Exodus 14:1-30:7

Christian Standard Bible

14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: ² “Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you must camp in front of Baal-zephon, facing it by the sea.^{(A) 3} Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in. ⁴ I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. Then I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this.^(B)

The Egyptian Pursuit

⁵ When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said, “What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us.” ⁶ So he got his chariot ready and took his troops^[a] with him; ⁷ he took six hundred of the best chariots and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in each one. ⁸ The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out defiantly.^{[b](C) 9} The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his horsemen,^[c] and his army—chased^(D) after them and caught up with them as they camped by the sea beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

¹⁰ As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and there were the Egyptians coming after them! The Israelites were terrified and cried out^(E) to the Lord for help. ¹¹ They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? ¹² Isn’t this what we told you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”^(F)

¹³ But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see^(G) the Lord’s salvation that he will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you, and you must be quiet.”^(H)

Escape through the Red Sea

¹⁵ The Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to break camp. ¹⁶ As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.^{(I) 17} As for me, I am going to harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh, all his army, and his chariots and horsemen. ¹⁸ The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

¹⁹ Then the angel of God,^(J) who was going in front of the Israelite forces, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them.^{(K) 20} It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. There was cloud and darkness, it lit up the night, and neither group came near the other all night long.

²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided,^{(L) 22} and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left.^(M)

²³ The Egyptians set out in pursuit—all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen—and went into the sea after them. ²⁴ During the morning watch, the Lord looked down at the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire^(N) and cloud, and threw the Egyptian forces into confusion. ²⁵ He caused their chariot wheels to swerve^[d][e] and made them drive^[f] with difficulty. “Let’s get away from Israel,” the Egyptians said, “because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!”

²⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the water may come back on the Egyptians, on their chariots and horsemen.” ²⁷ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal depth. While the Egyptians were trying to escape from it, the Lord threw them into the sea.^{(O) 28} The water came back and covered the chariots^(P) and horsemen, plus the entire army of Pharaoh that had gone after them into the sea. Not even one of them survived.

²⁹ But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left. ³⁰ That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. ³¹ When Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and believed^(Q) in him and in his servant Moses.

Israel’s Song

15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said:

¹⁹ When Pharaoh’s horses with his chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the water of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. ²⁰ Then the prophetess Miriam,^(AJ) Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women came out following her with tambourines and dancing.^{(AK) 21} Miriam sang to them:

Water Provided

²² Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They journeyed for three days in the wilderness without finding water. ²³ They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter—that is why it was named Marah.^{[l] 24} The people grumbled to Moses, “What are we going to drink?” ^{(AL) 25} So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable.

The Lord made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah, and he tested them there.^{(AM) 26} He said, “If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in his sight, pay attention to his commands, and keep all his statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”^(AN)

²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy date palms, and they camped there by the water.

Manna and Quail Provided

16 The entire Israelite community departed from Elim and came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left the land of Egypt.^{(AO) 2} The entire Israelite community grumbled^(AP) against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!” ^(AQ)

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.^{(AR) 5} On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.”^[m]

⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “This evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt,^{(AS) 7} and in the morning you will see the Lord’s glory because he has heard your complaints about him. For who are we that you complain about us?” ^{(AT) 8} Moses continued, “The Lord will give you meat to eat this evening and all the bread you want in the morning, for he has heard the complaints that you are raising against him. Who are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.”^(AU)

⁹ Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your complaints.’” ¹⁰ As Aaron was speaking to the entire Israelite community, they turned toward the wilderness, and there in a cloud the Lord’s glory appeared.^(AV)

¹¹ The Lord spoke to Moses, ¹² “I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Tell them: At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat bread until you are full. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”

¹³ So at evening quail^(AW) came and covered the camp. In the morning there was a layer of dew all around the camp. ¹⁴ When the layer of dew evaporated, there were fine flakes on the desert surface, as fine as frost on the ground. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” because they didn’t know what it was.

Moses told them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.^{(AX) 16} This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each person needs to eat. You may take two quarts^[n] per individual, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’”

¹⁷ So the Israelites did this. Some gathered a lot, some a little. ¹⁸ When they measured it by quarts,^[o] the person who gathered a lot had no surplus, and the person who gathered a little had no shortage. Each gathered as much as he needed to eat.^{(AY) 19} Moses said to them, “No one is to let any of it remain until morning.” ²⁰ But they didn’t listen to Moses; some people left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. Therefore Moses was angry with them.

²¹ They gathered it every morning. Each gathered as much as he needed to eat, but when the sun grew hot, it melted. ²² On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, four quarts^[p] apiece, and all the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. ²³ He told them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath^(AZ) to the Lord. Bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil, and set aside everything left over to be kept until morning.’”

²⁴ So they set it aside until morning as Moses commanded, and it didn’t stink or have maggots in it. ²⁵ “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the Lord. Today you won’t find any in the field. ²⁶ For six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”

²⁷ Yet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find any. ²⁸ Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you^[q] refuse to keep my commands^(BA) and instructions? ²⁹ Understand that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he will give you two days’ worth of bread. Each of you stay where you are; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day.” ³⁰ So the people rested on the seventh day.

³¹ The house of Israel named the substance manna.^[r](BB) It resembled coriander seed, was white, and tasted like wafers made with honey. ³² Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Two quarts^[s] of it are to be preserved throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread I fed you in the wilderness when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”

³³ Moses told Aaron, “Take a container and put two quarts^[t] of manna in it. Then place it before the Lord to be preserved throughout your generations.” ³⁴ As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron placed it before the testimony^(BC) to be preserved.

³⁵ The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate manna until they reached the border of the land of Canaan.^{(BD) 36} (They used a measure called an omer, which held two quarts.^[u])

Water from the Rock

17 The entire Israelite community left the Wilderness of Sin, moving from one place to the next according to the Lord’s command. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.^{(BE) 2} So the people complained to Moses, “Give us water to drink.”

“Why are you complaining to me?” Moses replied to them. “Why are you testing^(BF) the Lord?”

³ But the people thirsted there for water and grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you ever bring us up from Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” ^(BG)

⁴ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!” ^(BH)

⁵ The Lord answered Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take the staff you struck the Nile with in your hand and go. ⁶ I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water^(BI) will come out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷ He named the place Massah^[v] and Meribah^[w](BJ) because the Israelites complained, and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

The Amalekites Attack

⁸ At Rephidim, Amalek^[x](BK) came and fought against Israel. ⁹ Moses said to Joshua,^(BL) “Select some men for us and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God’s staff in my hand.”

¹⁰ Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹ While Moses held up his hand,^[y] Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand^[z] down, Amalek prevailed.^{(BM) 12} When Moses’s hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. ¹³ So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army^[aa] with the sword.

¹⁴ The Lord then said to Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua: I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven.”^(BN)

¹⁵ And Moses built an altar^(BO) and named it, “The Lord Is My Banner.”^{[ab] 16} He said, “Indeed, my hand is lifted up toward^[ac] the Lord’s throne. The Lord will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Jethro’s Visit

18 Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian,^(BP) heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for God’s people Israel when the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt.

² Now Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, had taken in Zipporah,^(BQ) Moses’s wife, after he had sent her back, ³ along with her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom^[ad] (because Moses had said, “I have been a resident alien in a foreign land”)^{(BR) 4} and the other Eliezer (because he had said, “The God of my father was my helper and rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword”).^[ae]

⁵ Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, along with Moses’s wife and sons, came to him in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God.^{(BS) 6} He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

⁷ So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down,^(BT) and then kissed him. They asked each other how they had been^[af] and went into the tent. ⁸ Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that confronted them on the way, and how the Lord rescued them.^(BU)

⁹ Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he rescued them from the power of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ “Blessed be the Lord,”^(BV) Jethro exclaimed, “who rescued you from the power of Egypt and from the power of Pharaoh. He has rescued the people from under the power of Egypt! ¹¹ Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he did wonders when the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.”^[ag](BW)

¹² Then Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’s father-in-law in God’s presence.

¹³ The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. ¹⁴ When Moses’s father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, “What is this you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”

¹⁵ Moses replied to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. ¹⁶ Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.”^(BX)

¹⁷ “What you’re doing is not good,” Moses’s father-in-law said to him. ¹⁸ “You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone.^{(BY) 19} Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to him. ²⁰ Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do.^{(BZ) 21} But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating dishonest profit.^(CA) Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.^{(CB) 22} They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every major case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load,^[ah] and they will bear it with you.^{(CC) 23} If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.”^[ai]

²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. ²⁵ So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. ²⁶ They judged the people at all times; they would bring the hard cases to Moses, but they would judge every minor case themselves.

²⁷ Moses let his father-in-law go, and he journeyed to his own land.^(CD)

Israel at Sinai

19 In the third month from the very day the Israelites left the land of Egypt, they came to the Sinai Wilderness. ² They traveled from Rephidim, came to the Sinai Wilderness, and camped in the wilderness. Israel camped there in front of the mountain.^(CE)

³ Moses went up the mountain to God, and the Lord called^(CF) to him from the mountain: “This is what you must say to the house of Jacob and explain to the Israelites: ⁴ ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.^{(CG) 5} Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant,^(CH) you will be my own possession^(CI) out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, ⁶ and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’^(CJ) These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”

⁷ After Moses came back, he summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. ⁸ Then all the people responded together, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken.”^(CK) So Moses brought the people’s words back to the Lord.

⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,^(CL) so that the people will hear when I speak^(CM) with you and will always believe you.” Moses reported the people’s words to the Lord, ¹⁰ and the Lord told Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes^{(CN) 11} and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.^{(CO) 12} Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death.^{(CP) 13} No hand may touch him;^[aj] instead he will be stoned or shot with arrows and not live, whether animal or human. When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain.”

¹⁴ Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ He said to the people, “Be prepared by the third day. Do not have sexual relations with women.”

¹⁶ On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud blast from a ram’s horn, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. ¹⁷ Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸ Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire.^(CQ) Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace,^(CR) and the whole mountain shook violently.^{(CS) 19} As the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.^(CT)

²⁰ The Lord came down on Mount Sinai at the top of the mountain. Then the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. ²¹ The Lord directed Moses, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise many of them will die.^{(CU) 22} Even the priests who come near the Lord must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out in anger against them.”^(CV)

²³ Moses responded to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since you warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consecrate it.” ²⁴ And the Lord replied to him, “Go down and come back with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out in anger against them.” ²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.

The Ten Commandments

20 Then God spoke all these words:

The People’s Reaction

¹⁸ All the people witnessed^[ak] the thunder and lightning, the sound of the ram’s horn, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it^[al] they trembled and stood at a distance.^{(DM) 19} “You speak to us, and we will listen,” they said to Moses, “but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.”^(DN)

²⁰ Moses responded to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear him and will not^[am] sin.”^{(DO) 21} And the people remained standing at a distance as Moses approached the total darkness where God was.^(DP)

Moses Receives Additional Laws

²² Then the Lord told Moses, “This is what you are to say to the Israelites: You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven.^{(DQ) 23} Do not make gods of silver to rival me; do not make gods of gold for yourselves.^(DR)

²⁴ “Make an earthen altar for me, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your flocks and herds. I will come to you and bless you in every place where I cause my name to be remembered.^{(DS) 25} If you make a stone altar for me, do not build it out of cut stones. If you use your chisel on it, you will defile it.^{(DT) 26} Do not go up to my altar on steps, so that your nakedness is not exposed on it.

21 “These are the ordinances that you are to set before them:

Laws about Slaves

² “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man^[an] without paying anything.^{(DU) 3} If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with^[ao] a wife, his wife is to leave with him. ⁴ If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children belong to her master, and the man must leave alone.

⁵ “But if the slave declares, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I do not want to leave as a free man,’^{(DV) 6} his master is to bring him to the judges^[ap] and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life.

⁷ “When a man sells his daughter as a concubine,^[aq] she is not to leave as the male slaves do.^{(DW) 8} If she is displeasing to her master, who chose her for himself, then he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners because he has acted treacherously toward her. ⁹ Or if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her according to the customary treatment of daughters. ¹⁰ If he takes an additional wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of the first wife.^{(DX) 11} And if he does not do these three things for her, she may leave free of charge, without any payment.^[ar]

Laws about Personal Injury

¹² “Whoever strikes a person so that he dies must be put to death.^{(DY) 13} But if he did not intend any harm,^[as] and yet God allowed it to happen, I will appoint a place for you where he may flee.^{(DZ) 14} If a person schemes and willfully^[at] acts against his neighbor to murder him, you must take him from my altar to be put to death.^(EA)

¹⁵ “Whoever strikes his father or his mother must be put to death.

¹⁶ “Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession.^(EB)

¹⁷ “Whoever curses his father or his mother must be put to death.^(EC)

¹⁸ “When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or his fist, and the injured man does not die but is confined to bed, ¹⁹ if he can later get up and walk around outside leaning on his staff, then the one who struck him will be exempt from punishment. Nevertheless, he must pay for his lost work time^[au] and provide for his complete recovery.

²⁰ “When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies under his abuse,^[av] the owner must be punished.^{[aw] 21} However, if the slave can stand up after a day or two, the owner should not be punished^[ax] because he is his owner’s property.^[ay](ED)

²² “When men get in a fight and hit a pregnant woman so that her children are born prematurely but there is no injury, the one who hit her must be fined as the woman’s husband demands^(EE) from him, and he must pay according to judicial assessment. ²³ If there is an injury, then you must give life for life, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth,^(EF) hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, bruise for bruise, wound for wound.

²⁶ “When a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he must let the slave go free in compensation for his eye. ²⁷ If he knocks out the tooth of his male or female slave, he must let the slave go free in compensation for his tooth.

²⁸ “When an ox^[az] gores a man or a woman to death, the ox must be stoned,^(EG) and its meat may not be eaten, but the ox’s owner is innocent. ²⁹ However, if the ox was in the habit of goring, and its owner has been warned yet does not restrain it, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox must be stoned, and its owner must also be put to death. ³⁰ If instead a ransom^(EH) is demanded of him, he can pay a redemption price for his life in the full amount demanded from him. ³¹ If it gores a son or a daughter, he is to be dealt with according to this same law. ³² If the ox gores a male or female slave, he must give thirty shekels^(EI) of silver^[ba] to the slave’s master, and the ox must be stoned.

³³ “When a man uncovers a pit or digs a pit, and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, ³⁴ the owner of the pit must give compensation; he must pay to its owner, but the dead animal will become his.

³⁵ “When a man’s ox injures his neighbor’s ox and it dies, they must sell the live ox and divide its proceeds; they must also divide the dead animal. ³⁶ If, however, it is known that the ox was in the habit of goring, yet its owner has not restrained it, he must compensate fully, ox for ox; the dead animal will become his.

Laws about Theft

22 “When a man steals an ox or a sheep and butchers it or sells it, he must repay^(EJ) five cattle for the ox or four sheep for the sheep. ² If a thief is caught in the act of breaking in, and he is beaten to death, no one is guilty of bloodshed.^{(EK) 3} But if this happens after sunrise, the householder is guilty of bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution. If he is unable, he is to be sold because of his theft.^{(EL) 4} If what was stolen—whether ox, donkey, or sheep—is actually found alive in his possession, he must repay double.

Laws about Crop Protection

⁵ “When a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed in, and then allows his animals to go and graze in someone else’s field, he must repay^[bb] with the best of his own field or vineyard.

⁶ “When a fire gets out of control, spreads to thornbushes, and consumes stacks of cut grain, standing grain, or a field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution for what was burned.

Laws about Personal Property

⁷ “When a man gives his neighbor valuables^[bc] or goods to keep, but they are stolen from that person’s house, the thief, if caught, must repay double. ⁸ If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house must present himself to the judges^[bd] to determine^[be] whether or not he has taken his neighbor’s property.^{(EM) 9} In any case of wrongdoing involving an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or anything else lost, and someone claims, ‘That’s mine,’^[bf] the case between the two parties is to come before the judges.^[bg] The one the judges condemn^[bh] must repay double to his neighbor.

¹⁰ “When a man gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal to care for, but it dies, is injured, or is stolen, while no one is watching, ¹¹ there must be an oath before the Lord between the two of them to determine whether or not he has taken his neighbor’s property. Its owner must accept the oath, and the other man does not have to make restitution. ¹² But if, in fact, the animal was stolen from his custody, he must make restitution to its owner.^{(EN) 13} If it was actually torn apart by a wild animal, he is to bring it as evidence; he does not have to make restitution for the torn carcass.

¹⁴ “When a man borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not there with it, the man must make full restitution. ¹⁵ If its owner is there with it, the man does not have to make restitution. If it was rented, the loss is covered by^[bi] its rental price.

Laws about Seduction

¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and he sleeps with her, he must certainly pay the bridal price for her to be his wife. ¹⁷ If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must pay an amount in silver equal to the bridal price for virgins.^(EO)

Capital Offenses

¹⁸ “Do not allow a sorceress^(EP) to live.

¹⁹ “Whoever has sexual intercourse with an animal^(EQ) must be put to death.

²⁰ “Whoever sacrifices to any gods, except the Lord alone, is to be set apart for destruction.^(ER)

Laws Protecting the Vulnerable

²¹ “You must not exploit a resident alien^(ES) or oppress him, since you were resident aliens in the land of Egypt.

²² “You must not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.^{(ET) 23} If you do mistreat them, they will no doubt cry to me, and I will certainly hear their cry.^{(EU) 24} My anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will be widows and your children fatherless.^(EV)

²⁵ “If you lend silver to my people, to the poor person among you, you must not be like a creditor to him; you must not charge him interest.^(EW)

²⁶ “If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him before sunset. ²⁷ For it is his only covering; it is the clothing for his body.^[bj] What will he sleep in? And if he cries out to me, I will listen because I am gracious.^(EX)

Respect for God

²⁸ “You must not blaspheme God^[bk] or curse a leader among your people.^(EY)

²⁹ “You must not hold back offerings^(EZ) from your harvest or your vats. Give me the firstborn of your sons. ³⁰ Do the same with your cattle and your flock. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to me.^(FA)

³¹ “Be my holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal^(FB) found in the field; throw it to the dogs.

Laws about Honesty and Justice

23 “You must not spread a false report. Do not join^[bl] the wicked to be a malicious witness.^(FC)

² “You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice.^{(FD) 3} Do not show favoritism to a poor person in his lawsuit.

⁴ “If you come across your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.

⁵ “If you see the donkey of someone who hates you lying helpless under its load, and you want to refrain from helping it, you must help with it.^[bm](FE)

⁶ “You must not deny justice to a poor person among you in his lawsuit. ⁷ Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent and the just, because I will not justify the guilty.^{(FF) 8} You must not take a bribe,^(FG) for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and corrupts the words^[bn] of the righteous. ⁹ You must not oppress a resident alien;^(FH) you yourselves know how it feels to be a resident alien because you were resident aliens in the land of Egypt.

Sabbaths and Festivals

¹⁰ “Sow your land for six years and gather its produce.^{(FI) 11} But during the seventh year you are to let it rest and leave it uncultivated, so that the poor among your people may eat from it and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

¹² “Do your work^(FJ) for six days but rest on the seventh day so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave as well as the resident alien may be refreshed.

¹³ “Pay strict attention to everything I have said to you. You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips.^[bo](FK)

¹⁴ “Celebrate a festival in my honor three times a year.^{(FL) 15} Observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you are to eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib,^[bp] because you came out of Egypt in that month. No one is to appear before me empty-handed.^{(FM) 16} Also observe the Festival of Harvest^[bq] with the firstfruits of your produce from what you sow in the field, and observe the Festival of Ingathering^[br](FN) at the end of the year, when you gather your produce^[bs] from the field. ¹⁷ Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord God.

¹⁸ “You must not offer the blood of my sacrifices with anything leavened. The fat of my festival offering must not remain until morning.^(FO)

¹⁹ “Bring the best of the firstfruits of your land to the house of the Lord your God.

“You must not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.^(FP)

Promises and Warnings

²⁰ “I am going to send an angel^(FQ) before you to protect you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. ²¹ Be attentive to him and listen to him. Do not defy him, because he will not forgive your acts of rebellion, for my name is in him.^{(FR) 22} But if you will carefully obey him and do everything I say, then I will be an enemy^(FS) to your enemies and a foe to your foes. ²³ For my angel will go before you and bring you to the land of the Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.^{(FT) 24} Do not bow in worship to their gods, and do not serve them. Do not imitate their practices. Instead, demolish them^[bt] and smash their sacred pillars to pieces.^{(FU) 25} Serve the Lord your God, and he^[bu] will bless your bread and your water. I will remove illnesses from you.^{(FV) 26} No woman will miscarry or be childless in your land. I will give you the full number of your days.^(FW)

²⁷ “I will cause the people ahead of you to feel terror^[bv] and will throw into confusion^(FX) all the nations you come to. I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you in retreat.^{[bw] 28} I will send hornets^[bx](FY) in front of you, and they will drive the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hethites away from you. ²⁹ I will not drive them out ahead of you in a single year; otherwise, the land would become desolate, and wild animals would multiply against you. ³⁰ I will drive them out little by little ahead of you until you have become numerous^[by] and take possession of the land. ³¹ I will set your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea,^[bz] and from the wilderness to the Euphrates River.^[ca] For I will place the inhabitants of the land under your control, and you will drive them out ahead of you.^{(FZ) 32} You must not make a covenant^(GA) with them or their gods. ³³ They must not remain in your land, or else they will make you sin against me. If you serve their gods, it will be a snare for you.”^(GB)

The Covenant Ceremony

24 Then he said to Moses, “Go up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders,^(GC) and bow in worship at a distance. ² Moses alone is to approach the Lord, but the others are not to approach, and the people are not to go up with him.”

³ Moses came and told the people all the commands of the Lord and all the ordinances. Then all the people responded with a single voice, “We will do everything that the Lord has commanded.”^{(GD) 4} And Moses wrote^(GE) down all the words of the Lord. He rose early the next morning and set up an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel at the base of the mountain. ⁵ Then he sent out young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. ⁶ Moses took half the blood and set it in basins; the other half of the blood he splattered on the altar. ⁷ He then took the covenant scroll and read it aloud to the people. They responded, “We will do and obey all that the Lord has commanded.”

⁸ Moses took the blood, splattered it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you concerning all these words.”^(GF)

⁹ Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders, ¹⁰ and they saw^(GG) the God of Israel. Beneath his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself.^{(GH) 11} God did not harm^[cb] the Israelite nobles; they saw^(GI) him, and they ate and drank.

¹² The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay there so that I may give you the stone tablets^(GJ) with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

¹³ So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua and went up the mountain of God.^{(GK) 14} He told the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute should go to them.” ¹⁵ When Moses went up the mountain, the cloud^(GL) covered it. ¹⁶ The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moses from the cloud.^{(GM) 17} The appearance of the Lord’s glory to the Israelites was like a consuming fire^(GN) on the mountaintop. ¹⁸ Moses entered the cloud as he went up the mountain, and he remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.^(GO)

Offerings to Build the Tabernacle

25 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² “Tell the Israelites to take an offering for me. You are to take my offering from everyone who is willing to give.^{(GP) 3} This is the offering you are to receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze; ⁴ blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair; ⁵ ram skins dyed red^(GQ) and fine leather;^[cc] acacia wood; ⁶ oil^(GR) for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; ⁷ and onyx^[cd] along with other gemstones for mounting on the ephod and breastpiece.^[ce](GS)

⁸ “They are to make a sanctuary^(GT) for me so that I may dwell^(GU) among them. ⁹ You must make it according to all that I show you—the pattern^(GV) of the tabernacle as well as the pattern of all its furnishings.

The Ark

¹⁰ “They are to make an ark^(GW) of acacia wood, forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.^{[cf] 11} Overlay it with pure gold; overlay it both inside and out. Also make a gold molding all around it. ¹² Cast four gold rings for it and place them on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other side. ¹³ Make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴ Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark in order to carry the ark with them. ¹⁵ The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed from it. ¹⁶ Put the tablets of^[cg] the testimony that I will give you into the ark.^{(GX) 17} Make a mercy seat^(GY) of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide.^{[ch] 18} Make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat. ¹⁹ Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At its two ends, make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat. ²⁰ The cherubim are to have wings spread out above, covering^(GZ) the mercy seat with their wings, and are to face one another. The faces of the cherubim should be toward the mercy seat. ²¹ Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark.^{(HA) 22} I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim^(HB) that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

The Table

²³ “You are to construct a table^(HC) of acacia wood, thirty-six inches long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.^{[ci] 24} Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding all around it. ²⁵ Make a three-inch^[cj] frame all around it and make a gold molding for it all around its frame. ²⁶ Make four gold rings for it, and attach the rings to the four corners at its four legs. ²⁷ The rings should be next to the frame as holders for the poles to carry the table. ²⁸ Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, and the table can be carried by them. ²⁹ You are also to make its plates^(HD) and cups, as well as its pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold. ³⁰ Put the Bread of the Presence^(HE) on the table before me at all times.

The Lampstand

³¹ “You^(HF) are to make a lampstand^(HG) out of pure, hammered gold. It is to be made of one piece: its base and shaft, its ornamental cups, and its buds^[ck] and petals. ³² Six branches are to extend from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from one side and three branches of the lampstand from the other side. ³³ There are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a bud and petals, on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a bud and petals, on the next branch. It is to be this way for the six branches that extend from the lampstand. ³⁴ There are to be four cups shaped like almond blossoms on the lampstand shaft along with its buds and petals. ³⁵ For the six branches that extend from the lampstand, a bud must be under the first pair of branches from it, a bud under the second pair of branches from it, and a bud under the third pair of branches from it. ³⁶ Their buds and branches are to be of one piece.^[cl] All of it is to be a single hammered piece of pure gold.

³⁷ “Make its seven lamps,^(HH) and set them up so that they illuminate the area in front of it. ³⁸ Its snuffers and firepans must be of pure gold. ³⁹ The lampstand^[cm] with all these utensils is to be made from seventy-five pounds^[cn] of pure gold. ⁴⁰ Be careful to make them according to the pattern^(HI) you have been shown on the mountain.

The Tabernacle

26 “You^(HJ) are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains. You must make them of finely spun linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with a design of cherubim worked into them. ² Each curtain should be forty-two feet^[co] long and six feet^[cp] wide; all the curtains are to have the same measurements. ³ Five of the curtains should be joined together, and the other five curtains joined together. ⁴ Make loops of blue yarn on the edge of the last curtain in the first set, and do the same on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. ⁵ Make fifty loops on the one curtain and make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set, so that the loops line up together. ⁶ Also make fifty gold clasps and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single unit.

⁷ “You are to make curtains of goat hair for a tent over the tabernacle; make eleven of these curtains. ⁸ Each curtain should be forty-five feet^[cq] long and six feet wide. All eleven curtains are to have the same measurements. ⁹ Join five of the curtains by themselves, and the other six curtains by themselves. Then fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. ¹⁰ Make fifty loops on the edge of one curtain, the outermost in the first set, and make fifty loops on the edge of the corresponding curtain of the second set. ¹¹ Make fifty bronze clasps; put the clasps through the loops and join the tent together so that it is a single unit. ¹² As for the flap that remains from the tent curtains, the leftover half curtain is to hang over the back of the tabernacle. ¹³ What remains along the length of the tent curtains—a half yard^[cr] on one side and a half yard on the other side—should hang over the sides of the tabernacle on either side to cover it. ¹⁴ Make a covering for the tent from ram skins dyed red^(HK) and a covering of fine leather^[cs] on top of that.

¹⁵ “You are to make upright supports^[ct] of acacia wood^(HL) for the tabernacle. ¹⁶ Each support is to be fifteen feet^[cu] long and twenty-seven^[cv] inches wide. ¹⁷ Each support will have two tenons for joining. Do the same for all the supports of the tabernacle. ¹⁸ Make the supports for the tabernacle as follows: twenty supports for the south side, ¹⁹ and make forty silver bases under the twenty supports, two bases under the first support for its two tenons, and two bases under the next support for its two tenons; ²⁰ twenty supports for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, ²¹ along with their forty silver bases, two bases under the first support and two bases under each support; ²² and make six supports for the west side of the tabernacle. ²³ Make two additional supports for the two back corners of the tabernacle. ²⁴ They are to be paired at the bottom, and joined together^[cw] at the top in a single ring. So it should be for both of them; they will serve as the two corners. ²⁵ There are to be eight supports with their silver bases: sixteen bases; two bases under the first support and two bases under each support.

²⁶ “You are to make five crossbars of acacia wood for the supports on one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷ five crossbars for the supports on the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the supports on the back side of the tabernacle on the west. ²⁸ The central crossbar is to run through the middle of the supports from one end to the other. ²⁹ Then overlay the supports with gold, and make their rings of gold as the holders for the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold. ³⁰ You are to set up the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you have been shown on the mountain.^(HM)

³¹ “You are to make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen with a design of cherubim worked into it.^{(HN) 32} Hang it on four gold-plated pillars of acacia wood that have gold hooks and that stand on four silver bases. ³³ Hang the curtain under the clasps^[cx] and bring the ark of the testimony there behind the curtain, so the curtain will make a separation for you between the holy place^(HO) and the most holy place. ³⁴ Put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.^{(HP) 35} Place the table outside the curtain and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table; put the table on the north side.^(HQ)

³⁶ “For the entrance to the tent you are to make a screen embroidered^[cy] with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. ³⁷ Make five pillars of acacia wood for the screen and overlay them with gold; their hooks are to be gold, and you are to cast five bronze bases for them.

The Altar of Burnt Offering

27 “You^(HR) are to construct the altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, 7½ feet long, and 7½ feet wide;^[cz] it must be 4½ feet high.^{[da] 2} Make horns for it on its four corners; the horns are to be of one piece.^[db] Overlay it with bronze.^{(HS) 3} Make its pots for removing ashes, and its shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans; make all its utensils of bronze. ⁴ Construct a grate for it of bronze mesh, and make four bronze rings on the mesh at its four corners. ⁵ Set it below, under the altar’s ledge,^[dc] so that the mesh comes halfway up^[dd] the altar. ⁶ Then make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. ⁷ The poles are to be inserted into the rings so that the poles are on two sides of the altar when it is carried. ⁸ Construct the altar with boards so that it is hollow. They are to make it just as it was shown to you on the mountain.^(HT)

The Courtyard

⁹ “You^(HU) are to make the courtyard for the tabernacle. Make hangings for the south side of the courtyard out of finely spun linen, 150 feet^[de] long on that side ¹⁰ including twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and silver bands^[df] for the posts. ¹¹ And so make hangings 150 feet long for the north side, including twenty posts and their twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and silver bands for the posts. ¹² For the width of the courtyard, make hangings 75 feet^[dg] long for the west side, including their ten posts and their ten bases. ¹³ And for the width of the courtyard on the east side toward the sunrise, 75 feet, ¹⁴ make hangings 22½ feet^[dh] long for one side of the gate, including their three posts and their three bases. ¹⁵ And make hangings 22½ feet long for the other side, including their three posts and their three bases. ¹⁶ The gate of the courtyard is to have a 30-foot^[di] screen^(HV) embroidered^[dj] with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It is to have four posts and their four bases.

¹⁷ “All the posts around the courtyard are to be banded with silver and have silver hooks and bronze bases. ¹⁸ The courtyard is to be 150 feet long, 75 feet wide at each end, and 7½ feet high,^[dk] all of it made of finely spun linen. The bases of the posts are to be bronze. ¹⁹ All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use and all its tent pegs as well as all the tent pegs of the courtyard are to be made of bronze.

The Lampstand Oil

²⁰ “You are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil from crushed olives for the light, in order to keep the lamp burning regularly. ²¹ In the tent of meeting outside the curtain that is in front of the testimony,^(HW) Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamp^(HX) from evening until morning before the Lord. This is to be a permanent statute^(HY) for the Israelites throughout their generations.

The Priestly Garments

28 “Have your brother Aaron, with his sons, come to you from the Israelites to serve me as priest—Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.^{(HZ) 2} Make holy garments^(IA) for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty. ³ You are to instruct all the skilled artisans,^[dl](IB) whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him to serve me as priest. ⁴ These are the garments that they must make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a specially woven tunic,^[dm] a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they may serve me as priests. ⁵ They should use^[dn] gold; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.

The Ephod

⁶ “They^(IC) are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered^[do] with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. ⁷ It must have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges so that it can be joined together. ⁸ The artistically woven waistband that is on the ephod^[dp] must be of one piece,^[dq] according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.

⁹ “Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of Israel’s sons: ¹⁰ six of their names on the first stone and the remaining six names on the second stone, in the order of their birth. ¹¹ Engrave the two stones with the names of Israel’s sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal. Mount them, surrounded with gold filigree settings. ¹² Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord as a reminder.^{(ID) 13} Fashion gold filigree settings ¹⁴ and two chains of pure gold; you will make them of braided cord work, and attach the cord chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece

¹⁵ “You^(IE) are to make an embroidered breastpiece for making decisions.^[dr] Make it with the same workmanship as the ephod; make it of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen. ¹⁶ It must be square and folded double, nine inches long and nine inches wide.^{[ds] 17} Place a setting of gemstones^[dt] on it, four rows of stones:

They should be adorned with gold filigree in their settings. ²¹ The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of Israel’s sons. Each stone must be engraved like a seal, with one of the names of the twelve tribes.

²² “You are to make braided chains^[dy] of pure gold cord work for the breastpiece. ²³ Fashion two gold rings for the breastpiece and attach them to its two corners. ²⁴ Then attach the two gold cords to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece. ²⁵ Attach the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings, and in this way attach them to the ephod’s shoulder pieces in the front. ²⁶ Make two other gold rings and put them at the two other corners of the breastpiece on the edge that is next to the inner border of the ephod. ²⁷ Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the ephod’s two shoulder pieces on its front, close to its seam,^[dz] and above the ephod’s woven waistband. ²⁸ The artisans are to tie the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the ephod’s waistband and does not come loose from the ephod.

²⁹ “Whenever he enters the sanctuary, Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons over his heart on the breastpiece for decisions, as a continual reminder before the Lord. ³⁰ Place the Urim and Thummim^(IF) in the breastpiece for decisions, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the Lord. Aaron will continually carry the means of decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

The Robe

³¹ “You^(IG) are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue yarn. ³² There should be an opening at its top in the center of it. Around the opening, there should be a woven collar with an opening like that of body armor^[ea] so that it does not tear. ³³ Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on its lower hem and all around it. Put gold bells between them all the way around, ³⁴ so that gold bells and pomegranates alternate around the lower hem of the robe. ³⁵ The robe will be worn by Aaron whenever he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he enters the sanctuary before the Lord and when he exits, so that he does not die.

The Turban

³⁶ “You are to make a pure gold medallion and engrave it, like the engraving of a seal:^(IH) Holy to the Lord. ³⁷ Fasten it to a cord of blue yarn so it can be placed on the turban; the medallion is to be on the front of the turban. ³⁸ It will be on Aaron’s forehead so that Aaron may bear the guilt^(II) connected with the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate as all their holy gifts. It is always to be on his forehead, so that they may find acceptance with the Lord.

Other Priestly Garments

³⁹ “You are to weave the tunic from fine linen, make a turban of fine linen, and make an embroidered sash. ⁴⁰ Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons to give them glory and beauty.^{(IJ) 41} Put these on your brother Aaron and his sons; then anoint,^(IK) ordain,^[eb] and consecrate^(IL) them, so that they may serve me as priests. ⁴² Make them linen undergarments^(IM) to cover their naked bodies; they must extend from the waist to the thighs. ⁴³ These must be worn by Aaron and his sons whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the sanctuary area, so that they do not incur guilt^(IN) and die. This is to be a permanent statute^(IO) for Aaron and for his future descendants.

Instructions about Consecration

29 “This is what you are to do for them to consecrate them to serve me as priests. Take a young bull and two unblemished rams, ² with unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers coated with oil. Make them out of fine wheat flour,^{(IP) 3} put them in a basket, and bring them in the basket, along with the bull and two rams. ⁴ Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water.^{(IQ) 5} Then take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe for the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastpiece; fasten the ephod on him with its woven waistband.^{(IR) 6} Put the turban on his head and place the holy diadem^(IS) on the turban. ⁷ Take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint^(IT) him. ⁸ You must also bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. ⁹ Tie the sashes on Aaron and his sons and fasten headbands on them. The priesthood is to be theirs by a permanent statute. This is the way you will ordain Aaron and^[ec] his sons.^(IU)

¹⁰ “You are to bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on the bull’s head.^{(IV) 11} Slaughter the bull before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹² Take some of the bull’s blood and apply it to the horns^(IW) of the altar with your finger; then pour out all the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ¹³ Take all the fat^(IX) that covers the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. ¹⁴ But burn the bull’s flesh, its hide, and its waste outside the camp;^(IY) it is a sin offering.

¹⁵ “Take one ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram’s head.^{(IZ) 16} You are to slaughter the ram, take its blood, and splatter it on all sides of the altar. ¹⁷ Cut the ram into pieces. Wash its entrails and legs, and place them with its head and its pieces on the altar. ¹⁸ Then burn the whole ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the Lord. It is a pleasing aroma,^(JA) a food offering to the Lord.

¹⁹ “You are to take the second ram, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on the ram’s head.^{(JB) 20} Slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on his sons’ right earlobes, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Splatter the remaining blood on all sides of the altar. ²¹ Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil,^(JC) and sprinkle them on Aaron and his garments, as well as on his sons and their garments. So he and his garments will be holy, as well as his sons and their garments.

²² “Take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat covering the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat on them, and the right thigh (since this is a ram for ordination^[ed]); ²³ take one loaf of bread, one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer from the basket of unleavened bread that is before the Lord; ²⁴ and put all of them in the hands of Aaron and his^[ee] sons and present them as a presentation offering before the Lord.^{(JD) 25} Take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the Lord; it is a food offering to the Lord.

²⁶ “Take the breast from the ram of Aaron’s ordination and present it as a presentation offering before the Lord; it is to be your portion.^{(JE) 27} Consecrate for Aaron and his sons^(JF) the breast of the presentation offering that is presented and the thigh of the contribution that is lifted up from the ram of ordination. ²⁸ This will belong to Aaron and his sons as a regular portion from the Israelites, for it is a contribution. It will be the Israelites’ contribution from their fellowship sacrifices, their contribution to the Lord.

²⁹ “The holy garments that belong to Aaron are to belong to his sons after him, so that they can be anointed and ordained^[ef] in them.^{(JG) 30} Any priest who is one of his sons and who succeeds him and enters the tent of meeting to minister in the sanctuary must wear them for seven days.^(JH)

³¹ “You are to take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. ³² Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket at the entrance to the tent of meeting.^{(JI) 33} They must eat those things by which atonement was made at the time of their ordination^[eg] and consecration. An unauthorized person must not eat^(JJ) them, for these things are holy. ³⁴ If any of the meat of ordination or any of the bread is left until morning, burn what is left over. It must not be eaten because it is holy.

³⁵ “This is what you are to do for Aaron and his sons based on all I have commanded you. Take seven days to ordain them. ³⁶ Sacrifice a bull as a sin offering each day for atonement. Purify^[eh] the altar when you make atonement for it, and anoint it in order to consecrate it.^{(JK) 37} For seven days you must make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. The altar will be especially holy. Whatever touches the altar will be consecrated.^(JL)

³⁸ “This is what you are to offer regularly on the altar every day: two year-old lambs.^{(JM) 39} In the morning offer one lamb, and at twilight offer the other lamb.^{(JN) 40} With the first lamb offer two quarts^[ei] of fine flour mixed with one quart^[ej] of oil from crushed olives, and a drink offering of one quart of wine. ⁴¹ You are to offer the second lamb at twilight. Offer a grain offering and a drink offering with it, like the one in the morning, as a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. ⁴² This will be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet you^[ek] to speak with you.^{(JO) 43} I will also meet with the Israelites there, and that place will be consecrated by my glory.^{(JP) 44} I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. ⁴⁵ I will dwell^(JQ) among the Israelites and be their God.^{(JR) 46} And they will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.^(JS)

The Incense Altar

30 “You are to make an altar for the burning of incense; make it of acacia wood.^{(JT) 2} It must be square, eighteen inches long and eighteen inches wide;^[el] it must be thirty-six inches high.^[em] Its horns must be of one piece with it. ³ Overlay its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold; make a gold molding all around it. ⁴ Make two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with. ⁵ Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

⁶ “You are to place the altar in front of the curtain by the ark of the testimony—in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony—where I will meet with you. ⁷ Aaron must burn fragrant incense on it; he must burn it every morning when he tends the lamps.^(JU)