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Plans for the Tabernacle

26 “Make the Tabernacle from ten curtains of finely woven linen. Decorate the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim. These ten curtains must all be exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide.[a] Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, then join the other five into a second long curtain. Put loops of blue yarn along the edge of the last curtain in each set. The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain are to match the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain. Then make fifty gold clasps and fasten the long curtains together with the clasps. In this way, the Tabernacle will be made of one continuous piece.

“Make eleven curtains of goat-hair cloth to serve as a tent covering for the Tabernacle. These eleven curtains must all be exactly the same size—45 feet long and 6 feet wide.[b] Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, and join the other six into a second long curtain. Allow 3 feet of material from the second set of curtains to hang over the front[c] of the sacred tent. 10 Make fifty loops for one edge of each large curtain. 11 Then make fifty bronze clasps, and fasten the loops of the long curtains with the clasps. In this way, the tent covering will be made of one continuous piece. 12 The remaining 3 feet[d] of this tent covering will be left to hang over the back of the Tabernacle. 13 Allow 18 inches[e] of remaining material to hang down over each side, so the Tabernacle is completely covered. 14 Complete the tent covering with a protective layer of tanned ram skins and a layer of fine goatskin leather.

15 “For the framework of the Tabernacle, construct frames of acacia wood. 16 Each frame must be 15 feet high and 27 inches wide,[f] 17 with two pegs under each frame. Make all the frames identical. 18 Make twenty of these frames to support the curtains on the south side of the Tabernacle. 19 Also make forty silver bases—two bases under each frame, with the pegs fitting securely into the bases. 20 For the north side of the Tabernacle, make another twenty frames, 21 with their forty silver bases, two bases under each frame. 22 Make six frames for the rear—the west side of the Tabernacle— 23 along with two additional frames to reinforce the rear corners of the Tabernacle. 24 These corner frames will be matched at the bottom and firmly attached at the top with a single ring, forming a single corner unit. Make both of these corner units the same way. 25 So there will be eight frames at the rear of the Tabernacle, set in sixteen silver bases—two bases under each frame.

26 “Make crossbars of acacia wood to link the frames, five crossbars for the north side of the Tabernacle 27 and five for the south side. Also make five crossbars for the rear of the Tabernacle, which will face west. 28 The middle crossbar, attached halfway up the frames, will run all the way from one end of the Tabernacle to the other. 29 Overlay the frames with gold, and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Overlay the crossbars with gold as well.

30 “Set up this Tabernacle according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain.

31 “For the inside of the Tabernacle, make a special curtain of finely woven linen. Decorate it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim. 32 Hang this curtain on gold hooks attached to four posts of acacia wood. Overlay the posts with gold, and set them in four silver bases. 33 Hang the inner curtain from clasps, and put the Ark of the Covenant[g] in the room behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

34 “Then put the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—on top of the Ark of the Covenant inside the Most Holy Place. 35 Place the table outside the inner curtain on the north side of the Tabernacle, and place the lampstand across the room on the south side.

36 “Make another curtain for the entrance to the sacred tent. Make it of finely woven linen and embroider it with exquisite designs, using blue, purple, and scarlet thread. 37 Craft five posts from acacia wood. Overlay them with gold, and hang the curtain from them with gold hooks. Cast five bronze bases for the posts.

Footnotes

  1. 26:2 Hebrew 28 cubits [12.9 meters] long and 4 cubits [1.8 meters] wide.
  2. 26:8 Hebrew 30 cubits [13.8 meters] long and 4 cubits [1.8 meters] wide.
  3. 26:9 Hebrew Double over the sixth sheet at the front.
  4. 26:12 Hebrew The half sheet that is left over.
  5. 26:13 Hebrew 1 cubit [46 centimeters].
  6. 26:16 Hebrew 10 cubits [4.6 meters] high and 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] wide.
  7. 26:33 Or Ark of the Testimony; also in 26:34.

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