Exodus 36-38

Holman Christian Standard Bible

36 ¹ Bezalel, Oholiab, and all the skilled^[a] people are to work based on everything the Lord has commanded. The Lord has given them wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work of constructing the sanctuary.”^(A)

² So Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled^[b] person in whose heart the Lord had placed wisdom, everyone whose heart moved him,^(B) to come to the work and do it. ³ They took from Moses’ presence all the contributions that the Israelites had brought for the task of making the sanctuary. Meanwhile, the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.

⁴ Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work for the sanctuary came one by one from the work they were doing ⁵ and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than is needed^(C) for the construction of the work the Lord commanded to be done.”

⁶ After Moses gave an order, they sent a proclamation throughout the camp: “Let no man or woman make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” So the people stopped. ⁷ The materials were sufficient for them to do all the work. There was more than enough.

Building the Tabernacle

⁸ All^(D) the skilled craftsmen^[c] among those doing the work made the tabernacle with 10 curtains. Bezalel made them of finely spun linen, as well as blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with a design of cherubim worked into them. ⁹ The length of each curtain was 42 feet,^[d] and the width of each curtain six feet;^[e] all the curtains had the same measurements. ¹⁰ He joined five of the curtains to each other, and the other five curtains he joined to each other. ¹¹ He made loops of blue yarn on the edge of the last curtain in the first set and did the same on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. ¹² He made 50 loops on the one curtain and 50 loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set, so that the loops lined up with each other. ¹³ He also made 50 gold clasps and joined the curtains to each other, so that the tabernacle became a single unit.

¹⁴ He made curtains of goat hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he made 11 of them. ¹⁵ The length of each curtain was 45 feet,^[f] and the width of each curtain six feet.^[g] All 11 curtains had the same measurements. ¹⁶ He joined five of the curtains together, and the other six together. ¹⁷ He made 50 loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set and 50 loops on the edge of the corresponding curtain in the second set. ¹⁸ He made 50 bronze clasps to join the tent together as a single unit. ¹⁹ He also made a covering for the tent from ram skins dyed red and a covering of manatee skins^[h] on top of it.

²⁰ He^(E) made upright planks^[i] of acacia wood for the tabernacle. ²¹ The length of each plank was 15 feet,^[j] and the width of each was 27 inches.^{[k] 22} There were two tenons connected to each other for each plank. He did the same for all the planks of the tabernacle. ²³ He made planks for the tabernacle as follows: 20 for the south side, ²⁴ and he made 40 silver bases to put under the 20 planks, two bases under the first plank for its two tenons, and two bases under each of the following planks for their two tenons; ²⁵ for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, he made 20 planks, ²⁶ with their 40 silver bases, two bases under the first plank and two bases under each of the following ones; ²⁷ and for the west side of the tabernacle he made six planks. ²⁸ He also made two additional planks for the two back corners of the tabernacle. ²⁹ They were paired at the bottom and joined together^[l] at the^[m] top in a single ring. This is what he did with both of them for the two corners. ³⁰ So there were eight planks with their 16 silver bases, two bases under each one.

³¹ He made five crossbars of acacia wood for the planks on one side of the tabernacle, ³² five crossbars for the planks on the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for those at the back of the tabernacle on the west. ³³ He made the central crossbar run through the middle of the planks from one end to the other. ³⁴ He overlaid them with gold and made their rings out of gold as holders for the crossbars. He also overlaid the crossbars with gold.

³⁵ Then^(F) he made the veil with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. He made it with a design of cherubim worked into it. ³⁶ He made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold; their hooks were of gold. And he cast four silver bases for the posts.

³⁷ He made a screen embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen for the entrance to the tent, ³⁸ together with its five posts and their hooks. He overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold, but their five bases were bronze.

Making the Ark

37 Bezalel^(G) made the ark of acacia wood, 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.^{[n] 2} He overlaid it with pure gold inside and out and made a gold molding all around it. ³ He cast four gold rings for it, for its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other side. ⁴ He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. ⁵ He inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark for carrying the ark.

⁶ He made a mercy seat of pure gold, 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.^{[o] 7} He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat, ⁸ one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At each end, he made a cherub of one piece with the mercy seat. ⁹ They had wings spread out. They faced each other and covered the mercy seat with their wings. The faces of the cherubim were looking toward the mercy seat.

Making the Table

¹⁰ He^(H) constructed the table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.^{[p] 11} He overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding all around it. ¹² He made a three-inch^[q] frame all around it and made a gold molding all around its frame. ¹³ He cast four gold rings for it and attached the rings to the four corners at its four legs. ¹⁴ The rings were next to the frame as holders for the poles to carry the table. ¹⁵ He made the poles for carrying the table from acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. ¹⁶ He also made the utensils that would be on the table out of pure gold: its plates and cups, as well as its bowls and pitchers for pouring drink offerings.

Making the Lampstand

¹⁷ Then^(I) he made the lampstand out of pure hammered gold. He made it all of one piece: its base and shaft, its ornamental cups, and its calyxes^[r] and petals. ¹⁸ Six branches extended from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from one side and three branches of the lampstand from the other side. ¹⁹ There were three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and petals, on the first branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and petals, on the next branch. It was this way for the six branches that extended from the lampstand. ²⁰ On the lampstand shaft there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms with its calyxes and petals. ²¹ For the six branches that extended from it, a calyx was under the first pair of branches from it, a calyx under the second pair of branches from it, and a calyx under the third pair of branches from it. ²² Their calyxes and branches were of one piece.^[s] All of it was a single hammered piece of pure gold. ²³ He also made its seven lamps, snuffers, and firepans of pure gold. ²⁴ He made it and all its utensils of 75 pounds^[t] of pure gold.

Making the Altar of Incense

²⁵ He^(J) made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, 18 inches long and 18 inches wide; it was 36 inches high.^[u] Its horns were of one piece.^{[v] 26} He overlaid it, its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold. Then he made a gold molding all around it. ²⁷ He made two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; he put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with. ²⁸ He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

²⁹ He also made the holy anointing oil and the pure, fragrant, and expertly blended incense.^(K)

Making the Altar of Burnt Offering

38 Bezalel^(L) constructed the altar of burnt offering from acacia wood. It was square, 7½ feet long and 7½ feet wide,^[w] and was 4½ feet^[x] high. ² He made horns for it on its four corners; the horns were of one piece.^[y] Then he overlaid it with bronze.

³ He made all the altar’s utensils: the pots, shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans; he made all its utensils of bronze. ⁴ He constructed for the altar a grate of bronze mesh under its ledge,^[z] halfway up from the bottom. ⁵ At the four corners of the bronze grate he cast four rings as holders for the poles. ⁶ Also, he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. ⁷ Then he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar in order to carry it with them. He constructed the altar with boards so that it was hollow.

Making the Bronze Basin

⁸ He made the bronze basin and its stand from the bronze mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.^(M)

Making the Courtyard

⁹ Then^(N) he made the courtyard. The hangings on the south side of the courtyard were of finely spun linen, 150 feet in length,^{[aa] 10} including their 20 posts and 20 bronze bases. The hooks and bands^[ab] of the posts were silver. ¹¹ The hangings on the north side were also 150 feet in length,^[ac] including their 20 posts and 20 bronze bases. The hooks and bands^[ad] of the posts were silver. ¹² The hangings on the west side were 75 feet in length,^[ae] including their 10 posts and 10 bases. The hooks and bands of the posts were silver. ¹³ The hangings on the east toward the sunrise were also 75 feet in length.^{[af] 14} The hangings on one side of the gate were 22½ feet,^[ag] including their three posts and three bases. ¹⁵ It was the same for the other side. The hangings were 22½ feet,^[ah] including their three posts and three bases on both sides of the courtyard gate. ¹⁶ All the hangings around the courtyard were of finely spun linen. ¹⁷ The bases for the posts were bronze; the hooks and bands^[ai] of the posts were silver; and the plating for the tops of the posts was silver. All the posts of the courtyard were banded with silver.

¹⁸ The screen for the gate of the courtyard was embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It was 30 feet^[aj] long, and like the hangings of the courtyard, 7½ feet^[ak] high.^{[al] 19} It had four posts, including their four bronze bases. Their hooks were silver, and the bands^[am] as well as the plating of their tops were silver. ²⁰ All the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the surrounding courtyard were bronze.

Inventory of Materials

²¹ This is the inventory for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony,^(O) that was recorded at Moses’ command. It was the work of the Levites under the direction of^[an] Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.^{(P) 22} Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything that the Lord commanded Moses. ²³ With him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a gem cutter, a designer, and an embroiderer with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

²⁴ All the gold of the presentation offering that was used for the project in all the work on the sanctuary, was 2,193 pounds,^[ao] according to the sanctuary shekel.^{(Q) 25} The silver from those of the community who were registered was 7,544 pounds,^[ap] according to the sanctuary shekel— ²⁶ 2⁄5 of an ounce^[aq] per man, that is, half a shekel according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone 20 years old or more who had crossed over to the registered group, 603,550 men. ²⁷ There were 7,500 pounds^[ar] of silver used to cast the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil—100 bases from 7,500 pounds,^[as] 75 pounds^[at] for each base.^{(R) 28} With the remaining 44 pounds^[au] he made the hooks for the posts, overlaid their tops, and supplied bands^[av] for them.

²⁹ The bronze of the presentation offering totaled 5,310 pounds.^{[aw] 30} He made with it the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and its bronze grate, all the utensils for the altar, ³¹ the bases for the surrounding courtyard, the bases for the gate of the courtyard, all the tent pegs for the tabernacle, and all the tent pegs for the surrounding courtyard.