Exodus 36

The Tabernacle Underwritten

1“Now Bezalel, Oholiab, and every 1skillful person in whom the Lord has put 2skill and understanding to know how to perform all the work 3in the construction of the sanctuary, shall perform in accordance with everything that the Lord has commanded.”

2Then Moses called Bezalel, Oholiab, and every 4skillful person in 5whom the Lord had put 6skill, 7everyone whose heart stirred him, to come to the work to perform it. 3They received from Moses every 8contribution which the sons of Israel had brought to perform 9the work 10in the construction of the sanctuary. And they still continued bringing to him 11voluntary offerings every morning. 4And all the 12skillful people who were performing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from 13the work which they were performing, 5and they said to 14Moses, “15The people are bringing much more than enough for the 16construction work which the Lord commanded us to 17perform.” 6So Moses issued a command, and circulated a 18proclamation throughout the camp, saying, “No man or woman is to perform work any longer for the 19contributions of the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing any more. 720For the 21material they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to perform it.

Construction Begins

822All the 23skillful people among those who were performing the work made the 24tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twisted linen and 25violet, purple, and scarlet material, with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer, 26Bezalel made them. 9The length of each curtain was 27twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains had 28the same measurements. 10He 29joined five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he 30joined to one another. 11And he made loops of violet on the edge of the 31outermost curtain in the first 32set; he did likewise on the edge of the curtain that was 33outermost in the second 34set. 12He made 35fifty loops in the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the 36edge of the curtain that was in the second 37set; the loops were opposite each other. 13He also made 38fifty clasps of gold, and 39joined the curtains to one another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle was 40a unit.

14Then 41he made curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he 42made eleven curtains in all. 15The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the width of each curtain; the eleven curtains had 43the same measurements. 16He 44joined five curtains by themselves, and the other six curtains by themselves. 17Moreover, he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the first 45set, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second 46set. 18He also made fifty clasps of 47bronze to 48join the tent together so that it would be 49a unit. 19And he made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins 50dyed red, and a covering of 51fine leather above.

2052Then he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 21Ten cubits was the length of 53each board, and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 22There were two tenons for each board, 54fitted to one another; he did this to all the boards of the tabernacle. 23So he made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards 55for the south side; 24and he made 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. 25Then for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty boards, 26and their forty bases of silver; two bases under one board, and two bases under another board. 27And for the 56back of the tabernacle, to the west, he made six boards. 28He made two boards for the corners of the 57tabernacle at the 58back. 29They were double beneath, and together they were complete to its 59top, 60to the first ring; he did this with both of them for the two corners. 30There were eight boards with their bases of silver, sixteen bases, two bases under every board.

31Then he made 61bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 32and five bars for the boards of the 62other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the 63back side to the west. 33And he made the middle bar to pass through in the 64center of the boards from end to end. 34Then he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold as holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

3565Moreover, he made the veil of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen; he made it with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer. 36And he made four pillars of acacia for it, and overlaid them with gold, with their hooks of gold; and he cast four bases of silver for them. 37He also made a 66curtain for the doorway of the tent, of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, the work of a 67weaver; 38and he made its 68five pillars with their hooks, and he overlaid their tops and their 69bands with gold; but their five bases were of 70bronze.