Exodus 25

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, communicate, or command] to Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed], word study 2 “Tell the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] to bring Me an offering [contribution, gift]. You are to receive My offering [heave-offering, tribute] from every man [individual, person] whose heart [inner being, mind] compels [makes willing, motivates] him [to give freely, willingly]. word study 3 This [the specific contribution] is the offering [contribution, gift] you are to accept [take, receive] from them: gold [valuable metal], silver [precious metal, used for payment], and bronze [copper, base metal]; word study 4 blue [violet, obtained from a mussel], purple [royal color], and scarlet [deep red, crimson] yarn; fine linen [luxurious, white cloth] and goat [she-goat, kid] hair; word study 5 ram skins dyed [dyed crimson, made red] red and fine leather [sealskins, badgers’ skins]; acacia wood [shittim wood, from thorny trees]; word study 6 olive oil [for the lamps, to burn] for the light [happiness, cheerfulness]; spices [sweet perfumes, fragrant aromas] for the anointing [consecrated, holy] oil [olive oil, ointment] and for the fragrant [sweet, pleasing] incense [a pleasing aroma to God]; word study 7 and onyx stones [shoham, a precious gemstone] and gemstones [stones of value, precious stones] to be mounted [set in a ceremonial context] on the ephod [a special vest worn by priests] and breastpiece [a sacred pouch, the breastplate]. word study 8 And they are to make [create, construct] a sanctuary [holy place, sacred space] for Me, so that I may dwell [live, reside, tabernacle] among them [in their midst, among His people]. word study 9 You must make the tabernacle [a portable place of worship, the House] and design [create a plan for, prepare] all its furnishings [articles, utensils] according to the pattern [model, blueprint] I show you [reveal, give a vision of]. word study 10 And they are to construct [make, build, or form] an ark [sacred chest, container] of acacia wood [shittim wood, a durable and thorny tree], two and a half [approximately 45 inches] cubits [a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm] long, a cubit [approximately 18 inches] and a half [middle, division] wide, and a cubit and a half high [tall, elevated, having a certain stature]. word study 11 Overlay it with pure [unadulterated] gold [a valuable metal, symbolizing worth] both inside [within, in the inner sanctuary] and out [outside, in the outer court], and make a [golden, decorative] gold molding [border, edge] around it [encompassing, surrounding]. word study 12 Cast [pour out, mold] four gold [a valuable, brilliant metal] rings [a ring or signet] for it and fasten [attach, secure] them to its four [a complete set, entire] feet [bases, foundations], two [a pair, dual] rings on one [the first, single] side [a flank, a rib] and two [a pair, dual] on the other [the second, opposite]. word study 13 And make [create, bring into being] poles [staves, bars, rods] of acacia [shittim] wood [a strong and firm object, like a tree or a wooden plank] and overlay [cover, plate] them with gold [a valuable metal]. word study 14 Insert [put, place] the poles [staves, bars] into the rings [signet rings] on the sides [ribs, architectural supports] of the ark [a box, chest, or container, specifically the Ark of the Covenant], in order to [for the purpose of, so that] carry [lift, bear, transport] it [the ark, the chest]. word study 15 The poles [staves, bars] are to remain [stay, be kept] in the rings [signets] of the ark [box, chest, container of the covenant]; they must not [shall not, cannot] be removed [taken out, turned aside]. word study 16 And place [put, set] inside the ark [a box or chest, the Ark of the Covenant] the Testimony [a witness to God’s laws, instructions], which [namely, specifically] I will give [bestow, provide] you [to you, towards you]. word study 17 And you are to construct [make, build, or fashion] a mercy seat [lid, cover, or atonement cover] of pure [clean, untainted] gold, two and a half cubits [about 45 inches] long and a cubit [about 18 inches] and a half wide [broad, measuring 27 inches]. word study 18 Make [to create, form, or fashion] two [a pair, dual] cherubim [angelic beings, heavenly guardians] of hammered [beaten, molded] gold [a precious, valuable metal] at the ends [corners, edges] of the mercy seat [a golden lid, the throne of atonement], word study 19 one cherub [an angelic being, a winged guardian] on one end [the extremity, the border] and one on the other [opposite], all made [crafted, formed] from one piece [a single unit, undivided] of gold [a precious, valuable metal]. word study 20 And the cherubim [angelic beings, heavenly guardians] are to have wings [extremities, upper limbs] that spread upward [on high, above], overshadowing [covering, protecting] the mercy seat [the golden lid, atonement cover]. The cherubim are to face [look towards, gaze at] each other [one another, as brothers], looking toward [facing, turned to] the mercy seat [the place of atonement, forgiveness]. word study 21 Set the mercy seat [golden lid, atonement cover] atop the ark [box, chest of the covenant], and put the Testimony [God’s laws, witness] that I will give [bestow, put in place] you into the ark. word study 22 And I will meet [appoint a time to commune] with you there above the mercy seat [the golden lid of atonement], between the two [a pair] cherubim [angelic beings, guardians of God’s throne] that are over the ark [a chest, a container of God’s covenant] of the Testimony [a witness, a testimony of God’s laws]; I will speak [communicate, converse] with you about all that I command [give orders, appoint] you regarding the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. word study 23 You are also to make [construct, build] a table [a place of communion] of acacia [shittim, a thorny tree] wood [tree, a strong and firm object] two cubits [about the length of a forearm] long, a cubit [a unit of measurement] wide, and a cubit and a half [a division or a part of something] high [height or stature]. word study 24 Overlay [cover, plate] it with pure [clean, ceremonially spotless] gold [a valuable metal] and make [create, fashion] a gold [precious, brilliant] molding [border, crown] around [surrounding, encompassing] it. word study 25 And make [create, form] a rim [border, edge] around it a handbreadth [the width of a hand, about 3-4 inches] wide and put [place, set] a gold [valuable, precious] molding [crown, decorative edge] on the rim [perimeter, circumference]. word study 26 Make [create, bring into being] four [exactly, a complete set] gold [valuable, highly prized] rings [signets] for the table [a piece of furniture, an altar] and fasten [secure, attach firmly] them to the four [complete, entire] corners [sides, edges] at its four [stable, balanced] legs [feet, foundations]. word study 27 The rings [close by the border, over against the edge] are to be [near, adjacent to] close to the rim [perimeter, edge], to serve as [places for, holders of] holders for the poles [staves, bars] used to carry [lift, bear] the table [a place of communion]. word study 28 Make the poles [staffs, bars] of acacia wood [shittim wood, a strong and firm tree] and overlay [cover] them with gold [a valuable metal], so that the table [a place of communion, a sacred furniture] may be carried [borne, lifted] with them. word study 29 You are also to make the plates [dishes, table vessels] and dishes, as well as the pitchers [jugs, flagons] and bowls [sacrificial bowls, cups] for pouring [to pour out, to offer] drink offerings [libations, sacrifices]. Make them out of pure [clean, ceremonial] gold [a valuable metal]. word study 30 And place [set, put, or lay] the Bread of the Presence [showbread, sacred loaves] on the table [a place of communion] before Me [in My sight, in My presence] at all times [continually, always, without interruption]. word study 31 Then you are to make [create, bring into being] a lampstand [candlestick, chandelier] of pure [clean, untainted], hammered gold [a valuable, brilliant metal]. It shall be made of one piece [a single, unified whole], including its base [foundation, support] and shaft [central column, upright], its cups [calyxes, flower-shaped containers], and its buds [unopened flowers, young growth] and petals [flowers, blossoms]. word study 32 Six [the number of human labor, completeness] branches [reeds, supports] are to extend [come out, proceed] from the sides [regions, areas] of the lampstand [candlestick]—three on one side [region, area] and three on the other [second, opposite]. word study 33 There are to be three [exactly, a specific number] cups [calyxes, like the flower’s outer covering] shaped like almond blossoms [almond flowers, resembling the blossoms of an almond tree] on the first branch [the initial or primary branch], each with buds [knobs, decorative bulbs] and petals [flowers, blossoms], three on the next branch [the subsequent or following branch], and the same for all six [a complete set of, the total number of] branches that extend from the lampstand [candlestick, a chandelier or light holder]. word study 34 And on the lampstand [candlestick] there shall be four [a simple counting number] cups [goblets] shaped like almond blossoms [almonds, meshukkadim] with buds [knobs] and petals [flowers] [including the calyx and blossoms]. word study 35 For the six [number of completion or perfection] branches that extend from the lampstand, a bud [knop, a decorative bulb] must be under the first pair of branches, a bud under the second pair, and a bud under the third pair. word study 36 The buds [knobs, capitals] and branches [reeds, supports] are to be all of one piece [united, a single entity] with the lampstand, hammered [beaten, molded] out of pure [clean, untainted] gold [a valuable, brilliant metal]. word study 37 Make [create, bring into being] seven lamps [devices for holding flames, providing physical and spiritual light] and set them up [place, position] on the lampstand [a holder for the lamps] so that they [the lamps, or the light they provide] illuminate [give light, shine upon] the area [region, space] in front of [before, facing] it [the lampstand, or the area it serves]. word study 38 The wick trimmers [tongs, snuffers] and their trays [censers, snuffdishes] must be of pure [clean, ceremonially spotless] gold [a valuable, brilliant metal]. word study 39 The lampstand [with all its accessories] and all these utensils [vessels, instruments] shall be made [crafted, formed] from a talent [75 pounds, a large quantity] of pure [clean, refined] gold [a valuable, brilliant metal]. word study 40 See [look carefully, be sure to] to it that you make [construct, bring into being] everything according to the pattern [design, blueprint] shown [revealed, displayed] you on the mountain [a place of divine encounter]. word study