Exodus 36–40

36¹So Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person will do the work the Lord has commanded, because he gave them the wisdom and understanding to do all the skilled work needed to build the Holy Tent.”

²Then Moses called Bezalel, Oholiab, and all the other skilled people to whom the Lord had given skills, and they came because they wanted to help with the work. ³They received from Moses everything the people of Israel had brought as gifts to build the Holy Tent. The people continued to bring gifts each morning because they wanted to. ⁴So all the skilled workers left the work they were doing on the Holy Tent, ⁵and they said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than we need to do the work the Lord commanded.”

⁶Then Moses sent this command throughout the camp: “No man or woman should make anything else as a gift for the Holy Tent.” So the people were kept from giving more, ⁷because what they had was already more than enough to do all the work.

The Holy Tent

⁸Then the skilled workers made the Holy Tent. They made the ten curtains of blue, purple, and red cloth, and they sewed designs of creatures with wings on the curtains. ⁹Each curtain was the same size—forty-two feet long and six feet wide. ¹⁰Five of the curtains were fastened together to make one set, and the other five were fastened together to make another set. ¹¹Then they made loops of blue cloth along the edge of the end curtain on the first set of five, and they did the same thing with the other set of five. ¹²There were fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the other curtain, with the loops opposite each other. ¹³They made fifty gold hooks to join the two curtains together so that the Holy Tent was joined together as one piece.

¹⁴Then the workers made another tent of eleven curtains made of goat hair, to put over the Holy Tent. ¹⁵All eleven curtains were the same size—forty-five feet long and six feet wide. ¹⁶The workers sewed five curtains together into one set and six together into another set. ¹⁷They made fifty loops along the edge of the outside curtain of one set and fifty loops along the edge of the outside curtain of the other set. ¹⁸Then they made fifty bronze rings to join the two sets of cloth together and make the tent one piece. ¹⁹They made two more coverings for the outer tent—one made of male sheepskins colored red and the other made of fine leather.

²⁰Then they made upright frames of acacia wood for the Holy Tent. ²¹Each frame was fifteen feet tall and twenty-seven inches wide, ²²and there were two pegs side by side on each one. Every frame of the Holy Tent was made this same way. ²³They made twenty frames for the south side of the Tent, ²⁴and they made forty silver bases that went under the twenty frames. There were two bases for every frame—one for each peg of each frame. ²⁵They also made twenty frames for the north side of the Holy Tent ²⁶and forty silver bases—two to go under each frame. ²⁷They made six frames for the rear or west end of the Holy Tent ²⁸and two frames for the corners at the rear of the Holy Tent. ²⁹These two frames were doubled at the bottom and joined at the top with a metal ring. They did this for each of these corners. ³⁰So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two bases under each frame.

³¹Then they made crossbars of acacia wood to connect the upright frames of the Holy Tent. Five crossbars held the frames together on one side of the Tent, ³²and five held the frames together on the other side. Also, five crossbars held the frames together on the west end, at the rear of the Tent. ³³They made the middle crossbar run along the entire length of each side and rear of the Tent. It was set halfway up the frames. ³⁴They made gold rings on the sides of the frames to hold the crossbars, and they covered the frames and the crossbars with gold.

³⁵Then they made the curtain of blue, purple, and red thread, and fine linen. A skilled craftsman sewed designs of creatures with wings on it. ³⁶They made four posts of acacia wood for it and covered them with gold. Then they made gold hooks for the posts, as well as four silver bases in which to set the posts. ³⁷For the entrance to the Tent, they made a curtain of blue, purple, and red thread, and fine linen. A person who sewed well sewed designs on it. ³⁸Then they made five posts and hooks for it. They covered the tops of the posts and their bands with gold, and they made five bronze bases for the posts.

The Ark of the Agreement

37Bezalel made the Ark of acacia wood; it was forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. ²He covered it, both inside and out, with pure gold, and he put a gold strip around it. ³He made four gold rings for it and attached them to its four feet, with two rings on each side. ⁴Then he made poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold. ⁵He put the poles through the rings on each side of the Ark to carry it. ⁶Then he made a lid of pure gold that was forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide. ⁷Then Bezalel hammered gold to make two creatures with wings and attached them to each end of the lid. ⁸He made one creature on one end of the lid and the other creature on the other end. He attached them to the lid so that it would be one piece. ⁹The creatures’ wings were spread upward, covering the lid, and the creatures faced each other across the lid.

The Table

¹⁰Then he made the table of acacia wood; it was thirty-six inches long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. ¹¹He covered it with pure gold and put a gold strip around it. ¹²He made a frame three inches high that stood up all around the edge, and he put a gold strip around it. ¹³Then he made four gold rings for the table and attached them to the four corners of the table where the four legs were. ¹⁴The rings were put close to the frame around the top of the table, because they held the poles for carrying it. ¹⁵The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were covered with gold. ¹⁶He made of pure gold all the things that were used on the table: the plates, bowls, cups, and jars used for pouring the drink offerings.

The Lampstand

¹⁷Then he made the lampstand of pure gold, hammering out its base and stand. Its flower-like cups, buds, and petals were joined together in one piece with the base and stand. ¹⁸Six branches went out from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. ¹⁹Each branch had three cups shaped like almond flowers, and each cup had a bud and a petal. Each of the six branches going out from the lampstand was the same. ²⁰There were four more cups shaped like almond flowers on the lampstand itself, each with its buds and petals. ²¹Three pairs of branches went out from the lampstand. A bud was under the place where each pair was attached to the lampstand. Each of the six branches going out from the lampstand was the same. ²²The buds, branches, and lampstand were all one piece of pure, hammered gold. ²³He made seven pure gold lamps for this lampstand, and he made pure gold wick trimmers and trays. ²⁴He used about seventy-five pounds of pure gold to make the lampstand and all the things that go with it.

The Altar for Burning Incense

²⁵Then he made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square—eighteen inches long and eighteen inches wide—and it was thirty-six inches high. Each corner that stuck out like a horn was joined into one piece with the altar. ²⁶He covered the top and all the sides and the corners with pure gold, and he put gold trim around the altar. ²⁷He made two gold rings and put them below the trim on opposite sides of the altar; these rings held the poles for carrying it. ²⁸He made the poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold.

²⁹Then he made the holy olive oil for appointing the priests and the pure, sweet-smelling incense. He made them like a person who mixes perfumes.

The Altar for Burnt Offerings

38Then he built the altar for burnt offerings out of acacia wood. The altar was square—seven and one-half feet long and seven and one-half feet wide—and it was four and one-half feet high. ²He made each corner stick out like a horn so that the horns and the altar were joined together in one piece. Then he covered the altar with bronze. ³He made all the tools of bronze to use on the altar: the pots, shovels, bowls for sprinkling blood, meat forks, and pans for carrying the fire. ⁴He made a large bronze screen to hold the burning wood for the altar and put it inside the altar, under its rim, halfway up from the bottom. ⁵He made bronze rings to hold the poles for carrying the altar, and he put them at the four corners of the screen. ⁶Then he made poles of acacia wood and covered them with bronze. ⁷He put the poles through the rings on both sides of the altar, to carry it. He made the altar of boards and left the inside hollow.

The Bronze Bowl

⁸He made the bronze bowl for washing, and he built it on a bronze stand. He used the bronze from mirrors that belonged to the women who served at the entrance to the Meeting Tent.

The Courtyard of the Holy Tent

⁹Then he made a wall of curtains to form a courtyard around the Holy Tent. On the south side the curtains were one hundred fifty feet long and were made of fine linen. ¹⁰The curtains hung on silver hooks and bands, placed on twenty bronze posts with twenty bronze bases. ¹¹On the north side the wall of curtains was also one hundred fifty feet long, and it hung on silver hooks and bands on twenty posts with twenty bronze bases.

¹²On the west side of the courtyard, the wall of curtains was seventy-five feet long. It was held up by silver hooks and bands on ten posts with ten bases. ¹³The east side was also seventy-five feet long. ¹⁴On one side of the entry there was a wall of curtains twenty-two and one-half feet long, held up by three posts and three bases. ¹⁵On the other side of the entry there was also a wall of curtains twenty-two and one-half feet long, held…