Exodus 35–40: The Dwelling Built, and the Glory That Filled It

Then Moses assembled the whole congregation of Israel and said to them, “These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do: For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death. Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

Moses also told the whole congregation of Israel, “This is what the LORD has commanded: Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Let everyone whose heart is willing bring an offering to the LORD:

gold, silver, and bronze;
blue, purple, and scarlet yarn;
fine linen and goat hair;
ram skins dyed red and fine leather;
acacia wood;
olive oil for the light;
spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;
and onyx stones and gemstones to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

Let every skilled craftsman among you come and make everything that the LORD has commanded:

the tabernacle with its tent and covering, its clasps and frames, its crossbars, posts, and bases;
the ark with its poles and mercy seat, and the veil to shield it;
the table with its poles, all its utensils, and the Bread of the Presence;
the lampstand for light with its accessories and lamps and oil for the light;
the altar of incense with its poles;
the anointing oil and fragrant incense;
the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle;
the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grate, its poles, and all its utensils;
the basin with its stand;
the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the gate of the courtyard;
the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, along with their ropes;
and the woven garments for ministering in the holy place—both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.”

Then the whole congregation of Israel withdrew from the presence of Moses. And everyone whose heart stirred him and whose spirit prompted him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its services, and for the holy garments.

So all who had willing hearts, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings, rings and necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry. And they all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.

Everyone who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red, or articles of fine leather, brought them. And all who could present an offering of silver or bronze brought it as a contribution to the LORD. Also, everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the service brought it.

Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun: blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen. And all the skilled women whose hearts were stirred spun the goat hair.

The leaders brought onyx stones and gemstones to mount on the ephod and breastpiece, as well as spices and olive oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense.

So all the men and women of the Israelites whose hearts prompted them brought a freewill offering to the LORD for all the work that the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.

Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for settings, and to carve wood, so that he may be a master of every artistic craft.

And the LORD has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and as weavers—as artistic designers of every kind of craft.

“So Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person are to carry out everything commanded by the LORD, who has given them skill and ability to know how to perform all the work of constructing the sanctuary.”

Then Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person whom the LORD had gifted—everyone whose heart stirred him to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the contributions that the Israelites had brought to carry out the service of constructing the sanctuary.

Meanwhile, the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning, so that all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD has commanded us to do.”

After Moses had given an order, they sent a proclamation throughout the camp: “No man or woman should make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing more, since what they already had was more than enough to perform all the work.

All the skilled craftsmen among the workmen made the ten curtains for the tabernacle. They were made of finely spun linen, as well as blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully worked into them. Each curtain was twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide; all the curtains were the same size. And he joined five of the curtains together, and the other five he joined as well.

He made loops of blue material on the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and also on the end curtain in the second set. He made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the second set, so that the loops lined up opposite one another. He also made fifty gold clasps to join the curtains together, so that the tabernacle was a unit.

He then made curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven curtains in all. Each of the eleven curtains was the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. He joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another. He made fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and fifty loops along the edge of the corresponding curtain in the second set. He also made fifty bronze clasps to join the tent together as a unit.

Additionally, he made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather.

Next, he constructed upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Two tenons were connected to each other for each frame. He made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.

He constructed twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle, with forty silver bases to put under the twenty frames—two bases for each frame, one under each tenon.

For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, he made twenty frames and forty silver bases—two bases under each frame.

He made six frames for the rear of the tabernacle, the west side, and two frames for the two back corners of the tabernacle, coupled together from bottom to top and fitted into a single ring. He made both corners in this way. So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

He also made five crossbars of acacia wood for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, five for those on the other side, and five for those on the rear side of the tabernacle, to the west.

He made the central crossbar to run through the center of the frames, from one end to the other. And he overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. He also overlaid the crossbars with gold.

Next, he made the veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

He also made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold, along with gold hooks; and he cast four silver bases for the posts.

For the entrance to the tent, he made a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, together with five posts and their hooks.

He overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold, and their five bases were bronze.

Bezalel went on to construct the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. And he cast four gold rings for its four feet, two rings on one side and two on the other. Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. He inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark in order to carry it.

He constructed a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. He made two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat, one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. And the cherubim had wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the mercy seat.

He also made the table of acacia wood two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. He overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim.

He cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners at its four legs. The rings were placed close to the rim, to serve as holders for the poles used to carry the table. He made the poles of acacia wood for carrying the table and overlaid them with gold.

He also made the utensils for the table out of pure gold: its plates and dishes, as well as its bowls and pitchers for pouring drink offerings.

Then he made the lampstand out of pure hammered gold, all of one piece: its base and shaft, its cups, and its buds and petals. Six branches extended from the sides, three on one side and three on the other. There were three cups shaped like almond blossoms on the first branch, each with buds and petals, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches that extended from the lampstand.

And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals. A bud was under the first pair of branches that extended from the lampstand, a bud under the second pair, and a bud under the third pair. The buds and branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

He also made its seven lamps, its wick trimmers, and trays of pure gold. He made the lampstand and all its utensils from a talent of pure gold.

He made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns were of one piece. And he overlaid with pure gold the top and all the sides and horns. Then he made a molding of gold around it.

He made two gold rings below the molding on opposite sides to hold the poles used to carry it. And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

He also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense, the work of a perfumer.

Bezalel constructed the altar of burnt offering from acacia wood. It was square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high. He made a horn at each of its four corners, so that the horns and altar were of one piece, and he overlaid the altar with bronze.

He made all the altar’s utensils of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks, and firepans. He made a grate of bronze mesh for the altar under its ledge, halfway up from the bottom.

At the four corners of the bronze grate he cast four rings as holders for the poles. And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. Then he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar for carrying it. He made the altar with boards so that it was hollow.

Next he made the bronze basin and its stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

Then he constructed the courtyard. The south side of the courtyard was a hundred cubits long and had curtains of finely spun linen, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. The north side was also a hundred cubits long, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases. The hooks and bands of the posts were silver. The west side was fifty cubits long and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases. The hooks and bands of the posts were silver. And the east side, toward the sunrise, was also fifty cubits long.

The curtains on one side of the entrance were fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases. And the curtains on the other side were also fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases as well. All the curtains around the courtyard were made of finely spun linen. The bases for the posts were bronze, the hooks and bands were silver, and the plating for the tops of the posts was silver. So all the posts of the courtyard were banded with silver.

The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high, with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks were silver, as well as the bands and the plating of their tops. All the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the surrounding courtyard were bronze.

This is the inventory for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, as recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything that the LORD had commanded Moses. With him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen.

All the gold from the wave offering used for the work on the sanctuary totaled 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

The silver from those numbered among the congregation totaled 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel— a beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone twenty years of age or older who had crossed over to be numbered, a total of 603,550 men.

The hundred talents of silver were used to cast the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil—100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent per base.

With the 1,775 shekels of silver he made the hooks for the posts, overlaid their tops, and supplied bands for them.

The bronze from the wave offering totaled 70 talents and 2,400 shekels. He used it to make the bases for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the bronze altar and its bronze grating, all the utensils for the altar, the bases for the surrounding courtyard and its gate, and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and its surrounding courtyard.

From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made specially woven garments for ministry in the sanctuary, as well as the holy garments for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Bezalel made the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut threads from them to interweave with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached at two of its corners, so it could be fastened. And the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod was of one piece with the ephod, of the same workmanship—with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

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

He made the breastpiece with the same workmanship as the ephod, with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen. It was square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide.

And they mounted on it four rows of gemstones:

The first row had a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald;
the second row had a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
the third row had a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
and the fourth row had a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper.

These stones were mounted in gold filigree settings.

The twelve stones corresponded to the names of the sons of Israel. Each stone was engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

For the breastpiece they made braided chains like cords of pure gold. They also made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the two rings to the two corners of the breastpiece. Then they fastened the two gold chains to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece, and they fastened the other ends of the two chains to the two filigree settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front.

They made two more gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece, on the inside edge next to the ephod.

They made two additional gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on its front, near the seam just above its woven waistband. Then they tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece was above the waistband of the ephod and would not swing out from the ephod, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, the work of a weaver, with an opening in the center of the robe like that of a garment, with a collar around the opening so that it would not tear.

They made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and finely spun linen on the lower hem of the robe. They also made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates, alternating the bells and pomegranates around the lower hem of the robe to be worn for ministry, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

For Aaron and his sons they made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver, as well as the turban of fine linen, the ornate headbands and undergarments of finely spun linen, and the sash of finely spun linen, embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

They also made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and they engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal:

HOLY TO THE LORD.

Then they fastened to it a blue cord to mount it on the turban, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

So all the work for the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses:

the tent with all its furnishings, its clasps, its frames, its crossbars, and its posts and bases;
the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather, and the veil of the covering;
the ark of the Testimony with its poles and the mercy seat;
the table with all its utensils and the Bread of the Presence;
the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and all its utensils, as well as the oil for the light;
the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent;
the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils;
the basin with its stand;
the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases;
the curtain for the gate of the courtyard, its ropes and tent pegs, and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting;
and the woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.

The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses. And Moses inspected all the work and saw that they had accomplished it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “On the first day of the first month you are to set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil. Then bring in the table and set out its arrangement; bring in the lampstand as well, and set up its lamps.

Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony, and hang the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. And place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

Set up the surrounding courtyard and hang the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard.

Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings, and it shall be holy. Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it shall be most holy. Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.

Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. And you are to clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he may serve me as a priest. Bring his sons forward and clothe them with tunics. Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve me as priests. Their anointing will qualify them for a permanent priesthood throughout their generations.”

Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him. So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year.

When Moses set up the tabernacle, he laid its bases, positioned its frames, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts. Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark. Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and shielded off the ark of the Testimony, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. He arranged the bread on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

He also placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle and set up the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the veil, and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded him. Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. He placed the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded him.

He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing; and from it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet. They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

And Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and he hung the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out through all the stages of their journey. If the cloud was not lifted, they would not set out until the day it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel through all their journeys.