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Exodus 37-38
Common English Bible
Exodus 37-38
Common English Bible
Building the chest containing the covenant document
37 Bezalel made the chest of acacia wood. It was forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. 2 He covered the chest with pure gold inside and out, and made a gold molding all around it. 3 He cast four gold rings for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 4 He made acacia-wood poles and covered them with gold. 5 He put the poles into the rings on the chest’s sides to use to carry the chest. 6 He made a cover for the chest out of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide. 7 He made two winged heavenly creatures of hammered gold for the two ends of the cover, 8 one winged heavenly creature at one end and one winged heavenly creature at the other. He placed the winged heavenly creatures at the cover’s two ends. 9 The winged heavenly creatures spread out their wings above, shielding the cover with their wings. The winged heavenly creatures faced each other toward the cover’s center.
Constructing the table and lampstand
10 He also made the table of acacia wood, three feet long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. 11 He covered it with pure gold and made a gold molding all around it. 12 He made a frame around it that was four inches wide and gold molding around the frame. 13 He made four gold rings for the table. He fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 14 The rings that housed the poles used for carrying the table were close to the frame. 15 He made the poles used to carry the table out of acacia wood, and he covered them with gold. 16 He made the containers of pure gold that were to be on the table: its plates, dishes, bowls, and jars for pouring drink offerings.
17 He also made the lampstand of pure, hammered gold. The lampstand’s base, branches, cups, flowers, and petals were all attached to it. 18 It had six branches growing out from its sides, three branches on one side of the lampstand and three branches on the other side of the lampstand. 19 One branch had three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a flower and petals, and the next branch also had three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a flower and petals. A total of six branches grew out of the lampstand. 20 In addition, on the lampstand itself there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its flower and petals. 21 There was a flower attached under the first pair of branches, a flower attached under the next pair of branches, and a flower attached under the last pair of branches. 22 Their flowers and their branches were attached to it. The whole lampstand was one piece of pure hammered gold. 23 He made its seven lamps and its tongs and its fire pans out of pure gold. 24 He made the lampstand and all its equipment from pure gold weighing one kikkar.
Making the incense altar, incense, and oil
25 He made the incense altar out of acacia wood. The altar was square, eighteen inches long by eighteen inches wide. It was three feet high, and its horns were permanently attached. 26 He covered it with pure gold, including its top, all its sides, and its horns. He also made a gold molding all around it. 27 He made two gold rings, and he attached them under the molding on two opposite sides of the altar. They housed the poles used to carry it. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood, and he covered them with gold.
29 He also made the holy anointing oil and the pure sweet-smelling incense like a skilled perfume maker.
Making the altar for entirely burned offerings
38 He made the altar for entirely burned offerings out of acacia wood. The altar was square, seven and a half feet long and seven and a half feet wide. It was four and a half feet high. 2 He made horns for it, one horn on each of its four corners. Its horns were attached to the altar, and he covered it with copper. 3 He made all the altar’s equipment: the pails, the shovels, the bowls, the meat forks, and the trays. He made all its equipment out of copper. 4 He made a grate for the altar of copper mesh underneath its bottom edge and extending halfway up to the middle of the altar. 5 He made four rings for each of the four corners of the copper grate to house the poles. 6 He made the poles out of acacia wood, and he covered them with copper. 7 He put the poles through the rings so that the poles were on the two sides of the altar when it was carried. He made the altar with planks but hollow inside.
8 He made the copper washbasin with its copper stand from the copper mirrors among the ranks of women assigned to the meeting tent’s entrance.
Constructing the dwelling’s plaza
9 He also set up the courtyard. The courtyard’s south side had drapes of fine twisted linen stretching one hundred fifty feet 10 with twenty posts, twenty copper bases, and silver hooks and bands for the posts. 11 Likewise the north side stretched one hundred fifty feet, with twenty posts, twenty copper bases, and silver hooks and bands for the posts. 12 On the west side the drapes stretched seventy-five feet, with their ten posts, their ten bases, and silver hooks and bands for the posts. 13 The front side facing east was seventy-five feet. 14 There were twenty-two and a half feet of drapes on one side with three posts and three bases for them. 15 Likewise, there were twenty-two and a half feet of drapes on the other side of the plaza’s gate with three posts and three bases for them. 16 All the drapes around the courtyard were made of fine twisted linen. 17 The bases for the posts were made of copper, but the hooks for the posts and their bands were made of silver. The tops of the posts were covered with silver, and all the posts surrounding the courtyard had silver bands. 18 The screen for the gate into the courtyard was made with blue, purple, and deep red yarns and fine twisted linen, decorated with needlework. It was thirty feet long and, along the width of it, seven and a half feet high, corresponding to the courtyard’s drapes. 19 It had four posts, their four copper bases, their silver hooks, and their tops and bands covered with silver. 20 All the tent pegs for the dwelling and for the courtyard all around were made of copper.
A listing of materials used
21 These are the accounts of the dwelling, the covenant dwelling, that were recorded at Moses’ instructions. They are the work of the Levites, under the direction of Ithamar, Aaron the priest’s son. 22 Bezalel, Uri’s son and Hur’s grandson from the tribe of Judah, made everything that the Lord had commanded Moses to make. 23 Working with Bezalel was Oholiab, Ahisamach’s son from the tribe of Dan, who was a gem cutter, a designer, and a needleworker in blue, purple, and deep red yarns and in fine linen.
24 The total amount of the gold that was used for construction of the whole sanctuary, gold from the uplifted offerings, was twenty-nine kikkars and seven hundred thirty shekels in weight, measured by the sanctuary shekel. 25 The silver from the community census totaled one hundred kikkars and one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels in weight, measured by the sanctuary shekel. 26 They gave a beqa per person (that is, half a shekel, measured by the sanctuary shekel) for everyone who was counted in the census, 20 years old and above, 603,550 men. 27 One hundred kikkars of silver were used to cast the bases for the sanctuary and the bases for the veil, one hundred bases from one hundred kikkars of silver, one kikkar for every base. 28 He used one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels of silver[a] to make the hooks for the posts, cover their tops, and make bands for them. 29 The amount of copper from the uplifted offering was seventy kikkars and two thousand four hundred shekels in weight. 30 He used it to make the bases for the meeting tent’s entrance, the copper altar, its copper grate, and all the altar’s equipment, 31 the bases all around the courtyard, and the bases for the courtyard’s gate, all the dwelling’s tent pegs, and all the tent pegs used around the courtyard.
Footnotes
- Exodus 38:28 Heb lacks shekels of silver.
Exodus 37-38
New International Version
Exodus 37-38
New International Version
The Ark(A)
37 Bezalel(B) made the ark(C) of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.[a] 2 He overlaid it with pure gold,(D) both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. 3 He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 4 Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.
6 He made the atonement cover(E) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 7 Then he made two cherubim(F) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 8 He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. 9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing(G) the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.(H)
The Table(I)
10 They[b] made the table(J) of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.[c] 11 Then they overlaid it with pure gold(K) and made a gold molding around it. 12 They also made around it a rim a handbreadth[d] wide and put a gold molding on the rim. 13 They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were. 14 The rings(L) were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. 15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. 16 And they made from pure gold the articles for the table—its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.
The Lampstand(M)
17 They made the lampstand(N) of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 18 Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 19 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 21 One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 22 The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.(O)
23 They made its seven lamps,(P) as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. 24 They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent[e] of pure gold.
The Altar of Incense(Q)
25 They made the altar of incense(R) out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high[f]—its horns(S) of one piece with it. 26 They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. 27 They made two gold rings(T) below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 28 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.(U)
29 They also made the sacred anointing oil(V) and the pure, fragrant incense(W)—the work of a perfumer.
The Altar of Burnt Offering(X)
38 They[g] built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits[h] high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.[i] 2 They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze.(Y) 3 They made all its utensils(Z) of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 4 They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar. 5 They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating. 6 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7 They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.
The Basin for Washing
8 They made the bronze basin(AA) and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women(AB) who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
The Courtyard(AC)
9 Next they made the courtyard. The south side was a hundred cubits[j] long and had curtains of finely twisted linen, 10 with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 11 The north side was also a hundred cubits long and had twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts.
12 The west end was fifty cubits[k] wide and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 13 The east end, toward the sunrise, was also fifty cubits wide. 14 Curtains fifteen cubits[l] long were on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, 15 and curtains fifteen cubits long were on the other side of the entrance to the courtyard, with three posts and three bases. 16 All the curtains around the courtyard were of finely twisted linen. 17 The bases for the posts were bronze. The hooks and bands on the posts were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver; so all the posts of the courtyard had silver bands.
18 The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was made of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. It was twenty cubits[m] long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits[n] high, 19 with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks and bands were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver. 20 All the tent pegs(AD) of the tabernacle and of the surrounding courtyard were bronze.
The Materials Used
21 These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant law,(AE) which were recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar(AF) son of Aaron, the priest. 22 (Bezalel(AG) son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses; 23 with him was Oholiab(AH) son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan—an engraver and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.) 24 The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary(AI) was 29 talents and 730 shekels,[o] according to the sanctuary shekel.(AJ)
25 The silver obtained from those of the community who were counted in the census(AK) was 100 talents[p] and 1,775 shekels,[q] according to the sanctuary shekel— 26 one beka per person,(AL) that is, half a shekel,[r] according to the sanctuary shekel,(AM) from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more,(AN) a total of 603,550 men.(AO) 27 The 100 talents of silver were used to cast the bases(AP) for the sanctuary and for the curtain—100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent for each base. 28 They used the 1,775 shekels to make the hooks for the posts, to overlay the tops of the posts, and to make their bands.
29 The bronze from the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.[s] 30 They used it to make the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all its utensils, 31 the bases for the surrounding courtyard and those for its entrance and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and those for the surrounding courtyard.
Footnotes
- Exodus 37:1 That is, about 3 3/4 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide and high or about 1.1 meters long and 68 centimeters wide and high; similarly in verse 6
- Exodus 37:10 Or He; also in verses 11-29
- Exodus 37:10 That is, about 3 feet long, 1 1/2 feet wide and 2 1/4 feet high or about 90 centimeters long, 45 centimeters wide and 68 centimeters high
- Exodus 37:12 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
- Exodus 37:24 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
- Exodus 37:25 That is, about 1 1/2 feet long and wide and 3 feet high or about 45 centimeters long and wide and 90 centimeters high
- Exodus 38:1 Or He; also in verses 2-9
- Exodus 38:1 That is, about 4 1/2 feet or about 1.4 meters
- Exodus 38:1 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters long and wide
- Exodus 38:9 That is, about 150 feet or about 45 meters
- Exodus 38:12 That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters
- Exodus 38:14 That is, about 22 feet or about 6.8 meters
- Exodus 38:18 That is, about 30 feet or about 9 meters
- Exodus 38:18 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters
- Exodus 38:24 The weight of the gold was a little over a ton or about 1 metric ton.
- Exodus 38:25 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons; also in verse 27
- Exodus 38:25 That is, about 44 pounds or about 20 kilograms; also in verse 28
- Exodus 38:26 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.7 grams
- Exodus 38:29 The weight of the bronze was about 2 1/2 tons or about 2.4 metric tons.
Exodus 37-38
King James Version
Exodus 37-38
King James Version
37 And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:
2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.
3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it.
4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
6 And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
7 And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;
8 One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
9 And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.
10 And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:
11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about.
12 Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.
13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof.
14 Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.
15 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.
16 And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold.
17 And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:
18 And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:
19 Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.
20 And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:
21 And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it.
22 Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.
23 And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold.
24 Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.
25 And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.
26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about.
27 And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal.
28 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.
38 And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
2 And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass.
3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.
4 And he made for the altar a brasen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.
5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to be places for the staves.
6 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with brass.
7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.
8 And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
9 And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits:
10 Their pillars were twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11 And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.
14 The hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
15 And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and that hand, were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
16 All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.
17 And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.
18 And the hanging for the gate of the court was needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.
19 And their pillars were four, and their sockets of brass four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets of silver.
20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
21 This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.
22 And Bezaleel the son Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses.
23 And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.
24 All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
26 A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
27 And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.
28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.
29 And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.
30 And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brasen altar, and the brasen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar,
31 And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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