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Exodus 37-40
Common English Bible

Building the chest containing the covenant document

37 Bezalel made the chest of acacia wood. It was forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. 2 He covered the chest with pure gold inside and out, and made a gold molding all around it. 3 He cast four gold rings for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 4 He made acacia-wood poles and covered them with gold. 5 He put the poles into the rings on the chest’s sides to use to carry the chest. 6 He made a cover for the chest out of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide. 7 He made two winged heavenly creatures of hammered gold for the two ends of the cover, 8 one winged heavenly creature at one end and one winged heavenly creature at the other. He placed the winged heavenly creatures at the cover’s two ends. 9 The winged heavenly creatures spread out their wings above, shielding the cover with their wings. The winged heavenly creatures faced each other toward the cover’s center.

Constructing the table and lampstand

10 He also made the table of acacia wood, three feet long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. 11 He covered it with pure gold and made a gold molding all around it. 12 He made a frame around it that was four inches wide and gold molding around the frame. 13 He made four gold rings for the table. He fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 14 The rings that housed the poles used for carrying the table were close to the frame. 15 He made the poles used to carry the table out of acacia wood, and he covered them with gold. 16 He made the containers of pure gold that were to be on the table: its plates, dishes, bowls, and jars for pouring drink offerings.

17 He also made the lampstand of pure, hammered gold. The lampstand’s base, branches, cups, flowers, and petals were all attached to it. 18 It had six branches growing out from its sides, three branches on one side of the lampstand and three branches on the other side of the lampstand. 19 One branch had three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a flower and petals, and the next branch also had three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a flower and petals. A total of six branches grew out of the lampstand. 20 In addition, on the lampstand itself there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its flower and petals. 21 There was a flower attached under the first pair of branches, a flower attached under the next pair of branches, and a flower attached under the last pair of branches. 22 Their flowers and their branches were attached to it. The whole lampstand was one piece of pure hammered gold. 23 He made its seven lamps and its tongs and its fire pans out of pure gold. 24 He made the lampstand and all its equipment from pure gold weighing one kikkar.

Making the incense altar, incense, and oil

25 He made the incense altar out of acacia wood. The altar was square, eighteen inches long by eighteen inches wide. It was three feet high, and its horns were permanently attached. 26 He covered it with pure gold, including its top, all its sides, and its horns. He also made a gold molding all around it. 27 He made two gold rings, and he attached them under the molding on two opposite sides of the altar. They housed the poles used to carry it. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood, and he covered them with gold.

29 He also made the holy anointing oil and the pure sweet-smelling incense like a skilled perfume maker.

Making the altar for entirely burned offerings

38 He made the altar for entirely burned offerings out of acacia wood. The altar was square, seven and a half feet long and seven and a half feet wide. It was four and a half feet high. 2 He made horns for it, one horn on each of its four corners. Its horns were attached to the altar, and he covered it with copper. 3 He made all the altar’s equipment: the pails, the shovels, the bowls, the meat forks, and the trays. He made all its equipment out of copper. 4 He made a grate for the altar of copper mesh underneath its bottom edge and extending halfway up to the middle of the altar. 5 He made four rings for each of the four corners of the copper grate to house the poles. 6 He made the poles out of acacia wood, and he covered them with copper. 7 He put the poles through the rings so that the poles were on the two sides of the altar when it was carried. He made the altar with planks but hollow inside.

8 He made the copper washbasin with its copper stand from the copper mirrors among the ranks of women assigned to the meeting tent’s entrance.

Constructing the dwelling’s plaza

9 He also set up the courtyard. The courtyard’s south side had drapes of fine twisted linen stretching one hundred fifty feet 10 with twenty posts, twenty copper bases, and silver hooks and bands for the posts. 11 Likewise the north side stretched one hundred fifty feet, with twenty posts, twenty copper bases, and silver hooks and bands for the posts. 12 On the west side the drapes stretched seventy-five feet, with their ten posts, their ten bases, and silver hooks and bands for the posts. 13 The front side facing east was seventy-five feet. 14 There were twenty-two and a half feet of drapes on one side with three posts and three bases for them. 15 Likewise, there were twenty-two and a half feet of drapes on the other side of the plaza’s gate with three posts and three bases for them. 16 All the drapes around the courtyard were made of fine twisted linen. 17 The bases for the posts were made of copper, but the hooks for the posts and their bands were made of silver. The tops of the posts were covered with silver, and all the posts surrounding the courtyard had silver bands. 18 The screen for the gate into the courtyard was made with blue, purple, and deep red yarns and fine twisted linen, decorated with needlework. It was thirty feet long and, along the width of it, seven and a half feet high, corresponding to the courtyard’s drapes. 19 It had four posts, their four copper bases, their silver hooks, and their tops and bands covered with silver. 20 All the tent pegs for the dwelling and for the courtyard all around were made of copper.

A listing of materials used

21 These are the accounts of the dwelling, the covenant dwelling, that were recorded at Moses’ instructions. They are the work of the Levites, under the direction of Ithamar, Aaron the priest’s son. 22 Bezalel, Uri’s son and Hur’s grandson from the tribe of Judah, made everything that the Lord had commanded Moses to make. 23 Working with Bezalel was Oholiab, Ahisamach’s son from the tribe of Dan, who was a gem cutter, a designer, and a needleworker in blue, purple, and deep red yarns and in fine linen.

24 The total amount of the gold that was used for construction of the whole sanctuary, gold from the uplifted offerings, was twenty-nine kikkars and seven hundred thirty shekels in weight, measured by the sanctuary shekel. 25 The silver from the community census totaled one hundred kikkars and one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels in weight, measured by the sanctuary shekel. 26 They gave a beqa per person (that is, half a shekel, measured by the sanctuary shekel) for everyone who was counted in the census, 20 years old and above, 603,550 men. 27 One hundred kikkars of silver were used to cast the bases for the sanctuary and the bases for the veil, one hundred bases from one hundred kikkars of silver, one kikkar for every base. 28 He used one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels of silver[a] to make the hooks for the posts, cover their tops, and make bands for them. 29 The amount of copper from the uplifted offering was seventy kikkars and two thousand four hundred shekels in weight. 30 He used it to make the bases for the meeting tent’s entrance, the copper altar, its copper grate, and all the altar’s equipment, 31 the bases all around the courtyard, and the bases for the courtyard’s gate, all the dwelling’s tent pegs, and all the tent pegs used around the courtyard.

Making the priests’ clothing

39 They used the blue, purple, and deep red yarns to make the woven clothing for those ministering as priests in the sanctuary. They made the holy clothes for Aaron as the Lord had commanded Moses.

2 They made the vest[b] of gold, of blue, purple, and deep red yarns, and of fine twisted linen. 3 They beat out thin sheets of gold and cut them into threads to work into designs among the blue, purple, and deep red yarns and the fine linen. 4 They made shoulder pieces for it attached to its two edges so that they could be joined together. 5 The vest’s belt was attached to it and made in the same way of gold, of blue, purple, and deep red yarns, and of fine twisted linen, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

6 They prepared the gemstones by mounting them in gold settings and engraving on them the names of Israel’s sons, like an official seal is engraved. 7 The stones were attached to the vest’s shoulder pieces as reminder stones for the Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

8 They made the embroidered chest pendant in the style of the vest, using gold, blue, purple, and deep red yarns, and fine twisted linen. 9 They made the chest pendant square and doubled, nine inches long and nine inches wide when doubled. 10 They set in it four rows of gemstones. The first row was a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald stones. 11 The second row was a turquoise, a sapphire, and a moonstone. 12 The third row was a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst. 13 The fourth row was a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. The settings around them were decorative gold. 14 There were twelve stones with names corresponding to the names of Israel’s sons. They were engraved like official seals, each with its name for the twelve tribes. 15 They made chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, for the chest pendant. 16 They made two gold settings and two gold rings. They attached the two rings to the two edges of the chest pendant. 17 They attached the two gold cords to the two rings at the edges of the chest pendant. 18 Then they fastened the two ends of the two cords to the two gold settings and attached them to the front of the vest’s shoulder pieces. 19 They made two gold rings, and they attached them to the two edges of the chest pendant, on its inside edge facing the vest. 20 They made two gold rings and fastened them on the front of the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the vest, at its seam just above the vest’s belt. 21 The chest pendant was held in place by a blue cord binding its rings to the vest’s rings so that the chest pendant rested on the vest’s belt and didn’t come loose from the vest, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

22 They also made the vest’s robe, woven completely in blue. 23 The opening of the robe in the middle of it was reinforced with a strong border so that it didn’t tear. 24 On the robe’s lower hem, they added pomegranates made of blue, purple, and deep red yarns and of fine twisted linen. 25 They also made pure gold bells and sewed the bells between the pomegranates, all around the robe’s lower hem, 26 with a bell and a pomegranate alternating all around the lower hem of the robe that is used for ministering as a priest, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

27 They also made the tunics woven out of fine linen for Aaron and his sons, 28 the turban of fine linen, the decorated turbans of fine linen, the linen undergarments of fine twisted linen, 29 the sashes of fine twisted linen, and of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, decorated with needlework, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

30 They made the flower ornament for the holy crown out of pure gold. Like the engraving on an official seal, they engraved on it the saying “Holy to the Lord.” 31 They fastened to it a blue cord to tie it to the top of the turban, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Completion of dwelling construction

32 In this way all the work of the meeting tent dwelling was finished. The Israelites did everything just exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses. 33 Then they brought to Moses the dwelling, the tent, and all its equipment:

its clasps, its boards, its bars, its posts, and its bases,

34 the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, the covering of beaded leather, and the veil for a screen,

35 the chest containing the covenant with its poles and the cover,

36 the table with all its equipment and the bread of the presence,

37 the pure lampstand with its lamps set on it and all its equipment, and the oil for the light,

38 the gold altar, the anointing oil, and the sweet-smelling incense,

the screen for the tent’s entrance,

39 the copper altar and its copper grate, its poles, and all its equipment,

the washbasin with its stand,

40 the courtyard’s drapes, its posts, and its bases,

the screen for the plaza’s gate, its cords, and its tent pegs,

and all the other equipment for the service of the dwelling, for the meeting tent,

41 the woven clothes for ministering as priests in the sanctuary, the holy clothes for the priest Aaron and the clothes for his sons to serve as priests.

42 The Israelites did all of the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 43 When Moses saw that they in fact had done all the work exactly as the Lord had commanded, Moses blessed them.

Moses sets up the dwelling

40 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 Set up the meeting tent dwelling on the first day of the first month.[c] 3 Place the chest containing the covenant inside the dwelling. Hide the chest from view with the veil. 4 Bring in the table and arrange its items. Bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 Place the gold altar for burning incense in front of the chest containing the covenant. Set up the screen at the dwelling’s entrance. 6 Put the altar for entirely burned offerings in front of the entrance to the meeting tent dwelling. 7 Put the washbasin between the meeting tent and the altar and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard all around. Hang up the screen at the courtyard gate. 9 Then take the anointing oil and anoint the dwelling and everything in it. Make holy the dwelling and all its equipment, and it will be holy. 10 Anoint the altar for entirely burned offerings and all its equipment. Make the altar holy, and the altar will be most holy. 11 Anoint the washbasin with its stand and make it holy.

12 Then bring Aaron and his sons to the meeting tent’s entrance and wash them with water. 13 Dress Aaron in the holy clothes. Anoint him and make him holy so that he may serve me as priest. 14 Then bring his sons and dress them in tunics. 15 Anoint them like you anointed their father so that they may serve me as priests. Their anointing is to the priesthood for all time in every generation.

16 Moses did everything exactly as the Lord had commanded him. 17 In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the dwelling was set up. 18 Moses set up the dwelling. He laid out its bases. He set up its boards, inserted its bars, and raised up its posts. 19 He spread the tent out over the dwelling, and he put the covering of the tent over it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 20 He took the covenant document and placed it inside the chest. He put the poles on the chest, and he set the cover on top of the chest. 21 He brought the chest into the dwelling. He set up the veil as a screen to hide from view the chest containing the covenant, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 22 He placed the table in the meeting tent, on the north side of the dwelling, outside the veil. 23 He set the bread in its proper place on the table in the Lord’s presence, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 24 He put the lampstand in the meeting tent, opposite the table on the south side of the dwelling. 25 He set up the lamps in the Lord’s presence, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 26 He put the gold altar in the meeting tent in front of the veil. 27 He burned sweet-smelling incense on it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 28 He also set up the screen at the entrance to the dwelling. 29 He placed the altar for entirely burned offerings at the entrance to the meeting tent dwelling. He offered the entirely burned offering and the grain offering on it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 30 He put the washbasin between the meeting tent and the altar, and put water in it for washing. 31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons used it to wash their hands and their feet. 32 Whenever they went into the meeting tent and whenever they approached the altar, they washed themselves, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 33 He set up the courtyard around the dwelling and the altar, and he hung up the screen at the courtyard’s gate.

God’s presence fills the dwelling!

When Moses had finished all the work, 34 the cloud covered the meeting tent and the Lord’s glorious presence filled the dwelling. 35 Moses couldn’t enter the meeting tent because the cloud had settled on it, and the Lord’s glorious presence filled the dwelling. 36 Whenever the cloud rose from the dwelling, the Israelites would set out on their journeys. 37 But if the cloud didn’t rise, then they didn’t set out until the day it rose. 38 The Lord’s cloud stayed over the dwelling during the day, with lightning in it at night, clearly visible to the whole household of Israel at every stage of their journey.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 38:28 Heb lacks shekels of silver.
  2. Exodus 39:2 Heb ephod
  3. Exodus 40:2 March–April, Abib
Listen to Exodus 37-40
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Exodus 37-40
New International Version

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] 2 He overlaid it with pure gold,(D) both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. 3 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. 4 Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.

6 He made the atonement cover(E) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 7 Then he made two cherubim(F) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 8 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. 9 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.

The Altar of Burnt Offering(X)

38 They[g] built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits[h] high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.[i] 2 They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze.(Y) 3 They made all its utensils(Z) of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 4 They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar. 5 They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating. 6 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7 They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.

The Basin for Washing

8 They made the bronze basin(AA) and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women(AB) who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

The Courtyard(AC)

9 Next they made the courtyard. The south side was a hundred cubits[j] long and had curtains of finely twisted linen, 10 with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 11 The north side was also a hundred cubits long and had twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts.

12 The west end was fifty cubits[k] wide and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 13 The east end, toward the sunrise, was also fifty cubits wide. 14 Curtains fifteen cubits[l] long were on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, 15 and curtains fifteen cubits long were on the other side of the entrance to the courtyard, with three posts and three bases. 16 All the curtains around the courtyard were of finely twisted linen. 17 The bases for the posts were bronze. The hooks and bands on the posts were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver; so all the posts of the courtyard had silver bands.

18 The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was made of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. It was twenty cubits[m] long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits[n] high, 19 with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks and bands were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver. 20 All the tent pegs(AD) of the tabernacle and of the surrounding courtyard were bronze.

The Materials Used

21 These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant law,(AE) which were recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar(AF) son of Aaron, the priest. 22 (Bezalel(AG) son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses; 23 with him was Oholiab(AH) son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan—an engraver and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.) 24 The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary(AI) was 29 talents and 730 shekels,[o] according to the sanctuary shekel.(AJ)

25 The silver obtained from those of the community who were counted in the census(AK) was 100 talents[p] and 1,775 shekels,[q] according to the sanctuary shekel— 26 one beka per person,(AL) that is, half a shekel,[r] according to the sanctuary shekel,(AM) from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more,(AN) a total of 603,550 men.(AO) 27 The 100 talents of silver were used to cast the bases(AP) for the sanctuary and for the curtain—100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent for each base. 28 They used the 1,775 shekels to make the hooks for the posts, to overlay the tops of the posts, and to make their bands.

29 The bronze from the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.[s] 30 They used it to make the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all its utensils, 31 the bases for the surrounding courtyard and those for its entrance and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and those for the surrounding courtyard.

The Priestly Garments

39 From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn(AQ) they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary.(AR) They also made sacred garments(AS) for Aaron, as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Ephod(AT)

2 They[t] made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 3 They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of skilled hands. 4 They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened. 5 Its skillfully woven waistband was like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the Lord commanded Moses.

6 They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings and engraved them like a seal with the names of the sons of Israel. 7 Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial(AU) stones for the sons of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Breastpiece(AV)

8 They fashioned the breastpiece(AW)—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 9 It was square—a span[u] long and a span wide—and folded double. 10 Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. The first row was carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 11 the second row was turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 12 the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; 13 the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper.[v] They were mounted in gold filigree settings. 14 There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.(AX)

15 For the breastpiece they made braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. 16 They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the rings to two of the corners of the breastpiece. 17 They fastened the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 18 and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. 19 They made two gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. 20 Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. 21 They tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband so that the breastpiece would not swing out from the ephod—as the Lord commanded Moses.

Other Priestly Garments(AY)

22 They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth—the work of a weaver— 23 with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar,[w] and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear. 24 They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe. 25 And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates. 26 The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the Lord commanded Moses.

27 For Aaron and his sons, they made tunics of fine linen(AZ)—the work of a weaver— 28 and the turban(BA) of fine linen, the linen caps and the undergarments of finely twisted linen. 29 The sash was made of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn—the work of an embroiderer—as the Lord commanded Moses.

30 They made the plate, the sacred emblem, out of pure gold and engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: holy to the Lord.(BB) 31 Then they fastened a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban,(BC) as the Lord commanded Moses.

Moses Inspects the Tabernacle(BD)

32 So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.(BE) 33 Then they brought the tabernacle(BF) to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 34 the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of another durable leather[x] and the shielding curtain; 35 the ark of the covenant law(BG) with its poles and the atonement cover; 36 the table(BH) with all its articles and the bread of the Presence;(BI) 37 the pure gold lampstand(BJ) with its row of lamps and all its accessories,(BK) and the olive oil(BL) for the light; 38 the gold altar,(BM) the anointing oil,(BN) the fragrant incense,(BO) and the curtain(BP) for the entrance to the tent; 39 the bronze altar(BQ) with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basin(BR) with its stand; 40 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard;(BS) the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 41 and the woven garments(BT) worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.

42 The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.(BU) 43 Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded.(BV) So Moses blessed(BW) them.

Setting Up the Tabernacle

40 Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 “Set up(BX) the tabernacle, the tent of meeting,(BY) on the first day of the first month.(BZ) 3 Place the ark(CA) of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table(CB) and set out what belongs on it.(CC) Then bring in the lampstand(CD) and set up its lamps. 5 Place the gold altar(CE) of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

6 “Place the altar(CF) of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 7 place the basin(CG) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard(CH) around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.

9 “Take the anointing oil and anoint(CI) the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings,(CJ) and it will be holy. 10 Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate(CK) the altar, and it will be most holy. 11 Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.

12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting(CL) and wash them with water.(CM) 13 Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments,(CN) anoint him and consecrate(CO) him so he may serve me as priest. 14 Bring his sons and dress them in tunics.(CP) 15 Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.(CQ)” 16 Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded(CR) him.

17 So the tabernacle(CS) was set up on the first day of the first month(CT) in the second year. 18 When Moses(CU) set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames,(CV) inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. 19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering(CW) over the tent, as the Lord commanded(CX) him.

20 He took the tablets of the covenant law(CY) and placed them in the ark,(CZ) attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover(DA) over it. 21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain(DB) and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded(DC) him.

22 Moses placed the table(DD) in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain 23 and set out the bread(DE) on it before the Lord, as the Lord commanded(DF) him.

24 He placed the lampstand(DG) in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle 25 and set up the lamps(DH) before the Lord, as the Lord commanded(DI) him.

26 Moses placed the gold altar(DJ) in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain 27 and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord commanded(DK) him.

28 Then he put up the curtain(DL) at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar(DM) of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings,(DN) as the Lord commanded(DO) him.

30 He placed the basin(DP) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash(DQ) their hands and feet. 32 They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar,(DR) as the Lord commanded(DS) Moses.

33 Then Moses set up the courtyard(DT) around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain(DU) at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the Lord

34 Then the cloud(DV) covered the tent of meeting, and the glory(DW) of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory(DX) of the Lord filled the tabernacle.(DY)

36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;(DZ) 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud(EA) of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

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
  7. Exodus 38:1 Or He; also in verses 2-9
  8. Exodus 38:1 That is, about 4 1/2 feet or about 1.4 meters
  9. Exodus 38:1 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters long and wide
  10. Exodus 38:9 That is, about 150 feet or about 45 meters
  11. Exodus 38:12 That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters
  12. Exodus 38:14 That is, about 22 feet or about 6.8 meters
  13. Exodus 38:18 That is, about 30 feet or about 9 meters
  14. Exodus 38:18 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters
  15. Exodus 38:24 The weight of the gold was a little over a ton or about 1 metric ton.
  16. Exodus 38:25 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons; also in verse 27
  17. Exodus 38:25 That is, about 44 pounds or about 20 kilograms; also in verse 28
  18. Exodus 38:26 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.7 grams
  19. Exodus 38:29 The weight of the bronze was about 2 1/2 tons or about 2.4 metric tons.
  20. Exodus 39:2 Or He; also in verses 7, 8 and 22
  21. Exodus 39:9 That is, about 9 inches or about 23 centimeters
  22. Exodus 39:13 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
  23. Exodus 39:23 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  24. Exodus 39:34 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals
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