The Tabernacle

26 “Moreover, (A)you shall make the (B)tabernacle with ten curtains of (C)fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim (D)skillfully worked into them. The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits,[a] 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 (E)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 (F)And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned (G)rams' skins[b] 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 (H)holders for the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 Then you shall erect the tabernacle (I)according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain.

31 (J)“And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and (K)fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim (L)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 (M)the veil from the clasps, and bring (N)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 (O)You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. 35 And (P)you shall set the table outside the veil, and the (Q)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 (R)screen for the entrance of the tent, of (S)blue and purple and scarlet yarns and (T)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.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 26:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  2. Exodus 26:14 Or of rams' skins dyed red

26 Moreover thou shalt make the Mishkan (Tabernacle) with ten curtains of twisted linen with turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool; with keruvim of artistic needle work shalt thou make them.

The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the width of one curtain four cubits; and every one of the curtains shall have middah achat (one size).

The five curtains shall be choverot (joined together) one to another; and the other five curtains shall be chovrot one to another.

And thou shalt make loops of turquoise wool upon the edge of the outermost curtain of the set; and likewise shalt thou make loops upon the edge of the outermost curtain, in the second set.

Fifty loops shalt thou make in the first curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make on the edge of the outermost curtain that is in the second set; that the loops may be opposite one another.

And thou shalt make fifty hooks of zahav, and join the curtains together with the hooks: so that the Mishkan shall become one.

And thou shalt make curtains of goat hair to be an Ohel over the Mishkan: eleven curtains shalt thou make.

The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, the width of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of the middah achat (same size).

And thou shalt join into one five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt fold the sixth curtain over the front of the Ohel.

10 And thou shalt make fifty loops along the edge of the first curtain at the end of one choveret (set), and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain of the second choveret (set).

11 And thou shalt make fifty hooks of nechoshet, and put the hooks into the loops, and attach the Ohel, so that it may become echad (one).

12 And the remnant of the overhang of the curtains of the Ohel, half of the curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the back of the Mishkan.

13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the Ohel, shall hang over the sides of the Mishkan on this side and the other, to cover it.

14 And thou shalt make a Mikhseh for the Ohel of ram skins dyed red, and a Mikhseh of tachash skins above.

15 And thou shalt make the kerashim (planks) of the Mishkan of acacia wood, standing erect.

16 Ten cubits shall be the length of each keresh (plank), and a cubit and a half shall be the width of each keresh (plank).

17 Two yadot (tenons, projections) shall there be in each keresh (plank), set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the kerashim (planks) of the Mishkan.

18 And thou shalt make the kerashim (planks) for the Mishkan, twenty kerashim (planks) on the south side southward.

19 And thou shalt make arba’im sockets of kesef under the twenty kerashim (planks); two sockets under one keresh (plank) for its two yadot (tenons, projections), and two sockets under the next keresh (plank) for its two yadot.

20 And for the second wall of the Mishkan on the tzafon (north) side there shall be twenty kerashim (planks):

21 And their arba’im sockets of kesef; two sockets under one keresh (plank), and two sockets under the next keresh (plank).

22 And for the back of the Mishkan on the west, thou shalt make six kerashim (planks).

23 And two kerashim (planks) shalt thou make for the corners of the Mishkan in the rear.

24 And they shall be even beneath at the bottom, and they shall be joined together at the top of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.

25 And they shall be shemoneh kerashim (eight planks), and their sockets of kesef, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one keresh, two sockets under the next keresh.

26 And thou shalt make crossbars of acacia wood; five for the kerashim (planks) of the one side of the Mishkan,

27 And five crossbars for the kerashim (planks) of the second wall of the Mishkan, and five crossbars for the kerashim (planks) of the wall of the Mishkan at the back, westward.

28 And the middle crossbar inside the kerashim (planks) shall extend from end to end.

29 And thou shalt overlay the kerashim (planks) with zahav, and make their rings of zahav as housing for the crossbars: and thou shalt overlay the crossbars with zahav.

30 And thou shalt erect the Mishkan according to the mishpat (plan, specifications) thereof which was showed thee in HaHar.

31 And thou shalt make a Parochet of turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, and twisted linen of ma’aseh choshev (artistic craftwork) with keruvim shall it be made:

32 And thou shalt hang it upon four ammudim of acacia wood overlaid with zahav: their hooks shall be of zahav, upon the four sockets of kesef.

33 And thou shalt hang up the Parochet under the hooks, that thou mayest bring in there behind the Parochet, the Aron HaEdut: and the Parochet shall separate unto you between HaKodesh and the Kodesh HaKodashim.

34 And thou shalt put the Kapporet upon the Aron HaEdut in the Kodesh HaKodashim.

35 And thou shalt place the Shulchan michutz (outside) the Parochet, and the Menorah opposite the Shulchan on the south side of the Mishkan: and thou shalt place the Shulchan on the north side.

36 And thou shalt make a Masach (Screen, Curtain) for the petach (entrance) of the Ohel, of turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, and twisted linen, wrought with ma’aseh rokem (embroidering craft).

37 And thou shalt make for the Masach five ammudim of acacia wood, and overlay them with zahav, and their hooks shall be of zahav; and thou shalt cast five sockets of nechoshet for them.

The Tabernacle(A)

26 “Make the tabernacle(B) with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim(C) woven into them by a skilled worker. All the curtains are to be the same size(D)—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide.[a] Join five of the curtains together, and do the same with the other five. Make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and do the same with the end curtain in the other set. Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. Then make fifty gold clasps and use them to fasten the curtains together so that the tabernacle is a unit.(E)

“Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. All eleven curtains are to be the same size(F)—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.[b] Join five of the curtains together into one set and the other six into another set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. 10 Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. 11 Then make fifty bronze clasps and put them in the loops to fasten the tent together as a unit.(G) 12 As for the additional length of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over is to hang down at the rear of the tabernacle. 13 The tent curtains will be a cubit[c] longer on both sides; what is left will hang over the sides of the tabernacle so as to cover it. 14 Make for the tent a covering(H) of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.[d](I)

15 “Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 16 Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide,[e] 17 with two projections set parallel to each other. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 18 Make twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle 19 and make forty silver bases(J) to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. 20 For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, make twenty frames 21 and forty silver bases(K)—two under each frame. 22 Make six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, 23 and make two frames for the corners at the far end. 24 At these two corners they must be double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both shall be like that. 25 So there will be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

26 “Also make crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 27 five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. 28 The center crossbar is to extend from end to end at the middle of the frames. 29 Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

30 “Set up the tabernacle(L) according to the plan(M) shown you on the mountain.

31 “Make a curtain(N) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim(O) woven into it by a skilled worker. 32 Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases.(P) 33 Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain.(Q) The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.(R) 34 Put the atonement cover(S) on the ark of the covenant law in the Most Holy Place. 35 Place the table(T) outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand(U) opposite it on the south side.

36 “For the entrance to the tent make a curtain(V) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer.(W) 37 Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 26:2 That is, about 42 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 13 meters long and 1.8 meters wide
  2. Exodus 26:8 That is, about 45 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 13.5 meters long and 1.8 meters wide
  3. Exodus 26:13 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  4. Exodus 26:14 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals (see 25:5)
  5. Exodus 26:16 That is, about 15 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide or about 4.5 meters long and 68 centimeters wide