Study Desk

So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, take it off,’ and they gave it to me. When I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!”

So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a grave sin; they have made a god of gold for themselves.

So the Israelites remained stripped of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

Now if I have indeed found favor with you, please teach me your ways, and I will know you, so that I may find favor with you. Now consider that this nation is your people.”

But Moses called out to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community returned to him, and Moses spoke to them.

So the Israelites brought a freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts prompted them to bring something for all the work that the Lord, through Moses, had commanded to be done.

So Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person in whose heart the Lord had placed wisdom, all whose hearts moved them, to come to the work and do it.

After Moses gave an order, they sent a proclamation throughout the camp: “Let no man or woman make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” So the people stopped.

He made fifty loops on the one curtain and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set, so that the loops lined up with each other.

He also made fifty gold clasps and joined the curtains to each other, so that the tabernacle became a single unit.

So there were eight supports with their sixteen silver bases, two bases under each one.

Then he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar in order to carry it with them. He constructed the altar with boards so that it was hollow.

Then they tied the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece was above the ephod’s waistband and did not come loose from the ephod. They did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

There was an opening in the center of the robe like that of body armor with a collar around the opening so that it would not tear.

So all the work for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was finished. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

“Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings so that it will be holy.

Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar so that it will be especially holy.

Clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he can serve me as a priest.

Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve me as priests. Their anointing will serve to inaugurate a permanent priesthood for them throughout their generations.”

Next Moses set up the surrounding courtyard for the tabernacle and the altar and hung a screen for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.