Exodus 25 - Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)

The Commission to Build the Dwelling^[a]

25 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ² “Speak to the people of Israel^[b] so that they gather a special offering^[c] for me. From everyone whose heart makes him willing you shall gather the offering for me.”

The Offering for the Dwelling

³ This is the offering which you are to gather from them: gold, silver, and bronze; ⁴ blue, purple, and scarlet material, fine linen; goats’ hair, ⁵ rams’ skins dyed red, and hides of sea cows;^[d] acacia wood, ⁶ olive oil for the Light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, ⁷ onyx stones, and stones to be mounted on the special vest^[e] and on the pouch. ⁸ They are to make a sanctuary for me, so that I may dwell among them. ⁹ You are to make it exactly according to the design for the Dwelling and the designs for all of its furniture which I will show you.

The Ark of the Covenant

¹⁰ They shall make an ark^[f] of acacia wood. It is to be forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.^{[g] 11} Overlay it with pure gold. Overlay it on the inside and the outside, and make a gold border around it. ¹² Cast four gold rings for it and place them next to its four feet. Two rings are for one side of it, and two rings for the other side. ¹³ Make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴ Put the poles which are used to carry the ark into the rings on the sides of the ark. ¹⁵ The poles are to be placed into the rings on the ark. They are not to be removed from the rings.

¹⁶ Put the Testimony, which I am about to give to you, into the ark. ¹⁷ Make an atonement seat^[h] of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide. ¹⁸ Make two cherubim^[i] of hammered gold. You are to make them for the two ends of the atonement seat. ¹⁹ Make one cherub for one end and one cherub for the other end. The cherubim on its two ends are to form one piece with the atonement seat.^{[j] 20} The cherubim will spread their wings upward so that they cover the atonement seat with their wings, and they will face each other. The faces of the cherubim are to be looking inward toward the atonement seat. ²¹ Put the atonement seat on top of the ark, and put the Testimony, which I will give to you, into the ark. ²² There I will meet with you, and from above the atonement seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the Ark of the Testimony, I will communicate to you all the commands that I will give to you for the people of Israel.

The Table

²³ You shall make a table of acacia wood, thirty-six inches long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. ²⁴ Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold border around it.^{[k] 25} Make a three-inch rim around it. Make a gold border for its rim all the way around it. ²⁶ Make four gold rings for it and fasten the rings to the four corners, above the four legs of the table. ²⁷ The rings shall be close to the border to hold the poles used to carry the table. ²⁸ Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that the table can be carried with them. ²⁹ You are to make its dishes,^[l] its small bowls,^[m] its pitchers, and its larger bowls to pour out offerings.^[n] Make them of pure gold. ³⁰ You are to set the Bread of the Presence^[o] on the table so that it is in front of me at all times.

The Lampstand

³¹ You shall make a lampstand^[p] of pure gold. The lampstand is to be made of hammered metal. Its pedestal, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers are all to be formed as one piece with the lampstand. ³² There are to be six branches going out from its two sides: Three branches of the lampstand are to go out from one side, and three branches of the lampstand are to go out from the other side. ³³ There are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms with buds and flowers on the first branch, and three cups like almond blossoms with buds and flowers on the branch opposite it. All six branches going out from the lampstand are to be the same. ³⁴ On the lampstand itself make four cups shaped like almond blossoms with buds and flowers. ³⁵ The bud under one pair of branches is to form one piece with the lampstand, and the bud under the second pair of branches is to form one piece with the lampstand, and the bud under the third pair of branches is to form one piece with the lampstand—the same for all six branches going out of the lampstand. ³⁶ Its buds and branches are to be made as one piece with it. All of it will be one hammered piece of pure gold.

³⁷ You shall make seven lamps for it, and these lamps shall be lit to give light to the area in front of the lampstand. ³⁸ Its wick trimmers and its pans^[q] are to be made of pure gold. ³⁹ It is to be made of seventy-five pounds^[r] of pure gold with all these accessories. ⁴⁰ See to it that you make them according to their design, which is being shown to you on the mountain.

Footnotes

1. Exodus 25:1 This sanctuary was traditionally called the Tabernacle. The Hebrew word Mishkan, however, means dwelling. The name Dwelling more clearly reflects the significance of this tent as the dwelling place of God with his people.
2. Exodus 25:2 Literally the sons of Israel, or traditionally the children of Israel. The translation uses sons of Israel when the reference is to the twelve sons of Jacob. It uses people of Israel or Israelites when the reference is to successive generations of the whole nation.
3. Exodus 25:2 Literally elevated offering. Here the manner of presentation does not seem to be the issue.
4. Exodus 25:5 The meaning of tichashim is uncertain. Sea cows are similar to the manatees of Florida. The local name of the Red Sea variety is dugong. Alternate translations of tichashim are dolphin skin, badger skin, goat skin, and fine leather.
5. Exodus 25:7 Hebrew ephod. Some think it was more like an apron than like a vest.
6. Exodus 25:10 An aron is a box or chest or even a coffin. The translation retains the traditional rendering ark. It is not the same Hebrew word that refers to Noah’s ark, which also was a box.
7. Exodus 25:10 Measurements are based on a cubit of 18 inches.
8. Exodus 25:17 The Hebrew word kapporet refers to an object that pertains to atonement. It can be translated atonement cover or place of atonement. The traditional rendering mercy seat is based on the translation of Luther, Gnadenstuhl, throne of grace. Luther recognized that the chief function of the kapporet was not to cover the ark, but to serve as the footstool of the Lord. The atoning blood was being presented at the foot of God’s throne.
9. Exodus 25:18 For a description of cherubim, the angels who are God’s attendants, see Ezekiel 1.
10. Exodus 25:19 That is, the angels were to be permanently fastened to the lid.
11. Exodus 25:24 The meaning of the Hebrew terms misgeret and zer are uncertain. They may be decorative trim or they may be frames to give support and stability to the table. The rabbinic writers do not agree whether they refer to a rim above the table or to a skirt below the tabletop.
12. Exodus 25:29 Etymology suggests that the Hebrew word qe’ara refers to a deep dish or bowl, but some think it means platter.
13. Exodus 25:29 The Hebrew word kaf refers to the palm of the hand, so it refers to a small bowl, spoon, or ladle.
14. Exodus 25:29 The precise identification of the four types of vessels or utensils is uncertain. Jars and jugs are among the possibilities. Some rabbinic writers believed that the vessels include molds for the loaves of bread and stands to separate the loaves. Discussions in the rabbinic writings show that there was no consensus on the meaning of many terms in this section of Exodus.
15. Exodus 25:30 Literally bread of the face. Traditionally translated show bread, following the suggestion of Luther.
16. Exodus 25:31 Hebrew menorah
17. Exodus 25:38 The meaning of these two items is uncertain. Tongs and snuffers are among the other possibilities.
18. Exodus 25:39 Literally one talent. A talent is also a monetary unit. Estimates of the size of a talent vary widely.