Offerings for the Sanctuary

25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Tell the children of Israel to take an offering for Me. From every man whose heart moves him [to give willingly] you shall take My offering. ³ This is the offering you are to receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, ⁴ blue, purple, and scarlet fabric, fine twisted linen, goats’ hair, ⁵ rams’ ^[a]skins dyed red, ^[b]porpoise skins, ^[c]acacia wood, ⁶ [olive] oil for lighting, ^[d]balsam for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, ^7 [e]onyx stones and setting stones for the [priest’s] ephod and for the breastpiece. ⁸ Have them build a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them.^{(A) 9} You shall construct it in accordance with everything that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture.

Ark of the Covenant

¹⁰ “They shall make an ark of acacia wood two and a half ^[f]cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. ¹¹ You shall overlay the ark with pure gold, overlay it inside and out, and you shall make a gold border (frame) around its top. ¹² You shall cast four gold rings for it and attach them to the four feet, two rings on either side. ¹³ You shall make [carrying] poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, ¹⁴ and put the poles through the rings on the sides of the ark, by which to carry it. ¹⁵ The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it [so that the ark itself need not be touched]. ¹⁶ You shall put into the ark the Testimony (Ten Commandments) which I will give you.

¹⁷ “You shall make a ^[g]mercy seat (cover) of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. ¹⁸ You shall make two cherubim (winged angelic figures) of [solid] hammered gold at the two ends of the mercy seat. ¹⁹ Make one cherub at each end, making the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. ²⁰ The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing each other. The faces of the cherubim are to be looking downward toward the mercy seat. ²¹ You shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony which I will give you. ²² There I will meet with you; from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, I will speak [intimately] with you regarding every commandment that I will give you for the Israelites.

The Table of Bread

²³ “You shall make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high. ²⁴ You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a border of gold around the top of it. ²⁵ You shall make a rim of a hand width around it; you shall make a gold border for the rim around it. ²⁶ You shall make four gold rings for it and fasten them at the four corners that are on the table’s four legs. ²⁷ The rings shall be close against the rim as holders for the poles to carry the table. ²⁸ You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that the table may be carried with them. ²⁹ You shall make its plates [for the showbread] and its cups [for incense] and its pitchers and bowls for sacrificial drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. ³⁰ You shall set the bread of the ^[h]Presence (showbread) on the table before Me at all times.^(B)

The Golden Lampstand

³¹ “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The ^[i]lampstand and its base and its shaft shall be made of hammered work; its cups, its ^[j]calyxes and its flowers shall be all of one piece with it. ³² Six branches shall come out of its sides; three branches of the lampstand out of the one side and three branches of the lampstand out of its other side [the shaft being the seventh branch]. ³³ Three cups shall be made like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and a flower on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms on the other branch with a calyx and a flower—so for the six branches coming out of the lampstand; ³⁴ and in the [center shaft of the] lampstand [you shall make] four cups shaped like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and their flowers. ³⁵ A calyx shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a calyx under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a calyx under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. ³⁶ Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. ³⁷ Then you shall make the lamps [of the lampstand] ^[k]seven in number [with one lamp at the top of the shaft]. The priests shall set up its seven lamps so that they will light the space in front of it. ³⁸ Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. ³⁹ It shall be made from a talent (50-80 lbs.) of pure gold, including all these utensils. ⁴⁰ See that you make them [exactly] after their pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.^(C)

Curtains of Linen

26 “Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle (sacred tent of worship) with ten [interior] curtains of fine twisted linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet fabric; you shall make them with [embroidered] cherubim, the handwork of a skillful craftsman. ² The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all of the curtains shall measure the same. ³ The five curtains shall be joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another. ⁴ You shall make loops of blue on the outer edge of the last curtain in the first set, and likewise in the second set. ⁵ You shall make fifty loops on the one curtain, and fifty loops on the edge of the last curtain that is in the second set. The loops on one curtain correspond to the loops on the other. ⁶ You shall make fifty gold hooks, and fasten the curtains together with the hooks; and the tabernacle shall be one unit.

Curtains of Goats’ Hair

⁷ “Then you shall make [exterior] curtains of goats’ hair as a tent over the tabernacle. You shall make eleven curtains in all. ⁸ Each curtain shall be thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. The eleven curtains shall all measure the same. ⁹ You shall join five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent [to make a closed door]. ¹⁰ Make fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set.

¹¹ “You shall make fifty bronze hooks and put the hooks into the loops and join the tent together so that it may be one unit. ¹² The overlapping part that is left over from the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over, shall lap over the back of the tabernacle. ¹³ The cubit on one side and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains of the tent shall lap over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and the other side, to cover it. ¹⁴ You shall make a third covering for the tent of rams’ ^[l]skins dyed red, and a fourth covering above that of ^[m]porpoise skins.

Boards and Sockets

¹⁵ “Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright [as a trellis-like frame]. ¹⁶ The length of each board shall be ten cubits and the width of each board shall be one and a half cubits. ¹⁷ Make two dovetails in each board for fitting [them] together; you shall do the same for all the tabernacle boards. ¹⁸ You shall make the boards for the tabernacle [in the following quantities]: twenty boards for the south side. ¹⁹ You shall make forty silver sockets under the twenty boards, two sockets under each board for its two dovetails, and two sockets under another board for its two dovetails; ²⁰ for the north side of the tabernacle there shall be twenty boards, ²¹ and their forty silver sockets, two sockets under each board. ²² For the back or west side of the tabernacle you shall make six boards. ²³ Make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear [on both sides]. ²⁴ They shall be joined together underneath, and joined together on top with one ring. So shall it be for both of them; they shall form the two [rear] corners. ²⁵ There shall be eight boards and sixteen silver sockets; two sockets under each board.

²⁶ “Then you shall make [fifteen] bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷ and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the rear end of the tabernacle, for the back wall toward the west. ²⁸ And the middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through [horizontally] from end to end. ²⁹ You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold to hold the bars. You shall overlay the bars with gold. ³⁰ You shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan [the direction corresponding to its meaning and purpose] which has been shown to you on the mountain.

The Veil and Screen

³¹ “You shall make a veil [to divide the two rooms] of blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and fine twisted linen, skillfully worked with cherubim on it. ³² You shall hang it on four pillars (support poles) of acacia wood overlaid with gold, with gold hooks, on four silver sockets. ³³ You shall hang the veil from the hooks [that connect the curtains together], and you shall bring the ark of the Testimony there within the veil. The veil shall separate for you the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. ³⁴ You shall put the ^[n]mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony in the Holy of Holies. ³⁵ You shall set the table [for the bread] outside the veil [in the Holy Place] on the north side, and the lampstand opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle.

³⁶ “You shall make a screen [to provide a covering] for the doorway of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and finely woven [embroidered] linen, the work of an embroiderer.^{(D) 37} You shall make five pillars (support poles) of acacia wood to support the hanging curtain and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five [base] sockets of bronze for them.

The Bronze Altar

27 “And you shall make the altar [for burnt offerings] of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. ² Make horns (horn-shaped projections) for it on its four corners; the horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. ³ You shall make pots to remove its ashes, and shovels, basins [to catch the blood of the sacrificed animal], meat-forks, and firepans [to store live coals]. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. ⁴ Also make a grate for it, a network of bronze; and on the grid you are to make four bronze rings at its four corners. ⁵ And you shall put it under the ledge of the altar, so that the grid will extend halfway up the altar. ⁶ You shall make [carrying] poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, overlaid with bronze. ⁷ The poles shall be inserted through the rings on the two sides of the altar so that it may be carried.^{(E) 8} You are to make the altar hollow with planks; as you were shown on the mountain [of Sinai], so shall it be made.

Court of the Tabernacle

⁹ “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. The south side of the court is to have curtains of fine twisted linen, a hundred cubits long for one side; ¹⁰ it shall have twenty pillars and twenty bronze sockets; but the hooks of the pillars and their fasteners shall be silver; ¹¹ likewise for the north side there shall be curtains, a hundred cubits long, and its twenty pillars and twenty bronze sockets; but the hooks of the pillars and their fasteners shall be silver. ¹² For the width of the court on the west side there shall be curtains of fifty cubits, with ten pillars (support poles) and ten sockets. ¹³ The width of the court [to the front], on the east side shall be fifty cubits. ¹⁴ The curtains for one side [of the gate] shall be fifteen cubits with three pillars and three sockets. ¹⁵ On the other side [of the gate] the curtains shall be fifteen cubits with three pillars and three sockets. ¹⁶ For the gate of the court there shall be a screen [to provide a covering] of twenty cubits, of blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and finely woven [embroidered] linen, the work of an embroiderer, with four pillars and four [base] sockets. ¹⁷ All the pillars (support poles) around the court shall be joined together with silver rods; their hooks shall be of silver and their sockets of bronze. ¹⁸ The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, and the width fifty [cubits] throughout, and the height five cubits of fine twisted linen, and their sockets of bronze. ¹⁹ All the tabernacle’s utensils and instruments used in all its service, and all its stakes, and all the stakes for the court, shall be of bronze.

²⁰ “You shall command the Israelites to provide you with clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually [every night]. ²¹ In the Tent of Meeting [of God with His people], outside the veil which is in front of the [ark of the] Testimony [and sets it apart], Aaron [the high priest] and his sons shall keep the lamp burning from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a perpetual statute [to be observed] throughout their generations on behalf of the Israelites.

Garments of the Priests

28 “Now bring your brother Aaron near, and his sons with him from among the sons of Israel, so that he may serve as priest to Me—Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. ² You are to make sacred garments [official clothing reserved for holy services] for Aaron your brother, for honor and for beauty (ornamentation). ³ Tell all the skilled and talented people whom I have endowed with a spirit of wisdom, that they are to make Aaron’s garments to sanctify him and set him apart to serve as a priest for Me. ⁴ These are the garments which they shall make: a breastpiece and an ephod [for the breastpiece] and a robe and a tunic of checkered work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make sacred garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, so that he may serve as a priest to Me. ⁵ They are to use the gold and the blue and the purple and the scarlet fabric and fine twisted linen [from the people],

⁶ and they shall make the ephod of gold and blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and fine twisted linen, skillfully woven and [beautifully] worked. ⁷ It is to have two shoulder pieces joined to its two [back and front] ends, so that it may be joined together. ⁸ And the skillfully woven sash, which is on the ephod shall be made of the same material: of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and fine twisted linen. ⁹ You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the [twelve] sons of Israel, ¹⁰ six of their names on one stone and the remaining six names on the other stone, arranged in the order of their births. ¹¹ With the work of a jeweler, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones according to the names of the sons of Israel. You shall have them set in ^[o]filigree [settings] of gold. ¹² You shall put the two stones on the [two] shoulder pieces of the ephod [of the high priest], as memorial stones for Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the Lord. ¹³ You shall make filigree [settings] of gold, ¹⁴ and you are to make two chains of pure gold like twisted cords, and fasten the corded chains to the settings.

¹⁵ “You are to make a breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skilled and talented craftsman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and of fine twisted linen. ¹⁶ The breastpiece shall be square and folded double; a span [about nine inches] in length and a span in width. ¹⁷ You shall mount on it four rows of stones: the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald; ¹⁸ the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; ¹⁹ the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; ²⁰ and the fourth row a beryl and an onyx and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree. ²¹ The [engraved] stones shall be twelve, according to the names of [the twelve tribes of] the sons of Israel; they shall be like the engravings of a signet, each with its name for the twelve tribes. ²² You shall make for the breastpiece chains of pure gold twisted like cords. ²³ You shall make on the breastpiece two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece. ²⁴ You shall put the two twisted cords of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastpiece. ²⁵ The other two ends of the two cords you shall fasten in the two filigree settings in front, putting them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod. ²⁶ You shall make two gold rings and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁷ You are to make two gold rings and attach them to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod in front, close to the place where it is joined, above the skillfully woven sash of the ephod. ²⁸ They shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it will be above the skillfully woven sash of the ephod, so that the breastpiece will not come loose from the ephod. ²⁹ So Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob) in the breastpiece of judgment over his heart when he enters the Holy Place, to bring them in continual remembrance before the Lord. ³⁰ In the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the ^[p]Urim (Lights) and the Thummim (Perfections) [to be used for determining God’s will in a matter]. They shall be over Aaron’s heart whenever he goes before the Lord, and Aaron shall always carry the judgment (verdict, judicial decisions) of the sons of Israel over his heart before the Lord.

³¹ “And you shall make the ^[q]robe of the ephod all of blue. ³² There shall be an opening at its top in the center [for the head], with a binding of woven work around the opening, like the opening in a coat of armor, so that it will not tear or fray. ³³ You shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet fabric all around its hem, with gold bells between them; ³⁴ a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around the [bottom] hem of the robe. ³⁵ Aaron shall wear the robe when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes [alone] into the Holy Place before the Lord, and when he comes out, so that he will not die there.

³⁶ “You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, ‘Holy to the Lord.’^{(F) 37} You shall fasten it on the front of the turban with a blue cord. ³⁸ It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall take away the guilt from the holy things which the sons of Israel dedicate, with regard to all their holy gifts. It shall always be on his forehead, so that they may be accepted before the Lord.^(G)

³⁹ “You shall weave the tunic of checkered work of fine linen, and make a turban of fine linen. You shall make a sash, the work of an embroiderer.

⁴⁰ “For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics and sashes and [ornamental] caps, for glory and honor and beauty. ⁴¹ You shall put the various articles of clothing on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain and sanctify them, so that they may serve Me as priests. ⁴² You shall make for them [white] linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, reaching from the waist to the thighs. ⁴³ The various articles of clothing shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they enter the Tent of Meeting, or when they approach the altar [of incense] to minister in the Holy Place, so that they do not incur guilt and die. It shall be a statute forever to Aaron and to his descendants after him.

Consecration of the Priests

29 “This is what you shall do to consecrate Aaron and his sons so that they may serve Me as priests: take one young bull and two rams, without blemish, ² and unleavened bread and unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil; you shall make them of fine wheat flour. ³ You shall put them in one basket, and present them in the basket along with the bull and the two rams. ⁴ Then bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting [out where the basin is] and wash them with water. ⁵ Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the tunic and the robe of the ephod and the ephod and the breastpiece, and wrap him with the skillfully woven sash of the ephod; ⁶ and you shall put the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. ⁷ Then you shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. ⁸ You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them. ⁹ And you shall wrap them with sashes, Aaron and his sons, and put the [ornamental] caps on them; and the priest’s office shall be theirs by a perpetual statute. So you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

The Sacrifices

¹⁰ “Then you shall bring the bull before the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall ^[r]lay their hands on the bull’s head. ¹¹ Then you shall kill the bull before the Lord by the doorway of the Tent of Meeting. ¹² And you shall take some of the blood of the bull and with your finger put it on the horns of the altar [of burnt offering], and you shall pour out the remainder of the blood at the base of the altar. ¹³ You shall take all the fat that covers the intestines and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and offer them up in smoke on the altar. ¹⁴ But the meat of the bull, its hide, and the contents of its intestines you shall burn in the fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.^(H)

¹⁵ “And you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram; ¹⁶ then you shall kill the ram and you shall take its blood and sprinkle it around the altar [of burnt offering]. ¹⁷ Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its intestines and legs, and place them with its pieces and its head, ¹⁸ and you shall burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord: it is a sweet and soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.

¹⁹ “Then you shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. ²⁰ Then you shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ears of Aaron and his sons and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet, and sprinkle the [rest of the] blood around on the altar [of burnt offering]. ²¹ Then you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Now Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments shall be consecrated (dedicated, made holy, declared sacred for God’s purpose).

²² “You shall also take the fat of the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the intestines, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh; (for it is a ram of ordination), ²³ and one loaf of bread and one cake of oiled bread and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the Lord; ²⁴ and you shall put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and wave them as a ^[s]wave offering before the Lord. ²⁵ Then you shall take them from their hands, add them to the burnt offering, and burn them on the altar for a sweet and soothing aroma before the Lord; it is an offering by fire to the Lord.

²⁶ “Then you shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination, and wave it as a wave offering before the Lord; and it shall be your (Moses) portion. ²⁷ You shall consecrate the waved breast offering [of the ram] used in the ordination and the waved thigh offering of the priests’ portion, since it is [a contribution] for Aaron and for his sons. ²⁸ It shall be for Aaron and his sons as their due portion from the Israelites forever, for it is a ^[t]heave offering. It shall be a heave offering to the Lord from the Israelites from the sacrifices of their peace offerings.

²⁹ “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed and ordained in them. ³⁰ That son who is [high] priest in his place shall put them on [each day for] seven days when he comes into the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place.

Food of the Priests

³¹ “You shall take the ram of the ordination and boil its meat in a holy place. ³² Aaron and his sons shall eat the meat of the ram and the bread in the basket, at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting. ³³ They shall eat those things by which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration; but a layman shall not eat them, because they are holy [that is, set apart to the worship of God]. ³⁴ And if any of the meat of ordination or the bread remains until morning, you shall burn it in the fire; it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

³⁵ “So you shall do to Aaron and to his sons in accordance with all I have commanded you; during seven days you are to ordain them. ³⁶ You shall offer a bull every day as a sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar from sin when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to consecrate it [for God’s sacred purpose]. ³⁷ For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar [of burnt offering] and consecrate it; then the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar must be holy (set apart for God’s service).

³⁸ “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two one year old lambs shall be offered each day, continuously. ³⁹ One lamb you shall offer in the morning and the other lamb ^[u]at twilight; ⁴⁰ and with the one lamb there shall be one-tenth of a measure of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten [olive] oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering [to be poured out]. ⁴¹ And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and do with it as with the grain offering of the morning and with the drink offering, for a sweet and soothing aroma [to appease God], an offering by fire to the Lord. ⁴² This will be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. ⁴³ There I will meet with the Israelites, and the Tent of Meeting shall be ^[v]sanctified by My glory [the ^[w]Shekinah, God’s dwelling presence]. ⁴⁴ I will sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the altar [of burnt offering]; also I will sanctify Aaron and his sons to serve as priests to Me. ⁴⁵ I will dwell among the sons of Israel and be their God. ⁴⁶ They shall know [from personal experience] and acknowledge 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.

The Altar of Incense

30 “You shall make an altar upon which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. ² It shall be a cubit long and a cubit wide. It shall be square and it shall be two cubits high. Its horns of one piece with it. ³ You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and its sides all around, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding all around it. ⁴ You shall make two gold rings under its molding, make them on the two side walls—on opposite sides—they shall be holders for the poles with which to carry it. ⁵ You shall make the poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold. ⁶ You shall put the altar of incense [in the Holy Place] in front and outside of the veil that screens the ark of the ^[x]Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you. ⁷ Aaron shall burn sweet and fragrant incense on it; he shall burn it every morning when he trims and tends the lamps.^{(I) 8} When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. ⁹ You shall not offer any strange incense on this altar, or burnt offering or meal offering; you shall not pour out a drink offering on it. ¹⁰ Once a year Aaron shall make atonement [for sin] on its horns. He shall make atonement on it with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

The Ransom Money

¹¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹² “When you take the census of the Israelites, each one shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord when you count them, so that no plague will come on them when you number them.^{(J) 13} This is what everyone who is counted shall give [as he joins those already counted]: a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel (the shekel is twenty gerahs); a half shekel as a contribution to the Lord. ¹⁴ Everyone who is counted, from twenty years old and over, [as he joins those already counted], shall give this contribution to the Lord.^{(K) 15} The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give this contribution to the Lord to make atonement for yourselves. ¹⁶ You shall take the atonement money from the Israelites and use it [exclusively] for the service of the Tent of Meeting, so that it may be a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.”

The Bronze Basin

¹⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸ “You shall also make a basin of bronze, with a base of bronze, for washing. You shall put it [outside in the court] between the Tent of Meeting and the altar [of burnt offering], and you shall put water in it. ¹⁹ Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. ²⁰ When they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister, to burn an offering in the fire to the Lord [they shall do the same].^{(L) 21} They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they will not die; it shall be a perpetual statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations.”

The Anointing Oil

²² Moreover, the Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Take for yourself the best spices: five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much—two hundred and fifty—of sweet-scented cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty of fragrant cane, ²⁴ and five hundred shekels of cinnamon blossom according to the sanctuary shekel, and a hin of olive oil. ²⁵ You shall make of these a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture, the work of a perfumer; it shall be a sacred anointing oil. ²⁶ You shall anoint the Tent of Meeting with it, and the ark of the Testimony, ²⁷ and the table [for the bread] and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, ²⁸ and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin [for cleansing] and its base. ²⁹ You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy (set apart for God). ³⁰ You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve as priests to Me. ³¹ You shall say to the Israelites, ‘This shall be a holy and sacred anointing oil, to Me [alone] throughout your generations.^{(M) 32} It shall not be poured on anyone’s body, nor shall you make any like it in the same composition. It is holy, and it shall be sacred to you. ³³ Whoever prepares any like it or puts any of it on a layman shall be cut off from his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them].’”

The Incense

³⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet and fragrant spices—stacte, onycha, and galbanum, sweet and fragrant spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal amount of each— ³⁵ and make incense with it, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure and sacred. ³⁶ You shall crush some of it [into a] very fine [powder], and put some of it before the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you; it shall be most holy to you. ³⁷ The incense which you shall make, you shall not make in the same proportions for yourselves; it shall be holy to you for the Lord. ³⁸ Whoever makes any like it, to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them].”

The Skilled Craftsmen

31 Now the Lord said to Moses, ² “See, I have called by name Bezalel, son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³ I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom and skill, in understanding and intelligence, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, ⁴ to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, ⁵ and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, to work in all kinds of craftsmanship. ⁶ And behold, I Myself have appointed with him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; to all who are wise-hearted I have given the skill and ability to make everything that I have commanded you: ⁷ the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony, the mercy seat that is upon it, all the furnishings of the tent— ⁸ the table [for the bread] and its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the [golden] altar of incense, ⁹ the [bronze] altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, the basin and its base— ¹⁰ the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the [high] priest and the garments for his sons to minister as priests, ¹¹ and the anointing oil and the sweet and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them according to all that I have commanded you.”

The Sign of the Sabbath

¹² And the Lord said to Moses, ¹³ “But as for you, say to the Israelites, ‘You shall most certainly observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, so that you may know [without any doubt] and acknowledge that I am the Lord who sanctifies you and sets you apart [for Myself]. ¹⁴ Therefore, you shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it must be put to death; for whoever does work on the Sabbath, that person (soul) shall be cut off from among his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them]. ¹⁵ For six days work may be done, but the seventh is the Sabbath of complete rest, sacred to the Lord; whoever does work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. ¹⁶ So the Israelites shall observe the Sabbath, to celebrate the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’ ¹⁷ It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He ceased and was refreshed.”

¹⁸ When He had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.