Old/New Testament
Two skilled craftsmen are given special mention in this work of the people. They are called to transform the abundant gifts the people freely provide into the congregation tent and its furnishings. It is God who gifts the hearts and hands of these two individuals and further inspires them to teach others. Of all the women and men who lend their expertise to this project, only Bezalel and Oholiab are recorded. Until Solomon’s temple is built in Jerusalem, their handiwork will be admired by all of Israel as the house of the Eternal One.
36 Moses: Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person whom the Eternal One has gifted with expertise and wisdom in order to build the sanctuary shall use these gifts as the Eternal One has directed.
2 Moses called together Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person whom the Eternal had gifted with special skills—everyone whose heart moved them to work—to help out and contribute to the construction work.
This project is nothing like the forced labor the people endured back in Egypt. All the creativity and work put into the building and furnishing of the congregation tent comes from the heart. People with various skills—skills honed in slavery—step forward as free men and women to create a home on earth for God. Ultimately all talent and skill comes from God. Used properly they all point back to God.
3 Moses handed over to the workers all the materials the Israelites donated to build the congregation tent. Every morning new contributions continued to come in. 4 Eventually the craftsmen who were working on every aspect of the sanctuary project interrupted their particular jobs 5 and reported to Moses.
Workers: The people are bringing far more than we need to complete the work which the Eternal One has instructed us to do.
6 So Moses issued a new directive, and it spread quickly throughout the camp.
Moses: We do not need any more contributions to complete the congregation tent. We have more than enough.
With that the people stopped bringing contributions, 7 for the material already on hand was more than enough to construct, furnish, and decorate the sanctuary.
8 All the craftsmen made 10 curtains out of finely woven linen for the congregation tent. Using blue, purple, and scarlet thread, Bezalel had skilled workers embroider images of the winged guardians on the curtains.[a] 9 Each curtain was 42 feet long and 6 feet wide. All 10 curtains were identical in size and shape. 10 Bezalel had his craftsmen connect five curtains together to make one large panel; then they connected the other five curtains to make a second. 11-12 He had 50 blue loops made and attached along the edge of the outer curtain of the first panel, and then did the same thing on the edge of the outer curtain of the second. He made sure the loops matched up with each other. 13 He also had 50 clasps fashioned from gold and used them to join the curtains together, so that the interior of the congregation tent formed one continuous piece.
14 He then had 11 panels of tent fabric made out of goat hair to use as a covering for the interior of the congregation tent. 15 Each panel was 45 feet long and 6 feet wide. All 11 of the panels were identical in size and shape. 16 He joined five panels together to form one large panel and then did the same with the remaining six to form a second large panel. 17 He had 50 loops made and attached along the edge of the outer panel of each set. 18 Then he had 50 clasps fashioned from bronze and used them to connect the panels together, so that they formed one continuous piece. 19 He then covered the goat hair panels with a layer of red-dyed rams’ skins and covered that with a layer made from sea-cow hides.
20 Bezalel then had his workers construct the supporting frame panels for the congregation tent out of acacia wood. 21 Each panel was 15 feet high and 27 inches wide. 22 He had them carve two tenons on each panel to fit into the next. They made all the panels this way. 23 This is how they made all the panels for the congregation tent: he made 20 panels for the southern end 24 and set them into 40 bases made of silver—two bases beneath each panel. 25 He made 20 panels for the northern end as well 26 and set them into 40 silver bases beneath the 20 panels—two bases beneath each framing panel.
27 At the back wall of the congregation tent (the side that faces west), he made six panels. 28 He also made two special panels to support each corner on the back of the tent. 29 They came together with the side panels at the bottom to make a strong corner and attached at the top of the first ring. He did the same thing at both corners. 30 On the back wall, there were eight frame panels with silver bases—16 bases in all—two beneath each panel.
31 He then made crossbars of acacia wood, five to connect the frame panels on one side of the congregation tent, 32 five more to connect the panels on the other side, and five more to connect the panels at the back, the side that faces west. 33 He ran one bar in the center from corner to corner, halfway up the panels. 34 He overlaid the panels with gold and fashioned gold rings to hold the crossbars, and he overlaid the crossbars with gold as well.
35 Bezalel had his skilled workers make the veil by embroidering finely woven linen with images of winged guardians in blue, purple, and scarlet thread. 36 To hold up the veil, he erected four acacia wood posts that were overlaid with gold onto four silver bases. He fashioned gold hooks for them. 37 For the entrance to the tent, he made a fabric screen out of finely woven linen richly embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet thread. 38 He hung it on five posts using hooks overlaid with gold. The posts were set into four bases made of bronze.
37 After this Bezalel built the covenant chest out of acacia wood. It was 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. 2 He overlaid the entire thing, inside and out, with pure gold, and decorated it with gold trim all the way around it. 3 He cast four gold rings and attached them to its four corners—two rings on each side of the chest. 4 He made poles out of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 He slid the poles through the rings on the sides of the chest in order to carry it without touching it. The poles were never to be removed.
6 He built a cover for the chest out of pure gold. It is known as the seat of mercy—where sins are atoned—and it was 45 inches long and 27 inches wide. 7 He also fashioned two winged guardians out of hammered gold and placed them at both ends of the seat of mercy. 8 He placed one winged creature at each end of the seat of mercy. He had it made so that the winged guardians appeared as one solid piece with the cover. 9 The guardians faced one another with bowed heads, their wings spread so that they were reaching up and covering the seat of mercy.
10 Bezalel then built the table out of acacia wood—36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high. 11 He overlaid it with pure gold, and decorated it with gold trim around the edge. 12 He put a three-inch-wide rim around it and placed gold trim around the rim. 13 Then he cast four gold rings and attached them to each of the table’s four corners at its four legs. 14 The rings were placed just beneath the rim so they could hold the poles in order to carry the table. 15 He made the poles out of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 16 He had his artisans make different kinds of vessels for use at the table—platters, pans, pitchers, and bowls—out of pure gold for use with the offerings of incense and drink.
17 Then Bezalel fashioned a lampstand out of pure, hammered gold. He made its base, trunk, branches, decorative buds and blossoms, and lamp cups out of one solid piece. 18 Six branches extended from the trunk’s sides—three on one side and three on the other. 19 Each of the six branches had three decorative cups shaped like almond blossoms whose buds have just flowered. 20 On the trunk of the lampstand, there were four cups, shaped like almond blossoms whose buds have just flowered. 21 A single almond bud sat beneath each pair of six branches extending out from the trunk of the lampstand. 22 All the buds and branches were crafted out of pure, hammered gold of one solid piece. 23 Bezalel had his artisans make seven lamps, trays, and tongs out of pure gold. 24 He made the lampstand and all its accessories out of 75 pounds of pure gold.
25 Bezalel then built the altar of incense out of more acacia wood. He made it in the shape of a square—18 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 36 inches high. He carved the horns and the top of the altar out of one piece of wood. 26 He overlaid the whole thing, the top, the sides, and the horns with pure gold and attached a gold trim around its edges. 27 He fashioned two gold rings and attached them beneath the trim on the two opposite sides to hold the poles used to carry the altar. 28 He made the poles out of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
29 With the skill of a master perfumer, he blended the ingredients to make the sacred anointing oil and fragrant incense.
38 Bezalel made the altar for burnt offerings out of acacia wood. He made it square—seven and a half feet long by seven and a half feet wide—and four and a half feet high. 2 He constructed it with horns on each of the four corners so that the top formed one piece and overlaid it with bronze. 3 He fashioned all the tools and accessories needed for the altar out of bronze—the buckets and shovels for the ashes, basins, forks, and fire pans. 4 He made a grate out of bronze and attached it beneath the ledge of the altar, halfway up from the base. 5 He cast four bronze rings and attached them at the four corners of the bronze grating in order to hold the poles. 6 He made poles out of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7 He then slid the poles through the rings on both sides of the altar so that it could be carried. He made the altar out of wooden planks and made it hollow so that it would be easier to move.
8 Bezalel made the bronze basin and its stand from the mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the congregation tent.
In Moses’ day mirrors are a luxury. They are made from good-quality bronze that is polished to a shine. These mirrors were likely gifts from the Egyptians.
9 Bezalel then made fabric panels out of finely woven linen to enclose the courtyard in front of the congregation tent. On the south side, he hung a series of panels for 150 feet 10 on 20 bronze posts set securely into 20 bronze bases. The hooks and bands used to attach the panels to the posts were made out of silver. 11 On the north side, he hung a series of panels for 150 feet on 20 bronze posts set securely into 20 bronze bases. The hooks and bands used to attach them to the posts were made out of silver. 12 On the west end, he hung panels for 75 feet on 10 bronze posts set securely into 10 bronze bases. The hooks and bands used to attach them to the posts were made out of silver. 13 For the front, which faced the east, he hung panels for 75 feet. 14-15 On both sides of the entrance, he hung panels that were 22½ feet wide on three posts set into three bases. 16 All the fabric panels enclosing the courtyard were made of finely woven linen.
17 The bases for the posts were all crafted out of bronze. The hooks and bands on the posts were all made out of silver, and the tops of each post were overlaid with silver. All the rings which attached the panels to the posts were made of silver.
18 The fabric screen that served as the entrance to the courtyard was made of finely woven linen richly embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet thread. It was 30 feet long and seven and a half feet high, the same height as the rest of the panels around the court. 19 It was held up by four bronze posts set into four bronze bases. The hooks and the rings which attached the panels to the posts were crafted out of silver, and the tops of each post were overlaid with silver. 20 Every peg which anchored the congregation tent and the courtyard enclosure to the ground was made out of bronze.
21 Here is an account of everything used to construct the congregation tent—the tent of witness—recorded exactly as Moses instructed. The Levites, under the supervision of Aaron’s son Ithamar, were in charge of keeping track of the materials. 22 Bezalel (son of Uri the son of Hur, a Judahite) built everything according to the instructions the Eternal One had given Moses. 23 Oholiab (son of Ahisamach the Danite) assisted Bezalel. He was an expert engraver, designer, and embroiderer with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine linen.
24 The total weight of gold donated by the Israelites and used in the construction of the congregation tent was about 2,200 pounds[b] (according to the official standards used in the sanctuary). 25 The total weight of silver collected from the people to be used for the congregation tent was about 7,600 pounds[c] (according to the official standards used in the sanctuary). 26 For every person counted in the census—603,550 men age 20 and older—this amounts to two-tenths of an ounce[d] per person (according to the official standards used in the sanctuary). 27 The 100 bases used for the sanctuary and for the veil were cast out of 7,500 pounds of silver, that is 75 pounds per base. 28 He used the remaining silver, about 45 pounds, to make the hooks and bands for the posts and to overlay the tops of each post. 29 The Israelites had also donated about 5,300 pounds of bronze.[e] 30 From it he crafted the bases at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating, all the tools for the altar, 31 the bases around the courtyard and the entrance, and all the tent pegs for the congregation tent and courtyard.
23 Jesus spoke to His disciples and to the crowds that had gathered around.
Jesus with the Pharisees listening uses them as an example of the pious but truly unrighteous. He calls the people to mind the Pharisees’ words, not their examples, because they talk about righteousness and faithfulness, but they are a faithless and unrighteous crew.
Jesus: 2 The Pharisees and the scribes occupy the seat of Moses. 3 So you should do the things they tell you to do—but don’t do the things they do. 4 They heap heavy burdens upon their neighbors’ backs, and they prove unwilling to do anything to help shoulder the load. 5 They are interested, above all, in presentation: they wrap their heads and arms in the accoutrements of prayer, they cloak themselves with flowing tasseled prayer garments, 6 they covet the seats of honor at fine banquets and in the synagogue, 7 and they love it when people recognize them in the marketplace, call them “Teacher,” and beam at them.
8 But you: do not let anyone call you “Rabbi,” that is, “Teacher.” For you are all brothers, and you have only one teacher, the Anointed One. 9 Indeed, do not call anyone on earth “Father,” for you have only one father, and He is in heaven. 10 Neither let anyone call you “leader,” for you have one leader—the Anointed One. 11 If you are recognized at all, let it be for your service. Delight in the one who calls you servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 Woe to you, you teachers of the law and Pharisees. There is such a gulf between what you say and what you do. You will stand before a crowd and lock the door of the kingdom of heaven right in front of everyone; you won’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from doing so.
[14 Woe to you, you teachers of the law and Pharisees. What you say is not what you do. You steal the homes from under the widows while you pretend to pray for them. You will suffer great condemnation for this.][a]
15 Woe to you Pharisees, woe to you who teach the law, hypocrites! You traverse hills and mountains and seas to make one convert, and then when he does convert, you make him much more a son of hell than you are.
16 Woe to you who are blind but deign to lead others. You say, “Swearing by the temple means nothing, but he who swears by the gold in the temple is bound by his oath.” 17 Are you fools? You must be blind! For which is greater: the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, “Swearing by the altar means nothing, but he who swears by the sacrifice on the altar is bound by his oath.” 19 You must be blind! Which is greater: the sacrifice or the altar that makes it sacred? 20 So anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by the sacrifices and gifts laid upon it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the God who sanctifies it. 22 And when you swear by heaven, you are swearing by God’s throne and by Him who sits upon it.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.