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Exodus 25
New Catholic Bible
Exodus 25
New Catholic Bible
Instruction on the Sanctuary and Its Ministers
Chapter 25
Moses Receives the Command to Establish a Sanctuary. 1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the children of Israel to gather an offering for me. Let each one raise up as an offering what his heart tells him is right. 3 This is what you shall gather from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 blue, purple, and scarlet cloth, fine linen, goats’ hair, 5 rams’ skins dyed red, sheep skins, acacia wood, 6 oil for the lamps, balsam for anointing oil and for fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones and stones for setting in the ephod and the breastplate.
8 “They are to build a sanctuary for me and I will live in their midst. 9 Build it just as I will show you, following the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture.
10 The Ark of the Covenant.“They are to make an Ark out of acacia wood. It is to be two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high.[a] 11 You are to cover it with gold inside and out, and they are to put a gold molding on it. 12 You are to cast four golden rings for it and attach them to its four legs, two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 13 You are to make poles out of acacia wood and cover them with gold. 14 You shall put the poles into the rings on the two sides of the Ark so that you may carry the Ark with them. 15 The poles must remain in the rings of the Ark; they are not to be taken out of them.
16 “You will place the Testimony that I will give you in the Ark.
17 “You shall make a seat[b] of atonement of pure gold. It shall be two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18 You will make two cherubim[c] out of gold. Make them as hammered works, placing them on the two sides of the seat of atonement.
19 “Make one cherubim at one end and the other cherubim at the other end. Make the cherubim all of one piece at the two ends of the seat of atonement. 20 The cherubim shall have two wings spread out covering the seat of atonement. They shall be facing each other, and the faces of the cherubim will be turned toward the seat of atonement.
21 “You will place the seat of atonement on top of the Ark and place the Testimony that I will give you inside the Ark.
22 “I will meet you there. I will speak with you from the seat of atonement that is between the two cherubim upon the Ark of Testimony concerning all that I will command the children of Israel.
23 The Table of the Bread Offered to God.“You are to make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high. 24 Cover it with pure gold and place a molding of gold upon it. 25 Make a frame one handbreath wide and place a molding of gold around it. 26 You shall also make four golden rings for it and place them at the four corners that are on its four legs. 27 Place the rings alongside the borders to hold the poles used in carrying the table.
28 “Make the poles out of acacia wood, cover them in gold, and carry the table with them. 29 Also make dishes and plates and flagons and jars out of pure gold to pour out libations. 30 Set the bread of the Presence on the table before me always.
31 The Golden Lampstand.“You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out.
“Its base and shaft; its bowls and knobs and flowers shall be of one piece. 32 Six of the branches of the lampstand shall come out of its sides, three from one side of the lampstand and three from the other side of the lampstand. 33 On one branch there shall be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, with bud and flower. Also there shall be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, with bud and flower, on the next branch—and similarly for all six branches that rise out of the lampstand.
34 “On the shaft of the lampstand there shall be four cups shaped like almond blossoms with their bud and flower. 35 One bud shall be under the first set of two branches coming out of it, and one bud under the second set of two branches coming out of it, and one bud under the third set of two branches coming out of it, for there are six branches coming out of it. 36 The buds and their respective branches must be one piece with the lampstand, and the whole made from one piece of pure gold that has been beaten into shape.
37 “You shall then make seven lamps for the lampstand and set them on the lampstand to shed light in front of it. 38 Its snuffers and their trays are to be made of pure gold.
39 “Use a talent[d] of pure gold for making the lampstand and all of its accessories.
40 “See that you make them according to the model that I have shown you on the mountain.
Footnotes
- Exodus 25:10 The Ark is a rectangular chest. A cubit measures about 20 inches.
- Exodus 25:17 Seat: Hebrew, kapporet, from the root kaphar, “to cover” but also “to make expiation, wipe away.” The rites of the great “day of expiation” were performed on this seat of the Ark (see Lev 16:11-16; Heb 9:5).
- Exodus 25:18 The cherubim correspond to the Babylonian karibu, half animals, half human beings, who guarded the gates of temples and palaces. The two at the ends of the atonement cover on the Ark of the Covenant have been regarded as representations of supernatural beings that are ministers of God. Yahweh sits between the cherubim (1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Ki 19:15; Pss 80:2; 99:1). Solomon will place two cherubim in the holiest room of the temple, beside the Ark (1 Ki 6:23-28). The chariot of God is drawn by four cherubim (Ezek 1; 10). See also Gen 3:24; Ps 18:11.
- Exodus 25:39 A talent weighed over 75 pounds.
Exodus 25
New International Version
Exodus 25
New International Version
Offerings for the Tabernacle(A)
25 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts(B) them to give. 3 These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; 4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn(C) and fine linen; goat hair; 5 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather[a];(D) acacia wood;(E) 6 olive oil(F) for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;(G) 7 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod(H) and breastpiece.(I)
8 “Then have them make a sanctuary(J) for me, and I will dwell(K) among them. 9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern(L) I will show you.
The Ark(M)
10 “Have them make an ark[b](N) of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.[c] 11 Overlay(O) it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. 12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings(P) on one side and two rings on the other. 13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.(Q) 14 Insert the poles(R) into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. 15 The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed.(S) 16 Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law,(T) which I will give you.
17 “Make an atonement cover(U) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 18 And make two cherubim(V) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim(W) are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing(X) the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark(Y) and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law(Z) that I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim(AA) that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet(AB) with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.(AC)
The Table(AD)
23 “Make a table(AE) of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.[d] 24 Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it. 25 Also make around it a rim a handbreadth[e] wide and put a gold molding on the rim. 26 Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are. 27 The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. 28 Make the poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold(AF) and carry the table with them. 29 And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings.(AG) 30 Put the bread of the Presence(AH) on this table to be before me at all times.
The Lampstand(AI)
31 “Make a lampstand(AJ) of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 34 And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 35 One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 36 The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.(AK)
37 “Then make its seven lamps(AL) and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. 38 Its wick trimmers and trays(AM) are to be of pure gold. 39 A talent[f] of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. 40 See that you make them according to the pattern(AN) shown you on the mountain.
Footnotes
- Exodus 25:5 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals
- Exodus 25:10 That is, a chest
- Exodus 25:10 That is, about 3 3/4 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide and high or about 1.1 meters long and 68 centimeters wide and high; similarly in verse 17
- Exodus 25:23 That is, about 3 feet long, 1 1/2 feet wide and 2 1/4 feet high or about 90 centimeters long, 45 centimeters wide and 68 centimeters high
- Exodus 25:25 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
- Exodus 25:39 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
New International Version (NIV) 
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