The Priestly Garments

39 From the blue, purple and scarlet yarni they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary.j They also made sacred garmentsk for Aaron, as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Ephod

39:2–7pp—Ex 28:6–14

2 Theya made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 3 They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of skilled hands. 4 They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened. 5 Its skillfully woven waistband was like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the Lord commanded Moses.

6 They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings and engraved them like a seal with the names of the sons of Israel. 7 Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memoriall stones for the sons of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Breastpiece

39:8–21pp—Ex 28:15–28

8 They fashioned the breastpiecem—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 9 It was square—a spanb long and a span wide—and folded double. 10 Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. The first row was carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 11 the second row was turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 12 the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; 13 the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper.c They were mounted in gold filigree settings. 14 There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.n

15 For the breastpiece they made braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. 16 They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the rings to two of the corners of the breastpiece. 17 They fastened the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 18 and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. 19 They made two gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. 20 Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. 21 They tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband so that the breastpiece would not swing out from the ephod—as the Lord commanded Moses.

Other Priestly Garments

39:22–31pp—Ex 28:31–43

22 They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth—the work of a weaver—23 with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar,d and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear. 24 They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe. 25 And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates. 26 The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the Lord commanded Moses.

27 For Aaron and his sons, they made tunics of fine lineno—the work of a weaver—28 and the turbanp of fine linen, the linen caps and the undergarments of finely twisted linen. 29 The sash was made of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn—the work of an embroiderer—as the Lord commanded Moses.

30 They made the plate, the sacred emblem, out of pure gold and engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: holy to the Lord.q 31 Then they fastened a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban,r as the Lord commanded Moses.

Moses Inspects the Tabernacle

39:32–41pp—Ex 35:10–19

32 So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.s 33 Then they brought the tabernaclet to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 34 the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of another durable leathere and the shielding curtain; 35 the ark of the covenant lawu with its poles and the atonement cover; 36 the tablev with all its articles and the bread of the Presence;w 37 the pure gold lampstandx with its row of lamps and all its accessories,y and the olive oilz for the light; 38 the gold altar,a the anointing oil,b the fragrant incense,c and the curtaind for the entrance to the tent; 39 the bronze altare with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basinf with its stand; 40 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard;g the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 41 and the woven garmentsh worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.

42 The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.i 43 Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded.j So Moses blessedk them.

Setting Up the Tabernacle

40 Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 “Set upl the tabernacle, the tent of meeting,m on the first day of the first month.n 3 Place the arko of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the tablep and set out what belongs on it.q Then bring in the lampstandr and set up its lamps. 5 Place the gold altars of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

6 “Place the altart of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 7 place the basinu between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyardv around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.

9 “Take the anointing oil and anointw the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings,x and it will be holy. 10 Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecratey the altar, and it will be most holy. 11 Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.

12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meetingz and wash them with water.a 13 Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments,b anoint him and consecratec him so he may serve me as priest. 14 Bring his sons and dress them in tunics.d 15 Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.e” 16 Moses did everything just as the Lord commandedf him.

17 So the tabernacleg was set up on the first day of the first monthh in the second year. 18 When Mosesi set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames,j inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. 19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the coveringk over the tent, as the Lord commandedl him.

20 He took the tablets of the covenant lawm and placed them in the ark,n attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement covero over it. 21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtainp and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commandedq him.

22 Moses placed the tabler in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain 23 and set out the breads on it before the Lord, as the Lord commandedt him.

24 He placed the lampstandu in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle 25 and set up the lampsv before the Lord, as the Lord commandedw him.

26 Moses placed the gold altarx in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain 27 and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord commandedy him.

28 Then he put up the curtainz at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 He set the altara of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings,b as the Lord commandedc him.

30 He placed the basind between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to washe their hands and feet. 32 They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar,f as the Lord commandedg Moses.

33 Then Moses set up the courtyardh around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtaini at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the Lord

34 Then the cloudj covered the tent of meeting, and the gloryk of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the gloryl of the Lord filled the tabernacle.m

36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;n 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloudo of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.