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Instructions for Making the Tabernacle

26 “And the tabernacle you will make with ten curtains; you will make them of finely twisted linen and blue and purple and crimson yarns, with cherubim, the work of a skilled craftsman. The length of the one curtain will be twenty-eight cubits, and the width will be four cubits for the one curtain; one measure will be for all the curtains. Five curtains will be joined to one another,[a] and five curtains joined to one another.[b] And you will make loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain, at the end in the set; and you will do so on the edge of the end curtain in the second set. You will make fifty loops on the one curtain, and you will make fifty loops on the end of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops are to be opposite[c] to one another.[d] And you will make fifty gold clasps and join the curtains to one another[e] with the clasps, so that the tabernacle will be one.

“And you will make curtains of goat hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you will make them eleven curtains. The length of the one curtain will be thirty cubits, and the width will be four cubits for the one curtain; one measure will be for the eleven curtains. And you will join five curtains together and six curtains together, and you will fold double the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. 10 And you will make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain at the end of the first set and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set. 11 And you will make fifty bronze clasps, and you will put the clasps in the loops and join the tent, so that it will be one.

12 “And the surplus in the curtains of the tent will be an overhang; the surplus half curtain will hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13 And a cubit from one side[f] and a cubit from the other side[g] in the surplus in the length of the curtains of the tent will be hung over the sides of the tabernacle equally[h] to cover it.

14 “And you will make a covering for the tent of red-dyed ram skins and a covering of fine leather to go above.

15 “And you will make the frames[i] for the tabernacle of acacia wood as uprights.[j] 16 The length of the frame[k] will be ten cubits, and the width of the one frame[l] will be one and a half cubits. 17 You will make two pegs[m] for the one frame[n] for joining each to another[o] and likewise for all the frames[p] of the tabernacle. 18 And you will make the frames[q] for the tabernacle with twenty frames[r] for the south[s] side. 19 And you will make forty silver bases under the twenty frames,[t] with two bases under the one frame[u] for its two pegs[v] and two bases under the next[w] frame[x] for its two pegs.[y] 20 And for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, there will be twenty frames[z] 21 and their forty silver bases, with two bases under the one frame[aa] and two bases under the next[ab] frame.[ac]

22 “And for the rear of the tabernacle on the west[ad] you will make six frames.[ae] 23 And you will make two frames[af] for the tabernacle corners at the rear. 24 They will be double at the bottom, and they will be completely together on its top to the one ring; it will be likewise for the two of them; they will be for the two corners. 25 And there will be eight frames[ag] and their silver bases, sixteen bases, with two bases under the one frame[ah] and two bases under the next[ai] frame.[aj]

26 “You will make five bars of acacia wood for the frames[ak] on the one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the frames[al] on the second side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames[am] on the side of the tabernacle at the rear on the west.[an] 28 And the bar in the middle, in the midst of the frames[ao] will run from end to end. 29 And you will overlay the frames[ap] with gold, and you will make their rings of gold as holders[aq] for the bars, and you will overlay the bars with gold. 30 And you will erect the tabernacle according to its plan, which you have been shown on the mountain.

31 “And you will make a curtain of blue and purple and crimson yarns and finely twisted linen, the work of a skilled craftsman; he will make it with cherubim. 32 And you will put it on four acacia pillars overlaid with gold with their gold hooks on four silver bases. 33 And you will put the curtain under the clasps, and you will bring the ark of the testimony there inside the curtain, and the curtain will separate for you between the holy and the most holy place.[ar] 34 And you will put the atonement cover on the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.[as] 35 And you will place the table outside the curtain and the lampstand opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, and you will put the table on the north side.

36 “And you will make for the entrance of the tent a screen of blue and purple and crimson yarns and finely twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer. 37 And you will make for the screen five acacia pillars, and you will overlay them with gold with their gold hooks, and you will cast for them five bronze bases.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 26:3 Literally “a woman to her sister”
  2. Exodus 26:3 Literally “a woman to her sister”
  3. Exodus 26:5 Or “interlinked” or “matching”
  4. Exodus 26:5 Literally “a woman to her sister”
  5. Exodus 26:6 Literally “a woman to her sister”
  6. Exodus 26:13 Literally “from this”
  7. Exodus 26:13 Literally “from this”
  8. Exodus 26:13 Literally “from this and from this”
  9. Exodus 26:15 Or “boards” or “planks”
  10. Exodus 26:15 Literally “standing”
  11. Exodus 26:16 Or “board” or “plank”
  12. Exodus 26:16 Or “board” or “plank”
  13. Exodus 26:17 Literally “hands”
  14. Exodus 26:17 Or “board” or “plank”
  15. Exodus 26:17 Literally “a woman to her sister”
  16. Exodus 26:17 Or “boards” or “planks”
  17. Exodus 26:18 Or “boards” or “planks”
  18. Exodus 26:18 Or “boards” or “planks”
  19. Exodus 26:18 Literally “south southward”
  20. Exodus 26:19 Or “boards” or “planks”
  21. Exodus 26:19 Or “board” or “plank”
  22. Exodus 26:19 Literally “hands”
  23. Exodus 26:19 Literally “one”
  24. Exodus 26:19 Or “board” or “plank”
  25. Exodus 26:19 Literally “hands”
  26. Exodus 26:20 Or “boards” or “planks”
  27. Exodus 26:21 Or “board” or “plank”
  28. Exodus 26:21 Literally “one”
  29. Exodus 26:21 Or “board” or “plank”
  30. Exodus 26:22 Or “westward,” literally “seaward,” toward the Mediterranean Sea
  31. Exodus 26:22 Or “boards” or “planks”
  32. Exodus 26:23 Or “boards” or “planks”
  33. Exodus 26:25 Or “boards” or “planks”
  34. Exodus 26:25 Or “board” or “plank”
  35. Exodus 26:25 Literally “one”
  36. Exodus 26:25 Or “board” or “plank”
  37. Exodus 26:26 Or “boards” or “planks”
  38. Exodus 26:27 Or “boards” or “planks”
  39. Exodus 26:27 Or “boards” or “planks”
  40. Exodus 26:27 Or “westward,” literally “seaward,” toward the Mediterranean Sea
  41. Exodus 26:28 Or “boards” or “planks”
  42. Exodus 26:29 Or “boards” or “planks”
  43. Exodus 26:29 Literally “houses”
  44. Exodus 26:33 Literally “holy place of the holiness”
  45. Exodus 26:34 Literally “holy place of the holiness”

The Tabernacle(A)

26 “Make the tabernacle(B) with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim(C) woven into them by a skilled worker. All the curtains are to be the same size(D)—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide.[a] Join five of the curtains together, and do the same with the other five. Make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and do the same with the end curtain in the other set. Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. Then make fifty gold clasps and use them to fasten the curtains together so that the tabernacle is a unit.(E)

“Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. All eleven curtains are to be the same size(F)—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.[b] Join five of the curtains together into one set and the other six into another set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. 10 Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. 11 Then make fifty bronze clasps and put them in the loops to fasten the tent together as a unit.(G) 12 As for the additional length of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over is to hang down at the rear of the tabernacle. 13 The tent curtains will be a cubit[c] longer on both sides; what is left will hang over the sides of the tabernacle so as to cover it. 14 Make for the tent a covering(H) of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.[d](I)

15 “Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 16 Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide,[e] 17 with two projections set parallel to each other. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 18 Make twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle 19 and make forty silver bases(J) to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. 20 For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, make twenty frames 21 and forty silver bases(K)—two under each frame. 22 Make six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, 23 and make two frames for the corners at the far end. 24 At these two corners they must be double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both shall be like that. 25 So there will be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

26 “Also make crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 27 five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. 28 The center crossbar is to extend from end to end at the middle of the frames. 29 Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

30 “Set up the tabernacle(L) according to the plan(M) shown you on the mountain.

31 “Make a curtain(N) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim(O) woven into it by a skilled worker. 32 Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases.(P) 33 Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain.(Q) The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.(R) 34 Put the atonement cover(S) on the ark of the covenant law in the Most Holy Place. 35 Place the table(T) outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand(U) opposite it on the south side.

36 “For the entrance to the tent make a curtain(V) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer.(W) 37 Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 26:2 That is, about 42 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 13 meters long and 1.8 meters wide
  2. Exodus 26:8 That is, about 45 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 13.5 meters long and 1.8 meters wide
  3. Exodus 26:13 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  4. Exodus 26:14 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals (see 25:5)
  5. Exodus 26:16 That is, about 15 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide or about 4.5 meters long and 68 centimeters wide