Exodus 19:1-34:30

International Standard Version

The Israelis Reach Mount Sinai

19 On the third New Moon after the Israelis went out of the land of Egypt, on that very day,^[a] they came to the desert of Sinai. ² They had set out from Rephidim and arrived at the desert of Sinai where they camped in the desert. Israel camped there in front of the mountain. ³ Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain: “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and declare to the sons of Israel, ⁴ ‘You saw what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. ⁵ And now if you carefully obey me and keep my covenant, you are to be my special possession out of all the nations,^[b] because the whole earth belongs to me, ⁶ but you are to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to me.’ These are the words you are to declare to the Israelis.”

⁷ When Moses came, he summoned the elders of the people and told them everything that the Lord had commanded him. ⁸ All the people answered together: “We’ll do everything that the Lord has said!”

Then Moses reported all the words of the people back to the Lord. ⁹ The Lord told Moses, “Look, I’m coming to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may listen when I speak with you and always believe you.” Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.

Preparation for the Covenant

¹⁰ The Lord told Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes, ¹¹ and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ¹² You are to set boundaries for the people all around: ‘Be very careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch the side of it. Anyone who touches the mountain is certainly to be put to death. ¹³ No hand is to touch that person,^[c] but he is certainly to be stoned or shot;^[d] whether animal or person, he is not to live.’ They are to approach^[e] the mountain only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast.”

¹⁴ When Moses went down from the mountain to the people, he consecrated the people, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ He told the people, “Be ready for the third day; don’t go near a woman.”^[f]

The Lord Appears on Mount Sinai

¹⁶ When morning came on the third day, there was thunder and lightning, with a heavy cloud over the mountain, and the very loud sound of a ram’s horn. All the people in the camp trembled. ¹⁷ Moses brought the people from the camp to meet God, and they stood at the base of the mountain. ¹⁸ Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord had come down in fire on it. Smoke went up from it like smoke from a kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. ¹⁹ As the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses would speak and God would answer with thunder.^{[g] 20} When the Lord came down on Mount Sinai to the top of the mountain, he^[h] summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

²¹ The Lord told Moses, “Go down and warn the people so they don’t break through to look at the Lord, and many of them perish.^{[i] 22} Even the priests who approach the Lord must consecrate themselves. Otherwise, the Lord will attack them.”

²³ Moses told the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai because you warned us: ‘Set boundaries around the mountain and consecrate it.’”^[j]

²⁴ The Lord told him, “Go down, and come back up with Aaron, but the priests and the people must not break through to go up to the Lord. Otherwise, he will attack them.” ²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.

The Ten Commandments^(A)

20 Then God spoke all these words:

א[k]	2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt— from the house of slavery. 3 You are to have no other gods as a substitute for me.[l]
ב	4 “You are not to craft for yourselves an idol or anything resembling what is in the skies above, or on earth beneath, or in the water sources under the earth. 5 You are not to bow down to them in worship or serve them, because I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the guilt of parents[m] on children, to the third and fourth generation[n] of those who hate me, 6 but showing gracious love to the thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
ג	7 “You are not to misuse the name of the Lord your God,[o] because the Lord will not leave unpunished the one who misuses his name.[p]
ד	8 “Remember the Sabbath day, maintaining its holiness.[q] 9 Six days you are to labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You are not to do any work—neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your livestock, nor any foreigner who lives among you—[r] 11 because the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them in six days. Then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
ה	12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
ו	13 “You are not to commit murder.
ז	14 “You are not to commit adultery.
ח	15 “You are not to steal.
ט	16 “You are not to give false testimony against your neighbor.
י	17 “You are not to desire[s] your neighbor’s house,[t] nor your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox, his donkey, nor anything else that pertains to your neighbor.”

The People are Terrified in God’s Presence

¹⁸ All the people experienced the thunder and lightning, the sound of the ram’s horn, and the smoking mountain. And as the people experienced it, they trembled and stood at a distance. ¹⁹ They told Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen, but don’t let God speak with us, or we may die.

²⁰ Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you may fear him in order that you don’t sin.” ²¹ Then the people stood at a distance, and Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.

Instruction about Idols and Altars

²² The Lord told Moses, “This is what you are to say to the Israelis, ‘You have seen for yourselves that I spoke to you from heaven. ²³ You are not to make gods of silver alongside me, nor are you to make for yourselves gods of gold. ²⁴ You are to make an altar of earth for me, and you are to sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep, and your cattle. Everywhere I cause my name to be remembered, I’ll come to you and bless you. ²⁵ If you make an altar of stone for me, you must not build it of cut stones, because if you strike it with your chisel, you will profane it. ²⁶ You are not to ascend to my altar on steps, so that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’”

Laws Concerning Servants

21 “These are the ordinances that you are to set before them.

² “When you acquire a Hebrew servant, he is to serve for six years, and in the seventh he is to go out a free man without paying anything. ³ If he came in by himself,^[u] he is to go out by himself. If he was married, his wife is to go out with him. ⁴ If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and children belong to her master, and he is to go out by himself. ⁵ But if the servant, in fact, says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children, and I won’t go out a free man,’ ⁶ then his master is to bring him before the judges^[v] and he is to bring him to the door or to the doorpost. His master is to pierce his ear with an awl, and he is to serve him permanently.

⁷ “When a man sells his daughter as a servant, she won’t go out as the male servants do.^{[w] 8} If she’s displeasing to^[x] her master who selected her for himself,^[y] he must let her be redeemed. He does not have the right to sell her to foreign people, because he has dealt unfairly^[z] with her. ⁹ If he has selected her for his son,^[aa] he is to treat her according to the ordinance for daughters. ¹⁰ If he takes another woman for himself, he may not withhold from the first^[ab] her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. ¹¹ If he does not do these three things for her, she may go out without paying anything at all.”^[ac]

Laws Concerning Personal Injury and Homicide

¹² “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies is certainly to be put to death. ¹³ If he didn’t lie in wait, but God let him fall into his reach,^[ad] then I’ll appoint for you a place to which he may flee. ¹⁴ If a man acts deliberately against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you are to take him to die even if he’s at^[ae] my altar.

¹⁵ “Whoever strikes his father or his mother is certainly to be put to death.

¹⁶ “Whoever kidnaps a person, whether he has sold him or whether the victim^[af] is still in his possession, is certainly to be put to death.

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

¹⁸ “If people quarrel and one strikes the other with a rock or his fist, and he does not die but ends up^[ag] in bed, ¹⁹ and the injured person^[ah] then gets up and walks around outside with the help of his staff,^[ai] the one who struck him is not liable, except that he is to compensate him for his loss of time^[aj] and take care of his complete recovery.

²⁰ “If a man strikes his male or female servant with a stick and he or she dies as a direct result,^[ak] the master must be punished.^{[al] 21} But if the servant^[am] survives a day or two, the master^[an] is not to be punished because the servant^[ao] is his property.

²² “If two men are fighting and they strike a pregnant woman and her children are born prematurely,^[ap] but there is no harm, he is certainly to be fined as the husband of the woman demands of him, and he will pay as the court decides.^{[aq] 23} If there is harm, then you are to require^[ar] 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 man strikes the eye of his male or female servant and destroys it, he is to release him as a free man in exchange for his eye. ²⁷ If he knocks out the tooth of his male^[as] or female servant,^[at] he is to release him as a free man in exchange for his tooth.

²⁸ “If an ox gores a man or woman so that they die, the ox is certainly to be stoned and its flesh may not be eaten, but the owner of the ox is free from liability. ²⁹ But if the ox has gored previously, and its owner has been warned about it but didn’t restrain it, and it kills a man or woman, the ox is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. ³⁰ If a fine is imposed on him, he may pay all that was imposed on him as a ransom for his life. ³¹ This same ordinance applies^[au] if it gores a son or daughter.

³² “If the ox gores a male or female servant, the owner is to give 30 shekels^[av] of silver to the servant’s^[aw] master, and the ox is to be stoned. ³³ If a man opens a pit or digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or donkey falls into it,^{[ax] 34} the owner of the pit is to make restitution. He is to pay money to its owner, and the dead animal will become his.

³⁵ “If a man’s ox strikes his neighbor’s ox and it dies, they are to sell the live ox and divide the money. They also are to divide the dead animal. ³⁶ But if it was known that the ox had gored previously, and its owner didn’t restrain it, he is certainly to repay ox for ox, and the dead ox is to become his.”

Laws Concerning Theft of Personal Property

22 ^[ay]“If a man steals an ox or sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he is to repay five oxen^[az] for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

² “If a thief is found while breaking into a house,^[ba] and is struck down and dies, it is not a capital crime^[bb] in that case,^{[bc] 3} but if the sun has risen on him, then it is a capital crime^[bd] in that case.^[be] A thief^[bf] is certainly to make restitution, but if he has nothing, he is to be sold^[bg] for his theft. ⁴ If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession, whether an ox, a donkey or a sheep, he is to repay double.

⁵ “When a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed over or releases his livestock so that they graze in another man’s field, he is to make restitution from the best of his field or vineyard.^[bh]

⁶ “When a fire breaks out and spreads into thorn bushes and consumes stacked grain or standing grain or the field, the one who started the fire certainly is to make restitution.

⁷ “When a man gives his neighbor money or goods for safekeeping and it’s stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if found, is to repay double. ⁸ If the thief is not found, the owner of the house is to appear before the judges^[bi] to see^[bj] whether or not the thief took^[bk] his neighbor’s property.

⁹ “In every ownership dispute^[bl] involving an ox, donkey, sheep, garment, or anything that is lost where a person says, ‘This is mine,’^[bm] the case between the two of them is to come before the judges,^[bn] and the one that the judges^[bo] declare guilty is to repay double to his neighbor.

¹⁰ “When a man gives a donkey, ox, sheep, or any animal to his neighbor for safe keeping, and it dies or is injured or is driven away when no one is looking, ¹¹ the two of them are to take an oath in the Lord’s presence that the accused^[bp] has not taken^[bq] his neighbor’s property. Its owner is to accept this, and the neighbor^[br] is not to make restitution. ¹² But if it was actually stolen from him, the neighbor^[bs] is to make restitution to its owner. ¹³ If it was torn to pieces, let the neighbor^[bt] bring the remains^[bu] as evidence, and he is not to make restitution for what was torn apart.

¹⁴ “When a man borrows^[bv] an animal from his neighbor, and it’s injured or dies while its owner was not with it, he is certainly to make restitution. ¹⁵ If its owner was with it, he is not to make restitution. If it was hired, its fee covers the loss.”^[bw]

Various Other Laws

¹⁶ “When a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and has sexual relations with her, he must pay her bride price, and she is to become his wife. ¹⁷ If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he is to pay an amount^[bx] equal to the bride price for virgins.

¹⁸ “You are not to allow a sorceress to live.

¹⁹ “Whoever has sexual relations with an animal is certainly to be put to death.

²⁰ “Anyone who sacrifices to a god, except the Lord alone, is to be utterly destroyed.

²¹ “You are not to wrong or oppress an alien, because you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

²² “You are not to mistreat any widow or orphan. ²³ If you do mistreat them, they’ll certainly cry out to me, and I’ll immediately hear their cry. ²⁴ And I’ll be angry and will kill you with swords,^[by] and your wives will become widows and your children orphans.

²⁵ “If you loan money to my people, to the poor among you, don’t be like a creditor to them and don’t impose interest on them. ²⁶ If you take your neighbor’s coat as collateral, you are to return it to him by sunset, ²⁷ for it’s his only covering; it’s his outer garment,^[bz] for what else can he sleep in? And when he cries out to me, I’ll hear him, for I am gracious.

²⁸ “You are not to blaspheme God or curse a ruler of your people.

²⁹ “You are not to hold back the fullness of your harvest^[ca] and the outflow of your wine presses.^[cb] You are to give to me the firstborn of your sons. ³⁰ You are to do the same with your oxen and your sheep. They are to be with their mother for seven days and then on the eighth day you are to give them to me.

³¹ “You are to be people set apart^[cc] for me. You are not to eat flesh torn apart in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.”

Laws about Truthful Testimony

23 “You are not to spread a false report, nor are you to join forces^[cd] with the wicked to be a malicious witness. ² You are not to follow the majority^[ce] in doing wrong, and you are not to testify in a lawsuit so as to follow the majority and pervert justice. ³ You are not to show partiality to a poor man in his lawsuit.

⁴ “If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, you are to certainly return it to him. ⁵ If you see your enemy’s donkey lying helpless under its load, you must not abandon it; rather, you are certainly to return it to him.^[cf]

⁶ “You are not to pervert justice for the poor among you^[cg] in their lawsuits.^{[ch] 7} Stay far away from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent or the righteous, because I won’t acquit the guilty. ⁸ You are not to take a bribe because a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and distorts the words of the righteous. ⁹ You are not to oppress the resident alien, because you were aliens in the land of Egypt.”

Instructions for Sabbaths and Sabbatical Years

¹⁰ “You are to sow your land and gather its crops for six years, ¹¹ but you are to let it rest the seventh year, leaving it unplanted. The poor of your people may eat from it,^[ci] and the wild animals may eat what they leave. You are to do the same with your vineyards and olive groves. ¹² You are to do your work for six days, but on the seventh day you are to refrain from work so that your ox and donkey^[cj] may rest, and so the son of your maidservant and the alien may be refreshed.

¹³ “Be careful about everything I’ve told you, and don’t mention the name of other gods. Don’t let them be heard in your mouth!”

The Three Major Festivals

¹⁴ “Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival for me. ¹⁵ You are to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you are to eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month Abib, because in it you came out of Egypt. No one is to appear before me empty handed. ¹⁶ You are to observe^[ck] the Festival of Harvest,^[cl] celebrating^[cm] the first fruits of your work in planting the field, and the Festival of Tabernacles^[cn] at the end of the year, when you gather the fruit of your work from the field. ¹⁷ Three times a year all your males are to appear in the presence of the Lord God.”

Various Laws

¹⁸ “You are not to offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, and you are not to let the fat portion of my sacrifice remain overnight until morning.

¹⁹ “You are to bring the best of the first fruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

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

God Promises Help as the Israelis Enter Canaan

²⁰ “Look, I’m sending an angel in front of you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place I’ve prepared. ²¹ Be careful! Be sure to obey him. Don’t rebel against him, because he won’t forgive your transgression, since my Name is in him. ²² Indeed, if you carefully obey him and do everything that I say, then I’ll be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries, ²³ because my angel will go ahead of you and will bring you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I’ll annihilate them. ²⁴ You are not to bow down to their gods or serve them. You are not to follow their practices,^[co] but you are to overthrow them completely and smash their sacred stones^[cp] to pieces. ²⁵ You are to serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your food^[cq] and water, and I’ll remove sickness from you. ²⁶ No woman will miscarry or be barren in your land, and I’ll make every day of your life complete.^[cr]

²⁷ “I’ll go ahead of you and terrorize all the people to whom you are coming. I’ll confuse your enemies and make them turn their backs on you and run away.^{[cs] 28} I’ll send hornets ahead of you and they’ll drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you. ²⁹ I won’t drive them out before you in a single year, so that the land does not become desolate and so that wild animals do not overrun you. ³⁰ I’ll drive them out ahead of you little by little until you increase in numbers^[ct] and possess the land.

³¹ “I’ll set your borders from the Reed^[cu] Sea to the Sea of the Philistines,^[cv] and from the desert to the Euphrates^[cw] River, bringing^[cx] the inhabitants of the land under your control,^[cy] and you are to drive them out ahead of 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 cause you to sin against me. If you worship their gods, it will become a snare for you.”

The Covenant is Sealed with Blood

24 The Lord^[cz] told Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel, and worship^[da] at a distance. ² Only Moses is to approach the Lord, but the others^[db] are not to approach; the people are not to come up with him.”

³ Then Moses came and reported all the words of the Lord and all the statutes to the people, and they all^[dc] answered with one voice, “We will do everything that the Lord has decreed.”

⁴ So Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He got up early in the morning and built an altar with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel at the base of the mountain. ⁵ He sent young Israeli men to offer up burnt offerings and sacrifice bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. ⁶ Moses took half the blood and put it in bowls, while he sprinkled the other half^[dd] on the altar. ⁷ He took the Book of the Covenant and read it to^[de] the people. They said, “We will put into practice and obey everything that the Lord has decreed.”

⁸ Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord made with you based on all these words.”

⁹ Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel went up ¹⁰ and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky. ¹¹ Because^[df] God^[dg] did not punish^[dh] the Israeli leaders, they looked at God, yet lived^[di] to eat and drink.

Moses Receives the Law on the Mountain

¹² Then the Lord told Moses, “Go up to me on the mountain and stay^[dj] there. I’ll give you stone tablets with the instruction and law that I’ve written to teach the people.”^[dk]

¹³ So Moses got up, along with Joshua his servant, and went up on the mountain of God. ¹⁴ He told the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Look, Aaron and Hur are with you, and whoever has a dispute, let him come to them.”

¹⁵ When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it. ¹⁶ The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. Then on the seventh day he called to Moses from within the cloud. ¹⁷ To the Israelis^[dl] the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. ¹⁸ When Moses went up on the mountain, he went into the center of the cloud and was on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights.

An Offering for the Sanctuary

25 The Lord told Moses, ² “Tell the Israelis to take an offering for me, and you are to accept my offering from every person whose heart moves him to give.^{[dm] 3} This is the offering that you are to accept from them: gold, silver, and bronze; ⁴ blue, purple, and scarlet material;^[dn] fine linen and goat hair; ⁵ ram skins dyed^[do] red, dolphin^[dp] skins, and acacia wood; ⁶ oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for aromatic incense; ⁷ and onyx stones, stones for setting on the ephod and the breast piece.^{[dq] 8} Let them make a sanctuary for me so I may live among them. ⁹ This is how you are to make it: according to all that I’m showing you, according to the pattern for the tent and the pattern for all its furnishings.”

The Ark of the Covenant

¹⁰ “They are to make an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits^[dr] long, one and a half cubits^[ds] wide, and one and a half cubits^[dt] high. ¹¹ You are to overlay it with pure gold—you are to overlay it inside and outside—and you are to make a gold molding around it. ¹² You are to cast four rings for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on one side of it and two rings on its other side. ¹³ You are to make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴ You are to put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark with which to carry it.^{[du] 15} The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark and are not to be removed from it. ¹⁶ You are to put the Testimony^[dv] that I will give you into the ark.

¹⁷ “You are to make a Mercy Seat^[dw] of pure gold, two and a half cubits^[dx] long and one and a half cubits^[dy] wide. ¹⁸ You are to make two cherubim^[dz] of gold; you are to make them of hammered work at the two ends of the Mercy Seat. ¹⁹ Place one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. You are to make the cherubim at the two ends of the Mercy Seat, and of one piece with it. ²⁰ The cherubim are to spread their wings upward, covering the Mercy Seat with their wings and facing each other. The faces of the cherubim is to be turned toward the Mercy Seat. ²¹ You are to put the Mercy Seat on top of the ark, and put the Testimony that I’ll give you into the ark. ²² I’ll meet with you there, and I’ll tell you all my commandments^[ea] for the Israelis from above the Mercy Seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the Ark of the Testimony.”

The Table of Showbread

²³ “You are to make a table of acacia wood, two cubits^[eb] long, a cubit^[ec] wide, and one and a half cubits^[ed] high. ²⁴ You are to overlay it with pure gold, and put a gold molding around it. ²⁵ You are to make a rim one handbreadth in width^[ee] around it, and you are to make a gold molding around the rim. ²⁶ You are to make four gold rings for it, and put the rings on the four corners where its four feet are. ²⁷ The rings are to be close to the rim as holders for the poles to carry the table. ²⁸ You are to make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold so the table can be carried with them. ²⁹ You are to make its plates, dishes, jars, and bowls from which libations will be poured, and you are to make them of pure gold. ³⁰ You are to put the bread of the Presence on the table before me continuously.”

The Lamp Stand^(B)

³¹ “You are to make a lamp stand of pure gold: the lamp stand and its base and stem are to be of hammered work, and its cups, calyxes,^[ef] and flowers are to be of one piece with it. ³² Six branches are to extend from its sides, three branches of the lamp stand from one side of it and three branches of the lamp stand from its other side. ³³ Three cups shaped like almond blossoms with calyxes and flowers are to be on one branch and three cups shaped like almond blossoms with calyxes and flowers are to be on the other branch, and so for the six branches extending from the lamp stand.

³⁴ “On the lamp stand itself there are to be four cups shaped like almond blossoms with their calyxes and flowers. ³⁵ A calyx^[eg] is to be under the two branches that extend out of the stem;^[eh] a calyx is to be under the next pair of branches^[ei] that extend out of the stem;^[ej] and a calyx is to be under the last pair of branches^[ek] that extend out of the stem,^[el] and so for the six^[em] branches extending from the lamp stand. ³⁶ Their calyxes and their branches are to be of one piece with it; all of it is to be made of one piece of hammered work of pure gold.

³⁷ “You are to make seven lamps for it, and its lamps are to be mounted so as to give light in front of it. ³⁸ Its tongs and trays are to be of pure gold. ³⁹ The lamp stand^[en]—together with all its furnishings—is to be made from a talent^[eo] of pure gold. ⁴⁰ Now see that you make them according to the pattern for them which you are being shown on the mountain.”

The Tent

26 “You are to make the tent with ten curtains of fine woven^[ep] linen and with blue, purple, and scarlet material. You are to make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. ² The length of each curtain is to be 28 cubits,^[eq] the width of each curtain four cubits,^[er] and all the curtains are to have the same measurements.^[es]

³ “Five of the curtains are to be joined together, and the other five curtains are to be joined together. ⁴ You are to make loops of blue material along the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and likewise you are to make loops along the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. ⁵ You are to make 50 loops in the one curtain, and you are to make 50 loops along the edge of the curtain that is in the second set, with the loops opposite each other. ⁶ Then you are to make 50 gold clasps, and join the curtains to each other with the clasps so that the tent will be one piece.

⁷ “You are to make curtains of goat hair for a tent over the tent. You are to make eleven curtains. ⁸ The length of each curtain is to be 30 cubits,^[et] and the width of each curtain two cubits;^[eu] the measurements of each of the eleven curtains is to be the same.^{[ev] 9} You are to join five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and you are to double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. ¹⁰ You are to make 50 loops along the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and 50 loops along the edge of the curtain of the other set. ¹¹ You are to make 50 bronze clasps, put the clasps into the loops, and join the tent together so that it will be one piece. ¹² As for the excess that remains of the curtains of the tent—the half curtain that remains—is to hang over the back of the tent. ¹³ The half cubit^[ew] that remain on either end of the length of the curtains of the tent is to hang over each side of the tent to cover it.

¹⁴ “You are to make a cover for the tent of ram skins dyed red^[ex] and a covering of dolphin^[ey] skins above that.

¹⁵ “You are to make upright boards of acacia wood for the tent. ¹⁶ Each board is to be ten cubits^[ez] long and one and a half cubits^[fa] wide. ¹⁷ Each board is to have two pegs joined to one another, and you are to do this for all the boards of the tent. ¹⁸ You are to make the boards for the tent: 20 boards for the south side.^{[fb] 19} And you are to make 40 silver sockets^[fc] under the 20 boards: two sockets under the one board for its two pegs and two sockets under the next^[fd] board for its two pegs.

²⁰ “For the second side of the tent to the north you are to make^[fe] 20 boards ²¹ and 40 silver sockets for them, two sockets under one board and two sockets under the next board. ²² On the west you are to make six boards for the rear of the tent, ²³ and you are to make two boards for the rear corners of the tent. ²⁴ They are to be interlocked together^[ff] at the bottom and connected^[fg] on top by one ring. Do this for the two of them, and they are to be the two corners. ²⁵ There is to be eight boards with their sixteen silver sockets, two sockets under one board and two sockets under the next board.

²⁶ “You are to make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards on one side of the tent, ²⁷ five bars for the boards on the second side of the tent, and five bars for the boards on the back side of the tent to the west. ²⁸ The center bar in the middle of the boards is to pass through from end to end. ²⁹ You are to overlay the boards with gold, and you are to make gold rings for them as holders for the bars, and you are to overlay the bars with gold. ³⁰ You are to erect the tent according to the plan for it that was shown you on the mountain.

³¹ “You are to make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet material, and fine woven linen. You are to make it with cherubim skillfully worked into it. ³² You are to hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, which have hooks of gold, and are set on four sockets of silver. ³³ You are to hang the curtain from^[fh] the clasps and bring the Ark of the Testimony there inside the curtain. The curtain is to separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

³⁴ “You are to put the Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place. ³⁵ You are to put the table outside the curtain. You are to put the table on the north side with the lamp stand opposite the table on the south side of the tent. ³⁶ For the doorway of the tent you are to make a screen of blue, purple, and scarlet material, and with fine woven linen, the work of an embroiderer. ³⁷ You are to make five pillars of acacia for the screens and overlay them with gold. Their hooks are to be of gold, and you are to cast five bronze sockets for them.”

The Altar

27 “You are to make the altar of acacia wood. It is to be five cubits^[fi] long and five cubits^[fj] wide; the altar is to be a square, and it is to be three cubits^[fk] high. ² You are to make horns^[fl] on its four corners. Its corners are to be of one piece with it, and you are to overlay it with bronze. ³ You are to make pans for removing its ashes, shovels, bowls, forks, and fire-pans for it, and you are to make all its utensils of bronze. ⁴ You are to make a lattice, a netting of bronze for it, and you are to make four bronze rings on the netting at its four corners. ⁵ You are to put it under the ledge of the altar, so that the netting extends halfway up the altar. ⁶ You are to make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and you are to overlay them with bronze. ⁷ The poles for it are to be put through the rings, so the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it’s carried. ⁸ You are to make it hollow out of boards—just as it was shown you on the mountain, that’s how they are to make it.”

The Court of the Tent

⁹ “You are to make the court of the tent. On the south^[fm] side there is to be hangings of fine woven linen for the court, 100 cubits^[fn] long on one side. ¹⁰ It is to have 20 pillars, with 20 bronze sockets, and the hooks of the pillars and their bands^[fo] are to be made of silver. ¹¹ Likewise for the length of the north side there are to be hangings 100 cubits^[fp] long, and it is to have 20 pillars with 20 bronze sockets, and the hooks of the pillars and their bands^[fq] are to be made of silver.

¹² “The width of the court on the west side is to have hangings 50 cubits^[fr] long with ten pillars and ten sockets. ¹³ The width of the court on the east side^[fs] is to be 50 cubits.^{[ft] 14} The hangings for the one section^[fu] are to be fifteen cubits long,^[fv] with their three pillars and three sockets.

¹⁵ “For the second section there are to be hangings of fifteen cubits,^[fw] with their three pillars and three sockets. ¹⁶ There is to be a screen of 20 cubits^[fx] of blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine woven linen, the work of an embroiderer, for the gate of the court, and it is to have four pillars and four sockets. ¹⁷ All the pillars around the court are to be banded with silver. Their hooks are to be made of silver and their sockets made of bronze. ¹⁸ The length of the court is to be 100 cubits,^[fy] the width 50 cubits,^[fz] and the height five cubits,^[ga] with the hangings^[gb] of fine woven linen, and the sockets of bronze. ¹⁹ All the utensils of the tent for its service, all its pegs, and all the pegs for the court are to be made of bronze.”

The Oil for the Lamp

²⁰ “And you are to command the Israelis to bring you pure olive oil, extracted by hand,^[gc] for the light in order to keep the lamp burning^[gd] continuously. ²¹ In the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to maintain^[ge] the lamp stand^[gf] from evening until morning in the Lord’s presence. It is to be a perpetual ordinance from generation to generation among the Israelis.”

The Garments for the Priests

28 “You are to bring your brother Aaron, along with his sons, from among the Israelis so they can serve as priests for me: that is, Aaron and his sons^[gg] Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ² You are to make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for dignity and beauty. ³ You are to speak to all who are skilled,^[gh] whom I’ve endowed^[gi] with talent,^[gj] that they should make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him to serve me as priest. ⁴ These are the garments that they are to make: a breast piece, an ephod, a robe, a checkered tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for Aaron your brother and for his sons to serve me as priests. ⁵ They are to use^[gk] gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material, as well as fine linen.”

The Ephod

⁶ “They are to make the ephod from gold, along with blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine woven linen, all of it^[gl] skillfully worked. ⁷ It is to have two shoulder-pieces attached to its two edges so it can be joined together. ⁸ The skillfully woven band that is on it is to be made like it, that is, of one piece with it, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material, and fine woven linen. ⁹ You are to take two onyx stones and engrave the names of the sons of Israel on them, ¹⁰ six of their names on one stone, and the six remaining names on the other stone. Engrave them^[gm] according to their order of birth. ¹¹ With work like a jeweler engraves on a signet,^[gn] you are to inscribe the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel, and you are to mount them in settings of gold filigree. ¹² You are to put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as stones of remembrance representing the sons of Israel, and Aaron is to carry their names into the Lord’s presence on his two shoulders as a memorial. ¹³ You are to make settings of gold filigree, ¹⁴ and you are to make two chains of pure gold twisted like cords, and then fasten the twisted chains to the filigree settings.”

The Breast Piece

¹⁵ “You are to make a breast piece to be worn by the high priest when he makes legal decisions.^[go] It is to be skillfully worked, made like the work of the ephod from gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material, and from fine woven linen. ¹⁶ It is to be square when folded double, one hand span^[gp] long and one hand span wide.^{[gq] 17} You are to mount on it a setting for four rows of stones. The first row is to contain carnelian,^[gr] topaz, and emerald; ¹⁸ the second row ruby,^[gs] sapphire, and crystal; ¹⁹ the third row jacinth, agate, and amethyst; ²⁰ the fourth row beryl, onyx, and jasper, and they are to be set in gold filigree. ²¹ The stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve stones^[gt] corresponding to their names. They are to be engraved like a signet,^[gu] each with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

²² “You are to make chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, for the breast piece. ²³ You are to make two gold rings for the breast piece, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breast piece. ²⁴ You are to put the two gold cords on the two gold rings at the edges of the breast piece, ²⁵ and you are to attach the other two ends of the two cords to the filigree settings and attach them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod in front.

²⁶ “You are to make two gold rings and attach them to the two edges of the breast piece, on the side of it that is toward the inner side of the ephod. ²⁷ You are to make two gold rings and attach them in front on the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod close to the place where it’s joined, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. ²⁸ They are to fasten the rings on the breast piece to the rings on the ephod with a blue cord so it will rest^[gv] on the skillfully woven band of the ephod and so the breast piece won’t come loose from the ephod.

²⁹ “Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons on his heart on the breast piece to be worn by the high priest when he makes legal decisions,^[gw] that is, whenever he goes into the Holy Place in order to remember them continuously in the Lord’s presence. ³⁰ You are to put the Urim and Thummim^[gx] into the breast piece of judgment, and they are to be on Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. He is to carry the breast piece of decision^[gy] that depicts Israel’s sons^[gz] on his heart in the Lord’s presence continuously.”

Other Garments for the Priests

³¹ “You are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue. ³² There is to be an opening at its top, in the middle, with a woven binding around the opening like the opening of a coat of mail so that it cannot be torn. ³³ On its hem you are to make blue and purple and scarlet pomegranates, all around the skirt, with gold bells between them all the way^[ha] around. ³⁴ You are to have a gold bell and a pomegranate, then^[hb] a gold bell and a pomegranate, on the hem of the robe all the way^[hc] around it. ³⁵ Aaron is to wear the robe when he ministers^[hd] so its sound may be heard when he enters and leaves the Holy Place in the Lord’s presence, so that he won’t die.

³⁶ “You are to make a medallion^[he] of pure gold, and engrave on it ‘Holy to the Lord,’ like the engravings of a signet. ³⁷ You are to put it on a blue cord and place it on the turban. It is to be on the front of the turban ³⁸ and worn on Aaron’s forehead in order to take away any guilt contained in the holy things which the Israelis consecrate as holy gifts. It is to remain on his forehead continuously, so they may be accepted in the Lord’s presence.

³⁹ “You are to weave the checkered tunic of fine linen, you are to make a turban of fine linen, and you are to make an embroidered sash. ⁴⁰ “You are to make tunics for the sons of Aaron, you are to make sashes for them, and you are to make head coverings for them for dignity and beauty. ⁴¹ You are to put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and you are to anoint them, ordain them,^[hf] and consecrate them to serve as my priests.

⁴² “You are to make linen undergarments for them to cover their naked flesh, and they are to reach^[hg] from the loins to the thighs. ⁴³ They are to be on Aaron and his sons when they enter the Tent of Meeting or when they approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place so they don’t incur guilt and die. This is to be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants^[hh] after him.”

The Consecration of the Priests

29 “This is what you are to do to them in order to consecrate them to serve me as priests: Take a young bull, two rams without blemish, ² unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread^[hi] with oil, which you are to make from fine wheat flour. ³ You are to put them^[hj] in one basket and bring them in the basket along with the bull and the two rams. ⁴ You are to bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, and wash them with water. ⁵ Take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breast piece, and then gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. ⁶ Then put the turban on his head, and place the holy crown on the turban. ⁷ You are to take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him. ⁸ Then you are to bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. ⁹ You are to gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and tie headdresses on them. The priesthood is to belong to them by perpetual ordinance, and you are to ordain^[hk] Aaron and his sons.

¹⁰ “You are to bring the bull in front of the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the head of the bull. ¹¹ Then you are to slaughter the bull in the Lord’s presence at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting. ¹² Take some of the blood of the bull, put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest^[hl] of the blood at the base of the altar. ¹³ You are to take all the fat that covers the entrails, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them and send them up in smoke on the altar. ¹⁴ You are to burn the flesh of the bull, its hide, and its refuse with fire outside the camp. It is a sin offering.

¹⁵ “You are to take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its^[hm] head. ¹⁶ Then you are to slaughter the ram, take its blood, and scatter it around the altar. ¹⁷ You are to cut the ram into pieces,^[hn] wash its entrails and legs, put them on the altar along^[ho] with the pieces^[hp] and its head, ¹⁸ and send up the whole ram in smoke on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord; it’s a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.

¹⁹ “You are to take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the head of the ram. ²⁰ You are to slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, the lobe of his sons’ right ears, the thumbs of their right hands, and the big toes of their right feet. Then you are to scatter the rest of the blood around the altar. ²¹ You are to take some of the blood which is on the altar, along with some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and their^[hq] garments. He is to be consecrated with his garments, along with his sons and their garments.

²² “You are to take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, the right thigh (for it’s a ram of ordination), ²³ and one loaf of bread, one cake of bread mixed with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is in the Lord’s presence. ²⁴ You are to put all of these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons, and present them as a wave offering in the Lord’s presence. ²⁵ Then you are to take them from their hands and send them up in smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering for a soothing aroma in the Lord’s presence. It is an offering by fire to the Lord.

²⁶ “You are to take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination, and present it as a wave offering in the Lord’s presence, and it is to be your portion. ²⁷ You are to consecrate the portion of the ram of ordination that belongs to Aaron and his sons:^[hr] the breast of the wave offering that was waved and the thigh of the presented offering that was presented.^{[hs] 28} These offerings^[ht] from the Israelis are to be a perpetual ordinance for Aaron and his sons. They are presented offerings, and they are to be presented offerings from the Israelis out of their peace offerings. They are presented offerings to the Lord.

²⁹ “The holy garments of Aaron are to be for his sons after him^[hu] so that they may be anointed in them and ordained in them. ³⁰ Aaron’s son, who is priest in his place, is to wear them for seven days when he comes into the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place.

³¹ “You are to take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a Holy Place. ³² Then Aaron and his sons are to eat the flesh of the ram along with the bread that is in the basket at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting. ³³ They are to eat these things by which atonement was made at their ordination to consecrate them, but an unqualified person^[hv] is not to eat because these things are holy. ³⁴ If any of the flesh of the ordination ram^[hw] or any of the bread is left until morning, you are to burn what is left with fire. Because it’s holy, what remains is not to be eaten. ³⁵ You are to do this for Aaron and his sons, just as I’ve commanded you. You are to ordain them for seven days, ³⁶ and every day you are to offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Offer the sin offering on the altar when you make atonement for it and anoint the altar to consecrate it. ³⁷ You are to make atonement for the altar for seven days and consecrate it. It will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.”

The Altar for Burnt Offering^(C)

³⁸ “This is what you are to offer on the altar continually: two one year old lambs each day. ³⁹ “You are to offer one lamb in the morning and the other^[hx] at twilight, ⁴⁰ and there is to be a tenth measure of choice flour mixed with one fourth of a hin^[hy] of oil extracted by hand,^[hz] and one fourth of a hin^[ia] of wine as a drink offering for one lamb. ⁴¹ You are to offer the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and drink offering as in the morning. You are to offer it as a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord. ⁴² It is to be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway to the Tent of Meeting in the Lord’s presence, where I’ll meet with you to speak to you there. ⁴³ I’ll meet there with the Israelis, and it is to be consecrated by my glory. ⁴⁴ I’ll consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and I’ll consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve as my priests. ⁴⁵ I’ll live among the Israelis, and I’ll be their God. ⁴⁶ They are to know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I may live among them. I am the Lord your God.”

The Altar of Incense

30 “You are to make an altar for burning incense. You are to make it of acacia wood. ² It is to be a square, one cubit^[ib] long and one cubit^[ic] wide, and it is to be two cubits^[id] high, with its horns of one piece with it. ³ You are to overlay it with pure gold, its top, its sides all around, and its horns, and you are to make a molding of gold all around it.

⁴ “You are to make two gold rings for it under its molding. You are to make them on its two opposite sides, and they are to be holders for poles by which to carry it. ⁵ You are to make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ⁶ You are to put the altar^[ie] in front of the curtain that is over the Ark of the Testimony, in front of the Mercy Seat^[if] that is over the Testimony where I’ll meet with you. ⁷ Aaron is to offer fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he trims the lamps he is to offer it, ⁸ and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he is to offer it as a continual incense offering in the Lord’s presence throughout your generations. ⁹ You are not to offer strange incense, a burnt offering, or a grain offering on it, nor are you to pour out a libation on it. ¹⁰ Each year Aaron is to make atonement on its horns with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. He is to make atonement on it each year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

Offerings for the Tent

¹¹ The Lord told Moses, ¹² “When you take a census of the Israelis to register them, each is to give a ransom for himself^[ig] to the Lord when they’re registered so there won’t be a plague among them when they’re registered. ¹³ This is what everyone who is registered^[ih] is to give: half a shekel^[ii] according to the shekel^[ij] of the sanctuary (the shekel^[ik] weighs 20 gerahs), half a shekel^[il] as a contribution to the Lord. ¹⁴ All who are registered, 20 years of age and older, are to give a contribution to the Lord. ¹⁵ The rich person is not to give more,^[im] nor is the poor person to give less^[in] than the half shekel,^[io] when you give a contribution to the Lord to make atonement for yourselves.^{[ip] 16} You are to take the atonement money from the Israelis and give it for the service of the Tent of Meeting, and it is to be a memorial for the Israelis in the Lord’s presence to make atonement for yourselves.”^[iq]

The Bronze Basin

¹⁷ The Lord told Moses, ¹⁸ “You are to make a bronze basin with a bronze base for washing. You are to pace it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, put water in it,^{[ir] 19} and Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and their feet from it. ²⁰ When they enter the Tent of Meeting or when they approach the altar to minister to make an offering by fire to the Lord, they are to wash with water so they don’t die. ²¹ They are to wash their hands and their feet so that they don’t die, and it is to be for them a perpetual ordinance for Aaron^[is] and his seed from generation to generation.”

The Anointing Oil

²² The Lord told Moses, ²³ “You are to take for yourself the finest spices: 500 shekels^[it]by weight of liquid myrrh, half as much fragrant cinnamon (250 shekels), 250 shekels of fragrant reeds, ²⁴ 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the shekel of the sanctuary—and a hin^[iu] of olive oil. ²⁵ You are to make them into a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture made by a perfumer. It is to be a holy anointing oil. ²⁶ You are to use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the Ark of the Testimony, ²⁷ the table and all its utensils, the lamp stand and its utensils, the altar of incense, ²⁸ the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils, and the basin and its base. ²⁹ You are to consecrate them and they are to be most holy. Whatever touches them is to be holy. ³⁰ You are to anoint Aaron and his sons, and you are to consecrate them to serve as my priests. ³¹ You are to address the Israelis and tell them, ‘This is to be holy anointing oil for me from generation to generation. ³² It is not to be poured out on a person’s body,^[iv] nor are you to make anything like it with similar formulations. It is holy, and it is to be holy to you. ³³ Anyone who mixes anything like it or who puts any of it on an unqualified person^[iw] is to be cut off from his people.’”

The Incense

³⁴ The Lord told Moses, “Take for yourself spices: stacte, onycha, galbanum, and spices with pure frankincense, all in equal amounts. ³⁵ You are to make it into a fragrant incense, expertly^[ix] blended,^[iy] pure, and holy. ³⁶ You are to grind some of it fine, and put some before the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting where I will meet with you. It is to be most holy to you. ³⁷ You are not to make the incense that you make in this formulation for your own use. It is to be holy to the Lord for you. ³⁸ Anyone who makes anything like it to use it as perfume is to be cut off from his people.”

Craftsmen for the Tent

31 The Lord told Moses, ² “Look, I’ve called^[iz] Uri’s son Bezalel, grandson of Hur from Judah’s tribe ³ and I’ve filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and all kinds of craftsmanship ⁴ to create plans^[ja] for work in gold, silver, and bronze, ⁵ and for cutting stones to set them, for carving wood, and for doing all kinds of craftsmanship. ⁶ Along with him I’m appointing Ahisamach’s son Oholiab from the tribe of Dan, and I’ve given wisdom^[jb] to all who are skilled^[jc] so they can make everything that I’ve commanded you, ⁷ including the Tent of Meeting, the Ark of the Testimony, the Mercy Seat^[jd] that is on it, all the furnishings of the tent— ⁸ the table and its furnishings, the lamp stand of pure gold,^[je] all its furnishings, the altar of incense, ⁹ the altar for burnt offerings, its furnishings, the basin, its base, ¹⁰ the woven garments, the holy garments of Aaron the priest, the garments of his sons as they serve as priests, ¹¹ the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them in accordance with everything that I commanded you.”

¹² The Lord told Moses, ¹³ “You are to tell the Israelis: ‘You are to certainly observe my Sabbaths because it’s a sign between me and you from generation to generation, so you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. ¹⁴ You are to observe the Sabbath, because it’s holy for you. Whoever profanes it is certainly to die; indeed, whoever does work on it is to be cut off from among his people. ¹⁵ Work may be done for six days, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does work on the Sabbath is certainly to die. ¹⁶ The Israelis are to keep the Sabbath to make the Sabbath observance a perpetual covenant from generation to generation. ¹⁷ It is a sign forever between me and the Israelis, because the Lord made the heavens and the earth in six days, but on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

¹⁸ When he finished speaking with Moses^[jf] on Mount Sinai, he gave him^[jg] the two Tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone written by the finger of God.

Aaron Makes the Golden Calf

32 When the people saw that Moses took a long time to come down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and told him, “Come here and make us a god^[jh] who will go before us, because, as for this fellow Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.”

² Aaron told them, “Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.”

³ All the people tore off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to him. ⁴ He took them from them^[ji] and, using a tool, fashioned them into a molten calf.^[jj] The people^[jk] said, “This, Israel, is your god who brought you out of the land of Egypt.”

⁵ When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it, and then he proclaimed, “Tomorrow is to be a festival to the Lord.” ⁶ They got up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. Then the people sat down to eat and drink, and then they got up to play.^[jl]

Moses Intercedes for Israel

⁷ The Lord told Moses, “Go down immediately,^[jm] because your people whom you led out of Egypt have behaved corruptly. ⁸ They have been quick to turn aside from the way I commanded them, and they have made for themselves a molten calf. They have bowed down to it in worship, they have offered sacrifices to it, and they have said, ‘This, Israel, is your god who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”

⁹ Then the Lord told Moses, “I’ve seen these people and indeed they’re obstinate.^{[jn] 10} Now let me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may consume them, but I’ll make a great nation of you.”

¹¹ But Moses implored the Lord his God: “Lord, why are you angry with your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a show of force?^{[jo] 12} Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out with an evil intention to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your anger and change your mind about the calamity against your people. ¹³ Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants to whom you swore by yourself as you told them, ‘I’ll increase the number of your descendants like the stars of the heavens, I’ll give your descendants all of this land about which I have spoken, and they are to possess^[jp] it forever.’”

¹⁴ So the Lord changed his mind about the calamity he had said he would bring on his people.

Moses Destroys the Golden Calf and the Tablets of the Law

¹⁵ Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two Tablets of the Testimony in his hand, tablets which were written on both sides. They were written on one side and the other. ¹⁶ The tablets were the work of God and the writing was God’s writing, inscribed on the tablets. ¹⁷ When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he told Moses, “The sound of war is coming from^[jq] the camp.”

¹⁸ Moses^[jr] said,

¹⁹ As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he became angry. He threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the base of the mountain. ²⁰ He took the calf that they had made, burned it with fire, and ground it into powder. He scattered it on the water and made the Israelis drink it. ²¹ Then Moses asked Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you brought such great sin upon them?”

²² Aaron said, “Sir,^[js] don’t be angry. You know the people—that they’re intent on evil. ²³ They told me, ‘Make a god for us who will go before us because, as for this fellow Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’ ²⁴ So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold ornaments, tear them off.’ When they gave it to me, I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

The Descendants of Levi Punish the Guilty Israelis

²⁵ When Moses saw that the people were out of control—since Aaron had let them get out of control, something that incited ridicule from their enemies^[jt]— ²⁶ he stood in the gate of the camp and called out: “Whoever is for the Lord come over^[ju] to me,” and all the sons of Levi gathered around him. ²⁷ He told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and each of you kill his brother and friend and neighbor.’”

²⁸ The descendants of Levi did just as Moses told them,^[jv] and about 3,000 people died that day. ²⁹ Moses said, “You have been ordained^[jw] to serve the Lord^[jx] today, and you have brought a blessing on yourselves today because every man opposed his son or brother.”^[jy]

Moses Again Intercedes for the People

³⁰ The next day Moses told the people, “You committed a great sin, and now I’ll go up to the Lord, and perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”

³¹ Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Please, Lord, this people committed a great sin by making a god of gold for themselves. ³² Now, if you will, forgive their sin—but if not, blot me out of your book which you have written.”

³³ The Lord told Moses, “Whoever sins against me, I’ll blot him out of my book. ³⁴ Now, go, and lead the people where I told you, and now my angel will go before you, but on the day when I do punish, I’ll punish them for their sin.” ³⁵ Then the Lord sent a plague on the people because they made the calf (the one Aaron made).

The Lord Instructs Israel to Leave

33 The Lord told Moses, “Go up^[jz] from here, you and the people whom you brought out of Egypt, to the land about which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob saying, ‘I’ll give it to your descendants.’^{[ka] 2} I’ll send an angel in front of you and I’ll drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ³ Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey, but I won’t go up among you, because you are an obstinate^[kb] people, and otherwise I might consume you along the way.”

⁴ When the people heard this troubling word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. ⁵ The Lord had told Moses, “Say to the Israelis, ‘You are an obstinate people,^[kc] and if for one moment I went up among you, I would put an end to you. Now take off your ornaments so I may decide^[kd] what to do with you.’” ⁶ So the Israelis did not wear^[ke] their ornaments from Mount Horeb onward.

God’s Presence at the Tent of Meeting

⁷ Moses used to take the tent and set it up outside the camp at a distance from the camp, and he called it the Tent of Meeting. When anyone sought the Lord, he would go out to the Tent of Meeting which was outside the camp. ⁸ When Moses would go out to the tent, all the people would get up, and each would stand in the doorway of his tent, watching Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the doorway of the tent while God^[kf] spoke with Moses. ¹⁰ When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the doorway of the tent, all of them^[kg] would get up and prostrate themselves in worship, each one at the doorway of his tent. ¹¹ The Lord would speak to Moses face to face just as a man speaks with his friend. When Moses^[kh] returned to the camp, Nun’s son Joshua, his young servant, would not leave the tent.

The Promise of God’s Presence on the Journey

¹² Moses told the Lord, “Look, you have told me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you haven’t let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name,’ and also, ‘You have found favor in my sight.’ ¹³ Now, if I’ve found favor in your sight, please show me your ways so I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. And remember,^[ki] this nation is your people.”

¹⁴ He said, “My presence will go with you, and I’ll give you rest.” ¹⁵ Then Moses^[kj] told the Lord,^[kk] “If your presence does not go with us,^[kl] don’t bring us up from here. ¹⁶ Otherwise,^[km] how shall it be known that your people and I have received favor from you, unless you go with us and that we, your people and I, are distinguished from all the people on the surface of the earth?”

Moses Sees God’s Glory

¹⁷ The Lord told Moses, “I’ll do the very^[kn] thing that you have said, because you have found favor in my sight and I know you by name.”

¹⁸ Then Moses^[ko] said, “Please show me your glory.”

¹⁹ God^[kp] said, “I’ll cause all my goodness to pass before you, and I’ll proclaim the name ‘the Lord’ before you. I’ll be gracious to whom I’ll be gracious, and I’ll show compassion on whom I’ll show compassion. ²⁰ But,” he said, “You cannot see my face, because a man cannot see me and live.”

²¹ The Lord said, “Look, there is a place near^[kq] me where you can stand on the rock; ²² and as my glory passes by, I’ll put you in a crevice in the rock, and cover you with my hand until I’ve passed by. ²³ Then I’ll remove my hand so you may see my back, but my face must not be seen.”

The Tablets of the Law Replaced

34 The Lord told Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones, and I’ll write on the tablets the words which were on the first tablets that you broke. ² Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning on Mount Sinai, where you are to present yourself to me there on the top of the mountain. ³ No one is to come up with you, nor is anyone to be seen anywhere on the mountain. Also, the sheep and cattle are not to graze in front of that mountain.”

⁴ So Moses^[kr] carved out two stone tablets like the first ones, got up early in the morning, and climbed Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded him. He took with him the two stone tablets. ⁵ The Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed the name of the Lord.^{[ks] 6} The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed,

⁸ Moses quickly bowed to the ground and prostrated himself in worship. ⁹ He said, “If I’ve found favor in your sight, Lord, please, Lord, walk among us. Certainly this is an obstinate people, but pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your own inheritance.”

The Covenant Promises Repeated

¹⁰ Then the Lord said, “I’m now going to make a covenant. I’ll do miraculous deeds in full view of your people that haven’t been done^[ku] in all the earth or in any nation. All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, because it’s an awesome thing that I’ll do with you. ¹¹ Obey^[kv] what I am commanding you today and I’ll drive out from before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

¹² “Be very careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you are going, so they won’t be a snare among you. ¹³ Rather, you are to tear down their altars, you are to smash their sacred pillars, and you are to cut down their sacred poles^[kw]— ¹⁴ indeed, you are not to bow down in worship to any other god, because the Lord’s name is Jealous—he’s a jealous God— ¹⁵ Otherwise, you may make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and when they prostitute themselves with their gods and offer sacrifices to their gods, someone may invite you and then you may eat some of their sacrifices.

¹⁶ “You are not to take any of their daughters for your sons. Otherwise, when their daughters prostitute themselves with their gods, they may cause your sons to prostitute themselves with their gods.

¹⁷ “You are not to make molten gods for yourselves.

¹⁸ “You are to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days, at the appointed time in the month Abib, you are to eat unleavened bread as I commanded you, for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt.

¹⁹ “Everything firstborn^[kx] belongs to me: all the males of your herds, the firstborn of both cattle and sheep. ²⁰ You are to redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a sheep, and if you don’t redeem it, you are to break its neck. You are to redeem every firstborn of your sons, and no one is to appear before me empty-handed.

²¹ “For six days you are to work, but on the seventh day you are to rest; even during plowing time and harvest you are to rest.

²² “You are to observe the Festival of Weeks, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Tabernacles^[ky] at the turn of the year. ²³ Three times during the year all your males are to appear in the presence of the Lord God of Israel, ²⁴ since I’m going to drive out nations before you, and enlarge your borders, and no one will covet your land, when you go up to appear in the presence of the Lord your God three times a year.

²⁵ “You are not to offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, nor are you to allow the sacrifice of the Festival of Passover to remain until morning.

²⁶ “You are to bring the best^[kz] of the first fruits of the ground to the house of the Lord your God.

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

²⁷ Then the Lord told Moses, “Write down these words, because I’m making a covenant with you and with Israel according to these words.”

²⁸ While Moses^[la] was there with the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights, he did not eat or drink.^[lb] He wrote the Ten Commandments, the words of the covenant, on the tablets.

Moses’ Face Shines

²⁹ When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, he had the two tablets in his hand,^[lc] and he did not know that the skin of his face was ablaze with light because he had been speaking with God.^{[ld] 30} Aaron and all the Israelis saw Moses and immediately noticed that the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him.