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| Tabernacle model in Timna Park, Israel Photo from BiblePlaces.com |
About this Bible Study........The King James Version of the Bible is written in a beautiful form of the English language. It can be hard for modern English readers to understand. In this study, you will find notes and summaries in brown just above the the verses from the Bible. We recommend that you read the notes and summaries first, and then read the verses in their KJV form.
The book of Exodus was written by Moses.
The word "exodus" means to "go out" or
"leave". This book is about the Israelites leaving Egypt and
going back to Canaan. Exodus begins about 350 after Joseph died. The date
that the Israelites leave Egypt is about 1445 B.C. (1, 445 years before
Jesus Christ was born).
Exodus 26 - 28
God gives instructions for building the inside and outside of the tabernacle
God gives instructions for the priests'
clothing and the breastplate.
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| Tabernacle model in Timna Park, Israel Photo from BiblePlaces.com |
God gives more instructions about the
tabernacle. This is how the tabernacle will look when it is all finished. The tabernacle will be in the middle of
the Israelite camp. The tabernacle is covered with a big tent and can be taken
apart and moved when the Israelites are ready to move to a new area.
Exodus 26
The curtains for the inside of the tabernacle.
The tabernacle should have 10 curtains. The
curtains should be made of blue, purple, and red linen (a type of cloth).
Pictures of cherubims (angels) should be woven or sewn into the curtains.
[1] Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.
Each curtain should be 14 yards long and 2 yards wide.
[2] The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.
5 of the curtains should be sewn together, and the other
5 should be sewn together.
[3] The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.
They should make 50 blue loops in each group of
curtains.
[4] And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.
[5] Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another.
They should attach the two groups of curtains with 50
buckles of gold.
[6] And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.
The first layer covering the tabernacle--goat's hair.
They should also make 11 curtains of
goat's hair. Each curtain should be 15 yards long and 2 yards wide.
[7] And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.
[8] The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure.
They should sew together one group of 5
curtains. They should also sew one group of 6 curtains. The extra curtain
would cover the front of the tabernacle.
[9] And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle.
They should attach the 2 groups of curtains with brass buckles.
[10] And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.
[11] And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.
There will be some goat's hair curtains
leftover. They should use these to cover the back and sides of the tabernacle.
[12] And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle.
[13] And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.
The second and third layers covering the tabernacle--rams'
skins and badgers' skins.
They should make 2 more layers to cover the tent. One
layer is rams' skin that will be dyed red. The next layer will be badger's skin
(like leather).
[14] And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.
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| Tabernacle model in Timna Park, Israel Photo from BiblePlaces.com |
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| In the close-up picture, you can see a wall and the way the tent covers it. |
The walls of the tabernacle
The wood for the frame should be 15 feet long
and 27 inches wide.
[15] And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.
[16] Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board.
There should be two pegs at the bottom of each board.
[17] Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
They should put 2 sockets (holders)
made of silver under each board. These would help the boards to stand up.
There should be 20 boards on the south side of the tabernacle and 20 boards on
the north side.
[18] And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward.
[19] And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.
[20] And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards:
[21] And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
They should use 6 boards to make the west wall. 2 more boards should be
used to make the corners.
[22] And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards.
[23] And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.
The boards in the corners should be attached from top
to bottom. In all, there are 8 boards with 2 silver holders under each
board.
[24] And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.
[25] And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
They should make long pieces of wood to
go across the boards. These are called crossbars. The sides of the
tabernacle will have 5 crossbars. The crossbars should be covered with gold.
[26] And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
[27] And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward.
[28] And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end.
[29] And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.
The
curtains will separate the tabernacle into two parts. The first part is holy,
and the second part is most holy. The ark will be in the most holy part. The table for the showbread,
the
candlestick, and the altar will be in the holy part.
They should make a curtain with blue, purple, and red linen fabric. The curtain
should have angel designs in the fabric.
[30] And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.
[31] And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
They should use wood to make 4 poles. The poles should
have gold on them, and the poles should stand in silver holders. They
should use gold hooks and hang the curtains on the poles.
[32] And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.
[33] And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
Inside the tabernacle
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In the most holy place, they should put the ark of the testimony. These photos
are from the model of the tabernacle. You can see the ark of the testimony on
the left. On the right, you can see the stone tablets with the Ten
Commandments on them inside the ark.
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The mercy seat is on the top of the
ark.
[34] And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
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Tabernacle model in Timna Park, Israel Photo from BiblePlaces.com |
On
the other side of the curtain is the holy place. In the holy place should
be the candlestick, the table with the showbread, and the altar. The
candlestick should be across from the table with the showbread.
[35] And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.
The curtain should be blue, purple, and red. It should
be made with fine linen that has fancy sewing in it.
[36] And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.
The curtain should be hung on 5 wood
poles that are covered with gold. The gold poles should be set in silver holders
and have gold hooks for the curtain.
[37] And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.
Exodus 27
The altar
They should make an altar to put outside. The altar should be made of wood.
The altar should be 7 and 1/2 feet wide and 7 and 1/2 feet long. It should be 4
and 1/2 feet tall.
[1] And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
The corners of the altar should be made like horns that stick up. Brass is a
brown-colored metal. The horns should be covered with brass.
[2] And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.
There should be tools to use at the
altar. The tools should all be made with brass. The tools are: pans to put
ashes in, shovels, bowls, pans for fire, and meat forks.
[3] And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.
A grate is a flat metal square with holes in
it. They should make a grate with brass and put it in the top of the altar
a little below the rim of the altar. They should also make 4 brass rings for the
corners.
[4] And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.
[5] And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.
They should make poles to carry the
altar. The poles should be wood with brass over them. The poles will go through
the rings on the sides of the altar.
[6] And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass.
[7] And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.
The altar should be empty inside, like a box. This is
how God showed Moses how to make it.
8] Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.
The
outside of the tabernacle
The tabernacle should have a wall around
it. Two sides of the wall should be one hundred fifty feet long and the
other two sides should be seventy-five feet long. The walls should be made of
linen cloth.
[9] And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:
The long sides of the wall should have
20 brass poles. The poles should be set in brass holders. The hooks on the
poles and the rods between the poles should be silver.
[10] And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
[11] And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
The shorter side with no gate should have 10 poles in
10 holders.
[12] And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.
The other shorter side will have a gate. On
each side of the gate, there should be 3 poles in 3 holders.
[13] And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.
[14] The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
[15] And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
The gate will be linen cloth. It should be blue, purple,
and red cloth with fancy sewing in it.
The curtain gate should be 10 yards long. The curtain gate should hang on 4 poles in
4 holders.
[16] And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.
All of the poles should have rods between them.
The rods should be made of silver. They should also have silver hooks. The
holders for the poles should be brass.
[17] All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.
The walls should be about 8 feet tall.
The walls should be made of linen cloth.
[18] The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.
All of the other equipment inside the tabernacle and
the outside pegs (big nails) to hold
the tent down and to help hold the walls, should be made of brass.
[19] All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.
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Tabernacle model in Timna Park, Israel Photo from BiblePlaces.com |
The lamp in the tabernacle
God said that the Israelites should bring pure olive oil to use in
the candlestick in the tabernacle. The candlestick lamp should burn and
make light all night. Pure olive oil is clean and would not make smoke.
[20] And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.
[21] In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
Exodus 28
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Priest's garment made by Diane Kazee |
The clothes for the priests
God wanted Aaron
and his sons to be the priests. Aaron's sons were named: Nadab,
Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. God gave some of the Israelites special
skills in art and handwork. These skilled people should make special clothes for
the priests.
[1] And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.
[2] And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.
[3] And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
They should make: a square breastplate for the front, a vest,
a robe, an embroidered shirt (with fancy sewing), a turban (hat that wraps
around), and a sash. These should be made
from gold, blue, red, and purple thread and linen.
[4] And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
The ephod (vest)
The vest should be gold, blue, purple, and red.
It should be made with linen and have fine handwork.
[5] And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.
[6] And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.
The vest would have two straps that fit together on the
shoulders. There should also be a sash (belt) around the waist. The sash
should also be made with gold, blue, purple, and red linen.
[7] It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together.
[8] And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
They should get two onyx (a pretty black rock) stones and
engrave (write) on them. They should write the names of the 12 sons of
Jacob. 6 names should be on one stone, and 6 names should be on the other.
They should write the names by the birth order--who was born first, who was born
second, etc.
[9] And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel:
[10] Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth.
The two black onyx stones should be set in gold
holders. One
stone should be put on one of the priest's shoulders. The other stone should be
put on the other shoulder. When Aaron wore the vest and went into the holy
place, he would always have the names of the tribes of Israel on his
shoulders. God would see the names.
[11] With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.
[12] And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial.
They should make two gold settings (holders) and 2 gold
chains. The chains should attach to the settings.
[13] And thou shalt make ouches of gold;
[14] And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.
The breastplate
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Tabernacle model in Timna Park, Israel Photo from BiblePlaces.com |
The High Priest (Aaron) should wear a
special piece called a breastplate. He should wear this when he is asking God
what the Israelites should do. The breastplate should be made the same as the vest--with
gold, blue, purple, and red linen.
[15] And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
The breastplate is
square and is 9 inches wide and 9 inches long.
[16] Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.
The breastplate should
have 4 rows of valuable stones. The first row should have these
stones: sardius, topaz, carbuncle.
[17] And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
The second row should have an emerald, a sapphire, and
a diamond.
[18] And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
The third row should
have a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
[19] And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
The fourth row should have a beryl, an onyx, and a
jasper. All of the 12 stones should be in gold settings.
[20] And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their
inclosings.
Each stone should have a name on it. The names should
be the names of Jacob's sons (also the names of the 12 tribes of Israel).
[21] And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
The breastplate should have 2 rings of gold on each
side of the top. There should be 2 braided or twisted gold chains going from
these rings to the gold settings on the shoulders.
[22] And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of wreathen work of pure gold.
[23] And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
[24] And thou shalt put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate.
[25] And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod before it.
They should make 2 more
gold rings. These rings should go on the bottom on the back of the
breastplate so that the rings are next to the ephod (vest). They should
put 2 more gold rings on the bottom of the vest just above the belt.
[26] And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod inward.
[27] And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart thereof, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.
They should tie
the breastplate to the vest using blue cord going through the gold rings. This
is to make the breastplate hold onto the vest.
[28] And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.
Aaron should wear the breastplate when he goes into the
holy place. The names of the tribes of Israel will be on the breastplate.
God will always remember them.
[29] And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.
God told Moses to put the Urim and Thummin in the
breastplate. No one now really knows what the Urim and Thummin looked
like. When Aaron asked God questions, the Urim and Thummin helped him to
receive God's answers.
[30] And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.
The robe
The ephod (vest) should go over a blue robe. In the top of the robe, there should be a
hole for
the priest's head to go through. There should be special weaving around
the neck so that the robe won't tear.
[31] And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.
[32] And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent.
A pomegranate is a kind of round fruit. A pomegranate
can also be a round ball made with yarn. It is in the same shape as the
pomegranate fruit . The hem of the priest's robe should have yarn pomegranates
around the bottom. The pomegranates should be blue, purple, and red. Gold bells
should also be hung on the hem. The gold bells should be in between the
pomegranates.
[33] And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about:
[34] A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.
When Aaron wore the robe and was walking, the gold bells rang. The people
outside could hear the bells ring. When they heard the bells, they knew that
Aaron was still alive. If the bells stopped ringing, they knew that Aaron
had died.
[35] And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not.
They should take a strip of gold and engrave (write) on it. They should
write: "HOLINESS TO THE LORD". They should get a blue cord and
tie the gold strip to Aaron's turban (hat).
[36] And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
[37] And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.
Aaron should wear the
turban with the gold when he takes the Israelites' sacrifices to God. God would
see Aaron as holy. He would accept the Israelites sacrifices from him. If
someone else tried to give God the sacrifices, God would not accept them because
they were not holy.
[38] And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.
Aaron's robe and hat should be made of fine linen. The sash should have fancy
needlework.
[39] And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.
Aaron's sons will be priests, too. They should also have special
robes, sashes, and hats.
[40] And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty.
Aaron and his sons should put on the special clothes.
Then there should be a special ceremony. Moses should put olive oil on their
heads. This is to show that they are now priests.
[41] And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.
They should make special shorts with linen. The shorts
should go from the waist to the thighs. They
should wear the shorts when they go into the tabernacle. If
they are not covered with the shorts, they will die. Their sons and
grandsons should also wear the special shorts when they are priests.
[42] And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:
[43] And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.
