The Altar

¹“Make an altar out of acacia wood. It is to be square, 7½ feet long and 7½ feet wide, and it is to be 4½ feet high.

²Make projections at the top of the four corners. They are to form one piece with the altar, and the whole is to be covered with bronze.

³Make pans for the greasy ashes, and make shovels, bowls, hooks, and fire pans. All this equipment is to be made of bronze.

⁴Make a bronze grating and put four bronze carrying rings on its corners.

⁵Put the grating under the rim of the altar, so that it reaches halfway up the altar.

⁶Make carrying poles of acacia wood, cover them with bronze,

⁷and put them in the rings on each side of the altar when it is carried.

⁸Make the altar out of boards and leave it hollow, according to the plan that I showed you on the mountain.

The Enclosure for the Tent of the Lord's Presence

⁹“For the Tent of my presence make an enclosure out of fine linen curtains. On the south side the curtains are to be 50 yards long,

¹⁰supported by twenty bronze posts in twenty bronze bases, with hooks and rods made of silver.

¹¹Do the same on the north side of the enclosure.

¹²On the west side there are to be curtains 25 yards long, with ten posts and ten bases.

¹³On the east side, where the entrance is, the enclosure is also to be 25 yards wide.

^14-15On each side of the entrance there are to be 7½ yards of curtains, with three posts and three bases.

¹⁶For the entrance itself there is to be a curtain 10 yards long made of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool, and decorated with embroidery. It is to be supported by four posts in four bases.

¹⁷All the posts around the enclosure are to be connected with silver rods, and their hooks are to be made of silver and their bases of bronze.

¹⁸The enclosure is to be 50 yards long, 25 yards wide, and 2½ yards high. The curtains are to be made of fine linen and the bases of bronze.

¹⁹All the equipment that is used in the Tent and all the pegs for the Tent and for the enclosure are to be made of bronze.

Taking Care of the Lamp

²⁰“Command the people of Israel to bring you the best olive oil for the lamp, so that it can be lit each evening.

²¹Aaron and his sons are to set up the lamp in the Tent of my presence outside the curtain which is in front of the Covenant Box. There in my presence it is to burn from evening until morning. This command is to be kept forever by the Israelites and their descendants.

Garments for the Priests

¹“Summon your brother Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Separate them from the people of Israel, so that they may serve me as priests.

²Make priestly garments for your brother Aaron, to provide him with dignity and beauty.

³Call all the skilled workers to whom I have given ability, and tell them to make Aaron's clothes, so that he may be dedicated as a priest in my service.

⁴Tell them to make a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, an embroidered shirt, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these priestly garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they can serve me as priests.

⁵The skilled workers are to use blue, purple, and red wool, gold thread, and fine linen.

⁶“They are to make the ephod of blue, purple, and red wool, gold thread, and fine linen, decorated with embroidery.

⁷Two shoulder straps, by which it can be fastened, are to be attached to the sides.

⁸A finely woven belt made of the same materials is to be attached to the ephod so as to form one piece with it.

⁹Take two carnelian stones and engrave on them the names of the twelve sons of Jacob,

¹⁰in the order of their birth, with six on one stone and six on the other.

¹¹Have a skillful jeweler engrave on the two stones the names of the sons of Jacob, and mount the stones in gold settings.

¹²Put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. In this way Aaron will carry their names on his shoulders, so that I, the Lord, will always remember my people.

¹³Make two gold settings

¹⁴and two chains of pure gold twisted like cords, and attach them to the settings.

The Breastpiece

¹⁵“Make a breastpiece for the High Priest to use in determining God's will. It is to be made of the same materials as the ephod and with similar embroidery.

¹⁶It is to be square and folded double, 9 inches long and 9 inches wide.

¹⁷Mount four rows of precious stones on it; in the first row mount a ruby, a topaz, and a garnet;

¹⁸in the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond;

¹⁹in the third row, a turquoise, an agate, and an amethyst;

²⁰and in the fourth row, a beryl, a carnelian, and a jasper. These are to be mounted in gold settings.

²¹Each of these twelve stones is to have engraved on it the name of one of the sons of Jacob, to represent the tribes of Israel.

²²For the breastpiece make chains of pure gold, twisted like cords.

²³Make two gold rings and attach them to the upper corners of the breastpiece,

²⁴and fasten the two gold cords to the two rings.

²⁵Fasten the other two ends of the cords to the two settings, and in this way attach them in front to the shoulder straps of the ephod.

²⁶Then make two rings of gold and attach them to the lower corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod.

²⁷Make two more gold rings and attach them to the lower part of the front of the two shoulder straps of the ephod, near the seam and above the finely woven belt.

²⁸Tie the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that the breastpiece rests above the belt and does not come loose.

²⁹“When Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will wear this breastpiece engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel, so that I, the Lord, will always remember my people.

³⁰Put the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece, so that Aaron will carry them when he comes into my holy presence. At such times he must always wear this breastpiece, so that he can determine my will for the people of Israel.

The Other Priestly Garments

³¹“The robe that goes under the ephod is to be made entirely of blue wool.

³²It is to have a hole for the head, and this hole is to be reinforced with a woven binding to keep it from tearing.

^33-34All around its lower hem put pomegranates of blue, purple, and red wool, alternating with gold bells.

³⁵Aaron is to wear this robe when he serves as priest. When he comes into my presence in the Holy Place or when he leaves it, the sound of the bells will be heard, and he will not be killed.

³⁶“Make an ornament of pure gold and engrave on it ‘Dedicated to the Lord.’

³⁷Tie it to the front of the turban with a blue cord.

³⁸Aaron is to wear it on his forehead, so that I, the Lord, will accept all the offerings that the Israelites dedicate to me, even if the people commit some error in offering them.

³⁹“Weave Aaron's shirt of fine linen and make a turban of fine linen and also a sash decorated with embroidery.

⁴⁰“Make shirts, sashes, and caps for Aaron's sons, to provide them with dignity and beauty.

⁴¹Put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons. Then ordain them and dedicate them by anointing them with olive oil, so that they may serve me as priests.

⁴²Make linen shorts for them, reaching from the waist to the thighs, so that they will not expose themselves.

⁴³Aaron and his sons must always wear them when they go into the Tent of my presence or approach the altar to serve as priests in the Holy Place, so that they will not be killed for exposing themselves. This is a permanent rule for Aaron and his descendants.

Penalties for Disobedience

¹The Lord told Moses

²to say to the people of Israel, “Any of you or any foreigner living among you who gives any children to be used in the worship of the god Molech shall be stoned to death by the whole community.

³If any of you give one of your children to Molech and make my sacred Tent unclean and disgrace my holy name, I will turn against you and will no longer consider you my people.

⁴But if the community ignores what you have done and does not put you to death,

⁵I myself will turn against you and your whole family and against all who join you in being unfaithful to me and worshiping Molech. I will no longer consider any of you my people.

⁶“If any of you go for advice to people who consult the spirits of the dead, I will turn against you and will no longer consider you one of my people.

⁷Keep yourselves holy, because I am the Lord your God.

⁸Obey my laws, because I am the Lord and I make you holy.”

⁹The Lord gave the following regulations. Any of you that curse your father or mother shall be put to death; you are responsible for your own death.

¹⁰If a man commits adultery with the wife of an Israelite, both he and the woman shall be put to death.

¹¹A man who has intercourse with one of his father's wives disgraces his father, and both he and the woman shall be put to death. They are responsible for their own death.

¹²If a man has intercourse with his daughter-in-law, they shall both be put to death. They have committed incest and are responsible for their own death.

¹³If a man has sexual relations with another man, they have done a disgusting thing, and both shall be put to death. They are responsible for their own death.

¹⁴If a man marries a woman and her mother, all three shall be burned to death because of the disgraceful thing they have done; such a thing must not be permitted among you.

¹⁵If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he and the animal shall be put to death.

¹⁶If a woman tries to have sexual relations with an animal, she and the animal shall be put to death. They are responsible for their own death.

¹⁷If a man marries his sister or half sister, they shall be publicly disgraced and driven out of the community. He has had intercourse with his sister and must suffer the consequences.

¹⁸If a man has intercourse with a woman during her monthly period, both of them are to be driven out of the community, because they have broken the regulations about ritual uncleanness.

¹⁹If a man has intercourse with his aunt, both of them must suffer the consequences for incest.

²⁰If a man has intercourse with his uncle's wife, he disgraces his uncle, and he and the woman will pay the penalty; neither one will have children.

²¹If a man takes his brother's wife, they will die childless. He has done a ritually unclean thing and has disgraced his brother.

²²The Lord said, “Keep all my laws and commands, so that you will not be rejected by the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you.

²³Do not adopt the customs of the people who live there; I am driving out those pagans so that you can enter the land. They have disgusted me with all their evil practices.

²⁴But I have promised you this rich and fertile land as your possession, and I will give it to you. I am the Lord your God, and I have set you apart from the other nations.

²⁵So then, you must make a clear distinction between animals and birds that are ritually clean and those that are not. Do not eat unclean animals or birds. I have declared them unclean, and eating them would make you unclean.

²⁶You shall be holy and belong only to me, because I am the Lord and I am holy. I have set you apart from the other nations so that you would belong to me alone.

²⁷“Any man or woman who consults the spirits of the dead shall be stoned to death; any of you that do this are responsible for your own death.”

The Law of the Lord

¹Happy are those whose lives are faultless, who live according to the law of the Lord.

²Happy are those who follow his commands, who obey him with all their heart.

³They never do wrong; they walk in the Lord's ways.

⁴Lord, you have given us your laws and told us to obey them faithfully.

⁵How I hope that I shall be faithful in keeping your instructions!

⁶If I pay attention to all your commands, then I will not be put to shame.

⁷As I learn your righteous judgments, I will praise you with a pure heart.

⁸I will obey your laws; never abandon me!

Obedience to the Law of the Lord

⁹How can young people keep their lives pure? By obeying your commands.

¹⁰With all my heart I try to serve you; keep me from disobeying your commandments.

¹¹I keep your law in my heart, so that I will not sin against you.

¹²I praise you, O Lord; teach me your ways.

¹³I will repeat aloud all the laws you have given.

¹⁴I delight in following your commands more than in having great wealth.

¹⁵I study your instructions; I examine your teachings.

¹⁶I take pleasure in your laws; your commands I will not forget.

Happiness in the Law of the Lord

¹⁷Be good to me, your servant, so that I may live and obey your teachings.

¹⁸Open my eyes, so that I may see the wonderful truths in your law.

¹⁹I am here on earth for just a little while; do not hide your commands from me.

²⁰My heart aches with longing; I want to know your judgments at all times.

²¹You reprimand the proud; cursed are those who disobey your commands.

²²Free me from their insults and scorn, because I have kept your laws.

²³The rulers meet and plot against me, but I will study your teachings.

²⁴Your instructions give me pleasure; they are my advisers.

Determination to Obey the Law of the Lord

²⁵I lie defeated in the dust; revive me, as you have promised.

²⁶I confessed all I have done, and you answered me; teach me your ways.

²⁷Help me to understand your laws, and I will meditate on your wonderful teachings.

²⁸I am overcome by sorrow; strengthen me, as you have promised.

²⁹Keep me from going the wrong way, and in your goodness teach me your law.

³⁰I have chosen to be obedient; I have paid attention to your judgments.

³¹I have followed your instructions, Lord; don't let me be put to shame.

³²I will eagerly obey your commands, because you will give me more understanding.

A Prayer for Understanding

³³Teach me, Lord, the meaning of your laws, and I will obey them at all times.

³⁴Explain your law to me, and I will obey it; I will keep it with all my heart.

³⁵Keep me obedient to your commandments, because in them I find happiness.

³⁶Give me the desire to obey your laws rather than to get rich.

³⁷Keep me from paying attention to what is worthless; be good to me, as you have promised.

³⁸Keep your promise to me, your servant— the promise you make to those who obey you.

³⁹Save me from the insults I fear; how wonderful are your judgments!

⁴⁰I want to obey your commands; give me new life, for you are righteous.

Trusting the Law of the Lord

⁴¹Show me how much you love me, Lord, and save me according to your promise.

⁴²Then I can answer those who insult me because I trust in your word.

⁴³Enable me to speak the truth at all times, because my hope is in your judgments.

⁴⁴I will always obey your law, forever and ever.

⁴⁵I will live in perfect freedom, because I try to obey your teachings.

⁴⁶I will announce your commands to kings and I will not be ashamed.

⁴⁷I find pleasure in obeying your commands, because I love them.

⁴⁸I respect and love your commandments; I will meditate on your instructions.

Confidence in the Law of the Lord

⁴⁹Remember your promise to me, your servant; it has given me hope.

⁵⁰Even in my suffering I was comforted because your promise gave me life.

⁵¹The proud are always scornful of me, but I have not departed from your law.

⁵²I remember your judgments of long ago, and they bring me comfort, O Lord.

⁵³When I see the wicked breaking your law, I am filled with anger.

⁵⁴During my brief earthly life I compose songs about your commands.

⁵⁵In the night I remember you, Lord, and I think about your law.

⁵⁶I find my happiness in obeying your commands.

Devotion to the Law of the Lord

⁵⁷You are all I want, O Lord; I promise to obey your laws.

⁵⁸I ask you with all my heart to have mercy on me, as you have promised!

⁵⁹I have considered my conduct, and I promise to follow your instructions.

⁶⁰Without delay I hurry to obey your commands.

⁶¹The wicked have laid a trap for me, but I do not forget your law.

⁶²In the middle of the night I wake up to praise you for your righteous judgments.

⁶³I am a friend of all who serve you, of all who obey your laws.

⁶⁴Lord, the earth is full of your constant love; teach me your commandments.

The Value of the Law of the Lord

⁶⁵You have kept your promise, Lord, and you are good to me, your servant.

⁶⁶Give me wisdom and knowledge, because I trust in your commands.

⁶⁷Before you punished me, I used to go wrong, but now I obey your word.

⁶⁸How good you are—how kind! Teach me your commands.

⁶⁹The proud have told lies about me, but with all my heart I obey your instructions.

⁷⁰They have no understanding, but I find pleasure in your law.

⁷¹My punishment was good for me, because it made me learn your commands.

⁷²The law that you gave means more to me than all the money in the world.

The Justice of the Law of the Lord

⁷³You created me, and you keep me safe; give me understanding, so that I may learn your laws.

⁷⁴Those who honor you will be glad when they see me, because I trust in your promise.

⁷⁵I know that your judgments are righteous, Lord, and that you punished me because you are faithful.

⁷⁶Let your constant love comfort me, as you have promised me, your servant.

⁷⁷Have mercy on me, and I will live because I take pleasure in your law.

⁷⁸May the proud be ashamed for falsely accusing me; as for me, I will meditate on your instructions.

⁷⁹May those who honor you come to me— all those who know your commands.

⁸⁰May I perfectly obey your commandments and be spared the shame of defeat.

A Prayer for Deliverance

⁸¹I am worn out, Lord, waiting for you to save me; I place my trust in your word.

⁸²My eyes are tired from watching for what you promised, while I ask, “When will you help me?”

⁸³I am as useless as a discarded wineskin; yet I have not forgotten your commands.

⁸⁴How much longer must I wait? When will you punish those who persecute me?

⁸⁵The proud, who do not obey your law, have dug pits to trap me.

⁸⁶Your commandments are all trustworthy; people persecute me with lies—help me!

⁸⁷They have almost succeeded in killing me, but I have not neglected your commands.

⁸⁸Because of your constant love be good to me, so that I may obey your laws.