Exodus 24

1 He said to Moses, "Climb the mountain to God, you and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. They will worship from a distance;2 only Moses will approach God. The rest are not to come close. And the people are not to climb the mountain at all."

3 So Moses went to the people and told them everything God had said-all the rules and regulations. They all answered in unison: "Everything God said, we'll do."

4 Then Moses wrote it all down, everything God had said. He got up early the next morning and built an Altar at the foot of the mountain using twelve pillar-stones for the twelve tribes of Israel.5 Then he directed young Israelite men to offer Whole-Burnt-Offerings and sacrifice Peace-Offerings of bulls.6 Moses took half the blood and put it in bowls; the other half he threw against the Altar.

7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it as the people listened. They said, "Everything God said, we'll do. Yes, we'll obey."

8 Moses took the rest of the blood and threw it out over the people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has made with you out of all these words I have spoken."

9 Then they climbed the mountain-Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel -10 and saw the God of Israel. He was standing on a pavement of something like sapphires-pure, clear sky-blue.11 He didn't hurt these pillar-leaders of the Israelites: They saw God; and they ate and drank.

12 God said to Moses, "Climb higher up the mountain and wait there for me; I'll give you tablets of stone, the teachings and commandments that I've written to instruct them."13 So Moses got up, accompanied by Joshua his aide. And Moses climbed up the mountain of God.

14 He told the elders of Israel, "Wait for us here until we return to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you; if there are any problems, go to them."

15 Then Moses climbed the mountain. The Cloud covered the mountain.16 The Glory of God settled over Mount Sinai. The Cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called out of the Cloud to Moses.17 In the view of the Israelites below, the Glory of God looked like a raging fire at the top of the mountain.

18 Moses entered the middle of the Cloud and climbed the mountain. Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Exodus 25

Instructions on the Mountain: The Offerings

1 God spoke to Moses:2 "Tell the Israelites that they are to set aside offerings for me. Receive the offerings from everyone who is willing to give.3 These are the offerings I want you to receive from them: gold, silver, bronze;4 blue, purple, and scarlet material; fine linen; goats' hair;5 tanned rams' skins; dolphin skins; acacia wood;6 lamp oil; spices for anointing oils and for fragrant incense;7 onyx stones and other stones for setting in the Ephod and the Breastpiece.8 Let them construct a Sanctuary for me so that I can live among them.9 You are to construct it following the plans I've given you, the design for The Dwelling and the design for all its furnishings. The Chest

The Chest

10 "First let them make a Chest using acacia wood: make it three and three-quarters feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide and deep11 . Cover it with a veneer of pure gold inside and out and make a molding of gold all around it.12 Cast four gold rings and attach them to its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other.13 Make poles from acacia wood and cover them with a veneer of gold14 and insert them into the rings on the sides of the Chest for carrying the Chest.15 The poles are to stay in the rings; they must not be removed.

16 "Place The Testimony that I give you in the Chest.

17 "Now make a lid of pure gold for the Chest, an Atonement-Cover, three and three-quarters feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide.

18 "Sculpt two winged angels out of hammered gold for either end of the Atonement-Cover,19 one angel at one end, one angel at the other. Make them of one piece with the Atonement-Cover.20 Make the angels with their wings spread, hovering over the Atonement-Cover, facing one another but looking down on it.21 Set the Atonement-Cover as a lid over the Chest and place in the Chest The Testimony that I will give you.22 I will meet you there at set times and speak with you from above the Atonement-Cover and from between the angel-figures that are on it, speaking the commands that I have for the Israelites. The Table

The Table

23 "Next make a Table from acacia wood. Make it three feet long, one and one-half feet wide and two and one-quarter feet high.24 Cover it with a veneer of pure gold. Make a molding all around it of gold.25 Make the border a handbreadth wide all around it and a rim of gold for the border.26 Make four rings of gold and attach the rings to the four legs27 parallel to the table top. They will serve as holders for the poles used to carry the Table.28 Make the poles of acacia wood and cover them with a veneer of gold. They will be used to carry the Table.

29 "Make plates, bowls, jars, and jugs for pouring out offerings. Make them of pure gold.

30 "Always keep fresh Bread of the Presence on the Table before me. The Lampstand

The Lampstand

31 "Make a Lampstand of pure hammered gold. Make its stem and branches, cups, calyxes, and petals all of one piece.32 Give it six branches, three from one side and three from the other;33 put three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch, three on the next, and so on-the same for all six branches.34 On the main stem of the Lampstand, make four cups shaped like almonds, with calyx and petals,35 a calyx extending from under each pair of the six branches,36 the entire Lampstand fashioned from one piece of hammered pure gold.

37 "Make seven of these lamps for the Table. Arrange the lamps so they throw their light out in front.38 Make the candle snuffers and trays out of pure gold.

39 "Use a seventy-five-pound brick of pure gold to make the Lampstand and its accessories.40 Study the design you were given on the mountain and make everything accordingly.

Exodus 26

The Dwelling

1 "Make The Dwelling itself from ten panels of tapestry woven from fine twisted linen, blue and purple and scarlet material, with an angel-cherubim design. A skilled craftsman should do it.2 The panels of tapestry are each to be forty-six feet long and six feet wide.3 Join five of the panels together, and then the other five together.4 Make loops of blue along the edge of the outside panel of the first set and the same on the outside panel of the second set.5 Make fifty loops on each panel.6 Then make fifty gold clasps and join the tapestries together so that The Dwelling is one whole.

7 "Next make tapestries of goat hair for a tent that will cover The Dwelling. Make eleven panels of these tapestries.8 The length of each panel will be forty-five feet long and six feet wide.9 Join five of the panels together, and then the other six. Fold the sixth panel double at the front of the tent.10 Now make fifty loops along the edge of the end panel and fifty loops along the edge of the joining panel.11 Make fifty clasps of bronze and connect the clasps with the loops, bringing the tent together.

12 "Hang half of the overlap of the tapestry panels over the rear of The Dwelling.13 The eighteen inches of overlap on either side will cover the sides of the tent.14 Finally, make a covering for the tapestries of tanned rams' skins dyed red and over that a covering of dolphin skins.

15 "Frame The Dwelling with planks of acacia wood,16 each section of frame fifteen feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide,17 with two pegs for securing them. Make all the frames identical:18 twenty frames for the south side19 with forty silver sockets to receive the two pegs from each of the twenty frames; 20-21 the same construction on the north side of The Dwelling;22 for the rear of The Dwelling, which faces west, make six frames23 with two additional frames for the rear corners.24 Both of the two corner frames need to be double in thickness from top to bottom and fit into a single ring25 - eight frames altogether with sixteen sockets of silver, two under each frame.

26 "Now make crossbars of acacia wood, five for the frames on one side of The Dwelling,27 five for the other side, and five for the back side facing west.28 The center crossbar runs from end to end halfway up the frames.29 Cover the frames with a veneer of gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. And cover the crossbars with a veneer of gold.30 Then put The Dwelling together, following the design you were shown on the mountain.

31 "Make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. Have a design of angel-cherubim woven into it by a skilled craftsman.32 Fasten it with gold hooks to four posts of acacia wood covered with a veneer of gold, set on four silver bases.33 After hanging the curtain from the clasps, bring the Chest of The Testimony in behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Holy-of-Holies.34 Now place the Atonement-Cover lid on the Chest of The Testimony in the Holy-of-Holies.35 Place the Table and the Lampstand outside the curtain, the Lampstand on the south side of The Dwelling and the Table opposite it on the north side.

36 "Make a screen for the door of the tent. Weave it from blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.37 Frame the weaving with five poles of acacia wood covered with a veneer of gold and make gold hooks to hang the weaving. Cast five bronze bases for the poles.