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Instructions for Making the Tabernacle

26 (A)Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and [a]blue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skillful designer. The length of each curtain shall be [b]twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four [c]cubits; all the curtains shall have [d]the same measurements. Five curtains shall be [e]joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be [f]joined to one another. And you shall make loops of [g]blue on the edge of the [h]outermost curtain in the one set, and likewise you shall make them on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second [i]set. You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the [j]edge of the curtain that is in the second [k]set; the loops shall be opposite each other. You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and you shall [l]join the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the [m]tabernacle will be a unit.

“Then (B)you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all. The length of each curtain shall be [n]thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall have [o]the same measurements. And you shall [p]join five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain [q]at the front of the tent. 10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the [r]curtain that is outermost in the one [s]set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second [t]set.

11 “You shall make fifty clasps of [u]bronze, and you shall put the clasps into the loops and [v]join the tent together so that it will be one unit. 12 The [w]overlapping part that is left over in the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that is left over, shall lap over the back of the tabernacle. 13 The cubit on one side and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall lap over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the other to cover it. 14 (C)You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins [x]dyed red and a covering of porpoise skins above.

15 “Then you shall make (D)the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of [y]each board, and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 17 There shall be two [z]tenons for each board, [aa]fitted to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards [ab]for the south side. 19 You shall make forty (E)bases of silver under the twenty boards, two bases under one board for its two tenons, and two bases under another board for its two tenons; 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, 21 and their forty bases of silver; two bases under one board and two bases under another board. 22 For the [ac]rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards. 23 You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the [ad]rear. 24 They shall be [ae]separated beneath, but together at their completion [af]at its top, [ag]at the first ring; thus it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners. 25 There shall be eight boards with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one board and two bases under another board.

26 “Then you shall make (F)bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the boards of the [ah]other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the [ai]rear side to the west. 28 The middle bar in the [aj]center of the boards shall pass through from end to end. 29 You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 Then you shall erect the tabernacle (G)according to its [ak]plan which you have been shown in the mountain.

31 “You shall make (H)a veil of [al]blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful designer. 32 You shall [am]hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold, on four bases of silver. 33 You shall [an]hang up the veil under the clasps, and you shall bring in (I)the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall separate for you (J)the holy place and the Holy of Holies. 34 (K)You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Holy of Holies. 35 (L)You shall set the table outside the veil and the (M)lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.

36 (N)You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of [ao]blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a [ap]weaver. 37 (O)You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five bases of [aq]bronze for them.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 26:1 Or violet
  2. Exodus 26:2 Approx. 42 ft. Or 12.6 m
  3. Exodus 26:2 A cubit was approx. 18 in. or 45 cm
  4. Exodus 26:2 Lit one measure
  5. Exodus 26:3 Or coupled
  6. Exodus 26:3 Or coupled
  7. Exodus 26:4 Or violet
  8. Exodus 26:4 Lit one curtain from the end in the coupling
  9. Exodus 26:4 Lit coupling
  10. Exodus 26:5 Lit end
  11. Exodus 26:5 Lit coupling
  12. Exodus 26:6 Or couple
  13. Exodus 26:6 Or dwelling place, so in ch
  14. Exodus 26:8 Approx. 45 ft. or 13.5 m
  15. Exodus 26:8 Lit one measure
  16. Exodus 26:9 Or couple
  17. Exodus 26:9 Lit toward the front of the face of the tent
  18. Exodus 26:10 Lit one curtain
  19. Exodus 26:10 Lit coupling
  20. Exodus 26:10 Lit coupling
  21. Exodus 26:11 Or copper
  22. Exodus 26:11 Or couple
  23. Exodus 26:12 Lit excess
  24. Exodus 26:14 Or tanned
  25. Exodus 26:16 Lit the
  26. Exodus 26:17 Lit hands
  27. Exodus 26:17 Lit bound
  28. Exodus 26:18 Lit toward the side of the Negev to the south
  29. Exodus 26:22 Lit extreme parts
  30. Exodus 26:23 Lit extreme parts
  31. Exodus 26:24 Lit twins
  32. Exodus 26:24 Or at its head
  33. Exodus 26:24 Or with reference to
  34. Exodus 26:27 Lit second
  35. Exodus 26:27 Lit extreme parts
  36. Exodus 26:28 Lit midst
  37. Exodus 26:30 Lit judgment
  38. Exodus 26:31 Or violet
  39. Exodus 26:32 Lit put
  40. Exodus 26:33 Lit put
  41. Exodus 26:36 Or violet
  42. Exodus 26:36 A weaver in colors; lit variegator
  43. Exodus 26:37 Or copper

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