Exodus 25
New Catholic Bible
Instruction on the Sanctuary and Its Ministers
Chapter 25
Moses Receives the Command to Establish a Sanctuary. 1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the children of Israel to gather an offering for me. Let each one raise up as an offering what his heart tells him is right. 3 This is what you shall gather from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 blue, purple, and scarlet cloth, fine linen, goats’ hair, 5 rams’ skins dyed red, sheep skins, acacia wood, 6 oil for the lamps, balsam for anointing oil and for fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones and stones for setting in the ephod and the breastplate.
8 “They are to build a sanctuary for me and I will live in their midst. 9 Build it just as I will show you, following the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture.
10 The Ark of the Covenant.“They are to make an Ark out of acacia wood. It is to be two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high.[a] 11 You are to cover it with gold inside and out, and they are to put a gold molding on it. 12 You are to cast four golden rings for it and attach them to its four legs, two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 13 You are to make poles out of acacia wood and cover them with gold. 14 You shall put the poles into the rings on the two sides of the Ark so that you may carry the Ark with them. 15 The poles must remain in the rings of the Ark; they are not to be taken out of them.
16 “You will place the Testimony that I will give you in the Ark.
17 “You shall make a seat[b] of atonement of pure gold. It shall be two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18 You will make two cherubim[c] out of gold. Make them as hammered works, placing them on the two sides of the seat of atonement.
19 “Make one cherubim at one end and the other cherubim at the other end. Make the cherubim all of one piece at the two ends of the seat of atonement. 20 The cherubim shall have two wings spread out covering the seat of atonement. They shall be facing each other, and the faces of the cherubim will be turned toward the seat of atonement.
21 “You will place the seat of atonement on top of the Ark and place the Testimony that I will give you inside the Ark.
22 “I will meet you there. I will speak with you from the seat of atonement that is between the two cherubim upon the Ark of Testimony concerning all that I will command the children of Israel.
23 The Table of the Bread Offered to God.“You are to make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high. 24 Cover it with pure gold and place a molding of gold upon it. 25 Make a frame one handbreath wide and place a molding of gold around it. 26 You shall also make four golden rings for it and place them at the four corners that are on its four legs. 27 Place the rings alongside the borders to hold the poles used in carrying the table.
28 “Make the poles out of acacia wood, cover them in gold, and carry the table with them. 29 Also make dishes and plates and flagons and jars out of pure gold to pour out libations. 30 Set the bread of the Presence on the table before me always.
31 The Golden Lampstand.“You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out.
“Its base and shaft; its bowls and knobs and flowers shall be of one piece. 32 Six of the branches of the lampstand shall come out of its sides, three from one side of the lampstand and three from the other side of the lampstand. 33 On one branch there shall be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, with bud and flower. Also there shall be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, with bud and flower, on the next branch—and similarly for all six branches that rise out of the lampstand.
34 “On the shaft of the lampstand there shall be four cups shaped like almond blossoms with their bud and flower. 35 One bud shall be under the first set of two branches coming out of it, and one bud under the second set of two branches coming out of it, and one bud under the third set of two branches coming out of it, for there are six branches coming out of it. 36 The buds and their respective branches must be one piece with the lampstand, and the whole made from one piece of pure gold that has been beaten into shape.
37 “You shall then make seven lamps for the lampstand and set them on the lampstand to shed light in front of it. 38 Its snuffers and their trays are to be made of pure gold.
39 “Use a talent[d] of pure gold for making the lampstand and all of its accessories.
40 “See that you make them according to the model that I have shown you on the mountain.
Footnotes
- Exodus 25:10 The Ark is a rectangular chest. A cubit measures about 20 inches.
- Exodus 25:17 Seat: Hebrew, kapporet, from the root kaphar, “to cover” but also “to make expiation, wipe away.” The rites of the great “day of expiation” were performed on this seat of the Ark (see Lev 16:11-16; Heb 9:5).
- Exodus 25:18 The cherubim correspond to the Babylonian karibu, half animals, half human beings, who guarded the gates of temples and palaces. The two at the ends of the atonement cover on the Ark of the Covenant have been regarded as representations of supernatural beings that are ministers of God. Yahweh sits between the cherubim (1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Ki 19:15; Pss 80:2; 99:1). Solomon will place two cherubim in the holiest room of the temple, beside the Ark (1 Ki 6:23-28). The chariot of God is drawn by four cherubim (Ezek 1; 10). See also Gen 3:24; Ps 18:11.
- Exodus 25:39 A talent weighed over 75 pounds.
