< Exodus 37 >
1 Then Bezalel made the [sacred] chest from acacia wood. It was (45 in./110 cm.) long, (27 in./66 cm.) wide, and (27 in./66 cm.) high.
And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:
2 He covered it with pure gold inside and outside the chest, and he made a gold border around the top of it.
And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.
3 He made/cast four rings from gold [and fastened them] to the legs of the chest. He put two rings on each side of the chest.
And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it.
4 He made [two] poles from acacia wood, and covered them with gold.
And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
5 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest, in order that the chest could be carried [by means of the poles].
And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
6 He made a lid for the chest. That was [the place where Yahweh would] forgive people’s sins. It [also] was (45 in./110 cm.) long and (27 in./66 cm.) wide.
And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
7 He made two winged creatures from hammered gold.
And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;
8 One of these was put at each end of the chest. The gold [with which they were made] was joined to the gold from which the lid [was made].
One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
9 [He placed] the winged creatures facing each other so that their wings touched each other and spread out over the lid.
And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even towards the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubims.
10 Bezalel made a table from acacia wood. It was (36 in./88 cm.) long, (18 in./44 cm.) wide, and (27 in./66 cm.) high.
And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:
11 He covered it with pure gold, and he put a gold border around it.
And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about.
12 He made a rim all around it, (3 in./7 cm.) wide. He put a gold border around the rim.
Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.
13 He made/cast four rings from gold and fastened the rings to the four corners of the table, one ring close to each leg [of the table].
And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof.
14 The rings were fastened to the table near the rim.
Opposite to the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.
15 He made two poles from acacia wood and covered them with gold. These poles for carrying the table were then inserted into the rings.
And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.
16 He also made from pure gold all the things to be put on the table. He made the plates, the cups, and the jars and bowls to be used [when the priests] poured out wine [as an offering to Yahweh].
And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover likewise, of pure gold.
17 [He] made the lampstand from pure gold. Its base and its shaft were hammered from [one large lump of] gold. [The branches of the lampstand], the cups for holding the oil, the flower buds and the petals [that decorated the branches of the lamp, the base, and the shaft were all hammered from] one [big] lump of gold.
And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:
18 There were six branches on the lampstand, three on each side [of the shaft].
And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:
19 Each of the branches had on it three [gold decorations that looked like] almond blossoms. These decorations also had flower buds and [flower] petals.
Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a the shape of round apples and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a the shape of round apples and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.
20 On the [shaft of the] lampstand there were four [gold decorations that also looked like] almond blossoms, each one with flower buds and [flower] petals.
And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:
21 On each side, beneath and extending from each of the branches, there was one [flower] bud.
And a the shape of round apples under two branches of the same, and a the shape of round apples under two branches of the same, and a the shape of round apples under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it.
22 All these [flower] buds and branches, along with the shaft, were hammered from one large lump of pure gold.
Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.
23 Bezalel also made seven small cups [for holding oil. He put one cup on top of the shaft and he put the others on top of the branches]. He made from pure gold the tongs [for removing the burned wicks] and the trays [in which to put the burned wicks].
And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his intruments for snuffings, of pure gold.
24 He used (75 pounds/35 kg.) of pure gold to make the lampstand and all the things that were used to take care of it.
Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.
25 From acacia wood, Bezalel made the altar [for burning] incense. It was square, (18 in./45 cm.) on each side. It was (3 ft./90 cm.) high. He made [a projection that looked like] a horn on each of the top corners. The projections were carved from the same block of wood that the altar was made of.
And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.
26 He covered the top and the four sides, including the projections, with pure gold. He put a gold border around the altar, [near the top].
And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about.
27 He made two gold rings for carrying the altar. Then he attached them to the altar below the border, one on each side of the altar. The poles by means of which the altar was to be carried were to be inserted into those rings.
And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it likewise.
28 He made those [two] poles from acacia wood and covered them with gold.
And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
29 He also made the sacred oil for anointing and the pure sweet-smelling incense. He mixed the incense together as a skilled perfumer would.
And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.