VIII. The Building of the Tabernacle and the Descent of God’s Glory Upon It

Chapter 35

Sabbath Regulations. ¹ Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them,^(A) “These are the words the Lord has commanded to be observed. ² On six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy to you as the sabbath of complete rest to the Lord. Anyone who does work on that day shall be put to death. ³ You shall not even light a fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day.”

Collection of Materials. ⁴ Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ^5 (B)Receive from among you contributions for the Lord. Everyone, as his heart prompts him, shall bring, as a contribution to the Lord, gold, silver, and bronze; ⁶ violet, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair; ⁷ rams’ skins dyed red, and tahash skins; acacia wood; ⁸ oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; ⁹ onyx stones and other gems for mounting on the ephod and on the breastpiece.

Call for Artisans. ^10 (C)“Let every artisan among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded: ¹¹ the tabernacle, with its tent, its covering, its clasps, its frames, its bars, its columns, and its pedestals; ¹² the ark, with its poles, the cover, and the curtain veil; ¹³ the table, with its poles and all its utensils, and the showbread; ¹⁴ the menorah, with its utensils, the lamps, and the oil for the light; ¹⁵ the altar of incense, with its poles; the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; the entrance curtain for the entrance of the tabernacle; ¹⁶ the altar for burnt offerings, with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin, with its stand; ¹⁷ the hangings of the court, with their columns and pedestals; the curtain for the gate of the court; ¹⁸ the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the court, with their ropes; ¹⁹ the service cloths for use in the sanctuary; the sacred vestments for Aaron, the priest, and the vestments for his sons in their ministry.”

The Contribution. ²⁰ When the whole Israelite community left Moses’ presence, ²¹ all, as their hearts moved them and their spirit prompted, brought a contribution to the Lord for the work of the tent of meeting, for all its services, and for the sacred vestments. ²² Both the men and the women, all as their heart prompted them, brought brooches, earrings, rings, necklaces, and various other gold articles.^(D) Everyone who could presented an offering of gold to the Lord. ²³ Everyone who happened to have violet, purple, or scarlet yarn, fine linen or goat hair, rams’ skins dyed red or tahash skins, brought them. ²⁴ Whoever could make a contribution of silver or bronze offered it to the Lord; and everyone who happened to have acacia wood for any part of the work, brought it. ²⁵ All the women who were expert spinners brought hand-spun violet, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen thread. ²⁶ All the women, as their hearts and skills moved them, spun goat hair. ²⁷ The tribal leaders brought onyx stones and other gems for mounting on the ephod and on the breastpiece; ²⁸ as well as spices, and oil for the light, anointing oil, and fragrant incense. ²⁹ Every Israelite man and woman brought to the Lord such voluntary offerings as they thought best, for the various kinds of work which the Lord, through Moses, had commanded to be done.

The Artisans. ³⁰ Moses said to the Israelites:^(E) “See, the Lord has singled out Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ³¹ and has filled him with a divine spirit of skill and understanding and knowledge in every craft: ³² in the production of embroidery, in making things of gold, silver, or bronze, ³³ in cutting and mounting precious stones, in carving wood, and in every other craft. ³⁴ He has also given both him and Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. ³⁵ He has endowed them with skill to execute all types of work: engraving, embroidering, the making of variegated cloth of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen thread, weaving, and all other arts and crafts.

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¹ “Bezalel, therefore, will set to work with Oholiab and with all the artisans whom the Lord has endowed with skill and understanding in knowing how to do all the work for the service of the sanctuary, just as the Lord has commanded.”^(F)

² Moses then called Bezalel and Oholiab and all the other artisans whom the Lord had endowed with skill, men whose hearts moved them to come and do the work. ³ They received from Moses all the contributions which the Israelites had brought for the work to be done for the sanctuary service. Still, morning after morning the people continued to bring their voluntary offerings to Moses. ⁴ Thereupon all the artisans who were doing the work for the sanctuary came from the work each was doing, ⁵ and told Moses, “The people are bringing much more than is needed to carry out the work which the Lord has commanded us to do.” ⁶ Moses, therefore, ordered a proclamation to be made throughout the camp: “Let neither man nor woman make any more contributions for the sanctuary.” So the people stopped bringing their offerings; ⁷ there was already enough at hand, and more than enough, to complete the work to be done.

The Tent Cloth and Coverings. ^8 (G)The various artisans who were doing the work made the tabernacle with its ten sheets woven of fine linen twined, having cherubim embroidered on them with violet, purple, and scarlet yarn. ⁹ The length of each sheet was twenty-eight cubits, and the width four cubits; all the sheets were the same size. ¹⁰ Five of the sheets were joined together, edge to edge; and the other five sheets likewise, edge to edge. ¹¹ Loops of violet yarn were made along the edge of the end sheet in the first set, and the same along the edge of the end sheet in the second set. ¹² Fifty loops were thus put on one inner sheet, and fifty loops on the inner sheet in the other set, with the loops directly opposite each other. ¹³ Then fifty clasps of gold were made, with which the sheets were joined so that the tabernacle formed one whole.

¹⁴ Sheets of goat hair were also woven as a tent over the tabernacle. Eleven such sheets were made. ¹⁵ The length of each sheet was thirty cubits and the width four cubits; all eleven sheets were the same size. ¹⁶ Five of these sheets were joined into one set, and the other six sheets into another set. ¹⁷ Fifty loops were made along the edge of the end sheet in one set, and fifty loops along the edge of the corresponding sheet in the other set. ¹⁸ Fifty bronze clasps were made with which the tent was joined so that it formed one whole. ¹⁹ A covering for the tent was made of rams’ skins dyed red and, above that, a covering of tahash skins.

The Framework. ^20 (H)Frames were made for the tabernacle, acacia-wood uprights. ²¹ The length of each frame was ten cubits, and the width one and a half cubits. ²² Each frame had two arms, fastening them one to another. In this way all the frames of the tabernacle were made. ²³ The frames for the tabernacle were made as follows: twenty frames on the south side, ²⁴ with forty silver pedestals under the twenty frames, two pedestals under each frame for its two arms; ²⁵ twenty frames on the other side of the tabernacle, the north side, ²⁶ with their forty silver pedestals, two pedestals under each frame. ²⁷ At the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, six frames were made, ²⁸ and two frames were made for the corners of the tabernacle, at its rear. ²⁹ These were double at the bottom, and likewise double at the top, to the first ring. That is how both corner frames were made. ³⁰ Thus, there were eight frames, with their sixteen silver pedestals, two pedestals under each frame. ³¹ Bars of acacia wood were also made, five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, ³² five for those on the other side, and five for those at the rear, to the west. ³³ The center bar, at the middle of the frames, was made to reach across from end to end. ³⁴ The frames were plated with gold, and gold rings were made on them as holders for the bars, which were also plated with gold.

The Veil. ^35 (I)The veil was made of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen twined, with cherubim embroidered on it. ³⁶ Four gold-plated columns of acacia wood, with gold hooks, were made for it, and four silver pedestals were cast for them.

³⁷ The curtain for the entrance of the tent was made of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen twined, woven in a variegated manner. ³⁸ Its five columns, with their hooks as well as their capitals and bands, were plated with gold; their five pedestals were of bronze.

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The Ark. ¹ Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. ² The inside and outside were plated with gold, and a molding of gold was put around it. ³ Four gold rings were cast for its four supports, two rings on one side and two on the opposite side. ⁴ Poles of acacia wood were made and plated with gold; ⁵ these poles were put through the rings on the sides of the ark, for carrying it.

⁶ The cover was made of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. ⁷ Two cherubim of beaten gold were made for the two ends of the cover; ⁸ one cherub was at one end, the other at the other end, made of one piece with the cover, at each end. ⁹ The cherubim had their wings spread out above, sheltering the cover. They faced each other, with their faces looking toward the cover.^(J)

The Table. ^10 (K)The table was made of acacia wood, two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. ¹¹ It was plated with pure gold, and a molding of gold was put around it. ¹² A frame a handbreadth high was also put around it, with a molding of gold around the frame. ¹³ Four rings of gold were cast for it and fastened at the four corners, one at each leg. ¹⁴ The rings were alongside the frame as holders for the poles to carry the table. ¹⁵ These poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and plated with gold. ¹⁶ The vessels that were set on the table, its plates and cups, as well as its pitchers and bowls for pouring libations, were made of pure gold.

The Menorah. ^17 (L)The menorah was made of pure beaten gold—its shaft and branches—with its cups and knobs and petals springing directly from it. ¹⁸ Six branches extended from its sides, three branches on one side and three on the other. ¹⁹ On one branch there were three cups, shaped like almond blossoms, each with its knob and petals; on the opposite branch there were three cups, shaped like almond blossoms, each with its knob and petals; and so for the six branches that extended from the menorah. ²⁰ On the menorah there were four cups, shaped like almond blossoms, with their knobs and petals. ²¹ The six branches that went out from the menorah had a knob under each pair. ²² The knobs and branches so sprang from it that the whole formed but a single piece of pure beaten gold. ²³ Its seven lamps, as well as its trimming shears and trays, were made of pure gold. ²⁴ A talent of pure gold was used for the menorah and its various utensils.

The Altar of Incense. ^25 (M)The altar of incense was made of acacia wood, on a square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high, having horns that sprang directly from it. ²⁶ Its grate on top, its walls on all four sides, and its horns were plated with pure gold; and a gold molding was put around it. ²⁷ Underneath the molding gold rings were placed, two on one side and two on the opposite side, as holders for the poles used in carrying it. ²⁸ The poles, too, were made of acacia wood and plated with gold.

²⁹ The sacred anointing oil and the fragrant incense were prepared in their pure form by a perfumer.^(N)

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The Altar for Burnt Offerings. ¹ The altar for burnt offerings^(O) was made of acacia wood, on a square, five cubits long and five cubits wide; its height was three cubits. ² At the four corners horns were made that sprang directly from the altar. It was then plated with bronze. ³ All the utensils of the altar, the pots, shovels, basins, forks and fire pans, were likewise made of bronze. ⁴ A grating, a bronze network, was made for the altar and placed around it, on the ground, half as high as the altar itself. ⁵ Four rings were cast for the four corners of the bronze grating, as holders for the poles, ⁶ which were made of acacia wood and plated with bronze. ⁷ The poles were put through the rings on the sides of the altar for carrying it. The altar was made in the form of a hollow box.

⁸ The bronze basin,^(P) with its bronze stand, was made from the mirrors of the women who served^[a] at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

The Court of the Tabernacle. ^9 (Q)The court was made as follows. On the south side the hangings of the court were of fine linen twined, a hundred cubits long, ¹⁰ with twenty columns and twenty pedestals of bronze, the hooks and bands of the columns being of silver. ¹¹ On the north side there were similar hangings, a hundred cubits long, with twenty columns and twenty pedestals of bronze; the hooks and bands of the columns were of silver. ¹² On the west side there were hangings, fifty cubits long, with ten columns and ten pedestals; the hooks and bands of the columns were of silver. ¹³ On the east side the court was fifty cubits. ¹⁴ On one side there were hangings to the extent of fifteen cubits, with three columns and three pedestals; ¹⁵ on the other side, beyond the gate of the court, there were likewise hangings to the extent of fifteen cubits, with three columns and three pedestals. ¹⁶ The hangings on all sides of the court were woven of fine linen twined. ¹⁷ The pedestals of the columns were of bronze, while the hooks and bands of the columns were of silver; the capitals were silver-plated, and all the columns of the court were banded with silver.

¹⁸ At the gate of the court there was a variegated curtain, woven of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn and of fine linen twined, twenty cubits long and five cubits wide, in keeping with the hangings of the court. ¹⁹ There were four columns and four pedestals of bronze for it, while their hooks were of silver, and their capitals and their bands silver-plated. ²⁰ All the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the court around it were of bronze.

Amount of Metal Used. ²¹ The following is an account of the various amounts used on the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant, drawn up at the command of Moses by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest. ²² However, it was Bezalel, son of Uri,^(R) son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, who made all that the Lord commanded Moses, ²³ and he was assisted by Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, who was an engraver, an embroiderer, and a weaver of variegated cloth of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn and of fine linen.

²⁴ All the gold used in the entire construction of the sanctuary, having previously been given as an offering, amounted to twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels, according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel. ²⁵ The silver of those of the community who were enrolled was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel; ²⁶ one bekah apiece, that is, a half-shekel, according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel, was received from everyone who was enrolled, of twenty years or more, namely, six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men.^{(S) 27} One hundred talents of silver were used for casting the pedestals of the sanctuary and the pedestals of the veil, one talent for each pedestal, or one hundred talents for the one hundred pedestals. ²⁸ The remaining one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels were used for making the hooks on the columns, for plating the capitals, and for banding them with silver. ²⁹ The bronze, given as an offering, amounted to seventy talents and two thousand four hundred shekels. ³⁰ With this were made the pedestals at the entrance of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar with its bronze gratings, and all the utensils of the altar, ³¹ the pedestals around the court, the pedestals at the gate of the court, and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the court around it.

Chapter 39

The Priestly Vestments. ¹ With violet, purple, and scarlet yarn were woven the service cloths for use in the sanctuary, as well as the sacred vestments^(T) for Aaron, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

^2 (U)The ephod was woven of gold thread and of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn and of fine linen twined. ³ Gold was first hammered into gold leaf and then cut up into threads, which were woven with the violet, purple, and scarlet yarn into an embroidered pattern on the fine linen. ⁴ Shoulder straps were made for it and joined to its two upper ends. ⁵ The embroidered belt on the ephod extended out from it, and like it, was made of gold thread, of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen twined, as the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁶ The onyx stones were prepared and mounted in gold filigree work; they were engraved like seal engravings with the names of the sons of Israel. ⁷ These stones were set on the shoulder straps of the ephod as memorial stones of the sons of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

^8 (V)The breastpiece was embroidered like the ephod, with gold thread and violet, purple, and scarlet yarn on cloth of fine linen twined. ⁹ It was square and folded double, a span high and a span wide in its folded form. ¹⁰ Four rows of precious stones were mounted on it: in the first row a carnelian, a topaz, and an emerald; ¹¹ in the second row, a garnet, a sapphire, and a beryl; ¹² in the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; ¹³ in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were mounted in gold filigree work. ¹⁴ These stones were twelve, to match the names of the sons of Israel, and each stone was engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

^15 (W)Chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, were made for the breastpiece, ¹⁶ together with two gold filigree rosettes and two gold rings. The two rings were fastened to the two upper ends of the breastpiece. ¹⁷ The two gold chains were then fastened to the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece. ¹⁸ The other two ends of the two chains were fastened in front to the two filigree rosettes, which were attached to the shoulder straps of the ephod. ¹⁹ Two other gold rings were made and put on the two lower ends of the breastpiece, on the edge facing the ephod. ²⁰ Two more gold rings were made and fastened to the bottom of the two shoulder straps next to where they joined the ephod in front, just above its embroidered belt. ²¹ Violet ribbons bound the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod, so that the breastpiece stayed right above the embroidered belt of the ephod and did not swing loose from it. All this was just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Other Vestments. ²² The robe of the ephod was woven entirely of violet yarn, ²³ with an opening in its center like the opening of a shirt, with selvage around the opening to keep it from being torn. ²⁴ At the hem of the robe pomegranates were made of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn and of fine linen twined; ²⁵ bells of pure gold were also made and put between the pomegranates all around the hem of the robe: ²⁶ a bell, a pomegranate, a bell, a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe which was to be worn in performing the ministry—all this, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

²⁷ For Aaron and his sons there were also woven tunics of fine linen;^{(X) 28} the turban of fine linen; the ornate skullcaps of fine linen; linen pants of fine linen twined; ²⁹ and sashes of variegated work made of fine linen twined and of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn, as the Lord had commanded Moses. ^30 (Y)The plate of the sacred diadem was made of pure gold and inscribed, as on a seal engraving: “Sacred to the Lord.” ³¹ It was tied over the turban with a violet ribbon, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Presentation of the Work to Moses. ³² Thus the entire work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was completed. The Israelites did the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses; so it was done. ³³ They then brought to Moses the tabernacle, the tent with all its furnishings, the clasps, the frames, the bars, the columns, the pedestals, ³⁴ the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, the covering of tahash skins, the curtain veil; ³⁵ the ark of the covenant with its poles, the cover, ³⁶ the table with all its utensils and the showbread, ³⁷ the pure gold menorah with its lamps set up on it and with all its utensils, the oil for the light, ³⁸ the golden altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense; the curtain for the entrance of the tent, ³⁹ the altar of bronze with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils, the basin with its stand, ⁴⁰ the hangings of the court with their columns and pedestals, the curtain for the gate of the court with its ropes and tent pegs, all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting; ⁴¹ the service cloths for use in the sanctuary, the sacred vestments for Aaron the priest, and the vestments to be worn by his sons in their ministry. ⁴² Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the Israelites had carried out all the work. ⁴³ So when Moses saw that all the work was done just as the Lord had commanded, he blessed them.

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Setting Up the Tabernacle. ¹ Then the Lord said to Moses: ^2 (Z)On the first day of the first month^[b] you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.^{(AA) 3} Put the ark of the covenant in it, and screen off the ark with the veil.^{(AB) 4} Bring in the table and set it. Then bring in the menorah and set up the lamps on it. ⁵ Put the golden altar of incense in front of the ark of the covenant, and hang the curtain at the entrance of the tabernacle. ⁶ Put the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. ⁷ Place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. ⁸ Set up the court round about, and put the curtain at the gate of the court.

^9 (AC)Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it, consecrating it and all its furnishings, so that it will be sacred. ¹⁰ Anoint the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils, consecrating it, so that it will be most sacred. ¹¹ Likewise, anoint the basin with its stand, and thus consecrate it.

^12 (AD)Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and there wash them with water. ¹³ Clothe Aaron with the sacred vestments and anoint him, thus consecrating him as my priest. ¹⁴ Bring forward his sons also, and clothe them with the tunics. ¹⁵ As you have anointed their father, anoint them also as my priests. Thus, by being anointed, shall they receive a perpetual priesthood throughout all future generations.

¹⁶ Moses did just as the Lord had commanded him. ¹⁷ On the first day of the first month of the second year the tabernacle was set up. ¹⁸ It was Moses who set up the tabernacle. He placed its pedestals, set up its frames, put in its bars, and set up its columns. ¹⁹ He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering on top of the tent, as the Lord had commanded him. ^20 (AE)He took the covenant and put it in the ark; he placed poles alongside the ark and set the cover upon it. ²¹ He brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the curtain veil, thus screening off the ark of the covenant, as the Lord had commanded him. ²² He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil, ²³ and arranged the bread on it before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded him.^{(AF) 24} He placed the menorah in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle, ²⁵ and he set up the lamps before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded him. ²⁶ He placed the golden altar in the tent of meeting, in front of the veil, ²⁷ and on it he burned fragrant incense, as the Lord had commanded him. ²⁸ He hung the curtain at the entrance of the tabernacle. ²⁹ He put the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and sacrificed burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, as the Lord had commanded him. ^30 (AG)He placed the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing. ³¹ Moses and Aaron and his sons used to wash their hands and feet there, ³² for they washed themselves whenever they went into the tent of meeting or approached the altar, as the Lord had commanded Moses. ³³ Finally, he set up the court around the tabernacle and the altar and hung the curtain at the gate of the court.

Thus Moses finished all the work.

God’s Presence in the Tabernacle. ^34 (AH)Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ Moses could not enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁶ Whenever the cloud rose from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on their journey. ³⁷ But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go forward. ³⁸ The cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire in the cloud at night, in the sight of the whole house of Israel in all the stages of their journey.