Bible in 90 Days

Chapter 29

Consecration of the Priests. ¹ This is the rite you shall perform in consecrating them as my priests.^(A) Procure a young bull and two unblemished rams. ² With bran flour make unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, ³ and put them in a basket. Take the basket of them along with the bull and the two rams. ⁴ Aaron and his sons you shall also bring to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and there wash them with water. ⁵ Take the vestments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastpiece, fastening the embroidered belt of the ephod around him. ⁶ Put the turban on his head, the sacred diadem on the turban. ⁷ Then take the anointing oil and pour it on his head, and anoint him. ⁸ Bring forward his sons also and clothe them with the tunics, ⁹ gird them with the sashes, and tie the skullcaps on them.^(B) Thus shall the priesthood be theirs by a perpetual statute, and thus shall you install Aaron and his sons.

Installation Sacrifices. ^10 (C)Now bring forward the bull in front of the tent of meeting. There Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. ¹¹ Then slaughter the bull before the Lord, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ¹² Take some of its blood and with your finger put it on the horns of the altar. All the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. ¹³ All the fat that covers its inner organs, as well as the lobe of its liver and its two kidneys, together with the fat that is on them, you shall take and burn on the altar. ¹⁴ But the meat and hide and dung of the bull you must burn up outside the camp, since this is a purification offering.^(D)

¹⁵ Then take one of the rams, and after Aaron and his sons have laid their hands on its head, ¹⁶ slaughter it. The blood you shall take and splash on all the sides of the altar. ¹⁷ Cut the ram into pieces; you shall wash its inner organs and shanks and put them with the pieces and with the head. ¹⁸ Then you shall burn the entire ram on the altar, since it is a burnt offering, a sweet-smelling oblation to the Lord.

¹⁹ After this take the other ram, and when Aaron and his sons have laid their hands on its head, ²⁰ slaughter it. Some of its blood you shall take and put on the tip of Aaron’s right ear and on the tips of his sons’ right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and the great toes of their right feet. Splash the rest of the blood on all the sides of the altar. ²¹ Then take some of the blood that is on the altar, together with some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle this on Aaron and his vestments, as well as on his sons and their vestments, that he and his sons and their vestments may be sacred.

²² Now, from this ram you shall take its fat: its fatty tail,^[a] the fat that covers its inner organs, the lobe of its liver, its two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and its right thigh, since this is the ram for installation; ²³ then, out of the basket of unleavened food that you have set before the Lord, you shall take one of the loaves of bread, one of the cakes made with oil, and one of the wafers. ²⁴ All these things you shall put into the hands of Aaron and his sons, so that they may raise them as an elevated offering^[b] before the Lord. ²⁵ After you receive them back from their hands, you shall burn them on top of the burnt offering on the altar as a sweet-smelling oblation to the Lord. ²⁶ Finally, take the brisket of Aaron’s installation ram and raise it as an elevated offering before the Lord; this is to be your own portion.

^27 [c]Thus shall you set aside the brisket of whatever elevated offering is raised,^(E) as well as the thigh of whatever contribution is raised up, whether this be the installation ram or anything else belonging to Aaron or to his sons. ²⁸ Such things are due to Aaron and his sons from the Israelites by a perpetual statute as a contribution. From their communion offerings, too, the Israelites shall make a contribution, their contribution to the Lord.

²⁹ The sacred vestments^(F) of Aaron shall be passed down to his sons after him, that in them they may be anointed and installed. ³⁰ The son who succeeds him as priest and who is to enter the tent of meeting to minister in the sanctuary shall be clothed with them for seven days.

^31 (G)You shall take the installation ram and boil its meat in a holy place. ³² At the entrance of the tent of meeting Aaron and his sons shall eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket. ³³ They themselves are to eat of these things by which atonement was made at their installation and consecration; but no unauthorized person may eat of them, since they are sacred. ³⁴ If some of the meat of the installation sacrifice or some of the bread remains over on the next day, this remnant you must burn up; it is not to be eaten, since it is sacred.

³⁵ Carry out all these commands in regard to Aaron and his sons just as I have given them to you.^(H) Seven days you shall spend installing them, ^36 (I)sacrificing a bull each day as a purification offering, to make atonement. Thus you shall purify the altar^[d] by purging it, and you shall anoint it in order to consecrate it. ³⁷ Seven days you shall spend in purging the altar and in consecrating it. Then the altar will be most sacred, and whatever touches it will become sacred.

^38 [e]Now, this is what you shall regularly offer on the altar: two yearling lambs^(J) as the sacrifice established for each day; ³⁹ one lamb in the morning and the other lamb at the evening twilight. ⁴⁰ With the first lamb there shall be a tenth of an ephah of bran flour mixed with a fourth of a hin^[f] of oil of crushed olives and, as its libation, a fourth of a hin of wine. ⁴¹ The other lamb you shall offer at the evening twilight, with the same grain offering and libation as in the morning. You shall offer this as a sweet-smelling oblation to the Lord. ⁴² Throughout your generations this regular burnt offering shall be made before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting, where I will meet you and speak to you.

⁴³ There, at the altar, I will meet the Israelites; hence, it will be made sacred by my glory.^{(K) 44} Thus I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar, just as I also consecrate Aaron and his sons to be my priests. ⁴⁵ I will dwell in the midst of the Israelites and will be their God. ⁴⁶ They shall know that I, the Lord, am their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I, the Lord, their God, might dwell among them.

Chapter 30

Altar of Incense. ¹ For burning incense you shall make an altar of acacia wood,^{(L) 2} with a square surface, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high, with horns that are of one piece with it. ³ Its grate on top, its walls on all four sides, and its horns you shall plate with pure gold. Put a gold molding around it. ⁴ Underneath the molding you shall put gold rings, two on one side and two on the opposite side, as holders for the poles used in carrying it. ⁵ Make the poles, too, of acacia wood and plate them with gold. ⁶ This altar you are to place in front of the veil that hangs before the ark of the covenant where I will meet you.^(M)

⁷ On it Aaron shall burn fragrant incense. Morning after morning, when he prepares the lamps, ⁸ and again in the evening twilight, when he lights the lamps, he shall burn incense. Throughout your generations this shall be the regular incense offering before the Lord. ⁹ On this altar you shall not offer up any profane incense, or any burnt offering or grain offering; nor shall you pour out a libation upon it. ¹⁰ Once a year Aaron shall purge its horns.^(N) Throughout your generations he is to purge it once a year with the blood of the atoning purification offering. This altar is most sacred to the Lord.

Census Tax. ¹¹ The Lord also told Moses: ¹² When you take a census^(O) of the Israelites who are to be enrolled, each one, as he is enrolled, shall give the Lord a ransom for his life, so that no plague may come upon them for being enrolled. ¹³ This is what everyone who is enrolled must pay: a half-shekel, according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel—twenty gerahs to the shekel—a half-shekel contribution to the Lord.^{(P) 14} Everyone who is enrolled, of twenty years or more, must give the contribution to the Lord. ¹⁵ The rich need not give more, nor shall the poor give less, than a half-shekel in this contribution to the Lord to pay the ransom for their lives. ^16 (Q)When you receive this ransom money from the Israelites, you shall donate it to the service of the tent of meeting, that there it may be a reminder of the Israelites before the Lord of the ransom paid for their lives.

The Basin. ¹⁷ The Lord told Moses: ¹⁸ For ablutions you shall make a bronze basin with a bronze stand. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.^{(R) 19} Aaron and his sons shall use it in washing their hands and feet.^{(S) 20} When they are about to enter the tent of meeting, they must wash with water, lest they die. Likewise when they approach the altar to minister, to offer an oblation to the Lord, ²¹ they must wash their hands and feet, lest they die. This shall be a perpetual statute for him and his descendants throughout their generations.

The Anointing Oil. ²² The Lord told Moses: ²³ Take the finest spices: five hundred shekels of free-flowing myrrh; half that amount, that is, two hundred and fifty shekels, of fragrant cinnamon; two hundred and fifty shekels of fragrant cane; ²⁴ five hundred shekels of cassia—all according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel; together with a hin of olive oil; ²⁵ and blend them into sacred anointing oil,^(T) perfumed ointment expertly prepared.^(U) With this sacred anointing oil ²⁶ you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the covenant, ²⁷ the table and all its utensils, the menorah and its utensils, the altar of incense ²⁸ and the altar for burnt offerings with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. ²⁹ When you have consecrated them, they shall be most sacred; whatever touches them shall be sacred. ³⁰ Aaron and his sons you shall also anoint and consecrate as my priests.^{(V) 31} Tell the Israelites: As sacred anointing oil this shall belong to me throughout your generations. ³² It may not be used in any ordinary anointing of the body, nor may you make any other oil of a like mixture. It is sacred, and shall be treated as sacred by you. ³³ Whoever prepares a perfume like this, or whoever puts any of this on an unauthorized person, shall be cut off from his people.

The Incense. ^34 (W)The Lord told Moses: Take these aromatic substances: storax and onycha and galbanum, these and pure frankincense in equal parts; ³⁵ and blend them into incense. This fragrant powder, expertly prepared, is to be salted and so kept pure and sacred. ³⁶ Grind some of it into fine dust and put this before the covenant in the tent of meeting where I will meet you. This incense shall be treated as most sacred by you. ³⁷ You may not make incense of a like mixture for yourselves; you must treat it as sacred to the Lord. ³⁸ Whoever makes an incense like this for his own enjoyment of its fragrance, shall be cut off from his people.

Chapter 31

Choice of Artisans. ^1 (X)The Lord said to Moses: ² See, I have singled out^[g] Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ³ and I have filled him with a divine spirit of skill and understanding and knowledge in every craft: ⁴ in the production of embroidery, in making things of gold, silver, or bronze, ⁵ in cutting and mounting precious stones, in carving wood, and in every other craft. ⁶ As his assistant I myself have appointed Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. I have also endowed all the experts with the necessary skill to make all the things I have commanded you: ^7 (Y)the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant with its cover, all the furnishings of the tent, ⁸ the table with its utensils, the pure gold menorah with all its utensils, the altar of incense, ⁹ the altar for burnt offerings with all its utensils, the basin with its stand, ¹⁰ the service cloths,^[h] the sacred vestments for Aaron the priest, the vestments for his sons in their ministry, ¹¹ the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. According to all I have commanded you, so shall they do.

Sabbath Laws. ^12 (Z)The Lord said to Moses: ¹³ You must also tell the Israelites: Keep my sabbaths, for that is to be the sign between you and me throughout the generations, to show that it is I, the Lord, who make you holy. ^14 [i]Therefore, you must keep the sabbath for it is holiness for you. Whoever desecrates it shall be put to death. If anyone does work on that day, that person must be cut off from the people. ¹⁵ Six days there are for doing work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord. Anyone who does work on the sabbath day shall be put to death. ¹⁶ So shall the Israelites observe the sabbath, keeping it throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. ¹⁷ Between me and the Israelites it is to be an everlasting sign; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day he rested at his ease.

¹⁸ When the Lord had finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant, the stone tablets inscribed by God’s own finger.^(AA)

VII. Israel’s Apostasy and God’s Renewal of the Covenant

Chapter 32

The Golden Calf. ¹ When the people saw that Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for that man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.”^{(AB) 2} Aaron replied, “Take off the golden earrings that your wives, your sons, and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” ³ So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ He received their offering, and fashioning it with a tool, made a molten calf. Then they cried out, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you^[j] up from the land of Egypt.”^{(AC) 5} On seeing this, Aaron built an altar in front of the calf and proclaimed, “Tomorrow is a feast of the Lord.” ⁶ Early the next day the people sacrificed burnt offerings and brought communion sacrifices. Then they sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.^(AD)

^7 (AE)Then the Lord said to Moses: Go down at once because your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly. ⁸ They have quickly turned aside from the way I commanded them, making for themselves a molten calf and bowing down to it, sacrificing to it and crying out, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!” ^9 (AF)I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are, continued the Lord to Moses. ¹⁰ Let me alone, then, that my anger may burn against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.

^11 [k]But Moses implored the Lord, his God, saying,^(AG) “Why, O Lord, should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a strong hand? ¹² Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent he brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning wrath; change your mind about punishing your people. ¹³ Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying,^(AH) ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’” ¹⁴ So the Lord changed his mind about the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.

¹⁵ Moses then turned and came down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hands,^(AI) tablets that were written on both sides, front and back. ¹⁶ The tablets were made by God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.^{(AJ) 17} Now, when Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “That sounds like a battle in the camp.” ¹⁸ But Moses answered,

¹⁹ As he drew near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets down and broke them on the base of the mountain.^{(AK) 20} Taking the calf they had made, he burned it in the fire and then ground it down to powder, which he scattered on the water^[l] and made the Israelites drink.^(AL)

^21 [m]Moses asked Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you should lead them into a grave sin?” ²² Aaron replied, “Do not let my lord be angry. You know how the people are prone to evil. ²³ They said to me, ‘Make us a god to go before us; as for this man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’ ²⁴ So I told them, ‘Whoever is wearing gold, take it off.’ They gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.”

²⁵ Moses saw that the people were running wild because Aaron had lost control—to the secret delight of their foes. ²⁶ Moses stood at the gate of the camp and shouted, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” All the Levites^(AM) then rallied to him, ²⁷ and he told them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Each of you put your sword on your hip! Go back and forth through the camp, from gate to gate, and kill your brothers, your friends, your neighbors!” ²⁸ The Levites did as Moses had commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people fell. ²⁹ Then Moses said, “Today you are installed as priests^[n] for the Lord, for you went against your own sons and brothers, to bring a blessing upon yourselves this day.”

The Atonement. ³⁰ On the next day Moses said to the people,^(AN) “You have committed a grave sin. Now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I may be able to make atonement for your sin.” ³¹ So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Ah, this people has committed a grave sin in making a god of gold for themselves! ³² Now if you would only forgive their sin! But if you will not, then blot me out of the book that you have written.”^{[o] 33} The Lord answered Moses: Only the one who has sinned against me will I blot out of my book. ³⁴ Now, go and lead the people where I have told you. See, my angel will go before you. When it is time for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.

³⁵ Thus the Lord struck the people for making the calf, the one that Aaron made.

Chapter 33

¹ The Lord spoke to Moses: Go! You and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt are to go up from here to the land about which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: I will give it to your descendants.^{(AO) 2} Driving out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, I will send an angel before you^{(AP) 3} to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I myself will not go up in your company, because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise I might consume you on the way. ⁴ When the people heard this painful news, they mourned, and no one wore any ornaments.

⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses: Speak to the Israelites: You are a stiff-necked people. Were I to go up in your company even for a moment, I would destroy you. Now off with your ornaments! Let me think what to do with you. ⁶ So, from Mount Horeb onward, the Israelites stripped off their ornaments.

Moses’ Intimacy with God. ⁷ Moses used to pitch a tent^(AQ) outside the camp at some distance. It was called the tent of meeting. Anyone who wished to consult the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. ⁸ Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise and stand at the entrance of their own tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. ¹⁰ On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down at the entrance of their own tents. ¹¹ The Lord used to speak to Moses face to face,^(AR) as a person speaks to a friend. Moses would then return to the camp, but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, never left the tent. ¹² Moses said to the Lord, “See, you are telling me: Lead this people.^(AS) But you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said: You are my intimate friend;^[p] You have found favor with me. ¹³ Now, if I have found favor with you, please let me know your ways so that, in knowing you, I may continue to find favor with you. See, this nation is indeed your own people. ¹⁴ The Lord answered: I myself^[q] will go along, to give you rest. ¹⁵ Moses replied, “If you are not going yourself, do not make us go up from here. ¹⁶ For how can it be known that I and your people have found favor with you, except by your going with us? Then we, your people and I, will be singled out from every other people on the surface of the earth.” ¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses: This request, too, which you have made, I will carry out, because you have found favor with me and you are my intimate friend.

¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Please let me see your glory!” ¹⁹ The Lord answered: I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim my name, “Lord,” before you; I who show favor to whom I will, I who grant mercy to whom I will.^{(AT) 20} But you cannot see my face,^(AU) for no one can see me and live.^{[r] 21} Here, continued the Lord, is a place near me where you shall station yourself on the rock. ²² When my glory passes I will set you in the cleft of the rock and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand, so that you may see my back; but my face may not be seen.

Chapter 34

Renewal of the Tablets. ¹ The Lord said to Moses: “Cut two stone tablets like the former,^(AV) that I may write on them the words^[s] which were on the former tablets that you broke. ² Get ready for tomorrow morning, when you are to go up Mount Sinai and there present yourself to me on the top of the mountain. ³ No one shall come up with you, and let no one even be seen on any part of the mountain;^(AW) even the sheep and the cattle are not to graze in front of this mountain.” ⁴ Moses then cut two stone tablets like the former, and early the next morning he went up Mount Sinai as the Lord had commanded him, taking in his hand the two stone tablets.

⁵ The Lord came down in a cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name, “Lord.” ⁶ So the Lord passed before him and proclaimed: The Lord, the Lord, a God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity,^{[t] 7} continuing his love for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but bringing punishment for their parents’ wickedness on children and children’s children to the third and fourth generation!^{(AX) 8} Moses at once knelt and bowed down to the ground. ⁹ Then he said, “If I find favor with you, Lord, please, Lord, come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and claim us as your own.”

Religious Laws. ¹⁰ The Lord said: Here is the covenant I will make. Before all your people I will perform marvels never before done^[u] in any nation anywhere on earth, so that all the people among whom you live may see the work of the Lord. Awe-inspiring are the deeds I will perform with you! ¹¹ As for you, observe what I am commanding you today.^(AY)

See, I am about to drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. ^12 (AZ)Take care not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land that you are to enter; lest they become a snare among you. ¹³ Tear down their altars; smash their sacred stones, and cut down their asherahs.^{[v] 14} You shall not bow down to any other god, for the Lord—“Jealous”^[w] his name—is a jealous God. ¹⁵ Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land; else, when they prostitute themselves with their gods and sacrifice to them, one of them may invite you and you may partake of the sacrifice. ¹⁶ And when you take their daughters as wives for your sons, and their daughters prostitute themselves with their gods, they will make your sons do the same.

¹⁷ You shall not make for yourselves molten gods.^(BA)

¹⁸ You shall keep the festival of Unleavened Bread.^(BB) For seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you; for in the month of Abib you came out of Egypt.

¹⁹ To me belongs every male that opens the womb among all your livestock, whether in the herd or in the flock.^{(BC) 20} The firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. The firstborn among your sons you shall redeem.

No one shall appear before me empty-handed.

²¹ Six days you may labor,^(BD) but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the seasons of plowing and harvesting you must rest.

^22 (BE)You shall keep the feast of Weeks with the first fruits of the wheat harvest, likewise, the feast of the Ingathering at the close of the year.^{[x] 23} Three times a year all your men shall appear before the Lord, the Lord God of Israel. ²⁴ Since I will drive out the nations before you and enlarge your territory, no one will covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the Lord, your God.

²⁵ You shall not offer me the blood of sacrifice with anything leavened, nor shall the sacrifice of the Passover feast be kept overnight for the next day.

²⁶ The choicest first fruits of your soil you shall bring to the house of the Lord, your God.

You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.^(BF)

Radiance of Moses’ Face. ²⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses: Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel. ²⁸ So Moses was there with the Lord for forty days and forty nights,^(BG) without eating any food or drinking any water, and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten words.

²⁹ As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant^[y] while he spoke with the Lord. ³⁰ When Aaron, then, and the other Israelites saw Moses and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become, they were afraid to come near him. ³¹ Only after Moses called to them did Aaron and all the leaders of the community come back to him. Moses then spoke to them. ³² Later, all the Israelites came up to him, and he enjoined on them all that the Lord had told him on Mount Sinai. ³³ When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. ³⁴ Whenever Moses entered the presence of the Lord to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out again.^(BH) On coming out, he would tell the Israelites all that he had been commanded. ³⁵ Then the Israelites would see that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; so he would again put the veil over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.

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

Chapter 35

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 36

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 37

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 38

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 39

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 40

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

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

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

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

Thus Moses finished all the work.

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