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Chapter 27

The Altar for Burnt Offerings. You shall make an altar(A) of acacia wood, on a square, five cubits long and five cubits wide; it shall be three cubits high. At the four corners make horns[a] that are of one piece with the altar. You shall then plate it with bronze. Make pots for removing the ashes, as well as shovels, basins, forks, and fire pans; all these utensils you shall make of bronze. Make for it a grating,[b] a bronze network; make four bronze rings for it, one at each of its four corners. Put it down around the altar, on the ground. This network is to be half as high as the altar. You shall also make poles of acacia wood for the altar, and plate them with bronze. These poles are to be put through the rings, so that they are on either side of the altar when it is carried. Make the altar itself in the form of a hollow[c] box. Just as it was shown you on the mountain, so it is to be made.

Court of the Tabernacle. (B)You shall also make a court for the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings, of fine linen twined, a hundred cubits long, 10 with twenty columns and twenty pedestals of bronze; the hooks and bands on the columns shall be of silver. 11 On the north side there shall be similar hangings, a hundred cubits long, with twenty columns and twenty pedestals of bronze; the hooks and bands on the columns shall be of silver. 12 On the west side, across the width of the court, there shall be hangings, fifty cubits long, with ten columns and ten pedestals. 13 The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits. 14 On one side there shall be hangings to the extent of fifteen cubits, with three columns and three pedestals; 15 on the other side there shall be hangings to the extent of fifteen cubits, with three columns and three pedestals.

16 At the gate of the court there shall be a variegated curtain, twenty cubits long, woven of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn and of fine linen twined. It shall have four columns and four pedestals.

17 All the columns around the court shall have bands and hooks of silver, and pedestals of bronze. 18 The court is to be one hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and five cubits high. Fine linen twined must be used, and the pedestals must be of bronze. 19 All the fittings of the tabernacle, whatever be their use, as well as all its tent pegs and all the tent pegs of the court, must be of bronze.

Oil for the Lamps. 20 You shall command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of crushed olives, to be used for the light, so that you may keep lamps burning always.(C) 21 From evening to morning Aaron and his sons shall maintain them before the Lord in the tent of meeting, outside the veil which hangs in front of the covenant. This shall be a perpetual statute for the Israelites throughout their generations.

Footnotes

  1. 27:2 Horns: the horn of a ram, goat or ox is a common Old Testament figure for strength and dignity; they represent the divine character of the altar itself or the deity worshiped there.
  2. 27:4 Grating: it is not clear whether this was flush with the altar or at some small distance from it; in the latter case the space between the altar and the grating would be filled with stones and serve as a platform around the altar, which would otherwise be too high for the priest to reach conveniently.
  3. 27:8 Hollow: probably filled with earth or stones when in use. Cf. 20:24–25.

The Altar of Burnt Offering(A)

27 “Build an altar(B) of acacia wood, three cubits[a] high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.[b] Make a horn(C) at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls,(D) meat forks and firepans.(E) Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network. Put it under the ledge of the altar so that it is halfway up the altar. Make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze.(F) The poles are to be inserted into the rings so they will be on two sides of the altar when it is carried.(G) Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown(H) on the mountain.

The Courtyard(I)

“Make a courtyard(J) for the tabernacle. The south side shall be a hundred cubits[c] 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 cubits[d] 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 cubits[e] 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 curtain(K) twenty cubits[f] long, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer(L)—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 cubits[h] 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(M)

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

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 27:1 That is, about 4 1/2 feet or about 1.4 meters
  2. Exodus 27:1 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters long and wide
  3. Exodus 27:9 That is, about 150 feet or about 45 meters; also in verse 11
  4. Exodus 27:12 That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters; also in verse 13
  5. Exodus 27:14 That is, about 23 feet or about 6.8 meters; also in verse 15
  6. Exodus 27:16 That is, about 30 feet or about 9 meters
  7. Exodus 27:18 That is, about 150 feet long and 75 feet wide or about 45 meters long and 23 meters wide
  8. Exodus 27:18 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters