Exodus 25

1 Yahweh said to Moses/me, “There [are many things that I want] you to tell to the Israeli people.

2 Tell them that they must give offerings/gifts to me. Receive from the people every offering/gift that they want to give to me.

3 These are the things that they may offer/give: Gold, silver, bronze,

4 blue, purple, and scarlet yarn/wool, fine (linen/white cloth), goats’ hair for making [cloth],

5 rams’ skins that have been (tanned/dyed red), goatskins, [hard] wood from acacia [trees],

6 olive oil [to burn] in the lamps, spices to [put in] the olive oil for anointing [the priests] and in the sweet-smelling incense,

7 [expensive quartz] stones [called] onyx, and other expensive stones to be fastened [to the priest’s vest] and put on the pouches [that are to be fastened to the vest].

8 Tell the people to make a big Sacred Tent for me, so that I can live in it among them.

9 They must make the Sacred Tent and all the things that will be used inside it according to the plan/model that I will show you.”

10 “[Tell the people to] make a [sacred] chest from acacia wood. It is to be (45 in./110 cm.) long, (27 in./66 cm.) wide, and (27 in./66 cm.) high.

11 Cover it with pure gold inside and outside, and put a gold border around the top of it.

12 [They must] make/cast four rings from gold and fasten them to the legs of the chest. Put two rings on each side of the chest.

13 [They must] make [two] poles from acacia wood, and they must cover them with gold.

14 [They must] put the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest, so that the chest can be carried by the poles.

15 The poles must always be left in the rings; they must not take the poles out [of the rings].

16 Put inside the chest the [two stone slabs that I will give you, on which] I have written my commandments.

17 [Tell them to] make a lid for the chest from pure gold. [It will be the place where I will] forgive people’s sins. It [also] is to be (45 in./110 cm.) long and (27 in./66 cm.) wide.

18 [Tell them to] hammer [huge lump of] gold into the form of two creatures that have wings.

19 One of these is to be put at each end of the chest, but the gold [from which] they [are made] must be joined to the gold from which the lid [is made].

20 [Tell them to place the] winged creatures so that their wings touch each other and spread out over the lid.

21 Put inside the chest the stone slabs that I will give you. Then fasten the lid onto the top of the chest.

22 I will set times to talk with you there. From above the lid of the chest, between the two winged creatures, I will tell to you all my laws that [you must tell] to the Israeli people.”

23 “[Tell them to] make a table from acacia wood. It is to be (36 in./88 cm.) long, (18 in./66 cm.) wide, and (27 in./66 cm.) high.

24 [Tell them to] cover it with pure gold and put a gold border around it.

25 [Tell them to] make a rim all around it, (3 in./7.5 cm.) wide, and put a gold border around the rim.

26 [Tell them to] make/cast four rings from gold and fasten the rings to the four corners of the table, one ring close to each leg [of the table].

27 The rings should be fastened to the table near the rim.

28 Make two poles from acacia wood and cover them with gold. The poles for carrying the table are to be inserted in the rings.

29 Also [tell them to] make plates, cups, jars, and bowls to be used [when the priests] pour out wine [to offer to me]. They must all be made from pure gold.

30 On the table, in front of the chest, there must always be the loaves of sacred bread [that the priests have offered] to me.”

31 “[Tell them to] make a lampstand from pure gold. They must hammer [one large lump of] gold to make its base and its shaft. [The branches of the lampstand], the cups for holding the oil, the flower buds and the [flower] petals [that decorate the branches of the lamp, the base, and the shaft are all to be hammered from] one [big] lump of gold.

32 There are to be six branches on the lampstand, three on each side [of the shaft].

33 Each of the branches is to have on it three [gold decorations that will look like] almond blossoms. These decorations must also have flower buds and [flower] petals.

34 On the [shaft of the] lampstand there are to be four [gold decorations that also look like] almond blossoms, each one with flower buds and petals.

35 On each side, there is to be one [flower] bud beneath each of the branches.

36 All these buds and branches, along with the shaft, are to be hammered from one large lump of pure gold.

37 Also [tell them to] make seven small cups [for holding oil. One is to be put on top of the shaft and the others are to be put on top of the branches]. Place these cups so that [when the lamps are lit], the light will shine toward the (front of the lampstand/entrance).

38 [Tell them to] make tongs from pure gold, [to remove the burned wicks] and trays [in which to put the burned wicks].

39 [Tell them to] use (75 pounds/35 kg.) of pure gold to make the lampstand and the tongs and the trays.

40 Make sure that they make these things according to the instructions that I am giving you [here] on [this] mountain.”