Study Desk

Purify the altar, and consecrate it every day for seven days. After that, the altar will be absolutely holy, and whatever touches it will become holy.

"Then make another altar of acacia wood for burning incense.

"Once a year Aaron must purify the altar by smearing its horns with blood from the offering made to purify the people from their sin. This will be a regular, annual event from generation to generation, for this is the Lord 's most holy altar."

"Whenever you take a census of the people of Israel, each man who is counted must pay a ransom for himself to the Lord . Then no plague will strike the people as you count them.

Receive this ransom money from the Israelites, and use it for the care of the Tabernacle. It will bring the Israelites to the Lord 's attention, and it will purify your lives."

They must always wash their hands and feet, or they will die. This is a permanent law for Aaron and his descendants, to be observed from generation to generation."

And say to the people of Israel, ‘This holy anointing oil is reserved for me from generation to generation.

It must never be used to anoint anyone else, and you must never make any blend like it for yourselves. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy.

Never use this formula to make this incense for yourselves. It is reserved for the Lord , and you must treat it as holy.

Anyone who makes incense like this for personal use will be cut off from the community."

the beautifully stitched garments—the sacred garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to wear as they minister as priests;

the anointing oil; the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. The craftsmen must make everything as I have commanded you."

"Tell the people of Israel: ‘Be careful to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you from generation to generation. It is given so you may know that I am the Lord , who makes you holy.

You must keep the Sabbath day, for it is a holy day for you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; anyone who works on that day will be cut off from the community.

You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day dedicated to the Lord . Anyone who works on the Sabbath must be put to death.

The people of Israel must keep the Sabbath day by observing it from generation to generation. This is a covenant obligation for all time.

It is a permanent sign of my covenant with the people of Israel. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed.'"

Then Moses told the Levites, "Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the Lord , for you obeyed him even though it meant killing your own sons and brothers. Today you have earned a blessing."

The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin, but I will go back up to the Lord on the mountain. Perhaps I will be able to obtain forgiveness for your sin."

So Moses returned to the Lord and said, "Oh, what a terrible sin these people have committed. They have made gods of gold for themselves.