Exodus 26–28

1“You are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains of finely spun linen, each with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and cherubim skillfully worked into them.

2Each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide —all curtains the same size.

3Five of the curtains are to be joined together, and the other five joined as well.

4Make loops of blue material on the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and do the same for the end curtain in the second set.

5Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the second set, so that the loops line up opposite one another.

6Make fifty gold clasps as well, and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle will be a unit.

7You are to make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven curtains in all.

8Each of the eleven curtains is to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.

9Join five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another. Then fold the sixth curtain over double at the front of the tent.

10Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and fifty loops along the edge of the corresponding curtain in the second set.

11Make fifty bronze clasps and put them through the loops to join the tent together as a unit.

12As for the overlap that remains of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over shall hang down over the back of the tabernacle.

13And the tent curtains will be a cubit longer on either side, and the excess will hang over the sides of the tabernacle to cover it.

14Also make a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather.

15You are to construct upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.

16Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

17Two tenons must be connected to each other for each frame. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.

18Construct twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle,

19with forty silver bases under the twenty frames—two bases for each frame, one under each tenon.

20For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, make twenty frames

21and forty silver bases—two bases under each frame.

22Make six frames for the rear of the tabernacle, the west side,

23and two frames for the two back corners of the tabernacle,

24coupled together from bottom to top and fitted into a single ring. These will serve as the two corners.

25So there are to be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

26You are also to make five crossbars of acacia wood for the frames on one side of the tabernacle,

27five for those on the other side, and five for those on the rear side of the tabernacle, to the west.

28The central crossbar in the middle of the frames shall extend from one end to the other.

29Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

30So you are to set up the tabernacle according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

31Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

32Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood, overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases.

33And hang the veil from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the veil. So the veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

34Put the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.

35And place the table outside the veil on the north side of the tabernacle, and put the lampstand opposite the table, on the south side.

36For the entrance to the tent, you are to make a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen.

37Make five posts of acacia wood for the curtain, overlay them with gold hooks, and cast five bronze bases for them.

1“You are to build an altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high.

2Make a horn on each of its four corners, so that the horns are of one piece, and overlay it with bronze.

3Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots for removing ashes, its shovels, its sprinkling bowls, its meat forks, and its firepans.

4Construct for it a grate of bronze mesh, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the mesh.

5Set the grate beneath the ledge of the altar, so that the mesh comes halfway up the altar.

6Additionally, make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze.

7The poles are to be inserted into the rings so that the poles are on two sides of the altar when it is carried.

8Construct the altar with boards so that it is hollow. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.

9You are also to make a courtyard for the tabernacle. On the south side of the courtyard make curtains of finely spun linen, a hundred cubits long on one side,

10with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and silver hooks and bands on the posts.

11Likewise there are to be curtains on the north side, a hundred cubits long, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.

12The curtains on the west side of the courtyard shall be fifty cubits wide, with ten posts and ten bases.

13The east side of the courtyard, toward the sunrise, is to be fifty cubits wide.

14Make the curtains on one side fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases,

15and the curtains on the other side fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases.

16The gate of the courtyard shall be twenty cubits long, with a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It shall have four posts and four bases.

17All the posts around the courtyard shall have silver bands, silver hooks, and bronze bases.

18The entire courtyard shall be a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with curtains of finely spun linen five cubits high, and with bronze bases.

19All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, including all its tent pegs and the tent pegs of the courtyard, shall be made of bronze.

20And you are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually.

21In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamps before the LORD from evening until morning. This is to be a permanent statute for the Israelites for the generations to come.

1“Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.

2Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, to give him glory and splendor.

3You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest.

4These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they may serve Me as priests.

5They shall use gold, along with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

6They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.

7It shall have two shoulder pieces attached at two of its corners, so it can be fastened.

8And the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod must be of one piece, of the same workmanship—with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.

9Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel:

10six of their names on one stone and the remaining six on the other, in the order of their birth.

11Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings.

12Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.

13Fashion gold filigree settings

14and two chains of pure gold, made of braided cord work; and attach these chains to the settings.

15You are also to make a breastpiece of judgment with the same workmanship as the ephod. Construct it with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.

16It must be square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide.

17And mount on it a setting of gemstones, four rows of stones: In the first row there shall be a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald;

18in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;

19in the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;

20and in the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. Mount these stones in gold filigree settings.

21The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

22For the breastpiece, make braided chains like cords of pure gold.

23You are also to make two gold rings and fasten them to the two corners of the breastpiece.

24Then fasten the two gold chains to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece,

25and fasten the other ends of the two chains to the two filigree settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front.

26Make two more gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece, on the inside edge next to the ephod.

27Make two additional gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on its front, near its seam just above its woven waistband.

28The rings of the breastpiece shall be tied to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the waistband of the ephod and does not swing out from the ephod.

29Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he shall bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of judgment, as a continual reminder before the LORD.

30And place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.

31You are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth,

32with an opening at its top in the center. Around the opening shall be a woven collar with an opening like that of a garment, so that it will not tear.

33Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn all the way around the lower hem, with gold bells between them,

34alternating the gold bells and pomegranates around the lower hem of the robe.

35Aaron must wear the robe whenever he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he enters or exits the sanctuary before the LORD, so that he will not die.

36You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.

37Fasten to it a blue cord to mount it on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban.

38And it will be worn on Aaron’s forehead, so that he may bear the iniquity of the holy things that the sons of Israel consecrate with regard to all their holy gifts. It shall always be on his forehead, so that they may be acceptable before the LORD.

39You are to weave the tunic with fine linen, make the turban of fine linen, and fashion an embroidered sash.

40Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons, to give them glory and splendor.

41After you put these garments on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint them, ordain them, and consecrate them so that they may serve Me as priests.

42Make linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, extending from waist to thigh.

43Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This is to be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants.