Contributions for the Sanctuary

25 The Lord said to Moses, (A)“Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From (B)every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, (C)blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, tanned (D)rams' skins, goatskins,[a] acacia wood, (E)oil for the lamps, (F)spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the (G)ephod and for the breastpiece. And let them make me a (H)sanctuary, that (I)I may dwell in their midst. (J)Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the (K)tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

The Ark of the Covenant

10 (L)“They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits[b] and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 You shall overlay it with (M)pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its (N)four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 13 You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. 15 The (O)poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 (P)And you shall put into the ark the (Q)testimony that I shall give you.

17 (R)“You shall make a mercy seat[c] of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of (S)hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. (T)Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. 20 (U)The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. 21 And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. 22 (V)There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from (W)between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.

The Table for Bread

23 (X)“You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 24 You shall overlay it with (Y)pure gold and make a molding of gold around it. 25 And you shall make a rim around it a handbreadth[d] wide, and a molding of gold around the rim. 26 And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 27 Close to the frame the rings shall lie, as (Z)holders for the poles to carry the table. 28 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. 29 And you shall make its plates and (AA)dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. 30 And you shall set the (AB)bread of the Presence on the table before me regularly.

The Golden Lampstand

31 (AC)“You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32 And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 33 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 34 And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 35 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. 36 Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37 You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps (AD)shall be set up so as (AE)to give light on the space in front of it. 38 Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39 It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talent[e] of pure gold. 40 And (AF)see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

The Tabernacle

26 “Moreover, (AG)you shall make the (AH)tabernacle with ten curtains of (AI)fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim (AJ)skillfully worked into them. The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits,[f] and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size. Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole.

“You shall also make (AK)curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make. The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall be the same size. You shall couple 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 couple the tent together that it may be a single whole. 12 And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13 And the extra that remains in the length of the curtains, the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. 14 (AL)And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned (AM)rams' skins[g] and a covering of goatskins on top.

15 “You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. 17 There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together. So shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle. 18 You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side; 19 and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons; 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames, 21 and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame, and two bases under the next frame. 22 And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames. 23 And 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. Thus shall it be with both of them; they shall form the two corners. 25 And there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame.

26 “You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the 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 run from end to end. 29 You shall overlay the frames with gold and shall make their rings of gold for (AN)holders for the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 Then you shall erect the tabernacle (AO)according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain.

31 (AP)“And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and (AQ)fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim (AR)skillfully worked into it. 32 And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. 33 And you shall hang (AS)the veil from the clasps, and bring (AT)the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. 34 (AU)You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. 35 And (AV)you shall set the table outside the veil, and the (AW)lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side.

36 “You shall make a (AX)screen for the entrance of the tent, of (AY)blue and purple and scarlet yarns and (AZ)fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. 37 And 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.

The Bronze Altar

27 “You shall make the (BA)altar of acacia wood, five cubits[h] long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. And you shall make (BB)horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and (BC)you shall overlay it with bronze. You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and (BD)forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net extends halfway down the altar. And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. And the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. You shall make it hollow, with boards. (BE)As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.

The Court of the Tabernacle

(BF)“You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side. 10 Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. 11 And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. 12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases. 13 The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits. 14 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. 15 On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. 16 For the gate of the court there shall be (BG)a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases. 17 All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze. 18 The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze. 19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

Oil for the Lamp

20 (BH)“You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. 21 (BI)In the tent of meeting, (BJ)outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 25:5 Uncertain; possibly dolphin skins, or dugong skins; compare 26:14
  2. Exodus 25:10 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  3. Exodus 25:17 Or cover
  4. Exodus 25:25 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
  5. Exodus 25:39 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
  6. Exodus 26:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  7. Exodus 26:14 Or of rams' skins dyed red
  8. Exodus 27:1 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

The Altar of Incense

30 (A)“You shall make (B)an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit[a] shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. (C)Its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall (D)overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be (E)holders for poles with which to carry it. You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the (F)mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. And Aaron shall (G)burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he (H)dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall not offer (I)unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. 10 (J)Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the (K)sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

The Census Tax

11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 (L)“When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give (M)a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. 13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel[b] according to the (N)shekel of the sanctuary (the (O)shekel is twenty gerahs),[c] (P)half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. 14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord's offering. 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than (Q)the half shekel, when you give the Lord's offering to make atonement for your lives. 16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall (R)give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to (S)remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”

The Bronze Basin

17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 “You shall also make a (T)basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. (U)You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, 19 with which Aaron and his sons (V)shall wash their hands and their feet. 20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering[d] to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. 21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall (W)be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.”

The Anointing Oil and Incense

22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the (X)finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of (Y)aromatic cane, 24 and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a (Z)hin[e] of olive oil. 25 And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the (AA)perfumer; it shall be a (AB)holy anointing oil. 26 (AC)With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, 27 and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, 28 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the (AD)basin and its stand. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. (AE)Whatever touches them will become holy. 30 (AF)You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. 31 And you shall say to the people of Israel, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. (AG)It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. 33 (AH)Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’”

34 The Lord said to Moses, (AI)“Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), 35 and make an (AJ)incense blended as by the (AK)perfumer, (AL)seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36 You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting (AM)where I shall meet with you. (AN)It shall be most holy for you. 37 And the incense that you shall make (AO)according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the Lord. 38 (AP)Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  2. Exodus 30:13 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
  3. Exodus 30:13 A gerah was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram
  4. Exodus 30:20 Or an offering by fire
  5. Exodus 30:24 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters

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