Exodus

26.1-37

Having described the furnishings of the Tabernacle in the previous chapter (with the exception of the altar of incense which will be described in chapter 30), the instructions now follow with the details for how the Tabernacle itself is to be constructed. The details in Exodus 25-31 are repeated in chapters 35-40 in almost the same words. The structure is supported on a series of wooden frames covered with red rams and porpoise leather (v14). The complete structure is three independent sections. The first two described here are for the holy of holies (containing the ark of the covenant) and for the holy place (containing the table for the bread of presence, the golden lampstand, and the altar of incense). One estimate of the materials required to build the complete structure totals three tons of bronze, four tons of silver, and one & ¼ tons of gold, along with precious stones, fine fabrics, leather, acacia wood, and more. According to Numbers 4:24, it required 8,580 Levites to staff the Tabernacle once completed.

CHAPTER 26

Instructions for Making the Tabernacle

1 “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skillful designer.
2 “The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measurements.
3 “Five curtains shall be joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another.
4 “And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the one set, and likewise you shall make them on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.
5 “You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite each other.
6 “You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and you shall join the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the tabernacle will be a unit.
7 “Then you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all.
8 “The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall have the same measurements.
9 “And you shall join five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent.
10 “You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.
11 “You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and you shall put the clasps into the loops and join the tent together so that it will be one unit.
12 “The overlapping part that is left over in the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that is left over, shall lap over the back of the tabernacle.
13 “The cubit on one side and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall lap over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the other to cover it.
14 “You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of porpoise skins above.
15 “Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright.
16 “Ten cubits shall be the length of each board, and one and a half cubits the width of each board.
17 “There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle.
18 “You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side.
19 “You shall make forty bases of silver under the twenty boards, two bases under one board for its two tenons, and two bases under another board for its two tenons;
20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards,
21 and their forty bases of silver; two bases under one board and two bases under another board.
22 “For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards.
23 “You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear.
24 “They shall be separated beneath, but together at their completion at its top, at the first ring; thus it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners.
25 “There shall be eight boards with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one board and two bases under another board.
26 “Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle,
27 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 rear side to the west.
28 “The middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through from end to end.
29 “You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold.
30 “Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown in the mountain.
31 “You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful designer.
32 “You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold, on four bases of silver.
33 “You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and you shall bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall separate for you the holy place and the Holy of Holies.
34 “You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Holy of Holies.
35 “You shall set the table outside the veil and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.
36 “You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver.
37 “You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.