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20 And the Lord spake all these words,

I am thy Lord God, that led thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of servage. (I am the Lord thy God, who led thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude, or of slavery.)

Thou shalt not have alien gods before me. (Thou shalt not have foreign, or other, gods in place of me/instead of me.)

Thou shalt not make to thee a graven image, neither any likeness of (any)thing that is in heaven above, and that is in (the) earth beneath, neither of those things that be in waters under the earth; (Thou shalt not make a carved image for thyself, nor any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or on the earth beneath, or of those things that be in the waters under the earth;)

thou shalt not bow down to them, neither worship them; for I am thy Lord God, a strong(ly) jealous lover; I visit the wickedness of (the) fathers in (the) children into the third and fourth generation of them that hated me, (thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them; for I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God; I punish the children for the wickedness of their fathers, unto the third and fourth generations of those who hate me,)

and I do mercy into thousands, to them that love me, and keep my behests. (but I do mercy unto thousands, to those who love me, and who keep my commandments.)

Thou shalt not take in vain the name of thy Lord God, for the Lord shall not have him guiltless, that taketh in vain the name of his Lord God. (Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord shall not hold guiltless he who taketh the name of the Lord his God in vain.)

Have thou mind, that thou hallow the sabbath day; (Remember to keep the sabbath day holy, or sacred;)

in six days thou shalt work, and do all thy works; (for six days thou shalt work, and do all thy works;)

10 forsooth in the seventh day is the sabbath of thy Lord God; thou shalt not do any work (on that day), thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thine handmaid, thy work beast, and the comeling that is within thy gates; (but on the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord thy God; thou shalt not do any work on that day, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy male slave, and thy slave-girl, and thy work beast, and the newcomer who is within thy gates;)

11 for in six days God made (the) heaven(s) and (the) earth, the sea, and all things that be in those, and rested in the seventh day (and then he rested on the seventh day); therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12 Honour thy father and thy mother, that thou be long living on the land (so that thou can live a long life in the land), which thy Lord God shall give to thee.

13 Thou shalt not slay. (Thou shalt not kill.)

14 Thou shalt not do lechery.

15 Thou shalt not do theft.

16 Thou shalt not speak false witnessing against thy neighbour.

17 Thou shalt not covet the house of thy neighbour, neither thou shalt desire his wife, nor his (man)servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his ass, neither (anything of) all (the) things that be his. (Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, nor shalt thou desire his wife, or his slave, or his slave-girl, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything of all the things that be his.)

18 Forsooth all the people heard voices, (that is, the thunder,) and saw lamps, that is, shining lights, and the sound of a clarion, and the hill smoking; and they were afeared, and shaken with inward dread, and stood afar, (And all the people heard the thunder, and saw the lightening, and heard the sound of the trumpet, and saw the mountain smoking; and they were afraid, and shaken with inward fear, and stood afar off,)

19 and (they) said to Moses, Speak thou to us, and we shall hear; (but) the Lord speak not to us, lest peradventure we die.

20 And Moses said to the people, Do not ye dread, for God came to prove you, and that his dread should be in you, and that ye should not do sin. (And Moses said to the people, Do not ye fear/Fear not, for God came to prove you, so that his fear would be in you, and then ye shall not sin.)

21 And the people stood afar (off); and Moses nighed to the darkness, wherein God was.

22 And the Lord said furthermore to Moses, Thou shalt say these things to the sons of Israel, Ye saw that from heaven I have spoken to you; (And the Lord also said to Moses, Thou shalt say these things to the Israelites, Ye have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven;)

23 ye shall not make gods of silver, neither ye shall make to you gods of gold. (ye shall not make gods out of silver, or gods out of gold, to be worshipped in addition to me.)

24 Ye shall make an altar of earth to me, and ye shall offer thereon your burnt sacrifices, and peaceable sacrifices, your sheep, and oxen; in each place in which the mind of my name shall be, I shall come to thee, and I shall bless thee. (Ye shall make an altar out of earth for me, and ye shall offer on it your burnt sacrifices, and your peace offerings, your sheep, and your oxen; and in each place where I ask thee to remember my name, I shall come to thee, and I shall bless thee.)

25 That if thou shalt make an altar of stone to me, thou shalt not build it of stones hewn (And if thou make an altar out of stones for me, thou shalt not build it out of cut stones); for if thou shalt raise thy knife thereupon, or (any) other instrument wherewith blood may be shed out, it shall be polluted.

26 Thou shalt not go up by degrees to mine altar, lest thy filth(hood) be showed. (Thou shalt not go up to my altar by steps, lest thy nakedness should be shown.)

21 These be the dooms, which thou shalt set forth to them. (These be the laws, which thou shalt set forth to them.)

If thou buyest an Hebrew servant, he shall serve thee six years; in the seventh year he shall go out free, without price; (If thou buyest a Hebrew slave, he shall serve thee for six years; then in the seventh year he shall go out free, without payment of any money;)

with what manner cloak he entered, with such cloak go he out; if he entered having a wife, also the wife shall go out together with him.

But if the lord of a servant gave a wife to him, and she childed sons and daughters, the woman and her children shall be her lord’s; soothly the servant shall go out with his own cloth. (But if the lord of a slave gave a wife to him, and she bare him sons and daughters, the woman and her children shall be her lord’s; the slave shall go out free with only his own cloak.)

And if the servant saith, I love my lord, and my wife, and children, I will not go out free; (And if the slave saith, I love my lord, and my wife, and my children, and I shall not go out free;)

his lord shall bring him to [the] gods, that is, (to the) judges; and he shall be set to the door, and to the posts; and his lord shall pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall be servant to him till into the world. (then his lord shall bring him to the judges; and he shall put him up against the door, or the door-post; and his lord shall pierce his ear with an awl, and then he shall be his slave forevermore.)

If any man selleth his daughter into a servantess, she shall not go out as handmaids were wont to go out; (If any man selleth his daughter to be a slave-girl, she shall not go out free like slaves can go out free;)

if she displeaseth in the eyes of her lord, to whom she was betaken, he shall deliver her; soothly he shall not have power, (or the right,) to sell her to an alien people, if he forsaketh her. (yea, if she displeaseth in the eyes of her lord, to whom she was delivered, then he shall sell her back to her father; and he shall not have the power, or the right, to sell her to a foreign people, if he forsaketh her.)

Forsooth if he weddeth her to his son, he shall do to her by the custom of daughters (he shall treat her like a daughter);

10 and if he take with this handmaid another woman, or wife, to his son, he shall purvey to the (first) damsel, or handmaid, weddings, and clothes, and he shall not deny her the price of (her) chastity, that is, the hour of yielding debt. (but if he get another wife, besides this woman, for his son, he shall still give this young woman her wedding, and her clothes, and he shall not deny her the rights of her marriage bed.)

11 If he doeth not to her these three (things), she shall go out freely without money. (And if he giveth her not these three things, then she shall go out free without payment of any money.)

12 He that smiteth a man, and will slay him, die he by death; (He who striketh a man, and killeth him, shall be put to death;)

13 forsooth if a man setteth not ambush, but God betook him into his hands, I shall ordain a place to thee (I shall ordain a place for thee), whither he oughteth to flee.

14 If any man slayeth his neighbour by before-casting, and by ambush, draw thou him away from mine altar, that he die (and put him to death).

15 He that smiteth his father, or his mother, die he by death. (He who striketh his father, or his mother, shall be put to death.)

16 He that curseth his father, or mother, die he by death. (He who curseth his father, or his mother, shall be put to death.)

17 He that stealeth a man, and selleth him, if he is convicted of the guilt, die he by death (shall be put to death).

18 If men chide, and the tother smite his neighbour with a stone, or with the fist, and he is not dead, but lieth in the bed,

19 if he riseth (up), and goeth forth on his staff, he that smote (him) shall be innocent; so nevertheless that he restore (to him for) his travails, and his costs in leaches (and his expenses for physicians).

20 He that smiteth his servant, or handmaid, with a rod, and they be dead in his hands, he shall be guilty of the crime, or hideous trespass. (He who striketh his slave, or his slave-girl, with a rod, and they die by his hands, he shall be guilty of a crime, or of a hideous trespass.)

21 Soothly if the servant liveth over this beating one day, or twain, the smiter shall not be subject to the pain of death, for the servant is his master’s chattel.

22 If men chide, and a man smiteth a woman with child, and soothly he maketh the child dead-born, but the woman liveth over that smiting, he shall be subject to the harm (he shall be subject to a fine), as much as the woman’s husband asketh (for), and as the judges deem (appropriate).

23 Soothly if the death of her followeth (And if her death followeth), he shall yield life for life,

24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 burning for burning, wound for wound, sore for sore.

26 If a man smiteth the eye of his servant, either of his handmaid, and maketh them one-eyed, he shall deliver them free for the eye which he put out (he shall let them go out free for the eye which he hath put out).

27 Also if he smite out a tooth of his servant, or (of) [his] handmaid, in like manner he shall deliver them free (likewise he shall let them go out free).

28 If an ox smiteth with his horn either man, or woman, and they be dead, the ox shall be thrown down with stones, and his flesh shall not be eaten, and the lord of the ox shall be guiltless. (If an ox striketh with his horn a man, or a woman, unto the death, the ox shall be thrown down with stones, and his flesh shall not be eaten, but the lord of the ox shall be guiltless.)

29 That if the ox was an horn-putter from yesterday and the third day ago, and men warned his lord, (yet) neither the lord closed him, and he slayeth a man, or a woman, both the ox shall be thrown adown with stones, and they shall slay his lord; (But if the ox was a horn-putter from yesterday and the third day ago, and men had warned his lord, but his lord did not enclose him, and he killeth a man, or a woman, the ox shall be thrown down with stones, and they shall also kill his lord;)

30 that if the price be put to the lord, he shall give for his life whatever he is asked. (but if a fine be put on the ox’s lord, he shall give whatever he is asked for, as the ransom for his life.)

31 And if he smiteth with (his) horn a man’s son, and his daughter (And if the ox striketh with his horn a man’s son, or his daughter), his lord shall be subject to the same sentence.

32 If the ox assaileth a manservant, and an handmaid, the lord of the ox shall give thirty shekels of silver to the lord of that servant; forsooth the ox shall be oppressed with stones. (But if the ox assaileth a slave, or a slave-girl, the ox’s lord shall give thirty shekels of silver to their lord, and the ox shall be thrown down with stones.)

33 If any man openeth a cistern, or a pit, and diggeth it, and covereth it not, and an ox either an ass falleth into it, (If anyone openeth a cistern, or a well, and diggeth it, and covereth it not up, and an ox or a donkey falleth into it,)

34 the lord of the cistern shall yield the price of the beasts (the lord of the cistern shall pay the fair value for the beast); forsooth that that is dead shall be his.

35 If one man’s ox woundeth the ox of another man, and he is dead, they shall sell the quick ox, and they shall part the price (If one person’s ox woundeth another person’s ox, and it dieth, they shall sell the living ox, and they shall evenly divide the price); soothly they shall part betwixt them(selves) the carcass of the dead ox.

36 Forsooth if the lord knew, that his ox was a (horn)-putter from yesterday and the third day ago, and kept not him (and did not keep him in), he shall yield (another) ox for (the dead) ox, and he shall take the whole dead carcass.

22 If any man stealeth a sheep, or (an) ox, and slayeth, or selleth (it), he shall restore five oxen for one ox, and four sheep for one sheep.

And if a night thief breaking (into) an house, either undermining (it), is found (out), and he taken is (made) dead by a wound, or hurt (and when he is caught, he dieth from a wound), the smiter shall not be guilty of his blood, or death;

that if he did this when the sun was risen, he did manslaying, and he shall die (but if the lord of the house did this when the sun was up, he hath done manslaughter, and he shall be put to death). If a thief have not that, that he shall yield for [the] theft, he shall be sold (to make recompense);

if that thing that he stole, is found quick at him, either ox, either ass, either sheep, he shall restore the double. (if what he stole, is found alive with him, either an ox, or a donkey, or a sheep, he shall restore double what he stole.)

If a man harmeth a field, or a vinery, and suffereth his beast, that it waste other men’s things (If anyone harmeth a field, or a vineyard, by allowing his beast to destroy another person’s things), he shall restore for the value of [the] harm (done), (with) the best thing(s) (of) whatever he hath in his (own) field, either in his (own) vinery.

If fire goeth out, and findeth, or burneth, ears of corn, and catcheth heaps of corn, or corns standing in (the) fields, he that kindled the fire shall yield (for) the harm (he who kindled the fire shall make recompense for the harm done).

If a man betaketh into keeping money to a friend, or a vessel, and it is taken away by theft from him that received it, if the thief is found, he shall restore the double. (If anyone taketh money, or a vessel, to a friend for safe keeping, and it is taken away by theft from him who received it, if the thief is found, he shall restore double what he stole.)

(But) If the thief is hid(den), or unknown, the lord of the house that received that good shall be brought to the gods, that is, to (the) judges, and he shall swear, that he held not forth his hand into his neighbour’s thing, to defraud (and he shall swear, that he did not put forth his hand to his neighbour’s thing, to defraud him);

as well in ox, as in ass, and in sheep, and in cloth; and in whatever thing may bring in harm, the cause of ever either shall come to the judges, and if they deem him guilty, he shall restore the double to his neighbour. (and with any ox, or donkey, or sheep, or cloak, or whatever thing which may be claimed by two people, the case shall come to the judges, and whom they judge guilty, he shall restore double to his neighbour.)

10 If any man betaketh to his neighbour ox, ass, sheep, and all work beast to keeping, and it is dead, or is made feeble, or is taken of enemies, and no man seeth this, (If anyone taketh an ox, a donkey, a sheep, or any work beast, to his neighbour for safe keeping, and it dieth, or is hurt, or is taken by enemies, but no one seeth this,)

11 an oath shall be in the midst, that he held not forth his hand to the impairing of his neighbour’s thing; and the lord that owned that good shall receive his oath, and he to whom it was taken shall not be compelled to yield, or restore it. (he shall make an oath before all, that he did not put forth his hand to the impairment of his neighbour’s thing; and the lord who owned that thing shall receive his oath, and then he to whom the thing was given shall not be compelled to yield any recompense for it, or to restore it.)

12 That if it is taken away by theft, he shall restore the harm to the lord; (But if it is taken away by theft, he shall yield recompense to its lord for it;)

13 if it is eaten of a beast (and if it is eaten by a wild beast), he shall bring to the lord that that is slain, and he shall not (have to) restore it otherwise.

14 He that asketh of his neighbour anything of these foresaid things by borrowing, and it is enfeebled, either dead, while the lord thereof is not present, he shall be constrained to yield (for) it; (He who asketh to borrow from his neighbour any of these foresaid things, and it is enfeebled, or dead, while its lord is not present, he shall be compelled to yield recompense for it;)

15 that if the lord is in presence, he shall not restore it, mostly if it came hired, that is, if to hire he took it, for meed of his work. (but if its lord was present, he shall not have to restore it, and if it was hired, that is, if he took it to hire, only the wages for its work shall be due.)

16 If a man deceiveth a virgin not yet wedded, and sleepeth with her, he shall give dower to her (he shall give her a dowry), and shall have her to wife.

17 If the father of the virgin will not give her to him, he shall (still) give (the) money, by the manner of dower (in the manner of a dowry), which virgins were wont to take.

18 Thou shalt not suffer witches to live.

19 He that doeth lechery with a beast, die he by death (shall be put to death).

20 He that offereth to (any) gods, except to the Lord alone, be he slain (shall be put to death).

21 Thou shalt not make sorrowful a comeling, neither thou shalt torment him; for also ye were comelings in the land of Egypt (for ye were also newcomers in the land of Egypt).

22 Ye shall not harm a widow, and a fatherless or a motherless child. (Ye shall not harm a widow, or a fatherless or a motherless child.)

23 If ye hurt them, they shall cry to me, and I shall hear the cry of them,

24 and my great vengeance shall have indignation on you, and I shall smite you with sword (and I shall strike you down with a sword), and your wives shall be widows, and your sons shall be fatherless.

25 If thou givest money to loan to my poor people, that dwelleth with thee, thou shalt not constrain him as an extortioner doeth, neither thou shalt oppress him by usuries. (If thou lendest money to anyone of my poor people, who liveth with thee, thou shalt not compel him like an extortioner doeth, nor shalt thou oppress him with usury.)

26 If thou takest of thy neighbour a cloth to wed (If thou takest a cloak from thy neighbour for a pledge), thou shalt yield it (back) to him before the going down of the sun;

27 for that alone is the clothing of his flesh, with which he is covered, neither he hath another, in which he shall sleep; if he crieth to me, I shall hear him; for I am merciful.

28 Thou shalt not backbite [the] gods, that is, (the) priests, or (the) judges, and thou shalt not curse the prince of thy people (and thou shalt not curse the leaders of thy people).

29 Thou shalt not tarry to offer to the Lord thy tithes, and thy first fruits. Thou shalt give to me the first begotten of thy sons (Thou shalt give me thy first-born sons);

30 also of [thine] oxen, and of (thy) sheep, thou shalt do in like manner; seven days be he with his mother, in the eighth day thou shalt yield him to me. (and thou shalt do likewise with thy oxen, and with thy sheep; for seven days let him be with his mother, then on the eighth day thou shalt yield him to me.)

31 Ye shall be holy men to me; ye shall not eat the flesh that is before-tasted of (other) beasts, but ye shall cast it forth to hounds. (Ye shall be holy before me; ye shall not eat the flesh of that which is killed by another beast, but ye shall throw it to the hounds.)

23 Thou shalt not receive a voice of leasing (Thou shalt not spread a rumour, or a lie), (and) thou shalt not raise thine hand, that is, make (a) covenant, either (a) promise, that thou say false witnessing for a wicked man.

Thou shalt not follow a company to do evil, neither thou shalt assent to the sentence of full many men in doom, that thou go away from truth. (Thou shalt not follow a crowd and do evil, nor shalt thou agree with the sentence, or the decree, of a great many men in judgement, and in doing so, go away from the truth.)

Also thou shalt not have mercy of a poor man in a cause, or doom. (And thou shalt not favour a poor person in his case, or in its judgement.)

If thou meetest thine enemy’s ox, either his ass, straying, lead it again to him. (If thou seest thy enemy’s ox, or his donkey, straying, lead it back to him.)

If thou seest that the ass of him that hateth thee lieth under a burden, thou shalt not pass, but thou shalt raise up it with him. (If thou seest that the donkey of him who hateth thee lieth under a burden, thou shalt not pass by, but thou shalt raise it up with him.)

Thou shalt not bow [away] from truth in the doom of a poor man. (Thou shalt not turn away from the truth in the judgement of a poor person.)

Thou shalt flee leasing. Thou shalt not slay an innocent man, and just; for I am adversary to a wicked man. (Thou shalt flee from lies. Thou shalt not kill the innocent, or the just; for I am the adversary to the wicked.)

Take thou not gifts, that blind, yea, prudent men, and destroy the words of just men. (Do not take gifts, or bribes, that blind, yea, the prudent, and that destroy the words of the just.)

Thou shalt not be dis-easeful of a pilgrim, for ye know the souls of comelings, for also ye were pilgrims in the land of Egypt. (Thou shalt not mis-treat a foreigner, for ye know the souls of newcomers, for ye were foreigners in the land of Egypt.)

10 Six years thou shalt sow thy land, and thou shalt gather [the] fruits thereof;

11 forsooth in the seventh year thou shalt leave it, and make it to rest, that the poor men of thy people eat, and whatever is left ungathered, the beasts of the field eat it; so thou shalt do in thy vinery, and in the place of thine olive trees. (but in the seventh year thou shalt let it be, and allow it to rest, and thy poor people shall get food from it, and whatever is left ungathered, the beasts of the field shall eat it; so shalt thou also do with thy vineyard, and with the place of thy olive trees.)

12 Six days thou shalt work, and in the seventh day thou shalt cease, that thine ox, and thine ass rest, and the son of thine handmaid, and the comeling be refreshed. (For six days thou shalt work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest, so that thy ox, and thy donkey, can also rest, and so that the son of thy slave-girl, and the newcomer, or the foreigner, can be refreshed.)

13 Keep ye all things, which I [have] said to you; and ye shall not swear by the name of alien gods, neither it shall be heard of your mouth. (Hold ye onto all the things, that I have said to you; and ye shall not swear in the name of foreign, or other, gods, nor shall it be heard coming out of your mouths.)

14 In three times by all years ye shall hallow feasts to me. (Three times each year ye shall dedicate Feasts to me.)

15 Thou shalt keep the solemnity of therf loaves; seven days thou shalt eat therf bread, as I commanded to thee, in the time of [the] month of new things, when thou wentest out of Egypt; thou shalt not appear void in my sight. (Thou shalt keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded to thee, at the time of the month of Abib, when thou wentest out of Egypt; and thou shalt not appear before me empty-handed.)

16 And thou shalt keep the solemnity of the month of the first things of thy works, (of) whatever things thou hast sown in the field. Also thou shalt keep the solemnity in the going out of the year, when thou hast gathered all thy fruits of the field. (And thou shalt keep the Feast of the First Fruits[a] of thy works, with whatever things thou hast sown in the field. And thou shalt keep the Feast of Ingathering[b], when thou hast gathered in all thy fruits from the field, in the going out of the year.)

17 (So) Thrice in the year all thy male kind shall appear before thy Lord God.

18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of thy slain sacrifice on sourdough; neither the fatness of my solemnity shall dwell till to the morrowtide. (Thou shalt not offer the blood of my slain sacrifice with anything made with yeast; and the fat of my sacrifice for any Feast shall not remain until the morning.)

19 Thou shalt bear the first things of the fruits of thy land into the house of thy Lord God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in the milk of his mother.

20 Lo! I send mine angel, that shall go before thee, and shall keep thee in the way, and shall lead thee to the place which I have made ready to thee. (Lo! I shall send an angel before thee, and he shall keep thee safe on the way, and he shall lead thee to the place which I have prepared for thee.)

21 Take thou heed to him, and hear thou his voice, neither guess thou him to be despised, or despisable; for he shall not forgive (thee), when thou sinnest, and my name is in him (for my authority is with him).

22 For if thou hearest his voice, and doest all things which I speak (But if thou listenest to his voice, and doest all the things which I say to thee), I shall be (an) enemy to thine enemies, and I shall torment them, that torment thee;

23 and mine angel shall go before thee, and he shall lead in thee to Amorites (and he shall lead thee to the Amorites), and Hittites, and Perizzites, and Canaanites, and Hivites, and Jebusites, which I shall break, or destroy.

24 Thou shalt not honour the gods of them, neither thou shalt worship them; thou shalt not do the works of them (thou shalt not follow their rites), but thou shalt destroy their gods, and thou shalt break the images of them.

25 And ye shall serve to your Lord God, (so) that I (can) bless thy loaves, and thy waters, and do away sickness from the midst of thee;

26 neither a woman unfruitful, neither barren, shall be in thy land (no unfruitful, or barren, woman shall be in thy land); (and) I shall fulfill the number of thy days.

27 I shall send my dread into thy before-going (I shall send the fear of me before thee), and I shall slay all the people, to which thou shalt enter, and I shall turn the backs of all thine enemies before thee;

28 and I shall send out before thee crabrones, or stinging flies, that shall drive away (the) Hivite, and Canaanite, and Hittite, before that thou enter.

29 (But) I shall not cast them out from thy face in one year, lest the land be turned into wilderness, and beasts increase against thee;

30 little and little I shall cast them out from thy sight, till thou be increased, and wield the land.

31 Forsooth and I shall set thy terms from the Red Sea till to the sea of Palestines, and from the desert till to the flood (And I shall set thy borders from the Red Sea unto the Sea of the Philistines, or the Mediterranean Sea, and from the wilderness unto the Euphrates River). I shall give (in)to your hands the dwellers of the land, and I shall cast them out from your sight;

32 thou shalt not make bond of peace with them, neither with their gods. (thou shalt not make a covenant with them, nor with their gods.)

33 Dwell they not in thy land, lest peradventure they make thee to do sin against me; if thou servest their gods, which thing certainly shall be to thee into cause of stumbling. (They shall not continue to live in thy land, lest they make thee to sin against me; for if thou servest their gods, that certainly shall become a cause of stumbling for thee.)

24 Also he said to Moses, Go thou up to the Lord, thou, and Aaron, and Nadab, and Abihu, and [the] seventy elder men of Israel; and ye shall worship afar, (And he said to Moses, Come up to the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel; and ye shall worship me from afar,)

and Moses alone go up to the Lord, and they shall not nigh, neither the people shall go up with him. (and then Moses shall come up alone to the Lord, but the elders shall not come near, and let none of the common people come up onto the mountain with you.)

Therefore Moses came, and told to the people all the words and the dooms of the Lord; and all the people answered with one voice, (and said,) We shall do all the words of the Lord which he hath spoken. (And so Moses came, and told the people all the words and the judgements of the Lord; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, We shall do all that the Lord hath spoken.)

Forsooth Moses wrote (down) all the words of the Lord; and he rose early, and builded an altar to the Lord at the roots of the hill, and he builded twelve titles, or stones, by twelve lineages of Israel. (And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord; and then he rose up early, and built an altar to the Lord at the foot of the mountain, and he set up twelve stones, for the twelve tribes of Israel.)

And he sent young men of the sons of Israel (to it), and they offered burnt sacrifices, and peaceable sacrifices to the Lord (and they offered burnt sacrifices, and peace offerings to the Lord), (yea,) twelve calves/two calves.

And so Moses took half the part of the blood, and put it into great cups; forsooth he shedded the residue part on the altar. (And Moses took half of the blood, and put it into great bowls, or into great basins; and he threw the rest of it against the altar.)

And he took the book of the bond of peace, and read [it], while the people heard; the which said, We shall do all things that the Lord spake, and we shall be obedient. (And he took the Book of the Covenant, and read it, while all the people listened; and they said, We shall do everything that the Lord spoke, and we shall be obedient.)

Forsooth Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, This is the blood of the bond of peace (This is the blood of the covenant), which the Lord covenanted with you on all these words.

And (then) Moses, and Aaron, and Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elder men of Israel went up,

10 and saw [the] God of Israel, (and) under his feet, they saw as the work of a sapphire stone, and as heaven when it is clear. (and they saw the God of Israel, and under his feet they saw a pavement made out of sapphire stones, yea, like the heavens when they be clear blue.)

11 And he sent not his hand on the lords of the sons of Israel, that had gone far away (But he did not put his hand upon the leaders of the Israelites, who were there before him); and they saw God, and (then they) ate and drank.

12 Forsooth the Lord said to Moses, Come thou up to me into the hill, and be thou there, and I shall give to thee tables of stone, and the law, and commandments, which I have written, that thou teach them. (And the Lord said to Moses, Come thou up the mountain to me, and be thou here, and I shall give thee the stone tablets on which I have written the Law, yea, the commandments, so that thou can teach them to the people.)

13 [And] Moses and Joshua, his minister, rose, and Moses went up into the hill of God, (And Moses and Joshua, his servant, arose, and Moses went up the mountain to God,)

14 and said to the elder men, Abide ye here, till we turn again to you; ye have Aaron and Hur with you, if anything of question be made, ye shall tell [it] to them. (and he said to the elders as he left, Wait here, until we return to you; ye have Aaron and Hur with you, if any question ariseth, ask ye it of them.)

15 And when Moses had gone up, a cloud covered the hill (a cloud covered the mountain),

16 and the glory of the Lord dwelled upon Sinai, and covered it with a cloud (for) six days; forsooth in the seventh day (and on the seventh day), the Lord called (to) him from the midst of the cloud;

17 forsooth the likeness of the glory of the Lord was as fire burning on the top of the hill in the sight of the sons of Israel. (and the glory of the Lord was like a fire burning on the top of the mountain before all the Israelites.)

18 And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the hill, and he was there forty days and forty nights. (And Moses went up the mountain, and into the midst of the cloud, and he was there for forty days and forty nights.)

25 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,

Speak thou to the sons of Israel, that they take to me the first fruits; of each man that offereth willfully, ye shall take those [things]. (Tell thou the Israelites, that they should bring me the first fruits; and from everyone who willingly offereth them, ye shall receive those things.)

Forsooth these things it be, which ye shall take, gold, and silver, and brass, (And these be the things which ye shall receive from them, gold, and silver, and bronze,)

and jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and bis, that is, white silk, [and] hairs of goats, (and jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,)

and skins of wethers made red, and skins of jacinth, and wood of shittim, (and red rams’ skins, and blue skins, and shittim wood, that is, acacia wood,)

and oil to lights to be ordained, sweet smelling spiceries into ointment, and incense of good odour, (and oil to nourish the light/and oil to fuel the lanterns, and sweet smelling spices for the ointment, and for the incense of the sweetest aroma,)

onyx stones, and gems to adorn (the) ephod, that is, a chasuble, and the rational, that is, an ouch hanging on the priest’s breast, in which was written doom and truth. (and onyx stones, and gems to adorn the ephod, that is, a chasuble, or an apron-like garment, and the breast-piece, that is, a pouch, or a pocket, hanging upon the priest’s breast, in which were carried the Urim and the Thummim.)

And they shall make a saintuary to me, and I shall dwell in the midst of them, (And they shall make a sanctuary for me, and I shall live there in their midst,)

by all the likeness of the tabernacle that I shall show to thee, and of all the vessels of [the] adorning thereof.

10 And thus ye shall make it; join together an ark, or a coffer, of the wood of shittim, whose length shall have two cubits and an half, the breadth shall have one cubit and an half, the height in like manner one cubit and an half. (And ye shall make it thus; construct the Ark, that is, the Box for the tablets of the Law, out of shittim wood, or acacia wood, and it shall be two and a half cubits in length, one and a half cubits in breadth, and one and a half cubits in height.)

11 And thou shalt overgild it with cleanest gold within and without; and thou shalt make a golden crown above by compass, (And thou shalt gild it with pure gold within and without; and thou shalt put a gold band all around it,)

12 and four golden rings, which thou shalt set by [the] four corners of the ark; two rings be in [the] one side, and two rings in the other side. (and thou shalt make four gold rings, which thou shalt fasten to the four corners of the Ark; two rings shall be on one side of it, and two rings shall be on the other side.)

13 Also thou shalt make bars of the wood of shittim (And thou shalt make bars out of shittim wood), and thou shalt cover them with gold,

14 and thou shalt bring (them) in by the rings that be in the sides of the ark, that it be borne in them, (and thou shalt bring them in through the rings that be on the sides of the Ark, so that the Ark can be carried with them,)

15 the which bars shall ever[more] be in the rings, neither they shall any time be drawn out of them. (which bars shall remain in the rings forevermore, and they shall never be drawn out of them at any time.)

16 And thou shalt put into the ark the witnessing, that is, (the) law, which I shall give to thee. (And thou shalt put into the Ark the Witnessing, that is, the tablets of the Law, which I shall give to thee.)

17 And thou shalt make a propitiatory[c] of cleanest gold; that is, a table covering the ark [that is, a place of purchasing mercy]; the length thereof shall hold two cubits and an half, [and] the breadth shall hold one cubit and an half. (And thou shalt make the mercy seat, that is, a lid to cover the Ark, out of pure gold; its length shall be two and a half cubits, and its breadth shall be one and a half cubits.)

18 Also thou shalt make on ever either side of God’s answering place, two cherubims of gold, and beaten out with an hammer; (And thou shalt make for each end of the propitiatory, or the mercy seat, two gold cherubim, beaten out with a hammer;)

19 one cherub be on one side of God’s answering place, and the tother in the tother side; cover they ever either side of the propitiatory, (one cherub shall be at one end of the lid, and the other cherub shall be at the other end of the lid; and the cherubim shall be made so that they form one piece with the propitiatory,)

20 and hold they forth the(ir) wings, and cover they God’s answering place; and behold they themselves together, while their faces be turned in to the propitiatory, (and their wings shall be spread out, and they shall cover the lid; and they shall face each other, but their faces shall be turned down toward the propitiatory,)

21 with which the ark of the Lord shall be covered, in which ark thou shalt put the witnessing, that is, the (tablets of the) law, that I shall give to thee.

22 From thence I shall command, and I shall speak to thee above the propitiatory, that is, from the midst of [the] two cherubims, that shall be on the ark of witnessing, all things which I shall command by thee to the sons of Israel. (From there I shall command, and I shall speak to thee from above the propitiatory, that is, from the midst of the two cherubim, who shall be over the Ark of the Witnessing, all the things which I shall command by thee to the Israelites.)

23 Also thou shalt make a board of the wood of shittim, having two cubits of length, and one cubit of broadness, and one cubit and an half in height. (And thou shalt make a table out of shittim wood, two cubits in length, one cubit in breadth, and one and a half cubits in height.)

24 And thou shalt overgild the board with most pure gold, and thou shalt make to it a golden brink about; (And thou shalt gild the table with pure gold, and thou shalt put a gold band all around it;)

25 and thou shalt make to that brink a crown raised betwixt four fingers high, and thou shalt make on that another little golden crown. (and thou shalt make a gold rim four fingers high around that band, and thou shalt put another gold band around the rim.)

26 And thou shalt make ready four golden rings, and thou shalt put them in [the] four corners of the same board, by all the feet thereof. (And thou shalt make four gold rings, and thou shalt fasten them to the four corners of the table, by its legs.)

27 Under the crown shall be (the) golden rings, that the bars be put through them, and so the table may be borne. (And the gold rings shall be fastened near the rim, for the bars to be put through, so that the table can be carried.)

28 Thou shalt make the bars of the wood of shittim, and thou shalt compass them with gold to bear the board. (Thou shalt make the bars out of shittim wood, and cover them with gold, and thou shalt use them to carry the table.)

29 And thou shalt make ready vessels of vinegar, and vials, and censers, and cups of purest gold, in which flowing sacrifices shall be offered. (And thou shalt make out of pure gold the vessels for the vinegar, and the censers, and the cups, and the basins, in which the wine offerings shall be made.)

30 And thou shalt set on the board (the) loaves of proposition, or (the loaves) of setting forth, (to be) in my sight ever[more]. (And thou shalt put the showbread on the table, to be there before me forevermore.)

31 And thou shalt make a candlestick beaten out with an hammer, of cleanest gold, [and] thou shalt make the shaft thereof, and [the] rods, and cups, and little roundels, and lilies coming forth thereof. (And thou shalt make a lamp-stand out of pure gold, beaten out with a hammer, yea, thou shalt make its shaft, and the rods, and cups, and little balls, and lilies, that shall all come forth from it.)

32 Six rods shall go out of the sides (of it), three (out) of the one side, and three (out) of the other.

33 Three cups as in the manner of a nut by each rod, and [the] little roundels together, and a lily, and in like manner three cups at the likeness of a nut in the tother rod, and (the) little roundels together, and a lily; this shall be the work of (the) six rods, that shall be brought forth [out] of the candlestick shaft. (And there shall be three cups shaped like almonds, and little balls, and a lily together on the first rod, and likewise three cups shaped like almonds, and little balls, and a lily together on the next rod; such shall be the metalwork for all six rods that shall come forth from the shaft of the lamp-stand.)

34 Forsooth in that candlestick shall be four cups in the manner of a nut, and little roundels and lilies by each cup; (And on the shaft of the lamp-stand shall be four cups shaped like almonds, and little balls, and lilies, by all the cups;)

35 and the little roundels shall be under (each of) two rods by three places, the which rods altogether be made six, coming forth of (the) one shaft; (and a little ball shall be under each pair of rods, that is, in three places, which rods altogether be six, coming forth from the one shaft of the lamp-stand;)

36 and therefore the little roundels and the rods thereof shall be all beaten out with an hammer, of cleanest gold. (and so all the little balls and its rods shall be made out of pure gold, beaten out with a hammer.)

37 And thou shalt make seven lanterns, and thou shalt set them on the candlestick, that they shine even against each other. (And thou shalt make seven lanterns, and thou shalt put them on the lamp-stand, so that they shine toward the front.)

38 Also tongs to snuff the candles, and (the vessels) where those snuffs, that be snuffed out, be quenched, be made of cleanest gold. (And the tongs to snuff out the candles, and the firepans, where those tongs shall be quenched, shall be made out of pure gold.)

39 All the weight of the candlestick with all his vessels shall have, or weigh, a talent of cleanest gold. (And the lamp-stand and all its vessels shall be made out of one talent of pure gold.)

40 Behold thou, and make all thing(s) by the exemplar, which is showed to thee in the hill. (See that thou make all these things by the example that was shown to thee on the mountain.)

26 Forsooth the tabernacle shall be made thus; thou shalt make ten curtains of bis folded again, and of jacinth, and of purple, and of red silk twice-dyed, made diverse by embroidery work. (And the Tabernacle shall be made thus; thou shalt make ten curtains out of finely woven linen, and jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and embroider them with cherubim.)

The length of one curtain shall have eight and twenty cubits, the breadth shall be of four cubits; all the curtains[d] shall be made of one measure. (The length of one curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth shall be four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measurements.)

Five curtains shall be joined to themselves together, and other five shall cleave together by like bond. (Five curtains shall be joined to each other in one set, and another five shall be joined together in another set.)

Thou shalt make small rings, or eyelets, of jacinth in the sides, and in the heights of the curtains, that they may be coupled together. (And thou shalt put small eyelets, made out of jacinth, on the outer edge of one curtain in each set, so that the two sets can be joined together.)

One curtain shall have fifty eyelets in ever either part, so set in, that one eyelet come against another eyelet, and that the one curtain may be shaped to the tother. (Each set of curtains shall have fifty eyelets on an outer edge, and one eyelet shall come together with another eyelet, so that one set of curtains can be joined to the other set of curtains.)

And thou shalt make fifty golden rings, by which the veils of [the] curtains shall be joined, that one tabernacle be made. (And thou shalt make fifty gold fasteners, with which the two sets of curtains shall be joined together, and so one Tabernacle shall be made out of all the curtains.)

Also thou shalt make eleven says to cover the covering of the tabernacle; (And thou shalt make eleven curtains out of goats’ hair to make a tent over the Tabernacle;)

the length of one say shall have thirty cubits, and the breadth shall have four cubits; even measure shall be of all the says. (the length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and its breadth shall be four cubits; all these curtains shall have the same measurements.)

Of which thou shalt join five by themselves, and thou shalt couple six to themselves together, so that thou double the sixth say in the front of the roof. (And thou shalt join five together in one set, and the other six together in another set; and thou shalt fold the sixth curtain of the second set over double at the front of the Tabernacle.)

10 And thou shalt make fifty eyelets in the hem of [the] one say, that it may be joined to the tother; and fifty eyelets in the hem of the tother say, that it be coupled with the tother; (And thou shalt make fifty eyelets on the outer edge of the last curtain in the first set, and fifty eyelets on the joining edge of the second set;)

11 and thou shalt make fifty fastenings, or buckles, of brass, with which the (small) rings, or eyelets, of the curtains shall be joined together, and so one covering be made of all. (and thou shalt make fifty bronze fasteners, with which the eyelets of the curtains shall be joined together, and so one tent shall be made out of all of these curtains.)

12 Soothly that that is left (over) in the says, that be made ready to the covering, that is, (with the) one say that is more, of the half thereof, thou shalt cover the hinder part of the tabernacle; (And what is left over of the tent curtains, that is, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the back part of the Tabernacle;)

13 and a cubit shall hang on [the] one part, and the tother cubit on the tother part, which cubit is more in the length of [the] says, and it shall cover ever either side of the tabernacle. (and out of the length of the tent curtains, one cubit shall hang over on one side, and another cubit on the other side, and so both sides of the Tabernacle shall be covered.)

14 And thou shalt make another covering to the roof, of skins of wethers made red, and over this thou shalt make again another covering of skins of jacinth. (And to cover the tent thou shalt make a covering out of red rams’ skins, and another covering to be placed on top of that, out of blue skins.)

15 Also thou shalt make [the] standing boards[e] of the tabernacle, of the wood of shittim, (And thou shalt make the upright boards for the Tabernacle out of shittim wood, or acacia wood,)

16 which boards shall have each by themselves ten cubits in length, and in breadth a cubit and an half. (each board shall be ten cubits in length, and one and a half cubits in breadth.)

17 Forsooth two indentings shall be in the sides of a board, by which one board shall be joined to another board; and in this manner all the boards shall be made ready. (And there shall be two tenons on the bottom edge of each board, so that the boards can stand upright, side-by-side; and all the boards shall be prepared in this manner.)

18 Of which boards twenty shall be in the midday side, that goeth to the south; (Of which boards twenty shall be on the south side, facing south;)

19 to the which boards thou shalt set forty silveren bases, that two bases be set under each board, by two corners. (for which boards thou shalt make forty silver bases, so that two bases can be put under each board, to hold its tenons.)

20 And in the second side of the tabernacle, that goeth to the north, shall be twenty boards, (And on the second side of the Tabernacle, facing north, shall be twenty boards,)

21 having forty silveren bases; two bases shall be set under each board. (with forty silver bases; two bases shall be put under each board, to hold its tenons.)

22 Soothly at the west coast of the tabernacle thou shalt make six boards; (And for the west side, or for the back, of the Tabernacle, thou shalt make six boards;)

23 and again thou shalt make twain other boards, that shall be raised, or set up, in the corners on the back half of the tabernacle; (and thou shalt make two other boards, that shall be set up in the corners at the back of the Tabernacle;)

24 and the boards shall be joined to themselves from beneath till to above, and one joining shall withhold all the boards. And like joining shall be kept to the two boards, that shall be set in the corners, (and the boards shall be joined to each other from the bottom to the top, and the same joining shall hold all the boards together. And like joining shall be used for the two boards, that shall be put at the corners,)

25 and they shall be eight boards (al)together; the silveren bases of them shall be sixteen, while two bases be reckoned by one board. (and so altogether there shall be eight boards on the west side; and they shall have sixteen silver bases, with two bases under each board, to hold its tenons.)

26 Thou shalt make also five bars of [the] wood of shittim, to hold together the boards in one side of the tabernacle, (And thou shalt make five bars out of shittim wood, or acacia wood, to hold together the boards on one side of the Tabernacle,)

27 and five other bars in the other side, and of the same number at the west coast; (and five other bars for the other side, and the same number for the back, or the west side;)

28 the which bars shall be put through the middle (of the) boards from the one end till to the other. (and a middle bar, which shall be put in half-way up the boards, to run from one end of the Tabernacle to the other.)

29 And thou shalt overgild those boards, and thou shalt set golden rings in them, by the which rings, the bars shall hold together the work of the boards, the which bars thou shalt cover with golden plates. (And thou shalt gild those boards with gold, and thou shalt fasten gold rings to them, by which rings the bars shall hold the boards together, and thou shalt cover those bars with gold plates.)

30 And thou shalt raise up the tabernacle, by the exemplar that was showed to thee in the hill. (And thou shalt set up the Tabernacle after the example that was shown to thee on the mountain.)

31 Thou shalt make also a veil of jacinth, and purple, and of red silk twice-dyed, and of bis folded again, by embroidery work, and woven together by fair diversity; (And thou shalt make the Veil out of jacinth, and purple, red silk twice-dyed, and finely woven linen, and embroider it with cherubim;)

32 which veil thou shalt hang before four pillars of the wood of shittim; and soothly those pillars shall be overgilt; and they shall have golden hooks[f], but the bases shall be silver. (which Veil thou shalt hang on four pillars made out of shittim wood; and those pillars shall be gilded with gold, and they shall have gold hooks, and silver bases.)

33 Forsooth the veil shall be set in by the rings, within which veil thou shalt set the ark of witnessing, whereby the saintuary, and the saintuary of saintuaries, shall be separated. (And the Veil shall be hung under the fasteners of the Tabernacle, and thou shalt put the Ark of the Witnessing behind the Veil; and the Veil shall separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies.)

34 And thou shalt set the propitiatory, that is, a golden table covering the ark of God, on the ark of [the] witnessing, into the holy of holy things; (And thou shalt set the propitiatory, that is, the gold lid, that covereth the Ark, onto the Ark of the Witnessing, in the Holy of Holies;)

35 and thou shalt set a board without the veil, and against the board thou shalt set the candlestick in the south side of the tabernacle; for the board shall stand in the north side. (and thou shalt put the table outside the Veil, and opposite the table thou shalt put the lamp-stand on the south side of the Tabernacle; for the table shall stand on the north side.)

36 Thou shalt make also a curtain in the entering of the tabernacle, of jacinth, and purple, and of red silk twice-dyed, and of bis folded again, by embroidery work. (And thou shalt make a curtain for the entrance of the Tabernacle, out of jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and finely woven linen, and embroider it.)

37 And thou shalt overgild five pillars of [the] wood of shittim, before which pillars the curtain shall be led, of which pillars the hooks shall be of gold, and the bases of brass. (And thou shalt make five pillars out of shittim wood, to hang the curtain on, and thou shalt gild the pillars with gold, and they shall have gold hooks, and bronze bases.)

27 Also thou shalt make an altar of the wood of shittim, which shall have five cubits in length, and so many in breadth, that is, square, and three cubits in height. (And thou shalt make an altar out of shittim wood, or acacia wood, which shall be five cubits in length, and as many in breadth, that is, square, and three cubits in height.)

Forsooth horns shall be by [the] four corners thereof; and thou shalt cover it with brass. (It shall have horns at its four corners, and thou shalt cover it with bronze.)

And thou shalt make into the uses of the altar, pans to receive [the] ashes, and tongs, and fleshhooks, and firepans; thou shalt make all these vessels of brass. (And thou shalt make for use with the altar, pans to receive the ashes, and tongs, and fleshhooks, and firepans; thou shalt make all these vessels out of bronze.)

And thou shalt make a brazen griddle in the manner of a net, and by the four corners thereof shall be four brazen rings, (And thou shalt make a bronze griddle, fashioned like a net, and at its four corners shall be four bronze rings,)

which griddle thou shalt put under the firepan of the altar; and the griddle shall be till to the midst of the altar. (and thou shalt put the griddle under the rim of the altar, set-in half-way up the altar.)

And thou shalt make the two bars of the altar, of the wood of shittim, the which bars thou shalt cover with plates of brass; (And thou shalt make two bars out of shittim wood for the altar, which bars thou shalt cover with bronze plates;)

and thou shalt lead in the bars by the rings, and they shall be on ever either side of the altar, to bear (it). (and thou shalt lead in the bars through the rings, and they shall be on both sides of the altar, to carry it.)

Thou shalt make that altar not massive, but void, and hollow within, as it was showed to thee in the hill. (Thou shalt not make that altar solid, but empty, or hollow within, as it was shown to thee on the mountain.)

Also thou shalt make a large porch of the tabernacle, in the manner of a churchyard, in whose midday coast against the south shall be curtains of bis folded again; one side shall hold an hundred cubits in length, (And thou shalt make the courtyard of the Tabernacle in the manner of a churchyard, on whose south side facing south shall be curtains made out of finely woven linen; this side shall be a hundred cubits long,)

10 and twenty pillars, with so many brazen bases[g], which pillars shall have silver hooks, and the holdings of those[h]. (with twenty bronze pillars, and as many bronze bases, and the pillars shall have silver hooks and bands.)

11 In like manner in the north side, by the length, shall be curtains of an hundred cubits, twenty pillars, and brazen bases of the same number; and the hooks of the pillars, and the holdings of those, shall be of silver. (Likewise on the north side shall be curtains a hundred cubits long, with twenty bronze pillars, and as many bronze bases, and the pillars shall have silver hooks and bands.)

12 Forsooth in the breadth of the large porch, that beholdeth to the west, shall be curtains by fifty cubits, and ten pillars shall be, and as many bases. (And on the breadth of the courtyard, facing west, shall be curtains fifty cubits long, with ten pillars, and as many bases.)

13 In that breadth of the large porch, that beholdeth to the east, shall be fifty cubits, (And the breadth of the courtyard, facing east, shall be fifty cubits,)

14 in which the curtains of fifteen cubits shall be assigned to one side, and three pillars, and so many bases; (and on one side of the entrance there shall be curtains fifteen cubits long, with three pillars, and as many bases;)

15 and in the other side shall be curtains holding fifteen cubits, and three pillars, and so many bases. (and on the other side of the entrance, there shall also be curtains fifteen cubits long, with three pillars, and as many bases.)

16 Forsooth in the large entry of the porch shall be made a curtain of twenty cubits, of jacinth, and purple, and of red silk twice-dyed, and of bis folded again, by embroidery work; it shall have four pillars, with so many bases. (And at the entrance to the courtyard shall be a curtain twenty cubits long, made out of jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and finely woven linen, and embroidered; it shall be hung on four pillars, with as many bases.)

17 All the pillars of the great porch by compass shall be clothed with plates of silver, with hooks of silver, and with bases of brass. (All the pillars around the courtyard shall have silver bands, silver hooks, and bronze bases.)

18 The great porch shall occupy an hundred cubits in length, fifty in breadth; the height of the curtains shall be of five cubits; and it shall be made of bis folded again; and it shall have brazen bases. (The courtyard shall be a hundred cubits in length, fifty cubits in breadth, and five cubits in height; the curtains shall be made out of finely woven linen, and the bases made out of bronze.)

19 Thou shalt make of brass all the vessels of the tabernacle, into all uses and ceremonies, as well (as) the stakes thereof, as (also those) of the great entry. (Thou shalt make out of bronze all the vessels for use in all the ceremonies in the Tabernacle, as well as its pegs, and the pegs for the courtyard.)

20 Command thou also to the sons of Israel, that they bring to thee the cleanest oil of olive trees, and pounded with a pestle, that a lantern burn ever[more] (And command to the Israelites, that they bring thee the purest olive oil, yea, pounded with a pestle, so that the lantern shall burn forevermore)

21 in the tabernacle of witnessing without the veil, which is hanged in the tabernacle of witnessing; and Aaron and his sons shall set it, that it shine before the Lord (from eventide) till (to) the morrowtide; it shall be everlasting worshipping by their successions, or after-comings, of the sons of Israel. (in the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, outside the Veil which is hung in front of the Witnessing; and Aaron and his sons shall set it, so that it will shine before the Lord from the evening until the morning; this is an everlasting command for their successors, or after-comers, among the Israelites.)

28 Also apply thou to thee, or bring to thy presence, Aaron, thy brother, with his sons, from the midst of the sons of Israel, that Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, be set in priesthood to me. (And bring thou into thy presence, Aaron, thy brother, and his sons, from the midst of the Israelites, so that Aaron, and Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, can serve as my priests.)

And thou shalt make an holy cloth to Aaron, thy brother, into glory and fairness. (And thou shalt make holy clothes for thy brother Aaron, for his glory and beauty, or for his glory and grandeur.)

And thou shalt speak to all [the] wise men in heart, which I have filled with the spirit of prudence, that they make clothes to Aaron (so that they make clothes for Aaron), in which he shall be hallowed, and shall minister to me.

Forsooth these shall be the clothes, which they shall make; they shall make a rational, that is, an ouch upon the breast, in which doom and truth shall be written, and a cloak on the shoulders, a coat, and a strait linen cloth, a mitre, and a girdle; holy clothes to Aaron, thy brother, and to his sons, that they be set in priesthood to me. (And these shall be the clothes, which they shall make; they shall make a breast-piece, that is, a pouch, or a pocket, upon the breast, in which shall be carried the Urim and the Thummim, and an ephod, a robe, and an embroidered linen shirt, or tunic, a turban, and a sash; these shall be the holy clothes for thy brother Aaron, and for his sons, when they serve as my priests.)

And they shall take gold, and jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and bis (and fine linen);

forsooth they shall make the cloak on the shoulders of gold, and of jacinth, and of purple, and of red silk twice-dyed, and of bis folded again, by embroidery work of diverse colours [with needlework of diverse colours]. (and they shall make the ephod out of gold, and jacinth, and purple, red silk twice-dyed, and finely woven linen, and embroider it with diverse colours.)

It shall have two hems joined to ever either side of [the] highness, that they go into one. (It shall have two shoulder straps, fastened to its top edges in the front, and behind, to secure the ephod in place.)

That (the) weaving, and all [the] diversity of the work shall be of gold, and of jacinth, and of purple, and of red silk twice-dyed, and of bis folded again. (And its waistband shall also be made out of gold, and jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and finely woven linen, and it shall be joined to the ephod to form one piece.)

And thou shalt take two stones of onyx, and thou shalt grave in them the names of the sons of Israel, (And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and thou shalt engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel,)

10 six names in one stone, and six others in the tother stone, by the order of their birth; (six names on one stone, and six names on the other stone, in their birth order;)

11 by the work of a graver, and by the painting of a man that adorneth with gems, thou shalt grave those stones with the names of the sons of Israel; and thou shalt enclose and compass with gold. (by the work of an engraver, and by the painting of a man who adorneth with gems, thou shalt engrave those stones with the names of the sons of Israel; and thou shalt enclose and encompass them with gold.)

12 And thou shalt set those stones in ever either side of the cloak on the shoulders, (as) a memorial to the sons of Israel; and Aaron shall bear the names of them before the Lord on ever either shoulder, for remembering. (And thou shalt fasten those stones on the two shoulder straps of the ephod, as a reminder of the twelve tribes of Israel; Aaron shall carry their names before the Lord on both shoulders, so that I shall remember them.)

13 And thou shalt make (two) hooks (out) of (pure) gold,

14 and two little chains of cleanest gold, cleaving to themselves together, which little chains thou shalt set in the hooks. (and two little chains out of pure gold, which shall be twisted like ropes, and which thou shalt fasten to the hooks.)

15 Also thou shalt make the rational of doom by work of diverse colours, after the weaving of the cloak on the shoulder(s), of gold, jacinth, and purple, of red silk twice-dyed, and of bis folded again. (And thou shalt make the breast-piece of judgement like the weaving of the ephod, out of gold, and jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and finely woven linen, and embroider it.)

16 It shall be four-cornered, and double; it shall have the measure of a palm of an hand, as well in the length, as in breadth. (It shall be square, and folded over double; its measurements, the length as well as the breadth, shall be the palm of a hand.)

17 And thou shalt set therein four orders of stones; in the first order shall be the stone sardius, topaz, and smaragdus; (And thou shalt fasten to it four rows of stones; in the first row shall be stones of sardius, topaz, and emerald;)

18 in the second order shall be carbuncle, sapphire, and jasper; (in the second row shall be carbuncle, sapphire, and jasper;)

19 in the third order shall be ligure, agate, and amethyst; (in the third row shall be ligure, agate, and amethyst;)

20 and in the fourth order shall by crystallite, onyx, and beryl; these shall be closed in gold, by their orders, (and in the fourth row shall by crystallite, onyx, and beryl; they shall all be enclosed in gold, and in their proper order,)

21 and shall have the names of the sons of Israel; these shall be graved with twelve names; all the stones by themselves, with the names of all the sons by themselves, by [the] twelve lineages. (and shall have on them the names of the sons of Israel; yea, they shall be engraved with their twelve names; each of the stones shall have the name of one of the sons, to represent the twelve tribes of Israel.)

22 Thou shalt make in the rational chains cleaving to themselves together of purest gold, (Thou shalt make chains for the breast-piece out of pure gold, which shall be twisted like ropes,)

23 and thou shalt make two golden rings, which thou shalt set in ever either highness of the rational. (and thou shalt make two gold rings, which thou shalt fasten to the upper corners of the breast-piece.)

24 And thou shalt join the golden chains with the rings that be in the margins thereof, (And thou shalt join these gold chains to the rings that be fastened to the corners of the breast-piece,)

25 and thou shalt couple the ends of the chains to the two hooks in ever either side of the cloak on the shoulder(s), that beholdeth the rational. (and the other ends of these chains shall be joined to the two hooks, that shall be fastened to the upper part of the front of the two shoulder straps of the ephod.)

26 And thou shalt make two golden rings, which thou shalt set in the highness of the rational, and in the hems of the cloak on the shoulder(s), that be even against, and behold the latter things thereof. (And thou shalt make two gold rings, which thou shalt fasten to the lower corners of the breast-piece, by the hem of the ephod, so that they be opposite each other.)

27 Also and thou shalt make twain other golden rings, that shall be set in ever either side of the cloak on the shoulder(s) beneath, that beholdeth against the face of the lower joining, that it may be set covenably with the cloak on the shoulder(s). (And thou shalt make two more gold rings, and fasten them to the lower part of the front of the two shoulder straps of the ephod, near the seam, and above the waistband.)

28 And the rational be bound by his rings with the rings of the cloak on the shoulder(s), with a lace of jacinth, that the joining made (may) craftily dwell, and that the rational and the cloak on the shoulder(s) may not be separated each from (the) other. (And the breast-piece shall be bound by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of jacinth, so that the joining shall dwell secure, and the breast-piece and the ephod shall not separate from each other.)

29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the rational of doom on his breast, when he entereth into the saintuary, a memorial before the Lord [into] without end. (And so Aaron shall carry the names of the tribes of Israel on the breast-piece of judgement on his breast, when he entereth into the sanctuary, as a reminder before the Lord forevermore.)

30 Forsooth thou shalt set in the rational of doom, teaching and truth, which shall be in the breast of Aaron, when he entereth before the Lord; and he shall bear the doom of the sons of Israel in his breast in the sight of the Lord ever[more]. (And thou shalt put in the breast-piece of judgement the Urim and the Thummim, which shall be on Aaron’s breast, when he entereth before the Lord; and he shall carry these symbols of the judgement of the Israelites upon his breast before the Lord forevermore.)

31 And thou shalt make the coat of the cloak on the shoulder(s) all of jacinth, (And thou shalt make the robe to wear under the ephod out of jacinth,)

32 in whose middle above shall be an hood, that is, an hole for the head, and a woven hem by compass thereof, as it is wont to be done in the hems of clothes, lest it be broken lightly. (in whose middle on top shall be a hole for the head, with a hem woven all around it, as it is wont to be done in the hems of clothes, lest it be easily broken.)

33 Forsooth beneath at the feet of the same coat, by compass, thou shalt make as pomegranates, of jacinth, and purple, and of red silk twice-dyed, and of bis folded again; (And beneath, all around on the lower hem of the robe, thou shalt put pomegranates made out of jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and finely woven linen;)

34 while small bells be meddled in the midst, so that a little gold bell be and a pomegranate, and again another little bell of gold and a pomegranate. (with little bells mixed, or mingled, in the midst thereof, so that there be a little gold bell and a pomegranate, and another little gold bell and a pomegranate, and so on, all around the hem.)

35 And Aaron shall be clothed with that coat, or alb, in the office of his service, that the sound be heard, when he entereth into the saintuary, and goeth out, in the sight of the Lord; and that he die not. (And Aaron shall be clothed with that robe, or that alb, when he ministereth, so that the sound can be heard when he entereth into the sanctuary before the Lord, and when he goeth out; and so that he shall not die/and so that he shall not be killed.)

36 And thou shalt make a plate (out) of purest gold, in which thou shalt grave by the work of a graver, The Holy to the Lord (on which thou shalt engrave by the work of an engraver, Holy to the Lord), that is, the name of the Lord, Tetragrammaton.

37 And thou shalt bind that plate with a lace of jacinth, and it shall be on the mitre, and it shall nigh [to] the forehead of the bishop. (And thou shalt tie that plate to the turban with a lace of jacinth, and it shall be on the forehead of the High Priest.)

38 And Aaron shall bear the wickednesses of those things that the sons of Israel shall offer, and hallow in all their gifts to God, and in their free gifts to men; and the plate shall ever[more] be in Aaron’s forehead, that the Lord be pleased to them. (And Aaron shall bear the wickednesses done when the Israelites offer, and dedicate, all their gifts to the Lord; and the plate shall always be on his forehead, so that these gifts shall be acceptable to the Lord.)

39 And thou shalt bind the coat of bis, (that is, the linen cloth,) and the mitre of bis, and thou shalt make also a girdle, by embroidery work. (And thou shalt make the shirt, or the tunic, and the turban, and the sash out of fine linen, and the sash shall be embroidered.)

40 Forsooth thou shalt make ready to Aaron’s sons linen coats, (that is, linen clothes,) and girdles, and mitres, into glory and fairness. (And thou also shalt make fine linen shirts, or tunics, and sashes, and peaked caps, for Aaron’s sons, for their glory and beauty, or for their glory and grandeur.)

41 And thou shalt clothe Aaron, thy brother, with all these, and his sons with him. And thou shalt (anoint them, and make) sacred the hands of them all; and thou shalt hallow them, that they be set in priesthood to me. (And thou shalt clothe thy brother Aaron, and his sons, with all these things. And thou shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and ordain, or install, them, so that they can serve as my priests.)

42 Also thou shalt make to them linen breeches, that they cover the flesh of their filth[hood], from the reins unto their hips. (And thou shalt make linen breeches for them, so that they cover their naked flesh, from their reins unto their hips.)

43 And Aaron and his sons shall use those breeches, when they shall enter into the tabernacle of witnessing, or when they nigh to the altar, that they minister in the saintuary, lest they be guilty of wickedness, and die; it shall be a lawful thing everlasting to Aaron, and to his seed after him. (And Aaron and his sons shall use those breeches, whenever they shall enter into the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, or when they approach the altar, to minister in the sanctuary, lest they be guilty of wickedness, and die; this shall be an everlasting law for Aaron, and for his descendants after him.)

29 But also thou shalt do this, that they be (made) sacred to me in priesthood; take thou a calf of the drove, and two rams without wem, (And thou shalt do this to consecrate them as my priests; take a calf from the herd, and two rams without blemish, or without fault,)

and therf loaves, and a cake without sourdough, which be sprinkled (al)together with oil, and therf pastes sodden in water, (and) balmed, either fried, with oil; thou shalt make all these things of pure wheat flour, (and unleavened bread, and cakes made without yeast, which be sprinkled with oil, and unleavened wafers boiled in water, and fried in oil; thou shalt make all these things out of pure wheat flour,)

and thou shalt offer them put in a basket. Forsooth thou shalt present the calf, and [the] two rams, (and thou shalt put them in a basket, and offer them with the calf, and the two rams.)

and Aaron and his sons, at the door of the tabernacle of witnessing; and when thou hast washed the father and his sons in water, (And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tabernacle of the Witnessing; and when thou hast washed the father and his sons with water,)

thou shalt clothe Aaron with his clothes, that is, the linen cloth, and coat, and the cloak on the shoulders, and the rational, which thou shalt bind with a girdle. (thou shalt clothe Aaron with his clothes, that is, the linen shirt, or tunic, and the robe, and the ephod, and the breast-piece, which thou shalt tie up with the sash.)

And thou shalt set the mitre on his head, and the holy plate on the mitre, (And thou shalt put the turban on his head, and the holy plate of consecration on the turban,)

and thou shalt shed the oil of anointing on his head; and by this custom he shall be (made) sacred. (and thou shalt pour the anointing oil on his head; and by this rite he shall be consecrated.)

Also thou shalt present his sons, and thou shalt clothe them with linen clothes, (And then thou shalt present his sons, and thou shalt clothe them with linen shirts, or tunics,)

and thou shalt gird Aaron and (each of) his sons with a girdle; and thou shalt set mitres on them; and they shall be my priests by everlasting religion. [And] After that thou hast hallowed their hands, (and as with Aaron, thou shalt gird each of his sons with a sash; and thou shalt put the peaked caps on them; and they shall serve as my priests by an everlasting law. And after that thou hast consecrated them,)

10 also thou shalt present the calf before the tabernacle of (the) witnessing; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the calf’s head;

11 and thou shalt slay it in the sight of the Lord, beside the door of the tabernacle of witnessing. (and thou shalt kill it before the Lord, at the entrance to the Tabernacle of the Witnessing.)

12 And thou shalt take the blood of the calf, and thou shalt put it with thy finger upon the corners of the altar. Forsooth thou shalt shed the other blood that is left beside the foundament of the altar (And thou shalt pour out the rest of the blood at the foundation, or at the base, of the altar).

13 And thou shalt take all the fatness that covereth the entrails, and the caul of the maw, and the two kidneys, and the fatness that is on them; and thou shalt offer them (as) incense upon the altar.

14 Forsooth thou shalt burn without(forth) (of) the tents the flesh of the calf, and the skin, and the dung, for it is slain for sin. (But the calf’s flesh, and its skin, and its dung, thou shalt burn away from the tents, for it is a sin offering.)

15 Also thou shalt take one (of the) ram(s), on whose head Aaron and his sons shall set (their) hands;

16 and when thou hast slain that ram, thou shalt take (all) of his blood, and shalt shed it about the altar (and thou shalt throw it against the sides of the altar).

17 Forsooth thou shalt cut that ram into small gobbets, and thou shalt put his entrails washed, and his feet, upon his flesh carved, and upon his head; (And then thou shalt cut that ram into small pieces, and thou shalt wash its entrails, and its feet, and put them on its carved flesh, and on its head;)

18 and thou shalt offer thus all the ram into incense on the altar; it is an offering to the Lord, the sweetest odour of the slain sacrifice of the Lord. (and so thou shalt offer all the ram as incense upon the altar; it is an offering to the Lord, the sweetest aroma of the slain sacrifice to the Lord.)

19 And thou shalt take the tother ram, on whose head Aaron and his sons shall set their hands;

20 and when thou hast offered that ram, thou shalt take (some) of his blood, and thou shalt put it upon the last part of the right ear of Aaron, and of his sons, and upon the thumbs of their (right) hand, and (the big toes) of their right foot; and thou shalt shed the blood on the altar by compass (and thou shalt throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar).

21 And when thou hast taken (some) of the blood, that is on the altar, and (some) of the oil of anointing, thou shalt sprinkle Aaron and his clothes, [and] his sons and their clothes. And when they and their clothes be (made) sacred (And when they and their clothes be consecrated),

22 thou shalt take the inner fatness of the ram, and the tail, and the fatness that covereth the entrails, and the caul of the maw, and the two kidneys, and the fatness that is on them; and thou shalt take the right shoulder, for it is the ram of consecration;

23 and thou shalt take a tender cake of one loaf, sprinkled with oil, (and the) paste (that is) sodden in water, and after(ward) fried in oil, (out) of the pannier of therf loaves, which is set in the sight of the Lord. (and thou shalt take one loaf of bread, and one cake of bread sprinkled with oil, and one wafer boiled in water, and then fried in oil, from the basket of unleavened bread, which is put before the Lord.)

24 And thou shalt put all these things upon the hands of Aaron (And thou shalt put all these things into the hands of Aaron), and (those) of his sons, and thou shalt hallow them, and raise them [up] (as a special gift) before the Lord.

25 And thou shalt take all these things from their hands, and thou shalt burn them on the altar, into burnt sacrifice, (for) [the] sweetest odour in the sight of the Lord, for it is the offering of the Lord. (And then thou shalt take all these things out of their hands, and thou shalt burn them upon the altar, for a burnt sacrifice, to make the sweetest aroma before the Lord, for it is an offering to the Lord.)

26 Also thou shalt take the breast of the ram, by which Aaron was hallowed, and thou shalt hallow it, raised [up] before the Lord; and it shall turn into thy part. (And thou shalt take the ram’s breast, with which Aaron was consecrated, and thou shalt hallow it, and raise it up before the Lord; and it shall be thy portion.)

27 And thou shalt hallow also the breast (made) sacred, and the shoulder which thou separatedest from the ram, by which Aaron was hallowed, and his sons; (And thou shalt also hallow the consecrated breast, and the shoulder which thou separatedest from the ram, with which Aaron and his sons were consecrated;)

28 and they shall turn into the part of Aaron, and of his sons, by everlasting right, of the sons of Israel; for they be the first things, and the beginning/s of the peaceable sacrifices of them, which they offer to the Lord. (and they shall belong to Aaron, and to his sons, by an everlasting law, as a gift from the Israelites; for they be the first things, and the beginnings of their peace offerings, which they offer to the Lord.)

29 Forsooth the sons of Aaron shall have after him the holy cloth(es), which Aaron shall use, that they be anointed therein, and that their hands be (made) sacred. (And the holy clothes which Aaron shall wear, shall belong to his sons after him, and they shall be anointed, and consecrated, in them.)

30 That of his sons, that shall be made bishop for him, shall use that cloak (for) seven days, and which son shall enter into the tabernacle of witnessing, that he minister in the saintuary. (He of his sons, who shall be made the High Priest after him, and shall enter into the Tabernacle of the Witnessing to minister in the sanctuary, shall wear those clothes for seven days.)

31 And soothly thou shalt take the wether of hallowing, that is, the ram of consecration, and thou shalt seethe his flesh in the holy place,

32 which flesh Aaron and his sons shall eat, and they shall eat the loaves, that be in the basket, in the porch of the tabernacle of witnessing, (and Aaron and his sons shall eat the ram’s flesh, and the loaves that be in the basket, at the entrance to the Tabernacle of the Witnessing.)

33 that it be a pleasing sacrifice, and that the hands of the offerers be hallowed. An alien shall not eat of these things, for they be holy. (They shall eat those things that be offered when they be consecrated. But a stranger, that is, any unqualified person, shall not eat any of these things, for they be holy.)

34 That if anything leaveth of the flesh hallowed, either of the loaves, till to the morrowtide (And if anything is left of the consecrated flesh, or of the loaves, until the morning), thou shalt burn the remnants with fire; they shall not be eaten, for they be hallowed.

35 Thou shalt do on Aaron, and on his sons, all things which I commanded to thee. Seven days thou shalt (make) sacred their hands, (Thou shalt do unto Aaron, and unto his sons, all the things which I have commanded to thee. For seven days thou shalt consecrate them.)

36 and thou shalt offer a calf for sin by each day (for) to cleanse; and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast offered the sacrifice of cleansing, and thou shalt anoint the altar into [the] hallowing (of it). (And each day thou shalt offer a calf as a sin offering for cleansing; and so thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast offered the sacrifice of cleansing, and then thou shalt anoint the altar with oil to consecrate it.)

37 Seven days thou shalt cleanse and hallow the altar, and it shall be the holy of holy things; each man that shall touch it shall be hallowed. (For seven days thou shalt cleanse and consecrate the altar, and it shall be most holy; anyone who is unclean who toucheth it, shall be harmed.)

38 This it is, that thou shalt do in the altar; two lambs of one year continually by each day, (This is what thou shalt offer on the altar; two lambs, one year old, each and every day,)

39 one lamb in the morrowtide, and the tother in the eventide;

40 thou shalt do in one lamb the tenth part of flour sprinkled with oil, pounded, that shall have a measure, the fourth part of hin, that is, of two pounds, and wine of the same measure, to make (the flowing) sacrifice. (thou shalt offer with the first lamb the tenth part of flour sprinkled with oil from pounded olives, that hath a measure of the fourth part of a hin, that is, of two pounds, and the same amount of wine, to make the wine offering.)

41 Soothly thou shalt offer the tother lamb at eventide, by the custom of the offering of the morrowtide, and by those things, which we said, into the odour of sweetness; (And thou shalt offer the other lamb in the evening, by the same rite as the morning offering, and with those things, which we said, to make the sweetest aroma;)

42 it is a sacrifice to the Lord by everlasting offering into your generations, at the door of the tabernacle of witnessing before the Lord, where I shall ordain that I speak to thee; (it is a sacrifice to the Lord, yea, an offering that shall be made by all your generations to come, at the entrance to the Tabernacle of the Witnessing before the Lord, where I have ordained that I shall speak to thee;)

43 and there I shall command to the sons of Israel; and the altar shall be hallowed in my glory. (and I shall meet with the Israelites there; and the place shall be hallowed, or made holy, by my glory.)

44 And I shall hallow also the tabernacle of witnessing with the altar, and Aaron and his sons, that they be set in priesthood to me. (And I shall hallow the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, and the altar, and also Aaron and his sons, so that they can serve as my priests.)

45 And I shall dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel, and I shall be God to them; (And I shall dwell in the midst of the Israelites, and I shall be their God;)

46 and they shall know, that I am their Lord God, which led them out of the land of Egypt, that I should dwell among them; for I am their Lord God. (and they shall know, that I am the Lord their God, who led them out of the land of Egypt, so that I could live among them; for I am the Lord their God.)

30 Also thou shalt make an altar of the wood of shittim, for to burn incense; (And thou shalt make an altar out of shittim wood, or acacia wood, on which to burn incense;)

and the altar shall have a cubit of length, and another cubit of breadth, that is four-cornered, and two cubits in height; (and the) corners shall come forth of the altar. (and the altar shall be one cubit in length, and one cubit in breadth, that is, square, and two cubits in height; and horns shall come forth from the altar.)

And thou shalt clothe it with cleanest gold, as well the roof thereof, that is, the higher part, as the walls, and [the] corners by compass thereof; and thou shalt make to the altar a little golden crown by compass, (And thou shalt cover it with pure gold, yea, the top of it, and its walls, and the horns on its corners; and thou shalt put a gold band all around the altar,)

and two golden circles under the crown by all sides, that bars be put into those rings, and so the altar be borne. (and thou shalt fasten two gold rings under the band on each side, so that bars can be put through those rings, and the altar can be carried.)

Also thou shalt make the bars of the wood of shittim, and thou shalt overgild them; (And thou shalt make the bars out of shittim wood, and thou shalt gild them with gold;)

and thou shalt set the altar against the veil, that hangeth before the ark of witnessing, (and) before the propitiatory, with which the witnessing is covered, where I shall speak to thee. (and thou shalt put the altar outside the Veil, that hangeth in front of the Ark of the Witnessing, and in front of the propitiatory, that is, the mercy seat, or the lid, that covereth the Ark of the Witnessing, where I shall speak to thee.)

And Aaron shall burn thereon incense smelling sweetly early (And early each day, Aaron shall burn sweet smelling incense on it); when he shall array the lanterns, he shall burn it;

and when he setteth the lanterns at eventide, he shall burn everlasting incense before the Lord, into your generations. (and when he setteth the lanterns in the evening, he shall also burn everlasting incense on it before the Lord, and so shall all your generations to come.)

Ye shall not offer thereon incense of (any) other making, neither offering, nor slain sacrifice, neither ye shall offer flowing offerings thereon (nor shall ye offer any wine offerings on it).

10 And Aaron shall pray on the horns thereof once by the year, in the blood which is offered for sin, and he shall please (the Lord) thereon in your generations; it shall be the holy of holy things to the Lord. (And once every year Aaron shall put blood on its horns, from the yearly sin offering, and for all your generations to come, the priest shall cleanse, or shall purify, the altar in this way; for it is most holy to the Lord.)

11 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,

12 When thou shalt take the sum of the sons of Israel, all by themselves shall give by the number (the) price for their souls to the Lord, and vengeance shall not be in them, when they be numbered. (When thou shalt take the sum of the sons of Israel, that is, when thou shalt register them, each one shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord, and so vengeance shall not come upon them, as they be listed.)

13 Soothly each that passeth to the name(d), that is, of twenty years, shall give this price (And each one who passeth over to the named, that is, he who is twenty years of age, or older, shall pay this amount of money), half a shekel by the measure of the temple; a shekel hath twenty half-pence; the half part of a shekel shall be offered to the Lord.

14 He that is had in the number, from twenty years and above, shall give this price; (He that is had in the number, from twenty years of age and older, shall pay this amount of money;)

15 a rich man shall not add to the half of a shekel, and a poor man shall nothing abate (and a poor man shall not pay less).

16 And thou shalt betake into the uses of the tabernacle of witnessing the money taken, which is gathered of the sons of Israel, that it be a mind of them before the Lord, and he shall be merciful to their souls. (And thou shalt use the money, which is gathered from the sons of Israel, for the needs of the Tabernacle of the Witnessing; and it shall be a reminder of them to the Lord, and so I shall be merciful to their souls.)

17 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,

18 Also thou shalt make a great vessel of brass with his foundament, to wash in, and thou shalt set it betwixt the tabernacle of witnessing and the altar; and when water is put therein, (And thou shalt make a great bronze vessel, with a bronze foundation, or a bronze base, to wash in, and thou shalt set it between the Tabernacle of the Witnessing and the altar; and when water is put in it,)

19 Aaron and his sons shall wash therein their hands and their feet,

20 when they shall enter into the tabernacle of witnessing, and when they shall nigh to the altar, that they offer therein incense to the Lord, lest peradventure they die; (whenever they shall go into the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, or when they shall approach the altar to offer incense on it to the Lord, otherwise they shall die/or they shall be killed;)

21 it shall be a lawful thing everlasting to him and to his seed by successions. (this shall be an everlasting law for him and for his descendants by succession.)

22 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,

23 Take to thee sweet smelling spiceries, of the first and chosen myrrh, (equal to the weight of) five hundred shekels; and of canel the half (and half as much canel), that is, (the weight of) two hundred and fifty shekels; [and] in like manner of calamus, that is, a sweet smelling tree, small and full of knots, (the weight of) two hundred and fifty shekels;

24 also of cassia five hundred shekels, in the weight of [the] saintuary; the oil of olives trees, the measure of hin; (and of cassia, the weight of five hundred shekels, all by the measure of the sanctuary; and the oil of olives trees, the measure of a hin, that is, two pounds;)

25 and thou shalt make the holy oil of anointing, an ointment made by the craft of an ointment maker.

26 And thou shalt anoint thereof the tabernacle of witnessing, and the ark of the testament, (And thou shalt anoint with it the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, and the Ark of the Witnessing,)

27 and the board with his vessels, [and] the candlestick, and the purtenances thereof, (and) the altars of incense, (and the table, and its vessels, and the lamp-stand, and its purtenances, and the altar of incense,)

28 and of burnt sacrifice, and all the purtenance, that pertaineth to the adorning of those things. (and the altar of burnt sacrifice, and the purtenances of the altars, and the great washing vessel, and its foundation, or its base.)

29 And thou shalt hallow all (these) things, and they shall be the holy of holy things; he that shall touch those, shall be hallowed beforehand. (And thou shalt hallow all these things, and they shall be most holy; anyone who is unclean who toucheth these things, shall be harmed.)

30 Thou shalt anoint Aaron, and his sons, and thou shalt hallow them, that they be set in priesthood to me (so that they can serve as my priests).

31 And thou shalt say to the sons of Israel, This oil of anointing shall be holy to me into your generations. (And thou shalt say to the Israelites, This anointing oil shall be holy to me, for all your generations to come.)

32 The flesh of (a) man shall not be anointed thereof, and by the making thereof ye shall not make another such oil, for it is hallowed, and it shall be holy to you.

33 Whatever man maketh such oil, and giveth thereof to an alien, he shall be put out of his people. (Whoever maketh such an oil, or giveth it to anyone, shall be put out, or shall be cut off, from his people.)

34 Forsooth the Lord said to Moses, Take to thee sweet smelling spiceries, stacte, and onycha, galbanum of good odour, and most pure (frank)incense, all these shall be of even weight (and they all shall be of equal weight).

35 And thou shalt make (the) incense, made by the craft of an ointment maker, meddled together diligently (diligently mixed together), and pure, and most worthy of hallowing.

36 And when thou hast pounded all these things into (the) smallest powder, thou shalt put thereof before the tabernacle of witnessing, in which place I shall appear to thee; the made incense shall be to you the holy of holy things. (And when thou hast pounded all these things into the smallest powder, thou shalt sprinkle it in front of the Ark of the Witnessing in the Tabernacle, where I shall appear to thee; this incense shall be most holy to you.)

37 Ye shall not make such a making into your [own] uses, for it is holy to the Lord. (Ye shall not make such incense for your own uses, for it is holy to the Lord.)

38 Whatever man maketh like thing to it, that he use the odour thereof, he shall perish from his people. (Whoever maketh anything like it, so that he can have its aroma for himself, he shall perish, or shall be cut off, from the midst of his people.)

31 And the Lord spake to Moses, saying,

Lo! I have called Bezaleel by name, the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the lineage of Judah; (Lo! I have called by name Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;)

and I have filled him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, and understanding, and knowing in all (manner of) work,

to find out, or cast, whatever thing may be made subtly of gold, and silver, and brass, (to design whatever things may be made out of gold, and silver, and bronze,)

and marble, and gems, and of (the) diversity of woods.

And I have given to him a fellow, Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the kindred of Dan; and I have put in their hearts the wisdom of each learned man, that they make all things which I have commanded to thee; (And I have given for fellowship to him, Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the family, or the tribe, of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the heart of other learned men, so that they know how to make all the things which I have commanded to thee;)

the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace, and the ark of witnessing, and the propitiatory, or the table, that is thereon, and all the vessels of the tabernacle; (the Tabernacle of the Covenant, that is, the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, and the Ark of the Witnessing, and the propitiatory, that is the lid, that covereth the Ark, and all the vessels of the Tabernacle;)

also the board, and the vessels thereof, the cleanest candlestick with his vessels, and the altars of incense, (and the table, and its vessels, the lamp-stand of pure gold, and its vessels, and the altar of incense,)

and of burnt sacrifice, and all the vessels of them; the great washing vessel with his foundament; (and the altar of burnt sacrifice, and all their vessels; the great washing vessel, and its foundation, or its base;)

10 [the] holy clothes in service to Aaron the priest, and to his sons, that they be set in their office in holy things; (the holy clothes of ministry for Aaron the priest, and for his sons, to use when they serve as my priests;)

11 the oil of anointing, and the incense of sweet smelling spiceries in the saintuary (the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet smelling spices for the sanctuary); they shall make all these things that I have commanded to thee.

12 And the Lord spake to Moses, saying,

13 Speak thou to the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, See ye that ye keep my sabbath, for it is a sign betwixt me and you in your generations; that ye know, that I am the Lord, which hallow[eth] you. (Speak thou to the Israelites, and thou shalt say to them, See ye that ye keep my sabbath, for it is a sign between me and you for all generations to come; so that ye know, that I am the Lord, who halloweth you.)

14 Keep ye my sabbath, for it is holy to you; he that defouleth it, shall die by death (he who defileth it, must be put to death); (yea,) the soul of him, that doeth work in the sabbath, shall perish from the midst of his people.

15 Six days ye shall do work; in the seventh day is sabbath, the holy rest to the Lord; each man that doeth work in this day shall die. (For six days ye shall do work; but on the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, which is holy to the Lord; any person who doeth work on this day must be put to death.)

16 The sons of Israel keep [the] sabbath, and hallow it in their generations; it is a covenant everlasting (The Israelites shall keep the sabbath, and make it holy in all their generations; it is an everlasting covenant)

17 betwixt me and the sons of Israel, and it is a sign everlasting; for in six days God made heaven and earth, and in the seventh day he ceased of work. (between me and the Israelites, and it is an everlasting sign; for in six days God made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he ceased from all his work.)

18 And when he had [ful]filled to speak to Moses, the Lord gave to Moses, in the hill of Sinai, two stone tables of witnessing, written with the finger of God. (And when he had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, the Lord gave Moses the two stone tablets of the Witnessing, that is, the Law, written with the finger of God.)

32 Forsooth the people saw, that Moses made tarrying to come down from the hill, and it was gathered together against Aaron, and said, Rise thou, and make gods to us, that shall go before us, for we wot not what is befallen to this man Moses, that led us out of the land of Egypt. (And the people saw, that Moses was very long in coming down from the mountain, and so they gathered together around Aaron, and said, Rise thou up, and make gods for us, that shall go before us, for we know not what hath befallen this man Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt.)

And Aaron said to them, Take ye the golden earrings from the ears of your wives (Take ye the gold earrings from the ears of your wives), (and) of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring ye them to me.

The people did those things, that he commanded, and brought the earrings to Aaron;

and when he had taken those, he formed them by work of melting, and he made of them a molten calf (and he made a calf out of the melted gold). And they said, Israel, these be thy gods, that led thee out of the land of Egypt.

And when Aaron had seen this thing, he builded an altar before the calf, and he cried by the voice of a crier, and said, Tomorrow is the solemnity of the Lord. (And when Aaron had seen this thing, he built an altar before the calf, and he cried by the voice of a crier, and said, Tomorrow shall be a Feast to the Lord.)

And they rose (up) early, and offered burnt sacrifices, and peaceable sacrifices (and peace offerings); and the people sat (down) to eat and to drink, and (then) they rose up to play, or to scorn, for idolatry is (the) scorning of God.

And the Lord spake to Moses, and said, Go thou, go down, thy people hath sinned, whom thou leddest out of the land of Egypt. (And the Lord spoke to Moses, and said, Go thou, and go down now, for thy people, whom thou leddest out of the land of Egypt, have sinned.)

They have gone away soon from the way that thou showedest them, and they have made to them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and they have offered sacrifices to it, and said, Israel, these be thy gods, that led thee out of the land of Egypt. (So soon, or so quickly, they have gone away from the way that thou showedest them, and they have made for themselves a calf out of melted gold, and have worshipped it, and they have offered sacrifices to it, and have said, These be thy gods, Israel, that led thee out of the land of Egypt.)

And again the Lord said to Moses, I see [well], that this people is of hard noll; (And the Lord said to Moses, now I clearly see, that this is a hard-headed, or a stubborn, people;)

10 suffer thou me, that my strong vengeance be wroth against them, and that I do away them; and I shall make thee into a great folk. (allow me, that my strong anger come forth in vengeance against them, and that I do them away; and then I shall make a great nation to come forth from thee.)

11 Forsooth Moses prayed the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why is thy vengeance wroth against thy people, whom thou hast led out of the land of Egypt in great strength, and in a strong hand? (But Moses prayed to the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why be thou so angry for vengeance against thy people, whom thou hast led out of the land of Egypt with great strength, and with a strong hand?)

12 I beseech (thee), that [the] Egyptians say not, He led them out fellily (He led them out with an evil intent), to slay (them) in the hills, and to do them away from [the] earth; (let) thine ire cease, and be thou quemeful on the wickedness of thy people.

13 Have thou mind of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, thy servants, to which thou hast sworn by thyself, and saidest, I shall multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and I shall give to your seed all the land of which I spake, and ye shall wield it ever[more]. (Remember Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, thy servants, to whom thou hast sworn by thy own self, and saidest, I shall multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens, and I shall give to your descendants all the land of which I spoke, and ye shall possess it forevermore.)

14 And the Lord was pleased (with Moses’ words), (so) that he did not (do) the evil which he spake against his people.

15 And Moses turned again from the hill, and bare in his hand(s) (the) two tables of witnessing, written in either side, (And then Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, and carried in his hands the two tablets of the Witnessing, written on both sides,)

16 and made by the work of God; and the writing of God was graven in the tables. (and made by God’s work; and God’s writing was engraved on the tablets.)

17 Forsooth Joshua heard the noise of the people crying [out], and he said to Moses, (The) Yelling of fighting is heard in the tents.

18 To whom Moses answered, It is not a cry of men exciting to battle, neither the cry of men compelled to fleeing, but I hear the voice(s) of singers.

19 And when Moses had nighed to the tents, he saw the calf, and (the) dances; and he was wroth greatly, and he threw out of his hand(s) the tables, and he brake them at the roots of the hill. (And when Moses came close to the tents, he saw the calf, and the people dancing; and he was greatly angered, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and he broke them at the foot of the mountain.)

20 And he took the calf, which they had made, and he burnt it, and brake it till (in)to powder, which he sprinkled into the water, and gave thereof (to) drink to the sons of Israel (and then he made the Israelites to drink it).

21 And Moses said to Aaron, What did this people to thee, that thou hast brought in on them the greatest sin? (And Moses said to Aaron, What did this people do to thee, so that thou hast brought in on them this very great sin?)

22 To whom he answered, My lord, be not thou wroth (My lord, do not thou be angry), for thou knowest this people, that it is inclined, either ready, to evil;

23 they said to me, Make thou gods to us, that shall go before us, for we wot not, what hath befallen to this Moses, that led us out of the land of Egypt. (they said to me, Make thou gods for us, that shall go before us, for we know not, what hath befallen this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt.)

24 To whom I said, Who of you hath gold? They took (And so they brought what they had), and gave (it) to me, and I casted it forth into the fire, and this calf went out.

25 Therefore Moses saw the people, that it was made bare; for Aaron had spoiled it for the shame of the filth(hood) of making of the idol, and he had made the people naked among (their) enemies. (And so Moses saw that the people were made bare; for Aaron had plundered them for the shame of the filthhood of the making of the idol, and he had made the people look foolish before their enemies.)

26 And Moses stood in the gate of the tents (And Moses stood at the gate of the tents, or of the camp), and said, If any man is of the Lord, be he joined to me; and all the sons of Levi were gathered to him.

27 To which he said, The Lord God of Israel saith these things, A man put his sword upon his hip, go ye, and turn ye again from gate unto gate by the middle of the tents, and each man slay his brother, his friend, and [his] neighbour, which consented to this idolatry. (To whom he said, The Lord God of Israel saith these things, Each man put his sword on his hip, and then go ye through the midst of the camp, from one gate to the other, and back again, and each man kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbour, yea, all who consented to this idolatry.)

28 And the sons of Levi did by the word of Moses, and as three thousand of men felled down in that day. (And the Levites obeyed Moses, and three thousand men fell down dead that day.)

29 And Moses said, Ye have hallowed your hands today to the Lord, each man in his son, and [his] brother, that blessing be given to you. (And Moses said, Today ye have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, each man against his son, and against his brother, and so a blessing hath been given to you.)

30 Soothly when the tother day was made, Moses spake to the people, (and said,) Ye have sinned the most sin (Ye have sinned this very great sin); I shall go up to the Lord, if in any manner I shall be able to beseech him for your felony.

31 And he turned again to the Lord, and said, Lord, I beseech thee, this people hath sinned a great sin, and they have made golden gods to them; (And he returned to the Lord, and said, Lord, I beseech thee, this people hath sinned a very great sin, and they have made gods out of gold for themselves;)

32 either forgive thou this guilt to them, either if thou doest not, do away me from thy book, which thou hast written. (and so either forgive thou them this guilt, or if thou shalt not, then do me away from thy book, which thou hast written.)

33 To whom the Lord answered, I shall do away from my book him that sinneth against me;

34 forsooth go thou, and lead this people, whither I spake to thee; mine angel shall go before thee; forsooth in the day of vengeance I shall visit also this sin of them (but on the day of vengeance, I shall punish them for their sin).

35 Therefore the Lord smote the people (And so the Lord struck the people with a plague), for the guilt of the calf, which Aaron (had) made.

33 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said, Go, and go up from this place (Get up, and go forth from this place), thou, and thy people, that thou hast led out of the land of Egypt, into the land, which I have sworn to Abraham, and to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, I shall give it to thy seed.

And I shall send thy before-goer, an angel, that I cast out Canaanite, and Amorite, and Hittite, and Perizzite, and Hivite, and Jebusite; (And I shall send an angel before thee, and I shall throw out the Canaanites, and Amorites, and Hittites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites;)

and that thou enter into the land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up with thee, for thou art a people of hard noll, lest peradventure I lose thee in the way. (and thou shalt enter into the land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up with thee, for thou art a hard-headed, or a stubborn, people, and I might destroy thee on the way.)

The people heard this worst word, and mourned, and none was clothed with his adorning, that is, (his) precious clothes, (as) by custom.

And the Lord said to Moses, Speak thou to the sons of Israel, (and say,) Thou art a people of hard noll; (at) once I shall go up in the midst of thee, and I shall do away thee; right now put thou away thine adorning, that is, crowns which they made in(to) receiving of the law, that I know, what I shall do to thee. (For the Lord had said to Moses, Speak thou to the Israelites, and say, Thou art a hard-headed, or a stubborn, people; and at once I shall go up into the midst of thee, and I shall do thee away; so right now, put away thy adornment, that is, the crowns which they had made to wear when they received the Law, and then I shall decide what I shall do to thee.)

Therefore the sons of Israel putted away their adorning, from the hill of Horeb (onwards). (And so, the Israelites put away their adornment, from that day at Mount Sinai, and forevermore.)

And Moses took the tabernacle, and set it far without the tents, and he called the name thereof the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace. And all the people that had any question, went out to the tabernacle of the bond of peace, without the tents. (And Moses took the Tabernacle, and set it up far away from the tents, and he called it the Tabernacle of the Covenant, that is, the Tabernacle of the Witnessing. And all the people, who had any question, went out to the Tabernacle of the Covenant, which was pitched far away from the camp.)

And when Moses went out to the tabernacle, all the people rose, and each man stood in the door of his tent, and they beheld after Moses, till he entered into the tent. (And when Moses went out to the Tabernacle, all the people rose up, and they all stood at the entrance to their tents, and they watched Moses, until he entered into the Tent.)

Soothly when he entered into the tabernacle of the bond of peace, a pillar of cloud came down, and stood at the door of the tabernacle; and the Lord spake with Moses, (And when he entered into the Tabernacle of the Covenant, that is, the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, a pillar of cloud came down, and stood at the entrance to the Tabernacle; and the Lord spoke with Moses,)

10 while all men saw that the pillar of cloud stood at the door of the tabernacle; and they stood, and worshipped, at the doors of their tabernacles. (while everyone saw that the pillar of cloud stood at the entrance to the Tabernacle; and they stood, and worshipped, at the entrance to their tents.)

11 Forsooth the Lord spake to Moses face to face, that is openly, as a man is wont to speak with his friend; and when Moses turned again into his tabernacle, Joshua, his servant, the son of Nun, a young man, went not out of the tabernacle (but when Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, a young man, the son of Nun, remained in the Tabernacle).

12 Forsooth Moses said to the Lord, Thou commandest, that I lead out this people, and thou hast not showed to me, whom thou shalt send with me, namely since thou saidest, I knew thee by name, and thou hast found grace before me. (And Moses said to the Lord, Thou commandest, that I lead out this people, but thou hast not shown me, whom thou shalt send with me; yet thou hast said to me, I know thee by name, and thou hast found grace before me.)

13 Therefore if I have found grace in thy sight, show thy face to me, that I know thee, and find grace before thine eyes; behold thy people, and this folk. (And so, if I have found grace before thee, show thy face to me, so that I can know thee, and continue to find grace before thee; and remember, Lord, that this nation is thy people.)

14 And God said, My face shall go before thee, and I shall give rest to thee.

15 And Moses said, If thou thyself shalt not go before us, lead thou not us out of this place; (And Moses said, If thou shalt not go before us, then do not thou lead us out of this place;)

16 for in what thing may we know, I and thy people, that we have found grace in thy sight, if thou shalt not go with us (unless thou shalt go with us), (and) that we be glorified (out) of all (the) peoples that dwell on [the] earth?

17 Forsooth the Lord said to Moses, I shall do also this word, that thou hast spoken; for thou hast found grace before me, and I know thyself by name. (And the Lord said to Moses, I shall do what thou hast asked; for thou hast found grace before me, and I know thee by name.)

18 And Moses said, Lord, show thou thy glory to me.

19 God answered, I shall show all (my) good(ness) to thee, and I shall call in the name of the Lord before thee, and I shall do mercy to whom I will, and I shall be merciful, either goodly, on whom it pleaseth me. (God answered, I shall show all my goodness to thee, and I shall declare the name of the Lord before thee, and I shall do mercy to whom I will, and I shall be merciful, or forgiving, to whom it pleaseth me.)

20 And again God said, Thou mayest not see my face, for a man shall not see me, and live. (And then God said, But thou cannot see my face, for no one can see me, and live.)

21 And again God said, A place is with me, and thou shalt stand upon a stone; (And God said, Here is a place beside me, and thou shalt stand on a rock;)

22 and when my glory shall pass (by), I shall set thee in the hole of the stone, and I shall cover thee with my right hand, till that I pass (by);

23 and (then) I shall take away mine hand, and thou shalt see mine hinder parts, forsooth thou mayest not see my face.

34 And afterward God said, Hew to thee two tables of stone at the likeness of the former, and I shall write on those tables those words, which the tables, that thou brakest, had. (And afterward God said, Cut thou two stone tablets like the first ones, and I shall write on these tablets the same words which the first tablets had, that thou hast broken.)

Be thou ready in the morrowtide, that thou go up anon into the hill of Sinai; and thou shalt stand with me on the top of the hill; (Be thou ready in the morning, and come up at once onto Mount Sinai; and thou shalt stand with me on the top of the mountain;)

no man go up with thee, neither any man be seen by all the hill; and oxen and sheep be not fed against the hill. (no one shall come up with thee, nor shall anyone be seen on all the mountain; and no oxen or sheep shall be fed near the mountain.)

Therefore Moses hewed two tables of stone, (in) which manner the tables were before, and he rose by night, and went up into the hill of Sinai, as the Lord commanded to him; and he bare with him the tables. (And so Moses cut two stone tablets, like the first tablets, and he rose up early, and went up Mount Sinai, as the Lord commanded to him; and he carried the tablets with him.)

And when the Lord had come down by a cloud, Moses stood with him, and called inwardly the name of the Lord; (And the Lord came down in a cloud, and Moses stood with him, and the Lord proclaimed his own name;)

and when the Lord passed before him (yea, when the Lord passed before him), he said, Lordshipper, Lord God, merciful, and pious, patient, and of much mercy doing, and soothfast,

which keepest covenant and mercy into thousands, which doest away wickedness, and trespasses, and sins, and no man by himself is innocent with thee, which yieldest the wickedness of fathers to their sons, and to the sons of their sons, into the third and the fourth generation. (who keepest covenant and mercy with thousands of people, who doest away wickedness, and trespasses, and sins, but no one in themselves is innocent with me, and who punishest their sons, and the sons of their sons, to the third and fourth generations, for the wickedness of their fathers.)

And hastily Moses was bowed low to [the] earth, and worshipped, (And Moses hastily bowed down low to the ground, and worshipped,)

and said, Lord, if I have found grace in thy sight, (then) I beseech thee, that thou go with us, for the people is of hard noll (for the people is hard-headed, or is stubborn); and that thou do away our wickednesses and sins, and wield us.

10 The Lord answered, I shall make (a) covenant, and in (the) sight of all men I shall make signs, that were never seen (before) on [the] earth, neither in any folks (nor in any nation), (so) that this people, in whose midst thou art, see the fearedful work of the Lord, that I shall make (for thee).

11 Keep thou all things, which I command to thee today (Obey thou everything which I command to thee today); I myself shall cast out before thy face (the) Amorites, and Canaanites, and Hittites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites.

12 Beware, lest any time thou join friendships with the dwellers of that land, which friendships (shall) be into falling to thee.

13 But also destroy thou their altars, (and) break the(ir) images, and cut thou down their [maumet] woods;

14 do not thou worship an alien God; a jealous lover is the Lord’s name, God is a fervent lover; (do not thou worship any foreign, or any other, god; for the Lord’s name is Jealous, and he is a jealous God;)

15 make thou not (a) covenant with the men of those countries, lest when they have done fornication, that is, idolatry, with their gods, and have worshipped the simulacra of them, any man call thee (someone call thee), that thou eat (some) of the things offered to an idol.

16 Neither thou shalt take a wife of their daughters to thy sons, lest after those daughters have done fornication, that is, idolatry, they make also thy sons to do fornication into their gods (they also make thy sons to do idolatry with their gods).

17 Thou shalt not make to thee molten gods. (Thou shalt not make gods for thyselves out of melted metal.)

18 Thou shalt keep the solemnity of therf loaves; seven days thou shalt eat therf loaves, as I commanded to thee, in the time of the month of new fruits; for in the month of ver time thou wentest out of Egypt. (Thou shalt keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded to thee, at the time of the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib thou wentest out of Egypt.)

19 All thing of male kind that (first) openeth the womb shall be mine, of all living beasts, as well of oxen, as of sheep, it shall be mine. (All the males that first openeth the womb shall be mine, yea, of people, and of all living beasts, of oxen, as well as of sheep, they all be mine.)

20 Thou shalt again-buy with a sheep the first engendered of an ass, else if thou givest not [the] price therefore, it shall be slain. Thou shalt again-buy the first begotten of thy sons; neither thou shalt appear void in my sight. (Thou shalt buy back the first-born of a donkey with a sheep, but if thou wilt not buy it back, it shall be killed. Thou shalt buy back the first-born of thy sons; thou shalt not appear empty-handed before me.)

21 Six days thou shalt work, in the seventh day thou shalt cease to ear and to reap. (For six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt cease to plow and to harvest.)

22 Thou shalt make to thee the solemnity of weeks, in the first things of fruits of thy ripe corn of wheat, and the solemnity when all things be gathered into barns, when the time of the year cometh again. (Thou shalt keep the Feast of Weeks, with the first fruits of thy wheat harvest, and also the Feast of Ingathering, when all things be gathered into the barns, when that time of the year cometh again.[i])

23 Each male kind of thee shall appear in three times of the year in the sight of the Lord Almighty, thy God of Israel. (All thy adult males shall appear before the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, three times each year.)

24 For when I shall take away (the) folks from thy face, and I shall alarge thy terms, none shall set treasons to thy land, while thou goest up (when thou goest up), and appearest in the sight of thy Lord God, thrice in the year.

25 Thou shalt not offer on sourdough the blood of my sacrifice, neither anything of the slain sacrifice of the solemnity of pask shall abide unto the morrowtide. (Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything made with yeast, nor shall anything of the slain sacrifice of the Feast of Passover remain until the morning.)

26 (Each year) Thou shalt offer in the house of thy Lord God the first of the fruits of thy land. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in the milk of his mother (Thou shalt not boil a goat-kid in its mother’s milk).

27 And the Lord said to Moses, Write thou (down) these words, by which I smote a bond of peace (by which I make a covenant), both with thee and with Israel.

28 Therefore Moses was there with the Lord by forty days and forty nights, and he ate not bread, and drank not water; and he wrote in [the] tables the ten words of the bond of peace. (And so Moses was there with the Lord for forty days and forty nights, and he ate no bread, and drank no water; and he wrote on the tablets the Ten Commandments of the covenant.)

29 And when Moses came down from the hill of Sinai, he held in his hand(s) two tables of witnessing, and he wist not that his face was horned with wonderful shining beams, of the fellowship of God’s word. (And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, he held in his hands the two tablets of the Witnessing, and he did not know that his face shone with wonderful shining beams, from his time of fellowship and of speaking with the Lord.)

30 Forsooth Aaron and the sons of Israel saw (that) Moses’ face (was) horned, and they dreaded to nigh nigh, (And Aaron and the Israelites saw that Moses’ face shone, and they were afraid to come near,)

31 and they were called of him, and they turned again, as well Aaron as the princes of the synagogue; and after that Moses spake, (but he called to them, and they came over to him, Aaron as well as the leaders of the congregation; and after that Moses had spoken with these men,)

32 they came to him, yea all the sons of Israel; to which he commanded all things, which he had heard of the Lord in the hill of Sinai. (then all the other Israelites came over to him; to whom he commanded all the things, which he had heard from the Lord on Mount Sinai.)

33 And when the words were fulfilled (And when he had finished speaking), he put a veil on his face;

34 and (when) he entered to the Lord, and spake with him, and he did away that veil, till he went out; and then he spake to the sons of Israel all things that were commanded to him; (but when he went in before the Lord, and spoke with him, he did away the veil, until he went out again; and then he would tell the Israelites all the things that were commanded to him;)

35 which saw that the face of Moses going out was horned, but again he covered his face, if any time he spake to them. (and they saw that Moses’ face shone whenever he went out, and so he covered his face any time that he spoke to them.)

Notas al pie

  1. Exodus 23:16 Also known as the Feast of the Harvest, and the Feast of Weeks.
  2. Exodus 23:16 Also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of Booths, and the Feast of Shelters.
  3. Exodus 25:17 Also known as ‘God’s answering place’ and the ‘mercy seat’.
  4. Exodus 26:2 In the original text, throughout the rest of Exodus, “curtain/s” and “tent/s” are used interchangeably. To avoid confusion, and to enhance comprehension, only “curtain/s” will be used in this context. As well, “say/s” and “serge/s” are also used for “curtain/s”; they appear in this text where they appear in the original text.
  5. Exodus 26:15 In the original text, throughout the rest of Exodus, “board/s” and “table/s” are used interchangeably to refer to construction materials. To avoid confusion, and to enhance comprehension, only “board/s” will be used in this context.
  6. Exodus 26:32 In the original text, throughout the rest of Exodus, “hook/s” and “head/s” are used interchangeably. To avoid confusion, and to enhance comprehension, only “hook/s” will be used in this context.
  7. Exodus 27:10 In the original text, throughout the rest of Exodus, “foundament/s” and “base/s” are used interchangeably in reference to the pillars. To avoid confusion, and to enhance comprehension, only “base/s” will be used in this context.
  8. Exodus 27:10 From the gloss for verse 38:10.
  9. Exodus 34:22 See Exodus 23:16, and footnote #7.

20 Then God said all these words:

א “I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the abode of slavery.

ב “You are to have no other gods before me. You are not to make for yourselves a carved image or any kind of representation of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath or in the water below the shoreline. You are not to bow down to them or serve them; for I, Adonai your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but displaying grace to the thousandth generation of those who love me and obey my mitzvot.

ג “You are not to use lightly the name of Adonai your God, because Adonai will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly.

ד “Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for God. You have six days to labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for Adonai your God. On it, you are not to do any kind of work — not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property. 11 For in six days, Adonai made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. This is why Adonai blessed the day, Shabbat, and separated it for himself.

ה 12 “Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land which Adonai your God is giving you.

ו 13 “Do not murder.

ז (14) “Do not commit adultery.

ח (15) “Do not steal.

ט (16) “Do not give false evidence against your neighbor.

י 14 (17) “Do not covet your neighbor’s house; do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox, his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

(A: vii) 15 (18) All the people experienced the thunder, the lightning, the sound of the shofar, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled. Standing at a distance, 16 (19) they said to Moshe, “You, speak with us; and we will listen. But don’t let God speak with us, or we will die.” 17 (20) Moshe answered the people, “Don’t be afraid, because God has come only to test you and make you fear him, so that you won’t commit sins.” 18 (21) So the people stood at a distance, but Moshe approached the thick darkness where God was.

(A: Maftir) 19 (22) Adonai said to Moshe, “Here is what you are to say to the people of Isra’el: ‘You yourselves have seen that I spoke with you from heaven. 20 (23) You are not to make with me gods of silver, nor are you to make gods of gold for yourselves. (S: Maftir) 21 (24) For me you need make only an altar of earth; on it you will sacrifice your burnt offerings, peace offerings, sheep, goats and cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you. 22 (25) If you do make me an altar of stone, you are not to build it of cut stones; for if you use a tool on it, you profane it. 23 (26) Likewise, you are not to use steps to go up to my altar; so that you won’t be indecently uncovered.’”

Haftarah Yitro: Yesha‘yahu (Isaiah) 6:1–7:6; 9:5(6)– 6(7) (A); 6:1–13 (S)

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Yitro: Mattityahu (Matthew) 5:21–30; 15:1–11; 19:16–30; Mark 7:5–15; 10:17–31; Luke 18:18–30; Acts 6:1–7; Romans 2:17–29; 7:7–12; 13:8–10; Ephesians 6:1–3; 1 Timothy 3:1–14; 2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 1:5–9; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 12:18–29; Ya‘akov (James) 2:8–13; 1 Kefa (1 Peter) 2:9–10

Parashah 18: Mishpatim (Rulings) 21:1–24:18

21 “These are the rulings you are to present to them:

“If you purchase a Hebrew slave, he is to work six years; but in the seventh, he is to be given his freedom without having to pay anything. If he came single, he is to leave single; if he was married when he came, his wife is to go with him when he leaves. But if his master gave him a wife, and she bore him sons or daughters, then the wife and her children will belong to her master, and he will leave by himself. Nevertheless, if the slave declares, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children, so I don’t want to go free,’ then his master is to bring him before God; and there at the door or doorpost, his master is to pierce his ear with an awl; and the man will be his slave for life.

“If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to go free like the men-slaves. If her master married her but decides she no longer pleases him, then he is to allow her to be redeemed. He is not allowed to sell her to a foreign people, because he has treated her unfairly. If he has her marry his son, then he is to treat her like a daughter. 10 If he marries another wife, he is not to reduce her food, clothing or marital rights. 11 If he fails to provide her with these three things, she is to be given her freedom without having to pay anything.

12 “Whoever attacks a person and causes his death must be put to death. 13 If it was not premeditated but an act of God, then I will designate for you a place to which he can flee. 14 But if someone willfully kills another after deliberate planning, you are to take him even from my altar and put him to death.

15 “Whoever attacks his father or mother must be put to death.

16 “Whoever kidnaps someone must be put to death, regardless of whether he has already sold him or the person is found still in his possession.

17 “Whoever curses his father or mother must be put to death.

18 “If two people fight, and one hits the other with a stone or with his fist, and the injured party doesn’t die but is confined to his bed; 19 then, if he recovers enough to be able to walk around outside, even if with a cane, the attacker will be free of liability, except to compensate him for his loss of time and take responsibility for his care until his recovery is complete.

(ii) 20 “If a person beats his male or female slave with a stick so severely that he dies, he is to be punished; 21 except that if the slave lives for a day or two, he is not to be punished, since the slave is his property.

22 “If people are fighting with each other and happen to hurt a pregnant woman so badly that her unborn child dies, then, even if no other harm follows, he must be fined. He must pay the amount set by the woman’s husband and confirmed by judges. 23 But if any harm follows, then you are to give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound and bruise for bruise.

26 “If a person hits his male or female slave’s eye and destroys it, he must let him go free in compensation for his eye. 27 If he knocks out his male or female slave’s tooth, he must let him go free in compensation for his tooth.

28 “If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox is to be stoned and its flesh not eaten, but the owner of the ox will have no further liability. 29 However, if the ox was in the habit of goring in the past, and the owner was warned but did not confine it, so that it ended up killing a man or a woman; then the ox is to be stoned, and its owner too is to be put to death. 30 However, a ransom may be imposed on him; and the death penalty will be commuted if he pays the amount imposed. 31 If the ox gores a son or daughter, the same rule applies. 32 If the ox gores a male or female slave, its owner must give their master twelve ounces of silver; and the ox is to be stoned to death.

33 “If someone removes the cover from a cistern or digs one and fails to cover it, and an ox or donkey falls in, 34 the owner of the cistern must make good the loss by compensating the animal’s owner; but the dead animal will be his.

35 “If one person’s ox hurts another’s, so that it dies, they are to sell the live ox and divide the revenue from the sale; and they are also to divide the dead animal. 36 But if it is known that the ox was in the habit of goring in the past, and the owner did not confine it; he must pay ox for ox, but the dead animal will be his.

37 (22:1) “If someone steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he is to pay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.

22 (2) “If a thief caught in the act of breaking in is beaten to death, it is not murder; (3) unless it happens after sunrise, in which case it is murder. A thief must make restitution; so if he has nothing, he himself is to be sold to make good the loss from the theft. (4) If what he stole is found alive in his possession, he is to pay double, no matter whether it is an ox, a donkey or a sheep.

(iii) (5) “If a person causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over or lets his animal loose to graze in someone else’s field, he is to make restitution from the best produce of his own field and vineyard.

(6) “If a fire is started and spreads to thorns, so that stacked grain, standing grain or a field is destroyed, the person who lit it must make restitution.

(7) “If a person entrusts a neighbor with money or goods, and they are stolen from the trustee’s house, then, if the thief is found, he must pay double. (8) But if the thief is not found, then the trustee must state before God that he did not take the person’s goods himself. (9) In every case of dispute over ownership, whether of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, clothing, or any missing property, where one person says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to come before God; and the one whom God condemns must pay the other one double.

(10) “If a person trusts a neighbor to look after a donkey, ox, sheep or any animal, and it dies, is injured or is driven away unseen, 10 (11) then the neighbor’s oath before Adonai that he has not taken the goods will settle the matter between them — the owner is to accept it without the neighbor’s making restitution. 11 (12) But if it was stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner. 12 (13) If it was torn to pieces by an animal, the neighbor must bring it as evidence, and then he doesn’t need to make good the loss.

13 (14) “If someone borrows something from his neighbor, and it gets injured or dies with the owner not present, he must make restitution. 14 (15) If the owner was present, he need not make good the loss. If the owner hired it out, the loss is covered by the hiring fee.

15 (16) “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price for her to be his wife. 16 (17) But if her father refuses to give her to him, he must pay a sum equivalent to the bride-price for virgins.

17 (18) “You are not to permit a sorceress to live.

18 (19) “Whoever has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death.

19 (20) “Anyone who sacrifices to any god other than Adonai alone is to be completely destroyed.

20 (21) “You must neither wrong nor oppress a foreigner living among you, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

21 (22) “You are not to abuse any widow or orphan. 22 (23) If you do abuse them in any way, and they cry to me, I will certainly heed their cry. 23 (24) My anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword — your own wives will be widows and your own children fatherless.

24 (25) “If you loan money to one of my people who is poor, you are not to deal with him as would a creditor; and you are not to charge him interest. 25 (26) If you take your neighbor’s coat as collateral, you are to restore it to him by sundown, 26 (27) because it is his only garment — he needs it to wrap his body; what else does he have in which to sleep? Moreover, if he cries out to me, I will listen; because I am compassionate.

(iv) 27 (28) “You are not to curse God, and you are not to curse a leader of your people.

28 (29) “You are not to delay offering from your harvest of grain, olive oil or wine.

“The firstborn of your sons you are to give to me. 29 (30) You are to do the same with your oxen and your sheep — it is to stay with its mother seven days, and on the eighth day you are to give it to me.

30 (31) “You are to be my specially separated people. Therefore you are not to eat any flesh torn by wild animals in the countryside; rather, throw it out for the dogs.

23 “You are not to repeat false rumors; do not join hands with the wicked by offering perjured testimony. Do not follow the crowd when it does what is wrong; and don’t allow the popular view to sway you into offering testimony for any cause if the effect will be to pervert justice. On the other hand, don’t favor a person’s lawsuit simply because he is poor.

“If you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey straying, you must return it to him. If you see the donkey which belongs to someone who hates you lying down helpless under its load, you are not to pass him by but to go and help him free it.

(v) “Do not deny anyone justice in his lawsuit simply because he is poor. Keep away from fraud, and do not cause the death of the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked. You are not to receive a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clearsighted and subverts the cause of the righteous.

“You are not to oppress a foreigner, for you know how a foreigner feels, since you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

10 “For six years, you are to sow your land with seed and gather in its harvest. 11 But the seventh year, you are to let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people can eat; and what they leave, the wild animals in the countryside can eat. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove.

12 “For six days, you are to work. But on the seventh day, you are to rest, so that your ox and donkey can rest, and your slave-girl’s son and the foreigner be renewed.

13 “Pay attention to everything I have said to you; do not invoke the names of other gods or even let them be heard crossing your lips.

14 “Three times a year, you are to observe a festival for me. 15 Keep the festival of matzah: for seven days, as I ordered you, you are to eat matzah at the time determined in the month of Aviv; for it was in that month that you left Egypt. No one is to appear before me empty-handed. 16 Next, the festival of harvest, the firstfruits of your efforts sowing in the field; and last, the festival of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in from the fields the results of your efforts. 17 Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Lord, Adonai.

18 “You are not to offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread, nor is the fat of my festival to remain all night until morning.

19 “You are to bring the best firstfruits of your land into the house of Adonai your God.

“You are not to boil a young animal in its mother’s milk.

(vi) 20 “I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Pay attention to him, listen to what he says and do not rebel against him; because he will not forgive any wrongdoing of yours, since my name resides in him. 22 But if you listen to what he says and do everything I tell you, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. 23 When my angel goes ahead of you and brings you to the Emori, Hitti, P’rizi, Kena‘ani, Hivi and Y’vusi, I will make an end of them. 24 You are not to worship their gods, serve them or follow their practices; rather, you are to demolish them completely and smash their standing-stones to pieces.

25 “You are to serve Adonai your God; and he will bless your food and water. I will take sickness away from among you. (vii) 26 In your land your women will not miscarry or be barren, and you will live out the full span of your lives. 27 I will send terror of me ahead of you, throwing into confusion all the people to whom you come; and I will make all your enemies turn their backs on you. 28 I will send hornets ahead of you to drive out the Hivi, Kena‘ani and Hitti from before you. 29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, which would cause the land to become desolate and the wild animals too many for you. 30 I will drive them out from before you gradually, until you have grown in number and can take possession of the land. 31 I will set your boundaries from the Sea of Suf to the sea of the P’lishtim and from the desert to the [Euphrates] River, for I will hand the inhabitants of the land over to you, and you will drive them out from before you. 32 You are not to make a covenant with them or with their gods. 33 They are not to live in your land; otherwise they will make you sin against me by ensnaring you to serve their gods.”

24 To Moshe [Adonai] said, “Come up to Adonai — you, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu, and seventy of the leaders of Isra’el. Prostrate yourselves at a distance, while Moshe alone approaches Adonai — the others are not to approach, and the people are not to go up with him.” Moshe came and told the people everything Adonai had said, including all the rulings. The people answered with one voice: “We will obey every word Adonai has spoken.”

Moshe wrote down all the words of Adonai. He rose early in the morning, built an altar at the base of the mountain and set upright twelve large stones to represent the twelve tribes of Isra’el. He sent the young men of the people of Isra’el to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings of oxen to Adonai. Moshe took half of the blood and put it in basins; the other half of the blood he splashed against the altar. Then he took the book of the covenant and read it aloud, so that the people could hear; and they responded, “Everything that Adonai has spoken, we will do and obey.” Moshe took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which Adonai has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and seventy of the leaders went up; 10 and they saw the God of Isra’el. Under his feet was something like a sapphire stone pavement as clear as the sky itself. 11 He did not reach out his hand against these notables of Isra’el; on the contrary, they saw God, even as they were eating and drinking.

12 Adonai said to Moshe, “Come up to me on the mountain, and stay there. I will give you the stone tablets with the Torah and the mitzvot I have written on them, so that you can teach them.” 13 Moshe got up, also Y’hoshua his assistant; and Moshe went up onto the mountain of God. 14 To the leaders he said, “Stay here for us, until we come back to you. See, Aharon and Hur are with you; whoever has a problem should turn to them.” (S: Maftir) 15 Moshe went up onto the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. (A: Maftir) 16 The glory of Adonai stayed on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moshe out of the cloud. 17 To the people of Isra’el the glory of Adonai looked like a raging fire on the top of the mountain. 18 Moshe entered the cloud and went up on the mountain; he was on the mountain forty days and nights.

Haftarah Mishpatim: Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 34:8–22; 33:25–26

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Mishpatim: Mattityahu (Matthew) 5:38–42; 15:1–20; Mark 7:1–23; Acts 23:1–11; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 9:15–22; 10:28–39

Parashah 19: T’rumah (Contribution) 25:1–27:19

25 Adonai said to Moshe, “Tell the people of Isra’el to take up a collection for me — accept a contribution from anyone who wholeheartedly wants to give. The contribution you are to take from them is to consist of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; fine linen, goat’s hair, tanned ram skins and fine leather; acacia-wood; oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; onyx stones and other stones to be set, for the ritual vest and breastplate.

“They are to make me a sanctuary, so that I may live among them. You are to make it according to everything I show you — the design of the tabernacle and the design of its furnishings. This is how you are to make it.

10 “They are to make an ark of acacia-wood three-and-three-quarters feet long, two-and-a-quarter feet wide and two-and-a-quarter feet high. 11 You are to overlay it with pure gold — overlay it both inside and outside — and put a molding of gold around the top of it. 12 Cast four gold rings for it, and attach them to its four feet, two rings on each side. 13 Make poles of acacia-wood, and overlay them with gold. 14 Put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark; you will use them to carry the ark. 15 The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they are not to be removed from it. 16 Into the ark you are to put the testimony which I am about to give you.

(ii) 17 “You are to make a cover for the ark out of pure gold; it is to be three-and-three-quarters feet long and two-and-a-quarter feet high. 18 You are to make two k’ruvim of gold. Make them of hammered work for the two ends of the ark-cover. 19 Make one keruv for one end and one keruv for the other end; make the k’ruvim of one piece with the ark-cover at its two ends. 20 The k’ruvim will have their wings spread out above, so that their wings cover the ark, and their faces are toward each other and toward the ark-cover. 21 You are to put the ark-cover on top of the ark.

“Inside the ark you will put the testimony that I am about to give you. 22 There I will meet with you. I will speak with you from above the ark-cover, from between the two k’ruvim which are on the ark for the testimony, about all the orders I am giving you for the people of Isra’el.

23 “You are to make a table of acacia-wood three feet long, eighteen inches wide and eighteen inches high. 24 Overlay it with pure gold, and put a molding of gold around the top of it. 25 Make around it a rim a handbreadth wide, and put a molding of gold around the rim. 26 Make four gold rings for it, and attach the rings to the four corners, near its four legs. 27 The rings to hold the poles used to carry the table are to be placed close to the rim. 28 Make the poles of acacia-wood, overlay them with gold, and use them to carry the table.

29 “Make its dishes, pans, bowls and pitchers of pure gold. 30 On the table you are to place the bread of the presence in my presence always.

(S: iii) 31 “You are to make a menorah of pure gold. It is to be made of hammered work; its base, shaft, cups, ring of outer leaves and petals are to be of one piece with it. 32 It is to have six branches extending from its sides, three branches of the menorah on one side of it and three on the other. 33 On one branch are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a ring of outer leaves and petals; likewise on the opposite branch three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a ring of outer leaves and petals; and similarly for all six branches extending from the menorah. 34 On the central shaft of the menorah are to be four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its ring of outer leaves and petals. 35 Where each pair of branches joins the central shaft is to be a ring of outer leaves of one piece with the pair of branches — thus for all six branches. 36 The rings of outer leaves and their branches are to be of one piece with the shaft. Thus the whole menorah is to be a single piece of hammered work made of pure gold.

37 “Make seven lamps for the menorah, and mount them so as to give light to the space in front of it. 38 Its tongs and trays are to be of pure gold. 39 The menorah and its utensils are to be made of sixty-six pounds of pure gold. 40 See that you make them according to the design being shown you on the mountain.

26 (A: iii) “You are to make the tabernacle with ten sheets of finely woven linen and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn. You are to make them with k’ruvim worked in, that have been crafted by a skilled artisan. Each one is to be forty-two feet long and six feet wide; all the sheets are to be the same size. Five sheets are to be joined one to another, and the other five sheets are to be joined one to another. Make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost sheet in the first set, and do the same on the edge of the outermost sheet in the second set. Make fifty loops on the one sheet, and make fifty loops on the edge of the sheet in the second set; the loops are to be opposite one another. Make fifty fasteners of gold, and couple the sheets to each other with the fasteners, so that the tabernacle forms a single unit.

“You are to make sheets of goat’s hair to be used as a tent covering the tabernacle; make eleven sheets. Each sheet is to be forty-five feet long and six feet wide — all eleven sheets are to be the same size. Join five sheets together and six sheets together, and fold the sixth sheet double at the front of the tent. 10 Make fifty loops on the edge of the outermost sheet in the first set and fifty loops on the edge of the outermost sheet in the second set. 11 Make fifty fasteners of bronze, put the fasteners in the loops, and join the tent together, so that it forms a single unit. 12 As for the overhanging part that remains of the sheets forming the tent, the half-sheet remaining is to hang over the back of the tabernacle; 13 and the eighteen inches on the one side and the eighteen inches on the other side of that remaining in the length of the sheets forming the tent is to hang over the tabernacle to cover it on each side.

14 “You are to make a covering for the tent of tanned ram skins and an outer covering of fine leather.

(iv) 15 “Make the upright planks for the tabernacle out of acacia-wood. 16 Each plank is to be fifteen feet long and two-and-a-quarter feet wide. 17 There are to be two projections on each plank, and the planks are to be joined one to another. That is how you are to make all the planks for the tabernacle.

18 “Make the planks for the tabernacle as follows: twenty planks for the south side, facing southward. 19 Make forty silver sockets under the twenty planks, two sockets under one plank for its two projections and two sockets under another plank for its two projections. 20 “For the second side of the tabernacle, to the north, make twenty planks 21 and their forty silver sockets, two sockets under one plank and two under another. 22 “For the rear part of the tabernacle, toward the west, make six planks. 23 For the corners of the tabernacle in the rear, make two planks; 24 these are to be double from the bottom all the way to the top but joined at a single ring. Do the same with both of them; they are to form the two corners. 25 Thus there will be eight planks with their silver sockets, sixteen sockets, two sockets under one plank and two under another.

26 “Make crossbars of acacia-wood, five for the planks of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 five crossbars for the planks of the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the planks at the side of the tabernacle at the rear toward the west. 28 The middle crossbar, halfway up the planks, is to extend from end to end. 29 Overlay the planks with gold, make gold rings for them through which the crossbars will pass, and overlay the crossbars with gold.

30 “You are to erect the tabernacle according to the design you have been shown on the mountain.

(v) 31 “You are to make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely woven linen. Make it with k’ruvim worked in, that have been crafted by a skilled artisan. 32 Hang it with gold hooks on four acacia-wood posts overlaid with gold and standing in four silver sockets. 33 Hang the curtain below the fasteners. Then bring the ark for the testimony inside the curtain; the curtain will be the divider for you between the Holy Place and the Especially Holy Place. 34 You are to put the ark-cover on the ark for the testimony in the Especially Holy Place.

35 “You are to put the table outside the curtain and the menorah opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; put the table on the north side.

36 “For the entrance to the tent, make a screen of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely woven linen; it should be in colors, the work of a weaver. 37 For the screen, make five posts of acacia-wood; overlay them with gold; and cast for them five sockets of bronze.

27 (vi) “You are to make the altar of acacia-wood, seven-and-a-half feet long and seven-and-a-half feet wide — the altar is to be square and four-and-a-half feet high. Make horns for it on its four corners; the horns are to be of one piece with it; and you are to overlay it with bronze.

“Make its pots for removing ashes, and its shovels, basins, meat-hooks and fire pans; all its utensils you are to make of bronze. Make for it a grate of bronze netting; and on the four corners of the netting, make four bronze rings. Put it under the rim of the altar, so that the netting reaches halfway up the altar. Make poles of acacia-wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze. Its poles are to be put into the rings; the poles are to be on both sides of the altar for carrying it. The altar is to be made of planks and hollow inside. They are to make it just as you were shown on the mountain.

(vii) “Here is how you are to make the courtyard of the tabernacle. On the south side, facing southward, are to be tapestries for the courtyard made of finely woven linen, 150 feet for one side, 10 supported on twenty posts in twenty bronze sockets; the hooks on the posts and the attached rings for hanging are to be of silver. 11 Likewise, along the north side are to be tapestries 150 feet long, hung on twenty posts in twenty bronze sockets, with silver hooks and rings for the posts. 12 Across the width of the courtyard on the west side are to be tapestries seventy-five feet long, hung on ten posts in ten sockets. 13 The width of the courtyard on the east side, facing east, will be seventy-five feet. 14 The tapestries for one side [of the gateway] will be twenty-two-and-a-half feet long, hung on three posts in three sockets; 15 for the other side there will be tapestries twenty-two-and-a-half feet long on three posts in three sockets.

16 “For the gateway of the courtyard there is to be a screen thirty feet made of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely woven linen. It should be in colors, the work of a weaver. It is to be on four posts in four sockets. (Maftir) 17 All the posts all the way around the courtyard are to be banded with silver and to stand in sockets of bronze. 18 The length of the courtyard is to be 150 feet and the width seventy-five feet everywhere; with the height seven-and-a-half feet. The tapestries and screen are to be of finely woven linen, and the sockets are to be of bronze.

19 “All the equipment needed for every kind of service in the tabernacle, as well as the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, are to be of bronze.

Haftarah T’rumah: M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 5:26(12)– 6:13

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah T’rumah: Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 8:1–6; 9:23–24; 10:1

Parashah 20: Tetzaveh (You are to order) 27:20 –30:10

20 “You are to order the people of Isra’el to bring you pure oil of pounded olives for the light, and to keep a lamp burning continually. 21 Aharon and his sons are to put it in the tent of meeting, outside the curtain in front of the testimony, and keep it burning from evening until morning before Adonai. This is to be a permanent regulation through all the generations of the people of Isra’el.

28 “You are to summon your brother Aharon and his sons to come from among the people of Isra’el to you, so that they can serve me as cohanim — Aharon and his sons Nadav, Avihu, El‘azar and Itamar. You are to make for your brother Aharon garments set apart for serving God, expressing dignity and splendor. Speak to all the craftsmen to whom I have given the spirit of wisdom, and have them make Aharon’s garments to set him apart for me, so that he can serve me in the office of cohen.

“The garments they are to make are these: a breastplate, a ritual vest, a robe, a checkered tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aharon and his sons, so that he can serve me in the office of cohen. They are to use gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.

“They are to make the ritual vest of gold, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely woven linen, crafted by a skilled artisan. Attached to its front and back edges are to be two shoulder-pieces that can be fastened together. Its decorated belt is to be of the same workmanship and materials — gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and finely woven linen. Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Isra’el — 10 six of their names on one stone and the six remaining names on the other, in the order of their birth. 11 An engraver should engrave the names of the sons of Isra’el on the two stones as he would engrave a seal. Mount the stones in gold settings, 12 and put the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the vest as stones calling to mind the sons of Isra’el. Aharon is to carry their names before Adonai on his two shoulders as a reminder.

(ii) 13 “Make gold squares 14 and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; attach the cord-like chains to the squares.

15 “Make a breastplate for judging. Have it crafted by a skilled artisan; make it like the work of the ritual vest — make it of gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and finely woven linen. 16 When folded double it is to be square — a hand-span by a hand-span. 17 Put in it settings of stones, four rows of stones: the first row is to be a carnelian, a topaz and an emerald; 18 the second row a green feldspar, a sapphire and a diamond; 19 the third row an orange zircon, an agate and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They are to be mounted in their gold settings. 21 The stones will correspond to the names of the twelve sons of Isra’el; they are to be engraved with their names as a seal would be engraved, to represent the twelve tribes.

22 “On the breastplate, make two pure gold chains twisted like cords. 23 Also for the breastplate, make two gold rings; and put the gold rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 24 Put the two twisted gold chains in the two rings at the two ends of the breastplate; 25 attach the other two ends of the twisted chains to the front of the shoulder-pieces of the ritual vest. 26 Make two gold rings and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, at its edge, on the side facing in toward the vest. 27 Also make two gold rings and attach them low on the front part of the vest’s shoulder-pieces, near the join, above the vest’s decorated belt. 28 Then bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the vest with a blue cord, so that it can be on the vest’s decorated belt, and so that the breastplate won’t swing loose from the vest. 29 Aharon will carry the names of the sons of Isra’el on the breastplate for judging, over his heart, when he enters the Holy Place, as a continual reminder before Adonai. 30 You are to put the urim and the tumim in the breastplate for judging; they will be over Aharon’s heart when he goes into the presence of Adonai. Thus Aharon will always have the means for making decisions for the people of Isra’el over his heart when he is in the presence of Adonai.

(iii) 31 “You are to make the robe for the ritual vest entirely of blue. 32 It is to have an opening for the head in the middle. Around the opening is to be a border woven like the neck of a coat of mail, so that it won’t tear. 33 On its bottom hem make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet; and put them all the way around, with gold bells between them all the way around — 34 gold bell, pomegranate, gold bell, pomegranate, all the way around the hem of the robe. 35 Aharon is to wear it when he ministers, and its sound will be heard whenever he enters the Holy Place before Adonai and when he leaves, so that he won’t die.

36 “You are to make an ornament of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal, ‘Set apart for Adonai.’ 37 Fasten it to the turban with a blue cord, on the front of the turban, 38 over Aharon’s forehead. Because Aharon bears the guilt for any errors committed by the people of Isra’el in consecrating their holy gifts, this ornament is always to be on his forehead, so that the gifts for Adonai will be accepted by him.

39 “You are to weave the checkered tunic of fine linen, make a turban of fine linen, and make a belt, the work of a weaver in colors. 40 Likewise for Aharon’s sons make tunics, sashes and headgear expressing dignity and splendor. 41 With them clothe your brother Aharon and his sons. Then anoint them, inaugurate them, and consecrate them, so that they will be able to serve me in the office of cohen. 42 Also make for them linen shorts reaching from waist to thigh, to cover their bare flesh. 43 Aharon and his sons are to wear them when they go into the tent of meeting and when they approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they won’t incur guilt and die. This is to be a perpetual regulation, both for him and for his descendants.

29 (iv) “Here is what you are to do to consecrate them for ministry to me in the office of cohen. Take one young bull and two rams without defect, also matzah, matzah cakes mixed with olive oil, and matzah wafers spread with oil — all made from fine wheat flour; put them together in a basket, and present them in the basket, along with the bull and the two rams.

“Bring Aharon and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water. Take the garments, and put on Aharon the tunic, the robe for the ritual vest, the vest itself, and the breastplate. Fasten the vest on him with its belt. Put the turban on his head and attach the holy ornament to the turban. Then take the anointing oil, and anoint him by pouring it on his head. Bring his sons; put tunics on them; wrap sashes around them, Aharon and his sons; and put the headgear on their heads. The office of cohen is to be theirs by a permanent regulation. Thus you will consecrate Aharon and his sons.

10 “Bring the young bull to the front of the tent of meeting. Aharon and his sons are to lay their hands on the bull’s head, 11 and you are to slaughter the bull in the presence of Adonai at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 12 Take some of the bull’s blood, and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; pour out all the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 13 Take all the fat that covers the inner organs, the covering of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat, and offer them up in smoke on the altar. 14 But the bull’s flesh, skin and dung you are to destroy by fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.

15 “Take one of the rams: Aharon and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram’s head; 16 and you are to slaughter the ram, take its blood, and splash it on all sides of the altar. 17 Quarter the ram, wash the inner organs and the lower parts of the legs, and put them with the quarters and the head. 18 Then offer up the whole ram in smoke on the altar. It is a burnt offering for Adonai, a pleasing aroma, an offering made to Adonai by fire.

(v) 19 “Take the other ram: Aharon and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram’s head; 20 and you are to slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on the lobe of Aharon’s right ear, on the lobes of his sons’ right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Take the rest of the blood and splash it on all sides of the altar. 21 Then take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aharon and his clothing and on his sons and the clothing of his sons with him; so that he and his clothing will be consecrated, and with him his sons and his sons’ clothing. 22 Also take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the inner organs, the two kidneys, the fat covering them and the right thigh — for it is a ram of consecration — 23 along with one loaf of bread, one cake of oiled bread and one wafer from the basket of matzah which is before Adonai 24 and put it all in the hands of Aharon and his sons. They are to wave them as a wave offering in the presence of Adonai. 25 Then take them back; and burn them up in smoke on the altar, on top of the burnt offering, to be a pleasing aroma before Adonai; it is an offering made to Adonai by fire.

26 “Take the breast of the ram for Aharon’s consecration, and wave it as a wave offering before Adonai; it will be your share. 27 Consecrate the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of any contribution that has been waved and raised up, whether from the ram of consecration, or from anything else meant for Aharon or his sons; 28 this will belong to Aharon and his sons as their share perpetually due from the people of Isra’el — it will be a contribution from the people of Isra’el from their peace offerings, their contribution to Adonai.

29 “The holy garments of Aharon will be used by his sons after him; they will be anointed and consecrated in them. 30 The son who becomes cohen in his place, who comes into the tent of meeting to serve in the Holy Place, is to wear them for seven days. 31 Take the ram of consecration, and boil its meat in a holy place. 32 Aharon and his sons will eat the ram’s meat and the bread in the basket at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 33 They are to eat the things with which atonement was made for them, to inaugurate and consecrate them; no one else may eat this food, because it is holy. 34 If any of the meat for the consecration or any of the bread remains until morning, burn up what remains; it is not to be eaten, because it is holy. 35 Carry out all these orders I have given you concerning Aharon and his sons. You are to spend seven days consecrating them.

36 “Each day, offer a young bull as a sin offering, besides the other offerings of atonement; offer the sin offering on the altar as your atonement for it; then anoint it to consecrate it. 37 Seven days you will make atonement on the altar and consecrate it; thus the altar will be especially holy, and whatever touches the altar will become holy.

(vi) 38 “Now this is what you are to offer on the altar: two lambs a year old, regularly, every day. 39 The one lamb you are to offer in the morning and the other lamb at dusk. 40 With the one lamb offer two quarts of finely ground flour mixed with one quart of oil from pressed olives; along with one quart of wine as a drink offering. 41 The other lamb you are to offer at dusk; do with it as with the morning grain and drink offerings — it will be a pleasing aroma, an offering made to Adonai by fire. 42 Through all your generations this is to be the regular burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting before Adonai. There is where I will meet with you to speak with you. 43 There I will meet with the people of Isra’el; and the place will be consecrated by my glory. 44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar, likewise I will consecrate Aharon and his sons to serve me in the office of cohen. 45 Then I will live with the people of Isra’el and be their God: 46 they will know that I am Adonai their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt in order to live with them. I am Adonai their God.

30 (vii) “You are to make an altar on which to burn incense; make it of acacia-wood. It is to be eighteen inches square and three feet high; its horns are to be of one piece with it. Overlay it with pure gold — its top, all around its sides, and its horns; and put around it a molding of gold. Make two gold rings for it under its molding at the two corners on both sides; this is where the carrying-poles will go. Make the poles of acacia-wood, and overlay them with gold.

“Place it in front of the curtain by the ark for the testimony, in front of the ark-cover that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. Aharon will burn fragrant incense on it as a pleasing aroma every morning; he is to burn it when he prepares the lamps. (Maftir) Aharon is also to burn it when he lights the lamps at dusk; this is the regular burning of incense before Adonai through all your generations. You are not to offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering or a grain offering; and you are not to pour a drink offering on it. 10 Aharon is to make atonement on its horns once a year — with the blood of the sin offering of atonement he is to make atonement for it once a year through all your generations; it is especially holy to Adonai.”

Haftarah Tetzaveh: Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 43:10–27

B’rit Hadashah suggested reading for Parashah Tetzaveh: Philippians 4:10–20

Parashah 21: Ki Tissa (When you take) 30:11–34:35

11 Adonai said to Moshe, 12 “When you take a census of the people of Isra’el and register them, each, upon registration, is to pay a ransom for his life to Adonai, to avoid any breakout of plague among them during the time of the census. 13 Everyone subject to the census is to pay as an offering to Adonai half a shekel [one-fifth of an ounce of silver]— by the standard of the sanctuary shekel (a shekel equals twenty gerahs). 14 Everyone over twenty years of age who is subject to the census is to give this offering to Adonai 15 the rich is not to give more or the poor less than the half-shekel when giving Adonai’s offering to atone for your lives. 16 You are to take the atonement money from the people of Isra’el and use it for the service in the tent of meeting, so that it will be a reminder of the people of Isra’el before Adonai to atone for your lives.”

17 Adonai said to Moshe, 18 “You are to make a basin of bronze, with a base of bronze, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 19 Aharon and his sons will wash their hands and feet there 20 when they enter the tent of meeting — they are to wash with water, so that they won’t die. Also when they approach the altar to minister by burning an offering for Adonai, 21 they are to wash their hands and feet, so that they won’t die. This is to be a perpetual law for them through all their generations.”

22 Adonai said to Moshe, 23 “Take the best spices — 500 shekels of myrrh [12 1/2 pounds], half this amount (250 shekels) of aromatic cinnamon [6 1/4 pounds], 250 shekels of aromatic cane, 24 500 shekels of cassia (use the sanctuary standard), and one gallon of olive oil — 25 and make them into a holy anointing oil; blend it and perfume it as would an expert perfume-maker; it will be a holy anointing oil. 26 Use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark for the testimony, 27 the table and all its utensils, the menorah and all its utensils, the incense altar, 28 the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils, and the basin with its base. 29 You are to consecrate them — they will be especially holy, and whatever touches them will be holy. 30 Then you are to anoint Aharon and his sons — you are to consecrate them to serve me in the office of cohen.

31 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘This is to be a holy anointing oil for me through all your generations. 32 It is not to be used for anointing a person’s body; and you are not to make any like it, with the same composition of ingredients — it is holy, and you are to treat it as holy. 33 Whoever makes any like it or uses it on any unauthorized person is to be cut off from his people.’”

34 Adonai said to Moshe, “Take aromatic plant substances — balsam resin, sweet onycha root and bitter galbanum gum — these spices along with frankincense, all in equal quantities; 35 and make incense, blended and perfumed as would an expert perfume-maker, salted, pure and holy. 36 You are to grind up some of it very finely and put it in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; you are to regard it as especially holy. 37 You are not to make for your own use any incense like it, with the same composition of ingredients — you are to treat it as holy, for Adonai. 38 Whoever makes up any like it to use as perfume is to be cut off from his people.”

31 Adonai said to Moshe, “I have singled out B’tzal’el the son of Uri the son of Hur, of the tribe of Y’hudah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God — with wisdom, understanding and knowledge concerning every kind of artisanry. He is a master of design in gold, silver, bronze, cutting precious stones to be set, woodcarving and every other craft.

“I have also appointed as his assistant Oholi’av the son of Achisamakh, of the tribe of Dan. Moreover, I have endowed all the craftsmen with the wisdom to make everything I have ordered you — the tent of meeting, the ark for the testimony, the ark-cover above it, all the furnishings of the tent, the table and its utensils, the pure menorah and all its utensils, the incense altar, the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils, the basin and its base, 10 the garments for officiating, the holy garments for Aharon the cohen and the garments for his sons, so that they can serve in the office of cohen, 11 the anointing oil and the incense of aromatic spices for the Holy Place: they are to make everything just as I have ordered you.”

12 Adonai said to Moshe, 13 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘You are to observe my Shabbats; for this is a sign between me and you through all your generations; so that you will know that I am Adonai, who sets you apart for me. 14 Therefore you are to keep my Shabbat, because it is set apart for you. Everyone who treats it as ordinary must be put to death; for whoever does any work on it is to be cut off from his people. 15 On six days work will get done; but the seventh day is Shabbat, for complete rest, set apart for Adonai. Whoever does any work on the day of Shabbat must be put to death. 16 The people of Isra’el are to keep the Shabbat, to observe Shabbat through all their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the people of Isra’el forever; for in six days Adonai made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and rested.’”

(ii) 18 When he had finished speaking with Moshe on Mount Sinai, Adonai gave him the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

32 When the people saw that Moshe was taking a long time to come down from the mountain, they gathered around Aharon and said to him, “Get busy; and make us gods to go ahead of us; because this Moshe, the man that brought us up from the land of Egypt — we don’t know what has become of him.” Aharon said to them, “Have your wives, sons and daughters strip off their gold earrings; and bring them to me.” The people stripped off their gold earrings and brought them to Aharon. He received what they gave him, melted it down, and made it into the shape of a calf. They said, “Isra’el! Here is your god, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!” On seeing this, Aharon built an altar in front of it and proclaimed, “Tomorrow is to be a feast for Adonai.” Early the next morning they got up and offered burnt offerings and presented peace offerings. Afterwards, the people sat down to eat and drink; then they got up to indulge in revelry.

Adonai said to Moshe, “Go down! Hurry! Your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have become corrupt! So quickly they have turned aside from the way I ordered them to follow! They have cast a metal statue of a calf, worshipped it, sacrificed to it and said, ‘Isra’el! Here is your god, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” Adonai continued speaking to Moshe: “I have been watching these people; and you can see how stiffnecked they are. 10 Now leave me alone, so that my anger can blaze against them, and I can put an end to them! I will make a great nation out of you instead.”

11 Moshe pleaded with Adonai his God. He said, “Adonai, why must your anger blaze against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? 12 Why let the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intentions that he led them out, to slaughter them in the hills and wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger! Relent! Don’t bring such disaster on your people! 13 Remember Avraham, Yitz’chak and Isra’el, your servants, to whom you swore by your very self. You promised them, ‘I will make your descendants as many as the stars in the sky; and I will give all this land I have spoken about to your descendants; and they will possess it forever.’” 14 Adonai then changed his mind about the disaster he had planned for his people.

15 Moshe turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets inscribed on both sides, on the front and on the back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17 When Y’hoshua heard the noise of the people shouting he said to Moshe, “It sounds like war in the camp!” 18 He answered, “That is neither the clamor of victory nor the wailings of defeat; what I hear is the sound of people singing.”

19 But the moment Moshe got near the camp, when he saw the calf and the dancing, his own anger blazed up. He threw down the tablets he had been holding and shattered them at the base of the mountain. 20 Seizing the calf they had made, he melted it in the fire and ground it to powder, which he scattered on the water. Then he made the people of Isra’el drink it.

21 Moshe said to Aharon, “What did these people do to you to make you lead them into such a terrible sin?” 22 Aharon replied, “My lord shouldn’t be so angry. You know what these people are like, that they are determined to do evil. 23 So they said to me, ‘Make us gods to go ahead of us; because this Moshe, the man that brought us up from the land of Egypt — we don’t know what has become of him.’ 24 I answered them, ‘Anyone with gold, strip it off!’ So they gave it to me. I threw it in the fire, and out came this calf!”

25 When Moshe saw that the people had gotten out of control — because Aharon had allowed them to get out of control, to the derision of their enemies — 26 Moshe stood at the entrance to the camp and shouted, “Whoever is for Adonai, come to me!” All the descendants of Levi rallied around him. 27 He told them, “Here is what Adonai, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘Each of you, put his sword on his side; and go up and down the camp, from gate to gate; and every man is to kill his own kinsman, his own friend and his own neighbor!” 28 The sons of Levi did what Moshe said, and that day three thousand of the people died. 29 Moshe said, “You have consecrated yourselves today to Adonai, because every one of you has been against his own son and against his own kinsman, in order to bring a blessing on yourselves today.”

30 The next day Moshe said to the people, “You have committed a terrible sin. Now I will go up to Adonai ; maybe I will be able to atone for your sin.” 31 Moshe went back to Adonai and said, “Please! These people have committed a terrible sin: they have made themselves a god out of gold. 32 Now, if you will just forgive their sin! But if you won’t, then, I beg you, blot me out of your book which you have written!” 33 Adonai answered Moshe, “Those who have sinned against me are the ones I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go and lead the people to the place I told you about; my angel will go ahead of you. Nevertheless, the time for punishment will come; and then I will punish them for their sin.” 35 Adonai struck the people with a plague because they had made the calf, the one Aharon made.

33 Adonai said to Moshe, “Leave, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt; and move on from here toward the land of which I swore to Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I will send an angel ahead of you; and I will drive out the Kena‘ani, Emori, Hitti, P’rizi, Hivi and Y’vusi. You will go to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I myself will not go with you, because you are such a stiffnecked people that I might destroy you on the way.” When the people heard this bad news, they went into mourning; and no one wore his ornaments. Adonai said to Moshe, “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘You are a stiffnecked people! If I were to go up with you for even one moment, I would exterminate you! Now, keep your ornaments off; then I will decide what to do to you.’” So from Mount Horev onward, the people of Isra’el stripped themselves of their ornaments.

Moshe would take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp. He called it the tent of meeting. Everyone who wanted to consult Adonai would go out to the tent of meeting, outside the camp. Whenever Moshe went out to the tent, all the people would get up and stand, each man at his tent door, and look at Moshe until he had gone into the tent. Whenever Moshe entered the tent, the column of cloud would descend and station itself at the entrance to the tent; and Adonai would speak with Moshe. 10 When all the people saw the column of cloud stationed at the entrance to the tent, they would get up and prostrate themselves, each man at his tent door. 11 Adonai would speak to Moshe face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then he would return to the camp; but the young man who was his assistant, Y’hoshua the son of Nun, never left the inside of the tent.

(iii) 12 Moshe said to Adonai, “Look, you say to me, ‘Make these people move on!’ But you haven’t let me know whom you will be sending with me. Nevertheless you have said, ‘I know you by name,’ and also, ‘You have found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now, please, if it is really the case that I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways; so that I will understand you and continue finding favor in your sight. Moreover, keep on seeing this nation as your people.” 14 He answered, “Set your mind at rest — my presence will go with you, after all.” 15 Moshe replied, “If your presence doesn’t go with us, don’t make us go on from here. 16 For how else is it to be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, other than by your going with us? That is what distinguishes us, me and your people, from all the other peoples on earth.”

(iv) 17 Adonai said to Moshe, “I will also do what you have asked me to do, because you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 But Moshe said, “I beg you to show me your glory!” 19 He replied, “I will cause all my goodness to pass before you, and in your presence I will pronounce the name of Adonai. Moreover, I show favor to whomever I will, and I display mercy to whomever I will. 20 But my face,” he continued, “you cannot see, because a human being cannot look at me and remain alive. 21 Here,” he said, “is a place near me; stand on the rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you inside a crevice in the rock and cover you with my hand, until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand, and you will see my back, but my face is not to be seen.”

34 (v) Adonai said to Moshe, “Cut yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones; and I will inscribe on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Be ready by morning; in the morning you are to ascend Mount Sinai and present yourself to me on the top of the mountain. No one is to come up with you, and no one is to be seen anywhere on the mountain; don’t even let the flocks or herds feed in front of this mountain.” Moshe cut two stone tablets like the first. Then he got up early in the morning and, with the two stone tablets in his hands, ascended Mount Sinai, as Adonai had ordered him to do.

Adonai descended in the cloud, stood with him there and pronounced the name of Adonai. Adonai passed before him and proclaimed: “YUD-HEH-VAV-HEH!!! Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [Adonai] is God, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and truth; showing grace to the thousandth generation, forgiving offenses, crimes and sins; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents’ offenses to be experienced by their children and grandchildren, and even by the third and fourth generations.” At once Moshe bowed his head to the ground, prostrated himself and said, “If I have now found favor in your view, Adonai, then please let Adonai go with us, even though they are a stiffnecked people; and pardon our offenses and our sin; and take us as your possession.”

(vi) 10 He said, “Here, I am making a covenant; in front of all your people I will do wonders such as have not been created anywhere on earth or in any nation. All the people around you will see the work of Adonai. What I am going to do through you will be awesome! 11 Observe what I am ordering you to do today. Here! I am driving out ahead of you the Emori, Kena‘ani, Hitti, P’rizi, Hivi and Y’vusi. 12 Be careful not to make a covenant with the people living in the land where you are going, so that they won’t become a snare within your own borders. 13 Rather, you are to demolish their altars, smash their standing-stones and cut down their sacred poles; 14 because you are not to bow down to any other god; since Adonai — whose very name is Jealous — is a jealous God. 15 Do not make a covenant with the people living in the land. It will cause you to go astray after their gods and sacrifice to their gods. Then they will invite you to join them in eating their sacrifices, 16 and you will take their daughters as wives for your sons. Their daughters will prostitute themselves to their own gods and make your sons do the same!

17 “Do not cast metal gods for yourselves.

18 “Keep the festival of matzah by eating matzah, as I ordered you, for seven days during the month of Aviv; for it was in the month of Aviv that you came out from Egypt.

19 “Everything that is first from the womb is mine. Of all your livestock, you are to set aside for me the males, the firstborn of cattle and flock. 20 The firstborn of a donkey you must redeem with a lamb; if you won’t redeem it, break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you are to redeem, and no one is to appear before me empty-handed.

21 “Six days you will work, but on the seventh day you are to rest — even in plowing time and harvest season you are to rest.

22 “Observe the festival of Shavu‘ot with the first-gathered produce of the wheat harvest, and the festival of ingathering at the turn of the year. 23 Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Lord, Adonai, the God of Isra’el. 24 For I am going to expel nations ahead of you and expand your territory, and no one will even covet your land when you go up to appear before Adonai your God three times a year. 25 You are not to offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread, and the sacrifice of the feast of Pesach is not to be left until morning. 26 You are to bring the best firstfruits of your land into the house of Adonai your God.

“You are not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

(vii) 27 Adonai said to Moshe, “Write these words down, because they are the terms of the covenant I have made with you and with Isra’el.” 28 Moshe was there with Adonai forty days and forty nights, during which time he neither ate food nor drank water. [Adonai] wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Words.

29 When Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, he didn’t realize that the skin of his face was sending out rays of light as a result of his talking with [Adonai]. 30 When Aharon and the people of Isra’el saw Moshe, the skin of his face was shining; and they were afraid to approach him. 31 But Moshe called to them; then Aharon and all the community leaders came back to him, and Moshe spoke to them. 32 Afterwards, all the people of Isra’el came near; and he passed on to them all the orders that Adonai had told him on Mount Sinai.

(Maftir) 33 Once Moshe had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34 But when he went in before Adonai for him to speak, he would take the veil off until he came out; then, when he came out, he would tell the people of Isra’el what he had been ordered. 35 But when the people of Isra’el saw Moshe’s face, that the skin of Moshe’s face shone, he would put the veil back over his face until he went in again to speak with [Adonai].

Haftarah Ki Tissa: M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 18:1–39 (A); 18:20–39 (S)

B’rit Hadashah suggested reading for Parashah Ki Tissa: Luke 11:14 –20; Acts 7:35–8:1; 1 Corinthians 10:1–13; 2 Corinthians 3:1–18

20 And God spake all these words, saying,

I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

13 Thou shalt not kill.

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15 Thou shalt not steal.

16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

22 And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

21 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.

If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.

If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.

And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:

Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.

And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.

If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.

And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.

11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.

12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.

13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.

15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

18 And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:

19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.

20 And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.

21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.

22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,

24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake.

27 And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.

28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.

29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.

30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.

31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.

32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein;

34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his.

35 And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide.

36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.

22 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.

If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.

If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.

For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.

10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:

11 Then shall an oath of the Lord be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.

12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.

13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.

14 And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.

15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.

16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;

24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

26 If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:

27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.

28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

23 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.

If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.

If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.

Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:

11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.

12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

13 And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.

14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.

15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

17 Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God.

18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.

19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.

20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.

25 And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.

27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.

28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.

29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.

30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.

32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.

33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

24 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.

And Moses alone shall come near the Lord: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.

And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do.

And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord.

And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.

And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.

And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.

Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:

10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.

12 And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.

14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.

15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.

16 And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17 And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

25 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,

And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,

And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,

Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,

Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.

And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.

12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.

13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.

14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.

15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.

20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.

25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.

26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.

27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.

28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.

29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.

30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.

31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:

33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.

34 And in the candlesticks shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.

35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.

36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.

37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.

38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.

39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.

40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

26 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.

The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.

And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.

Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another.

And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.

And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.

The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure.

And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle.

10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.

11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.

12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle.

13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.

14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.

15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.

16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board.

17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward.

19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.

20 And 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 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards.

23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.

24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.

25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim 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 two sides westward.

28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end.

29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.

30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.

31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:

32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.

33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.

35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.

36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.

37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

27 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.

And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.

And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.

And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass.

And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.

Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:

10 And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.

11 And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.

13 And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.

14 The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

15 And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

16 And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.

17 All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.

18 The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.

19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.

21 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

28 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.

And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.

And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.

And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.

It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together.

And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel:

10 Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth.

11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.

12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial.

13 And thou shalt make ouches of gold;

14 And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.

15 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.

16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.

17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.

18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.

21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

22 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of wreathen work of pure gold.

23 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.

24 And thou shalt put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate.

25 And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod before it.

26 And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod inward.

27 And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart thereof, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.

28 And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.

29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.

30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.

31 And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.

32 And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent.

33 And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about:

34 A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.

35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not.

36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, Holiness To The Lord.

37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.

38 And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.

39 And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.

40 And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty.

41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.

42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:

43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.

29 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,

And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.

And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams.

And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.

And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:

And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.

Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.

And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.

And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.

10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.

11 And thou shalt kill the bullock before the Lord, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.

13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar.

14 But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.

15 Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.

16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.

17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.

18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the Lord: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

19 And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.

20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.

22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration:

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 thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the Lord.

25 And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the Lord: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

26 And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron's consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the Lord: and it shall be thy part.

27 And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons:

28 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the Lord.

29 And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons' after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.

30 And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place.

31 And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place.

32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

33 And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.

34 And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

35 And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.

36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.

37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.

38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.

39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:

40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.

41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.

43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office.

45 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.

46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God.

30 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.

A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.

And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.

And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal.

And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.

And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.

And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.

Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.

10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the Lord.

11 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord.

14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the Lord.

15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.

16 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.

17 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:

20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord:

21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

22 Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,

24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:

25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.

26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,

27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense,

28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.

29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.

30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.

31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.

32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.

33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.

34 And the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:

35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:

36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.

37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord.

38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.

31 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,

And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense,

And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot,

10 And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office,

11 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.

12 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.

14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

32 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.

And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord.

And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:

They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:

10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

11 And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.

13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.

28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.

31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.

35 And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:

And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:

Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.

And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.

For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.

And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.

And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.

And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.

10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

11 And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

12 And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.

13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

17 And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

34 And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.

And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.

And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.

And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.

And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.

And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.

And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.

10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the Lord: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.

11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:

13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:

14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;

16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.

19 All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.

20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.

22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.

23 Thrice in the year shall all your menchildren appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel.

24 For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year.

25 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.

26 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.

27 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.

28 And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.

32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai.

33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.

34 But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.

35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

20 Then God issued this edict:

“I am Jehovah your God who liberated you from your slavery in Egypt.

“You may worship no other god than me.

“You shall not make yourselves any idols: no images of animals, birds, or fish. You must never bow or worship it in any way; for I, the Lord your God, am very possessive. I will not share your affection with any other god!

“And when I punish people for their sins, the punishment continues upon the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of those who hate me; but I lavish my love upon thousands of those who love me and obey my commandments.

“You shall not use the name of Jehovah your God irreverently,[a] nor use it to swear to a falsehood. You will not escape punishment if you do.

“Remember to observe the Sabbath as a holy day. Six days a week are for your daily duties and your regular work, 10 but the seventh day is a day of Sabbath rest before the Lord your God. On that day you are to do no work of any kind, nor shall your son, daughter, or slaves—whether men or women—or your cattle or your house guests. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heaven, earth, and sea, and everything in them, and rested the seventh day; so he blessed the Sabbath day and set it aside for rest.[b]

12 “Honor your father and mother, that you may have a long, good life in the land the Lord your God will give you.

13 “You must not murder.

14 “You must not commit adultery.

15 “You must not steal.

16 “You must not lie.[c]

17 “You must not be envious of your neighbor’s house, or want to sleep with his wife, or want to own his slaves, oxen, donkeys, or anything else he has.”

18 All the people saw the lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, and heard the thunder and the long, frightening trumpet blast; and they stood at a distance, shaking with fear.

19 They said to Moses, “You tell us what God says and we will obey, but don’t let God speak directly to us, or it will kill us.”

20 “Don’t be afraid,” Moses told them, “for God has come in this way to show you his awesome power, so that from now on you will be afraid to sin against him!”

21 As the people stood in the distance, Moses entered into the deep darkness where God was.

22 And the Lord told Moses to be his spokesman to the people of Israel. “You are witnesses to the fact that I have made known my will to you from heaven. 23 Remember, you must not make or worship idols made of silver or gold or of anything else!

24 “The altars you make for me must be simple altars of earth. Offer upon them your sacrifices to me—your burnt offerings and peace offerings of sheep and oxen. Build altars only where I tell you to, and I will come and bless you there. 25 You may also build altars from stone, but if you do, then use only uncut stones and boulders. Don’t chip or shape the stones with a tool, for that would make them unfit for my altar. 26 And don’t make steps for the altar, or someone might look up beneath the skirts of your clothing and see your nakedness.

21 “Here are other laws you must obey:

“If you buy a Hebrew slave,[d] he shall serve only six years and be freed in the seventh year, and need pay nothing to regain his freedom.

“If he sold himself as a slave before he married, then if he married afterwards, only he shall be freed; but if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife shall be freed with him at the same time. But if his master gave him a wife while he was a slave, and they have sons or daughters, the wife and children shall still belong to the master, and he shall go out by himself free.

“But if the man shall plainly declare, ‘I prefer my master, my wife, and my children, and I would rather not go free,’ then his master shall bring him before the judges and shall publicly bore his ear with an awl, and after that he will be a slave forever.

“If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not please the man who bought her, then he shall let her be bought back again; but he has no power to sell her to foreigners, since he has wronged her by no longer wanting her after marrying her. And if he arranges an engagement between a Hebrew slave girl and his son, then he may no longer treat her as a slave girl, but must treat her as a daughter. 10 If he himself marries her and then takes another wife, he may not reduce her food or clothing, or fail to sleep with her as his wife. 11 If he fails in any of these three things, then she may leave freely without any payment.

12 “Anyone who hits a man so hard that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13 But if it is accidental—an act of God—and not intentional, then I will appoint a place where he can run and get protection. 14 However, if a man deliberately attacks another, intending to kill him, drag him even from my altar, and kill him.

15 “Anyone who strikes his father or mother shall surely be put to death.

16 “A kidnapper must be killed, whether he is caught in possession of his victim or has already sold him as a slave.

17 “Anyone who reviles or curses his mother or father shall surely be put to death.

18 “If two men are fighting, and one hits the other with a stone or with his fist and injures him so that he must be confined to bed, but doesn’t die, 19 if later he is able to walk again, even with a limp,[e] the man who hit him will be innocent except that he must pay for the loss of his time until he is thoroughly healed, and pay any medical expenses.

20 “If a man beats his slave to death—whether the slave is male or female—that man shall surely be punished. 21 However, if the slave does not die for a couple of days, then the man shall not be punished—for the slave is his property.

22 “If two men are fighting, and in the process hurt a pregnant woman so that she has a miscarriage, but she lives, then the man who injured her shall be fined whatever amount the woman’s husband shall demand, and as the judges approve. 23 But if any harm comes to the woman and she dies, he shall be executed.

24 “If her eye is injured, injure his; if her tooth is knocked out, knock out his; and so on—hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, lash for lash.

26 “If a man hits his slave in the eye, whether man or woman, and the eye is blinded, then the slave shall go free because of his eye. 27 And if a master knocks out his slave’s tooth, he shall let him go free to pay for the tooth.

28 “If an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox shall be stoned and its flesh not eaten, but the owner shall not be held— 29 unless the ox was known to gore people in the past, and the owner had been notified and still the ox was not kept under control; in that case, if it kills someone, the ox shall be stoned and the owner also shall be killed. 30 But the dead man’s relatives may accept a fine instead, if they wish. The judges will determine the amount.[f]

31 “The same law holds if the ox gores a boy or a girl. 32 But if the ox gores a slave, whether male or female, the slave’s master shall be given thirty pieces of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

33 “If a man digs a well and doesn’t cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the well shall pay full damages to the owner of the animal, and the dead animal shall belong to him.

35 “If a man’s ox injures another, and it dies, then the two owners shall sell the live ox and divide the price between them—and each shall also own half of the dead ox. 36 But if the ox was known from past experience to gore, and its owner has not kept it under control, then there will not be a division of the income; but the owner of the living ox shall pay in full for the dead ox, and the dead one shall be his.

22 “If a man steals an ox or sheep and then kills or sells it, he shall pay a fine of five to one—five oxen shall be returned for each stolen ox. For sheep, the fine shall be four to one—four sheep returned for each sheep stolen.

“If a thief is caught in the act of breaking into a house and is killed, the one who killed him is not guilty. But if it happens in the daylight, it must be presumed to be murder and the man who kills him is guilty.

“If a thief is captured, he must make full restitution; if he can’t, then he must be sold as a slave for his debt.

“If he is caught in the act of stealing a live ox or donkey or sheep or whatever it is, he shall pay double value as his fine.

“If someone deliberately lets his animal loose and it gets into another man’s vineyard; or if he turns it into another man’s field to graze, he must pay for all damages by giving the owner of the field or vineyard an equal amount of the best of his own crop.

“If the field is being burned off and the fire gets out of control and goes into another field so that the shocks of grain, or the standing grain, are destroyed, the one who started the fire shall make full restitution.

“If someone gives money or goods to anyone to keep for him, and it is stolen, the thief shall pay double if he is found. But if no thief is found, then the man to whom the valuables were entrusted shall be brought before God to determine whether or not he himself has stolen his neighbor’s property.

“In every case in which an ox, donkey, sheep, clothing, or anything else is lost, and the owner believes he has found it in the possession of someone else who denies it, both parties to the dispute shall come before God for a decision, and the one whom God declares guilty shall pay double to the other.

10 “If a man asks his neighbor to keep a donkey, ox, sheep, or any other animal for him, and it dies, or is hurt, or gets away, and there is no eyewitness to report just what happened to it, 11 then the neighbor must take an oath that he has not stolen it, and the owner must accept his word, and no restitution shall be made for it. 12 But if the animal or property has been stolen, the neighbor caring for it must repay the owner. 13 If it was attacked by some wild animal, he shall bring the torn carcass to confirm the fact, and shall not be required to make restitution.

14 “If a man borrows an animal (or anything else) from a neighbor, and it is injured or killed, and the owner is not there at the time, then the man who borrowed it must pay for it. 15 But if the owner is there, he need not pay; and if it was rented, then he need not pay, because this possibility was included in the original rental fee.

16 “If a man seduces a girl who is not engaged to anyone[g] and sleeps with her, he must pay the usual dowry and accept her as his wife. 17 But if her father utterly refuses to let her marry him, then he shall pay the money anyway.

18 “A sorceress shall be put to death.

19 “Anyone having sexual relations with an animal shall certainly be executed.

20 “Anyone sacrificing to any other god than Jehovah shall be executed.[h]

21 “You must not oppress a stranger in any way; remember, you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

22 “You must not exploit widows or orphans; 23 if you do so in any way, and they cry to me for my help, I will surely give it. 24 And my anger shall flame out against you, and I will kill you with enemy armies, so that your wives will be widows and your children fatherless.

25 “If you lend money to a needy fellow Hebrew, you are not to handle the transaction in an ordinary way, with interest. 26 If you take his clothing as a pledge of his repayment, you must let him have it back at night. 27 For it is probably his only warmth; how can he sleep without it? If you don’t return it, and he cries to me for help, I will hear and be very gracious to him at your expense,[i] for I am very compassionate.

28 “You shall not blaspheme God, nor curse government officials—your judges and your rulers.

29 “You must be prompt in giving me the tithe of your crops and your wine, and the redemption payment for your oldest son.

30 “As to the firstborn of the oxen and the sheep, give it to me on the eighth day, after leaving it with its mother for seven days.

31 “And since you yourselves are holy—my special people—do not eat any animal that has been attacked and killed by a wild animal. Leave its carcass for the dogs to eat.

23 “Do not pass along untrue reports. Do not cooperate with an evil man by affirming on the witness stand something you know is false.

2-3 “Don’t join mobs intent on evil. When on the witness stand, don’t be swayed in your testimony by the mood of the majority present, and do not slant your testimony in favor of a man just because he is poor.

“If you come upon an enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed away, you must take it back to its owner. If you see your enemy trying to get his donkey onto its feet beneath a heavy load, you must not go on by but must help him.

“A man’s poverty is no excuse for twisting justice against him.

“Keep far away from falsely charging anyone with evil; never let an innocent person be put to death. I will not stand for this.[j]

“Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you unaware of what you clearly see! A bribe hurts the cause of the person who is right.

“Do not oppress foreigners; you know what it’s like to be a foreigner; remember your own experience in the land of Egypt.

10 “Sow and reap your crops for six years, 11 but let the land rest and lie fallow during the seventh year, and let the poor among the people harvest any volunteer crop that may come up; leave the rest for the animals to enjoy. The same rule applies to your vineyards and your olive groves.

12 “Work six days only, and rest the seventh; this is to give your oxen and donkeys a rest, as well as the people of your household—your slaves and visitors.

13 “Be sure to obey all of these instructions; and remember—never mention the name of any other god.[k]

14 “There are three annual religious pilgrimages you must make.[l]

15 “The first is the Pilgrimage of Unleavened Bread, when for seven days you are not to eat bread with yeast, just as I commanded you before. This celebration is to be an annual event at the regular time in March, the month you left Egypt; everyone must bring me a sacrifice at that time. 16 Then there is the Harvest Pilgrimage, when you must bring to me the first of your crops. And, finally, the Pilgrimage of Ingathering at the end of the harvest season. 17 At these three times each year, every man in Israel shall appear before the Lord God.

18 “No sacrificial blood shall be offered with leavened bread; no sacrificial fat shall be left unoffered until the next morning.

19 “As you reap each of your crops, bring me the choicest sample of the first day’s harvest; it shall be offered to the Lord your God.[m]

“Do not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.

20 “See, I am sending an Angel before you to lead you safely to the land I have prepared for you. 21 Reverence him and obey all of his instructions; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression; he is my representative—he bears my name.[n] 22 But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies. 23 For my Angel shall go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, to live there. And I will destroy those people before you.

24 “You must not worship the gods of these other nations, nor sacrifice to them in any way, and you must not follow the evil example of these heathen people; you must utterly conquer them and break down their shameful idols.

25 “You shall serve the Lord your God only; then I will bless you with food and with water, and I will take away sickness from among you. 26 There will be no miscarriages nor barrenness throughout your land, and you will live out the full quota of the days of your life.

27 “The terror of the Lord shall fall upon all the people whose land you invade, and they will flee before you; 28 and I will send hornets to drive out the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites from before you. 29 I will not do it all in one year, for the land would become a wilderness, and the wild animals would become too many to control. 30 But I will drive them out a little at a time, until your population has increased enough to fill the land. 31 And I will set your enlarged boundaries from the Red Sea to the Philistine coast, and from the southern deserts as far as the Euphrates River; and I will cause you to defeat the people now living in the land, and you will drive them out ahead of you.

32 “You must make no covenant with them, nor have anything to do with their gods. 33 Don’t let them live among you! For I know that they will infect you with their sin of worshiping false gods, and that would be an utter disaster to you.”

24 The Lord now instructed Moses, “Come up here with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. All of you except Moses are to worship at a distance. Moses alone shall come near to the Lord; and remember, none of the ordinary people are permitted to come up into the mountain at all.”

Then Moses announced to the people all the laws and regulations God had given him; and the people answered in unison, “We will obey them all.”

Moses wrote down the laws; and early the next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain, with twelve pillars around the altar because there were twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent some of the young men to sacrifice the burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood of these animals and drew it off into basins. The other half he splashed against the altar.

And he read to the people the Book he had written—the Book of the Covenant—containing God’s directions and laws. And the people said again, “We solemnly promise to obey every one of these rules.”

Then Moses threw the blood from the basins toward the people and said, “This blood confirms and seals the covenant the Lord has made with you in giving you these laws.”

Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up into the mountain. 10 And they saw the God of Israel; under his feet there seemed to be a pavement of brilliant sapphire stones, as clear as the heavens.

11 Yet, even though the elders saw God, he did not destroy them; and they had a meal together before the Lord.

12 And the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me into the mountain, and remain until I give you the laws and commandments I have written on tablets of stone, so that you can teach the people from them.” 13 So Moses and Joshua, his assistant, went up into the mountain of God.

14 He told the elders, “Stay here and wait for us until we come back; if there are any problems while I am gone, consult with Aaron and Hur.”

15 Then Moses went up the mountain and disappeared into the cloud at the top. 16 And the glory of the Lord rested upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days; the seventh day he called to Moses from the cloud. 17 Those at the bottom of the mountain saw the awesome sight: the glory of the Lord on the mountaintop looked like a raging fire. 18 And Moses disappeared into the cloud-covered mountaintop, and was there for forty days and forty nights.

25 1-7 Jehovah said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel that everyone who wants to may bring me an offering from this list: gold, silver, bronze, blue cloth, purple cloth, scarlet cloth, fine-twined linen, goats’ hair, red-dyed rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, olive oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate.

“For I want the people of Israel to make me a sacred Temple where I can live among them.

“This home of mine shall be a tent pavilion—a Tabernacle. I will give you a drawing of the construction plan and the details of each furnishing.

10 “Using acacia wood, make an Ark 3-3/4 feet long, 2-1/4 feet wide, and 2-1/4 feet high. 11 Overlay it inside and outside with pure gold, with a molding of gold all around it. 12 Cast four rings of gold for it and attach them to the four lower corners, two rings on each side. 13-14 Make poles from acacia wood overlaid with gold, and fit the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it. 15 These carrying poles shall never be taken from the rings, but are to be left there permanently. 16 When the Ark is finished, place inside it the tablets of stone I will give you, with the Ten Commandments engraved on them.[o]

17 “And make a lid of pure gold, 3-3/4 feet long and 2-1/4 feet wide. This is the place of mercy for your sins.[p] 18 Then make two statues of Guardian Angels[q] using beaten gold, and place them at the two ends of the lid of the Ark. 19 They shall be one piece with the mercy place, one at each end. 20 The Guardian Angels shall be facing each other, looking down upon the place of mercy, and shall have wings spread out above the gold lid. 21 Install the lid upon the Ark, and place within the Ark the tablets of stone I shall give you. 22 And I will meet with you there and talk with you from above the place of mercy between the Guardian Angels; and the Ark will contain the laws of my covenant. There I will tell you my commandments for the people of Israel.

23 “Then make a table of acacia wood 3 feet long, 1-1/2 feet wide, and 2-1/4 feet high. 24 Overlay it with pure gold, and run a rib of gold around it. 25 Put a molding four inches wide around the edge of the top, and a gold ridge along the molding, all around. 26-27 Make four gold rings and put the rings at the outside corner of the four legs, close to the top; these are rings for the poles that will be used to carry the table. 28 Make the poles from acacia wood overlaid with gold. 29 And make gold dishes, spoons, pitchers, and flagons; 30 and always keep the special Bread of the Presence on the table before me.

31 “Make a lampstand of pure, beaten gold. The entire lampstand and its decorations shall be one piece—the base, shaft, lamps, and blossoms. 32-33 It will have three branches going out from each side of the center shaft, each branch decorated with three almond flowers. 34-35 The central shaft itself will be decorated with four almond flowers—one placed between each set of branches; also, there will be one flower above the top set of branches and one below the bottom set. 36 These decorations and branches and the shaft are all to be one piece of pure, beaten gold. 37 Then make seven lamps for the lampstand, and set them so that they reflect their light forward. 38 The snuffers and trays are to be made of pure gold. 39 You will need about 95 pounds[r] of pure gold for the lampstand and its accessories.

40 “Be sure that everything you make follows the pattern I am showing you here on the mountain.

26 1-2 “Make the tabernacle-tent from ten colored sheets of fine linen, 42 feet long and 6 feet wide, dyed blue, purple, and scarlet, with figures of Guardian Angels embroidered on them. Join five sheets end to end for each side of the tent, forming two long pieces, one for each side. 4-5 Use loops at the edges to join these two long pieces together side by side. There are to be fifty loops on each side, opposite each other. Then make fifty gold clasps to fasten the loops together, so that the Tabernacle, the dwelling place of God, becomes a single unit.

7-8 “The roof of the Tabernacle is made of goats’ hair tarpaulins. There are to be eleven of these tarpaulins, each 45 feet across and 6 feet wide. Connect five of these tarpaulins into one wide section; and use the other six for another wide section. (The sixth tarpaulin will hang down to form a curtain across the front of the sacred tent.) 10-11 Use fifty loops along the edges of each of these two wide pieces, to join them together with fifty bronze clasps. Thus the two widths become one. 12 There will be a 1-1/2-foot length of this roof covering hanging down from the back of the tent, 13 and a 1-1/2-foot length at the front. 14 On top of these blankets is placed a layer of rams’ skins, dyed red, and over them a top layer of goatskins. This completes the roof covering.

15-16 “The framework of the sacred tent shall be made from acacia wood, each frame piece being 15 feet high and 2-1/4 feet wide, standing upright, 17 with grooves on each side to mortise into the next upright piece. 18-19 Twenty of these frames will form the south side of the sacred tent, with forty silver bases for the frames to fit into—two bases under each piece of the frame. 20 On the north side there will also be twenty of these frames, 21 with their forty silver bases, two bases for each frame, one under each edge. 22 On the west side there will be six frames, 23 and two frames at each corner. 24 These corner frames will be connected at the bottom and top with clasps. 25 So, in all, there will be eight frames on that end of the building with sixteen silver bases for the frames—two bases under each frame.

26-27 “Make bars of acacia wood to run across the frames, five bars on each side of the Tabernacle. Also five bars for the rear of the building, facing westward. 28 The middle bar, halfway up the frames, runs all the way from end to end of the Tabernacle. 29 Overlay the frames with gold, and make gold rings to hold the bars; and also overlay the bars with gold. 30 Set up this Tabernacle-tent in the manner I showed you on the mountain.

31 “Inside the Tabernacle,[s] make a curtain from fine linen, with blue, purple, and scarlet Guardian Angels embroidered into the cloth. 32 Hang this curtain on gold hooks set into four pillars made from acacia wood overlaid with gold. The pillars are to be set in silver bases. 33 Behind this curtain place the Ark containing the stone tablets engraved with God’s laws. The curtain will separate the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.

34 “Now install the mercy place—the golden lid of the Ark—in the Most Holy Place. 35 Place the table and lampstand across the room from each other on the outer side of the veil, the lampstand on the south and the table on the north.

36 “As a screen for the door of the sacred tent, make another curtain from fine linen, skillfully embroidered in blue, purple, and scarlet. 37 Hang this curtain on gold hooks set into posts made from acacia wood overlaid with gold. The posts are to rest on bronze bases.

27 “Using acacia wood, make a square altar 7-1/2 feet wide, and 4-1/2 feet high. Make horns for the four corners of the altar, attach them firmly, and overlay everything with bronze. The ash buckets, shovels, basins, carcass hooks, and fire pans are all to be made of bronze. Make a bronze grating, with a metal ring at each corner, and fit the grating halfway down into the firebox, resting it upon the ledge built there. For moving the altar, make poles from acacia wood overlaid with bronze. To carry it, put the poles into the rings at each side of the altar. The altar is to be hollow, made from planks, just as was shown you on the mountain.

9-10 “Then make a courtyard for the Tabernacle, enclosed with curtains made from fine-twined linen. On the south side the curtains will stretch for 150 feet, and be held up by twenty posts, fitting into twenty bronze post holders. The curtains will be held up with silver hooks attached to silver rods, attached to the posts. 11 It will be the same on the north side of the court—150 feet of curtains held up by twenty posts fitted into bronze sockets, with silver hooks and rods. 12 The west side of the court will be 75 feet wide, with ten posts and ten sockets. 13 The east side will also be 75 feet. 14-15 On each side of the entrance there will be 22-1/2 feet of curtain, held up by three posts imbedded in three sockets.

16 “The entrance to the court will be a 30-foot-wide curtain, made of beautifully embroidered blue, purple, and scarlet fine-twined linen, and attached to four posts imbedded in their four sockets. 17 All the posts around the court are to be connected by silver rods, using silver hooks, the posts being imbedded in solid bronze bases. 18 So the entire court will be 150 feet long and 75 feet wide, with curtain walls 7-1/2 feet high, made from fine-twined linen.

19 “All utensils used in the work of the Tabernacle, including all the pins and pegs for hanging the utensils on the walls, will be made of bronze.

20 “Instruct the people of Israel to bring you pure olive oil to use in the lamps of the Tabernacle, to burn there continually. 21 Aaron and his sons shall place this eternal flame in the outer holy room, tending it day and night before the Lord, so that it never goes out. This is a permanent rule for the people of Israel.

28 “Consecrate Aaron your brother, and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to be priests, to minister to me. Make special clothes for Aaron, to indicate his separation to God—beautiful garments that will lend dignity to his work. Instruct those to whom I have given special skill as tailors to make the garments that will set him apart from others, so that he may minister to me in the priest’s office. This is the wardrobe they shall make: a chestpiece, an ephod,[t] a robe, an embroidered shirt, a turban, and a sash. They shall also make special garments for Aaron’s sons.

5-6 “The ephod shall be made by the most skilled of the workmen, using gold, blue, purple, and scarlet threads of fine linen. It will consist of two pieces, front and back, joined at the shoulders. And the sash shall be made of the same material—threads of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet fine-twined linen. Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the tribes of Israel. 10 Six names shall be on each stone, so that all the tribes are named in the order of their births. 11 When engraving these names, use the same technique as in making a seal; and mount the stones in gold settings. 12 Fasten the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod, as memorial stones for the people of Israel: Aaron will carry their names before the Lord as a constant reminder. 13-14 Two chains of pure, twisted gold shall be made and attached to gold clasps on the shoulder of the ephod.

15 “Then, using the most careful workmanship, make a chestpiece to be used as God’s oracle; use the same gold, blue, purple, and scarlet threads of fine-twined linen as you did in the ephod. 16 This chestpiece is to be of two folds of cloth, forming a pouch nine inches square. 17 Attach to it four rows of stones: A ruby, a topaz, and an emerald shall be in the first row. 18 The second row will be carbuncle, a sapphire, and a diamond. 19 The third row will be an amber, an agate, and an amethyst. 20 The fourth row will be an onyx, a beryl, and a jasper—all set in gold settings. 21 Each stone will represent one of the tribes of Israel and the name of that tribe will be engraved upon it like a seal.

22-24 “Attach the top of the chestpiece to the ephod by means of two twisted cords of pure gold. One end of each cord is attached to gold rings placed at the outer top edge of the chestpiece. 25 The other ends of the two cords are attached to the front edges of the two settings of the onyx stones on the shoulder of the ephod. 26 Then make two more gold rings and place them on the two lower, inside edges of the chestpiece; 27 also make two other gold rings for the bottom front edge of the ephod at the sash. 28 Now attach the bottom of the chestpiece to the bottom rings of the ephod by means of blue ribbons; this will prevent the chestpiece from coming loose from the ephod. 29 In this way Aaron shall carry the names of the tribes of Israel on the chestpiece over his heart (it is God’s oracle) when he goes into the Holy Place; thus Jehovah will be reminded of them continually. 30-31 Insert into the pocket of the chestpiece the Urim and Thummim,[u] to be carried over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before Jehovah. Thus Aaron shall always be carrying the oracle over his heart when he goes in before the Lord.

“The ephod shall be made of blue cloth, 32 with an opening for Aaron’s head. It shall have a woven band around this opening, just as on the neck of a coat of mail, so that it will not fray. 33-34 The bottom edge of the ephod shall be embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet pomegranates, alternated with gold bells. 35 Aaron shall wear the ephod whenever he goes in to minister to the Lord; the bells will tinkle as he goes in and out of the presence of the Lord in the Holy Place, so that he will not die.

36 “Next, make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, just as you would upon a seal, ‘Consecrated to Jehovah.’ 37-38 This plate is to be attached by means of a blue ribbon to the front of Aaron’s turban. In this way Aaron will be wearing it upon his forehead, and thus bear the guilt connected with any errors regarding the offerings of the people of Israel. It shall always be worn when he goes into the presence of the Lord, so that the people will be accepted and forgiven.

39 “Weave Aaron’s embroidered shirt from fine-twined linen, using a checkerboard pattern; make the turban, too, of this linen; and make him an embroidered sash.

40 “Then, for Aaron’s sons, make robes, sashes, and turbans to give them honor and respect. 41 Clothe Aaron and his sons with these garments, and then dedicate these men to their ministry by anointing their heads with olive oil, thus sanctifying them as the priests, my ministers. 42 Also make linen undershorts for them, to be worn beneath their robes next to their bodies, reaching from hips to knees. 43 These are to be worn whenever Aaron and his sons go into the Tabernacle or to the altar in the Holy Place, lest they be guilty and die. This is a permanent ordinance for Aaron and his sons.

29 “This is the ceremony for the dedication of Aaron and his sons as priests: get a young bull and two rams with no defects, and bread made without yeast, and thin sheets of sweetened bread mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers with oil poured over them. (The various kinds of bread shall be made with finely ground wheat flour.) 3-4 Place the bread in a basket and bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle, along with the young bull and the two rams.

“Bathe Aaron and his sons there at the entrance. Then put Aaron’s robe on him, and the embroidered shirt, ephod, chestpiece, and sash, and place on his head the turban with the gold plate. Then take the anointing oil and pour it upon his head. Next, dress his sons in their robes, with their woven sashes, and place caps on their heads. They will then be priests forever; thus you shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.

10 “Then bring the young bull to the Tabernacle, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon its head; 11 and you shall kill it before the Lord, at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 12 Place its blood upon the horns of the altar, smearing it on with your finger, and pour the rest at the base of the altar. 13 Then take all the fat that covers the inner parts, also the gall bladder and two kidneys, and the fat on them, and burn them upon the altar. 14 Then take the body, including the skin and the dung, outside the camp and burn it as a sin offering.

15-16 “Next, Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of one of the rams as it is killed. Its blood shall also be collected and sprinkled upon the altar. 17 Cut up the ram and wash off the entrails and the legs; place them with the head and the other pieces of the body, 18 and burn it all upon the altar; it is a burnt offering to the Lord, and very pleasant to him.

19-20 “Now take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon its head as it is killed. Collect the blood and place some of it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron and his sons, and upon their right thumbs and the big toes of their right feet; sprinkle the rest of the blood over the altar. 21 Then scrape off some of the blood from the altar and mix it with some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it upon Aaron and his sons and upon their clothes; and they and their clothing shall be sanctified to the Lord.

22 “Then take the fat of the ram, including the fat tail and the fat that covers the insides, also the gall bladder and the two kidneys and the fat surrounding them, and the right thigh—for this is the ram for ordination of Aaron and his sons— 23 and one loaf of bread, one cake of shortening bread, and one wafer from the basket of unleavened bread that was placed before the Lord: 24 Place these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, to wave them in a gesture of offering to the Lord. 25 Afterwards, take them from their hands and burn them on the altar as a fragrant burnt offering to him. 26 Then take the breast of Aaron’s ordination ram and wave it before the Lord in a gesture of offering; afterwards, keep it for yourself.

27 “Give the breast and thigh of the consecration ram 28 to Aaron and his sons. The people of Israel must always contribute this portion of their sacrifices—whether peace offerings or thanksgiving offerings—as their contribution to the Lord.

29 “These sacred garments of Aaron shall be preserved for the consecration of his son who succeeds him, from generation to generation, for his anointing ceremony. 30 Whoever is the next High Priest after Aaron shall wear these clothes for seven days before beginning to minister in the Tabernacle and the Holy Place.

31 “Take the ram of consecration—the ram used in the ordination ceremony—and boil its meat in a sacred area. 32 Aaron and his sons shall eat the meat, also the bread in the basket, at the door of the Tabernacle. 33 They alone shall eat those items used in their atonement (that is, in their consecration ceremony). The ordinary people shall not eat them, for these things are set apart and holy. 34 If any of the meat or bread remains until the morning, burn it; it shall not be eaten, for it is holy.

35 “This, then, is the way you shall ordain Aaron and his sons to their offices. This ordination shall go on for seven days. 36 Every day you shall sacrifice a young bull as a sin offering for atonement; afterwards,[v] purge the altar by making atonement for it; pour olive oil upon it to sanctify it. 37 Make atonement for the altar and consecrate it to God every day for seven days. After this the altar shall be exceedingly holy, so that whatever touches it shall be set apart for God.[w]

38 “Each day offer two yearling lambs upon the altar, 39 one in the morning and the other in the evening. 40 With one of them offer 3 quarts of finely ground flour mixed with 2-1/2 pints of oil, pressed from olives; also 2-1/2 pints of wine, as an offering.

41 Offer the other lamb in the evening, along with the flour and the wine as in the morning, for a fragrant offering to the Lord, an offering made to the Lord by fire.

42 “This shall be a perpetual daily offering at the door of the Tabernacle before the Lord, where I will meet with you and speak with you. 43 And I will meet with the people of Israel there, and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. 44 Yes, I will sanctify the Tabernacle and the altar and Aaron and his sons who are my ministers, the priests. 45 And I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, 46 and they shall know that I am the Lord their God. I brought them out of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am Jehovah their God.

30 “Then make a small altar for burning incense. It shall be made from acacia wood. It is to be eighteen inches square and three feet high, with horns carved from the wood of the altar—they are not to be merely separate parts that are attached. Overlay the top, sides, and horns of the altar with pure gold, and run a gold molding around the entire altar. Beneath the molding, on each of two sides, construct two gold rings to hold the carrying poles. The poles are to be made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Place the altar just outside the veil, near the place of mercy that is above the Ark containing the Ten Commandments. I will meet with you there.

“Every morning when Aaron trims the lamps, he shall burn sweet spices on the altar, and each evening when he lights the lamps he shall burn the incense before the Lord, and this shall go on from generation to generation. Offer no unauthorized incense, burnt offerings, meal offerings, or wine offerings.

10 “Once a year Aaron must sanctify the altar,[x] placing upon its horns the blood of the sin offering for atonement. This shall be a regular, annual event from generation to generation, for this is the Lord’s supremely holy altar.”

11-12 And Jehovah said to Moses, “Whenever you take a census of the people of Israel, each man who is numbered shall give a ransom to the Lord for his soul, so that there will be no plague among the people when you number them. 13 His payment shall be half a dollar.[y] 14 All who have reached their twentieth birthday shall give this offering. 15 The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less, for it is an offering to the Lord to make atonement for yourselves. 16 Use this money for the care of the Tabernacle; it is to bring you, the people of Israel, to the Lord’s attention, and to make atonement for you.”

17-18 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a bronze basin with a bronze pedestal. Put it between the Tabernacle and the altar, and fill it with water. 19 Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and feet there, 20 when they go into the Tabernacle to appear before the Lord, or when they approach the altar to burn offerings to the Lord. They must always wash before doing so, or they will die. 21 These are instructions to Aaron and his sons from generation to generation.”

22-23 Then the Lord told Moses to collect the choicest of spices—eighteen pounds of pure myrrh; half as much of cinnamon and of sweet cane; 24 the same amount of cassia as of myrrh; and 1-1/2 gallons of olive oil. 25 The Lord instructed skilled perfume makers to compound all this into a holy anointing oil.

26-27 “Use this,” he said, “to anoint the Tabernacle, the Ark, the table and all its instruments, the lampstand and all its utensils, the incense altar, 28 the burnt offering altar with all its instruments, and the washbasin and its pedestal. 29 Sanctify them, to make them holy; whatever touches them shall become holy.[z] 30 Use it to anoint Aaron and his sons, sanctifying them so that they can minister to me as priests. 31 And say to the people of Israel, ‘This shall always be my holy anointing oil. 32 It must never be poured upon an ordinary person, and you shall never make any of it yourselves, for it is holy, and it shall be treated by you as holy. 33 Anyone who compounds any incense like it or puts any of it upon someone who is not a priest shall be excommunicated.’”

34 These were the Lord’s directions to Moses concerning the incense: “Use sweet spices—stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense, weighing out the same amounts of each, 35 using the usual techniques of the incense maker, and seasoning it with salt; it shall be a pure and holy incense. 36 Beat some of it very fine and put some of it in front of the Ark where I meet with you in the Tabernacle; this incense is most holy. 37 Never make it for yourselves, for it is reserved for the Lord and you must treat it as holy. 38 Anyone making it for himself shall be excommunicated.”

31 1-2 The Lord also said to Moses, “See, I have appointed Bezalel (son of Uri, and grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah), and have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and skill in constructing the Tabernacle and everything it contains. He is highly capable as an artistic designer of objects made of gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled, too, as a jeweler and in carving wood.

“And I have appointed Oholiab (son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan) to be his assistant; moreover, I have given special skill to all who are known as experts, so that they can make all the things I have instructed you to make: the Tabernacle; the Ark with the place of mercy upon it; all the furnishings of the Tabernacle; the table and its instruments; the pure gold lampstand with its instruments; the altar of incense; the burnt offering altar with its instruments; the laver and its pedestal; 10 the beautifully made, holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons, so that they can minister as priests; 11 the anointing oil; and the sweet-spice incense for the Holy Place. They are to follow exactly the directions I gave you.”

12-13 The Lord then gave these further instructions to Moses: “Tell the people of Israel to rest on my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a reminder of the covenant between me and you forever; it helps you to remember that I am Jehovah who makes you holy. 14-15 Yes, rest on the Sabbath, for it is holy. Anyone who does not obey this command must die; anyone who does any work on that day shall be killed. 16-17 Work six days only, for the seventh day is a special day to remind you of my covenant—a weekly reminder forever of my promises to the people of Israel. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and rested on the seventh day, and was refreshed.”

18 Then, as God finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written with the finger of God.

32 When Moses didn’t come back down the mountain right away, the people went to Aaron. “Look,” they said, “make us a god to lead us, for this fellow Moses who brought us here from Egypt has disappeared; something must have happened to him.”

2-3 “Give me your gold earrings,” Aaron replied.

So they all did—men and women, boys and girls. Aaron melted the gold, then molded and tooled it into the form of a calf. The people exclaimed, “O Israel, this is the god that brought you out of Egypt!”

When Aaron saw how happy the people were about it, he built an altar before the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a feast to Jehovah!”

So they were up early the next morning and began offering burnt offerings and peace offerings to the calf idol; afterwards they sat down to feast and drink at a wild party, followed by sexual immorality.

Then the Lord told Moses, “Quick! Go on down, for your people that you brought from Egypt have defiled themselves, and have quickly abandoned all my laws. They have molded themselves a calf, and worshiped it, and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of Egypt.’”

Then the Lord said, “I have seen what a stubborn, rebellious lot these people are. 10 Now leave me alone and my anger shall blaze out against them and destroy them all; and I will make you, Moses, into a great nation instead of them.”

11 But Moses begged God not to do it. “Lord,” he pleaded, “why is your anger so hot against your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and mighty miracles? 12 Do you want the Egyptians to say, ‘God tricked them into coming to the mountains so that he could slay them, destroying them from off the face of the earth’? Turn back from your fierce wrath. Turn away from this terrible evil you are planning against your people! 13 Remember your promise to your servants—to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. For you swore by your own self, ‘I will multiply your posterity as the stars of heaven, and I will give them all of this land I have promised to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’”

14 So the Lord changed his mind and spared them.

15 Then Moses went down the mountain, holding in his hands the Ten Commandments written on both sides of two stone tablets. 16 (God himself had written the commandments on the tablets.)

17 When Joshua heard the noise below them, of all the people shouting, he exclaimed to Moses, “It sounds as if they are preparing for war!”

18 But Moses replied, “No, it’s not a cry of victory or defeat, but singing.”

19 When they came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing, and in terrible anger he threw the tablets to the ground, and they lay broken at the foot of the mountain. 20 He took the calf and melted it in the fire, and when the metal cooled, he ground it into powder and spread it upon the water and made the people drink it.

21 Then he turned to Aaron. “What in the world did the people do to you,” he demanded, “to make you bring such a terrible sin upon them?”

22 “Don’t get so upset,” Aaron replied. “You know these people and what a wicked bunch they are. 23 They said to me, ‘Make us a god to lead us, for something has happened to this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt.’ 24 Well, I told them, ‘Bring me your gold earrings.’ So they brought them to me and I threw them into the fire, and . . . well . . . this calf came out!”

25 When Moses saw that the people had been committing adultery—at Aaron’s encouragement, and much to the amusement of their enemies— 26 he stood at the camp entrance and shouted, “All of you who are on the Lord’s side, come over here and join me.” And all the Levites came.

27 He told them, “Jehovah the God of Israel says, ‘Get your swords and go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other and kill even your brothers, friends, and neighbors.’” 28 So they did, and about three thousand men died that day.

29 Then Moses told the Levites, “Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the Lord, for you obeyed him even though it meant killing your own sons and brothers; now he will give you a great blessing.”

30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin, but I will return to the Lord on the mountain—perhaps I will be able to obtain his forgiveness for you.”

31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have sinned a great sin and have made themselves gods of gold. 32 Yet now if you will only forgive their sin—and if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”[aa]

33 And the Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me will be blotted out of my book. 34 And now go, lead the people to the place I told you about, and I assure you that my Angel shall travel on ahead of you; however, when I come to visit these people, I will punish them for their sins.”

35 And the Lord sent a great plague upon the people because they had worshiped Aaron’s calf.

33 The Lord said to Moses, “Lead these people you brought from Egypt to the land I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; for I said, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ I will send an Angel before you to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. It is a land ‘flowing with milk and honey’; but I will not travel among you, for you are a stubborn, unruly people, and I would be tempted to destroy you along the way.”

When the people heard these stern words, they went into mourning and stripped themselves of their jewelry and ornaments.

For the Lord had told Moses to tell them, “You are an unruly, stubborn people. If I were there among you for even a moment, I would exterminate you. Remove your jewelry and ornaments until I decide what to do with you.” So, after that, they wore no jewelry.

Moses always erected the sacred tent (the “Tent for Meeting with God,” he called it) far outside the camp, and everyone who wanted to consult with Jehovah went out there.

Whenever Moses went to the Tabernacle, all the people, when they saw it, stood and would rise and stand in their tent doors. As he entered, the pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the door while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 Then all the people worshiped from their tent doors, bowing low to the pillar of cloud. 11 Inside the tent the Lord spoke to Moses face-to-face, as a man speaks to his friend. Afterwards Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua (son of Nun), stayed behind in the Tabernacle.

12 Moses talked there with the Lord and said to him, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people to the Promised Land,’ but you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You say you are my friend,[ab] and that I have found favor before you; 13 please, if this is really so, guide me clearly along the way you want me to travel[ac] so that I will understand you and walk acceptably before you. For don’t forget that this nation is your people.”

14 And the Lord replied, “I myself will go with you and give you success.”

15 For Moses had said, “If you aren’t going with us, don’t let us move a step from this place. 16 If you don’t go with us, who will ever know that I and my people have found favor with you, and that we are different from any other people upon the face of the earth?”

17 And the Lord had replied to Moses, “Yes, I will do what you have asked, for you have certainly found favor with me, and you are my friend.”[ad]

18 Then Moses asked to see God’s glory.

19 The Lord replied, “I will make my goodness pass before you, and I will announce to you the meaning of my name[ae] Jehovah, the Lord. I show kindness and mercy to anyone I want to. 20 But you may not see the glory of my face, for man may not see me and live. 21 However, stand here on this rock beside me. 22 And when my glory goes by, I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed. 23 Then I will remove my hand, and you shall see my back but not my face.”

34 The Lord told Moses, “Prepare two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write upon them the same commands that were on the tablets you broke. Be ready in the morning to come up into Mount Sinai and present yourself to me on the top of the mountain. No one shall come with you and no one must be anywhere on the mountain. Do not let the flocks or herds feed close to the mountain.”

So Moses took two tablets of stone like the first ones, and was up early and climbed Mount Sinai, as the Lord had told him to, taking the two stone tablets in his hands.

5-6 Then the Lord descended in the form of a pillar of cloud and stood there with him, and passed in front of him and announced the meaning of his name.[af] “I am Jehovah, the merciful and gracious God,” he said, “slow to anger and rich in steadfast love and truth. I, Jehovah, show this steadfast love to many thousands by forgiving their sins;[ag] or else I refuse to clear the guilty, and require that a father’s sins be punished in the sons and grandsons, and even later generations.”

Moses fell down before the Lord and worshiped. And he said, “If it is true that I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, then please go with us to the Promised Land; yes, it is an unruly, stubborn people, but pardon our iniquity and our sins, and accept us as your own.”

10 The Lord replied, “All right, this is the contract I am going to make with you. I will do miracles such as have never been done before anywhere in all the earth, and all the people of Israel shall see the power of the Lord—the terrible power I will display through you. 11 Your part of the agreement is to obey all of my commandments; then I will drive out from before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

12 “Be very, very careful never to compromise with the people there in the land where you are going, for if you do, you will soon be following their evil ways. 13 Instead, you must break down their heathen altars, smash the obelisks they worship, and cut down their shameful idols.[ah] 14 For you must worship no other gods, but only Jehovah, for he is a God who claims absolute loyalty and exclusive devotion.

15 “No, do not make a peace treaty of any kind with the people living in the land, for they are spiritual prostitutes, committing adultery against me by sacrificing to their gods.[ai] If you become friendly with them and one of them invites you to go with him and worship his idol, you are apt to do it. 16 And you would accept their daughters, who worship other gods, as wives for your sons—and then your sons would commit adultery against me by worshiping their wives’ gods. 17 You must have nothing to do with idols.

18 “Be sure to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days, just as I instructed you, at the dates appointed each year in March; that was the month you left Egypt.

19 “Every firstborn male[aj] is mine—cattle, sheep, and goats. 20 The firstborn colt of a donkey may be redeemed by giving a lamb in its place. If you decide not to redeem it, then its neck must be broken. But your sons must all be redeemed. And no one shall appear before me without a gift.

21 “Even during plowing and harvest times, work only six days, and rest on the seventh.

22 “And you must remember to celebrate these three annual religious festivals: the Festival of Weeks, the Festival of the First Wheat, and the Harvest Festival. 23 On each of these three occasions all the men and boys of Israel shall appear before the Lord. 24 No one will attack and conquer your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God those three times each year. For I will drive out the nations from before you and enlarge your boundaries.

25 “You must not use leavened bread with your sacrifices to me, and none of the meat of the Passover lamb may be kept over until the following morning. 26 And you must bring the best of the first of each year’s crop to the Tabernacle of the Lord your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

27 And the Lord said to Moses, “Write down these laws[ak] that I have given you, for they represent the terms of my covenant with you and with Israel.”

28 Moses was up on the mountain with the Lord for forty days and forty nights, and in all that time he neither ate nor drank. At that time God[al] wrote out the Covenant—the Ten Commandments—on the stone tablets.

29 Moses didn’t realize as he came back down the mountain with the tablets that his face glowed from being in the presence of God. 30 Because of this radiance upon his face, Aaron and the people of Israel were afraid to come near him.

31 But Moses called them over to him, and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation came and talked with him. 32 Afterwards, all the people came to him, and he gave them the commandments the Lord had given him upon the mountain. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face;[am] 34 but whenever he went into the Tabernacle to speak with the Lord, he removed the veil until he came out again; then he would pass on to the people whatever instructions God had given him, 35 and the people would see his face aglow. Afterwards he would put the veil on again until he returned to speak with God.

Notas al pie

  1. Exodus 20:7 You shall not use the name of Jehovah your God irreverently, or “You must not use the name of the Lord your God to swear falsely.”
  2. Exodus 20:11 blessed the Sabbath day and set it aside for rest, or “hallowed it.”
  3. Exodus 20:16 You must not lie, or “You must not give false testimony in court.”
  4. Exodus 21:2 If you buy a Hebrew slave, that is, “If he owes you money and defaults in the payment, and thus becomes your slave.”
  5. Exodus 21:19 if later he is able to walk again, even with a limp, literally, “if he walks abroad with his staff.”
  6. Exodus 21:30 Literally, v. 30 reads: “But if a ransom is laid upon him, he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is laid upon him.”
  7. Exodus 22:16 a girl who is not engaged to anyone, literally, “a virgin.” usual dowry, more literally, “customary marriage present to the bride’s parents.”
  8. Exodus 22:20 shall be executed, literally, “shall be utterly destroyed.”
  9. Exodus 22:27 at your expense, implied.
  10. Exodus 23:7 I will not stand for this, literally, “I will not acquit the wicked.”
  11. Exodus 23:13 never mention the name of any other god, in prayer or in taking an oath.
  12. Exodus 23:14 pilgrimages you must make, or “feasts you must celebrate.”
  13. Exodus 23:19 it shall be offered to the Lord your God, literally, “you shall bring (it) into the house of Jehovah your God.”
  14. Exodus 23:21 he is my representative—he bears my name, literally, “my name is in him.”
  15. Exodus 25:16 place inside it the tablets of stone I will give you, with the Ten Commandments engraved on them, implied; literally, “Put into the Ark the Testimony which I shall give you.”
  16. Exodus 25:17 the place of mercy for your sins, literally, “mercy seat,” or “place of making propitiation for your sins.”
  17. Exodus 25:18 Guardian Angels, literally, “cherubim.” We are not told what they looked like.
  18. Exodus 25:39 about 95 pounds, literally, “a talent.” The exact weight is not known.
  19. Exodus 26:31 Inside the Tabernacle, implied.
  20. Exodus 28:4 ephod. Apparently a sort of sleeveless tunic reaching from the shoulders to below the knees.
  21. Exodus 28:30 Urim and Thummim. What they looked like has been lost in antiquity. They were perhaps two gemstones located in the breastplate of the High Priest. They were marked in some way and used by the High Priest to determine God’s yes or no on urgent matters.
  22. Exodus 29:36 afterwards, implied.
  23. Exodus 29:37 shall be set apart for God, or “shall become holy,” or “only those who are holy may touch it.”
  24. Exodus 30:10 must sanctify the altar, literally, “shall make an atonement for the altar.”
  25. Exodus 30:13 half a dollar, literally, “half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel for an offering to Jehovah.”
  26. Exodus 30:29 shall become holy, or “shall be set apart for God,” or “only what is holy may touch them.”
  27. Exodus 32:32 then blot me out of the book you have written, or “then kill me instead of them.”
  28. Exodus 33:12 You say you are my friend, literally, “You have said you know me by name.”
  29. Exodus 33:13 guide me clearly along the way you want me to travel, or “show me your ways,” or “show me your majesty.”
  30. Exodus 33:17 you are my friend, literally, “I know you by name.”
  31. Exodus 33:19 I will announce to you the meaning of my name, literally, “I will proclaim before you my name.” His name, Jehovah, means, “I will be what I will be.” (See Exodus 3:14.)
  32. Exodus 34:5 announced the meaning of his name, literally, “proclaimed the name of Jehovah.”
  33. Exodus 34:7 forgiving their sins, literally, “forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” or else, implied.
  34. Exodus 34:13 shameful idols, or Asherim. They were carved statues of male and female genital organs.
  35. Exodus 34:15 they are spiritual prostitutes . . . sacrificing to their gods, literally, “they play the harlot worshiping their gods.”
  36. Exodus 34:19 Every firstborn male, literally, “All that opens the womb.”
  37. Exodus 34:27 Write down these laws, that is, the preceding laws in vv. 12-26.
  38. Exodus 34:28 At that time God, implied; see 34:1; Deuteronomy 10:1-4.
  39. Exodus 34:33 put a veil over his face, so that the people would not see the glory fade; see 2 Corinthians 3:13.

20 Then God began to speak directly to all the people.

Until now God has dealt only with Moses on behalf of His people; at Mount Sinai, He turns to address them directly in order to express the core of His covenant obligations. He begins by reminding them of all He has done for them. His miraculous deeds in liberating the Hebrew slaves and providing for them in the desert become the basis of this new relationship. He then proceeds to lay out the Ten Directives that will define and shape their lives together. The first four Directives concern their duties to know and worship the one True God. The last six pertain to how Israel is to live with one another in a covenant-based society. Properly understood, all the other teachings, prescriptions, and directives that come in later chapters derive from these Ten Directives.

Eternal One: I am the Eternal your God. I led you out of Egypt and liberated you from lives of slavery and oppression.

You are not to serve any other gods before Me.

You are not to make any idol or image of other gods. In fact, you are not to make an image of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. You are not to bow down and serve any image, for I, the Eternal your God, am a jealous God. As for those who are not loyal to Me, their children will endure the consequences of their sins for three or four generations. But for those who love Me and keep My directives, their children will experience My loyal love for a thousand generations.

You are not to use My name for your own idle purposes, for the Eternal will punish anyone who treats His name as anything less than sacred.

You and your family are to remember the Sabbath Day; set it apart, and keep it holy. You have six days to do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is to be different; it is the Sabbath of the Eternal your God. Keep it holy by not doing any work—not you, your sons, your daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, or any outsiders living among you. 11 For the Eternal made the heavens above, the earth below, the seas, and all the creatures in them in six days. Then, on the seventh day, He rested. That is why He blessed the Sabbath Day and made it sacred.

12 You are to honor your father and mother. If you do, you and your children will live long and well in the land the Eternal your God has promised to give you.

13 You are not to murder.

14 You are not to commit adultery.

15 You are not to take what is not yours.

16 You are not to give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 You are not to covet what your neighbor has or set your heart on getting his house, his wife, his male or female servants, his ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.

18 As all the people witnessed the signs of God’s presence—the blast of the ram’s horn, the roaring thunder, the flashing lightning, and the smoke-covered mountain—they shook with fear and astonishment and wisely kept their distance.

Israelites (to Moses): 19 We are afraid to have God speak directly to us; we are certain that we will die. You speak to us instead; we promise to listen.

Moses: 20 Don’t be afraid. These powerful manifestations are God’s way of instilling awe and fear in you so that you will not sin; He is testing you for your own good.

21 But everyone remained far away from the mountain as Moses began moving toward the thick, dark cloud where God was.

Eternal One (to Moses): 22 This is what I want you to tell the people of Israel: “You yourselves witnessed that I have spoken to you from heaven. 23 It is essential that you not make any idols to rival Me. Do not make any idols out of silver or gold for yourselves! 24 Take earth and build an altar to Me and sacrifice all of your burnt offerings and peace offerings there. Offer Me the best of your sheep and oxen. Wherever I choose for My name to be remembered, I will come to you and shower blessings upon you. 25 But if you decide to build an altar out of stones for Me, use only natural stones, not hand-cut stones, because any attempt to shape them with your tools will desecrate the altar. 26 Also, do not approach My altar by walking up steps, for you might profane the altar by exposing your nakedness.”

After God gives Israel the Ten Directives, He gives them other instructions that derive from the first ten. They do not cover every situation but provide guidance for how God’s people should live.

21 Eternal One (to Moses): These are other rules and guiding principles that you must present to the Israelites:

If you purchase a male Hebrew slave, he will be your servant for six years only. When the seventh year arrives, he will go free without having to pay a price for his freedom.

In Moses’ day, slavery exists everywhere in the world, and slaves are the first to be given protection under these guiding principles or judgments.

If you acquire a slave who is not married, then he will depart as a single man. But if you acquire a man who is married, then his wife will also leave when he goes free.

If his master provides a wife for him, and the wife gives him sons and daughters, then both the wife and the children belong to the master, and only the slave will leave the master’s service when the seventh year arrives.

But if the seventh year arrives and the slave freely renounces his right to freedom, saying, “My heart is full of love for my master, my wife, and my children. I will not leave my master’s service as a free man,” then his master will present him to the True God.[a] Next his master will escort him to the doorway and pierce his ear against the doorpost with an awl. Then everyone will know this slave will serve his master for life.

Women are to be treated differently. If a man decides to sell his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed as male slaves are when the seventh year arrives. If for any reason she does not please her master who handpicked her for a wife, then he is to allow her to be bought by another. He has no right to sell her to a foreign people because he has broken the agreement with her.

If the master chooses her as a wife for his son, then the master must treat her just as he would his own daughter.

10 If the master decides he wants to marry an additional wife, then he must not reduce his slave-wife’s food or clothing or any other marital rights. 11 If he does not provide these three things for her, then she is free to leave without owing him any money for her freedom.

12 If a man attacks another and the victim dies from the attack, then the attacker must be put to death. 13 But if God allows a person to die at the hands of another who never intended to kill him in the first place, then I will appoint a place where he can run and take refuge from those who would exact revenge. 14 But if a man plans an attack and cunningly kills his victim, then he will find no refuge at my altar. Take him from there and put him to death.

15 Also, anyone who strikes one of his parents must be put to death.

16 Anyone who kidnaps another—whether he has already sold his victim or still has him when he is caught—must be put to death.

17 And anyone who curses either of his parents must be put to death.[b]

18 If people are engaged in an argument and one hits the other with a rock or his fist, and the victim does not die but is bedridden for a time and unable to work, 19 then the one who struck him will not be punished as long as the injured party recovers enough to be able to get out of bed and walk around with the help of his staff; however, he must pay his victim for lost time and wages, and make sure he has the care he needs until he recovers. 20 If a person hits his male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies because of the blow, then that person must be punished. 21 But if the slave survives a couple of days, then there will be no penalty because the slave belongs to the master.

22 If two men are fighting with each other and happen to hit a pregnant woman during the quarrel causing her to give birth prematurely (but no other harm is done), then the one who hit her must pay whatever fine the judges determine based upon the amount demanded by the woman’s husband.

23 But if any further harm comes, then the standard for the punishment is reciprocal justice: a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,[c] a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, 25 a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.

26 If anyone hits one of his slaves (male or female) in the eye and blinds him in that eye, then the master is to free the slave to compensate for the loss of the eye. 27 If anyone hits one of his slaves (male or female) and knocks out a tooth, then the master is to free the slave to compensate for the loss of the tooth.

28 If a bull gores a man or woman and the injury leads to the victim’s death, then the bull must be put to death by stoning. No one is allowed to eat the bull meat, and the owner of the bull has no further liability. 29 But if a bull has gored people before and its owner is aware of the problem but has not confined it, and if that bull kills a man or woman, then the bull must be stoned and the owner must also be put to death.

30 There is an exception. If the relatives of the dead demand money instead of his life, then the owner of the bull may redeem his life in exchange for whatever is required of him. 31 The same rule applies whether the bull gores someone’s son or daughter. 32 If the bull gores a slave (male or female), then the owner of the bull is to give the dead slave’s master 12 ounces of silver, and the bull must be stoned.

33 If someone uncovers an old pit or digs a new pit and leaves it uncovered, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 then the person who owns the pit will be held responsible and must compensate the owner for the full cost of the animal; but the dead animal at the bottom of the pit belongs to the man who owns it.

35 If a person’s bull injures another’s bull and it dies, then together they must sell the living bull and split the money equally; they must also divide the dead bull equally. 36 Now if the bull already has a reputation for goring and the owner has not confined it, then the owner of the living bull must pay a healthy bull for the dead one, but he may keep the dead bull for himself.

22 Eternal One: If someone steals an ox or a sheep and either kills or sells it for profit, then he must pay five oxen for the one ox he stole or four sheep for the one sheep he stole. But if the stolen animal—the ox or donkey or sheep—is still alive and in his possession when he is caught, then the thief must pay the owner double. 3b A thief must make restitution for what he has taken. If he has no means of doing so, he must be sold to pay for his theft.

If a person attacks a thief in the act of breaking into his house and the thief is killed during the attack, then the homeowner is innocent of blood guilt. 3a It is different if the sun has already risen; so any homeowner who kills a thief during the day must be considered guilty of bloodshed.[d]

The difference between these two situations is the difference between daylight and dark. If a homeowner is protecting his property at night and injures a thief, it is to be treated as a case of self-defense. But if the crime takes place during the light of day, it is not necessary to incapacitate or capture the thief; it is necessary only to recognize the thief and bear truthful witness against him in court. The right to personal property does not eclipse the right to life.

Eternal One: If someone allows his animals to graze a field or vineyard until it is bare and then lets his animals wander over onto a neighbor’s field, then he must compensate his neighbor from the very best of his field and vineyard.

If someone starts a fire and the fire spreads and sets the thorn bushes ablaze, and eventually that fire burns up stacks of harvested grain and everything growing in the fields, then the person who started the fire is responsible and must pay reparations for what was lost.

If someone gives his neighbor money or items to keep for him and it is stolen from his neighbor’s house, then if the thief is captured, he must pay double for what he stole. If the thief is not found, then the person who owned the house that was burglarized must go stand before God’s presence so that He can decide whether he is the one who stole the property.

Whenever there is a breach of trust—regarding an ox, a donkey, a lamb, a piece of clothing, or any lost item—and the contested item is discovered in the possession of a neighbor and claimed by two different parties, then both sides must appear before God. If God finds the neighbor guilty, he must pay double for what he stole.

10 If someone leaves a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other kind of livestock in his friend’s keeping, and the animal dies or is injured or disappears while no one is watching, 11 then the two are to make an oath in the presence of the Eternal. The neighbor must swear he had nothing to do with the loss of the animal, and the owner of the animal must accept his statement and not demand any compensation for the loss.

12 But if the animal was stolen while in his neighbor’s care, then the neighbor must compensate the owner. 13 If it was torn to pieces by another animal, then the neighbor may use the remains as evidence, and not have to pay any compensation for the torn animal.

14 If someone borrows an animal from a neighbor and it is harmed or dies while not in the possession of the owner, then the borrower must compensate the owner in full. 15 But if the owner was there when the animal dies or is harmed, then no compensation is required. If the animal has been rented and not borrowed, then the rental fee paid shall cover the loss of the animal.

The owner who rents the animal must calculate the risk of losing the animal when he assesses the rental fee.

16 If a man entices a virgin who is not promised to another man to have sex with him, then he must pay her father the bride-price and marry her. 17 If the young woman’s father refuses the marriage offer because he disapproves of the man, then the man still must pay the amount of money that is customary for the bride-price for virgins.

18 You are not to allow a sorceress to live.

19 Anyone who has sex with an animal must be put to death.

20 Anyone who dares to sacrifice to any god other than the Eternal must be declared under the ban and destroyed.

21 Do not wrong or oppress any outsiders living among you, for there was a time when you lived as outsiders in the land of Egypt.

22 You must not take advantage of any widow or orphan. 23 If you do oppress them and they cry out to Me, I will certainly hear them, 24 and My wrath will be kindled. I will make sure you are slaughtered by your enemy’s sword, and your own wives and children will become widows and orphans.

25 If you loan money to any of the poor among My people, do not treat them as borrowers and act as their creditors by charging interest. 26 If your neighbor gives his coat to you as collateral, then be sure to give it back before night falls—even if he has not repaid you in full. 27 You see that coat covers his body and may be his only protection against the cold. What do you think he would sleep in? When he calls out for Me, I will hear his cry. I am kind and compassionate as you should be when a fellow Israelite is in need.

28 Do not curse the one True God or any rulers of your people.[e]

God demands respect from His people and expects His people to honor those He puts in charge.

29 You must not hold back or delay your offering from the bounty of your harvest or the juice of your vineyard.[f] Dedicate every one of your firstborn sons to Me. 30 But dedicate your livestock—your ox and sheep—to Me in sacrifice. The firstborn of your livestock may stay with its mother for the first seven days. When the eighth day arrives, give the firstborn to Me. 31 You must be holy before Me. Do not eat any animal that has been torn to pieces by wild beasts in the field. Toss its remains to the dogs.

23 Eternal One: Do not pass along a false report. Do not plot with evil people to give a false witness.

Even if the majority of people are doing evil, do not follow them. Also when you are called to give testimony in a dispute, do not let the crowd pressure you into perverting justice. In the same way, do not side with the poor in a complaint just because he is poor.

If you are walking along and come across your enemy’s ox or donkey that has wandered away, then you must return it to its owner. If you see the donkey of someone you know who hates you and it has fallen beneath its load, you must not leave it there. You must stop and help the donkey recover the load.

Do not deny justice to the poor among you in their disputes. Stay far away from false accusations, and do not condemn the innocent or righteous to death. Understand this: I will not acquit those who commit such miscarriages of justice.

Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe can blind those who see and twist the words of those who are in the right. Do not oppress an outsider. You know well what it is like to be an outsider living in a foreign land, for you were strangers once in the land of Egypt.

10 You have six years to plant your fields and harvest your crops. 11 When the seventh year arrives, let your land rest and lie fallow. Let the poor and hungry among you come and harvest the volunteer crops that spring up in your fields. Whatever is left over, the beasts may eat. Do the same thing with your vineyards and your olive groves. 12 You have six days to work. When the seventh day arrives, stop all work so that your ox and donkey can rest. When you observe the Sabbath Day, your female slave’s son and any outsider serving you have a chance to catch their breath and relax.

13 Be careful to do all that I have instructed you. Do not even acknowledge the names of other gods or let their names spill from your lips.

14 I want you to celebrate a feast in My honor three times a year. 15 First, celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I instructed you before, you are to eat only bread made without yeast for the seven feast days beginning at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for that is when you fled out of Egypt. During this time, no one is to come before Me without some offering. 16 Second, celebrate the Feast of Harvest in the spring when you bring to Me the first and best of the wheat crop you planted in the field. Third, celebrate the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the harvest season when you gather your crops from the fields, orchards, and groves. 17 All of your men must come before the Eternal your Lord, these three times a year.

18 When you make offerings before Me, do not present any bread made with yeast along with an animal sacrifice. Do not let the fat of the sacrifice remain until the next morning. 19 Bring only the best crops from your first harvest into the house of the Eternal your God. You must not boil a baby goat in its mother’s milk.

20 Look! I am going to send a heavenly messenger before you to protect you during your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. 21 Pay attention to all he shows you and obey whatever he tells you. Do not cause him any trouble. He will not forgive you if you rebel against him for he carries My name in him.

The Hebrews follow a lunar calendar that has 11 fewer days than the solar calendar. Since it has only 354 days in the year, an extra month (a “leap” month) is added periodically to bring the dates into alignment with the seasons. Within this annual cycle, God sets aside several great feasts for the people to celebrate. The people are to honor their God by having days of pure rejoicing as they recall their rescue from Egypt and God’s ongoing provision. In keeping with the needs of an agricultural people, these feasts are situated around the harvests: first, the collection of the winter grains; second, the harvest of the other grains 50 days later; third, the gathering of the main crops of the field.

MonthLengthDate of CelebrationModern Months
Nisan3014 PassoverMarch/April
15-21 Unleavened Bread
16 Firstfruits
Iyyar29April/May
Sivan306 Pentecost (Weeks)May/June
Tammuz29June/July
Ab30July/August
Elul29August/September
Tishri301-2 Rosh Hashanah (New Year)September/October
10 Day of Atonement
15 Ingathering (7 days)
Heshvan29 or 30October/November
Chislev29 or 3025 (8 days) HanukkahNovember/December
Tebeth29December/January
Shebat30January/February
Adar29 or 3014-15 PurimFebruary/March
Veadar*29February/March

* (added 7 of every 19 years)

22 If you are obedient to his voice and follow all of My instructions, then I will be an enemy to all of those who are against you, and I will oppose all those who oppose you. 23 When My messenger moves ahead of you and leads you to the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites—I will annihilate them. 24 Do not bow down to their gods, worship, or serve them in any way. Do not engage in any of their wicked practices. Instead, you must destroy every idol you find and shatter their sacred pillars into tiny pieces.

25 Worship and serve only the Eternal your God, and I will bless you with an ample supply of wholesome food and clean water. I will take away all sickness from you, 26 prevent miscarriages and barrenness, and give you long, productive lives. 27 My fear and My dread will move ahead of you, and wherever you go people will greet you with panic and confusion. I will see to it that all of your enemies turn and run from you. 28 I will unleash hornets ahead of you; and they will drive out the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites from the land before you. 29 Now I will not do all this in a single year, because the land would become a wasteland, overpopulated with wild animals that would roam unchecked. 30 Rather, I will drive them out a little at a time—a few here, a few there—until your numbers grow and you are strong enough to take over the land and its care. 31 I will set your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea west of where the Philistines live and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give to you all those who inhabit the land, and you will drive them all out. 32 But do not make a covenant-treaty with them or agree to serve their gods. 33 They must not be allowed to live in your land; otherwise they will cause you to sin against Me, the only True God. If you serve their gods, you will be trapped and be drawn into sin.

24 Eternal One (to Moses): Come up the mountain to Me, Moses, and this time bring with you Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and 70 elders of Israel. These may come, but you must worship from a distance. Only Moses is permitted to approach Me; but be careful, for the others must stay at a distance. The rest of the people of Israel must stay below; they are not to come up the mountain with you.

Moses then went and told the people exactly what the Eternal had said, and he carefully laid out God’s instructions. All the people answered as if they had one, single voice.

People (answering together): We will do all that the Eternal has asked us to do!

Moses wrote down in great detail everything that the Eternal had said. Then early the next morning he woke up and constructed an altar at the foot of the mountain and erected twelve stone pillars.[g] Each pillar represented one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Moses directed some of the young men of Israel to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bulls as peace offerings to the Eternal. He gathered half of the blood from the animals and filled the basins with it. He sprinkled the other half of the blood against the altar. Then Moses took the book of the covenant—the very instructions spoken to him by God—and read it aloud so all the people could hear.

People (responding): We will do all that the Eternal has said! We will obey every word of His command!

Moses took the blood of the sacrifices and sprinkled it on the gathered people.

Moses (to the people): Look! Here is the blood signifying the covenant that God has established with you according to all He has said and all we have promised.

Then Moses took Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and 70 of Israel’s elders and went up the mountain. 10 There they saw Israel’s God. Beneath His feet, there appeared to be paving stones of sapphire, as pure and clear as the sky above. 11 But God did not raise His hand against the leaders of Israel to strike them down. They beheld the True God, and they feasted and drank in His presence.

Eternal One (to Moses): 12 Come up the mountain to Me and stay here with Me for a while. I will give you stone tablets inscribed with My law and commandments in order to provide instruction and guidance for the people.

13 So Moses and his assistant, Joshua, got up and began the long climb up toward the summit of the mountain of God.

Moses (to the elders): 14 Wait here for our return. Aaron and Hur will stay with you. If anyone has a complaint, then they can speak to them.

15-16 Moses[h] made his way up the mountain. A thick cloud blanketed the mountain because the Eternal’s glory had settled upon it. The cloud stayed there for six days; and when the seventh day arrived, the Eternal spoke to Moses from the cloud.

17 For the Israelites below, the Eternal’s glory appeared to be a consuming fire on the top of the mountain. 18 As Moses walked further toward the top, he was swallowed by the cloud of God’s glory, and he remained there for a total of 40 days and 40 nights.

From above God’s glory appears as a cloud. From below it appears as a fire. As with the burning bush earlier on Mount Sinai, the mountain seems to burn but is not consumed.

25 Then the Eternal spoke to Moses.

Eternal One (to Moses): 2-3 Instruct the Israelites to bring Me a sacred offering. All those whose hearts move them are to make an offering to the One who delivered them from bondage. You should accept only the finest things: gold, silver, and bronze metals; blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fabric; fine linen and goat-hair garments; ram skins (dyed red) and sea-cow[i] leathers; acacia wood; olive oil for the lamps; spices for anointing oil and incense; and onyx and other gems for the ceremonial vestment and the breast piece worn by the high priest.

Direct them to build a holy sanctuary in My honor so that I can dwell among them. Instruct the people to follow the pattern I am about to show you for the congregation tent and its furnishings.

10 I want them to build a covenant chest made from acacia wood. It should be 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. 11 Overlay it inside and out with pure gold, and decorate it with gold trim around the outside. 12 Cast four gold rings and attach them to the four corners—two rings on each side. 13 Also, make poles out of acacia wood and overlay them with pure gold. 14 Slide the poles through the rings on the chest in order to carry it. 15 The poles must remain in the rings of the chest at all times; they are not to be removed. 16 Inside the chest you are to store the stone tablets that I will give you as a witness to our agreement. 17 Build a cover for the chest out of pure gold. It will be known as the seat of mercy—where sins are atoned—and it should be 45 inches long and 27 inches wide. 18-19 Fashion two winged guardians[j] out of hammered gold, and place them at both ends of the seat of mercy. Put one winged guardian at each end, but have your artisans make them appear as one solid piece with the cover. 20 The guardians must face one another with bowed heads, their wings spread so that they reach up and cover the seat of mercy. 21 After you put the stone tablets that I will give you as a witness to our agreement in the chest, place the seat of mercy—where sins are atoned—as a lid to cover the chest. 22 I will meet with you there. I will speak to you from above the seat of mercy between the two winged creatures that sit atop the covenant chest. From there, I will speak to you about all the commands and instructions I have for the people of Israel.

23 I want you to build a table made of acacia wood. It should be 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high. 24 Overlay it with pure gold, and decorate it with gold trim around the edge. 25 Put a three-inch-wide[k] rim around it, and place gold trim around the rim. 26 Then make four gold rings, and attach them to each of the table’s four corners at its four legs. 27 The rings need to be near the rim, so that they can hold the poles that carry the table. 28 Make the poles out of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. You will use them to carry the table.

29 Have your artisans make different kinds of dishes for the table—platters, pans, pitchers, and bowls—out of pure gold. 30 Place the bread of the Presence on the table and keep it before Me at all times.

This table is to be placed in a special room of the congregation tent with the elements symbolic of God’s place among His people. One of the major elements is the bread of the Presence; it is arranged in two rows of six flat loaves representing the twelve sons of Israel. There is also a pan for holding incense and pitchers for fine wine; all these elements remind God’s people of His loving grace. The golden lampstand stands nearby, bathing the room and its contents in warm light. This special room and all it contains stimulate the senses—sight, smell, touch, and taste—and serve to remind those who enter of God’s tangible blessings.

Eternal One: 31 Fashion a lampstand out of pure, hammered gold. Make it and all its parts—its base, trunk, branches, decorative buds and blossoms, and lamp cups—out of one solid piece. 32 Six branches will extend from the trunk’s sides—three on one side and three on the other. 33 Each of the six branches will have three decorative cups shaped like almond blossoms whose buds have just flowered. 34 On the trunk of the lampstand, there are to be four cups shaped like almond blossoms whose buds have just flowered. 35 A single almond bud will sit beneath each pair of branches extending out from the trunk of the lampstand. 36 All the buds and branches are to be crafted out of pure, hammered gold and made to look as one solid piece. 37 Make seven lamps for the lampstand, and position them so that they illuminate the area in front of it. 38 The tools and accessories for trimming the wicks and caring for the lamps are to be made of pure gold as well. 39 The lampstand and all its accessories will require 75 pounds[l] of your finest gold. 40 Be sure that you make the covenant chest, table, lampstand and all their accessories according to the pattern I have shown you on the mountain.[m]

The valuable materials used to make the congregation tent and its furnishings are provided by the Egyptians when the Israelites make their exodus.

26 Eternal One: Make the interior of the congregation tent out of 10 curtains made of the finest woven linens. Decorate it with blue, purple, and scarlet threads, beautifully embroidered by skilled workers with images of winged guardians. Make each curtain 42 feet long and 6 feet wide. Attach five of the curtains together to form one larger curtain. Then take the other five, and attach them to form a second curtain. Make loops out of material dyed blue and attach them on the outer edge of both sets of curtains. Attach 50 more loops to the long edge on both sets of curtains so that the loops match up with one another. Make 50 gold clasps to connect the curtains together so that all the curtains for the interior of the congregation tent form one continuous piece.

Next make 11 panels of tent fabric out of goat hair to cover the congregation tent and protect the beautiful embroidered curtains inside. Each of the 11 panels is to be 45 feet long and 6 feet wide. Attach five panels together to form a single wide panel. Then attach the remaining six to form a second panel. Fold the larger panel over at the front of the tent. 10 Make 50 loops on the long edge of each of these panels and 11 50 bronze clasps to connect the panels together, so that this covering for the congregation tent may function as one continuous piece. 12 The extra length of the leather tent panels—the remaining half panel—will hang over the back of the congregation tent. 13 The extra length in the sides of the tent panels should be left to overlap so that the tent is covered completely. 14 You must add two more layers to protect the congregation tent: an inner layer made of red-dyed rams’ skins and an outer layer made of sea-cow hides.

15 Construct the supporting frame panels for the congregation tent out of the acacia wood. 16 Each panel should be 15 feet high and 27 inches wide. 17 For every panel, carve two tenons so that one panel fits perfectly into the next. 18 You will need 20 frame panels for the south wall of the congregation tent. 19 Make 40 silver bases to support the 20 frame panels, two bases beneath each panel so that each fits securely into the bases for support.

20 Make 20 frame panels for the north[n] wall of the tent as well, 21 sitting on 40 silver bases—two bases beneath each of the 20 panels.

22 For the back wall of the congregation tent (the side that faces west), make six frame panels. 23 Make two special panels for each corner on the back side of the tent. 24 They are to come together with the side panels at the bottom to make a strong corner and attach at the top to the first ring. This is how both corner panels should be made. 25 So there are to be eight frame panels on the back wall that fit into 16 silver bases—two bases beneath each panel.

26-27 Make five crossbars of acacia wood to connect the frame panels on each of three sides of the tent: north, south, and west. 28 Run one bar from corner to corner in the middle, halfway up the panels. 29 Overlay the frame panels with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Overlay the crossbars with gold as well. 30 Set up the congregation tent according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain.

31 As for the interior of the congregation tent, have your skilled workers take the blue, purple, and scarlet threads, as well as the finest woven linens, and make a veil that is richly decorated with images of winged guardians. 32 Erect four posts made of acacia wood overlaid with gold onto four silver bases. When the veil is complete, hang it on the four posts using gold hooks 33 suspended beneath the clasps that hold together the curtains; and place the covenant chest, which holds the sacred tablets, behind the veil. The veil will separate the two rooms and serve to divide the holy place from the most holy place.

At the very center of Israel’s camp is the congregation tent. It is the heart of the nation, a place of unique revelation, and a constant reminder of God’s presence and actions which create and form His people. Everything must be portable because this is not a settled population but a people on the move. God describes exactly how this large tent and its furnishings are to be constructed. Each layer covering the tent and the detailed work on the covenant chest, the seat of mercy, the table of presence, the lampstand, and all the utensils are physical reminders of deep, spiritual realities. The building, assembling, disassembling, and reassembling of the tent are labor-intensive; yet it is a work of obedience and devotion calling Israel to remember their special relationship with God. These are signs—located right in the center of the camp—that point to the fact that His graciousness is ever before them.

34 Place the seat of mercy—where sins are atoned—on top of the covenant chest in the most holy place. 35 Put the table outside the veil on the north side of the tent, and set the lampstand facing it on the south side.

36 As for the entrance to the congregation tent, have your skilled workers take the blue, purple, and scarlet threads, as well as the finest woven linens, and make another richly embroidered curtain. 37 Erect five posts made of acacia overlaid with gold onto five bases cast in bronze. Hang the richly embroidered curtain on the five posts using gold hooks.

27 Eternal One: Make the altar of burnt offering from acacia wood. It should be square and measure seven and a half feet by seven and a half feet. Make it four and a half feet high. Construct it with horns on each of the four corners so that the top forms one whole piece, and overlay it with bronze. Fashion buckets and shovels for the ashes, basins, forks, and fire pans out of bronze. Make a grate out of bronze, and attach four bronze rings at each of its four corners. Place the grate beneath the ledge of the altar, halfway up from the base. Make poles out of acacia wood for the altar, and overlay them with bronze. Slide the poles through the rings on both sides of the altar so that it can be moved. Make the altar out of wooden planks, and make it hollow—exactly like the pattern you were shown on the mountain.

9-10 Then enclose the courtyard in front of the congregation tent with large fabric panels made of finely woven linen on the south side that run 150 feet on silver hooks and rings supported by 20 bronze posts set securely into 20 bronze bases. 11 The north side is to be made the same way: hang a series of panels for 150 feet on silver hooks and rings supported by 20 bronze posts set securely into 20 bronze bases. 12 The fabric panels on the west end of the court are to run 75 feet (10 posts set into 10 bases). 13 The east end of the court facing the sunrise is to be 75 feet wide. 14-15 Fabric panels, measuring 22½ feet wide, are to be hung on each end of the east entrance, held up by three posts set into three bases. 16 The entrance to the court is to be a 30-foot fabric screen, made out of finely woven linen richly embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet thread. It is to be held up by four posts set into four bases.

17 All the posts that define the courtyard are to have silver bands and silver hooks, and be set into bronze bases. 18 The courtyard itself is to be 150 feet long and 75 feet wide. The finely woven linen panels should be seven and a half feet high including the height of the bronze bases. 19 As for the items used in the ceremonies held in the congregation tent and the tent pegs used both inside and outside the tent, they are to be made of bronze.

20 Direct the Israelites to bring you oil from olives whipped until it is clear in order to keep the lamps burning continually and producing the best light possible. 21 From dusk till dawn—inside the tent but outside the veil shrouding the most holy place—Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning in My presence. This directive stands forever and must be carried out by the priests and people of Israel throughout all generations.

28 Eternal One: Have your brother, Aaron, and his sons (Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar) brought to you and appoint them to serve Me as priests for the people of Israel. In order to reflect the glory and beauty of their office, create sacred garments for your brother, Aaron. Talk with all the skilled workers—those whom I have gifted with talent and the spirit of wisdom—and instruct them to create distinct garments that set Aaron apart from others whenever he is serving Me as priest. Here are the ceremonial garments they need to make: a breast piece, a special vest, a robe, a checkered tunic, a turban, and a sash. The craftsmen are to make these sacred items for Aaron your brother and his sons to wear when they come before Me in priestly service. They are to make the garments out of similar materials used for the congregation tent: gold, finely woven linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

Skilled workers are to make the special vest worn by the high priest out of finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread. It is to be made of two pieces joined together at the shoulders so that front and back form one piece. The waistband should also be made by skilled workers from the finest quality materials: from gold; from blue, purple, and scarlet thread; and from finely woven linen. Then take two onyx stones and engrave the names of Israel’s twelve sons upon them. 10 Carve six names onto each stone in the order of their birth. 11 Engrave the twelve names upon the two stones, just as a jeweler would engrave a seal. Mount each stone into ornamental gold settings, and 12 fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the vest to represent Israel’s sons. Aaron must wear the names on both shoulders as a memorial before Me. 13 Create ornamental gold settings at the shoulders of the vest 14 and attach to them two chains made of pure gold braided together like cords.

15 Have your skilled workers make a breast piece of judgment out of the same quality materials and in the same style as the vest. Use finely woven linen; blue, purple, and scarlet thread; and gold. 16 Make it square and fold it over to double the material, and create a pouch nine inches by nine inches. 17 Attach four rows of stones to the breast piece. The first row is to be a ruby, topaz, and emerald; 18 the second row is turquoise, sapphire, and diamond; 19 the third row is jacinth, agate, and amethyst; 20 the fourth row is beryl, onyx, and jasper. Attach all the stones to the breast piece with ornamental gold settings. 21 These stones stand for the twelve tribes of Israel. Each will be engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes. 22 Also braid strands of gold into chains and attach them to the breast piece. 23 Fashion two gold rings for the breast piece as well and attach them to the two ends. 24 Fasten the two gold chains to the two gold rings at the ends of the breast piece. 25 Fasten the loose ends of the chains on the two ornamental gold settings to the shoulders of the special vest. 26 Fashion two more gold rings and attach them to the breast piece at the inside edge next to the vest. 27 Make two additional gold rings and attach them to the front of the vest below the shoulders near the seam just above the waistband. 28 Connect the rings on the breast piece to the rings on the vest using a blue cord. This way, it will be attached above the waistband and not come loose from the vest. 29 Aaron must keep the names of the tribes of Israel in the breast piece of judgment over his heart whenever he enters the holy place; and this will serve as a memorial before the Eternal One, a constant reminder of the covenant.

Whenever Aaron and his sons enter into God’s presence, they wear these heavy ceremonial garments covered with the names of the tribes of Israel to remind them of their holy calling; they come before God to represent His people, not their own interests. But these stones, carved with the names of the twelve tribes, are there to remind God as well. It is not that God forgets, but as our story shows there are times—sometimes long seasons—when the heavens seem silent while God’s people are suffering. The Scriptures tell us that when God’s covenant people call on Him, He remembers His promises and comes to save them. These stones sit prominently on the shoulders of Aaron and later high priests as a memorial, as unspoken prayers calling out and calling upon God to act on behalf of His people.

Eternal One: 30 Keep the Urim and Thummim in a special pouch on the front of the breast piece of judgment. Aaron must wear these two objects over his heart whenever he enters My presence. This way he will always have with him a way to know My will and make sound decisions for the people of Israel.

31 Make the robe worn under the vest blue. 32 Make a hole for the head in the center of it. Form a collar around the hole by lining it with an extra layer of woven material so it will not tear. 33 Embroider pomegranates out of the blue, purple, and scarlet thread and attach them to the hem of the robe. Fashion bells out of gold, and place them all around the hem between the pomegranates. 34 Use an alternating pattern: bell, pomegranate, bell, pomegranate, and so on. 35 Whenever he serves as priest, Aaron must wear the robe so that he will not die, because the tinkling of the bells will announce that he intends to enter or leave My presence in the holy place.

36 Make a medallion out of pure gold, and engrave it like you were engraving a seal with the inscription: “Holy to the Eternal.” 37 Fasten it with a blue cord to the front of Aaron’s turban. 38 Aaron must wear it on his forehead in order to take on any guilt from the sacred gifts—regardless of what they are—which the Israelites dedicate to Me. Aaron must always wear it on his forehead, so that the gifts they offer may be acceptable to Me.

The richly detailed description of the high priest’s attire reflects key aspects of God’s relationship with His people. The engraved onyx stones on the vest remind the priest that he stands before God representing the people of Israel. The Urim and Thummim offer assurance that God will direct and guide His people through difficult times and decisions in the future. The beautifully embroidered robe worn under the breast piece represents the riches and beauty of God’s provision. The medallion on the front of the turban announces that Israel must be holy in order to serve the Lord.

Eternal One: 39 The tunic is to be made of finely woven checkered linen. Make the turban out of fine linen as well, and have skilled workers embroider the sash. 40 As for the rest of Aaron’s sons, make tunics, sashes, and special caps to reflect the glory and beauty of their office. 41 When they serve as priests, dress Aaron, your brother, and his sons in these ceremonial garments; anoint them, ordain them, and consecrate them. 42 Furnish them with linen undergarments, so that they are covered from their waists to their thighs. 43 Aaron and his sons are to put them on whenever they go into the congregation tent or go near the altar to minister in the holy place. They must do this so that they don’t incur guilt and die. This directive stands forever for Aaron and all those who come after him.

29 Eternal One: Here is how to conduct the ceremony that consecrates Aaron and his sons as priests: select one flawless young bull and two flawless rams. Using a good quality wheat flour, make bread without yeast, cakes without yeast with oil, and wafers without yeast spread with oil. Place all these baked goods in a basket, and offer them to God along with the young bull and two rams.

Then escort Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the congregation tent, and wash them carefully with water. Take all the ceremonial garments and put them on Aaron: the tunic, the robe worn under the vest, the vest, and the breast piece. Fasten the vest’s waistband around him as well. Place the turban on his head and attach the sacred medallion to the front of it. When he is completely dressed, pour the anointing oil over his head.

Then escort Aaron’s sons to the congregation tent, and dress them in tunics as well. Fasten sashes around the waists of Aaron and his sons and put special caps on their heads. This is how you are to ordain[o] them.

10 Then bring the young bull to the entrance of the congregation tent, and Aaron and his sons will lay their hands on its head. 11 Slaughter the bull in My presence at the entrance of the congregation tent. 12 Take some of the bull’s blood and smear it on the horns of the altar with your finger. Pour out any remaining blood at the foot of the altar. 13 Remove all the fat from around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat surrounding them and burn them on the altar. 14 All the remaining parts of the bull—its hide, meat, and refuse—are to be burned as a sin offering away from the camp.

15 Select one of the rams and have Aaron and his sons lay their hands on its head. 16 Slaughter the ram and splatter its blood on all sides of the altar. 17 Then cut the ram up into pieces. Clean out the intestines and wash off the legs so nothing unclean is mixed with the sacrifice. Then place them alongside the other pieces, including the head, 18 and burn the entire animal as a burnt offering to Me. This offering by fire presented to Me will give off a pleasing aroma.

19 Then bring the other ram, and have Aaron and his sons lay their hands on its head. 20 Slaughter the ram, and smear some of its blood on the right earlobe of Aaron and his sons. Then smear it on the thumbs of their right hands and the big toes of their right feet. Splatter the remaining blood on all sides of the altar. 21 Collect some of the blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. This is how you are to consecrate Aaron, his sons, and their garments. 22 Next remove the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat from around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat surrounding them, and the right thigh (because this is an offering for ordination). 23 Take one loaf of bread, one cake of bread with oil, and one wafer from the basket of yeastless bread that was placed before Me. 24 Place all of these in the hands of Aaron and his sons to lift up as a wave offering to Me. 25 Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering. This offering by fire presented to Me will give off a pleasing aroma.

26 Then take the breast from Aaron’s ordination ram, and lift it up before Me as a wave offering. This will be your portion of the sacrifice. 27 Consecrate the breast and the thigh which were lifted up before Me as a wave offering from the ordination ram. They belong to Aaron and his sons. 28 From now on when the people of Israel offer a peace offering, Aaron and his descendants must receive a share of what the people offer Me in that sacrifice. It is their due for their priestly service.

This ceremony becomes the ritual by which generations of priests and high priests are consecrated for their sacred duties.

29 When Aaron dies, his sacred garments must be passed down to his descendants. They will wear them when they are anointed and ordained. 30 Aaron’s son who succeeds him as high priest to minister in the congregation tent and holy place will wear these clothes for seven days.

One difficult aspect of Old Testament life to appreciate (at least in the Western world) is the use of animal sacrifices. The Israelites are first a nomadic people; later when they are settled, they become a shepherding people. For them to offer their best and dearest to God means most naturally an animal, one without blemish and young. These animals are the basis of their economy and provide them with food, clothing, shelter, and security. To offer God an animal sacrifice is to offer a piece of their lives. So offerings are very personal and differ based on what families can afford. In some cases, the sacrifices are completely consumed, but in others the priests and the people take some of the meat home to their own tables. This way the whole community shares in the bounty of the sacrifice.

Eternal One: 31 Take the meat of the ordination ram and boil it in a sacred place. 32 Aaron and his sons are to eat it and the bread from the basket at the entrance to the congregation tent. 33 Only they are allowed to eat the bread and meat which was part of their purification rite in the ordination ceremony. An outsider may not eat them because they are holy. 34 If any meat or bread is left over from the ordination ceremony the next morning, burn it completely. No one is allowed to eat it, for it is holy.

35 The ordination period is to last for seven days. Here is what you must do to ordain Aaron and his sons to My priestly service. 36 Offer a bull as an offering every day for seven days to purify them from sin. Cleanse the altar and consecrate it by anointing it with oil. 37 For seven days you must purify the altar and consecrate it. As a result of these rituals it will be most holy and anything that touches the altar will become holy.

38 Here are the sacrifices you are to offer on the altar: every day offer two one-year-old lambs. 39 Offer one lamb in the morning, and the other at twilight. 40 With the lamb offered in the morning bring two quarts of fine flour mixed together with one quart of beaten olive oil, and one quart of wine for the drink offering. 41 With the second lamb offered at twilight, bring the same gifts of grain and drink that you offered with the morning lamb. These offerings by fire presented to Me will give off a pleasing aroma. 42 From generation to generation, the ritual of the burnt offering is to begin daily at the entrance of the congregation tent in My presence. I will meet with you and talk with you there. 43 I will meet with My people Israel there, for My glory will make that place sacred. 44 I will sanctify the congregation tent and the altar. I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve as My priests. 45 I will live among the Israelites and be their God. 46 And they will know that I am the Eternal their God, who led them out of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the Eternal One their God.

30 Eternal One: Make an altar out of acacia wood for burning incense in the shape of a square—18 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 36 inches high. Carve the horns and the top of the altar out of one piece of wood. Overlay the top, sides, and horns with pure gold, and attach gold trim around its edges. Fashion two gold rings, and attach them beneath the trim on the two opposite sides; the rings are to hold the poles so that the altar can be carried. Make the poles out of acacia wood as well and overlay them with gold. Place this altar just outside of the veil that conceals the covenant chest and the seat of mercy that sits on top of the covenant chest. I will meet with you there.

Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he trims the lamps’ wicks and every evening when he lights the lamps. Incense must be burned in My presence throughout all your generations. Do not burn any strange incense, burnt offerings, or grain offerings at this altar. Also, do not pour out any drink offerings on it. 10 Since this altar is sacred to Me, Aaron is to cleanse it once each year by smearing blood from the sin offering on its horns. Throughout all your generations, the high priests are to perform this ritual.

11 The Eternal One continued giving instructions to Moses.

Eternal One (to Moses): 12 When you take a census of the population of Israel, each person should pay a ransom to Me so that no disease will spread among them when you count them. 13 Everyone who is counted must bring ⅕ ounce of silver—a weight based on the sanctuary’s measure, where ⅖ ounce equals 20 gerahs[p]—and it is to be given to Me as an offering. 14 Everyone who is 20 years old and older will be counted and must give this offering to Me. 15 The rich will not pay more, and the poor will not pay less than ⅕ of an ounce. This money will go to Me in order to ransom your lives. 16 Take all the money collected from the people of Israel and use it to provide for the service of the congregation tent. This will serve as a constant reminder of My covenant with Israel and provide a way to atone for your lives.

17 The Eternal One instructed Moses regarding the basin for ceremonial washing.

Eternal One: 18 Make a bronze basin for ceremonial washing and set it on a bronze stand. Place it between the congregation tent and the altar. Keep water in it at all times. 19-20 When Aaron and his sons enter the congregation tent, or when they approach the altar to minister before Me by offering a sacrifice by fire, they must wash their feet and hands so that they will not die. 21 It is important that they are to wash their hands and feet, so that they will not die. This directive stands forever for Aaron and his descendants, and they must observe it throughout all generations.

22 The Eternal One instructed Moses regarding the anointing oil.

Eternal One: 23 Collect the best spices: twelve and a half pounds of liquid myrrh, six pounds of fragrant cinnamon, six pounds of fragrant cane, 24 and twelve and a half pounds of cassia—in accordance with the sanctuary weights—and one gallon of olive oil. 25 Blend all these spices together like a skillful perfumer to make a holy anointing oil; this fragrant mixture will be used as a holy anointing oil. 26 Use it to anoint the congregation tent and the covenant chest, 27 the table and all its accessories, the lampstand and its tools, the altar of incense, 28 the altar for the burnt offering and all its tools, and the basin and its stand. 29 Consecrate all these furnishings and their utensils so that they are most holy. Anything that touches them will become holy.

30 Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them, so that they are able to serve as My priests. 31 Address the Israelites and say, “This is My sacred anointing oil that you will use for all generations. 32 It must not be poured on anyone else. Do not attempt to make an anointing oil for your own purposes with the same ingredients in the same proportions. It is sacred, and it is to be sacred to you. 33 Whoever makes a similar blend or anoints anyone who is not ordained as a priest will be cut off from the community.”

34 The Eternal One instructed Moses regarding the fragrant incense.

Eternal One: Gather three aromatic spices—stacte, onycha, galbanum—and mix them with pure frankincense in equal measure. 35 Have a perfumer take this mixture and blend it carefully with salt in order to create a pure and sacred incense. 36 Grind it into a fine powder, and place some of it in front of the covenant chest in the congregation tent where I will meet with you. It will be most holy to you. 37 Do not attempt to make incense for yourselves with the same ingredients in the same proportion. You must regard this as perfectly sacred to Me. 38 Whoever makes an incense like it and uses it for themselves will be cut off from the community.

31 The Eternal One instructed Moses.

Eternal One: Look, I have a special calling upon one of the sons of Judah. His name is Bezalel (the son of Uri, son of Hur). I have filled him with God’s Spirit, gifted him with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and skills with a variety of crafts. He is an expert designer and works well with gold, silver, and bronze. He is able to cut and set gems, work with wood, and skillfully perform any craft needed to help construct the congregation tent and its furnishings. I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan to assist Bezalel. I have gifted all of Israel’s artisans with the skills needed to build everything I have instructed you: the congregation tent, the covenant chest, the seat of mercy that covers it, all the furnishings for the tent, the table and its accessories, the pure gold lampstand with all its tools, the altar of incense, the altar for burnt offering with all its utensils, the washing basin and its stand, 10 the woven garments, Aaron’s sacred priestly garments, the clothes worn by Aaron’s sons when they serve as My priests, 11 the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense to be used in the holy place. The craftsmen are to design and build all of these exactly as I have instructed you.

12 The Eternal One instructed Moses regarding the Sabbath.

Eternal One: 13 Speak to the Israelites and tell them, “You must be careful to observe My Sabbaths. For the Sabbath Day serves as a sign between Me and you for all generations, so that you will know I am the Eternal One who has set you apart from all the other nations. 14 Keep the Sabbath because it is a sacred day for you, different from all other days. Anyone who violates the Sabbath or defiles it must be executed; anyone who works on the Sabbath will be cut off from the community. 15 You have six days out of every week to do whatever work is needed, but the seventh day is the Sabbath, a day set aside for rest and only rest. It is sacred to Me. Anyone who works on the Sabbath must be executed. 16 Therefore, the Israelites are to keep the Sabbath and celebrate it throughout all their generations as an everlasting covenant. 17 The Sabbath exists as a sign forever of the covenant between Me and the people of Israel for I made heaven and earth in six days, but then on the seventh day I stopped My work and was refreshed.”

18 When God had finished giving these instructions to Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two stone tablets as a witness to their agreement inscribed by the very finger of God.

32 When the people realized Moses was taking a long time to return from his trek up the mountain, they got together and approached Aaron.

People: We have no idea what happened to this fellow Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt.[q] He left you in charge, so get up and make us gods who will lead us from here.

Aaron: I want you to bring me the gold earrings your wives, sons, and daughters are wearing.

So everyone took out their gold earrings and handed them over to Aaron. He collected the gold they brought and used a tool to fashion an idol in the shape of a calf. When the people saw the calf Aaron made, they were elated.

People (seeing the calf): Israel, these are your gods—the ones who led you out of the land of Egypt.

When Aaron saw how the people responded, he built an altar in front of the golden calf.

Aaron: We are going to have a feast to the Eternal tomorrow.

Everyone woke up before dawn the next day and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar. When the food was ready, they sat down to eat and drink and then rose up to dance and play.[r]

Meanwhile, on the mountain, the Eternal One spoke to Moses.

This is truly a dark moment for Israel. Moses left Aaron and Hur in charge 40 days ago, and both men are beginning to feel the strain. The people are stuck in the desert, and they are growing increasingly impatient without Moses and direction from God. So the people begin to question, and eventually they demand a physical representation of God like the ones their neighbors have. Aaron complies. With Moses and God occupied, the people begin breaking the Ten Directives, one after another: worshiping other gods, making idols, invoking God’s name for their own selfish purposes, and committing other indecent acts. The people of God fall quickly, and they fall hard. For a brief period, their very survival is in doubt.

Eternal One: Go back down the mountain immediately, because your people whom you led out of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have quickly abandoned the way of life I require of them. They have fashioned a calf out of gold, bowed down to it, and offered it sacrifices. They are even crediting My work to that detestable idol, saying, “Israel, these are your gods—the ones who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

I know these people, and they are unbelievably stubborn. 10 Leave Me alone so that My anger can flare up and destroy them. Then I will start over and continue My plans without them and make a great nation out of you.

Moses (begging): 11 Eternal One, why are You so angry? Why does Your anger flare up against the people You led out of Egypt with so much power and a strong hand? 12 Do You really want the Egyptians to say: “You deceived them and led them into the mountains in order to kill them and to wipe their memory from the earth”? I beg you to curb Your anger, and change your mind. Don’t harm Your people. 13 Remember the sacred promise You made to Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. You swore, “I will make your descendants as many as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all of this land as I promised. It will be their everlasting inheritance.”

14 So the Eternal relented and decided not to destroy the people as He had threatened to do.

15 Moses left God’s presence and went back down the mountain. In his hands, he carried the two stone tablets of witness, inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were God’s handiwork, and the writing on the tablets was written by God Himself.

17 As they neared the camp, Joshua heard all the commotion and the people shouting.

Joshua (to Moses): It sounds like a battle going on down at the camp.

Moses: 18 It is not the sound of victory, and it’s not the sound of defeat, but I do hear singing and celebration.

19 As soon as Moses arrived at the camp, he saw the calf and the revelry around it. His anger flared, and he hurled down the stone tablets and they shattered at the foot of the mountain. 20 He took down the calf they had made and burned it. He ground it down to a powder, scattered it over the water, and then he forced the Israelites to drink it.

Moses (to Aaron): 21 How could you lead these people into such a heinous sin? What did they do to you?

Aaron: 22 Control your anger, my master. You know these people. You know how evil they can be. 23 They told me, “We have no idea what happened to this fellow Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt. He left you in charge, so get up and make us some gods to lead us from here.” 24 So I told them, “If you are wearing any gold, take it off.” So they gave me all their gold and I just tossed it into the fire, and out came this calf!

25 When Moses saw that the people had lost all control because Aaron had let them get that way, and he realized their wild behavior had become a mockery in the sight of their enemies, 26 he stood at the camp’s entrance and shouted to them.

Moses: If you are on the side of the Eternal One, stand over here with me!

All of the Levites gathered around him.

Moses (to the Levites): 27 This is the message of the Eternal One, Israel’s True God: “Every one of you strap on your sword and move throughout the entire camp. Kill your brother, friend, and neighbor.”

28 The Levites did exactly as Moses told them to do, and about 3,000 men were killed that day.

Moses (to the Levites): 29 Dedicate your lives to the Eternal today—for every one of you has moved against sons and brothers. Because of your devotion to God, you have earned His blessing today.

30 On the very next day, Moses addressed the people.

Moses: You are guilty of a great sin. Now I am going back to the Eternal One, and I hope to make atonement for your wickedness.

31 Moses then went back up the mountain to the Eternal.

Moses: These people are guilty of a great sin against You. They fashioned gods out of gold for themselves. 32 If You will only forgive their sin, but if You do not, then erase me from the book You have written.

Eternal One: 33 I will erase from My book the name of everyone who has sinned against Me. 34 It’s time to go and leave this mountain. Lead the people to the place I told you. Look, My messenger will guide you there. When the time comes, I will punish them for what they have done.

35 Then the Eternal One sent a plague on all the people because they had bowed down and sacrificed to the calf Aaron had made.

33 Eternal One (instructing Moses): The time has now arrived. Leave, and take all the people you have led out of Egypt with you. Go to the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom I said, “I will give this land to your future generations.” I will send a messenger to guide you, and I will force out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites. Travel to the land that flows with milk and honey, the land of your inheritance. However, because you are such an incredibly stubborn people, I will not be going with you. Otherwise, I would completely destroy you during the journey.

When everyone heard the dreadful news, they began to grieve and stopped wearing their jewelry to remind them of the calf made from their gold earrings. You see the Eternal One had instructed Moses, “Give the Israelites this message: ‘You are such an incredibly stubborn people, therefore I am not going to travel with you. If I allowed Myself to travel with you for only a moment, I would completely destroy you. Stop wearing your jewelry so I can figure out what to do with you.’” So the Israelites took off all of their jewelry from the time they left Mount Horeb.

Moses used to take a tent[s] and put it up far away from the camp. He referred to it as the meeting tent. Everyone who sought the Eternal One would go out to the meeting tent, which was located well outside the camp. When the people heard that Moses was going out to the tent, they would get up and stand at the entrance of their own tents and watch him until he had gone inside. When Moses entered the tent, the cloud pillar descended to the tent’s entrance, and the Eternal would talk with Moses. 10 When people witnessed the cloud pillar standing at the meeting tent’s entrance, they would stand and bow in worship at the entrance of their own tents. 11 The Eternal spoke with Moses face-to-face, just as a friend speaks to another friend. After they were done, Moses would come back to camp but his young assistant Joshua (Nun’s son) would remain behind.

The golden-calf incident creates a deep rift between God and His people. For their safety, God refuses to travel with them to the land of promise; instead, He sends His messenger to guide them. The people’s response to God’s threatened absence is to mourn and refuse to wear their jewelry and fine clothes. The meeting tent and the congregation tent reflect this rift too. The congregation tent is to be God’s unique dwelling with His people, so it is located right in the middle of the camp. But now there is another tent, the meeting tent set up a long way from camp, far from the contagion of evil spreading there. From time to time, God and Moses meet there to talk; and Joshua stands watch over this intimate encounter, for only Joshua and Moses are not imperiled when the rest of Israel violates God’s directive and worships the golden calf. Moses speaks with God and does his best to get God back on good terms with His covenant people.

Moses (to the Lord): 12 Look, You tell me, “Lead these people!” but You haven’t yet told me whom You will send to accompany me. Yet You tell me, “I know you by name, and you have gained My trust and blessing.” 13 If I have gained Your trust and blessing, reveal Your way to me so that I can truly know You, and so that I may gain Your favor. Remember that this nation is Your covenant people.

Eternal One: 14 My presence will travel with you, and I will give you rest.

Moses: 15 If Your presence doesn’t travel with me, then don’t lead us away from here. 16 How will the people know that I have gained Your trust and blessing if You do not travel with us? Isn’t it the very fact that Your presence travels with us that distinguishes us from every other people on earth?

Eternal One: 17 I will do what you have said because you have gained My trust and blessing, and I know you by name.

Moses: 18 If Your presence will go with us, then let me see Your glory!

Eternal One: 19 I will cause all My goodness to pass before you, and I will declare My name, the Eternal One, before you. I will show mercy to whomever I choose to show mercy, and I will demonstrate compassion on whomever I choose to have compassion.[t] 20 You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live. 21 Look, there is a place next to Me on the rock where you may stand. 22 While My glory is passing by you, I will place you in a large crevice of the rock and hide you beneath My hand until I have completely passed by. 23 Then I will remove My hand, and you will see only My back. But you won’t be able to see My face.

34 Eternal One (to Moses): I want you to cut two stone tablets exactly like the first ones I gave you. I will write the same words on these tablets that were on the tablets you shattered. Make sure you are ready when morning arrives. Climb up to the summit of Mount Sinai and present yourself to Me. No one is allowed to accompany you this time. No one is allowed to be anywhere on the mountain. This goes for your flocks and herds as well; take them to graze away from the mountain.

So Moses cut two stone tablets that were exactly like the first set. He woke up early the next morning and climbed up Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets, just as the Eternal One had instructed him to do.

The Eternal One descended in the cloud and stood with Moses as He proclaimed His name, the Eternal One. Then the Eternal One passed before him.

Eternal One: The Eternal God, full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger, and abundant in loyal love and truth, who maintains loyal love to thousands of people, who forgives wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin; yet does not allow sin to go unpunished, extending the consequences of a father’s sin to his children, his grandchildren, and even to the third and fourth generations.

Moses quickly bowed down on the ground and worshiped.

Moses: If I have gained Your trust and blessing, Lord, please go with us, despite the incredible stubbornness of this people. I also ask that You forgive our wrongdoing and our sins, and receive us as Your very own people, Your inheritance.

Eternal One: 10 Look, I am about to make an extraordinary covenant with you. Before the eyes of all your people, I will do miraculous things that have never been done among any nation on earth. All of the nations living around you will witness the work that I do, for everything I do among you will inspire fear and awe. 11 You must be careful to obey the instructions I give you today. I am about to force the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites out of the land you will inherit. 12 Be careful. Do not make a covenant with the people who now live in the land where you are going. Any promises you make to these people could entrap you. 13 Destroy their altars and pillars, and cut down their sacred poles 14 because you must not worship any god except for Me. My name is Jealous, and I am a jealous God. 15 Do not make a covenant with the people who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves with their so-called gods and sacrifice to them, they will coax you and you will feast upon their sacrifices. 16 And when you take some of their daughters as wives for your sons—the daughters who prostitute themselves with other gods—they will seduce your sons into joining them in chasing after other gods.

Here is a brief summary of some essentials found in the laws and ordinances handed down from the Eternal One to Moses.

17 You are not to cast metal images for yourselves of any gods.

18 You are to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread every year as I have instructed you. Eat bread made without yeast for seven days at the designated time in the month of Abib, the month that you departed from Egypt. 19 All the firstborn belong to Me. Every male animal from your livestock, both cattle and sheep, that opens the womb is Mine. 20 You may redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb. If you choose not to redeem it, then you are to break its neck. Redeem all of your firstborn sons as well. No one may appear before Me empty-handed.

21 You are to work for six days; but when the seventh day arrives, you are to observe the Sabbath and rest. Even when it is the time to plow and harvest, you must still rest on the seventh day. 22 Also, you are to celebrate the Feast of Weeks, when the firstfruits from the wheat harvest are gathered. And when one year ends and another begins, celebrate the Ingathering Feast. 23 All your men are to appear before Me, the Lord and one True God of Israel, three times a year at these feasts. 24 For I will force the people out of the land before you and expand your borders. No one will try to take your land while you are going up those three times a year to appear before Me, your God.

25 You are not to offer blood from a sacrifice with bread made with yeast. Do not leave any of the meat from the Passover sacrifice until morning. 26 Offer only the best of your harvest when you bring a gift to the house of the Eternal One your God. Also you are not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.

27 (to Moses) Be sure to write down all that I have said to you. By these words of Mine, I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.

28 In all Moses was with the Eternal One for 40 days and 40 nights. He fasted the entire time—no food or water. He wrote down the Ten Directives, the essential words of the covenant, on the two stone tablets.

29 When Moses went back down Mount Sinai, he carried the two stone tablets in his hands as a witness to their agreement. But he did not realize that the skin on his face was glowing and radiant because he had been speaking with God.

30 When Aaron and the Israelites saw that Moses’ face was shining, they were afraid to get too close to him. 31 But when Moses summoned them, Aaron and all the leaders of the community were reassured and approached him. Moses talked to them. 32 After this, all the rest of the people of Israel approached Moses, and he instructed them to do everything that the Eternal had told him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished sharing the words of God with them, he covered his face with a veil. 34 From this time on whenever Moses went into the meeting tent to talk with the Eternal, he took off the veil until he left to share with the Israelites the Eternal’s instructions. 35 As Moses was speaking, the Israelites could see that the skin on his face was all aglow. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until the next time he went to speak with God.

Notas al pie

  1. 21:6 Greek manuscripts read, “to the lawcourt of God.”
  2. 21:17 Mark 7:10
  3. 21:24 Matthew 5:38
  4. 22:2–4 Verses 2–4 have been rearranged to assist in the comprehension of the passage.
  5. 22:28 Acts 23:5
  6. 22:29 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  7. 24:4 Other manuscripts read, “stones.”
  8. 24:15-16 Greek manuscripts add, “and Joshua.”
  9. 25:5 The exact type of animal skin is uncertain.
  10. 25:18–19 Hebrew, cherubim
  11. 25:25 Hebrew handbreadth is about 3 inches.
  12. 25:39 Or one talent of gold
  13. 25:40 Hebrews 8:5
  14. 26:20 Greek manuscripts read “south.”
  15. 29:9 Hebrew idiom is to “fill the hands.”
  16. 30:13 A gerah is about 150 of an ounce or 0.6 grams.
  17. 32:1 Acts 7:40
  18. 32:6 1 Corinthians 10:7
  19. 33:7 Greek manuscripts read “his tent.”
  20. 33:19 Romans 9:15