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.^{(A) 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^(B) and fine leather;^[a] acacia wood; ⁶ oil^(C) for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; ⁷ and onyx^[b] along with other gemstones for mounting on the ephod and breastpiece.^[c](D)

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

The Ark

¹⁰ “They are to make an ark^(H) of acacia wood, forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.^{[d] 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^[e] the testimony that I will give you into the ark.^{(I) 17} Make a mercy seat^(J) of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide.^{[f] 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^(K) 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.^{(L) 22} I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim^(M) 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^(N) of acacia wood, thirty-six inches long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.^{[g] 24} Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding all around it. ²⁵ Make a three-inch^[h] 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^(O) 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^(P) on the table before me at all times.

The Lampstand

³¹ “You^(Q) are to make a lampstand^(R) out of pure, hammered gold. It is to be made of one piece: its base and shaft, its ornamental cups, and its buds^[i] 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.^[j] All of it is to be a single hammered piece of pure gold.

³⁷ “Make its seven lamps,^(S) 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^[k] with all these utensils is to be made from seventy-five pounds^[l] of pure gold. ⁴⁰ Be careful to make them according to the pattern^(T) you have been shown on the mountain.

The Tabernacle

26 “You^(A) 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^[a] long and six feet^[b] 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^[c] 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^[d] 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^(B) and a covering of fine leather^[e] on top of that.

²⁴ He drove the man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life.^(A)

⁶ With these things prepared like this, the priests enter the first room repeatedly, performing their ministry.^{(A) 7} But the high priest alone enters the second room, and he does that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.^{(B) 8} The Holy Spirit was making it clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing.^{(C) 9} This is a symbol for the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper’s conscience.^{(D) 10} They are physical regulations and only deal with food, drink, and various washings imposed until the time of the new order.^(E)

New Covenant Ministry

¹¹ But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come.^[a] In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation^(F)), ¹² he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.^{(G) 13} For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,^{(H) 14} how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit^(I) offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our^[b] consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?^(J)