Exodus 26
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Tabernacle
26 “The tabernacle itself you shall make with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue, purple, and crimson yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.(A) 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be of the same size. 3 Five curtains shall be joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another.(B) 4 You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. 5 You shall make fifty loops on the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another.(C) 6 You shall make fifty clasps of gold and join the curtains to one another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be one whole.
7 “You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains.(D) 8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall be of the same size. 9 You shall join five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. 10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.
11 “You shall make fifty clasps of bronze and put the clasps into the loops and join the tent together, so that it may be one whole.(E) 12 The part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13 The cubit on one side and the cubit on the other side of what remains in the length of the curtains of the tent shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. 14 You shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and an outer covering of fine leather.[a](F)
The Framework
15 “You shall make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.(G) 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame and a cubit and a half the width of each frame. 17 There shall be two pegs in each frame to fit the frames together; you shall make these for all the frames of the tabernacle. 18 You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side; 19 and you shall make forty bases of silver under the twenty frames: two bases under the first frame for its two pegs and two bases under the next frame for its two pegs; 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames,(H) 21 and their forty bases of silver: two bases under the first frame and two bases under the next frame; 22 and for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames. 23 You shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear; 24 they shall be separate beneath but joined at the top at the first ring; it shall be the same with both of them; they shall form the two corners. 25 And so there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases: two bases under the first frame and two bases under the next frame.(I)
26 “You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the frames of one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward. 28 The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall pass through from end to end. 29 You shall overlay the frames with gold and shall make their rings of gold to hold the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain.(J)
The Curtain
31 “You shall make a curtain of blue, purple, and crimson yarns and of fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it.(K) 32 You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, which have hooks of gold and rest on four bases of silver. 33 You shall hang the curtain under the clasps and bring the ark of the covenant in there, within the curtain, and the curtain shall separate for you the holy place from the most holy place.(L) 34 You shall put the cover on the ark of the covenant in the most holy place.(M) 35 You shall set the table outside the curtain and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side.(N)
36 “You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns and of fine twisted linen, embroidered with needlework.(O) 37 You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.(P)
Footnotes
- 26.14 Meaning of Heb uncertain
Exodus 26
Living Bible
26 1-2 “Make the tabernacle-tent from ten colored sheets of fine linen, 42 feet long and 6 feet wide, dyed blue, purple, and scarlet, with figures of Guardian Angels embroidered on them. 3 Join five sheets end to end for each side of the tent, forming two long pieces, one for each side. 4-5 Use loops at the edges to join these two long pieces together side by side. There are to be fifty loops on each side, opposite each other. 6 Then make fifty gold clasps to fasten the loops together, so that the Tabernacle, the dwelling place of God, becomes a single unit.
7-8 “The roof of the Tabernacle is made of goats’ hair tarpaulins. There are to be eleven of these tarpaulins, each 45 feet across and 6 feet wide. 9 Connect five of these tarpaulins into one wide section; and use the other six for another wide section. (The sixth tarpaulin will hang down to form a curtain across the front of the sacred tent.) 10-11 Use fifty loops along the edges of each of these two wide pieces, to join them together with fifty bronze clasps. Thus the two widths become one. 12 There will be a 1-1/2-foot length of this roof covering hanging down from the back of the tent, 13 and a 1-1/2-foot length at the front. 14 On top of these blankets is placed a layer of rams’ skins, dyed red, and over them a top layer of goatskins. This completes the roof covering.
15-16 “The framework of the sacred tent shall be made from acacia wood, each frame piece being 15 feet high and 2-1/4 feet wide, standing upright, 17 with grooves on each side to mortise into the next upright piece. 18-19 Twenty of these frames will form the south side of the sacred tent, with forty silver bases for the frames to fit into—two bases under each piece of the frame. 20 On the north side there will also be twenty of these frames, 21 with their forty silver bases, two bases for each frame, one under each edge. 22 On the west side there will be six frames, 23 and two frames at each corner. 24 These corner frames will be connected at the bottom and top with clasps. 25 So, in all, there will be eight frames on that end of the building with sixteen silver bases for the frames—two bases under each frame.
26-27 “Make bars of acacia wood to run across the frames, five bars on each side of the Tabernacle. Also five bars for the rear of the building, facing westward. 28 The middle bar, halfway up the frames, runs all the way from end to end of the Tabernacle. 29 Overlay the frames with gold, and make gold rings to hold the bars; and also overlay the bars with gold. 30 Set up this Tabernacle-tent in the manner I showed you on the mountain.
31 “Inside the Tabernacle,[a] make a curtain from fine linen, with blue, purple, and scarlet Guardian Angels embroidered into the cloth. 32 Hang this curtain on gold hooks set into four pillars made from acacia wood overlaid with gold. The pillars are to be set in silver bases. 33 Behind this curtain place the Ark containing the stone tablets engraved with God’s laws. The curtain will separate the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.
34 “Now install the mercy place—the golden lid of the Ark—in the Most Holy Place. 35 Place the table and lampstand across the room from each other on the outer side of the veil, the lampstand on the south and the table on the north.
36 “As a screen for the door of the sacred tent, make another curtain from fine linen, skillfully embroidered in blue, purple, and scarlet. 37 Hang this curtain on gold hooks set into posts made from acacia wood overlaid with gold. The posts are to rest on bronze bases.
Footnotes
- Exodus 26:31 Inside the Tabernacle, implied.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.