Exodus 26

The Holy Tent

1 “Make for the Holy Tent ten curtains of fine linen and blue, purple, and red thread. Have a skilled craftsman sew designs of creatures with wings on the pieces of cloth.2 Make each curtain the same size—forty-two feet long and six feet wide.3 Sew five curtains together for one set, and sew the other curtains together for the second set.4 Make loops of blue cloth on the edge of the end curtain of one set, and do the same for the end curtain of the other set.5 Make fifty loops on the end curtain of the first set and fifty loops on the end curtain of the second set. These loops must be opposite each other.6 And make fifty gold hooks to join the two sets of curtains so that the Holy Tent is one piece.

7 
“Then make another tent that will cover the Holy Tent, using eleven curtains made from goat hair.8 All these curtains must be the same size—forty-five feet long and six feet wide.9 Sew five of the curtains together into one set. Then sew the other six curtains together into the second set. Fold the sixth curtain double over the front of the Tent.10 Make fifty loops down the edge of the end curtain of one set, and do the same for the end curtain of the other set.11 Then make fifty bronze hooks and put them in the loops to join the tent together so that the covering is one piece.12 Let the extra half piece of cloth hang over the back of the Holy Tent.13 There will be eighteen inches hanging over the sides of the Holy Tent, to protect it.14 Make a covering for the Holy Tent from sheepskins colored red, and over that make a covering from fine leather.15 “Use acacia wood to make upright frames for the Holy Tent.16 Each frame must be fifteen feet long and twenty-seven inches wide,17 with two pegs side by side. Every frame must be made the same way.18 Make twenty frames for the south side of the Holy Tent.19 Each frame must have two silver bases to go under it, a peg fitting into each base. You must make forty silver bases for the frames.20 Make twenty more frames for the north side of the Holy Tent21 and forty silver bases for them—two bases for each frame.22 You must make six frames for the rear or west end of the Holy Tent23 and two frames for each corner at the rear.24 The two frames are to be doubled at the bottom and joined at the top with a metal ring. Both corner frames must be made this way.25 So there will be a total of eight frames at the rear of the Tent, and there will be sixteen silver bases—two bases under each frame.

26 
“Make crossbars of acacia wood to connect the upright frames of the Holy Tent. Make five crossbars to hold the frames together on one side27 and five to hold the frames together on the other side. Also make five crossbars to hold the frames together on the west end, at the rear.28 The middle crossbar is to be set halfway up the frames, and it is to run along the entire length of each side and rear.29 Make gold rings on the sides of the frames to hold the crossbars, and cover the frames and the crossbars with gold.30 Set up the Holy Tent by the plan shown to you on the mountain.

31 
“Make a curtain of fine linen and blue, purple, and red thread, and have a skilled craftsman sew designs of creatures with wings on it.32 Hang the curtain by gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood that are covered with gold, and set them in four silver bases.33 Hang the curtain from the hooks in the roof, and put the Ark of the Agreement containing the two stone tablets behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.34 Put the lid on the Ark of the Agreement in the Most Holy Place.

35 
“Outside the curtain, put the table on the north side of the Holy Tent. Put the lampstand on the south side of the Holy Tent across from the table.

The Entrance of the Holy Tent

36 

“Then, for the entrance of the Tent, make a curtain with fine linen and blue, purple, and red thread. Someone who can sew well is to sew designs on it.37 Make five posts of acacia wood covered with gold. Make gold hooks for them on which to hang the curtain, and make five bronze bases for them.

Exodus 27

The Altar for Burnt Offerings

1 “Make an altar of acacia wood, four and one-half feet high. It should be square—seven and one-half feet long and seven and one-half feet wide.2 Make each of the four corners of the altar stick out like a horn, in such a way that the corners with their horns are all one piece. Then cover the whole altar with bronze.

3 
“Use bronze to make all the tools and dishes that will be used on the altar: the pots to remove the ashes, the shovels, the bowls for sprinkling blood, the meat forks, and the pans for carrying the burning wood.

4 
“Make a large bronze screen to hold the burning wood, and put a bronze ring at each of the four corners of it.5 Put the screen inside the altar, under its rim, halfway up from the bottom.

6 
“Make poles of acacia wood for the altar, and cover them with bronze.7 Put the poles through the rings on both sides of the altar to carry it.8 Make the altar out of boards and leave the inside hollow. Make it as you were shown on the mountain.

The Courtyard of the Holy Tent

9 

“Make a wall of curtains to form a courtyard around the Holy Tent. The south side should have a wall of fine linen curtains one hundred fifty feet long.10 Hang the curtains with silver hooks and bands on twenty bronze posts with twenty bronze bases.11 The north side must also be one hundred fifty feet long. Hang its curtains on silver hooks and bands on twenty bronze posts with twenty bronze bases.12 “The west end of the courtyard must have a wall of curtains seventy-five feet long, with ten posts and ten bases on that wall.13 The east end of the courtyard must also be seventy-five feet long.14 On one side of the entry, there is to be a wall of curtains twenty-two and one-half feet long, held up by three posts on three bases.15 On the other side of the entry, there is also to be a wall of curtains twenty-two and one-half feet long, held up by three posts on three bases.16 “The entry to the courtyard is to be a curtain thirty feet wide, made of fine linen with blue, purple, and red thread. Someone who can sew well is to sew designs on it. It is to be held up by four posts on four bases.17 All the posts around the courtyard must have silver bands and hooks and bronze bases.18 The courtyard must be one hundred fifty feet long and seventy-five feet wide, with a wall of curtains around it seven and one-half feet high, made of fine linen. The bases in which the posts are set must be bronze.19 All the things used in the Holy Tent and all the tent pegs for the Holy Tent and the wall around the courtyard must be made of bronze.

Oil for the Lamp

20 

“Command the people of Israel to bring you pure olive oil, made from pressed olives, to keep the lamps on the lampstand burning.21 Aaron and his sons must keep the lamps burning before the Lord from evening till morning. This will be in the Meeting Tent, outside the curtain which is in front of the Ark. The Israelites and their descendants must obey this rule from now on.

Exodus 28

Clothes for the Priests

1 “Tell your brother Aaron to come to you, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Separate them from the other Israelites to serve me as priests.2 Make holy clothes for your brother Aaron to give him honor and beauty.3 Tell all the skilled craftsmen to whom I have given wisdom to make special clothes for Aaron—clothes to show that he belongs to me so that he may serve me as a priest.4 These are the clothes they must make: a chest covering, a holy vest, an outer robe, a woven inner robe, a turban, and a cloth belt. The craftsmen must make these holy clothes for your brother Aaron and his sons. Then they may serve me as priests.5 The craftsmen must use gold and blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen.

The Holy Vest

6 

“Use gold and blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen to make the holy vest; skilled craftsmen are to make it.7 At each top corner of this holy vest there will be a pair of shoulder straps tied together over each shoulder.

8 
“The craftsmen will very carefully weave a belt on the holy vest that is made with the same materials—gold and blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen.

9 
“Take two onyx stones and write the names of the twelve sons of Israel on them,10 six on one stone and six on the other. Write the names in order, from the oldest son to the youngest.11 Carve the names of the sons of Israel on these stones in the same way a person carves words and designs on a seal. Put gold around the stones to hold them on the holy vest.12 Then put the two stones on the two straps of the holy vest as reminders of the twelve sons of Israel. Aaron is to wear their names on his shoulders in the presence of the Lord as reminders of the sons of Israel.13 Make two gold pieces to hold the stones14 and two chains of pure gold, twisted together like a rope. Attach the chains to the two gold pieces that hold the stones.

The Chest Covering

15 “Make a chest covering to help in making decisions. The craftsmen should make it as they made the holy vest, using gold and blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen.16 The chest covering must be square—nine inches long and nine inches wide—and folded double to make a pocket.17 Put four rows of beautiful gems on the chest covering: The first row must have a ruby, topaz, and yellow quartz;18 the second must have turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;19 the third must have a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;20 the fourth must have a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. Put gold around these jewels to attach them to the chest covering.21 There must be twelve jewels on the chest covering—one jewel for each of the names of the sons of Israel. Carve the name of one of the twelve tribes on each of the stones as you would carve a seal.

22 
“Make chains of pure gold, twisted together like rope, for the chest covering.23 Make two gold rings and put them on the two upper corners of the chest covering.24 Attach the two gold chains to the two rings at the upper corners of the chest covering.25 Attach the other ends of the two chains to the two gold pieces on the shoulder straps in the front of the holy vest.

26 
“Make two gold rings and put them at the two lower corners of the chest covering, on the inside edge next to the holy vest.27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder straps in the front of the holy vest. Put them close to the seam above the woven belt of the holy vest.28 Join the rings of the chest covering to the rings of the holy vest with blue ribbon, connecting it to the woven belt so the chest covering will not swing out from the holy vest.

29 
“When Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will wear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart, on the chest covering that helps in making decisions. This will be a continual reminder before the Lord.30 And put the Urim and Thummim inside the chest covering so that they will be on Aaron’s heart when he goes before the Lord. They will help in making decisions for the Israelites. So Aaron will always carry them with him when he is before the Lord.

31 
“Make the outer robe to be worn under the holy vest, using only blue cloth.32 Make a hole in the center for Aaron’s head, with a woven collar around the hole so it will not tear.33 Make balls like pomegranates of blue, purple, and red thread, and hang them around the bottom of the outer robe with gold bells between them.34 All around the bottom of the outer robe there should be a gold bell and a pomegranate ball, a gold bell and a pomegranate ball.35 Aaron must wear this robe when he serves as priest. The ringing of the bells will be heard when he enters and leaves the Holy Place before the Lord so that Aaron will not die.

36 
“Make a strip of pure gold and carve these words on it as you would carve a seal: ‘Holy to the Lord.’37 Use blue ribbon to tie it to the turban; put it on the front of the turban.38 Aaron must wear this on his forehead. In this way, he will be blamed if anything is wrong with the gifts of the Israelites. Aaron must always wear this on his head so the Lord will accept the gifts of the people.

39 
“Make the woven inner robe of fine linen, and make the turban of fine linen also. Make the cloth belt with designs sewn on it.40 Also make woven inner robes, cloth belts, and headbands for Aaron’s sons, to give them honor and beauty.41 Put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, and pour olive oil on their heads to appoint them as priests. Make them belong to me so they may serve me as priests.

42 
“Make for them linen underclothes to cover them from the waist to the upper parts of the legs.43 Aaron and his sons must wear these underclothes when they enter the Meeting Tent and anytime they come near the altar to serve as priests in the Holy Place. If they do not wear these clothes, they will be guilty of wrong, and they will die. This will be a law that will last from now on for Aaron and all his descendants.