The Tabernacle Underwritten

36 “Now Bezalel, Oholiab, and every [a]skillful person in whom the Lord has put [b]skill and understanding to know how to perform all the work [c]in the construction of the sanctuary, shall perform in accordance with everything that the Lord has commanded.”

Then Moses called Bezalel, Oholiab, and every [d]skillful person in [e]whom the Lord had put [f]skill, (A)everyone whose heart stirred him, to come to the work to perform it. They received from Moses every [g]contribution which the sons of Israel had brought to perform [h]the work [i]in the construction of the sanctuary. And they still continued bringing to him [j]voluntary offerings every morning. And all the [k]skillful people who were performing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from [l]the work which they were performing, and they said to [m]Moses, “(B)The people are bringing much more than enough for the [n]construction work which the Lord commanded us to [o]perform.” So Moses issued a command, and circulated a [p]proclamation throughout the camp, saying, “No man or woman is to perform work any longer for the [q]contributions of the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing any more. (C)For the [r]material they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to perform it.

Construction Begins

(D)All the [s]skillful people among those who were performing the work made the [t]tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twisted linen and [u]violet, purple, and scarlet material, with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer, [v]Bezalel made them. The length of each curtain was [w]twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains had [x]the same measurements. 10 He [y]joined five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he [z]joined to one another. 11 And he made loops of violet on the edge of the [aa]outermost curtain in the first [ab]set; he did likewise on the edge of the curtain that was [ac]outermost in the second [ad]set. 12 He made (E)fifty loops in the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the [ae]edge of the curtain that was in the second [af]set; the loops were opposite each other. 13 He also made (F)fifty clasps of gold, and [ag]joined the curtains to one another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle was [ah]a unit.

14 Then (G)he made curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he [ai]made eleven curtains in all. 15 The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the width of each curtain; the eleven curtains had [aj]the same measurements. 16 He [ak]joined five curtains by themselves, and the other six curtains by themselves. 17 Moreover, he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the first [al]set, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second [am]set. 18 He also made fifty clasps of [an]bronze to [ao]join the tent together so that it would be [ap]a unit. 19 And he made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins [aq]dyed red, and a covering of [ar]fine leather above.

20 (H)Then he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 21 Ten cubits was the length of [as]each board, and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 22 There were two tenons for each board, [at]fitted to one another; he did this to all the boards of the tabernacle. 23 So he made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards [au]for the south side; 24 and he made forty bases of silver under the twenty boards; two bases under one board for its two tenons, and two bases under another board for its two tenons. 25 Then for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty boards, 26 and their forty bases of silver; two bases under one board, and two bases under another board. 27 And for the [av]back of the tabernacle, to the west, he made six boards. 28 He made two boards for the corners of the [aw]tabernacle at the [ax]back. 29 They were double beneath, and together they were complete to its [ay]top, [az]to the first ring; he did this with both of them for the two corners. 30 There were eight boards with their bases of silver, sixteen bases, two bases under every board.

31 Then he made (I)bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 32 and five bars for the boards of the [ba]other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the [bb]back side to the west. 33 And he made the middle bar to pass through in the [bc]center of the boards from end to end. 34 Then he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold as holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

35 (J)Moreover, he made the veil of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen; he made it with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer. 36 And he made four pillars of acacia for it, and overlaid them with gold, with their hooks of gold; and he cast four bases of silver for them. 37 He also made a (K)curtain for the doorway of the tent, of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, the work of a [bd]weaver; 38 and he made its (L)five pillars with their hooks, and he overlaid their tops and their [be]bands with gold; but their five bases were of [bf]bronze.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 36:1 Lit man wise of heart
  2. Exodus 36:1 Lit wisdom
  3. Exodus 36:1 Or connected with the service of; lit of the service of
  4. Exodus 36:2 Lit man wise of heart
  5. Exodus 36:2 Lit whose heart
  6. Exodus 36:2 Lit wisdom
  7. Exodus 36:3 Or uplifted offering
  8. Exodus 36:3 Lit it for the work
  9. Exodus 36:3 Lit of the service of
  10. Exodus 36:3 Or freewill offering
  11. Exodus 36:4 Lit wise
  12. Exodus 36:4 Lit his
  13. Exodus 36:5 Lit Moses, saying,
  14. Exodus 36:5 Lit service for the work
  15. Exodus 36:5 Lit perform it
  16. Exodus 36:6 Lit voice
  17. Exodus 36:6 Or uplifted offering
  18. Exodus 36:7 Lit work
  19. Exodus 36:8 Lit wise of heart
  20. Exodus 36:8 Lit dwelling place
  21. Exodus 36:8 Or bluish; LXX hyacinth in color, and so throughout the ch
  22. Exodus 36:8 Lit he
  23. Exodus 36:9 About 42 ft. long and 6 ft. wide or 13 m and 1.8 m
  24. Exodus 36:9 Lit one measure
  25. Exodus 36:10 Or coupled
  26. Exodus 36:10 Or coupled
  27. Exodus 36:11 Lit one curtain from the end in the coupling
  28. Exodus 36:11 Lit coupling
  29. Exodus 36:11 Lit one curtain from the end in the coupling
  30. Exodus 36:11 Lit coupling
  31. Exodus 36:12 Lit end
  32. Exodus 36:12 Lit coupling
  33. Exodus 36:13 Or coupled
  34. Exodus 36:13 Lit one
  35. Exodus 36:14 Lit made them
  36. Exodus 36:15 Lit one measure
  37. Exodus 36:16 Or coupled
  38. Exodus 36:17 Lit tie
  39. Exodus 36:17 Lit tie
  40. Exodus 36:18 Or copper
  41. Exodus 36:18 Or couple
  42. Exodus 36:18 Lit one
  43. Exodus 36:19 Or tanned
  44. Exodus 36:19 Meaning of the Heb uncertain
  45. Exodus 36:21 Lit the
  46. Exodus 36:22 Lit bound
  47. Exodus 36:23 Lit to the side of the Negev, to the south
  48. Exodus 36:27 Lit far parts
  49. Exodus 36:28 Lit dwelling place
  50. Exodus 36:28 Lit far parts
  51. Exodus 36:29 Or head
  52. Exodus 36:29 Or with reference to
  53. Exodus 36:32 Or second
  54. Exodus 36:32 Lit far parts
  55. Exodus 36:33 Lit midst
  56. Exodus 36:37 Lit variegator; i.e., a weaver in colors
  57. Exodus 36:38 Or rings
  58. Exodus 36:38 Or copper

36 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person(A) to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary(B) are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.”

Then Moses summoned Bezalel(C) and Oholiab(D) and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing(E) to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the offerings(F) the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough(G) for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.”

Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more(H) than enough to do all the work.

The Tabernacle(I)

All those who were skilled among the workers made the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by expert hands. All the curtains were the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide.[a] 10 They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five. 11 Then they made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and the same was done with the end curtain in the other set. 12 They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. 13 Then they made fifty gold clasps and used them to fasten the two sets of curtains together so that the tabernacle was a unit.(J)

14 They made curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. 15 All eleven curtains were the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.[b] 16 They joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another set. 17 Then they made 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. 18 They made fifty bronze clasps to fasten the tent together as a unit.(K) 19 Then they made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.[c]

20 They made upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 21 Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide,[d] 22 with two projections set parallel to each other. They made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 23 They made twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle 24 and made forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. 25 For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, they made twenty frames 26 and forty silver bases—two under each frame. 27 They made six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, 28 and two frames were made for the corners of the tabernacle at the far end. 29 At these two corners the frames were double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both were made alike. 30 So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

31 They also made crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 32 five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. 33 They made the center crossbar so that it extended from end to end at the middle of the frames. 34 They overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. They also overlaid the crossbars with gold.

35 They made the curtain(L) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. 36 They made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold. They made gold hooks for them and cast their four silver bases. 37 For the entrance to the tent they made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer;(M) 38 and they made five posts with hooks for them. They overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold and made their five bases of bronze.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 36:9 That is, about 42 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 13 meters long and 1.8 meters wide
  2. Exodus 36:15 That is, about 45 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 14 meters long and 1.8 meters wide
  3. Exodus 36:19 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals (see 35:7)
  4. Exodus 36:21 That is, about 15 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide or about 4.5 meters long and 68 centimeters wide

36 Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the Lord had commanded.

And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:

And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.

And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;

And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make.

And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.

For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.

And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them.

The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one size.

10 And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another.

11 And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.

12 Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second: the loops held one curtain to another.

13 And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle.

14 And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them.

15 The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain: the eleven curtains were of one size.

16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.

17 And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.

18 And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.

19 And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that.

20 And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up.

21 The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half.

22 One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

23 And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:

24 And forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.

25 And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards,

26 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

27 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.

28 And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.

29 And they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners.

30 And there were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every board two sockets.

31 And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

32 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward.

33 And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other.

34 And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

35 And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.

36 And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver.

37 And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework;

38 And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass.