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The Ark of the Covenant(A)
37 Bezalel made the Ark of acacia wood; it was ·forty-five inches [L two and a half cubits] long, ·twenty-seven inches [L one and a half cubits] wide, and twenty-seven inches [L one and a half cubits] high. 2 He ·covered [overlaid] it, both inside and out, with pure gold, and he put a gold ·strip [molding] around it. 3 He ·made [cast] four gold rings for it and attached them to its four feet, with two rings on ·each [one side and two rings on the other] side. 4 Then he made poles of acacia wood and ·covered [cast; overlay] them with gold. 5 He put the poles through the rings on each side of the Ark to carry it. 6 Then he made a ·lid [mercy seat; atonement cover] of pure gold that was ·forty-five inches [L two and a half cubits] long and ·twenty-seven inches [L one and a half cubits] wide. 7 Then Bezalel ·hammered gold to make two creatures with wings [L made two golden cherubim of hammered gold; C cherubim are powerful angelic creatures] and attached them to each end of the ·lid [cover; C the mercy seat]. 8 He made one ·creature [L cherubim] on one end of the lid and the ·other creature [L cherubim] on the other end. He attached them to the ·lid [mercy seat; atonement cover] so that it would be one piece. 9 The ·creatures’ [L cherubim’s] wings were spread upward, covering the ·lid [mercy seat; atonement cover], and the ·creatures [L cherubim] faced each other across the ·lid [mercy seat; atonement cover].
The Table(B)
10 Then he made the table of acacia wood; it was ·thirty-six inches [L two cubits] long, ·eighteen inches [L one cubit] wide, and ·twenty-seven inches [L one and a half cubits] high. 11 He ·covered [overlaid] it with pure gold and put a gold ·strip [molding] around it. 12 He made a ·frame [rim] ·three inches [L a handbreadth] high ·that stood up all around the edge [all around it], and he put a gold ·strip [molding] around it. 13 Then he made four gold rings for the table and attached them to the four corners of the table where the four legs were. 14 The rings were put close to the ·frame [rim] around the top of the table, because they held the poles for carrying it. 15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were ·covered [overlaid] with gold. 16 He made of pure gold all the ·things [vessels] that were used on the table: the plates, bowls, cups, and jars used for pouring the drink offerings [Ezra 1:9–11; Dan. 1:2; 5:1–4].
The Lampstand(C)
17 Then he made the ·lampstand [L Menorah] of pure gold, hammering out its base and ·stand [shaft]. Its flower-like cups, buds, and petals were joined together in one piece with the base and ·stand [shaft; 25:31]. 18 Six branches went out from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 19 Each branch had three cups shaped like almond flowers, and each cup had a bud and a petal. Each of the six branches going out from the lampstand was the same. 20 There were four more cups shaped like almond flowers on the lampstand itself, each with 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. Each of the six branches going out from the lampstand was the same. 22 The buds, branches, and lampstand were all one piece of pure, hammered gold. 23 He made seven pure gold lamps for this lampstand, and he made pure gold ·wick trimmers [snuffers] and trays. 24 He used about ·seventy-five pounds [L one talent] of pure gold to make the lampstand and all the things that go with it.
The Altar for Burning Incense(D)
25 Then he made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square—·eighteen inches [L one cubit] long and ·eighteen inches [L one cubit] wide—and it was ·thirty-six inches [L two cubits] high. Each ·corner that stuck out like a horn [horn; 27:2] was joined into one piece with the altar. 26 He ·covered [overlaid] the top and all the sides and the ·corners [horns] with pure gold, and he put gold ·trim [molding] around the altar 27 He made two gold rings and put them below the ·trim [molding] on opposite sides of it; these rings held the poles for carrying it. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood and ·covered [overlaid] them with gold.
29 Then he made the holy olive oil for ·appointing the priests [anointing] and the pure, sweet-smelling incense. He made them like a person who mixes perfumes.
The Altar for Burnt Offerings(E)
38 Then he built the altar for burnt offerings [Lev. 1] out of acacia wood. The altar was square—·seven and one-half feet [L five cubits] long and ·seven and one-half feet [L five cubits] wide—and it was ·four and one-half feet [L three cubits] high. 2 He made each corner stick out like a horn [27:2] so that the horns and the altar were joined together in one piece. Then he ·covered [overlaid] the altar with bronze. 3 He made all the ·tools [utensils] of bronze to use on the altar: the pots, shovels, ·bowls for sprinkling blood [L basins], meat forks, and ·pans for carrying the fire [firepans]. 4 He made a large bronze screen to hold the burning wood for the altar and put it inside the altar, under its ·rim [ledge], halfway up from the bottom. 5 He made bronze rings to hold the poles for carrying the altar, and he put them at the four corners of the screen. 6 Then he made poles of acacia wood and ·covered [overlaid] them with bronze. 7 He put the poles through the rings on both sides of the altar, to carry it. He made the altar of boards and left the inside hollow.
The Bronze Bowl(F)
8 He made the bronze ·bowl for washing [basin], and he built it on a bronze stand. He used the bronze from mirrors that belonged to the women who served at the entrance to the Meeting Tent.
The Courtyard of the Holy Tent(G)
9 Then he made ·a wall of curtains to form a courtyard around the Holy Tent [the court]. On the south side the curtains were ·one hundred fifty feet [L one hundred cubits] long and were made of fine linen. 10 The curtains hung on silver hooks and bands, placed on twenty bronze ·posts [pillars] with twenty bronze bases. 11 On the north side the wall of curtains was also ·one hundred fifty feet [L one hundred cubits] long, and it hung on silver hooks and bands on twenty ·posts [pillars] with twenty bronze bases.
12 On the west side of the courtyard, the wall of curtains was ·seventy-five feet [L fifty cubits] long. It was held up by silver hooks and bands on ten ·posts [pillars] with ten bases. 13 The [L front of the] east side was also ·seventy-five feet [L fifty cubits] long. 14 On one side of the entry there was a wall of curtains ·twenty-two and one-half feet [L fifteen cubits] long, held up by three ·posts [pillars] and three bases. 15 On the other side of the entry there was also a wall of curtains ·twenty-two and one-half feet [L fifteen cubits] long, held up by three ·posts [pillars] and three bases. 16 All the curtains around the courtyard were made of fine linen. 17 The bases for the ·posts [pillars] were made of bronze. The hooks and the bands on the ·posts [pillars] were made of silver, and the tops of the ·posts [pillars] were ·covered [overlaid] with silver also. All the ·posts [pillars] in the courtyard had silver bands.
18 The ·curtain [screen] for the ·entry [gate] of the courtyard was made of blue, purple, and ·red [scarlet] thread, and fine linen, ·sewn by a person who could sew well [embroidered with needlework]. The curtain was ·thirty feet [L twenty cubits] long and ·seven and one-half feet [L five cubits] high, the same height as the curtains around the courtyard. 19 It was held up by four ·posts [pillars] and four bronze bases. The hooks and bands on the posts were made of silver, and the tops on the ·posts [pillars] were ·covered [overlaid] with silver. 20 All the tent pegs for the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] and for the curtains around the courtyard were made of bronze.
21 This is a ·list of the materials used to make [inventory; record of] the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle], the ·Holy Tent [L Tabernacle] ·where the Agreement was kept [L of the Covenant/Testimony/Treaty; C reference to the tablets of the Ten Commandments; ch. 20]. Moses ordered the Levites to make this list, ·and Ithamar son of Aaron was in charge of keeping it [L by the hand of Ithama son of Aaron]. 22 Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses. 23 Oholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan ·helped [L was with] him. He ·could cut designs into metal and stone; he was a designer and also skilled at sewing [L was an engraver, designer, and embroiderer of] the blue, purple, and ·red [scarlet] thread, and fine linen.
24 The total amount of gold used to build the Holy ·Tent [Place] was ·presented [L offered as a wave offering] to the Lord. It weighed over ·2,000 pounds [L 29 talents and 730 shekels], as set by the Holy Place measure.
25 The silver was given by the ·members of the community [congregation; assembly] who were counted. It weighed ·7,550 pounds [L 100 talents and 1,775 shekels], as set by the Holy Place measure. 26 All the men twenty years old or older were counted. There were 603,550 men, and each ·man [head] had to pay ·one-fifth of an ounce [L a beka, that is half a shekel] of silver, as set by the Holy Place measure. 27 Of this silver, ·7,500 pounds [L 100 talents] were used to ·make [cast] the one hundred bases for the Holy Tent and for the curtain—·75 pounds of silver [L a talent] in each base. 28 They used ·50 pounds of silver [L 1775 shekels] to make the hooks for the ·posts [pillars] and to ·cover [overlay] the tops of the ·posts [pillars] and to make the bands on them.
29 The bronze which was ·presented [L offered as a wave offering] to the Lord weighed about ·5,000 pounds [70 talents and 2400 shekels]. 30 They used ·the bronze to make the bases at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, to make the altar and the bronze ·screen [grating], and to make all the ·tools [utensils] for the altar. 31 ·This bronze was also used to make [L …and the] bases for the wall of curtains around the courtyard and bases for curtains at the ·entry [L gate] to the courtyard, as well as to make the tent pegs for the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] and the pegs around the courtyard.
Jesus Rises from the Dead(A)
28 After the Sabbath day, at dawn on the first day the week, Mary Magdalene and ·another woman named Mary [L the other Mary; 27:56] went to look at the tomb.
2 ·At that time [Suddenly; T And behold] there was a strong earthquake. [L For] An angel of the Lord came down from heaven, went to the tomb, and rolled the stone away from the entrance. Then he sat on the stone. 3 ·He was shining as bright as [L His appearance was like] lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The soldiers guarding the tomb shook with fear because of the angel, and they ·became like dead men [C perhaps they were paralyzed by fear, or they fainted].
5 The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus, who has been crucified. 6 He is not here. He has ·risen [been raised] from the dead as he said he would. Come and see the place where ·his body was [he lay]. 7 And go quickly and tell his ·followers [disciples], ‘Jesus has risen from the dead. He is going into Galilee ahead of you, and you will see him there.’” Then the angel said, “·Now [L Look; T Behold] I have told you.”
8 The women left the tomb quickly. They were afraid, but they were also ·very happy [filled with great joy]. They ran to tell Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] what had happened. 9 ·Suddenly [L And look/T behold], Jesus met them and said, “Greetings.” The women came up to him, ·took hold of [clasped] his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go and tell my ·followers [disciples] to go on to Galilee, and they will see me there.”
The Soldiers Report to the Leaders
11 While the women ·went to tell Jesus’ followers [were on their way], some of the soldiers who had been guarding the tomb went into the city to tell the ·leading [T chief] priests everything that had happened. 12 Then the priests met with the elders and made a plan. They paid the soldiers a ·large amount of money [substantial bribe] 13 and said to them, “Tell the people that Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] came during the night and stole ·the body [him away] while you were asleep. 14 If the governor hears about this, we will satisfy him and save you from trouble.” 15 So the soldiers kept the money and did as they were ·told [instructed]. And that story is still spread among the ·people [L Jews] even ·today [to this day].
Jesus Talks to His Followers
16 The eleven ·followers [disciples] went to Galilee to the mountain where Jesus had ·told [designated; arranged for] them to go. 17 When they saw Jesus, they worshiped him, but some of them ·did not believe it was really Jesus [doubted]. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All ·power [authority] in heaven and on earth ·is [has been] given to me. 19 So go and make ·followers [disciples] of all ·people in the world [the nations]. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to obey everything that I have ·taught [commanded] you, and I will be with you always, even until the end of ·this age [the world; time].
11 Children, come and listen to me.
I will teach you ·to worship [L the fear of] the Lord.
12 ·You must do these things
to enjoy life and have many happy days [L Who of you takes pleasure in life and loves days to experience good?].
13 You must ·not say evil things [L guard/keep your tongue from evil],
and ·you must not tell lies [L your lips from deception].
14 ·Stop doing [L Turn aside from] evil and do good.
·Look for [Seek] peace and ·work for [pursue] it.
15 ·The Lord sees the [L The eyes of the Lord are on] ·good [righteous] people
and ·listens to their prayers [L his ears attend to their cries for help].
16 But the ·Lord is [L face of the Lord is] against those who do evil;
he ·makes the world forget them [L cuts memory of them off the earth].
17 ·The Lord hears good people when they [L They] cry out to him,
and he saves them from all their ·troubles [distress].
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,
and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed.
19 People who ·do what is right may [are righteous] have many ·problems [afflictions],
but the Lord ·will solve them [L saves them from them] all.
20 He will protect their very bones;
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will kill the wicked;
those who hate ·good [righteous] people will be judged guilty.
22 But the Lord ·saves [redeems; ransoms] his servants’ lives;
no one who ·trusts [finds refuge in] him will be judged guilty.
9 ·Teach [L Give to] the wise, and they will become even wiser;
·teach [inform] ·good people [the righteous], and they will ·learn even more [L add to their learning].
10 “Wisdom begins with ·respect [fear; awe] for the Lord,
and understanding begins with knowing the Holy One.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.