Exodus 29

Consecration of Priests

1 "This is the ceremony for consecrating them as priests. Take a young bull and two rams, healthy and without defects.2 Using fine wheat flour but no yeast make bread and cakes mixed with oil and wafers spread with oil.3 Place them in a basket and carry them along with the bull and the two rams.4 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water.

5 "Then take the vestments and dress Aaron in the tunic, the robe of the Ephod, the Ephod, and the Breastpiece, belting the Ephod on him with the embroidered waistband.6 Set the turban on his head and place the sacred crown on the turban.7 Then take the anointing oil and pour it on his head, anointing him.8 Then bring his sons, put tunics on them

9 and gird them with sashes, both Aaron and his sons, and set hats on them. Their priesthood is upheld by law and is permanent.10 Bring the bull to the Tent of Meeting. Aaron and his sons will place their hands on the head of the bull.11 Then you will slaughter the bull in the presence of God at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.12 Take some of the bull's blood and smear it on the horns of the Altar with your finger; pour the rest of the blood on the base of the Altar.13 Next take all the fat that covers the innards, fat from around the liver and the two kidneys, and burn it on the Altar.14 But the flesh of the bull, including its hide and dung, you will burn up outside the camp. It is an Absolution-Offering.

15 "Then take one of the rams. Have Aaron and his sons place their hands on the head of the ram.16 Slaughter the ram and take its blood and throw it against the Altar, all around.17 Cut the ram into pieces; wash its innards and legs, then gather the pieces and its head18 and burn the whole ram on the Altar. It is a Whole-Burnt-Offering to God, a pleasant fragrance, an offering by fire to God.

19 "Then take the second ram. Have Aaron and his sons place their hands on the ram's head.20 Slaughter the ram. Take some of its blood and rub it on Aaron's right earlobe and on the right earlobes of his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Sprinkle the rest of the blood against all sides of the Altar.21 Then take some of the blood that is on the Altar, mix it with some of the anointing oil, and splash it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes so that Aaron and his clothes and his sons and his sons' clothes will be made holy.

22 "Take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the innards, the long lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat on them, and the right thigh: this is the ordination ram.23 Also take one loaf of bread, an oil cake, and a wafer from the breadbasket that is in the presence of God.

24 "Place all of these in the open hands of Aaron and his sons who will wave them before God, a Wave-Offering.25 Then take them from their hands and burn them on the Altar with the Whole-Burnt-Offering-a pleasing fragrance before God, a gift to God.

26 "Now take the breast from Aaron's ordination ram and wave it before God, a Wave-Offering. That will be your portion.

27 "Consecrate the Wave-Offering breast and the thigh that was held up. These are the parts of the ordination ram that are for Aaron and his sons.28 Aaron and his sons are always to get this offering from the Israelites; the Israelites are to make this offering regularly from their Peace-Offerings.

29 "Aaron's sacred garments are to be handed down to his descendants so they can be anointed and ordained in them.30 The son who succeeds him as priest is to wear them for seven days and enter the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place.

31 "Take the ordination ram and boil the meat in the Holy Place.32 At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, Aaron and his sons will eat the boiled ram and the bread that is in the basket.33 Atoned by these offerings, ordained and consecrated by them, they are the only ones who are to eat them. No outsiders are to eat them; they're holy.34 Anything from the ordination ram or from the bread that is left over until morning you are to burn up. Don't eat it; it's holy.

35 "Do everything for the ordination of Aaron and his sons exactly as I've commanded you throughout the seven days.36 Offer a bull as an Absolution-Offering for atonement each day. Offer it on the Altar when you make atonement for it: Anoint and consecrate it.37 Make atonement for the Altar and consecrate it for seven days; the Altar will become soaked in holiness-anyone who so much as touches the Altar will become holy.

38 "This is what you are to offer on the Altar: two year-old lambs each and every day,39 one lamb in the morning and the second lamb at evening.40 With the sacrifice of the first lamb offer two quarts of fine flour with a quart of virgin olive oil, plus a quart of wine for a Drink-Offering.41 The sacrifice of the second lamb, the one at evening, is also to be accompanied by the same Grain-Offering and Drink-Offering of the morning sacrifice to give a pleasing fragrance, a gift to God.

42 "This is to be your regular, daily Whole-Burnt-Offering before God, generation after generation, sacrificed at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. That's where I'll meet you; that's where I'll speak with you;43 that's where I'll meet the Israelites, at the place made holy by my Glory.44 I'll make the Tent of Meeting and the Altar holy. I'll make Aaron and his sons holy in order to serve me as priests.45 I'll move in and live with the Israelites. I'll be their God.46 They'll realize that I am their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live with them. I am God, your God.

Exodus 30

The Altar of Incense

1 "Make an Altar for burning incense. Construct it from acacia wood,2 one and one-half feet square and three feet high with its horns of one piece with it.3 Cover it with a veneer of pure gold, its top, sides, and horns, and make a gold molding around it4 with two rings of gold beneath the molding. Place the rings on the two opposing sides to serve as holders for poles by which it will be carried.5 Make the poles of acacia wood and cover them with a veneer of gold.

6 "Place the Altar in front of the curtain that hides the Chest of The Testimony, in front of the Atonement-Cover that is over The Testimony where I will meet you.7 Aaron will burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he polishes the lamps,8 and again in the evening as he prepares the lamps for lighting, so that there will always be incense burning before God, generation after generation.9 But don't burn on this Altar any unholy incense or Whole-Burnt-Offering or Grain-Offering. And don't pour out Drink-Offerings on it.10 Once a year Aaron is to purify the Altar horns. Using the blood of the Absolution-Offering of atonement, he is to make this atonement every year down through the generations. It is most holy to God." The Atonement-Tax

The Atonement-Tax

11 God spoke to Moses:12 "When you take a head count of the Israelites to keep track of them, all must pay an atonement-tax to God for their life at the time of being registered so that nothing bad will happen because of the registration.13 Everyone who gets counted is to give a half-shekel (using the standard Sanctuary shekel of a fifth of an ounce to the shekel)-a half-shekel offering to God.14 Everyone counted, age twenty and up, is to make the offering to God.15 The rich are not to pay more nor the poor less than the half-shekel offering to God, the atonement-tax for your lives.16 Take the atonement-tax money from the Israelites and put it to the maintenance of the Tent of Meeting. It will be a memorial fund for the Israelites in honor of God, making atonement for your lives." The Washbasin

The Washbasin

17 God spoke to Moses:18 "Make a bronze Washbasin; make it with a bronze base. Place it between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar. Put water in it.19 Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and feet in it.20 When they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the Altar to serve there or offer gift offerings to God, they are to wash so they will not die.21 They are to wash their hands and their feet so they will not die. This is the rule forever, for Aaron and his sons down through the generations." Holy Anointing Oil

Holy Anointing Oil

22 God spoke to Moses:23 "Take the best spices: twelve and a half pounds of liquid myrrh; half that much, six and a quarter pounds, of fragrant cinnamon; six and a quarter pounds of fragrant cane;24 twelve and a half pounds of cassia-using the standard Sanctuary weight for all of them-and a gallon of olive oil.25 Make these into a holy anointing oil, a perfumer's skillful blend.

26 "Use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the Chest of The Testimony,27 the Table and all its utensils, the Lampstand and its utensils, the Altar of Incense,28 the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offerings and all its utensils, and the Washbasin and its base.29 Consecrate them so they'll be soaked in holiness, so that anyone who so much as touches them will become holy.

30 "Then anoint Aaron and his sons. Consecrate them as priests to me.31 Tell the Israelites, 'This will be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations.'32 Don't pour it on ordinary men. Don't copy this mixture to use for yourselves. It's holy; keep it holy.33 Whoever mixes up anything like it, or puts it on an ordinary person, will be expelled." Holy Incense

Holy Incense

34 God spoke to Moses: "Take fragrant spices-gum resin, onycha, galbanum-and add pure frankincense. Mix the spices in equal proportions35 to make an aromatic incense, the art of a perfumer, salted and pure-holy.36 Now crush some of it into powder and place some of it before The Testimony in the Tent of Meeting where I will meet with you; it will be for you the holiest of holy places.37 When you make this incense, you are not to copy the mixture for your own use. It's holy to God; keep it that way.38 Whoever copies it for personal use will be excommunicated."

Exodus 31

Bezalel and Oholiab

1 God spoke to Moses:2 "See what I've done; I've personally chosen Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe of Judah.3 I've filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him skill and know-how and expertise in every kind of craft4 to create designs and work in gold, silver, and bronze;5 to cut and set gemstones; to carve wood-he's an all-around craftsman.

6 "Not only that, but I've given him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, to work with him. And to all who have an aptitude for crafts I've given the skills to make all the things I've commanded you:7 the Tent of Meeting, the Chest of The Testimony and its Atonement-Cover, all the implements for the Tent,8 the Table and its implements, the pure Lampstand and all its implements, the Altar of Incense,9 the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering and all its implements, the Washbasin and its base,10 the official vestments, the holy vestments for Aaron the priest and his sons in their priestly duties,11 the anointing oil, and the aromatic incense for the Holy Place-they'll make everything just the way I've commanded you." Sabbath

Sabbath

12 God spoke to Moses:13 "Tell the Israelites, 'Above all, keep my Sabbaths, the sign between me and you, generation after generation, to keep the knowledge alive that I am the God who makes you holy.14 Keep the Sabbath; it's holy to you. Whoever profanes it will most certainly be put to death. Whoever works on it will be excommunicated from the people.15 There are six days for work but the seventh day is Sabbath, pure rest, holy to God. Anyone who works on the Sabbath will most certainly be put to death.16 The Israelites will keep the Sabbath, observe Sabbath-keeping down through the generations, as a standing covenant.17 It's a fixed sign between me and the Israelites. Yes, because in six days God made the Heavens and the Earth and on the seventh day he stopped and took a long, deep breath.'"

18 When he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave Moses two tablets of Testimony, slabs of stone, written with the finger of God.