and all its accessories,^(H) and the olive oil^(I) for the light; ³⁸ the gold altar,^(J) the anointing oil,^(K) the fragrant incense,^(L) and the curtain^(M) for the entrance to the tent; ³⁹ the bronze altar^(N) with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basin^(O) with its stand; ⁴⁰ the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard;^(P) the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; ⁴¹ and the woven garments^(Q) worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.

⁴² The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.^{(R) 43} Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded.^(S) So Moses blessed^(T) them.

Setting Up the Tabernacle

40 Then the Lord said to Moses: ² “Set up^(A) the tabernacle, the tent of meeting,^(B) on the first day of the first month.^{(C) 3} Place the ark^(D) of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. ⁴ Bring in the table^(E) and set out what belongs on it.^(F) Then bring in the lampstand^(G) and set up its lamps. ⁵ Place the gold altar^(H) of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

⁶ “Place the altar^(I) of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; ⁷ place the basin^(J) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. ⁸ Set up the courtyard^(K) around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.

⁹ “Take the anointing oil and anoint^(L) the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings,^(M) and it will be holy. ¹⁰ Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate^(N) the altar, and it will be most holy. ¹¹ Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.

¹² “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting^(O) and wash them with water.^{(P) 13} Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments,^(Q) anoint him and consecrate^(R) him so he may serve me as priest. ¹⁴ Bring his sons and dress them in tunics.^{(S) 15} Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.^(T)” ¹⁶ Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded^(U) him.

¹⁷ So the tabernacle^(V) was set up on the first day of the first month^(W) in the second year. ¹⁸ When Moses^(X) set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames,^(Y) inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. ¹⁹ Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering^(Z) over the tent, as the Lord commanded^(AA) him.

²⁰ He took the tablets of the covenant law^(AB) and placed them in the ark,^(AC) attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover^(AD) over it. ²¹ Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain^(AE) and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded^(AF) him.

²² Moses placed the table^(AG) in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain ²³ and set out the bread^(AH) on it before the Lord, as the Lord commanded^(AI) him.

²⁴ He placed the lampstand^(AJ) in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle ²⁵ and set up the lamps^(AK) before the Lord, as the Lord commanded^(AL) him.

²⁶ Moses placed the gold altar^(AM) in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain ²⁷ and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord commanded^(AN) him.

²⁸ Then he put up the curtain^(AO) at the entrance to the tabernacle. ²⁹ He set the altar^(AP) of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings,^(AQ) as the Lord commanded^(AR) him.

³⁰ He placed the basin^(AS) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, ³¹ and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash^(AT) their hands and feet. ³² They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar,^(AU) as the Lord commanded^(AV) Moses.

³³ Then Moses set up the courtyard^(AW) around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain^(AX) at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the Lord

³⁴ Then the cloud^(A) covered the tent of meeting, and the glory^(B) of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory^(C) of the Lord filled the tabernacle.^(D)