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].

“Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim. You shall make them with the work of a skilful workman.

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

The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure.

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 shall be coupled together to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another.

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 shall make loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling, and you shall do likewise on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second coupling.

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

You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that is in the second coupling. The loops shall be opposite one 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.

You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains to one another with the clasps. The tabernacle shall be a unit.

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

“You shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a covering over the tabernacle. You shall make eleven 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 shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains shall have one measure.

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 shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shall double over the sixth curtain in the forefront 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 shall make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outermost in the coupling, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is outermost in the second coupling.

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 shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.

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 overhanging part that remains of the curtains of the tent—the half curtain that remains—shall 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 cubit on the one side and the cubit on the other side, of that which remains in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that 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 shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above.

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

“You shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright.

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

Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and one and a half cubits the width of each board.

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 shall be two tenons in each board, joined to one another: thus you shall make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

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

You shall make twenty boards for the tabernacle, for the south side southward.

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 shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons.

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, twenty boards,

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

and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

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

For the far side of the tabernacle westward you shall make six boards.

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 shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle in the far side.

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.

They shall be double beneath, and in the same way they shall be whole to its top to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two 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 shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

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

“You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards 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.

and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the far side westward.

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 middle bar in the middle of the boards shall pass through 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 shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars. You shall overlay the bars with gold.

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

You shall set up the tabernacle according to the way that it was shown to you 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 shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. It shall be the work of a skilful 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 shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, on four sockets of silver.

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 shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring the ark of the covenant in there within the veil. The veil shall separate the holy place from the most holy for you.

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 shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant 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 shall set the table outside the veil, and the lamp stand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle towards the south. You shall put the table 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 shall make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the 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.”

You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold. You shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.