Logos Bible Study

Exodus 39–40

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39TH CHAPTER

The Holy Clothes—Exodus 28:1–5

1From the violet, purple, and bright red yarn they made special clothes worn for official duties in the holy place. They also made the holy clothes for Aaron. They followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 

The Ephod—Exodus 28:6–14

2They made the ephod out of fine linen yarn and gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn. 3They hammered the gold into thin sheets and cut them up. They twisted the gold into threads, which they creatively worked into each strand of the violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and throughout the fine linen. 4They made two shoulder straps attached at the ⸤top⸥ corners so that the ephod could be fastened. 5They made the belt that is attached to the ephod out of the same fabric. They followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 6They mounted the onyx stones in gold settings, and engraved on them the names of the sons of Israel. 7Then they fastened them on the shoulder straps of the ephod as a reminder of who the Israelites are. They followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 

The Breastplate—Exodus 28:15–28

8They made the breastplate as creatively as they made the ephod. It was made out of gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and of fine linen yarn. 9It was folded in half and was 9 inches square. 10They fastened four rows of precious stones on it. In the first row they put red quartz, topaz, and emerald. 11In the second row they put turquoise, sapphire, and crystal. 12In the third row they put jacinth, agate, and amethyst. 13In the fourth row they put beryl, onyx, and gray quartz. The stones were mounted in gold settings. 14They corresponded to the 12 sons of Israel, by name, each stone engraved (like a signet ring) with the name of one of the 12 tribes. 

15For the breastplate they made chains out of pure gold, twisted like ropes. 16They made two gold settings and two gold rings and attached the two rings to the ⸤top⸥ two corners of the breastplate. 17They fastened the two gold ropes to the rings at the ⸤top⸥ corners of the breastplate. 18They fastened the other ends of the ropes to the two settings on the shoulder straps of the ephod ⸤so that the breastplate hung⸥ in front of it. 19They made two gold rings and fastened them to the other two corners of the breastplate on the inside edge next to the ephod. 20They made two ⸤more⸥ gold rings and fastened them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the ephod. This was close to the seam just above the belt of the ephod. 21Then they fastened the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a violet cord. So the breastplate was attached just above the belt of the ephod and was held in place. They followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 

Other Clothes for Aaron and His Sons—Exodus 28:31–43

22They made the robe that is worn with the ephod, woven entirely of violet yarn. 23The opening in the center of the robe had a finished edge (like a leather collar) all around it to keep it from tearing. 24On the hem of the robe they made pomegranates of violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and fine yarn. 25They made bells out of pure gold and fastened them in between the pomegranates all around the hem of the robe. 26A gold bell alternated with a pomegranate all around the hem of the robe that is worn by Aaron when he serves as priest. They followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 

27They wove inner robes out of fine linen for Aaron and his sons. 28They also made the chief priest’s turban and the other beautiful turbans out of fine linen. They made the undergarments and belt out of fine linen yarn. 29The belt was embroidered with violet, purple, and bright red yarn. They followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 

30They made the flower-shaped medallion (the holy crown) out of pure gold and engraved on it (as on a signet ring): Holy to the Lord. 31They fastened a violet cord to it and tied it on top of the turban. They followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 

The Tent Is Brought to Moses

32So all the work on the inner tent (the tent of meeting) was now done. The Israelites followed all the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 33Then they brought everything to Moses—the inner tent, the outer tent and all its furnishings, the fasteners, frames, crossbars, posts, sockets, 34the cover made of rams’ skins dyed red, the cover made of fine leather,the canopy over ⸤the ark⸥, 35the ark containing the words of God’s promise with its poles and the throne of mercy, 36the table with all the dishes, the bread of the presence, 37the pure ⸤gold⸥ lamp stand with its lamps in a row and all its utensils, the olive oil for the lamps, 38the gold altar, the anointing oil, the sweet-smelling incense, the screen for the entrance to the tent, 39the bronze altar with its bronze grate, its poles, and all its accessories, the basin with its stand, 40the curtains for the courtyard, the posts, bases, and screen for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and pegs—all the equipment needed for the service of the inner tent (the tent of meeting)—41the special clothes worn when serving as priests in the holy place—both the holy clothes for the priest Aaron and the clothes for his sons when serving as priests. 42The Israelites had done all the work following the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 

43Moses inspected all the work and saw that they had followed the Lord’s instructions. So Moses blessed them. 

40TH CHAPTER

Instructions for Setting Up the Tent

1Then the Lord said to Moses, 2“Set up the tent (the tent of meeting) on the first day of the first month of the year. 3Place the ark containing the words of my promise inside it, and hang the canopy over the ark. 4Bring in the table, and arrange everything on it. Bring in the lamp stand, and set up the lamps. 5Put the gold altar for incense in front of the ark. Put up the screen at the entrance to the tent. 

6“Put the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance to the tent of meeting. 7Put the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8Set up the surrounding courtyard, and put up the screen at the entrance to the courtyard. 9Take the anointing oil, and anoint the tent and everything in it. In this way you will dedicate it and all its furnishings. Then it will be holy. 10Anoint the altar for burnt offerings and all the utensils. In this way you will dedicate the altar, and it will be most holy. 11Anoint the basin and stand, and they will be dedicated. 

12“Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and wash them. 13Then dress Aaron in the holy clothes, and anoint him. In this way you will dedicate him to serve me as priest. 14Have his sons come forward, and dress them in their linen robes. 15Anoint them to serve me as priests, as you anointed their father. Their anointing will begin a permanent priesthood for them for generations to come.” 

Moses Sets Up the Tent

16Moses did everything as the Lord commanded him. 17So the tent was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year ⸤after the Israelites had left Egypt⸥. 18When Moses set up the tent, he put the sockets in place, put up the frames, inserted the crossbars, and set up the posts. 19He spread the outer tent over the inner tent and put the cover on top. Moses followed the Lord’s instructions. 

20He took the words of God’s promise and put them in the ark. He put the poles on the ark and placed the throne of mercy on top of the ark. 21Then he brought the ark into the tent and hung the canopy over it to mark off where the ark was. Moses followed the Lord’s instructions. 

22Moses put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tent outside the canopy. 23He arranged the bread on the table in the Lord’s presence, following the Lord’s instructions. 24He placed the lamp stand in the tent of meeting opposite the table, on the south side of the tent. 25He set up the lamps in the Lord’s presence, following the Lord’s instructions. 

26Moses put the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the canopy. 27He burned sweet-smelling incense on it, following the Lord’s instructions. 28Then he put up the screen at the entrance to the tent. 

29He put the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance to the tent (the tent of meeting). He sacrificed burnt offerings and grain offerings on it. Moses followed the Lord’s instructions. 

30He put the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. 31Moses, Aaron, and his sons used this water to wash their hands and feet. 32They would wash whenever they went into the tent of meeting or whenever they approached the altar. Moses followed the Lord’s instructions. 

33He set up the courtyard around the tent and the altar and put up the screen at the entrance to the courtyard. Finally, Moses finished the work. 

The Lord Comes to the Tent

34Then the ⸤column of⸥ smoke covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tent. 35Moses couldn’t go into the tent of meeting, because the smoke settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tent. 

36In all their travels, whenever the ⸤column of⸥ smoke moved from the tent, the Israelites would break camp. 37But if the column didn’t move, they wouldn’t break camp. 38So the Lord’s column stayed over the tent during the day, and there was fire in the smoke at night. In this way all the Israelites could see the column throughout their travels. 

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