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.(A) 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(B) and manatee skins;[a] acacia wood; oil(C) 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](D)

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

The Ark

10 “They are to make an ark(H) of acacia wood, 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 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 the testimony that I will give you into the ark.(I) 17 Make a mercy seat(J) of pure gold, 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.[e] 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(K) 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 testimony that I will give you into the ark.(L) 22 I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim(M) 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(N) of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.[f] 24 Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding all around it. 25 Make a three-inch[g] 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(O) 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(P) on the table before Me at all times.

The Lampstand

31 “You(Q) are to make a lampstand(R) out of pure, hammered gold. It is to be made of one piece: its base and shaft, its ornamental cups, and its calyxes[h] 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 calyx and petals, on the first branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a calyx 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 calyxes and petals. 35 For the six branches that extend from the lampstand, a calyx must be under the first pair of branches from it, a calyx under the second pair of branches from it, and a calyx under the third pair of branches from it. 36 Their calyxes and branches are to be of one piece.[i] All of it is to be a single hammered piece of pure gold.

37 “Make seven lamps(S) on it. Its lamps are to be set up so they illuminate the area in front of it. 38 Its snuffers and firepans must be of pure gold. 39 The lampstand[j] with all these utensils is to be made from 75 pounds[k] of pure gold. 40 Be careful to make them according to the pattern(T) you have been shown on the mountain.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 25:5 Or and dolphin skins, or and fine leather; Hb obscure
  2. Exodus 25:7 Or carnelian
  3. Exodus 25:7 Traditionally, breastplate
  4. Exodus 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. Exodus 25:17 Lit two and a half cubits its length, one and a half cubits its width
  6. Exodus 25:23 Lit two cubits its length, one cubit its width, and one and a half cubits its height
  7. Exodus 25:25 Lit Make it a handbreadth
  8. Exodus 25:31 = the outer covering of a flower
  9. Exodus 25:36 Lit piece with it
  10. Exodus 25:39 Lit It
  11. Exodus 25:39 Lit a talent

Gifts offered for the dwelling

25 The Lord said to Moses: Tell the Israelites to collect gift offerings for me. Receive my gift offerings from everyone who freely wants to give. These are the gift offerings that you should receive from them: gold, silver, and copper; blue, purple, and deep red yarns; fine linen; goats’ hair; rams’ skins dyed red; beaded leather;[a] acacia wood; oil for the lamps; spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet-smelling incense; gemstones; and gems for setting in the priest’s vest[b] and chest piece. They should make me a sanctuary so I can be present among them. You should follow the blueprints that I will show you for the dwelling and for all its equipment.

Instructions for building the chest containing the covenant

10 Have them make an acacia-wood chest. It should be forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. 11 Cover it with pure gold, inside and out, and make a gold molding all around it. 12 Cast four gold rings for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 13 Make acacia-wood poles and cover them with gold. 14 Then put the poles into the rings on the chest’s sides and use them to carry the chest. 15 The poles should stay in the chest’s rings. They shouldn’t be taken out of them. 16 Put the covenant document that I will give you into the chest.

17 Then make a cover of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide. 18 Make two winged heavenly creatures of hammered gold, one for each end of the cover. 19 Put one winged heavenly creature at one end and one winged heavenly creature at the other. Place the winged heavenly creatures at the cover’s two ends. 20 The heavenly creatures should have their wings spread out above, shielding the cover with their wings. The winged heavenly creatures should face each other toward the cover’s center. 21 Put the gold cover on top of the chest and put the covenant document that I will give you inside the chest. 22 There I will meet with you. From there above the cover, from between the two winged heavenly creatures that are on top of the chest containing the covenant, I will deliver to you all that I command you concerning the Israelites.

Instructions for the table

23 Make an acacia-wood table, three feet long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. 24 Cover it with pure gold and make a gold molding all around it. 25 Make a frame around it that is four inches wide and a gold molding around the frame. 26 Make four gold rings for the table. Fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 27 The rings that house the poles used for carrying the table should be close to the frame. 28 Make the poles from acacia wood and cover them with gold. The table should be carried with these poles. 29 Make its plates, dishes, jars, and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them of pure gold. 30 Set the bread of the presence on the table so it is always in front of me.

Instructions for the lampstand

31 Make a lampstand of pure hammered gold. The lampstand’s base, branches, cups, flowers, and petals should all be attached to it. 32 It should have six branches growing out from its sides, three branches on one side of the lampstand and three branches on the other side of the lampstand. 33 One branch will have three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a flower and petals, and the next branch will also have three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a flower and petals. So it will be for the six branches that grow out of the lampstand. 34 In addition, on the lampstand itself there will be four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its flower and petals. 35 There will be a flower attached under the first pair of branches, a flower attached under the next pair of branches, and a flower attached under the last pair of branches. So it will be for the six branches that grow out of the lampstand. 36 Their flowers and their branches will be permanently attached to it. The whole lampstand should be one piece of pure hammered gold. 37 Make its seven lamps and set up its lamps so that they direct their light in front of the lampstand. 38 You should also make its tongs and fire pans out of pure gold. 39 All these items should be made from pure gold weighing one kikkar. 40 See to it that you make them according to the blueprint for them that you were shown on the mountain.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 25:5 Or dolphin skins
  2. Exodus 25:7 Heb ephod