Bible in 90 Days

Appointing the Priests

29 “This is what you must do to appoint Aaron and his sons. Then they may serve me as priests. Take one young bull and two male sheep that have nothing wrong with them. ² Use fine wheat flour without yeast to make bread and cakes mixed with olive oil. Also use wheat flour without yeast to make wafers brushed with olive oil. ³ Put these in one basket. Bring them in the basket along with the bull and two male sheep. ⁴ Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Meeting Tent. Then wash them with water. ⁵ Take the clothes. Dress Aaron in the inner robe and the outer robe of the holy vest. Then put on him the holy vest and the chest covering. Then tie the holy vest on him with its skillfully woven belt. ⁶ Put the turban on his head. Put the holy crown, the strip of gold, on the turban. ⁷ Take the special olive oil and pour it on his head to make him a priest.

⁸ “Then bring his sons and put the inner robes on them. ⁹ Put the headbands on their heads. Then tie cloth belts around their waists. Aaron and his descendants will be priests in Israel. This is by a rule that will continue from now on. This is how you will appoint Aaron and his sons as priests.

¹⁰ “Bring the bull to the front of the Meeting Tent. Aaron and his sons must put their hands on the bull’s head. ¹¹ Then kill the bull before the Lord at the entrance to the Meeting Tent. ¹² Take some of the bull’s blood and go to the altar. Use your finger to put some blood on the corners of the altar. Pour the blood that is left at the bottom of the altar. ¹³ Then take all the fat that covers the inner organs. Take the best part of the liver, and take both kidneys and the fat around them. Burn these on the altar. ¹⁴ Take the bull’s meat, skin and intestines. Burn these things outside the camp. This is an offering to take away sin.

¹⁵ “Take one of the male sheep. Have Aaron and his sons put their hands on its head. ¹⁶ Then kill that male sheep. Take its blood and sprinkle it on all four sides of the altar. ¹⁷ Then cut the male sheep into pieces. Wash its inner organs and its legs. Put them with its head and its other pieces. ¹⁸ Burn the whole male sheep on the altar. It is a burnt offering made by fire to the Lord. Its smell is pleasing to the Lord.

¹⁹ “Take the other male sheep. Have Aaron and his sons put their hands on its head. ²⁰ Kill that male sheep and take some of its blood. Put it on the bottom of the right ears of Aaron and his sons. Also put it on the thumbs of their right hands. And put it on the big toes of their right feet. Then sprinkle the rest of the blood against all four sides of the altar. ²¹ Then take some of the blood from the altar. Mix it with the special oil used in appointing priests. Sprinkle this on Aaron and his clothes. And sprinkle this on his sons and their clothes. This will show that Aaron and his sons and their clothes are given to my service.

²² “Then take the fat from the male sheep. Take the fat tail and the fat that covers the inner organs. Take the best part of the liver. Take both kidneys and the fat around them and the right thigh. This is the male sheep to be used in appointing priests.

²³ “Then take the basket of bread that you made without yeast. This is the basket you put before the Lord. From it take a loaf of bread, a cake made with olive oil and a wafer. ²⁴ Put these in the hands of Aaron and his sons. Tell them to present these things in their hands before the Lord. This will be an offering presented to the Lord. ²⁵ Then take them from their hands. Burn them on the altar with the whole burnt offering. This is an offering made by fire to the Lord. Its smell is pleasing to the Lord. ²⁶ Then take the breast of the male sheep used to appoint Aaron as priest. Present the breast of the male sheep before the Lord. It is an offering presented to the Lord. This part of the animal will be your share. ²⁷ Then give to the service of the Lord the parts of the male sheep used to appoint them as priests. They belong to Aaron and his sons. They are the breast and the right thigh. These were presented to the Lord. ²⁸ This is to be the regular share which the Israelites will always give to Aaron and his sons. This is the gift the Israelites must give to the Lord from their fellowship offerings.

²⁹ “The holy clothes made for Aaron will belong to his descendants. They must wear these clothes when they are appointed as priests. ³⁰ Aaron’s son will become high priest after Aaron. He will come to the Meeting Tent to serve in the Holy Place. He is to wear these clothes for seven days.

³¹ “Take the male sheep used to appoint priests. Boil its meat in a place made holy for serving me. ³² Then Aaron and his sons must eat the meat of the male sheep. They must do that at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. And they must also eat the bread that is in the basket. ³³ These offerings were used to remove their sins when they were made priests so they would belong to God. Now they should eat these offerings. But no one else is to eat these things because they are holy. ³⁴ If any of the meat from that male sheep or any of the bread is left the next morning, it must be burned. It shall not be eaten because it is holy.

³⁵ “Do all these things that I commanded you to do to Aaron and his sons. You are to spend seven days appointing them. ³⁶ Each day for seven days you are to offer a bull. This will remove the sins of Aaron and his sons so they will be given for service to the Lord. Make the altar ready for service to the Lord. Pour oil on it to make it holy. ³⁷ Spend seven days making the altar ready for service to God and making it holy. Then the altar will become very holy. Anything that touches it must be holy.

The Daily Sacrifices

³⁸ “Every day from now on, offer on the altar two lambs that are one year old. ³⁹ Offer one lamb in the morning and the other in the evening. ⁴⁰ In the morning, when you offer the first lamb, offer also two quarts of fine flour. Mix it with one quart of oil from pressed olives. Pour out a quart of wine as a drink offering. ⁴¹ Offer the second lamb in the evening. Also offer the same grain offering and drink offering as you did in the morning. This is an offering by fire to the Lord. And its smell is pleasing to the Lord.

⁴² “You must burn these things as an offering to the Lord every day. Do this at the entrance of the Meeting Tent before the Lord from now on. When you make the offering, I, the Lord, will meet you there and speak to you. ⁴³ I will meet with the people of Israel there. And that place will be holy because of my greatness.

⁴⁴ “So I will make the Meeting Tent and the altar holy. And I will make Aaron and his sons holy so they may serve me as priests. ⁴⁵ I will live with the people of Israel. I will be their God. ⁴⁶ And they will know that I am the Lord their God. They will know that I am the one who led them out of Egypt. I did this so I could live with them. I am the Lord their God.

The Altar for Burning Incense

30 “Make an altar out of acacia wood for burning incense. ² Make it square—18 inches long and 18 inches wide. It must be 36 inches high. Make the corners stick out like horns. These must be one piece with the altar. ³ Cover its top, its sides and its corners with pure gold. And put a gold strip all around the altar. ⁴ Make two gold rings beneath the gold strip on opposite sides of the altar. Slide poles through these gold rings to carry the altar. ⁵ Make the poles from acacia wood and cover them with gold. ⁶ Put the altar of incense in front of the curtain. This curtain is in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Put the altar in front of the lid that covers that Ark of the Covenant. There I will meet with you.

⁷ “Aaron must burn sweet-smelling incense on the altar every morning. He will do this when he comes to take care of the oil lamps. ⁸ He must burn incense again in the evening when he lights the lamps. So incense will burn before the Lord every day from now on. ⁹ Do not use this altar for offering any other incense or burnt offering. Do not use this altar to offer any kind of grain offering or drink offering. ¹⁰ Once a year Aaron must make the altar ready for service to God. He will do it by putting blood on its corners. This is blood of the animal offered to remove sins. He is to do this once a year from now on. This altar belongs completely to God’s service.”

The Tax for the Meeting Tent

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “Count the people of Israel. At that time every person must pay to buy back his life from the Lord. Then no terrible things will happen to the people when you number them. ¹³ Every person who is counted must pay one-fifth of an ounce of silver. This is set by the Holy Place measure, which weighs two-fifths of an ounce. This amount is a gift to the Lord. ¹⁴ Every person who is counted and is 20 years old or older must give this amount to the Lord. ¹⁵ A rich person must not give more than one-fifth of an ounce. And a poor person must not give less than one-fifth of an ounce. You are paying this to the Lord to buy back your lives. ¹⁶ Gather from the people of Israel this money paid to buy back their lives. Spend it to buy things for the service in the Meeting Tent. This payment will remind the Lord that the Israelites’ lives have been bought back.”

The Bronze Bowl

¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸ “Make a bronze bowl for washing. Build it on a bronze stand. Put the bowl and stand between the Meeting Tent and the altar. Put water in the bowl. ¹⁹ Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet with the water from this bowl. ²⁰ Each time, before they enter the Meeting Tent, they must wash with water. This way they will not die. They approach the altar to serve as priests. They offer a sacrifice to the Lord by fire. ²¹ Each time they do this, they must wash their hands and their feet so they will not die. This is a rule which Aaron and his descendants are to keep from now on.”

Oil for Appointing

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Take the finest spices: 12 pounds of liquid myrrh, half that amount (that is, 6 pounds) of sweet-smelling cinnamon, 6 pounds of sweet-smelling cane ²⁴ and 12 pounds of cassia. Weigh all these by the Holy Place measure. Also take 4 quarts of olive oil. ²⁵ Mix all these things like a perfume to make a holy olive oil. This special oil must be put on people and things. Do this to make them ready for service to God. ²⁶ Put this oil on the Meeting Tent and the Ark of the Covenant with my laws in it. ²⁷ Put this oil on the table and all its dishes. And put this oil on the lampstand and all its tools. Put the oil on the incense altar. ²⁸ Also, put the oil on the altar for burning offerings and all its tools. Put this oil on the bowl and the stand under the bowl. Put oil on all these things to prepare them for service to God. ²⁹ You will give these things for service to God. They will be very holy. Anything that touches these things must also be holy.

³⁰ “Put the oil on Aaron and his sons to make them priests. Give them for service to me. Then they may serve me as priests. ³¹ Tell the Israelites, ‘This is to be my holy olive oil from now on. It is to be put on people and things to make them ready for service to God. ³² Do not pour it on the bodies of ordinary people. Do not make perfume the same way you make this oil. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy. ³³ Someone might make perfume like it. Or he might put it on someone who is not a priest. Then that person must be separated from his people.’”

Incense

³⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take these sweet-smelling spices: resin, onycha, galbanum and pure frankincense. Be sure that you have equal amounts of each. ³⁵ You must make incense as a man who makes perfume would do. Add salt to it to keep it pure and holy. ³⁶ Beat some of the incense into a fine powder. Put some of it in front of the Ark of the Covenant in the Meeting Tent. There I will meet with you. You must use this incense powder only for its very special purpose. ³⁷ Do not make incense for yourselves the same way you make this incense. Treat it as holy to the Lord. ³⁸ Whoever makes incense like this to use as perfume must be separated from his people.”

Bezalel and Oholiab

31 Then the Lord said to Moses, ² “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri from the tribe of Judah. Uri was the son of Hur. ³ I have filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God. I have given him the skill, ability and knowledge to do all kinds of work. ⁴ He is able to design pieces to be made from gold, silver and bronze. ⁵ He is able to cut jewels and put them in metal. And he can carve wood. Bezalel can do all kinds of work. ⁶ I have also chosen Oholiab son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan. Oholiab will work with Bezalel. I have given skills to all skilled craftsmen. They will be able to make all these things I have commanded you: ⁷ the Meeting Tent, the Ark of the Covenant, the lid that covers the Ark of the Covenant and everything in the Tent. ⁸ This includes the table and everything on it, the pure gold lampstand and everything with it and the altar of incense. ⁹ It also includes the altar for burnt offerings and everything used with it, the bowl and the stand under it. ¹⁰ They will make the woven clothes and the holy clothes for Aaron and the clothes for his sons to wear when they serve as priests. ¹¹ They will also make the special olive oil used in appointing people and things to the service of the Lord, and the sweet-smelling incense for the Holy Place.

“These workers will make all these things just as I have commanded you.”

The Day of Rest

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹³ “Tell the Israelites, ‘You must keep the rules about my Sabbaths. This is because they will be a sign between you and me from now on. In this way you will know that I, the Lord, am making you holy.

¹⁴ “‘Make the Sabbath a holy day. If anyone treats the Sabbath like any other day, that person must be put to death. Anyone who works on the Sabbath day must be separated from his people. ¹⁵ There are six days for working. But the seventh day is a day of rest. It is a day holy for the Lord. Anyone who works during the Sabbath day must be put to death. ¹⁶ The Israelites must remember the Sabbath day. It is an agreement between them and me that will continue from now on. ¹⁷ The Sabbath day will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever. This is because in six days I, the Lord, made the sky and the earth. And on the seventh day I did not work. I rested.’”

¹⁸ So the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai. Then the Lord gave him the two stone tablets with the agreement written on them. The finger of God wrote the commands on the stones.

The People Make a Gold Calf

32 The people saw that a long time had passed. And Moses had not come down from the mountain. So they gathered around Aaron. They said to him, “Moses led us out of Egypt. But we don’t know what has happened to him. So make us gods who will lead us.”

² Aaron said to the people, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, sons and daughters are wearing. Bring them to me.” ³ So all the people took their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ Aaron took the gold from the people. Then he melted it and made a statue of a calf. He finished it with a tool. Then the people said, “Israel! These are your gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

⁵ Aaron saw all this, and he built an altar before the calf. Then he made an announcement. He said, “Tomorrow there will be a special feast to honor the Lord.” ⁶ The people got up early the next morning. They offered whole burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. First the people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up and had wild parties.

⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down from this mountain. Your people, the people you brought out of the land of Egypt, have done a terrible sin. ⁸ They have quickly turned away from the things I commanded them to do. They have made for themselves a calf of melted gold. They have worshiped that calf and offered sacrifices to it. The people have said, ‘Israel, these are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.’”

⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen these people. I know that they are very stubborn people. ¹⁰ So now do not stop me. I am so angry with them that I am going to destroy them. Then I will make you and your descendants a great nation.”

¹¹ But Moses begged the Lord his God. Moses said, “Lord, don’t let your anger destroy your people. You brought these people out of Egypt with your great power and strength. ¹² Don’t let the people of Egypt say, ‘The Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt. But he planned to kill them in the mountains and destroy them from the earth.’ So stop being angry. Don’t destroy your people. ¹³ Remember the men who served you—Abraham, Isaac and Israel. You promised with an oath to them. You said, ‘I will make your descendants as many as the stars in the sky. I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised them. It will be theirs forever.’” ¹⁴ So the Lord changed his mind. He did not destroy the people as he had said he might.

¹⁵ Then Moses went down the mountain. In his hands he had the two stone tablets with the agreement on them. The commands were written on both sides of each stone, front and back. ¹⁶ God himself had made the stones. And God himself had written the commands on the stones.

¹⁷ Then Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting. He said to Moses, “It sounds like war down in the camp.”

¹⁸ Moses answered:

¹⁹ When Moses came close to the camp, he saw the gold calf and the dancing. He became very angry. He threw down the stone tablets which he was carrying. He broke them at the bottom of the mountain. ²⁰ Then he took the calf that the people had made. He melted it in the fire. And he ground the gold until it became powder. He threw the powder into the water. And he forced the Israelites to drink that water.

²¹ Moses said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you? Why did you cause them to do such a terrible sin?”

²² Aaron answered, “Don’t be angry, master. You know that these people are always ready to do wrong. ²³ The people said to me, ‘Moses led us out of Egypt. But we don’t know what has happened to him. So make us gods who will lead us.’ ²⁴ So I told the people, ‘Take off your gold jewelry.’ So they gave me the gold. I threw it into the fire and out came this calf!”

²⁵ Moses saw that the people were acting wildly. He saw that Aaron had let them get out of control. Their enemies would laugh at them. ²⁶ So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp. He said, “Let anyone who wants to follow the Lord come to me.” And all the people from the family of Levi gathered around Moses.

²⁷ Then Moses said to them, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says this: ‘Every man must put on his sword and go through the camp from one end to the other. Each man must kill his brother, his friend and his neighbor.’” ²⁸ The people from the family of Levi obeyed Moses. That day about 3,000 of the people of Israel died. ²⁹ Then Moses said, “Today you have been given for service to the Lord. You were willing to kill your own sons and brothers. And God has blessed you for this.”

³⁰ The next day Moses told the people, “You have done a terrible sin. But now I will go up to the Lord. Maybe I can do something so your sins will be removed. Then you will belong to God again.” ³¹ So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “How terrible it is! These people have sinned horribly. They have made for themselves gods from gold. ³² Now, forgive them of this sin. If you will not, then erase my name. Erase it from the book in which you have written the names of your people.”

³³ But the Lord told Moses, “I will erase from my book the names of the people who sin against me. ³⁴ So now, go. Lead the people where I have told you. My angel will lead you. When the time comes to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

³⁵ So the Lord caused terrible things to happen to the people. He did this because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “You and the people you brought out of Egypt must leave this place. Go to the land that I promised with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I said, ‘I will give that land to your descendants.’ ² I will send an angel to lead you. And I will force these people out of the land: the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. ³ Go up to the land where much food grows. But I will not go with you. This is because I might destroy you on the way. You are such a stubborn people.”

⁴ The people heard this bad news, and they became very sad. None of them put on jewelry. ⁵ This was because the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stubborn people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I would destroy you. So take off all your jewelry. Then I will decide what to do with you.’” ⁶ So the people of Israel took off their jewelry at Mount Sinai.

The Meeting Tent

⁷ Moses used to take a tent and set it up a long way outside the camp. Moses called it the “Meeting Tent.” A person might want to ask the Lord about something. Then he would go to the Meeting Tent outside the camp. ⁸ Anytime Moses went out to the Tent, all the people would rise. They stood at the entrances of their tents and watched Moses until he entered the Meeting Tent. ⁹ When Moses went into the Tent, the pillar of cloud would always come down. It would stay at the entrance of the Tent while the Lord spoke with Moses. ¹⁰ The people saw the pillar of cloud at the entrance of the Tent. Then they stood and worshiped, each person at the entrance of his own tent.

¹¹ The Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp. But Moses’ young helper, Joshua son of Nun, did not leave the Tent.

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “You have told me to lead these people. But you did not say whom you would send with me. You have said to me, ‘I know you very well. I am pleased with you.’ ¹³ If I have truly pleased you, show me your plans. Then I may know you and continue to please you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

¹⁴ The Lord answered, “I myself will go with you. And I will give you victory.”

¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If you yourself don’t go with us, then don’t send us away from this place. ¹⁶ If you don’t go with us, no one will know that you are pleased with me and your people. These people and I would be no different from any other people on earth.”

¹⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will do what you ask. This is because I know you very well, and I am pleased with you.”

Moses and God’s Greatness

¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Now, please show me your greatness.”

¹⁹ The Lord answered, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you. I will announce my name, the Lord, so you can hear it. I will show kindness to anyone I want to show kindness. I will show mercy to anyone I want to show mercy. ²⁰ But you cannot see my face. No one can see me and stay alive.

²¹ “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. ²² My greatness will pass that place. I will put you in a large crack in that rock. And I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back. But my face must not be seen.”

Moses Gets New Tablets

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Cut two more stone tablets like the first two. I will write the same words on them that were on the first two stones which you broke. ² Be ready tomorrow morning. Then come up on Mount Sinai. Stand before me there on the top of the mountain. ³ No one may come with you. No one should even be seen any place on the mountain. Not even the sheep or cattle may eat grass near that mountain.”

⁴ So Moses cut two stone tablets like the first ones. Then early the next morning he went up Mount Sinai. He did this just as the Lord had commanded him. Moses carried the two stone tablets with him. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with Moses. And the Lord called out his name, the Lord.

⁶ The Lord passed in front of Moses and said, “I am the Lord. The Lord is a God who shows mercy and is kind. The Lord doesn’t become angry quickly. The Lord has great love and faithfulness. ⁷ The Lord is kind to thousands of people. The Lord forgives people for wrong and sin and turning against him. But the Lord does not forget to punish guilty people. The Lord will punish not only the guilty people. He will also punish their children, their grandchildren, their great-grandchildren and their great-great-grandchildren.”

⁸ Then Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped. ⁹ Moses said, “Lord, if you are pleased with me, please go with us. I know that these are stubborn people. But forgive our evil and our sin. Take us as your own people.”

¹⁰ Then the Lord said, “I am making this agreement with you. I will do miracles in front of all your people. These things have never before been done for any other nation on earth. The people with you will see my work. I, the Lord, will do wonderful things for you. ¹¹ Obey the things I command you today, and I will force your enemies to leave your land. I will force out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites ahead of you. ¹² Be careful. Don’t make any agreement with the people who live in the land where you are going. It will bring you trouble. ¹³ But destroy their altars. Break their stone pillars. Cut down their Asherah idols. ¹⁴ Don’t worship any other god. This is because I, the Lord, the Jealous One, am a jealous God.

¹⁵ “Be careful. Don’t make any agreements with the people who live in that land. They will worship their false gods. And they will invite you to join them. Then you will join them, and you will eat their sacrifices. ¹⁶ You might choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons. Those daughters worship false gods. They might lead your sons to do the same thing.

¹⁷ “Do not make gods of melted metal.

¹⁸ “Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast as I commanded you. Do this during the month I have chosen, the month of Abib. This is because in that month you came out of Egypt.

¹⁹ “Every firstborn cow or sheep that is born to each animal belongs to me. ²⁰ You may buy back a donkey by paying for it with a lamb. But if you don’t want to buy back a donkey, you must break its neck. You must buy back all your firstborn sons.

“No one is to come before me without a gift.

²¹ “You must work for six days. But on the seventh day you must rest. You must do this even during the planting season and harvest season.

²² “Celebrate the Feast of Weeks when you gather the first grain of the wheat harvest. And celebrate the Feast of Harvest in the fall.

²³ “Three times each year all your men must come before the Master, the Lord, the God of Israel. ²⁴ I will force out nations ahead of you. I will expand the borders of your land. You will go before the Lord your God three times each year. And at that time no one will try to take your land from you.

²⁵ “Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me with anything containing yeast. And do not leave any of the sacrifice of the Feast of Passover. It must not be left until the next morning.

²⁶ “Bring the best first crops that you harvest from your ground. Bring those things to the Tent of the Lord your God.

“You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

²⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words. This is because with these words I have made an agreement with you and Israel.”

²⁸ Moses stayed there with the Lord 40 days and 40 nights. During that time he did not eat food or drink water. And Moses wrote the words of the agreement—the Ten Commandments—on the stone tablets.

The Face of Moses Shines

²⁹ Then Moses came down from Mount Sinai. In his hands he was carrying the two stone tablets of the agreement. But Moses did not know that his face was shining because he had talked with the Lord. ³⁰ Aaron and all the people of Israel saw that Moses’ face was shining. So they were afraid to go near him. ³¹ But Moses called to them. So Aaron and all the leaders of the people returned to Moses. Moses talked with them. ³² After that, all the people of Israel came near him. And he gave them all the commands that the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.

³³ When Moses finished speaking to the people, he put a covering over his face. ³⁴ Anytime Moses went before the Lord to speak with him, Moses took off the covering until he came out. Then Moses would come out and tell the people of Israel the things the Lord had commanded. ³⁵ The Israelites would see that Moses’ face was shining. So he would cover his face again. He did this until the next time he went in to speak with the Lord.

Rules About the Sabbath

35 Moses gathered all the Israelite community together. He said to them, “These are the things the Lord has commanded you to do. ² You are to work for six days. But the seventh day will be a holy day, a Sabbath of rest to honor the Lord. Anyone who works on that day must be put to death. ³ On the Sabbath day you must not light a fire in any of your houses.”

⁴ Moses said to all the Israelites, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ⁵ From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Let everyone who is willing bring this offering to the Lord: gold, silver, bronze, ⁶ blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen, goat hair ⁷ and male sheep skins, colored red. And they may bring fine leather and acacia wood. ⁸ They may also bring olive oil for the lamps, spices for the special olive oil used for appointing priests and for the sweet-smelling incense. ⁹ And they may bring onyx stones and other jewels to be put on the holy vest and chest covering of the priests.

¹⁰ “Let all the skilled workers come and make everything the Lord commanded: ¹¹ the Holy Tent, its outer tent and its covering, the hooks, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; ¹² the Ark of the Covenant, its poles, lid and the curtain in front of it; ¹³ the table and its poles, all the things that go with the table and the bread that shows we are in God’s presence; ¹⁴ the lampstand for the light and all the things that go with it, the lamps and olive oil for the light; ¹⁵ the altar of incense and its poles, the special oil and the sweet-smelling incense, the curtain for the entrance of the Meeting Tent; ¹⁶ the altar of burnt offering and its bronze screen, its poles and all its tools, the bronze bowl and its base; ¹⁷ the curtains around the courtyard, their posts and bases, and the curtain at the entry to the courtyard; ¹⁸ the pegs of the Holy Tent and of the courtyard and their ropes; ¹⁹ the special clothes that the priest will wear in the Holy Place. These are the holy clothes for Aaron the priest and his sons to wear when they serve as priests.”

²⁰ Then all the people of Israel went away from Moses. ²¹ Everyone who wanted to give came and brought a gift to the Lord. These gifts were used for making the Meeting Tent, all the things in the Tent and the special clothes. ²² All the men and women who wanted to give brought gold jewelry of all kinds. They brought pins, earrings, rings and bracelets. They all presented their gold to the Lord. ²³ Everyone who had blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen came and gave it to the Lord. Anyone who had goat hair or male sheep skins colored red or fine leather brought them to the Lord. ²⁴ Everyone who could give silver or bronze brought that as a gift to the Lord. Everyone who had acacia wood to be used in the work brought it. ²⁵ Every skilled woman used her hands to make the blue, purple and red thread and fine linen. And they brought what they had made. ²⁶ All the women who were skilled and wanted to help made thread of the goat hair. ²⁷ The leaders brought onyx stones and other jewels. These stones and jewels were put on the holy vest and chest covering for the priest. ²⁸ They also brought spices and olive oil. These were used for the sweet-smelling incense, the special oil and the oil to burn in the lamps. ²⁹ All the men and women of Israel who wanted to help brought gifts to the Lord. They were used for all the work the Lord had commanded Moses and the people to do.

³⁰ Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “Look, the Lord has chosen Bezalel. He is the son of Uri the son of Hur, from the tribe of Judah. ³¹ The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God. The Lord has given Bezalel the skill, ability and knowledge to do all kinds of work. ³² He is able to design pieces to be made of gold, silver and bronze. ³³ He is able to cut stones and jewels and put them in metal. Bezalel can carve wood and do all kinds of work. ³⁴ The Lord has given Bezalel and Oholiab the ability to teach others. Oholiab is the son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan. ³⁵ The Lord has given them the skill to do all kinds of work. They are able to cut designs in metal and stone. They can plan and sew designs in the fine linen with the blue, purple and red thread. And they are also able to weave things.

36 “So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person will do the work the Lord has commanded. The Lord gave these people the wisdom and understanding to do all the skilled work needed to build the Holy Tent.”

² Then Moses called Bezalel, Oholiab and all the other skilled people to whom the Lord had given skills. And they came because they wanted to help with the work. ³ They received from Moses everything the people of Israel had brought as gifts to build the Holy Tent. The people continued to bring gifts each morning because they wanted to. ⁴ So all the skilled workers left the work they were doing on the Holy Tent. And they went to speak to Moses. They said, ⁵ “The people are bringing more than we need to do the work the Lord commanded.”

⁶ Then Moses sent this command throughout the camp: “No man or woman should make anything else as a gift for the Holy Tent.” So the people were kept from giving more. ⁷ What they had was already more than enough to do all the work.

The Holy Tent

⁸ Then the skilled workers made the Holy Tent. They made the ten pieces of blue, purple and red cloth. And they sewed designs of creatures with wings on the pieces. ⁹ Each piece was the same size. It was 42 feet long and 6 feet wide. ¹⁰ Five of the pieces were fastened together to make one set. The other five were fastened together to make another set. ¹¹ Then they made loops of blue cloth along the edge of the end piece on the first set of five. They did the same thing with the other set of five. ¹² There were 50 loops on one piece and 50 loops on the other piece. The loops were opposite each other. ¹³ Then they made 50 gold hooks to join the two pieces together. So the Holy Tent was joined together as one piece.

¹⁴ Then the workers made another tent of 11 pieces of cloth made of goat hair. This was to put over the Holy Tent. ¹⁵ All 11 pieces were the same size. They were 45 feet long and 6 feet wide. ¹⁶ The workers sewed five pieces together into one set. Then they sewed six together into another set. ¹⁷ They made 50 loops along the edge of the outside piece of one set. And they made 50 loops along the edge of the outside piece of the other set. ¹⁸ Then they made 50 bronze rings to join the two sets of cloth together and make the tent one piece. ¹⁹ Then they made two more coverings for the outer tent. One covering was made of male sheep skin colored red. The other covering was made of fine leather.

²⁰ Then they made upright frames of acacia wood. ²¹ Each board was 15 feet tall and 27 inches wide. ²² There were two pegs side by side on each frame. Every frame of the Holy Tent was made this same way. ²³ They made 20 frames for the south side of the Tent. ²⁴ Then they made 40 silver bases that went under the 20 frames. There were two bases for every frame—one for each peg of each board. ²⁵ They also made 20 frames for the north side of the Holy Tent. ²⁶ They made 40 silver bases—2 to go under each frame. ²⁷ They made 6 frames for the rear or west end of the Holy Tent ²⁸ and 2 frames for the corners at the rear of the Holy Tent. ²⁹ These 2 frames were joined together from the bottom to the top with a metal ring. They did this for each of these corners. ³⁰ So there were 8 frames and 16 silver bases—2 bases under each frame.

³¹ Then they made crossbars of acacia wood to connect the upright frames of the Holy Tent. Five crossbars held the frames together on one side of the Tent. ³² Five crossbars held the frames together on the other side. And five crossbars held the frames together on the west end, at the rear of the Tent. ³³ They made the crossbar run along the entire length of each side and rear of the Tent. It was set halfway up the frames. ³⁴ They made gold rings on the sides of the frames. They passed the crossbars through the rings. They covered the frames and the crossbars with gold.

³⁵ Then they made the curtain with blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen. A skilled craftsman sewed designs of creatures with wings on it. ³⁶ They made four posts of acacia wood and covered them with gold. Then they made gold hooks for the posts. And they made four silver bases in which to set the posts. ³⁷ Then they made a curtain for the entrance to the Tent. They used blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen. A person who sewed well sewed designs on it. ³⁸ Then they made five posts and hooks for it. They covered the tops of the posts and their bands with gold. And they made five bronze bases for the posts.

The Ark of the Covenant

37 Bezalel made the Ark of the Covenant of acacia wood. The Ark of the Covenant was 45 inches long, 27 inches wide and 27 inches high. ² He covered the inside and outside of the Ark of the Covenant with pure gold. Then he put a gold strip around it. ³ He made four gold rings for it and attached them to its four feet. There were two rings on each side. ⁴ Then he made poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold. ⁵ He put the poles through the rings on each side of the Ark of the Covenant to carry it. ⁶ Then he made a lid of pure gold. It was 45 inches long and 27 inches wide. ⁷ Then Bezalel hammered gold to make two creatures with wings. He attached them to each end of the lid. ⁸ He made one creature with wings on one end of the lid. He made the other creature with wings on the other end. He attached them to the lid so that it would be one piece. ⁹ The creatures’ wings were spread out over the lid. The creatures faced each other across the lid.

The Table

¹⁰ Then he made the table of acacia wood. The table was 36 inches long, 18 inches wide and 27 inches high. ¹¹ He covered the table with pure gold. He put a gold strip around it. ¹² Then he made a frame 3 inches high that stood up all around the edge. He put a gold strip around the frame. ¹³ Then he made four gold rings for the table. He attached them to the four corners of the table, where the four legs were. ¹⁴ The rings were put close to the frame around the top of the table. The rings held the poles that were used to carry the table. ¹⁵ The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood. They were covered with gold. ¹⁶ Then he made of pure gold all the things that were used on the table: the plates, bowls, cups and jars used for pouring the drink offerings.

The Lampstand

¹⁷ Then he made the lampstand of pure gold. He hammered out its base and stand. Its flower-like cups, buds and petals were joined together in one piece with the base and stand. ¹⁸ There were three branches on one side of the lampstand and three branches on the other. ¹⁹ Each branch had three cups shaped like almond flowers. Each cup had a bud and a petal. ²⁰ There were four more cups shaped like almond flowers on the lampstand itself. Each cup had its buds and petals. ²¹ Three pairs of branches went out from the lampstand. A bud was under the place where each pair was attached to the lampstand. ²² The buds, branches and lampstand were all one piece of pure, hammered gold. ²³ He made seven pure gold lamps for this lampstand. Then he made pure gold wick trimmers and trays. ²⁴ He used about 75 pounds of pure gold to make the lampstand and all the things that go with it.

The Altar for Burning Incense

²⁵ Then he made the altar of incense of acacia wood. The altar was square. It was 18 inches long, 18 inches wide and 36 inches high. Each corner stuck out like a horn. Each corner was joined into one piece with the altar. ²⁶ He covered the top and all the sides and the corners with pure gold. Then he put gold trim around the altar. ²⁷ He made two gold rings and put them below the trim on opposite sides of the altar. These rings held the poles for carrying the altar. ²⁸ He made the poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold.

²⁹ Then he made the holy olive oil for appointing the priests. He also made the pure, sweet-smelling incense. He made them like a person who mixes perfumes.

The Altar

38 Then he built the altar for burning offerings. He made the altar of acacia wood. The altar was square. It was 7½ feet long, 7½ feet wide and 4½ feet high. ² He made each corner stick out like a horn. The horns and the altar were joined together in one piece. Then he covered the altar with bronze. ³ He made all the tools of bronze to use on the altar: the pots, shovels, bowls for sprinkling blood, meat forks and pans for carrying the fire. ⁴ He made a large bronze screen to hold the burning wood for the altar. He put the screen inside the altar, under its rim, halfway up from the bottom. ⁵ He made bronze rings for holding the poles for carrying the altar. He put the rings at the four corners of the screen. ⁶ Then he made poles of acacia wood and covered them with bronze. ⁷ He put the poles through the rings on both sides of the altar. They were used for carrying the altar. He made the altar of boards and left the inside hollow.

The Bronze Bowl

⁸ He made the bronze bowl for washing. He built it on a bronze stand. He used the bronze of mirrors. These mirrors belonged to the women who served at the entrance to the Meeting Tent.

The Courtyard of the Holy Tent

⁹ Then he made a wall of curtains to form a courtyard around the Holy Tent. On the south side the curtains were 150 feet long and were made of fine linen. ¹⁰ The curtains hung on silver hooks and bands. These were on 20 bronze posts on 20 bronze bases. ¹¹ On the north side the wall of curtains was also 150 feet long. It hung on silver hooks and bands on 20 posts with 20 bronze bases.

¹² On the west side of the courtyard, the wall of curtains was 75 feet long. It was held up by silver hooks and bands on 10 posts and 10 bases. ¹³ The east side was 75 feet wide. ¹⁴ On one side of the entry there was a wall of curtains that was 22½ feet long. It was held up by 3 posts and 3 bases. ¹⁵ On the other side of the entry there was a wall of curtains 22½ feet long. It was held up by 3 posts and 3 bases. ¹⁶ All the curtains around the courtyard were made of fine linen. ¹⁷ The bases for the posts were made of bronze. The hooks and the bands on the posts were made of silver. The tops of the posts were covered with silver also. All the posts in the courtyard had silver bands.

¹⁸ The curtain for the entry of the courtyard was made of blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen. It was sewn by a person who could sew well. The curtain was 30 feet long and 7½ feet high. It was the same height as the curtains around the courtyard. ¹⁹ The curtain was held up by 4 posts and 4 bronze bases. The hooks and bands on the posts were made of silver. The tops on the posts were covered with silver. ²⁰ All the tent pegs for the Holy Tent and for the curtains around the courtyard were made of bronze.

²¹ This is a list of the metals used to make the Holy Tent. This is where the two flat stones with the Ten Commandments are kept. Moses ordered the Levites to make this list. Ithamar son of Aaron was in charge of keeping the list. ²² Bezalel son of Uri made everything the Lord commanded Moses. Uri was the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. ²³ Oholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan helped him. Oholiab could cut designs into metal and stone. He was a designer. He was also skilled at sewing the blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen.

²⁴ The total amount of gold used to build the Holy Tent was presented to the Lord. It weighed over 2,000 pounds, as set by the Holy Place measure.

²⁵ The silver was given by the members of the community who were counted. It weighed 7,550 pounds, as set by the Holy Place measure. ²⁶ All the men 20 years old or older were counted. There were 603,550 men, and each man had to pay ⅕ ounce of silver. This is the weight as set by the Holy Place measure. ²⁷ Of this silver, 7,500 pounds was used to make the 100 bases. These bases were for the Holy Tent and for the curtain. There was 75 pounds of silver in each base. ²⁸ The other 50 pounds of silver was used to make the hooks for the posts. It was also used to cover the tops of the posts and to make the bands on the posts.

²⁹ The bronze which was presented to the Lord weighed about 5,000 pounds. ³⁰ They used the bronze to make the bases at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. They also used the bronze to make the altar and the bronze screen. And this bronze was used to make all the tools for the altar. ³¹ This bronze was also used to make bases for the wall of curtains around the courtyard. It was used for the bases for the curtains at the entry to the courtyard. And this bronze was used to make the tent pegs for the Holy Tent and curtains that surrounded the courtyard.

Clothes for the Priests

39 They used blue, purple and red thread to make woven clothes for the priests. They were to wear these when they served in the Holy Place. They also made the holy clothes for Aaron as the Lord had commanded Moses.

² They made the holy vest of gold and blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen. ³ They hammered the gold into sheets. Then they cut the gold into long, thin strips. They worked the gold into the blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen. This was done by a skilled craftsman. ⁴ They made the shoulder straps for the holy vest. These straps were attached to the top corners of the vest. Then the shoulder straps were tied together over each shoulder. ⁵ The skillfully woven belt was made in the same way. It was joined to the holy vest as one piece. It was made of gold and blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen. It was made the way the Lord commanded Moses.

⁶ They put gold around the onyx stones. Then they wrote the names of the sons of Israel on these gems. They did that as a person carves words and designs on a seal. ⁷ Then they attached the gems on the shoulder straps of the holy vest. These gems are reminders of the 12 sons of Israel. This was done the way the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁸ The skilled craftsmen made the chest covering. It was made like the holy vest. It was made of gold and blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen. ⁹ The chest covering was square, nine inches long and nine inches wide. It was folded double to make a pocket. ¹⁰ Then they put four rows of beautiful jewels on it. In the first row there was a ruby, a topaz and a yellow quartz. ¹¹ In the second row there was a turquoise, a sapphire and an emerald. ¹² In the third row there was a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst. ¹³ In the fourth row there was a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper. Gold was put around these jewels to attach them to the chest covering. ¹⁴ The names of the sons of Israel were carved on these 12 jewels as a person carves a seal. Each jewel had the name of 1 of the 12 tribes of Israel.

¹⁵ They made chains of pure gold for the chest covering. They were twisted together like a rope. ¹⁶ The workers made two gold pieces and two gold rings. They put the two gold rings on the two upper corners of the chest covering. ¹⁷ Then they put two gold chains in the two rings. These are at the ends of the chest covering. ¹⁸ They fastened the other two ends of the chains to the two gold pieces. Then they attached these gold pieces to the two shoulder straps in the front of the holy vest. ¹⁹ They made two more gold rings and put them at the lower corners of the chest covering. They put them on the inside edge next to the holy vest. ²⁰ Then they made two more gold rings on the bottom of the shoulder straps in front of the holy vest. These rings were near the seam, just above the woven belt of the holy vest. ²¹ They used a blue ribbon and tied the rings of the chest covering to the rings of the holy vest. This connected it to the woven belt. In this way the chest covering would not swing out from the holy vest. They did all these things the way the Lord commanded.

²² Then they made the outer robe to be worn under the holy vest. It was woven of blue cloth. ²³ They made a hole in the center of the outer robe. A woven collar was sewn around this hole so it would not tear. ²⁴ Then they made balls like pomegranates of blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen. They hung them around the bottom of the outer robe. ²⁵ They also made bells of pure gold. They hung these around the bottom of the outer robe between the balls. ²⁶ So around the bottom of the outer robe there was a bell and a pomegranate ball, a bell and a pomegranate ball. The priest wore this outer robe when he served as priest, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

²⁷ They wove inner robes of fine linen for Aaron and his sons. ²⁸ And they made turbans and underclothes of fine linen. ²⁹ Then they made the cloth belt of fine linen and blue, purple and red thread. Designs were sewn onto the cloth. These things were made as the Lord had commanded Moses.

³⁰ They made a strip of pure gold, which is the holy crown. They carved these words in the gold: “Holy to the Lord.” They did it as one might carve on a seal. ³¹ Then they tied this flat piece to the turban with a blue ribbon. This was done as the Lord had commanded Moses.

³² So all the work on the Meeting Tent was finished. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ³³ Then they brought the Holy Tent to Moses: the Tent and all its furniture, hooks, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; ³⁴ the covering made of male sheep skins colored red, the covering made of fine leather and the curtain that covered the entrance to the Most Holy Place; ³⁵ the Ark of the Covenant, its poles and lid; ³⁶ the table, all its containers and the bread that showed they were in God’s presence; ³⁷ the pure gold lampstand with its lamps in a row, all its tools and the olive oil for the light; ³⁸ the gold altar, the special olive oil used for appointing priests, the sweet-smelling incense, and the curtain that covered the entrance to the Tent; ³⁹ the bronze altar and its screen, its poles and all its tools, the bowl and its stand; ⁴⁰ the curtains for the courtyard with their posts and bases, the curtain that covered the entry to the courtyard, the cords, pegs and all the things in the Meeting Tent. ⁴¹ They brought the clothes for the priests to wear when they served in the Holy Tent: the holy clothes for Aaron the priest and the clothes for his sons. They wore these when they served as priests.

⁴² The Israelites had done all this work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁴³ Moses looked closely at all the work. He saw they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

Setting Up the Holy Tent

40 Then the Lord said this to Moses: ² “On the first day of the first month, set up the Holy Tent, which is the Meeting Tent. ³ Put the Ark of the Covenant in the Meeting Tent. Hang the curtain in front of the Ark of the Covenant. ⁴ Then bring in the table. Arrange everything on the table that should be there. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. ⁵ Put the gold altar for burning incense in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Then put the curtain at the entrance to the Holy Tent.

⁶ “Put the altar of burnt offerings in front of the entrance of the Holy Tent, the Meeting Tent. ⁷ Put the bowl between the Meeting Tent and the altar. Put water in the bowl. ⁸ Set up the courtyard around the Holy Tent. Then put the curtain at the entry to the courtyard.

⁹ “Use the special olive oil and pour it on the Holy Tent and everything in it. Give the Tent and all that is in it for service to the Lord. They will be holy. ¹⁰ Pour the special oil on the altar for burning offerings. Pour it on all its tools. Give the altar for service to God. It will be very holy. ¹¹ Then pour the special olive oil on the bowl and the base under it. When you do this, they will be given for service to God.

¹² “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Meeting Tent. Wash them with water. ¹³ Then put the holy clothes on Aaron. Pour the special oil on him, and give him for service to God. Then he may serve me as a priest. ¹⁴ Bring Aaron’s sons and put the inner robes on them. ¹⁵ Pour the special oil on them to make them priests. Do this the same way that you appointed their father as priest. Then they may also serve me as priests. Pouring oil on them will make them a family of priests. They and their descendants will be priests from now on.” ¹⁶ Moses did everything that the Lord commanded him.

¹⁷ So the Holy Tent was set up. It was the first day of the first month during the second year after they left Egypt. ¹⁸ When Moses set up the Holy Tent, he put the bases in place. Then he put the frames on the bases. Next he put the crossbars through the rings of the frames and set up the posts. ¹⁹ After that, Moses spread the cloth over the Holy Tent. Then he put the covering over the Tent. He did these things just as the Lord commanded.

²⁰ Moses put the flat stones into the Ark of the Covenant. These had God’s law written on them. Moses put the poles through the rings of the Ark of the Covenant. Then he put the lid on it. ²¹ Next Moses brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Tent. He hung the curtain to cover the Ark of the Covenant. Moses did these things just as the Lord commanded him.

²² Moses put the table in the Meeting Tent. He put it on the north side of the Holy Tent in front of the curtain. ²³ Then he put the bread on the table before the Lord. He did this just as the Lord commanded him. ²⁴ Moses put the lampstand in the Meeting Tent. He put it on the south side of the Holy Tent across from the table. ²⁵ Then he put the lamps on the lampstand before the Lord. He did this just as the Lord commanded him.

²⁶ Moses put the gold altar for burning incense in the Meeting Tent. He put it in front of the curtain. ²⁷ Then he burned sweet-smelling incense on it, just as the Lord commanded him. ²⁸ Then he hung the curtain at the entrance to the Holy Tent.

²⁹ He put the altar for burning sacrifices at the entrance to the Holy Tent, the Meeting Tent. Then Moses offered a whole burnt offering and grain offerings on that altar. He did these things just as the Lord commanded him. ³⁰ Moses put the bowl between the Meeting Tent and the altar for burning sacrifices. Moses put water in the bowl for washing. ³¹ Moses, Aaron and Aaron’s sons used this water to wash their hands and feet. ³² They washed themselves every time they entered the Meeting Tent. They also washed themselves every time they went near the altar for burning sacrifices. They did these things just as the Lord commanded Moses.

³³ Then Moses set up the courtyard around the Holy Tent. He put the altar for burning sacrifices in the courtyard. Then he put up the curtain at the entry to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

The Cloud over the Holy Tent

³⁴ Then the cloud covered the Meeting Tent. The greatness of the Lord filled the Holy Tent. ³⁵ Moses could not enter the Meeting Tent. This was because the cloud had settled on it. And this was because the greatness of the Lord filled the Holy Tent.

³⁶ When the cloud rose from the Holy Tent, the Israelites would begin to travel. ³⁷ But as long as the cloud stayed on the Holy Tent, the people did not travel. They stayed in that place until the cloud rose. ³⁸ So the cloud of the Lord was over the Holy Tent during the day. And there was a fire in the cloud at night. So all the Israelites could see the cloud while they traveled.