Exodus 26

1 “[Tell the people to] make the Sacred Tent using ten long strips of fine linen. They must take blue, purple, and red thread (OR, weave the strips from blue, purple, and red thread), and [a skilled craftsman] must embroider these strips with [designs that represent] the winged creatures [that are above the chest].

Make ten curtains for the Tabernacle of finely-spun linen, using blue, purple, and crimson threads. Have them embroidered with cherubim by someone who is skilled.

2 Each strip is to be (14 yards/twelve meters) long and (2 yards/1.8 meters) wide.

Each curtain is to measure twenty-eight cubits long by four cubits wide, and all the curtains are to be the same size.

3 [Tell them to] sew five strips together to make one set, and sew the other five strips together to make another set.

Join five of the curtains together, and then do the same to the other five.

4 For each set, [they must] make loops of blue [cloth] and fasten them along the outer edge of the strip, at the end of each set.

Use blue material to make loops on the edge of the last curtain of both sets.

5 [They must] put 50 loops on the edge of the first set, and 50 loops on the edge of the second set.

Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the last curtain of the second set, lining up the loops with each another.

6 [Tell them to] make 50 gold clasps/fasteners, to fasten both of the sets together. As a result, the inside of the Sacred Tent will be [as though it was] one piece.

Then make fifty gold clips and join the curtains together with the clips, so that the Tabernacle will be a single structure.

7 Also, [tell them to] make a cover for the Sacred Tent from eleven pieces of cloth made from goats’ hair.

Make eleven curtains of goat hair as a tent to cover the Tabernacle.

8 Each piece of cloth is to be (15 yards/13.5 meters) long and (2 yards/1.8 meters) wide.

Each of the eleven curtains is to be the same size—thirty cubits long by four cubits wide.

9 [Tell them to] sew five of these pieces of cloth together to make one set, and sew the other six pieces of cloth together to make another set. [They] must fold the sixth piece [of cloth] in half to make it double over the front of the Sacred Tent.

Join five of the curtains together as one set and the other six as another set. Then fold the sixth curtain in two at the front of the tent.

10 [Tell them to] make 100 loops [of blue cloth], and to fasten 50 of them to the outer edge of the one set and fasten 50 to the outer edge of the other set.

Make fifty loops on the edge of the last curtain in the first set, and fifty loops along the edge of the last curtain in the second set.

11 [Tell them to] make fifty bronze clasps/fasteners and put them in the cloth loops to join the two sets together. As a result, the cover for the Sacred Tent will be [as though it was] one piece.

Make fifty bronze clips and put them in the loops to join the tent together as a single cover.

12 [Let] the extra part of the cover, the part that extends beyond [the linen cloth], hang over the back of the Sacred Tent.

The extra half-curtain of this tent covering will be left to hang over the back of the Tabernacle.

13 The extra half yard/meter of each cover, the part that extends beyond [the linen cloth] on each side, must hang over the two sides of the Sacred Tent, to protect the sides.

The tent curtains will be a cubit longer on every side, and the extra length will hang over the sides of the Tabernacle so it is all covered.

14 [Tell them to] make two more covers for the Sacred Tent. One is to be made from rams’ skins that have been (tanned/dyed red), and the top cover is to be made from goatskin leather.”

Make a covering for the goat hair tent from tanned ram skins, and place an extra covering of fine leather over that.

15 “[Tell them to] make frames from acacia wood, frames that will be set up [from which to hang the Sacred Tent covers].

Make an upright framework of acacia wood for the Tabernacle.

16 Each frame is to be (five yards/four meters) long and (27 in./66 cm.) wide.

Each frame is to be ten cubits long by one and a half cubits wide.

17 [They] must make two projections at the bottom of each frame. These will be to fasten the frames to the bases underneath them. They must make these projections at the bottom of each frame.

Each frame will have two pegs so the frames can be connected to each other. Make all the frames of the Tabernacle like this.

18 Make 20 frames for the south side of the Sacred Tent.

Make twenty frames for the south side of the Tabernacle.

19 [Tell them to] make 40 silver bases to go underneath them. Two bases will go under each frame. The projections [at the bottom] of each frame are [to be made] to fit into the bases.

Make forty silver stands as supports for the twenty frames using two stands per frame, one under every frame peg.

20 [Similarly], [tell them to] make twenty frames for the north side of the Sacred Tent.

Similarly for the north side of the Tabernacle, make twenty frames

21 [They] must make 40 silver bases for them also, with two bases to be put under each frame.

and forty silver stands, two stands per frame.

22 For the rear of the Sacred Tent, on the west side, [tell them to] make six frames.

Make six frames for the back (west side) of the Tabernacle,

23 Also, [tell them to] make two extra frames, one for each corner of the rear of the Sacred Tent, [to provide extra support].

along with two frames for its two back corners.

24 The two corner frames must be joined from the bottom to the top (OR, joined at both the bottom and the top). At the top of each of the two corner frames there must be a gold ring for holding the crossbar.

Join these corner frames at the bottom and at the top near to the first ring. This is how you are to make the two corner frames.

25 In that way, [for the rear of the Sacred Tent] there will be eight frames, and there will be 16 bases, two under each frame.

In total there will be eight frames and sixteen silver stands, two under each frame.

26 [Tell them to] make 15 crossbars from acacia wood.

Make five crossbars of acacia wood to hold together the frames on the south side of the Tabernacle,

27 Five of them will be for the frames on the north side of the Sacred Tent, five will be for the south side, and five for the frames at the rear of the Sacred Tent, the west side.

five for those on the north, and five for those at the back of the Tabernacle, to the west.

28 Tell them to fasten the crossbars on the north, south, and west sides of the Sacred Tent to the middle of the frames. The two long ones must extend from one end of the Sacred Tent to the other, and the crossbar on the west side must extend from one side of the Sacred Tent to the other.

The central crossbar which is placed halfway up the frames will run from one end to the other.

29 [Tell them to] cover the frames with gold, and make gold rings to fasten the crossbars to the frames. The crossbars must [also] be covered with gold.

Cover the frames with gold, and make gold rings to hold the crossbars in place. Cover the crossbars with gold too.

30 Erect the Sacred Tent in the way that I have shown you [here] on [this] mountain.”

Assemble the Tabernacle following to the design you were shown on the mountain.

31 “[Tell them to] make a curtain from fine linen. A skilled craftsman must embroider it with blue, purple, and red yarn/thread, making [designs to represent] the winged creatures [that are above the chest].

Make a veil out of blue, purple, and crimson thread, and finely-spun linen, embroidered with cherubim by someone who is skilled.

32 [Tell them to] suspend/hang the curtain from four posts made from acacia wood and covered with gold. Set [each] post in a silver base.

Using gold hooks hang it from four posts of acacia wood covered with gold, held up by four silver stands.

33 [They] must suspend/hang the [top of the] curtain by hooks that are fastened to the roof of the Sacred Tent. Behind the curtain, in the [room called the] Very Holy Place, [they] must put the chest containing the [two stone slabs on which I have written my] commandments. That curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Very Holy Place.

Place the veil under the clips and take the Ark of the Testimony inside behind the veil. The veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

34 On top of the chest in the Very Holy Place [they] must put the lid which will be the place where [blood will be sprinkled to] forgive people’s sins.

Put the atonement cover on the Ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.

35 [In the room that is] outside of the Very Holy Place, [they] must put the table [for the sacred] bread on the north side, and put the lampstand on the south side.

Place the table outside the veil on the north side of the Tabernacle and put the lampstand opposite it on the south side.

36 [Tell them to] make a curtain to [cover] the entrance of the Sacred Tent. They must make it from fine linen, and a skilled weaver must embroider it with blue, purple, and red yarn/thread.

Make a screen for the entrance to the tent using blue, purple, and crimson thread, and finely-spun linen. Have it embroidered.

37 To hold up this curtain, [they] must make five posts from acacia wood. [They] must cover them with gold, and fasten gold clasps/fasteners to them. Also [they] must make a bronze base for each of these posts.”

Make five posts of acacia wood with gold hooks to hang the screen, and cast five bronze stands to hold them.