Exodus 25

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

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

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.

Speak to the children of Israel, and take first fruits of all, who may be disposed in their heart to give; and you shall take my first fruits.

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

And this is the offering which you shall take of them; gold and silver and brass,

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

and blue, and purple, and double scarlet, and fine spun linen, and goats' hair,

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

and rams' skins dyed red, and blue skins, and incorruptible wood,

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,

and oil for the light, incense for anointing oil, and for the composition of 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].

and sardius stones, and stones for the carved work of the breast-plate, and the full-length robe.

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

And you shall make me a sanctuary, and I will appear among you.

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.”

And you shall make for me according to all things which I show you in the mountain; even the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all its furniture: so shall you make it.

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.

And you shall make the ark of testimony of incorruptible wood; the length of two cubits and a half, and the breadth of a cubit and a half, and the height of a cubit and a half.

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

And you shall gild it with pure gold, you shall gild it within and without; and you shall make for it golden wreaths twisted round about.

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.

And you shall cast for it four golden rings, and shall put them on the four sides; two rings on the one side, and two rings on the other side.

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

And you shall make staves [of] incorruptible wood, and shall gild 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.

And you shall put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark with them.

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

The staves shall remain fixed in the rings of the ark.

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

And you shall put into the ark the testimonies which I shall give you.

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.

And you shall make a propitiatory, a lid of pure gold; the length of two cubits and a half, and the breadth of a cubit and a half.

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

And you shall make two cherubs graven in gold, and you shall put them on both sides of the propitiatory.

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].

They shall be made, one cherub on this side, and another cherub on the other side of the propitiatory; and you shall make the two cherubs on the two sides.

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

The cherubs shall stretch forth their wings above, overshadowing the propitiatory with their wings; and their faces shall be toward each other, the faces of the cherubs shall be toward the propitiatory.

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

And you shall set the propitiatory on the ark above, and you shall put into the ark the testimonies which I shall give you.

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.”

And I will make myself known to you from thence, and I will speak to you above the propitiatory between the two cherubs, which are upon the ark of testimony, even in all things which I shall charge you concerning the children of Israel.

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.

And you shall make a golden table of pure gold, in length two cubits, and in breadth a cubit, and in height a cubit and a half.

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

And you shall make for it golden wreaths twisted round about, and you shall make for it a crown of an hand-breadth round about.

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

And you shall make a twisted wreath for the crown round about.

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].

And you shall make four golden rings; and you shall put the four rings upon the four parts of its feet under the crown.

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

And the rings shall be for bearings for the staves, that they may bear the table with them.

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.

And you shall make the staves of incorruptible wood, and you shall gild them with pure gold; and the table shall be borne with them.

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.

And you shall make its dishes and its censers, and its bowls, and its cups, with which you shall offer drink-offerings: of pure gold shall you make them.

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.”

And you shall set upon the table show bread before me continually.

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.

And you shall make a candlestick of pure gold; you shall make the candlestick of graven work: its stem and its branches, and its bowls and its knops and its lilies shall be of one piece.

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

And six branches proceeding sideways, three branches of the candlestick from one side of it, and three branches of the candlestick from the other side.

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.

And three bowls fashioned like almonds, on each branch a knop and a lily; so to the six branches proceeding from the candlestick,

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.

and in the candlestick four bowls fashioned like almonds, in each branch knops and the flowers of the same.

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

A knop under two branches out of it, and a knop under four branches out of it; so to the six branches proceeding from the candlestick; and in the candlestick four bowls fashioned like almonds.

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

Let the knops and the branches be of one piece, altogether graven of one piece 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).

And you shall make its seven lamps: and you shall set on [it] the lamps, and they shall shine from one front.

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

And you shall make its funnel and its snuff-dishes of pure gold.

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

All these articles [shall be] a talent of pure gold.

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

See, you shall make them according to the pattern showed you in the mount.