Exodus 36:8-40:38

Living Bible

^8-9 The skilled weavers first made ten sheets from fine linen, then embroidered into them blue, purple, and scarlet Guardian Angels. Each sheet was 42 feet long and 6 feet wide. ¹⁰ Five of these sheets were attached end to end, then five others similarly attached, forming two long roofsheets. ^11-12 Fifty blue ribbons were looped along the edges of these two long sheets, each loop being opposite its mate on the other long sheet. ¹³ Then fifty clasps of gold were made to connect the loops, thus tying the two long sheets together to form the ceiling of the Tabernacle.

^14-15 Above the ceiling was a second layer formed by eleven draperies made of goats’ hair (uniformly 45 feet long and 6 feet wide). ¹⁶ Bezalel coupled five of these draperies together to make one long piece, and six others to make another long piece. ¹⁷ Then he made fifty loops along the end of each ¹⁸ and fifty small bronze clasps to couple the loops so that the draperies were firmly attached to each other.

¹⁹ The top layer of the roof was made of rams’ skins, dyed red, and tanned goatskins.

²⁰ For the sides of the Tabernacle he used frames of acacia wood standing on end. ²¹ The height of each frame was 15 feet and the width 2-1/4 feet. ²² Each frame had two clasps joining it to the next. ²³ There were twenty frames on the south side, ²⁴ with the bottoms fitting into forty silver bases. Each frame was connected to its base by two clasps. ^25-26 There were also twenty frames on the north side of the Tabernacle, with forty silver bases, two for each frame. ²⁷ The west side of the Tabernacle, which was its rear, was made from six frames, ²⁸ plus another at each corner. ²⁹ These frames, including those at the corners, were linked to each other at both top and bottom by rings. ³⁰ So, on the west side, there were a total of eight frames with sixteen silver bases beneath them, two for each frame.

^31-32 Then he made five sets of bars from acacia wood to tie the frames together along the sides, five for each side of the Tabernacle. ³³ The middle bar of the five was halfway up the frames, along each side, running from one end to the other. ³⁴ The frames and bars were all overlaid with gold, and the rings were pure gold.

³⁵ The blue, purple, and scarlet inner^[a] curtain was made from woven linen, with Guardian Angels skillfully embroidered into it. ³⁶ The curtain was then attached to four gold hooks set into four posts of acacia wood, overlaid with gold and set into four silver bases.

³⁷ Then he made a drapery for the entrance to the Tabernacle; it was woven from finespun linen, embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet. ³⁸ This drapery was connected by five hooks to five posts. The posts and their capitals and rods were overlaid with gold; their five bases were molded from bronze.

37 Next Bezalel made the Ark. This was constructed of acacia wood and was 3-3/4 feet long, 2-1/4 feet wide, and 2-1/4 feet high. ² It was plated with pure gold inside and out, and had a molding of gold all the way around the sides. ³ There were four gold rings fastened into its four feet, two rings at each end. ⁴ Then he made poles from acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, ⁵ and put the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark, to carry it.

⁶ Then, from pure gold, he made a lid called “the place of mercy”; it was 3-3/4 feet long and 2-1/4 feet wide. ⁷ He made two statues of Guardian Angels of beaten gold and placed them at the two ends of the gold lid. ⁸ They were molded so that they were actually a part of the gold lid—it was all one piece. ⁹ The Guardian Angels faced each other, with outstretched wings that overshadowed the place of mercy, looking down upon it.

¹⁰ Then he made a table, using acacia wood, 3 feet long, 1-1/2 feet wide, and 2-1/4 feet high. ¹¹ It was overlaid with pure gold, with a gold molding all around the edge. ¹² A rim 4 inches high was constructed around the edges of the table, with a gold molding along the rim. ¹³ Then he cast four rings of gold and placed them into the four table legs, ¹⁴ close to the molding, to hold the carrying poles in place. ¹⁵ He made the carrying poles of acacia wood covered with gold. ¹⁶ Next, using pure gold, he made the bowls, flagons, dishes, and spoons to be placed upon this table.

¹⁷ Then he made the lampstand, again using pure, beaten gold. Its base, shaft, lamp-holders, and decorations of almond flowers were all of one piece. ¹⁸ The lampstand had six branches, three from each side. ¹⁹ Each of the branches was decorated with identical carvings of blossoms. ^20-21 The main stem of the lampstand was similarly decorated with almond blossoms, a flower on the stem beneath each pair of branches; also a flower below the bottom pair and above the top pair, four in all. ²² The decorations and branches were all one piece of pure, beaten gold. ^23-24 Then he made the seven lamps at the ends of the branches, the snuffers, and the ashtrays, all of pure gold. The entire lampstand weighed 107 pounds, all pure gold.

²⁵ The incense altar was made of acacia wood. It was 18 inches square and 3 feet high, with its corner-horns made as part of the altar so that it was all one piece. ²⁶ He overlaid it all with pure gold and ran a gold molding around the edge. ²⁷ Two gold rings were placed on each side, beneath this molding, to hold the carrying poles. ²⁸ The carrying poles were gold-plated acacia wood.

²⁹ Then, from sweet spices, he made the sacred oil for anointing the priests, and the pure incense, using the techniques of the most skilled perfumers.

38 The burnt-offering altar was also constructed of acacia wood; it was 7-1/2 feet square at the top, and 4-1/2 feet high. ² There were four horns at the four corners, all of one piece with the rest. This altar was overlaid with bronze. ³ Then he made bronze utensils to be used with the altar—the pots, shovels, basins, meat hooks, and fire pans. ⁴ Next he made a bronze grating that rested upon a ledge about halfway up in the firebox.^{[b] 5} Four rings were cast for each side of the grating, to insert the carrying poles. ⁶ The carrying poles themselves were made of acacia wood, overlaid with bronze. ⁷ The carrying poles were inserted into the rings at the side of the altar. The altar was hollow, with plank siding.

⁸ The bronze washbasin and its bronze pedestal were cast from the solid bronze mirrors donated by the women who assembled at the entrance to the Tabernacle.

⁹ Then he constructed the courtyard. The south wall was 150 feet long; it consisted of drapes woven from fine-twined linen thread. ¹⁰ There were twenty posts to hold drapes, with bases of bronze and with silver hooks and rods. ¹¹ The north wall was also 150 feet long, with twenty bronze posts and bases and with silver hooks and rods. ¹² The west side was 75 feet wide; the walls were made from drapes supported by ten posts and bases, and with silver hooks and rods. ¹³ The east side was also 75 feet wide.

^14-15 The drapes at either side of the entrance were 22-1/2 feet wide, each with three posts and three bases. ¹⁶ All the drapes making up the walls of the court were woven of fine-twined linen. ¹⁷ Each post had a bronze base, and all the hooks and rods were silver; the tops of the posts were overlaid with silver, and the rods to hold up the drapes were solid silver.

¹⁸ The drapery covering the entrance to the court was made of fine-twined linen, beautifully embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

It was 30 feet long and 7-1/2 feet wide, just the same as the drapes composing the walls of the court. ¹⁹ It was supported by four posts, with four bronze bases and with silver hooks and rods; the tops of the posts were also silver.

²⁰ All the nails used in constructing the Tabernacle and court were bronze.

²¹ This summarizes the various steps in building the Tabernacle to house the Ark, so that the Levites could carry on their ministry. All was done in the order designated by Moses and was supervised by Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest. ²² Bezalel (son of Uri and grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah) was the master craftsman, ²³ assisted by Oholiab (son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan); he too was a skilled craftsman and also an expert at engraving, weaving, and at embroidering blue, purple, and scarlet threads into fine linen cloth.

²⁴ The people brought gifts of 3,140 pounds of gold, all of which was used throughout the Tabernacle.

^25-26 The amount of silver used was 9,575 pounds, which came from the fifty-cent head tax collected from all those registered in the census who were twenty years old or older, a total of 603,550 men. ²⁷ The bases for the frames of the sanctuary walls and for the posts supporting the veil required 9,500 pounds of silver, 95 pounds^[c] for each socket. ²⁸ The silver left over was used for the posts and to overlay their tops, and for the rods and hooks.

^29-31 The people brought 7,540 pounds of bronze, which was used for casting the bases for the posts at the entrance to the Tabernacle, and for the bronze altar, the bronze grating, the altar utensils, the bases for the posts supporting the drapes enclosing the court, and for all the nails used in the construction of the Tabernacle and the court.

39 Then, for the priests, the people made beautiful garments of blue, purple, and scarlet cloth—garments to be used while ministering in the Holy Place. This same cloth was used for Aaron’s sacred garments, in accordance with the Lord’s instructions to Moses. ² The ephod was made from this cloth too, woven from fine-twined linen thread. ³ Bezalel beat gold into thin plates and cut it into wire threads, to work into the blue, purple, and scarlet linen; it was a skillful and beautiful piece of workmanship when finished.

^4-5 The ephod was held together by shoulder straps at the top and was tied down by an elaborate one-piece woven sash made of the same gold, blue, purple, and scarlet cloth cut from fine-twined linen thread, just as God had directed Moses. ^6-7 The two^[d] onyx stones, attached to the two shoulder straps of the ephod, were set in gold, and the stones were engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel, just as initials are engraved upon a ring. These stones were reminders to Jehovah concerning the people of Israel; all this was done in accordance with the Lord’s instructions to Moses.

⁸ The chestpiece was a beautiful piece of work, just like the ephod, made from the finest gold, blue, purple, and scarlet linen. ⁹ It was a piece nine inches square, doubled over to form a pouch; ¹⁰ there were four rows of stones across it. In the first row were a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle; ¹¹ in the second row were an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. ¹² In the third row were a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst. ¹³ In the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper—all set in gold filigree. ¹⁴ The stones were engraved like a seal, with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

^15-18 To attach the chestpiece to the ephod,^[e] a gold ring was placed at the top of each shoulder strap of the ephod, and from these gold rings, two strands of twined gold attached to gold clasps on the top corners of the chestpiece. ¹⁹ Two gold rings were also set at the lower edge of the chestpiece, on the under side, next to the ephod. ²⁰ Two other gold rings were placed low on the shoulder straps of the ephod, close to where the ephod joined its beautifully woven sash. ²¹ The chestpiece was held securely above the beautifully woven sash of the ephod by tying the rings of the chestpiece to the rings of the ephod with a blue ribbon.

All this was commanded to Moses by the Lord.

²² The main part of the ephod was woven, all of blue, ²³ and there was a hole at the center, just as in a coat of mail, for the head to go through, reinforced around the edge so that it would not tear. ²⁴ Pomegranates were attached to the bottom edge of the robe; these were made of linen cloth, embroidered^[f] with blue, purple, and scarlet. ^25-26 Bells of pure gold were placed between the pomegranates along the bottom edge of the skirt, with bells and pomegranates alternating all around the edge. This robe was worn when Aaron ministered to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

²⁷ Robes were now made for Aaron and his sons from fine-twined linen thread. ^28-29 The chestpiece, the beautiful turbans, and the caps and the underclothes were all made of this linen, and the linen belt was beautifully embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet threads, just as Jehovah had commanded Moses. ³⁰ Finally, they made the holy plate of pure gold to wear on the front of the turban, engraved with the words, “Consecrated to Jehovah.” ³¹ It was tied to the turban with a blue cord, just as the Lord had instructed.

³² And so at last the Tabernacle was finished, following all of the Lord’s instructions to Moses.

^33-40 Then they brought the entire Tabernacle to Moses:

⁴¹ They also brought for his inspection the beautifully tailored garments to be worn while ministering in the Holy Place and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and those for his sons, to be worn when on duty.

⁴² So the people of Israel followed all the Lord’s instructions to Moses. ⁴³ And Moses inspected all their work and blessed them because it was all as the Lord had instructed him.

40 The Lord now said to Moses, ² “Put together the Tabernacle on the first day of the first month. ³ In it place the Ark containing the Ten Commandments; and install the veil to enclose the Ark within the Holy of Holies. ⁴ Then bring in the table and place the utensils on it, and bring in the lampstand and light the lamps.

⁵ “Place the gold altar for the incense in front of the Ark. Set up the drapes at the entrance of the Tabernacle, ⁶ and place the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance. ⁷ Set the washbasin between the Tabernacle-tent and the altar, and fill it with water. ⁸ Then make the courtyard around the outside of the tent, and hang the curtain-door at the entrance to the courtyard.

⁹ “Take the anointing oil and sprinkle it here and there upon the Tabernacle and everything in it, upon all of its utensils and parts, and all the furniture, to hallow it; and it shall become holy. ¹⁰ Sprinkle the anointing oil upon the altar of burnt offering and its utensils, sanctifying it; for the altar shall then become most holy. ¹¹ Then anoint the washbasin and its pedestal, sanctifying it.

¹² “Now bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tabernacle and wash them with water; ¹³ and clothe Aaron with the holy garments and anoint him, sanctifying him to minister to me as a priest. ¹⁴ Then bring his sons and put their robes upon them, ¹⁵ and anoint them as you did their father, that they may minister to me as priests; their anointing shall be permanent from generation to generation: all their children and children’s children shall forever be my priests.”

¹⁶ So Moses proceeded to do all as the Lord had commanded him. ¹⁷ On the first day of the first month, in the second year, the Tabernacle was put together. ¹⁸ Moses erected it by setting its frames into their bases and attaching the bars. ¹⁹ Then he spread the coverings over the framework and put on the top layers, just as the Lord had commanded him.

²⁰ Inside the Ark he placed the stones with the Ten Commandments engraved on them, and attached the carrying poles to the Ark and installed the gold lid, the place of mercy. ²¹ Then he brought the Ark into the Tabernacle and set up the curtain to screen it, just as the Lord had commanded.

²² Next he placed the table at the north side of the room outside the curtain ²³ and set the Bread of the Presence upon the table before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded.

²⁴ And he placed the lampstand next to the table, on the south side of the Tabernacle. ²⁵ Then he lighted the lamps before the Lord, following all the instructions, ²⁶ and placed the gold altar in the Tabernacle next to the curtain, ²⁷ and burned upon it the incense made from sweet spices, just as the Lord had commanded.

²⁸ He attached the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle, ²⁹ and placed the outside altar for the burnt offerings near the entrance, and offered upon it a burnt offering and a meal offering, just as the Lord had commanded him.

³⁰ Next he placed the washbasin between the tent and the altar and filled it with water so that the priests could use it for washing. ³¹ Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons washed their hands and feet there. ³² Whenever they walked past the altar to enter the Tabernacle, they stopped and washed, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

³³ Then he erected the enclosure surrounding the tent and the altar, and set up the curtain-door at the entrance of the enclosure. So at last Moses finished the work.

³⁴ Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled it. ³⁵ Moses was not able to enter because the cloud was standing there, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. ³⁶ Whenever the cloud lifted and moved, the people of Israel journeyed onward, following it. ³⁷ But if the cloud stayed, they stayed until it moved. ³⁸ The cloud rested upon the Tabernacle during the daytime, and at night there was fire in the cloud so that all the people of Israel could see it.

This continued throughout all their journeys.