A Tent for God

“This is what you are to take from them: gold, silver and bronze; fine linen, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn; goats’ hair; rams’ skins dyed red; sea cow hides; acacia wood; oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; and onyx stones, and other stones to be set in the ephod and the breastplate.

“Let them make me a holy place, so that I can live among them. Make the tabernacle and all its furniture to match the pattern I show you.”

Then the Lord described each thing, beginning with the ark, a chest of acacia wood. It was to be two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide and high. A cubit is the length from a man’s elbow to the tip of his middle finger, about a foot and a half. So the ark would be nearly four feet long and a little over two feet wide and high. It was to be covered with pure gold inside and out, with a gold molding all around.

It was to have four gold rings on its four feet, two on each side. Poles of acacia wood covered with gold would go through the rings for carrying it, and the poles were never to be taken out of the rings. The covenant that God was going to give Moses would go inside the ark.

On top went a cover of pure gold, the mercy seat, as long and as wide as the ark. There were to be two cherubim of hammered gold, one at each end, made from the same piece of gold as the cover. Their wings were to be spread upward, covering the mercy seat, and they were to face each other, looking toward the mercy seat.

“Put the mercy seat on top of the ark,” the Lord said, “and put the covenant I give you inside it. There I will meet with you. I will speak to you from above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim on the ark of the covenant, and tell you all my commands for the Israelites.”

Then there was to be a lamp stand, all hammered out of one piece of pure gold: base, stem, cups, buds and flowers. Six branches were to come out of its sides, three out of each side. Each branch was to have three cups made like almond blossoms, with a bud and a flower. The stem itself was to have four cups like these, with their buds and flowers, and a bud under each pair of branches.

It was to have seven lamps to give light to the space in front of it. A talent of pure gold, a weight of about sixty-six pounds, would go into the lamp stand and all its tools. “Be sure to make them just like the pattern you were shown on the mountain,” the Lord said.

Over the tabernacle went a tent of eleven curtains of goats’ hair, each thirty cubits long and four wide, about forty-five feet by six. They were to be joined in a set of five and a set of six. Like the linen curtains, the two sets were to have fifty loops along their edges, but their fifty clasps were to be bronze. The sixth curtain was to be folded double at the front of the tent, and what was left over would hang down over the back and the sides. On top went a covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and over that, a covering of sea cow hides.

The walls of the tabernacle were to be boards of acacia wood standing upright, each ten cubits long and one and a half cubits wide, about fifteen feet long and a little over two feet wide. Under each board went two silver sockets, or bases, and two pegs at the foot of the board fitted into them. There were to be twenty boards on the south side and twenty on the north. At the far end, on the west, there were to be six boards, and two more for the corners.

Bars of acacia wood would hold the boards together: five on each side and five at the far end. The middle bar was to pass through the middle of the boards from one end to the other. The boards were to be covered with gold, with gold rings to hold the bars, and the bars were to be covered with gold too. “Set up the tabernacle,” the Lord said, “the way you were shown on the mountain.”

Inside, there was to be a veil: a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, with cherubim on it, the work of a skilled craftsman. It would hang on gold hooks from four gold-covered pillars standing in silver sockets. The ark of the covenant, with the mercy seat on it, would go behind the veil, in the Most Holy Place. In front of the veil, in the Holy Place, the table was to stand on the north side, and the lamp stand across from it on the south.

At the door of the tent there was to be a screen, an embroidered curtain of the same colors and linen. It would hang from five gold-covered pillars standing in bronze sockets.

All around the tabernacle there was to be a courtyard, a hundred cubits long and fifty wide, about a hundred and fifty feet by seventy-five. Its walls were to be hangings of fine linen, five cubits high, about seven and a half feet. They would hang from pillars standing in bronze sockets, with hooks and bands of silver. There were to be twenty pillars along each long side, and ten along the west end. At the east end was the gate, with linen hangings fifteen cubits long on either side of it. The gate itself was a screen, an embroidered curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, twenty cubits wide, about thirty feet. All the tools used in the tabernacle, and all the tent pegs for it and for the courtyard, were to be bronze.

The Israelites were to bring Moses pure olive oil, pressed for the light, so that a lamp could be kept burning always. Aaron and his sons were to take care of the lamp before the Lord from evening to morning. It would be in the Tent of Meeting, as the tabernacle is also called, outside the veil that hangs in front of the covenant. “This is a rule for the Israelites forever,” the Lord said, “generation after generation.”

All the skilled people whom the Lord had filled with the spirit of wisdom were to make Aaron’s clothes, to set him apart as holy to serve as priest. These were the holy clothes for Aaron and his sons: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a fitted tunic, a turban and a sash, made of gold, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen.

The ephod was to be woven by a skilled worker from gold, blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, with two shoulder straps and a woven band made the same way. On its shoulder straps went two onyx stones set in gold. The names of Israel’s sons were to be engraved on them the way a seal is engraved, six names on each stone, in the order the sons were born. So Aaron would carry their names before the Lord on his two shoulders, to be remembered. Two chains of pure gold, braided like cords, were to be fastened to the gold settings.

Next came the breastplate of judgment, made the same way as the ephod. It was to be square and folded double, a span long and a span wide. A span is the width of a hand spread out, from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger, about nine inches. It was to have four rows of stones set in gold: ruby, topaz and beryl in the first row; turquoise, sapphire and emerald in the second; jacinth, agate and amethyst in the third; and chrysolite, onyx and jasper in the fourth. Each stone was to carry one of the names of Israel’s sons, engraved the way a seal is engraved: twelve names for the twelve tribes.

Gold chains and gold rings were to fasten the breastplate to the ephod’s shoulder straps. A blue cord was to tie it to the ephod just above the woven band, so that it would not swing loose.

So whenever Aaron went into the Holy Place, he would carry the names of Israel’s sons on his heart, on the breastplate of judgment, so that they would always be remembered before the Lord. The Urim and Thummim were to be put in the breastplate too, so that they would be on Aaron’s heart when he went in before the Lord. In this way Aaron would always carry the judgment of the Israelites on his heart before the Lord.

The robe that went with the ephod was to be all blue, with an opening for the head in the middle. The edge of the opening was to be bound with woven work, so that it would not tear. All around the hem of the robe there were to be pomegranates made of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and golden bells: a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem. Aaron was to wear it when he served. The sound of the bells would be heard as he went in and out of the Holy Place before the Lord, so that he would not die.

A plate of pure gold was to be engraved with the words “HOLY TO YAHWEH,” the way a seal is engraved. It was to be tied on with a blue cord, so that it would be on Aaron’s forehead. Aaron would carry the guilt of the holy things that the Israelites set apart, all their holy gifts. The plate was to be on his forehead always, so that they would be accepted before the Lord.

Aaron’s tunic and turban were to be woven of fine linen, with an embroidered sash. His sons were to have tunics, sashes and headbands, for glory and for beauty. Moses was to dress Aaron and his sons, anoint them and make them holy, so that they could serve the Lord as priests. They were all to wear linen pants, reaching from the waist to the thighs, to cover their bare bodies. They were to wear them whenever they went into the Tent of Meeting or came near the altar to serve in the Holy Place, so that they would not bring guilt on themselves and die. That was to be a rule forever for Aaron and his descendants.

He was to bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting and wash them there with water. He was to dress Aaron in the tunic, the robe, the ephod and the breastplate, and tie on the ephod’s woven band. He was to set the turban on Aaron’s head and the holy crown on the turban. Then he was to pour the anointing oil on Aaron’s head to anoint him. Next he was to put tunics on Aaron’s sons, tie sashes on Aaron and his sons, and put headbands on them. The priesthood would be theirs by a rule that lasts forever.

The bull was to be brought up to the Tent of Meeting, where Aaron and his sons were to lay their hands on its head. Moses was to kill it before the Lord at the door of the tent. He was to put some of the bull’s blood on the horns of the altar with his finger, and pour all the rest out at the base of the altar. The fat covering the insides, the covering of the liver, the two kidneys and their fat were to be burned on the altar. But the bull’s meat, its skin and its dung were to be burned outside the camp. It was a sin offering.

Then Moses was to take the first ram. Aaron and his sons were to lay their hands on its head, and Moses was to kill it. He was to sprinkle its blood all around on the altar and cut the ram into pieces, washing its insides and its legs. Then the whole ram was to be burned on the altar. It was a burnt offering to the Lord, an offering made by fire, with a pleasant smell.

Then Aaron and his sons were to lay their hands on the head of the other ram, and Moses was to kill it. He was to take some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear and the tips of his sons’ right ears, on their right thumbs and on the big toes of their right feet. He was to sprinkle the blood all around on the altar too. Then he was to sprinkle Aaron and his sons, and their clothes, with blood from the altar and with the anointing oil, so that they and their clothes would be made holy.

This was the ram for setting the priests apart. Moses was to take its fat, its fat tail, the covering of its liver, its two kidneys and its right thigh, with one loaf, one oiled cake and one wafer out of the basket of bread. He was to put it all into the hands of Aaron and his sons, and wave it before the Lord as a wave offering. Then he was to take it back from them and burn it on top of the burnt offering on the altar. It was an offering made by fire to the Lord, a pleasant smell before him.

Moses was to wave the ram’s breast before the Lord too, and that would be his own share. The breast and the thigh that were waved and lifted up were to be set apart for Aaron and his sons. They would be the priests’ share from the Israelites forever, from the peace offerings they gave to the Lord.

Aaron’s holy clothes would belong to his sons after him. They would wear them when they were anointed and set apart. The son who became priest in his place was to wear them for seven days when he came into the Tent of Meeting to serve in the Holy Place.

The meat of the ram for setting the priests apart was to be boiled in a holy place. Aaron and his sons were to eat the ram’s meat, and the bread in the basket, at the door of the Tent of Meeting. They were to eat the things that had made atonement for them when they were set apart and made holy. No one else was to eat any of it, because it was holy. Anything left until morning was to be burned, not eaten, because it was holy.

Moses was to do all this for seven days, just as the Lord had commanded. Every day he was to offer a bull as a sin offering, to make atonement. He was to make atonement for the altar too, cleansing it and anointing it to make it holy. After seven days the altar would be most holy, and whatever touched it would become holy.

“This is to be a burnt offering every day, generation after generation, at the door of the Tent of Meeting before the Lord,” he said. “That is where I will meet with you and speak with you. There I will meet with the Israelites, and my glory will make the place holy.

“I will make the Tent of Meeting and the altar holy. I will make Aaron and his sons holy too, to be my priests. I will live among the Israelites and be their God. Then they will know I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt in order to live among them. I am the Lord their God.”

Then the Lord described an altar for burning incense, made of acacia wood covered with pure gold. It was to be square, a cubit on each side and two cubits high, about a foot and a half across and three feet high. Its horns were to be made in one piece with it. It was to have a gold molding around it, and gold rings under the molding to hold the poles for carrying it. The poles were to be acacia wood covered with gold. “Put it in front of the veil that hangs by the ark of the covenant,” he said, “in front of the mercy seat over the covenant. That is where I will meet with you.

“Aaron is to burn sweet incense on it every morning when he takes care of the lamps, and again at evening when he lights them, so that incense burns before the Lord always, generation after generation. Don’t burn any other incense on it. Don’t offer a burnt offering or an offering of flour on it, and don’t pour a drink offering on it. Once every year Aaron is to make atonement for it on its horns, with the blood of the sin offering. It is most holy to the Lord.”

This atonement money was to be used for the work of the Tent of Meeting. It would be a reminder before the Lord on behalf of the Israelites, to make atonement for them.

The Lord also told Moses to make a bronze basin on a bronze stand, for washing. It was to go between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, with water in it. Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and their feet in it whenever they went into the Tent of Meeting, or came near the altar to burn an offering to the Lord, so that they would not die. That was to be a rule forever for Aaron and his descendants.

Then the Lord told Moses how to make the holy anointing oil: five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, about eleven pounds; two hundred and fifty shekels each of fragrant cinnamon and fragrant cane; five hundred shekels of cassia; and a hin of olive oil, nearly two gallons. It was all to be blended together, the way a perfumer does it.

Moses was to use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the two altars and the basin, with all their tools, to make them most holy. Whatever touched them would become holy. And he was to anoint Aaron and his sons and make them holy, so that they could serve the Lord as priests.

“Tell the Israelites,” the Lord said, “‘This is to be my holy anointing oil, generation after generation. It must not be poured on just anyone’s body, and you must not use its recipe to make any more like it. It is holy, and you are to keep it holy. Whoever makes any like it, or puts any of it on someone else, will be cut off from his people.’”

For the incense, Moses was to take sweet spices, gum resin, onycha and galbanum, with pure frankincense, the same weight of each. They were to be blended the way a perfumer does it and seasoned with salt, to make an incense that was pure and holy. Some of it was to be crushed into fine powder and put in front of the covenant in the Tent of Meeting, where the Lord would meet with him. It was most holy, and no one was to make any like it for himself. Anyone who made any like it, just to smell it, would be cut off from his people.

“I myself have also appointed Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to join him. I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the skilled workers, so that they can make all that I have commanded: the Tent of Meeting and all its furniture, the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat, the table, the pure gold lamp stand, the two altars and the basin, with all their tools, the holy clothes for Aaron the priest and his sons, the anointing oil and the sweet incense for the Holy Place. They are to do everything as I have commanded you.”

“Keep the Sabbath, then, because it is holy to you. Everyone who treats it like an ordinary day must be put to death, because whoever does any work on it will be cut off from his people. There are six days for work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath, a day of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Anyone who works on the Sabbath day must be put to death.

“So the Israelites are to keep the Sabbath in every generation, as a covenant that lasts forever. It is a sign between me and the Israelites forever, because in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.”

When the Lord finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave Moses the two tablets of the covenant. They were tablets of stone, written with God’s finger: the covenant that was to go inside the ark.