Exodus 28

The Holy Clothes—Exodus 39:1

1 The Lord continued, “Out of all the Israelites, bring your brother Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar to you. They will serve me as priests.

2 Make holy clothes for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.
3 “Tell all those who have the skill—those to whom I have given this ability—to make Aaron’s clothes. These clothes will set him apart as holy when he serves me as priest.4 These are the clothes they will make: a breastplate, an ephod and the robe that is worn with it, another specially woven linen robe, the chief priest’s turban, and a cloth belt. They will make these holy clothes for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they can serve me as priests.

5 They must use gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and fine linen.

The Ephod—Exodus 39:2–7

6 “Make the ephod out of fine linen yarn. Creatively work gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn into the fabric.7 It will have two shoulder straps attached at the top corners so that it can be fastened.8 Make the belt that is attached to the ephod out of the same fabric.9 Take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel10 in birth order—six of their names on one stone and the remaining six on the other.11 Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the same way a jeweler engraves a signet ring. Mount them in gold settings,12 and fasten them on the shoulder straps of the ephod as reminders of who the Israelites are. In this way Aaron will carry their names on his shoulders as a reminder in the Lord’s presence.13 Make gold settings

14 and two chains of pure gold, twisted like ropes, and fasten these chains to the settings.

The Breastplate—Exodus 39:8–21

15 “Make the breastplate for decision-making as creatively as you make the ephod. Make it out of gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn and out of fine linen yarn.16 Fold it in half so that it’s 9 inches square.17 Fasten four rows of precious stones on it. In the first row put red quartz, topaz, and emerald.18 In the second row put turquoise, sapphire, and crystal.19 In the third row put jacinth, agate, and amethyst.20 In the fourth row put beryl, onyx, and gray quartz. Mount them in gold settings.

21 The stones correspond to the 12 sons of Israel, by name, each stone engraved (like a signet ring) with the name of one of the 12 tribes.
22 “For the breastplate make chains out of pure gold, twisted like ropes.23 Make two gold rings for the breastplate. Attach them to the two top corners of the breastplate.24 Then fasten the two gold ropes to the rings at the top corners of the breastplate.25 Fasten the other ends of the ropes to the two settings on the shoulder straps of the ephod so that the breastplate hangs in front of it.26 Make two gold rings, and fasten them to the other two corners of the breastplate on the inside edge next to the ephod.27 Make two more gold rings, and fasten them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the ephod. This will be close to the seam just above the belt of the ephod.

28 Then the breastplate should be fastened by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a violet cord. This will attach it just above the belt of the ephod and will hold the breastplate in place.
29 “Whenever Aaron goes into the holy place, he will be carrying the names of the sons of Israel over his heart as a constant reminder in the Lord’s presence. He must do this by wearing the breastplate for decision-making.

30 Put the Urim and Thummimt into the breastplate for decision-making. They, too, will be over Aaron’s heart when he comes into the Lord’s presence. In this way whenever he’s in the Lord’s presence, Aaron will always be carrying over his heart the means for determining the Lord’s decisions for the Israelites.

Other Clothes for Aaron and His Sons—Exodus 39:22–31

31 “Make the robe that is worn with the ephod entirely of violet material.32 Make an opening for the head in the center with a reinforced edge (like a leather collart) all around it to keep it from tearing.33 All around the hem of the robe make pomegranates of violet, purple, and bright red yarn with gold bells in between—34 a gold bell alternating with a pomegranate all around the hem of the robe.

35 Aaron must wear it when he serves as priest. The sound of the bells must be heard when he comes into and goes out of the Lord’s presence in the holy place so that he won’t die.
36 “Make a flower-shaped medallion out of pure gold, and engrave on it (as on a signet ring): Holy to the Lord.37 Fasten a violet cord to it, and tie it so that it’s on the front of the turban.

38 It will be on Aaron’s forehead. He’s the one to be blamed for anything done wrong when the Israelites bring their holy offerings—whatever their gifts may be. The medallion must always be on Aaron’s forehead so that the Lord will accept their offerings.
39 “Make the specially woven inner robe of fine linen. Make the turban of fine linen, but the belt should be embroidered with colored yarn.40 “Also make linen robes, belts, and turbans for Aaron’s sons. These clothes will give them dignity and honor.

41 Put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint them, ordain them, and set them apart to serve me as priests.
42 “Make linen undergarments to cover them down to their thighs.

43 Aaron and his sons must wear them when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to serve as priests in the holy place. Then they will be blameless and won’t die.
“This is a permanent law for him and his descendants.”

Exodus 29

Make Aaron and His Sons Priests—Leviticus 8:1–36

1 The Lord continued, “Now, this is what you must do in order to set Aaron and his sons apart to serve me as priests:“Take a young bull that has no defects and two rams that have no defects.2 Use the finest wheat flour, but no yeast, and bake some loaves of bread, some rings of bread made with olive oil, and some wafers brushed with olive oil.

3 Put the bread in a basket, and bring the basket along with the young bull and the two rams.
4 “Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and wash them.5 Take the clothes, and put them on Aaron—the linen robe, the ephod and the robe that is worn with it, and the breastplate. Use the belt to tie it on him tightly.6 Put his turban on him, and fasten the holy crown to it.

7 Take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him.
8 “Have his sons come forward. Dress them in their linen robes,

9 and put turbans on them. Tie belts around the waists of Aaron and his sons. They alone are to be priests; this is a permanent law. In this way you will ordain Aaron and his sons.
10 “Then bring the young bull to the front of the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons will place their hands on its head.11 Slaughter the bull in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

12 Take some of the bull’s blood, and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger. Pour the rest of it out at the bottom of the altar.
13 “Then take all the fat that covers the internal organs, the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar.

14 But burn the bull’s meat, skin, and excrement outside the camp. It is an offering for sin.
15 “Take one of the rams. Then Aaron and his sons will place their hands on its head.16 Slaughter it, take the blood, and throw it against the altar on all sides.17 Cut the ram into pieces, wash the internal organs and legs, and put them with the other pieces and the head.

18 Then burn the whole ram on the altar. It’s a burnt offering, a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.
19 “Take the other ram. Then Aaron and his sons will place their hands on its head.20 Slaughter it, take some of the blood, and put it on the right ear lobes of Aaron and his sons, on their right thumbs, and on the big toes of their right feet. Throw the rest of the blood against the altar on all sides.

21 Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes. In this way Aaron, his sons, and their clothes will be holy.
22 “From this same ram take the fat, the fat from the tail, the fat that covers the internal organs, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh. (This is the ram for the ordination.)23 From the basket of unleavened bread which is in the Lord’s presence, take a round loaf of bread, a ring of bread made with olive oil, and a wafer.24 Put all of these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, who will offer them to the Lord.

25 Then take them from their hands, and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering. It’s a soothing aroma in the Lord’s presence, an offering by fire to the Lord.
26 “Take the breast from the ram used for Aaron’s ordination, and present it to the Lord. This will be your share.27 Set apart as holy the breast that is offered to the Lord and the thigh that is the contribution. Both will come from the ram used for the ordination. They both belong to Aaron and his sons.

28 It is a permanent law that the Israelites give this portion to Aaron and his sons as a contribution. This will also be their contribution to the Lord from the fellowship offerings.
29 “Aaron’s holy clothes will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.

30 The son who succeeds him as priest—the one who goes into the tent of meeting to serve in the holy place—will wear them for seven days.
31 “Take the ram used for the ordination, and boil its meat in a holy place.32 At the entrance to the tent of meeting, Aaron and his sons will eat the meat of the ram and the bread left in the basket.33 They will eat those offerings through which they made peace with the Lord at their ordination and installation. No one else may eat them because the offerings are holy.

34 If any meat or bread from the ordination is left over until morning, burn it up. It must not be eaten because it is holy.
35 “Do this with Aaron and his sons exactly as I have commanded you. Take seven days to ordain them.36 Each day sacrifice a young bull as an offering to make peace with the Lord. Sacrifice this offering for sin on the altar in order to pay for its sins. Then anoint it with olive oil in order to dedicate it.

37 For seven days at the altar make peace with the Lord and set the altar apart for its holy purpose. Then the altar will be most holy. Anything that touches the altar will become holy.
38 “This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly every day: two one-year-old lambs.39 Offer one in the morning and the other at dusk.40 With the first lamb make an offering of eight cups of flour mixed with one quart of virgin olive oil. Make a wine offering of one quart of wine.

41 Offer the other lamb at dusk, and with it make the same grain offering and wine offering as in the morning. This is a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.
42 “For generations to come this will be the daily burnt offering made in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. There I will meet with you to speak to you.43 I will also meet with the Israelites there, and my glory will make this place holy.

44 I will dedicate the tent of meeting and the altar for their holy purposes. I will set Aaron and his sons apart for their holy duties of serving me as priests.
45 “Then I will live among the Israelites and be their God.

46 They will know that I am the Lord their God. I brought them out of Egypt so that I might live among them. I am the Lord their God.”

Exodus 30

The Altar for Incense—Exodus 37:25–29

1 The Lord continued, “Build an altar out of acacia wood for burning incense.2 Make it 18 inches square and 36 inches high. The horns and altar must be made out of one piece of wood.3 Cover all of it with pure gold—the top, the sides, and the horns. Put a gold molding around it.4 Make two gold rings, and put them below the molding on opposite sides to hold the poles for carrying it.5 Make the poles out of acacia wood, and cover them with gold.

6 Put the altar in front of the canopy which hangs over the ark containing the words of my promise. I will meet with you there in front of the throne of mercy that is on the ark.
7 “Aaron must burn sweet-smelling incense on this altar every morning when he takes care of the lamps.

8 Also, when Aaron lights the lamps at dusk, he must burn incense. For generations to come an incense offering must burn constantly in the Lord’s presence.
9 “Never burn any unauthorized incense on this altar or any burnt offerings or grain offerings. Never pour a wine offering on it.

10 Once a year Aaron must make peace with the Lord by putting blood on its horns. Once a year—for generations to come—blood from the offering must be placed on the altar to make peace with the Lord. It is most holy to the Lord.”

Counting the Israelites

11 Then the Lord said to Moses,12 “When you take a census of the Israelites, each person must pay the Lord a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will happen to them when they are counted.13 As each person is counted, he must give one-fifth of an ounce of silver using the standard weight of the holy place.t This one-fifth of an ounce of silver is a contribution to the Lord.14 Everyone counted who is at least 20 years old must give this contribution to the Lord.15 The rich must not give more than one-fifth of an ounce of silver, and the poor must not give less. This contribution is given to make peace with the Lord and make your lives acceptable to the Lord.

16 Take the money the Israelites give to make peace with the Lord, and use it to pay the expenses of the tent of meeting. It will be a reminder for the Israelites in the Lord’s presence that the sins in their lives are removed.”

The Bronze Basin—Exodus 38:8

17 The Lord said to Moses,18 “Make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. Put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and fill it with water.19 Aaron and his sons will use it for washing their hands and feet.20 Before they go into the tent of meeting, they must wash so that they will not die. Before they come near the altar to serve as priests and burn an offering by fire to the Lord,

21 they will wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This will be a permanent law for him and his descendants for generations to come.”

The Oil for Anointing

22 The Lord said to Moses,23 “Take the finest spices: 12½ pounds of powderedt myrrh; half as much, that is, 6¼ pounds of fragrant cinnamon; 6¼ pounds of fragrant cane;24 12½ pounds of cassia—all weighed using the standard weight of the holy place—and 4 quarts of olive oil.

25 Have a perfumer make these into a holy oil, a fragrant mixture, used only for anointing. This will be the holy oil used for anointing.
26 “Use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark containing the words of my promise,27 the table and all the dishes, the lamp stand and all the utensils, the altar for incense,28 the altar for burnt offerings and all its accessories, and the basin with its stand.29 In this way you will dedicate them for their holy purpose. Then they will be most holy, and anything that touches them will become holy.

30 Anoint Aaron and his sons as well. In this way you will set them apart for their holy duties of serving me as priests.
31 “Say to the Israelites, ‘For generations to come, this will be my holy oil used only for anointing.32 It must never be poured on the bodies of other people. Never make any perfumed oil using this formula. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy.

33 Whoever prepares a perfume like this or puts it on anyone who is not a priest must be excluded from the people.’ ”

The Incense for Use in the Tent

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take one part fragrant spices (two kinds of gum resin and aromatic mollusk shells), and mix them with one part pure frankincense.35 Have a perfumer make it into fragrant incense, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.36 Grind some of it into a fine powder, and put it in front of the ark containing the words of my promise in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. You must treat it as most holy.37 Never make any incense for yourselves using this formula. Treat it as holy to the Lord.

38 Whoever prepares anything like it for his own enjoyment must be excluded from his people.”