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The Curtains and Covers for the Dwelling

26 The curtain that forms the dwelling[a] itself you shall make with ten panels[b] of fine woven linen,[c] with blue, purple, and scarlet material. Decorate them with cherubim, which are to be the work of a skillful craftsman. The length of each panel of the curtain is to be forty-two feet, and the width of each panel six feet. All the panels are to be the same size. Five panels of the curtain are to be connected together into one panel, and the other five panels are to be connected together into one. Attach blue loops to the edge of the last panel in the first set of curtains. In the same way attach loops to the edge of the last panel of the second set. Make fifty loops for the edge of the first set of curtains, and make fifty loops for the edge of the second set of curtains. The loops are to be opposite one another. Make fifty gold clasps,[d] and connect the two sets of curtains to each other with the clasps, so that the dwelling becomes one connected piece.

You shall make panels for a curtain made from goats’ hair to serve as a tent over the dwelling. Make eleven panels. The length of each panel is to be forty-five feet, and the width of each panel six feet. The eleven panels are to be the same size. Connect five panels of the curtain into one unit, and connect six panels into another unit. Fold the sixth panel of the curtain over the front edge of the Tent.[e] 10 Attach fifty loops to the edge of the last panel of one set of curtains, and fifty loops to the edge of the last panel in the second set. 11 Make fifty bronze clasps, and put the clasps into the loops to join the two pieces of the tent[f] together, so that it forms one unit. 12 The excess part of the curtains that form the tent, which is left over, that is, the half curtain that is extra, is to hang down over the back of the Dwelling. 13 The eighteen inches left over on one side and the eighteen inches left over on the other side, all along the length of the tent coverings, are to be left hanging down over the sides of the Dwelling on either side to cover it.[g]

14 You shall also make a covering for the tent made from rams’ skins dyed red and a covering made from hides of sea cows to go above that one.

The Framework for the Dwelling

15 You shall make upright boards[h] of acacia wood to serve as a framework for the Dwelling. 16 The length of each board is to be fifteen feet, and the width of each board is to be twenty-seven inches. 17 There are to be two pegs on each board for connecting them to the next board.[i] That is the way you are to make all the boards for the Dwelling.

18 Make these boards for the Dwelling:

Make twenty boards for the south side. 19 Make forty socket bases of silver to be placed under the twenty boards—two sockets to go under the first board to hold its two pegs, and two sockets to go under the next board for its two pegs.

20 For the second side of the Dwelling, the north side, make twenty boards, 21 with forty socket bases of silver—two sockets to go under the first board, and two sockets to go under the next board.

22 For the far side of the Dwelling, the west side, make six boards. 23 Then make two boards for each of the back corners of the Dwelling. 24 For the two corners there are to be twin boards from the bottom to the top, but they are to be joined at the top by one ring[j]—both cornerpieces are to be made like this. 25 Altogether there will be eight boards with silver socket bases, sixteen socket bases—two socket bases to go under each board.

26 You shall make crossbars of acacia wood—five crossbars for the boards on one side of the Dwelling, 27 five crossbars for the boards on the other side of the Dwelling, and five crossbars for the boards on the backside of the Dwelling on the west. 28 The middle bar, placed halfway up the boards, shall pass through from one end of the boards to the other end. 29 Overlay the boards with gold. Attach gold rings to them to hold the crossbars, and overlay the crossbars with gold.

30 You shall set up the Dwelling according to the design that is being shown to you on the mountain.

The Veil and the Screen

31 You shall make a special veil of blue, purple, and scarlet material and of fine woven linen, decorated with cherubim. It shall be made as the work of a skillful craftsman. 32 Hang it on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold, which stand on four socket bases of silver. The hooks are to be made of gold. 33 Hang up the veil below the spot where the clasps join the two parts of the dwelling. Then bring the Ark of the Testimony inside the veil. The veil shall separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place for you. 34 You shall put the atonement seat on top of the Ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place. 35 You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the south side of the Dwelling. You shall put the table on the north side.

36 You shall make a screen[k] for the entry to the tent from blue, purple, and scarlet material and of fine woven linen, the work of an embroiderer. 37 Make five posts of acacia wood to support the screen, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be gold, and you shall cast five bronze socket bases for them.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 26:1 The term dwelling here refers to the innermost of the four layers that covered the framework of the sanctuary. Elsewhere the Dwelling is the name for the whole structure. This translation capitalizes Dwelling when it is the name of the whole structure. It is lowercase dwelling when it is just one of the four layers covering the structure.
  2. Exodus 26:1 The translation uses curtains and panels for the hangings that made up the various layers of the tent. It uses veil for the partition that divided the tent into two rooms.
  3. Exodus 26:1 Also translated twisted linen. It may refer to twisting different materials into one thread or to weaving them together.
  4. Exodus 26:6 Or hooks
  5. Exodus 26:9 It is not clear what the text means when it states that the sixth curtain was doubled over. Perhaps half of it hung down in front of the tent like a valance.
  6. Exodus 26:11 Here tent refers to the second layer of the four coverings for the sanctuary. Elsewhere Tent refers to the whole sanctuary. Tent is capitalized when it is a name for the whole structure.
  7. Exodus 26:13 It is not clear what this means, but apparently the upper layers, which were a yard longer than the lower, inner layer, hung all the way down to the ground, whereas the inner layer stopped short of the ground.
  8. Exodus 26:15 Or frames
  9. Exodus 26:17 These pegs may be on the side of each board to connect it to the board next to it. Verse 19 describes two pegs on the bottom of each board to anchor the boards to the socket bases below the boards.
  10. Exodus 26:24 There is much disagreement about what it means that these boards are double or twin at the bottom. Some think it means they are separate; some think it means that they are joined together. The translation above suggests that two boards are joined together to form one L-shaped cornerpiece.
  11. Exodus 26:36 Or hanging

The Tabernacle(A)

26 “Make the tabernacle(B) with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim(C) woven into them by a skilled worker. All the curtains are to be the same size(D)—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide.[a] Join five of the curtains together, and do the same with the other five. Make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and do the same with the end curtain in the other set. Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. Then make fifty gold clasps and use them to fasten the curtains together so that the tabernacle is a unit.(E)

“Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. All eleven curtains are to be the same size(F)—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.[b] Join five of the curtains together into one set and the other six into another set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. 10 Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. 11 Then make fifty bronze clasps and put them in the loops to fasten the tent together as a unit.(G) 12 As for the additional length of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over is to hang down at the rear of the tabernacle. 13 The tent curtains will be a cubit[c] longer on both sides; what is left will hang over the sides of the tabernacle so as to cover it. 14 Make for the tent a covering(H) of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.[d](I)

15 “Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 16 Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide,[e] 17 with two projections set parallel to each other. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 18 Make twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle 19 and make forty silver bases(J) to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. 20 For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, make twenty frames 21 and forty silver bases(K)—two under each frame. 22 Make six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, 23 and make two frames for the corners at the far end. 24 At these two corners they must be double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both shall be like that. 25 So there will be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

26 “Also make crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 27 five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. 28 The center crossbar is to extend from end to end at the middle of the frames. 29 Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

30 “Set up the tabernacle(L) according to the plan(M) shown you on the mountain.

31 “Make a curtain(N) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim(O) woven into it by a skilled worker. 32 Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases.(P) 33 Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain.(Q) The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.(R) 34 Put the atonement cover(S) on the ark of the covenant law in the Most Holy Place. 35 Place the table(T) outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand(U) opposite it on the south side.

36 “For the entrance to the tent make a curtain(V) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer.(W) 37 Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 26:2 That is, about 42 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 13 meters long and 1.8 meters wide
  2. Exodus 26:8 That is, about 45 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 13.5 meters long and 1.8 meters wide
  3. Exodus 26:13 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  4. Exodus 26:14 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals (see 25:5)
  5. Exodus 26:16 That is, about 15 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide or about 4.5 meters long and 68 centimeters wide