Instructions for the sacred tent, its furnishings, and the sacred chest

The sacred tent

(Exodus 35.4-9)

1The LORD said to Moses:

2Tell everyone in Israel who wants to give gifts that they must bring them to you. 3Here is a list of what you are to collect: gold, silver, and bronze; 4blue, purple, and red wool; fine linen; goat hair; 5tanned ram skins; fine leather; acacia wood; 6olive oil for the lamp; sweet-smelling spices to mix with the oil for dedicating the tent and ordaining the priests; 7and onyx25.7 onyx: A precious stone with bands of different colours. stones for the sacred apron and the breastpiece. 8I also want them to build a special place where I can live among my people. 9Make it and its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

The sacred chest

(Exodus 37.1-9)

The LORD said to Moses:

10Tell the people to build a chest of acacia wood one hundred and ten centimetres long, sixty-six centimetres wide, and sixty-six centimetres high. 11Cover it inside and out with pure gold and put a gold edging around the lid. 12Make four gold rings and fasten one of them to each of the four legs of the chest. 13Make two poles of acacia wood. Cover them with gold 14and put them through the rings, so the chest can be carried by the poles. 15Don't ever remove the poles from the rings. 16When I give you the Ten Commandments written on two flat stones, put them inside the chest.

17Cover the lid of the chest with pure gold.25.17: He 9.5. 18-19Then hammer out two winged creatures of pure gold and fasten them to the lid at the ends of the chest. 20The creatures must face each other with their wings spread over the chest. 21Inside it place the two flat stones with the Ten Commandments and put the gold lid on top of the chest. 22I will meet you there25.22 I will meet you there: It was believed that God had his earthly throne on the lid of the sacred chest. between the two creatures and tell you what my people must do and what they must not do.

The table for the sacred bread

(Exodus 37.10-16)

The LORD said:

23Make a table of acacia wood eighty-eight centimetres long, forty-four centimetres wide, and sixty-six centimetres high. 24-25Cover it with pure gold and put a gold edging around it with a border seventy-five millimetres wide.25.24,25 a gold edging…wide: Or “a gold edging around it seventy-five millimetres wide”. 26Make four gold rings and attach one to each of the legs 27-28near the edging. The poles for carrying the table are to be placed through these rings and are to be made of acacia wood covered with gold. 29-30The table is to be kept in the holy place, and the sacred loaves of bread must always be put on it. All bowls, plates, jars, and cups for wine offerings are to be made of pure gold and set on this table.25.30: Lv 24.5-8.

The lampstand

(Exodus 37.17-24)

The LORD said:

31Make a lampstand of pure gold. The whole lampstand, including its decorative flowers, must be made from a single piece of hammered gold 32with three branches on each of its two sides. 33There are to be three decorative almond blossoms on each branch 34and four on the stem. 35There must also be a blossom where each pair of branches comes out from the stem. 36The lampstand, including its branches and decorative flowers, must be made from a single piece of hammered pure gold. 37The lamp on the top and those at the end of each of its six branches must be made so as to shine towards the front of the lampstand. 38The tongs and trays for taking care of the lamps are to be made of pure gold. 39The lampstand and its equipment will require thirty-five kilogrammes of pure gold, 40and they must be made according to the pattern I showed you on the mountain.25.40: Ac 7.44; He 8.5.