Exodus 26

Building the tent worship center

Curtains for the worship center

1The LORD told Moses, “I want you to make 10 curtains for the walls of the tent worship center. [1] Use fine linen and dye the fabric colorfully in blue, purple, and crimson. Assign an expert embroiderer to decorate the curtains with images of cherubim. [2] 2Make all the curtains exactly the same size: 14 yards long and 2 yards wide (about 13 m x 2 m).

3Sew five of the curtains together side by side to make one continuous curtain. And do the same with the other five curtains, to make a second continuous curtain. 4Sew 50 blue loops along the outside edges of both large curtains. 5The loops in one large curtain should exactly match the loops in the other. 6Make 50 golden clasps you can use to attach the two large curtains to one another by the loops. This will allow you to use one continuous curtain to create the walls of the main worship center.

Making a tent roof for the worship center

7Use goat hair to weave 11 curtains. Sewn together they will make a tent roof for the worship center. 8Make all the curtains exactly the same size: 15 yards long and 2 yards wide (about 14 m x 2 m). 9Sew five of those curtains together side by side to make one long roof panel. Sew the other six curtains together to form another long roof panel. Fold the sixth curtain of the second roof panel over the fifth curtain of the first roof panel so it becomes two curtains thick.

10Make 50 loops on the outside edges of each long panel. 11Make 50 bronze clasps to connect the 50 loops in both panels, to form one long panel out of the two. 12There will be one yard (1 m) of this continuous panel left over at the back of the tent roof. Let it hang over the back of the worship center. 13There will also be about 18 inches (.5 m) of leftover panel on the sides of the roof panel. Let that part of the tent covering hang evenly over the sides of the worship center. 14Add two more layers to the tent roof. Make one layer out of ram hide. Dye it red. Add another layer of quality hide. [3]

Build frames for the curtains

15Make the supporting frame of the worship center out of acacia wood. 16Build the frame in sections. Each section should stand 5 feet high and 27 inches wide (about 5 m x 1.5 m). Add two supporting braces [4] to the bottom of each section. 17Make all the frames identical, with two braces each. 18Make 20 frames to support the curtains on the south side of the worship center. 19Make 40 silver bases, two for every section of frame.

20Make another 20 frames to support the curtains on the north side of the worship center. 21And make another 40 silver bases, two at the foot of every section of frame on this side of the worship center, as well. 22Build six frames to support the curtain at the back of the worship center, on the west side.

23Build another two sections for the back corners of the worship center. 24Make the corner sections identical. And make sure they are properly attached from top to bottom. Use a ring attachment at the top. 25When you finish building the frame of the back wall, you’ll have eight sections of frame which rest on silver stands, two stands to support each section. 26Make five crossbars of acacia wood. Use them to connect the five frames for the north side of the worship center. 27Do the same for the five frames at the back side of the worship center. 28Make another crossbar that runs the entire length of the back wall. Have it run through the middle of each section, from one end of the back wall to the other. 29Cover the frames and crossbars with gold plating. Attach gold rings to each section. You’ll use these rings to carry the sections when it’s time to break camp and move. 30Once you have all this built, set the worship center up exactly as I've instructed you to when we met on the mountain.

Curtains inside the worship center

31Make a curtain for the inside of the worship center, to serve as a wall. Weave it with fine linen and dye it in the colors of blue, purple, and crimson. Have a skilled embroiderer decorate the curtain with pictures of cherubim. 32Hang this curtain from a frame made from acacia wood, covered in gold. Set the frame on silver bases. 33Hang the curtain from clasps. This will set apart the holiest room in this worship center. It will separate the Sacred Room, [5] which is the main sanctuary, from the Most Sacred Room, where the 10 Commandments will be kept in a box. [6]

34When the worship center is complete, put the cover on the box that holds the 10 Commandments and put the box in the Most Sacred Room. 35Put the table on the north side of the Sacred Room. Put the lampstand on the south side of the table. 36Make a curtain for the entrance into the tent worship center. Embroider it with beautiful designs. Color the curtain with blue and purple and crimson. 37Build a doorway frame from acacia wood. Cover each board with gold, and set the frame on bronze bases. Use golden hooks to hang the curtain from this doorframe.

Footnotes

Intro Notes for Exodus

126:1

Also known as the Tabernacle.

226:1

Jews taught that God’s footrest was the lid on the Ark of the Covenant, the gold-covered chest that held the Ten Commandments (1 Chronicles 28:2). Two winged beings called cherubim rested at each end of the lid. “Cherubim” is Kerubim in Hebrew. These are celestial beings mentioned throughout the Bible. Ancient Middle Eastern creatures with similar names, such as kirubu, reportedly served gods. The creatures were portrayed in statues of beings such as human-headed lions with wings. These statues guarded entrances to cities and palaces.

326:14

It’s unclear what this third layer of protective covering is made from. The Hebrew word, tahas, can mean the leather of a “sea cow,” presumably a dolphin, or it can mean “fine leather” or “durable leather.”

426:16

It’s unclear what the supports are for each section of the frame. Scholars offer guesses such as these: pegs, supportive braces, or tenons that connect into boards with mortises.

526:33

The rooms are also known as the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies.

626:33

The box is best known as the Ark of the Covenant.