The Daily Audio Bible

37 Next Bezalel made the Ark. This was constructed of acacia wood and was 3-3/4 feet long, 2-1/4 feet wide, and 2-1/4 feet high. ² It was plated with pure gold inside and out, and had a molding of gold all the way around the sides. ³ There were four gold rings fastened into its four feet, two rings at each end. ⁴ Then he made poles from acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, ⁵ and put the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark, to carry it.

⁶ Then, from pure gold, he made a lid called “the place of mercy”; it was 3-3/4 feet long and 2-1/4 feet wide. ⁷ He made two statues of Guardian Angels of beaten gold and placed them at the two ends of the gold lid. ⁸ They were molded so that they were actually a part of the gold lid—it was all one piece. ⁹ The Guardian Angels faced each other, with outstretched wings that overshadowed the place of mercy, looking down upon it.

¹⁰ Then he made a table, using acacia wood, 3 feet long, 1-1/2 feet wide, and 2-1/4 feet high. ¹¹ It was overlaid with pure gold, with a gold molding all around the edge. ¹² A rim 4 inches high was constructed around the edges of the table, with a gold molding along the rim. ¹³ Then he cast four rings of gold and placed them into the four table legs, ¹⁴ close to the molding, to hold the carrying poles in place. ¹⁵ He made the carrying poles of acacia wood covered with gold. ¹⁶ Next, using pure gold, he made the bowls, flagons, dishes, and spoons to be placed upon this table.

¹⁷ Then he made the lampstand, again using pure, beaten gold. Its base, shaft, lamp-holders, and decorations of almond flowers were all of one piece. ¹⁸ The lampstand had six branches, three from each side. ¹⁹ Each of the branches was decorated with identical carvings of blossoms. ^20-21 The main stem of the lampstand was similarly decorated with almond blossoms, a flower on the stem beneath each pair of branches; also a flower below the bottom pair and above the top pair, four in all. ²² The decorations and branches were all one piece of pure, beaten gold. ^23-24 Then he made the seven lamps at the ends of the branches, the snuffers, and the ashtrays, all of pure gold. The entire lampstand weighed 107 pounds, all pure gold.

²⁵ The incense altar was made of acacia wood. It was 18 inches square and 3 feet high, with its corner-horns made as part of the altar so that it was all one piece. ²⁶ He overlaid it all with pure gold and ran a gold molding around the edge. ²⁷ Two gold rings were placed on each side, beneath this molding, to hold the carrying poles. ²⁸ The carrying poles were gold-plated acacia wood.

²⁹ Then, from sweet spices, he made the sacred oil for anointing the priests, and the pure incense, using the techniques of the most skilled perfumers.

38 The burnt-offering altar was also constructed of acacia wood; it was 7-1/2 feet square at the top, and 4-1/2 feet high. ² There were four horns at the four corners, all of one piece with the rest. This altar was overlaid with bronze. ³ Then he made bronze utensils to be used with the altar—the pots, shovels, basins, meat hooks, and fire pans. ⁴ Next he made a bronze grating that rested upon a ledge about halfway up in the firebox.^{[a] 5} Four rings were cast for each side of the grating, to insert the carrying poles. ⁶ The carrying poles themselves were made of acacia wood, overlaid with bronze. ⁷ The carrying poles were inserted into the rings at the side of the altar. The altar was hollow, with plank siding.

⁸ The bronze washbasin and its bronze pedestal were cast from the solid bronze mirrors donated by the women who assembled at the entrance to the Tabernacle.

⁹ Then he constructed the courtyard. The south wall was 150 feet long; it consisted of drapes woven from fine-twined linen thread. ¹⁰ There were twenty posts to hold drapes, with bases of bronze and with silver hooks and rods. ¹¹ The north wall was also 150 feet long, with twenty bronze posts and bases and with silver hooks and rods. ¹² The west side was 75 feet wide; the walls were made from drapes supported by ten posts and bases, and with silver hooks and rods. ¹³ The east side was also 75 feet wide.

^14-15 The drapes at either side of the entrance were 22-1/2 feet wide, each with three posts and three bases. ¹⁶ All the drapes making up the walls of the court were woven of fine-twined linen. ¹⁷ Each post had a bronze base, and all the hooks and rods were silver; the tops of the posts were overlaid with silver, and the rods to hold up the drapes were solid silver.

¹⁸ The drapery covering the entrance to the court was made of fine-twined linen, beautifully embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

It was 30 feet long and 7-1/2 feet wide, just the same as the drapes composing the walls of the court. ¹⁹ It was supported by four posts, with four bronze bases and with silver hooks and rods; the tops of the posts were also silver.

²⁰ All the nails used in constructing the Tabernacle and court were bronze.

²¹ This summarizes the various steps in building the Tabernacle to house the Ark, so that the Levites could carry on their ministry. All was done in the order designated by Moses and was supervised by Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest. ²² Bezalel (son of Uri and grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah) was the master craftsman, ²³ assisted by Oholiab (son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan); he too was a skilled craftsman and also an expert at engraving, weaving, and at embroidering blue, purple, and scarlet threads into fine linen cloth.

²⁴ The people brought gifts of 3,140 pounds of gold, all of which was used throughout the Tabernacle.

^25-26 The amount of silver used was 9,575 pounds, which came from the fifty-cent head tax collected from all those registered in the census who were twenty years old or older, a total of 603,550 men. ²⁷ The bases for the frames of the sanctuary walls and for the posts supporting the veil required 9,500 pounds of silver, 95 pounds^[b] for each socket. ²⁸ The silver left over was used for the posts and to overlay their tops, and for the rods and hooks.

^29-31 The people brought 7,540 pounds of bronze, which was used for casting the bases for the posts at the entrance to the Tabernacle, and for the bronze altar, the bronze grating, the altar utensils, the bases for the posts supporting the drapes enclosing the court, and for all the nails used in the construction of the Tabernacle and the court.

28 Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to the tomb.

² Suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled aside the stone and sat on it. ³ His face shone like lightning and his clothing was a brilliant white. ⁴ The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and fell into a dead faint.

⁵ Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be frightened!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified, ⁶ but he isn’t here! For he has come back to life again, just as he said he would. Come in and see where his body was lying. . . . ⁷ And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and that he is going to Galilee to meet them there. That is my message to them.”

⁸ The women ran from the tomb, badly frightened, but also filled with joy, and rushed to find the disciples to give them the angel’s message. ⁹ And as they were running, suddenly Jesus was there in front of them!

“Good morning!”^[a] he said. And they fell to the ground before him, holding his feet and worshiping him.

¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be frightened! Go tell my brothers to leave at once for Galilee, to meet me there.”

¹¹ As the women were on the way into the city, some of the Temple police who had been guarding the tomb went to the chief priests and told them what had happened. ^12-13 A meeting of all the Jewish leaders was called, and it was decided to bribe the police to say they had all been asleep when Jesus’ disciples came during the night and stole his body.

¹⁴ “If the governor hears about it,” the Council promised, “we’ll stand up for you and everything will be all right.”

¹⁵ So the police accepted the bribe and said what they were told to. Their story spread widely among the Jews and is still believed by them to this very day.

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had said they would find him. ¹⁷ There they met him and worshiped him—but some of them weren’t sure it really was Jesus!

¹⁸ He told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations,^[b] baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”^[c]

¹¹ Sons and daughters, come and listen and let me teach you the importance of trusting and fearing the Lord. ¹² Do you want a long, good life? ¹³ Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from lying. ¹⁴ Turn from all known sin and spend your time in doing good. Try to live in peace with everyone; work hard at it.

¹⁵ For the eyes of the Lord are intently watching all who live good lives, and he gives attention when they cry to him. ¹⁶ But the Lord has made up his mind to wipe out even the memory of evil men from the earth. ¹⁷ Yes, the Lord hears the good man when he calls to him for help and saves him out of all his troubles.

¹⁸ The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins. ¹⁹ The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one. ²⁰ Not one of his bones is broken.

²¹ Calamity will surely overtake the wicked; heavy penalties are meted out to those who hate the good. ²² But as for those who serve the Lord, he will redeem them; everyone who takes refuge in him will be freely pardoned.

⁹ Teach a wise man, and he will be the wiser; teach a good man, and he will learn more. ¹⁰ For the reverence and fear of God are basic to all wisdom. Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding.