Oil for the Lampstand^(A)

²⁰ “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil^(B) of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. ²¹ In the tent of meeting,^(C) outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law,^(D) Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps^(E) burning before the Lord from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance^(F) among the Israelites for the generations to come.

The Priestly Garments

28 “Have Aaron^(G) your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu,^(H) Eleazar and Ithamar,^(I) so they may serve me as priests.^{(J) 2} Make sacred garments^(K) for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.^{(L) 3} Tell all the skilled workers^(M) to whom I have given wisdom^(N) in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. ⁴ These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece,^(O) an ephod,^(P) a robe,^(Q) a woven tunic,^(R) a turban^(S) and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. ⁵ Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.^(T)

The Ephod^(U)

⁶ “Make the ephod^(V) of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of skilled hands. ⁷ It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. ⁸ Its skillfully woven waistband^(W) is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.

⁹ “Take two onyx stones and engrave^(X) on them the names of the sons of Israel ¹⁰ in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. ¹¹ Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings ¹² and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders^(Y) as a memorial^(Z) before the Lord. ¹³ Make gold filigree settings ¹⁴ and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece^(AA)

¹⁵ “Fashion a breastpiece^(AB) for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. ¹⁶ It is to be square—a span^[a] long and a span wide—and folded double. ¹⁷ Then mount four rows of precious stones^(AC) on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite^(AD) and beryl; ¹⁸ the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; ¹⁹ the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; ²⁰ the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper.^[b] Mount them in gold filigree settings. ²¹ There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel,^(AE) each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.^(AF)

²² “For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. ²³ Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece. ²⁴ Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, ²⁵ and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. ²⁶ Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁷ Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. ²⁸ The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

²⁹ “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place,^(AG) he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. ³⁰ Also put the Urim and the Thummim^(AH) in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

Other Priestly Garments^(AI)

³¹ “Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, ³² with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar^[c] around this opening, so that it will not tear. ³³ Make pomegranates^(AJ) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. ³⁴ The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. ³⁵ Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die.

³⁶ “Make a plate^(AK) of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the Lord.^{(AL) 37} Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. ³⁸ It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt^(AM) involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable^(AN) to the Lord.

³⁹ “Weave the tunic^(AO) of fine linen and make the turban^(AP) of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer. ⁴⁰ Make tunics, sashes and caps for Aaron’s sons^(AQ) to give them dignity and honor.^{(AR) 41} After you put these clothes^(AS) on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint^(AT) and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.^(AU)

⁴² “Make linen undergarments^(AV) as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. ⁴³ Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the tent of meeting^(AW) or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place,^(AX) so that they will not incur guilt and die.^(AY)

“This is to be a lasting ordinance^(AZ) for Aaron and his descendants.

Consecration of the Priests^(BA)

29 “This is what you are to do to consecrate^(BB) them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect.^{(BC) 2} And from the finest wheat flour make round loaves without yeast, thick loaves without yeast and with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves without yeast and brushed with olive oil.^{(BD) 3} Put them in a basket and present them along with the bull and the two rams.^{(BE) 4} Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water.^{(BF) 5} Take the garments^(BG) and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband.^{(BH) 6} Put the turban^(BI) on his head and attach the sacred emblem^(BJ) to the turban. ⁷ Take the anointing oil^(BK) and anoint him by pouring it on his head. ⁸ Bring his sons and dress them in tunics^{(BL) 9} and fasten caps on them. Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons.^[d](BM) The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance.^(BN)

“Then you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

¹⁰ “Bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.^{(BO) 11} Slaughter it in the Lord’s presence^(BP) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹² Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns^(BQ) of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.^{(BR) 13} Then take all the fat^(BS) on the internal organs,^(BT) the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. ¹⁴ But burn the bull’s flesh and its hide and its intestines^(BU) outside the camp.^(BV) It is a sin offering.^[e]

¹⁵ “Take one of the rams,^(BW) and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.^{(BX) 16} Slaughter it and take the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar. ¹⁷ Cut the ram into pieces and wash^(BY) the internal organs and the legs, putting them with the head and the other pieces. ¹⁸ Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord, a pleasing aroma,^(BZ) a food offering presented to the Lord.

¹⁹ “Take the other ram,^(CA) and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.^{(CB) 20} Slaughter it, take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet.^(CC) Then splash blood against the sides of the altar.^{(CD) 21} And take some blood^(CE) from the altar and some of the anointing oil^(CF) and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.^(CG)

²² “Take from this ram the fat,^(CH) the fat tail, the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh. (This is the ram for the ordination.) ²³ From the basket of bread made without yeast, which is before the Lord, take one round loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf. ²⁴ Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.^{(CI) 25} Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the Lord, a food offering presented to the Lord.^{(CJ) 26} After you take the breast of the ram for Aaron’s ordination, wave it before the Lord as a wave offering, and it will be your share.^(CK)

²⁷ “Consecrate those parts of the ordination ram that belong to Aaron and his sons:^(CL) the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented. ²⁸ This is always to be the perpetual share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons. It is the contribution the Israelites are to make to the Lord from their fellowship offerings.^(CM)

²⁹ “Aaron’s sacred garments^(CN) will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.^{(CO) 30} The son^(CP) who succeeds him as priest and comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days.

³¹ “Take the ram^(CQ) for the ordination and cook the meat in a sacred place.^{(CR) 32} At the entrance to the tent of meeting, Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread^(CS) that is in the basket. ³³ They are to eat these offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no one else may eat^(CT) them, because they are sacred. ³⁴ And if any of the meat of the ordination ram or any bread is left over till morning,^(CU) burn it up. It must not be eaten, because it is sacred.

³⁵ “Do for Aaron and his sons everything I have commanded you, taking seven days to ordain them. ³⁶ Sacrifice a bull each day^(CV) as a sin offering to make atonement^(CW). Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate^(CX) it. ³⁷ For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.^(CY)

³⁸ “This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day:^(CZ) two lambs a year old. ³⁹ Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight.^{(DA) 40} With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah^[f] of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin^[g] of oil^(DB) from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.^{(DC) 41} Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight^(DD) with the same grain offering^(DE) and its drink offering as in the morning—a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.

⁴² “For the generations to come^(DF) this burnt offering is to be made regularly^(DG) at the entrance to the tent of meeting,^(DH) before the Lord. There I will meet you and speak to you;^{(DI) 43} there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.^(DJ)

⁴⁴ “So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests.^{(DK) 45} Then I will dwell^(DL) among the Israelites and be their God.^{(DM) 46} They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt^(DN) so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.^(DO)

The Altar of Incense^(DP)

30 “Make an altar^(DQ) of acacia wood for burning incense.^{(DR) 2} It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high^[h]—its horns^(DS) of one piece with it. ³ Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.^{(DT) 4} Make two gold rings^(DU) for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. ⁵ Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.^{(DV) 6} Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover^(DW) that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.

⁷ “Aaron must burn fragrant incense^(DX) on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. ⁸ He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.^{(DY) 9} Do not offer on this altar any other incense^(DZ) or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. ¹⁰ Once a year^(EA) Aaron shall make atonement^(EB) on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering^[i](EC) for the generations to come.^(ED) It is most holy to the Lord.”

¹⁰ “Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed^(A) of their sins. Let them consider its perfection, ¹¹ and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations^[a] and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.^(B)

¹² “This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area^(C) on top of the mountain will be most holy.^(D) Such is the law of the temple.

The Great Altar Restored

¹³ “These are the measurements of the altar^(E) in long cubits,^[b] that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span^[c] around the edge. And this is the height of the altar: ¹⁴ From the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge that goes around the altar it is two cubits high, and the ledge is a cubit wide.^[d] From this lower ledge to the upper ledge that goes around the altar it is four cubits high, and that ledge is also a cubit wide.^{[e] 15} Above that, the altar hearth^(F) is four cubits high, and four horns^(G) project upward from the hearth. ¹⁶ The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits^[f] long and twelve cubits wide.^{(H) 17} The upper ledge^(I) also is square, fourteen cubits^[g] long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit.^[h] The steps^(J) of the altar face east.^(K)”

¹⁸ Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings^(L) and splashing blood^(M) against the altar when it is built: ¹⁹ You are to give a young bull^(N) as a sin offering^[i] to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok,^(O) who come near^(P) to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. ²⁰ You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar^(Q) and on the four corners of the upper ledge^(R) and all around the rim, and so purify the altar^(S) and make atonement for it. ²¹ You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.^(T)

²² “On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. ²³ When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.^{(U) 24} You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt^(V) on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

²⁵ “For seven days^(W) you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.^{(X) 26} For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. ²⁷ At the end of these days, from the eighth day^(Y) on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings^(Z) and fellowship offerings^(AA) on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle^(A) have no right to eat.^(B)

¹¹ The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering,^(C) but the bodies are burned outside the camp.^{(D) 12} And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate^(E) to make the people holy^(F) through his own blood.^{(G) 13} Let us, then, go to him^(H) outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.^{(I) 14} For here we do not have an enduring city,^(J) but we are looking for the city that is to come.^(K)

¹⁵ Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice^(L) of praise—the fruit of lips^(M) that openly profess his name. ¹⁶ And do not forget to do good and to share with others,^(N) for with such sacrifices^(O) God is pleased.

¹⁷ Have confidence in your leaders^(P) and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you^(Q) as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.