Exodus 26
Expanded Bible
The Holy Tent
26 “Make for the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] ten curtains of fine linen and blue, purple, and ·red [scarlet] thread. Have a skilled craftsman sew designs of ·creatures with wings [cherubim; 37:7] on the pieces of cloth [C these deep blue curtains with cherubim represent heaven on earth]. 2 Make each curtain the same size—·forty-two feet [L twenty-eight cubits] long and ·six feet [L four cubits] wide. 3 ·Sew [L Join; Bind] five curtains together for one set, and ·sew [join; bind] the other curtains together for the second set. 4 Make loops of blue cloth on the edge of the end curtain of one set, and do the same for the end curtain of the other set. 5 Make fifty loops on the end curtain of the first set and fifty loops on the end curtain of the second set. These loops must be opposite each other. 6 And make fifty gold ·hooks [clasps] to join the two sets of curtains so that the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] is one piece.
7 “Then make another tent that will cover the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle], using eleven curtains made from goat hair. 8 All these curtains must be the same size—·forty-five feet [L thirty cubits] long and ·six [L four cubits] feet wide. 9 ·Sew [Join; Bind] five of the curtains together into one set. Then ·sew [join; bind] the other six curtains together into the second set. Fold the sixth curtain double over the front of the Tent. 10 Make fifty loops down the edge of the end curtain of one set, and do the same for the end curtain of the other set. 11 Then make fifty bronze ·hooks [clasps] and put them in the loops to ·join [bind] the tent together so that the covering is one piece. 12 Let the extra half piece of cloth hang over the back of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle]. 13 There will be ·eighteen inches [L one cubit] hanging over the sides of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle], to ·protect [cover] it [C this is the innermost of the weatherproofing protecting the innermost curtain]. 14 Make a covering for the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] from ·sheepskins colored red [or tanned rams’ skins; C the second weatherproof covering], and over that make a covering from ·fine leather [or sea cow hide; C the outermost covering used for weatherproofing].
15 “Use acacia wood to make upright frames for the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle]. 16 Each frame must be ·fifteen feet [L ten cubits] long and ·twenty-seven inches [L a cubit and a half] wide, 17 with two pegs side by side. Every frame [L of the Holy Tent/Tabernacle] must be made the same way. 18 Make twenty frames for the south side of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle]. 19 Each frame must have two silver bases to go under it, a peg fitting into each base. You must make forty silver bases for the [L twenty] frames. 20 Make twenty more frames for the [L second side on the] north side of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] 21 and forty silver bases for them—two bases for each frame. 22 You must make six frames for the rear or west end of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] 23 and two frames for each corner at the rear [L of the Holy Tent/Tabernacle]. 24 The two frames are to be doubled at the bottom and joined at the top with a metal ring. Both corner frames must be made this way. 25 So there will be a total of eight frames at the rear of the Tent, and there will be sixteen silver bases—two bases under each frame.
26 “Make crossbars of acacia wood to connect the upright frames of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle]. Make five crossbars to hold the frames together on one side 27 and five to hold the frames together on the ·other [L second] side. Also make five crossbars to hold the frames together on the west end, at the rear. 28 The middle crossbar is to be set halfway up the frames, and it is to run along the entire length of each side and rear. 29 Make gold rings on the sides of the frames to hold the crossbars, and ·cover [overlay] the frames and the crossbars with gold. 30 Set up the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] by the ·plan [pattern] shown to you on the mountain [25:9].
31 “Make a curtain of fine linen and blue, purple, and ·red [scarlet] thread, and have a skilled craftsman sew ·designs of creatures with wings [cherubim; 37:7] on it. 32 ·Hang [Place] the curtain by gold ·hooks [clasps] on four posts of acacia wood that are ·covered [overlaid] with gold, and set them in four silver bases. 33 ·Hang [Place] the curtain from the ·hooks [clasps] in the roof, and put the Ark of the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty; L Testimony; 25:10] containing the two stone tablets [24:12] behind it. This curtain will separate the ·Holy Place [Tabernacle] from the ·Most Holy Place [T Holy of Holies; C the back third, the throne room of God]. 34 Put the ·lid [mercy seat; atonement cover; 25:13–22] on the Ark of the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty; L Testimony; 25:10] in the Most Holy Place.
35 “Outside the curtain, put the table [25:23–30] on the north side of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle]. Put the lampstand [25:31–40] on the south side of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] across from the table.
The Entrance of the Holy Tent
36 “Then, for the entrance of the Tent, make a ·curtain [L screen] with fine linen and blue, purple, and ·red [scarlet] thread. ·Someone who can sew well is to sew designs on it [L …embroidered with needlework]. 37 Make five posts of acacia wood ·covered [overlaid] with gold. Make gold ·hooks [clasps] for them on which to hang the ·curtain [L screen], and make five bronze bases for them.
Exodus 26
Modern English Version
The Tabernacle(A)
26 Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet. Make them with cherubim, the work of a skilled workman. 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits.[a] All of the curtains shall have the same measurements. 3 Five curtains shall be joined together, one to another. And the other five curtains are to be joined, one to another. 4 You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the end curtain in one set, and likewise you shall make loops in the outermost edge of the end curtain in the second set. 5 You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that is in the second set. The loops are to be opposite to one another. 6 You shall make fifty clasps of gold and join the curtains together with the clasps so that the tabernacle shall be one unit.
7 You shall make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle. You shall make eleven curtains. 8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits,[b] and the eleven curtains shall all have the same measure. 9 You shall join five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. You shall double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tabernacle. 10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the end curtain in one set and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that joins the second set. 11 You shall make fifty bronze clasps, and put the clasps into the loops, and join the tent together so that it may be one unit. 12 The part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13 A cubit[c] on the one side and a cubit on the other side of that which remains in the length of the curtains of the tent shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side to cover it. 14 You shall make a covering for the tent out of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering above of porpoise skins.
15 You shall make boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16 Ten cubits[d] shall be the length of each board, and a cubit and a half shall be the width of each board. 17 There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted to one another. You shall make all the boards of the tabernacle in this way. 18 You shall make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side. 19 You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards, two sockets under one board for its two tenons and two sockets under another board for its two tenons. 20 For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, there shall be twenty boards, 21 and their forty sockets of silver, two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 22 For the back of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards. 23 You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the back. 24 They shall be doubled together beneath and finished together at the top of it into one ring. So it shall be for both of them. They shall form the two corners. 25 There shall be eight boards with their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets, two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board.
26 You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of the 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 side of the tabernacle for the back to the west. 28 The middle bar in the center of the boards shall reach from end to end. 29 You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold to provide places for the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold.
30 You shall set up the tabernacle according to the plan which you have been shown on the mountain.
31 You shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim, the skillful work of a workman. 32 You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Their hooks also shall be of gold on four sockets of silver. 33 You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, so that you may bring in the ark of the testimony within the veil; and the veil shall serve for you as a partition between the holy place and the Most Holy. 34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy. 35 You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south, and you shall put the table on the north side.
36 You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer. 37 You shall make five pillars of acacia wood for the screen and overlay them with gold, with their hooks also made of gold, and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.
Footnotes
- Exodus 26:2 About 42 feet long and 6 feet wide, or 13 meters long and 1.8 meters wide.
- Exodus 26:8 About 45 feet long and 6 feet wide, or 13.5 meters long and 1.8 meters wide.
- Exodus 26:13 About 18 inches, or 45 centimeters.
- Exodus 26:16 About 15 feet long and 2¼ feet wide, or 4.5 meters long and 68 centimeters wide.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.