The Tabernacle

26:1–37pp—Ex 36:8–38

26 “Make the tabernacleu with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubimv woven into them by a skilled worker. 2 All the curtains are to be the same sizew—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide.a 3 Join five of the curtains together, and do the same with the other five. 4 Make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and do the same with the end curtain in the other set. 5 Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. 6 Then make fifty gold clasps and use them to fasten the curtains together so that the tabernacle is a unit.x

7 “Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. 8 All eleven curtains are to be the same sizey—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.b 9 Join five of the curtains together into one set and the other six into another set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. 10 Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. 11 Then make fifty bronze clasps and put them in the loops to fasten the tent together as a unit.z 12 As for the additional length of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over is to hang down at the rear of the tabernacle. 13 The tent curtains will be a cubitc longer on both sides; what is left will hang over the sides of the tabernacle so as to cover it. 14 Make for the tent a coveringa of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.d b

15 “Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 16 Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide,e 17 with two projections set parallel to each other. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 18 Make twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle 19 and make forty silver basesc to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. 20 For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, make twenty frames 21 and forty silver basesd—two under each frame. 22 Make six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, 23 and make two frames for the corners at the far end. 24 At these two corners they must be double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both shall be like that. 25 So there will be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

26 “Also make crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 27 five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. 28 The center crossbar is to extend from end to end at the middle of the frames. 29 Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

30 “Set up the tabernaclee according to the planf shown you on the mountain.

31 “Make a curtaing of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubimh woven into it by a skilled worker. 32 Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases.i 33 Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain.j The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.k 34 Put the atonement coverl on the ark of the covenant law in the Most Holy Place. 35 Place the tablem outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstandn opposite it on the south side.

36 “For the entrance to the tent make a curtaino of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer.p 37 Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.

The Altar of Burnt Offering

27:1–8pp—Ex 38:1–7

27 “Build an altarq of acacia wood, three cubitsa high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.b 2 Make a hornr at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. 3 Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls,s meat forks and firepans.t 4 Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network. 5 Put it under the ledge of the altar so that it is halfway up the altar. 6 Make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze.u 7 The poles are to be inserted into the rings so they will be on two sides of the altar when it is carried.v 8 Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shownw on the mountain.

The Courtyard

27:9–19pp—Ex 38:9–20

9 “Make a courtyardx for the tabernacle. The south side shall be a hundred cubitsc long and is to have curtains of finely twisted linen, 10 with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 11 The north side shall also be a hundred cubits long and is to have curtains, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.

12 “The west end of the courtyard shall be fifty cubitsd wide and have curtains, with ten posts and ten bases. 13 On the east end, toward the sunrise, the courtyard shall also be fifty cubits wide. 14 Curtains fifteen cubitse long are to be on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, 15 and curtains fifteen cubits long are to be on the other side, with three posts and three bases.

16 “For the entrance to the courtyard, provide a curtainy twenty cubitsf long, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroidererz—with four posts and four bases. 17 All the posts around the courtyard are to have silver bands and hooks, and bronze bases. 18 The courtyard shall be a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide,g with curtains of finely twisted linen five cubitsh high, and with bronze bases. 19 All the other articles used in the service of the tabernacle, whatever their function, including all the tent pegs for it and those for the courtyard, are to be of bronze.

Oil for the Lampstand

27:20–21pp—Lev 24:1–3

20 “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oila of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. 21 In the tent of meeting,b outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law,c Aaron and his sons are to keep the lampsd burning before the Lord from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinancee among the Israelites for the generations to come.

The Priestly Garments

28 “Have Aaronf your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu,g Eleazar and Ithamar,h so they may serve me as priests.i 2 Make sacred garmentsj for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.k 3 Tell all the skilled workersl to whom I have given wisdomm in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. 4 These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece,n an ephod,o a robe,p a woven tunic,q a turbanr and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. 5 Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.s

The Ephod

28:6–14pp—Ex 39:2–7

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

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

The Breastpiece

28:15–28pp—Ex 39:8–21

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

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

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

Other Priestly Garments

28:31–43pp—Ex 39:22–31

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

36 “Make a plateg of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the Lord.h 37 Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. 38 It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilti involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptablej to the Lord.

39 “Weave the tunick of fine linen and make the turbanl of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer. 40 Make tunics, sashes and caps for Aaron’s sonsm to give them dignity and honor.n 41 After you put these clotheso on your brother Aaron and his sons, anointp and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.q

42 “Make linen undergarmentsr as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. 43 Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the tent of meetings or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place,t so that they will not incur guilt and die.u

“This is to be a lasting ordinancev for Aaron and his descendants.

Consecration of the Priests

29:1–37pp—Lev 8:1–36

29 “This is what you are to do to consecratew them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect.x 2 And from the finest wheat flour make round loaves without yeast, thick loaves without yeast and with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves without yeast and brushed with olive oil.y 3 Put them in a basket and present them along with the bull and the two rams.z 4 Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water.a 5 Take the garmentsb and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband.c 6 Put the turband on his head and attach the sacred embleme to the turban. 7 Take the anointing oilf and anoint him by pouring it on his head. 8 Bring his sons and dress them in tunicsg 9 and fasten caps on them. Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons.a h The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance.i

“Then you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

10 “Bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.j 11 Slaughter it in the Lord’s presencek at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 12 Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the hornsl of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.m 13 Then take all the fatn on the internal organs,o the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. 14 But burn the bull’s flesh and its hide and its intestinesp outside the camp.q It is a sin offering.b

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

19 “Take the other ram,v and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.w 20 Slaughter it, take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet.x Then splash blood against the sides of the altar.y 21 And take some bloodz from the altar and some of the anointing oila and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.b

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

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

29 “Aaron’s sacred garmentsi will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.j 30 The sonk who succeeds him as priest and comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days.

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

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

38 “This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day:u two lambs a year old. 39 Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight.v 40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephahc of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hind of oilw from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.x 41 Sacrifice the other lamb at twilighty with the same grain offeringz and its drink offering as in the morning—a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.

42 “For the generations to comea this burnt offering is to be made regularlyb at the entrance to the tent of meeting,c before the Lord. There I will meet you and speak to you;d 43 there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.e

44 “So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests.f 45 Then I will dwellg among the Israelites and be their God.h 46 They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypti so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.j

The Altar of Incense

30:1–5pp—Ex 37:25–28

30 “Make an altark of acacia wood for burning incense.l 2 It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits higha—its hornsm of one piece with it. 3 Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.n 4 Make two gold ringso for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 5 Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.p 6 Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement coverq that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.

7 “Aaron must burn fragrant incenser on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. 8 He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.s 9 Do not offer on this altar any other incenset or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. 10 Once a yearu Aaron shall make atonementv on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offeringb w for the generations to come.x It is most holy to the Lord.”

Atonement Money

11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “When you take a censusy of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransomz for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plaguea will come on them when you number them. 13 Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel,c according to the sanctuary shekel,b which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. 14 All who cross over, those twenty years old or more,c are to give an offering to the Lord. 15 The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give lessd when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives. 16 Receive the atonemente money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting.f It will be a memorialg for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives.”

Basin for Washing

17 Then the Lord said to Moses, 18 “Make a bronze basin,h with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feeti with waterj from it. 20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die.k Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, 21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinancel for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”m

Anointing Oil

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the following fine spices:n 500 shekelsd of liquid myrrh,o half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon,p 250 shekelse of fragrant calamus,q 24 500 shekelsr of cassias—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hinf of olive oil. 25 Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer.t It will be the sacred anointing oil.u 26 Then use it to anointv the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, 27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. 29 You shall consecrate themw so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.x

30 “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecratey them so they may serve me as priests.z 31 Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oila for the generations to come.b 32 Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred.c 33 Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut offd from their people.’ ”

Incense

34 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spicese—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, 35 and make a fragrant blend of incense,f the work of a perfumer.g It is to be salted and pure and sacred. 36 Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meeth with you. It shall be most holyi to you. 37 Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holyj to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut offk from their people.”