3 These are the items you are to accept from them as contributions: gold, silver, and bronze; 4 blue, purple, and crimson thread; finely-spun linen and goat hair; 5 ram skins that have been tanned, and fine leather; acacia wood; 6 olive oil for the lamps; spices for the olive oil used in anointing and for the fragrant incense; 7 and onyx stones and other gemstones to be used in making the ephod and breastpiece.
8 They are to make me a sanctuary so I can live among them. 9 You must make the Tabernacle*The English word “Tabernacle” comes from the Latin for “tent,” and translates the Hebrew which refers to a residence or dwelling place. and all its furnishings according to design I'm going to show you.
10 They are to make an Ark of acacia wood that measures two and a half cubits long by a cubit and a half wide by one and a half cubits high. 11 Cover it with pure gold on the inside and the outside, and make a gold trim to go around it. 12 Cast four gold rings and attach them to its four feet, two on one side and two on the other. 13 Make poles of acacia wood and cover them with gold. 14 Place the poles into the rings on the sides of the Ark, so it can be carried. 15 The poles are to stay in the rings of the Ark; don't take them out. 16 Place inside the Ark the Testimony which I'm going to give you.
17 You are to make an atonement cover†“Atonement cover”: the word used here means to “cover over,” in the sense of dealing with sins. The traditional translation of “mercy seat” originated with Martin Luther. From a physical viewpoint it was the “lid” of the Ark. of pure gold, two and a half cubits long by a cubit and a half wide. 18 Make two cherubim‡A kind of angel. of hammered gold for the ends of the atonement cover, 19 and put one cherub on each end. All of this is to be made from one piece of gold. 20 The cherubim are to be designed with spread wings pointing upward, covering the atonement cover. The cherubim are to be placed facing each another, looking down towards the atonement cover. 21 Place the atonement cover on top of the Ark, and put the Testimony that I'm going to give you inside the Ark. 22 I will meet with you there as arranged above the atonement cover, between the two cherubim that stand over the Ark of the Testimony, and I will talk with you about all the commands I will give the Israelites.
23 Then you are to make a table of acacia wood two cubits long by a cubit wide by a cubit and a half high. 24 Cover it with pure gold and make a gold trim to go around it. 25 Make a border around it the width of a hand and put a gold trim on the border. 26 Make four gold rings for the table and attach them to the four corners of the table by the legs. 27 The rings are to be close to the border to hold the poles used to carry the table. 28 Make the poles of acacia wood for carrying the table and cover them with gold. 29 Make plates and dishes for the table, as well as pitchers and bowls for pouring out drink offerings. Make all of them out of pure gold. 30 Place the Bread of the Presence on the table so it is always in my presence.
31 Make a lampstand of pure, hammered gold. The whole of it is to be made of one piece—its base, shaft, cups, buds, and flowers. 32 It is to have six branches coming out of the sides of the lampstand, three on each side. 33 Have three cups shaped like almond flowers on the first branch, each with buds and petals, three on the next branch. Each of six branches that come out will have three cups shaped like almond flowers, all complete with buds and petals.
34 On the main shaft of the lampstand make four cups shaped like almond flowers, complete with buds and petals. 35 On the six branches that come out from the lampstand, place a bud under the first pair of branches, a bud under the second pair, and a bud under the third pair. 36 The buds and branches are to be made with the lampstand as one piece, hammered out of pure gold. 37 Make seven lamps and place them on the lampstand so they can light up the area in front of it. 38 The wick tongs and their trays are to be made of pure gold. 39 The lampstand and all these utensils will require a talent of pure gold.
40 Be sure to make everything according to the design you were shown on the mountain.”
<- Exodus 24Exodus 26 ->- a The English word “Tabernacle” comes from the Latin for “tent,” and translates the Hebrew which refers to a residence or dwelling place.
- b “Atonement cover”: the word used here means to “cover over,” in the sense of dealing with sins. The traditional translation of “mercy seat” originated with Martin Luther. From a physical viewpoint it was the “lid” of the Ark.
- c A kind of angel.