Gifts for the Holy Things
25 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to bring me gifts. You will accept gifts for me from everyone who is willing to give. 3 Here is the list of the things that you should accept from the people: gold, silver, and bronze; 4 blue, purple, and red yarn and fine linen; goat hair, 5 ram skins dyed red, and fine leather; acacia wood; 6 oil for the lamps; spices for the anointing oil and spices for the sweet-smelling incense. 7 Also accept onyx stones and other jewels to be put on the ephod and the judgment pouch.
The Holy Tent
8 “The people will build a holy place for me. Then I can live among them. 9 I will show you what the Holy Tent and everything in it should look like. Build everything exactly as I show you.
The Box of the Agreement
10 “Use acacia wood and build a special box. This Holy Box must be 2 1/2 cubits[a] long, 1 1/2 cubits[b] wide, and 1 1/2 cubits high. 11 Use pure gold to cover the Box inside and out. Put gold trim around the edges of the Box. 12 Make four gold rings for carrying the Box. Put the gold rings on the four corners, two rings on each side. 13 Then make poles for carrying the Box. These poles should be made from acacia wood and covered with gold. 14 Put the poles through the rings on the corners of the Box. Use these poles to carry the Box. 15 These poles should always stay in the rings of the Box. Don’t take the poles out.
16 “I will give you the Agreement. Put it into this Box. 17 Then make a lid, the mercy-cover. Make it from pure gold. Make it 2 1/2 cubits long and 1 1/2 cubits wide. 18 Then make two Cherub angels and put them on each end of the mercy-cover. Hammer gold to make these angels. 19 Put one angel on one end of the mercy-cover, and put the other angel on the other end. Join the angels together with the mercy-cover to make one piece. 20 The wings of these angels should spread up toward the sky. The angels should cover the Box with their wings and should face each other, looking toward the mercy-cover.
21 “I will give you the Agreement. Put it in the Box, and put the mercy-cover on the Box. 22 When I meet with you, I will speak from between the Cherub angels on the mercy-cover that is on the Box of the Agreement. From that place, I will give all my commands to the Israelites.
The Table
23 “Make a table from acacia wood. The table must be 2 cubits[c] long, 1 cubit[d] wide, and 1 1/2 cubits high. 24 Cover the table with pure gold and put gold trim around it. 25 Then make a frame 1 handbreadth[e] wide around the table. And put gold trim on the frame. 26 Then make four gold rings and put them on the four corners of the table, where the four legs are. 27 Put the rings close to the frame around the top of the table. These rings will hold the poles used to carry the table. 28 Use acacia wood to make the poles, and cover them with gold. The poles are for carrying the table. 29 Make the plates, the spoons, the pitchers, and the bowls from pure gold. The pitchers and bowls will be used for pouring the drink offerings. 30 Put the special bread[f] before me on the table. It must always be there in front of me.
The Lampstand
31 “Then you must make a lampstand. Use pure gold and hammer it to make the base and the shaft.[g] Make flowers, buds, and petals from pure gold. Join all these things together into one piece.
32 “The lampstand must have six branches—three branches on one side and three branches on the other. 33 Each branch must have three flowers. Make these flowers like almond flowers with buds and petals. 34 Make four more flowers for the lampstand. These flowers must be made like almond flowers with buds and petals. 35 There will be six branches on the lampstand—three branches coming out from each side of the shaft. Make a flower with buds and petals below each of the three places where the branches join the shaft. 36 The whole lampstand with the flowers and branches must be made from pure gold. All this gold must be hammered and joined together into one piece. 37 Then make seven lamps[h] to go on the lampstand. These lamps will give light to the area in front of the lampstand. 38 Use pure gold to make the lamp snuffers and trays. 39 Use 75 pounds[i] of pure gold to make the lampstand and the things to be used with it. 40 Be very careful to make everything exactly the way I showed you on the mountain.
Footnotes
- Exodus 25:10 2 1/2 cubits 4' 3" (1.3 m). Also in verse 17.
- Exodus 25:10 1 1/2 cubits 30 5/8" (77.75 cm). Also in verses 17, 23.
- Exodus 25:23 2 cubits 3' 4 13/16" (104 cm).
- Exodus 25:23 cubit 20 5/8" (51.83 cm).
- Exodus 25:25 handbreadth The width of 4 fingers, about 3" (7.4 cm).
- Exodus 25:30 special bread Also called “bread of the Presence.” Every day this bread was put before God on the special table in the Holy Place.
- Exodus 25:31 base and the shaft Or “flared base.”
- Exodus 25:37 lamps Small bowls filled with oil. A wick was put in the bowl and lit to produce light.
- Exodus 25:39 75 pounds Literally, “1 talent” (34.5 kg).