the holy tent (1st part)
1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,
2 “Tell the sons of Israel to set aside a contribution for me; you shall accept this contribution from every man who gives from the heart.
3 The things you shall accept from them are these: gold, silver, and bronze,
4 purple cloth of violet shade and red, crimson cloth, fine linen, goats’ hair;
5 rams’ skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood;
6 oil for the lamps, spices for the chrism and for the fragrant incense; precious stones and gems to be set in priestly vestments.
7-8 For they must build me a sanctuary so that I may dwell among them,
9 and you shall make the tabernacle and its furnishings following exactly the pattern I shall show you.
10 You are to make me an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, one and a half cubits high.
11 You are to cover it with pure gold inside and out, and decorate it all around with a gold molding.
12 You will cast four gold rings for the ark and fix them to its four supports: two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
13 You will also make poles of acacia wood covered with gold
14 and pass the poles through the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark by these.
15 The poles must remain in the rings of the ark and not be withdrawn.
16 Inside the ark you will place the Statement that I shall give you.
17 Further, you are to make the mercy Seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide.
18 For the two ends of the mercy Seat you are to make two golden cherubim of hammered gold.
19 Make the first cherub for one end and the second for the other, and fasten them to the two ends of the cover so that they may make one piece with it.
20 The cheru bim are to have their wings spread upward so that they overshadow the mercy Seat. They must face one another, their faces towards the mercy Seat.
21 You must place the mercy Seat on the top of the ark. Inside the ark you must place the stone tablets that I shall give you.
22 There I shall come to meet you; there, from above the mercy Seat from between the two cherubim on it, I shall give you all my commands for the people of Israel.
The table and the lampstands
23 You are to make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high.
24 You are to cover it with pure gold and decorate it all around with a gold edge.
25 You are to surround it with a frame three inches wide, and decorate these with a golden edge.
26 You are to make for it four gold rings and fix these at the four corners where the four legs are.
27 The rings must be close to the frame to hold the poles for carrying the table.
28 You are to make the poles of acacia wood and cover them with gold. The table is to be carried by these.
29 You are to make dishes, cups, jars and bowls to be used for the wine offerings; you are to make these of pure gold.
30 On the table, before me, you must place the bread of continual offering.
31 You are to make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand must be of hammered gold, both its base and stem. Its decorative flowers, including buds and petals, must be of one piece with it.
32 Six branches must extend from its sides, three from one side, three from the other.
33 Each of the six branches of the lampstand is to have three decorative flowers shaped like almond blossoms, each with its bud and petals.
34 The lampstand itself is to have four decorative flowers shaped like almond blossoms, each with its bud and petals, thus:
35 one bud under the first two branches extending from the lamp stand, one under the next pair, one under the last pair: corresponding to the six branches extending from the lampstand.
36 The buds and the branches must be of one piece with the lampstand, and the whole made from a single piece of pure hammered gold.
37 Then you are to make lamps for it, seven of them, and set them so that they throw their light toward the front of it.
38 Tongs for extinguishing the burning lamps and trays must be of pure gold.
39 You are to use seventy-five pounds of pure gold for making the lampstand and all its accessories.
40 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.