Construction Continues

37 (A)Now Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half [a]cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits; and he overlaid it with pure gold inside and out, and made a gold molding for it all around. He cast four rings of gold for it on its four feet; even two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the [b]other side of it. He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry [c]it. He made a [d]mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits [e]long and one and a half cubits [f]wide. He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work [g]at the two ends of the mercy seat; one cherub [h]at the one end and one cherub [i]at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat [j]at the two ends. The cherubim had their wings spread upward, covering the [k]mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward each other; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.

10 (B)Then he made the table of acacia wood, two [l]cubits [m]long and a cubit [n]wide and one and a half cubits [o]high. 11 He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding for it all around. 12 He made a rim for it of a handbreadth all around, and made a gold molding for its rim all around. 13 He cast four gold rings for it and put the rings on the four corners that were on its four feet. 14 Close by the rim were the rings, the holders for the poles to carry the table. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table. 16 He made the utensils which were on the table, its [p]dishes and its pans and its [q]bowls and its jars, with which to pour out drink offerings, of pure gold.

17 (C)Then he made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work, its base and its shaft; its cups, its [r]bulbs and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 There were six branches going out of its sides; three branches of the lampstand from the one side of it and three branches of the lampstand from the [s]other side of it; 19 three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a [t]bulb and a flower in one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a [u]bulb and a flower in the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20 In the lampstand there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its [v]bulbs and its flowers; 21 and a [w]bulb was under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a [x]bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a [y]bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 22 Their [z]bulbs and their branches were of one piece with it; the whole of it was a single hammered work of pure gold. 23 He made its seven lamps with its snuffers and its [aa]trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils from a talent of pure gold.

25 (D)Then he made the altar of incense of acacia wood: a cubit [ab]long and a cubit [ac]wide, square, and two cubits [ad]high; its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and its [ae]sides all around, and its horns; and he made a gold molding for it all around. 27 He made two golden rings for it under its molding, on its two sides—on opposite sides—as holders for poles with which to carry it. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 29 (E)And he made the holy anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense of spices, the work of a perfumer.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 37:1 I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
  2. Exodus 37:3 Lit second
  3. Exodus 37:5 Lit the ark
  4. Exodus 37:6 Lit propitiatory
  5. Exodus 37:6 Lit its length
  6. Exodus 37:6 Lit its width
  7. Exodus 37:7 Lit from
  8. Exodus 37:8 Lit from
  9. Exodus 37:8 Lit from
  10. Exodus 37:8 Lit from
  11. Exodus 37:9 Lit propitiatory
  12. Exodus 37:10 I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
  13. Exodus 37:10 Lit its length
  14. Exodus 37:10 Lit its width
  15. Exodus 37:10 Lit its height
  16. Exodus 37:16 Or platters
  17. Exodus 37:16 Lit libation bowls
  18. Exodus 37:17 Or calyxes
  19. Exodus 37:18 Lit second
  20. Exodus 37:19 Or calyx
  21. Exodus 37:19 Or calyx
  22. Exodus 37:20 Or calyxes
  23. Exodus 37:21 Or calyx
  24. Exodus 37:21 Or calyx
  25. Exodus 37:21 Or calyx
  26. Exodus 37:22 Or calyxes
  27. Exodus 37:23 Lit snuff dishes
  28. Exodus 37:25 Lit its length
  29. Exodus 37:25 Lit its width
  30. Exodus 37:25 Lit its height
  31. Exodus 37:26 Lit walls

The Ark(A)

37 Bezalel(B) made the ark(C) of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.[a] He overlaid it with pure gold,(D) both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.

He made the atonement cover(E) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Then he made two cherubim(F) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing(G) the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.(H)

The Table(I)

10 They[b] made the table(J) of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.[c] 11 Then they overlaid it with pure gold(K) and made a gold molding around it. 12 They also made around it a rim a handbreadth[d] wide and put a gold molding on the rim. 13 They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were. 14 The rings(L) were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. 15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. 16 And they made from pure gold the articles for the table—its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.

The Lampstand(M)

17 They made the lampstand(N) of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 18 Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 19 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 21 One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 22 The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.(O)

23 They made its seven lamps,(P) as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. 24 They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent[e] of pure gold.

The Altar of Incense(Q)

25 They made the altar of incense(R) out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high[f]—its horns(S) of one piece with it. 26 They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. 27 They made two gold rings(T) below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 28 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.(U)

29 They also made the sacred anointing oil(V) and the pure, fragrant incense(W)—the work of a perfumer.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 37:1 That is, about 3 3/4 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide and high or about 1.1 meters long and 68 centimeters wide and high; similarly in verse 6
  2. Exodus 37:10 Or He; also in verses 11-29
  3. Exodus 37:10 That is, about 3 feet long, 1 1/2 feet wide and 2 1/4 feet high or about 90 centimeters long, 45 centimeters wide and 68 centimeters high
  4. Exodus 37:12 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
  5. Exodus 37:24 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
  6. Exodus 37:25 That is, about 1 1/2 feet long and wide and 3 feet high or about 45 centimeters long and wide and 90 centimeters high

The Nations Exhorted to Praise God.

For the choir director; with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

67 God be gracious to us and (A)bless us,
And (B)cause His face to shine [a]upon us— [b]Selah.
That (C)Your way may be known on the earth,
(D)Your salvation among all nations.
Let the (E)peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
Let the (F)nations be glad and sing for joy;
For You will (G)judge the peoples with uprightness
And (H)guide the nations on the earth. Selah.
Let the (I)peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
The (J)earth has yielded its produce;
God, our God, (K)blesses us.
God blesses us,
[c]That (L)all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 67:1 Lit with
  2. Psalm 67:1 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
  3. Psalm 67:7 Or And let all...earth fear Him

Psalm 67[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.

May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us—[b](A)
so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation(B) among all nations.(C)

May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.(D)
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,(E)
    for you rule the peoples with equity(F)
    and guide the nations of the earth.(G)
May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.

The land yields its harvest;(H)
    God, our God, blesses us.(I)
May God bless us still,
    so that all the ends of the earth(J) will fear him.(K)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 67:1 In Hebrew texts 67:1-7 is numbered 67:2-8.
  2. Psalm 67:1 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.

Laborers in the Vineyard

20 “For (A)the kingdom of heaven is like [a]a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his (B)vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a [b]denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the [c]third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. Again he went out about the [d]sixth and the ninth hour, and did [e]the same thing. And about the [f]eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

“When (C)evening came, the [g]owner of the vineyard *said to his (D)foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a [h]denarius. 10 When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; [i]but each of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the (E)scorching heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered and said to one of them, ‘(F)Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your (G)eye [j]envious because I am [k]generous?’ 16 So (H)the last shall be first, and the first last.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 20:1 Lit a man, a landowner
  2. Matthew 20:2 The denarius was a day’s wages
  3. Matthew 20:3 I.e. 9 a.m.
  4. Matthew 20:5 I.e. noon and 3 p.m.
  5. Matthew 20:5 Lit similarly
  6. Matthew 20:6 I.e. 5 p.m.
  7. Matthew 20:8 Or lord
  8. Matthew 20:9 The denarius was a day’s wages
  9. Matthew 20:10 Lit each one a denarius
  10. Matthew 20:15 Lit evil
  11. Matthew 20:15 Lit good

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like(A) a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.(B) He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

“‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

“When evening came,(C) the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble(D) against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat(E) of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend.(F) Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’(G)

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”(H)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 20:2 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer.