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].

You must make the tabernacle with ten curtains made from fine linen and blue, purple, and scarlet wool with the designs of cherubim. This will be the work of a very skilled craftsman.

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

The length of each curtain must be twenty-eight cubits, the width four cubits. All the curtains must be of 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.

Five curtains must be joined to each other, and the other five curtains must also be joined to each other.

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.

You must make loops of blue along the outer edge of the end curtain of one set. In the same way, you must do the same along the outer edge of the end curtain in the second set.

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

You must make fifty loops on the first curtain, and you must make fifty loops on the end curtain in the second set. Do this so that the loops will be opposite to each other.

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.

You must make fifty clasps of gold and join the curtains together with them so that the tabernacle becomes united.

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

You must make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle. You must make eleven of these curtains.

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

The length of each curtain must be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain must be four cubits. Each of the eleven curtains must be of the same size.

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.

You must join five curtains to each other and the other six curtains to each other. You must double over the sixth curtain in 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.

You must make fifty loops on the edge of the end curtain of the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the end curtain that joins 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.

You must make fifty bronze clasps and put them into the loops. Then you join the tent together so that it may be one piece.

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 leftover half curtain, that is, the overhanging part remaining from the tent's curtains, must hang at 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.

There must be one cubit of curtain on one side, and one cubit of curtain on the other side—that which is left over of the length of the tent's curtains must hang over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the other side, to cover it.

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.”

You must make for the tabernacle a covering of ram skins dyed red, and another covering of fine leather to go above that.

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

You must make upright frames out of acacia wood for the tabernacle.

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

The length of each frame must be ten cubits, and its width must be one and a half cubits.

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.

There must be two wooden pegs in each frame for joining the frames to each other. You are to make all the tabernacle's frames in this way.

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

When you make the frames for the tabernacle, you must make twenty frames for the south side.

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.

You must make forty silver bases to go under the twenty frames. There must be two bases under the first frame to be its two pedestals, and also two bases under each of the other frames for their two pedestals.

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

For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, you must make twenty frames

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

and their forty silver bases. There must be two bases under the first frame, two bases under the next frame, and so on.

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

For the back side of the tabernacle on the west side, you must make six frames.

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

You must make two frames for the back corners of the tabernacle.

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.

These frames must be separate at the bottom, but joined at the top to the same ring. It must be this way for both of the back corners.

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.

There must be eight frames, together with their silver bases. There must be sixteen bases in all, two bases under the first frame, two bases under the next frame, and so on.

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

You must make crossbars of acacia wood—five for the frames of the one 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 crossbars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the frames for the back side 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 crossbar in the center of the frames, that is, halfway up, must reach from end to end.

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.

You must cover the frames with gold. You must make their rings of gold, for them to serve as holders for the crossbars, and you must cover the bars with gold.

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

You must set up the tabernacle by following the plan 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].

You must make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and of fine linen, with designs of cherubim, the work of a skillful workman.

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.

You must hang it on four pillars of acacia wood covered with gold. These pillars must have hooks of gold set on four silver bases.

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.

You must hang up the curtain under the clasps, and you must bring in the ark of the testimony. The curtain is to 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.

You must put the atonement lid on the ark of the testimony, which is 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.

You must place the table outside the curtain. You must place the lampstand opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle. The table must be on the north 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.

You must make a hanging for the tent entrance. You must make it out of blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer.

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.”

For the hanging, you must make five pillars of acacia and cover them with gold. Their hooks must be of gold, and you must cast five bronze bases for them.