4-5    Exodus 34:17; Leviticus 19:4, 26:1; Deuteronomy 4:15-18, 27:15
5-6    Exodus 34:6-7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 7:9-10

4-6    Carlo Carretto, Love is for Living, p. 89-93
4-6    Michael Lerner, Jewish Renewal, p. 82 f.

4-6   Ivan Steiger, Ivan Steiger Sees the Bible, p. 31

1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

W. H. Auden, Forwards and Afterwords, p. 518, in Interpretation (January 1994), p. 58

James Forbes, Jr., in a sermon quoted on NOW with Bill Moyers (December 26, 2003)

Theophilus, The Holy Spirit, p. 30

7     Leviticus 19:12

7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

Walter Brueggemann, “Interpretation as an Unending Responsibility,” Interpretation and Obedience, p. 152-155
John Dominic Crossan, “Parables and the Temporality of the Kingdom,” In Parables, p. 31, 35

Kim Mammedaty, “Remember the Sabbath Day,” And Blessed is She, p. 196-202
Jerome M. Segal, Graceful Simplicity, p. 38

Ivan Steiger, Ivan Steiger Sees the Bible, p. 172

9-10     Exodus 23:12, 31:15, 34:21, 35:2; Leviticus 23:3
11          Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 31:17

8      Wayne Muller, Sabbath, p. 6

11     Walter Brueggemann, Finally Comes the Poet, p. 91

8 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; 11 for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

12    Deuteronomy 27:16;  Matthew 15:4, 19:9; Mark 7:10, 10:19; Luke 18:20; Ephesians 6:2-3

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

13-16     Matthew 19:18; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20
13-15     Romans 13:9
13-14     James 2:11
13           Genesis 9:6; Leviticus 24:17; Matthew 5:21
14           Leviticus 20:10; Matthew 5:27
15           Exodus 21:16; Leviticus 19:11; Deuteronomy 5:19, 24:7
16           Exodus 23:1
17           Romans 7:7, 13:9

15     William Lloyd Garrison, Lend Me Your Ears, p. 571

15     Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 140
17     Wendell Berry, “A Defense of the Family Farm,” Home Economics, p. 173

13 “You shall not kill.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

18-19    Hebrews 12:18-19
25          Deuteronomy 27:5-7; Joshua 8:31

18-21    Brian Wren, “Joyful is the Dark,” The Sound of Welcome, p. 10
19          Phillips Brooks, “The Seriousness of Life,” The Light of the World, p. 73-88
19          Samuel Terrien, The Elusive Presence, p. 128

18 Now when all the people perceived the thunderings and the lightnings and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled; and they stood afar off, 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will hear; but let not God speak to us, lest we die.”  20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to prove you, and that the fear of him may be before your eyes, that you may not sin.”  21 And the people stood afar off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

22 And the LORD said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven.  23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold.  24 An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you.  25 And if you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones; for if you wield your tool upon it you profane it.  26 And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’

2-6     Leviticus 25:39-46
12       Exodus 20:13; Leviticus 24:17; Deuteronomy 5:17; Matthew 5:21
13       Numbers 35:10-34; Deuteronomy 19:1-13; Joshua 20:1-9
16       Exodus 20:15; Leviticus 19:11; Deuteronomy 5:19, 24:7
17       Leviticus 20:9; Matthew 15:4; Mark 7:10
24      Leviticus 24:19-20; Deuteronomy 19:21; Matthew 5:38

2-11       Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 151
15           Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 161
16           Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 141
22-25    Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 161 & 162
28-36    Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 165
32           Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 275

1 “Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them.

2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.  3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him.  4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s and he shall go out alone.  5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for life.

7 “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.  8 If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed; he shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt faithlessly with her.  9 If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter.  10 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights.  11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

12 “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.  13 But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.  14 But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him treacherously, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

15 “Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.

16 “Whoever steals a man, whether he sells him or is found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

17 “Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.

18 “When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but keeps his bed, 19 then if the man rises again and walks abroad with his staff, he that struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed.

20 “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished.  21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be punished; for the slave is his money.

22 “When men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no harm follows, the one who hurt her shall be fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.  23 If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

26 “When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free for the eye’s sake. 27 If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free for the tooth’s sake.

28 “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be clear.  29 But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.  30 If a ransom is laid on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is laid upon him.  31 If it gores a man’s son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule.  32 If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

33 “When a man leaves a pit open, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit shall make it good; he shall give money to its owner, and the dead beast shall be his.

35 “When one man’s ox hurts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the price of it; and the dead beast also they shall divide.  36 Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall pay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his.

7-15        Leviticus 5:14—6:7; Numbers 5:5-8
16-17      Deuteronomy 22:28-29
18            Deuteronomy 18:10-11
19            Leviticus 18:23, 20:15-16; Deuteronomy 27:21
20           Deuteronomy 17:2-7
21-22     Exodus 23:9; Leviticus 19:33-34; Deuteronomy 24:17-18, 27:19
25           Leviticus 25:35-38; Deuteronomy 15:7-11, 23:19-20
26-27     Deuteronomy 24:10-13
28           Acts 23:5
31           Leviticus 17:15

1              Meister Eckhart, “Commentary on Exodus,” Preacher and Teacher, p. 123
2-3          Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 141
7-9          Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 151
10            Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 166
26-27     Thomas G. Long, “Biblical Preaching Today: Choices and Forms,” On Our Minds (September 1998), p. 3-4

1 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. He shall make restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.  4 If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or an ass or a sheep, he shall pay double.

2 “If a thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him; 3 but if the sun has risen upon him, there shall be bloodguilt for him.

5 “When a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard.

6 “When fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he that kindled the fire shall make full restitution.

7 “If a man delivers to his neighbor money or goods to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.  8 If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God, to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s goods.

9 “For every breach of trust, whether it is for ox, for ass, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before God; he whom God shall condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.

10 “If a man delivers to his neighbor an ass or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep, and it dies or is hurt or is driven away, without any one seeing it, 11 an oath by the LORD shall be between them both to see whether he has not put his hand to his neighbor’s property; and the owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution. 12 But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner.  13 If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what has been torn.

14 “If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is hurt or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution.  15 If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hire.

16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall give the marriage present for her, and make her his wife.  17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equivalent to the marriage present for virgins.

18 “You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

19 “Whoever lies with a beast shall be put to death.

20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god, save to the LORD only, shall be utterly destroyed.

21 “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not afflict any widow or orphan.  23 If you do afflict them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

25 “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor, and you shall not exact interest from him. 26 If ever you take your neighbor’s garment in pledge, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down; 27 for that is his only covering, it is his mantle for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

28 “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

29 “You shall not delay to offer from the fulness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses.

“The first-born of your sons you shall give to me.  30 You shall do likewise with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its dam; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

31 “You shall be men consecrated to me; therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall cast it to the dogs.

1             Exodus 20:16; Leviticus 19:11-12; Deuteronomy 5:20
3             Leviticus 19:15
4-5        Deuteronomy 22:1-4; Matthew 5:43-48
6-8        Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 16:19
9            Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:33-34; Deuteronomy 24:17-18, 27:19
10-11     Leviticus 25:1-7
12          Exodus 20:9-11, 31:15, 34:21, 35:2; Leviticus 23:3; Deuteronomy 5:13-14
14-17     Deuteronomy 16:1-17
15           Exodus 12:14-20; Leviticus 23:6-8; Numbers 28:17-25
16           Leviticus 23:15-21, 23:39-43; Numbers 28:26-31
18           Exodus 12:10, 34:25; Leviticus 2:11, 7:15
19           Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 14:21, 26:2
20           John 14:2

1-3     Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, p. 139
11       Michael Lerner, Jewish Renewal, p. 330

19      Meister Eckhart, “Commentary on Exodus,” Preacher and Teacher, p. 123

1 “You shall not utter a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man, to be a malicious witness.  2 You shall not follow a multitude to do evil; nor shall you bear witness in a suit, turning aside after a multitude, so as to pervert justice; 3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his suit.

4 “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, you shall bring it back to him.

5 If you see the ass of one who hates you lying under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it, you shall help him to lift it up.

6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his suit.  7 Keep far from a false charge, and do not slay the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.  8 And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the officials, and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.

9 “You shall not oppress a stranger; you know the heart of a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

10 “For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; 11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild beasts may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.

12 “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your ass may have rest, and the son of your bondmaid, and the alien, may be refreshed.  13 Take heed to all that I have said to you; and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let such be heard out of your mouth.

14 “Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me.  15 You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread; as I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt.

None shall appear before me empty-handed.

16 You shall keep the feast of harvest, of the first fruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the feast of ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor.  17 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord GOD.

18 “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread, or let the fat of my feast remain until the morning.

19 “The first of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God.

“You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.

20 “Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared.  21 Give heed to him and hearken to his voice, do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression; for my name is in him.

22 “But if you hearken attentively to his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

23 “When my angel goes before you, and brings you in to the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, 24 you shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces.  25 You shall serve the LORD your God, and I will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of you.  26 None shall cast her young or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. 27 I will send my terror before you, and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.  28 And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out Hivite, Canaanite, and Hittite from before you.  29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you.  30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you are increased and possess the land.  31 And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you.  32 You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods.  33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Samuel Terrien, The Elusive Presence, p. 131 & 134ff.

8           Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20;  1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 9:19-20, 10:29
9-18     Numbers 11:16-25
9-11      Mark 9:2-8
12         2 Corinthians 3:3
18         Deuteronomy 9:9

12     Meister Eckhart, “Commentary on Exodus,” Preacher and Teacher, p. 123-125
12     Ivan Steiger, Ivan Steiger Sees the Bible, p. 28

1 And he said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship afar off.  2 Moses alone shall come near to the LORD; but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”

3 Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do.”  4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.  5 And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD.  6 And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar.  7 Then he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”  8 And Moses took the blood and threw it upon the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.  11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

12 The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tables of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”  13 So Moses rose with his servant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God.  14 And he said to the elders, “Tarry here for us, until we come to you again; and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a cause, let him go to them.”

15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.  16 The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days; and on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.  17 Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.  18 And Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

2-8         Exodus 35:4-9
8             Ezekiel 37:26-28
10-40     Exodus 37:1-24
17            Hebrews 9:5
30           Exodus 39:36, 40:23; Leviticus 24:5-8
40           Exodus 37:1-24; Acts 7:44; Hebrews 8:5

8     Elie Wiesel, Somewhere A Master, p. 40 f.

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me an offering; from every man whose heart makes him willing you shall receive the offering for me.  3 And this is the offering which you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, goats’ hair, 5 tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, 6 oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.  8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.  9 According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

10 “They shall make an ark of acacia wood; two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.  11 And you shall overlay it with pure gold, within and without shall you overlay it, and you shall make upon it a molding of gold round about.  12 And you shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.  13 You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.  14 And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark by them. 15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.  16 And you shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.

17 Then you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.  18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat.  19 Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends.  20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.  21 And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark; and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you.  22 There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you of all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.

23 “And you shall make a table of acacia wood; two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.  24 You shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a molding of gold around it.  25 And you shall make around it a frame a handbreadth wide, and a molding of gold around the frame.  26 And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs.  27 Close to the frame the rings shall lie, as holders for the poles to carry the table.  28 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. 29 And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour libations; of pure gold you shall make them.  30 And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me always.

31 “And you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand shall be made of hammered work; its cups, its capitals, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it; 32 and there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 33 three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on the other branch — so for the six branches going out of the lampstand; 34 and on the lampstand itself four cups made like almonds, with their capitals and flowers, 35 and a capital of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand.  36 Their capitals and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it one piece of hammered work of pure gold.  37 And you shall make the seven lamps for it; and the lamps shall be set up so as to give light upon the space in front of it.  38 Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold.  39 Of a talent of pure gold shall it be made, with all these utensils.  40 And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

1-37     Exodus 36:8-38
33        Hebrews 6:19, 9:3-5

1 “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet stuff; with cherubim skillfully worked shall you make them.  2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have one measure.  3 Five curtains shall be coupled to one another; and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another.  4 And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outmost curtain in the first set; and likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outmost curtain in the second set.  5 Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another.  6 And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, that the tabernacle may be one whole.

7 “You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make.  8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall have the same measure.  9 And you shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent.  10 And you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outmost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is outmost in the second set.

11 “And you shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be one whole.  12 And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle.  13 And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of what remains in the length of the curtains of the tent shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it.  14 And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and goatskins.

15 “And you shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood.  16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. 17 There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together; so shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle.  18 You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side; 19 and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under another frame for its two tenons; 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames, 21 and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame; 22 and for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames.  23 And you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear; 24 they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring; thus shall it be with both of them; they shall form the two corners.  25 And there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame.

26 “And you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward.  28 The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall pass through from end to end.  29 You shall overlay the frames with gold, and shall make their rings of gold for holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold.  30 And you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it which has been shown you on the mountain.

31 “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; in skilled work shall it be made, with cherubim; 32 and you shall hang it upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, upon four bases of silver.  33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in thither within the veil; and the veil shall separate for you the holy place from the most holy.  34 You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.  35 And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table; and you shall put the table on the north side.

36 “And you shall make a screen for the door of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework.  37 And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.

1-19        Exodus 38:1-20
20-21     Leviticus 24:1-4

1 “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits.  2 And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.  3 You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and firepans; all its utensils you shall make of bronze.  4 You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze; and upon the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners.  5 And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net shall extend halfway down the altar.  6 And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze; 7 and the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles shall be upon the two sides of the altar, when it is carried.  8 You shall make it hollow, with boards; as it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.

9 “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side; 10 their pillars shall be twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.  11 And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, their pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.  12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases.  13 The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits.  14 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases.  15 On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases.  16 For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework; it shall have four pillars and with them four bases.  17 All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze.  18 The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze.  19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

20 “And you shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may be set up to burn continually.  21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute for ever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.

1-43    Exodus 39:1-43
30       Numbers 27:21; Deuteronomy 33:8; Ezra 2:63; Nehemiah 7:65

1 “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests — Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.  2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.  3 And you shall speak to all who have ability, whom I have endowed with an able mind, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood.  4 These are the garments which they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a girdle; they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests.  5 “They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen.

6 And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked.  7 It shall have two shoulder-pieces attached to its two edges, that it may be joined together.  8 And the skillfully woven band upon it, to gird it on, shall be of the same workmanship and materials, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen.  9 And you shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 10 six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth.  11 As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel; you shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree.  12 And you shall set the two stones upon the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for remembrance.  13 And you shall make settings of gold filigree, 14 and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.

15 “And you shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen shall you make it.  16 It shall be square and double, a span its length and a span its breadth.  17 And you shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row; 18 and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; 19 and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree.  21 There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel; they shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.  22 And you shall make for the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold; 23 and you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece.  24 And you shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece; 25 the two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings of filigree, and so attach it in front to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. 26 And you shall make two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod.  27 And you shall make two rings of gold, and attach them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod, at its joining above the skillfully woven band of the ephod.  28 And they shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may lie upon the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod.  29 So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment upon his heart, when he goes into the holy place, to bring them to continual remembrance before the LORD.  30 And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the LORD; thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.

31 “And you shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.  32 It shall have in it an opening for the head, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, that it may not be torn.  33 On its skirts you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet stuff, around its skirts, with bells of gold between them, 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, round about on the skirts of the robe.  35 And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the holy place before the LORD, and when he comes out, lest he die.

36 “And you shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, ‘Holy to the LORD.’  37 And you shall fasten it on the turban by a lace of blue; it shall be on the front of the turban. 38 It shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall take upon himself any guilt incurred in the holy offering which the people of Israel hallow as their holy gifts; it shall always be upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

39 “And you shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a girdle embroidered with needlework.

40 “And for Aaron’s sons you shall make coats and girdles and caps; you shall make them for glory and beauty.  41 And you shall put them upon Aaron your brother, and upon his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests.  42 And you shall make for them linen breeches to cover their naked flesh; from the loins to the thighs they shall reach; 43 and they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister in the holy place; lest they bring guilt upon themselves and die. This shall be a perpetual statute for him and for his descendants after him.

1-37     Leviticus 8:1-36
18        Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 4:18

1 “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one young bull and two rams without blemish, 2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour.  3 And you shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams.  4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water.  5 And you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod; 6 and you shall set the turban on his head, and put the holy crown upon the turban.  7 And you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head and anoint him.  8 Then you shall bring his sons, and put coats on them, 9 and you shall gird them with girdles and bind caps on them; and the priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual statute. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

10 “Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the bull, 11 and you shall kill the bull before the LORD, at the door of the tent of meeting, 12 and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it upon the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar.  13 And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them upon the altar.  14 But the flesh of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.

15 “Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the ram, 16 and you shall slaughter the ram, and shall take its blood and throw it against the altar round about.  17 Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head, 18 and burn the whole ram upon the altar; it is a burnt offering to the LORD; it is a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD.

19 “You shall take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the ram, 20 and you shall kill the ram, and take part of its blood and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron and upon the tips of the right ears of his sons, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the altar round about.  21 Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron and his garments, and upon his sons and his sons’ garments with him; and he and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.

22 “You shall also take the fat of the ram, and the fat tail, and the fat that covers the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination), 23 and one loaf of bread, and one cake of bread with oil, and one wafer, out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD; 24 and you shall put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD.  25 Then you shall take them from their hands, and burn them on the altar in addition to the burnt offering, as a pleasing odor before the LORD; it is an offering by fire to the LORD.

26 “And you shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be your portion.  27 And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering, and the thigh of the priests’ portion, which is waved, and which is offered from the ram of ordination, since it is for Aaron and for his sons.  28 It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual due from the people of Israel, for it is the priests’ portion to be offered by the people of Israel from their peace offerings; it is their offering to the LORD.

29 “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed in them and ordained in them.  30 The son who is priest in his place shall wear them seven days, when he comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the holy place.

31 “You shall take the ram of ordination, and boil its flesh in a holy place; 32 and Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket, at the door of the tent of meeting.  33 They shall eat those things with which atonement was made, to ordain and consecrate them, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy.  34 And if any of the flesh for the ordination, or of the bread, remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire; it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

35 “Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you; through seven days shall you ordain them, 36 and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall offer a sin offering for the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it, to consecrate it.  37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall become holy.

38 “Now this is what you shall offer upon the altar: two lambs a year old day by day continually.  39 One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening; 40 and with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a libation.  41 And the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, and shall offer with it a cereal offering and its libation, as in the morning, for a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD.  42 It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak there to you.  43 There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory; 44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate, to serve me as priests.  45 And I will dwell among the people of Israel, and will be their God.  46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God.

1-5          Exodus 37:25-29
13            Exodus 38:25-26; Matthew 17:24
18            Exodus 38:8
22-38     Exodus 37:29

1 “You shall make an altar to burn incense upon; of acacia wood shall you make it.  2 A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth; it shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height; its horns shall be of one piece with it.  3 And you shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and its sides round about and its horns; and you shall make for it a molding of gold round about.  4 And two golden rings shall you make for it; under its molding on two opposite sides of it shall you make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it.  5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.  6 And you shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.  7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps in the evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.  9 You shall offer no unholy incense thereon, nor burnt offering, nor cereal offering; and you shall pour no libation thereon.  10 Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations; it is most holy to the LORD.”

11 The LORD said to Moses, 12 “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.  13 Each who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the LORD.  14 Every one who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the LORD’s offering.  15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD’s offering to make atonement for yourselves.  16 And you shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the LORD, so as to make atonement for yourselves.”

17 The LORD said to Moses, 18 “You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing. And you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, 19 with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet.  20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die.  21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die: it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations.”

22 Moreover, the LORD said to Moses, 23 “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, two hundred and fifty, and of aromatic cane two hundred and fifty, 24 and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin; 25 and you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; a holy anointing oil it shall be.  26 And you shall anoint with it the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, 27 and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, 28 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the laver and its base; 29 you shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them will become holy.  30 And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests.  31 And you shall say to the people of Israel, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations.  32 It shall not be poured upon the bodies of ordinary men, and you shall make no other like it in composition; it is holy, and it shall be holy to you.  33 Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’”

34 And the LORD said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), 35 and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy; 36 and you shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you; it shall be for you most holy.  37 And the incense which you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves; it shall be for you holy to the LORD.  38 Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people.”

1-6     Exodus 35:30–36:1

18     Meister Eckhart, “Commentary on Exodus,” Preacher and Teacher, p. 125-126

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:  3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every craft.  6 And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you:  7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereon, and all the furnishings of the tent, 8 the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base, 10 and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”

12 And the LORD said to Moses, 13 “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You shall keep my sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you.  14 You shall keep the sabbath, because it is holy for you; every one who profanes it shall be put to death; whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.  15 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall be put to death.  16 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout their generations, as a perpetual covenant.  17 It is a sign for ever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.’”

18 And he gave to Moses, when he had made an end of speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Dan Bellm, “Falling,” Practice, p. 38 f.

Wesley Fuerst, Scripture and Prayer, p. 7-12
The Enduring Legacy

1              Acts 7:40
4              1 Kings 12:28; Acts 7:41
6              1 Corinthians 10:7
9-14        Exodus 32:31-35; Numbers 14:11-25
13            Genesis 17:8, 22:16-17
23           Acts 7:40
27-29     Mark 13:12
31-32     Romans 9:3
34           Mark 16:7

1-4         Raymond Brown, “I Peter 1:18-19,” Churches the Apostles Left Behind, p. 77-78
1-4         Frederick Buechner, “Aaron,” Peculiar Treasures, p. 1-2
1-4         Ivan Steiger, Ivan Steiger Sees the Bible, p. 29
1-20      Pinchas Sadeh, “A Journey through the Land of Israel,” Pushcart Prize III, p. 118-119
20          Dan Bellm, “Falling,” Practice, p. 38 f.

31-32    Meister Eckhart, “Commentary on Exodus,” Preacher and Teacher, p. 126

1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, “Up, make us gods, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”  2 And Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”  3 So all the people took off the rings of gold which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.  4 And he received the gold at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made a molten calf; and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”  5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.”  6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

7 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down; for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves; 8 they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’”  9 And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people; 10 now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; but of you I will make a great nation.”

11 But Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, “O LORD, why does thy wrath burn hot against thy people, whom thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?  12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.  13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou didst swear by thine own self, and didst say to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.’”  14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people.

15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mountain with the two tables of the testimony in his hands, tables that were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.  16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.  17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”  18 But he said,
“It is not the sound of shouting for victory,
or the sound of the cry of defeat,
but the sound of singing that I hear.”
19 And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tables out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it upon the water, and made the people of Israel drink it.

21 And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought a great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot; you know the people, that they are set on evil.  23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’  24 And I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off’; so they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and there came out this calf.”

25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to their shame among their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.  27 And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Put every man his sword on his side, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’”  28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.  29 And Moses said, “Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, that he may bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

30 On the morrow Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”  31 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people have sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold.  32 But now, if thou wilt forgive their sin — and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.”  33 But the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.  34 But now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”

35 And the LORD sent a plague upon the people, because they made the calf which Aaron made.

3       Exodus 34:9;  Acts 7:51
11      Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 34:10
19     Exodus 3:14;  Psalm 27:13;  Romans 9:15

7-11       Samuel Terrien, “Face to Face,” The Elusive Presence, p. 176-179

11           H. E. Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer, p. 74 f.
13-23    Meister Eckhart, “Commentary on Exodus,” Preacher and Teacher, p. 126-129
14           Samuel Terrien, The Elusive Presence, p. 141

18-23    Michael Lerner, Jewish Renewal, p. 113 f.

18-23    Pinchas Sadeh, “A Journey through the Land of Israel,” Pushcart Prize III, p. 119 f.

18-22    Samuel Terrien, The Elusive Presence, p. 143-148

1 The LORD said to Moses, “Depart, go up hence, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’  2 And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.  3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you in the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”

4 When the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned; and no man put on his ornaments.  5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what to do with you.’”  6 Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp; and he called it the tent of meeting. And every one who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.  8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose up, and every man stood at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he had gone into the tent.  9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses.  10 And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the door of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, every man at his tent door.  11 Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tent.

12 Moses said to the LORD, “See, thou sayest to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’  13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, show me now thy ways, that I may know thee and find favor in thy sight. Consider too that this nation is thy people.”  14 And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  15 And he said to him, “If thy presence will not go with me, do not carry us up from here.  16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? Is it not in thy going with us, so that we are distinct, I and thy people, from all other people that are upon the face of the earth?”

17 And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”  18 Moses said, “I pray thee, show me thy glory.”  19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.  20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live.”  21 And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand upon the rock; 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 23 then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

Richard Rohr, Falling Upward, l. 404

6-7          Exodus 20:5-6; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9-10; Psalm 103:8
9              Exodus 33:3
22-24     Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16:1-17
25            Exodus 23:18; Leviticus 2:11

6-7          David Wolfe-Blanke, quoted by Micheal Lerner, Jewish Renewal, p. 129

7              Meister Eckhart, “Commentary on Exodus,” Preacher and Teacher, p. 129
21            Hans Walter Wolff, Old Testament and Christian Preaching, p. 27-38
29-35     David Denby, “No Exodus,” The New Yorker (December 7 & 14, 1998), p. 187

29            Maggie Ross, “Cranberries,” Weavings (May/June 2003), p. 24-27

1 The LORD said to Moses, “Cut two tables of stone like the first; and I will write upon the tables the words that were on the first tables, which you broke.  2 Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain.  3 No man shall come up with you, and let no man be seen throughout all the mountain; let no flocks or herds feed before that mountain.”  4 So Moses cut two tables of stone like the first; and he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone.  5 And the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.  6 The LORD passed before him, and proclaimed,
“The LORD, the LORD,
a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,
but who will by no means clear the guilty,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children
and the children’s children,
to the third and the fourth generation.”
8 And Moses made haste to bow his head toward the earth, and worshiped.  9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in thy sight, O Lord, let the Lord, I pray thee, go in the midst of us, although it is a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thy inheritance.”

10 And he said, “Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been wrought in all the earth or in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD; for it is a terrible thing that I will do with you.

11 “Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.  12 Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither you go, lest it become a snare in the midst of you.  13 You shall tear down their altars, and break their pillars, and cut down their Asherim 14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), 15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they play the harlot after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and one invites you, you eat of his sacrifice, 16 and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters play the harlot after their gods and make your sons play the harlot after their gods.

17 “You shall make for yourself no molten gods.

18 “The feast of unleavened bread you shall keep. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt.

19 All that opens the womb is mine, all your male cattle, the firstlings of cow and sheep.  20 The firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. All the first-born of your sons you shall redeem.

And none shall appear before me empty.

21 “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. 22 And you shall observe the feast of weeks, the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end.  23 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the LORD God, the God of Israel. 24 For I will cast out nations before you, and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land, when you go up to appear before the LORD your God three times in the year.

25 “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left until the morning.

26 The first of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.”

27 And the LORD said to Moses, “Write these words; in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”  28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tables of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.  30 And when Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.  31 But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them.  32 And afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in Mount Sinai.  33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34 but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35 the people of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone; and Moses would put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

4-9         Exodus 25:1-9
30-35    Exodus 31:1-6

3     Jerome M. Segal, Graceful Simplicity, p. 173

1 Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel, and said to them, “These are the things which the LORD has commanded you to do.

2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death; 3 you shall kindle no fire in all your habitations on the sabbath day.”

4 Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded.  5 Take from among you an offering to the LORD; whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s offering: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, 7 tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, 8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.

10 “And let every able man among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: the tabernacle, 11 its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 12 the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; 13 the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the laver and its base; 17 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; 19 the finely wrought garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests.”

20 Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him, and every one whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’s offering to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments.  22 So they came, both men and women; all who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD.  23 And every man with whom was found blue or purple or scarlet stuff or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins, brought them.  24 Every one who could make an offering of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD’s offering; and every man with whom was found acacia wood of any use in the work, brought it. 25 And all women who had ability spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; 26 all the women whose hearts were moved with ability spun the goats’ hair.  27 And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, 28 and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work which the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done, brought it as their freewill offering to the LORD.

30 And Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, 32 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, 33 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft.  34 And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan.  35 He has filled them with ability to do every sort of work done by a craftsman or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, or by a weaver -by any sort of workman or skilled designer.

18-38     Exodus 26:1-37

1 Bezalel and Oholiab and every able man in whom the LORD has put ability and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded.”

2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every able man in whose mind the LORD had put ability, every one whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work; 3 and they received from Moses all the freewill offering which the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, 4 so that all the able men who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, 5 and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work which the LORD has commanded us to do.”  6 So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let neither man nor woman do anything more for the offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing; 7 for the stuff they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.

8 And all the able men among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains; they were made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet stuff, with cherubim skillfully worked. 9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains had the same measure.

10 And he coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another.  11 And he made loops of blue on the edge of the outmost curtain of the first set; likewise he made them on the edge of the outmost curtain of the second set; 12 he made fifty loops on the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set; the loops were opposite one another.  13 And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps; so the tabernacle was one whole.

14 He also made curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he made eleven curtains. 15 The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains had the same measure.  16 He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.  17 And he made fifty loops on the edge of the outmost curtain of the one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the other connecting curtain.  18 And he made fifty clasps of bronze to couple the tent together that it might be one whole. 19 And he made for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and goatskins.

20 Then he made the upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood.  21 Ten cubits was the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame.  22 Each frame had two tenons, for fitting together; he did this for all the frames of the tabernacle.  23 The frames for the tabernacle he made thus: twenty frames for the south side; 24 and he made forty bases of silver under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under another frame for its two tenons.  25 And for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty frames 26 and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame and two bases under another frame.  27 And for the rear of the tabernacle westward he made six frames.  28 And he made two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear.  29 And they were separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring; he made two of them thus, for the two corners.  30 There were eight frames with their bases of silver: sixteen bases, under every frame two bases.

31 And he made bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, 32 and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the tabernacle at the rear westward.  33 And he made the middle bar to pass through from end to end halfway up the frames.  34 And he overlaid the frames with gold, and made their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

35 And he made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; with cherubim skillfully worked he made it.  36 And for it he made four pillars of acacia, and overlaid them with gold; their hooks were of gold, and he cast for them four bases of silver.  37 He also made a screen for the door of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework; 38 and its five pillars with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals, and their fillets were of gold, but their five bases were of bronze.

29     Exodus 30:1-5,  22-38

1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.  2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a molding of gold around it. 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four corners, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side.  4 And he made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, 5 and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark.  6 And he made a mercy seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.  7 And he made two cherubim of hammered gold; on the two ends of the mercy seat he made them, 8 one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends.  9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.

10 He also made the table of acacia wood; two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height; 11 and he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it.  12 And he made around it a frame a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the frame.  13 He cast for it four rings of gold, and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs.  14 Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table.  15 He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold.  16 And he made the vessels of pure gold which were to be upon the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour libations.

17 He also made the lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand were made of hammered work; its cups, its capitals, and its flowers were of one piece with it.  18 And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 19 three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on the other branch — so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.  20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almonds, with their capitals and flowers, 21 and a capital of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it.  22 Their capitals and their branches were of one piece with it; the whole of it was one piece of hammered work of pure gold.  23 And he made its seven lamps and its snuffers and its trays of pure gold.  24 He made it and all its utensils of a talent of pure gold.

25 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood; its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit; it was square, and two cubits was its height; its horns were of one piece with it.  26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top, and its sides round about, and its horns; and he made a molding of gold round about it, 27 and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it.  28 And he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.

29 He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.

1-20       Exodus 27:1-19
8             Exodus 30:18
25-26     Exodus 30:11-16
26           Matthew 17:24

1 He made the altar of burnt offering also of acacia wood; five cubits was its length, and five cubits its breadth; it was square, and three cubits was its height.  2 He made horns for it on its four corners; its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.  3 And he made all the utensils of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the firepans: all its utensils he made of bronze.  4 And he made for the altar a grating, a network of bronze, under its ledge, extending halfway down.  5 He cast four rings on the four corners of the bronze grating as holders for the poles; 6 he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze.  7 And he put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar, to carry it with them; he made it hollow, with boards.

8 And he made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the tent of meeting.

9 And he made the court; for the south side the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits; 10 their pillars were twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.  11 And for the north side a hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.  12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.  13 And for the front to the east, fifty cubits.  14 The hangings for one side of the gate were fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases. 15 And so for the other side; on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases.  16 All the hangings round about the court were of fine twined linen.  17 And the bases for the pillars were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver; the overlaying of their capitals was also of silver, and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.  18 And the screen for the gate of the court was embroidered with needlework in blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; it was twenty cubits long and five cubits high in its breadth, corresponding to the hangings of the court.  19 And their pillars were four; their four bases were of bronze, their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals and their fillets of silver.  20 And all the pegs for the tabernacle and for the court round about were of bronze.

21 This is the sum of the things for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were counted at the commandment of Moses, for the work of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.  22 Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses; 23 and with him was Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman and designer and embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen.

24 All the gold that was used for the work, in all the construction of the sanctuary, the gold from the offering, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary.  25 And the silver from those of the congregation who were numbered was a hundred talents and a thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary:  26 a beka a head (that is, half a shekel, by the shekel of the sanctuary), for every one who was numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men.  27 The hundred talents of silver were for casting the bases of the sanctuary, and the bases of the veil; a hundred bases for the hundred talents, a talent for a base.  28 And of the thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals and made fillets for them.  29 And the bronze that was contributed was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels; 30 with it he made the bases for the door of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and the bronze grating for it and all the utensils of the altar, 31 the bases round about the court, and the bases of the gate of the court, all the pegs of the tabernacle, and all the pegs round about the court.

1-43     Exodus 28
36        Exodus 25:30, 40:23; Leviticus 24:5-9

1 And of the blue and purple and scarlet stuff they made finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy place; they made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

2 And he made the ephod of gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen.  3 And gold leaf was hammered out and cut into threads to work into the blue and purple and the scarlet stuff, and into the fine twined linen, in skilled design.  4 They made for the ephod shoulder-pieces, joined to it at its two edges.  5 And the skilfully woven band upon it, to gird it on, was of the same materials and workmanship, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

6 The onyx stones were prepared, enclosed in settings of gold filigree and engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel.  7 And he set them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

8 He made the breastpiece, in skilled work, like the work of the ephod, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen.  9 It was square; the breastpiece was made double, a span its length and a span its breadth when doubled.  10 And they set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row; 11 and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; 12 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13 and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they were enclosed in settings of gold filigree.  14 There were twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel; they were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.  15 And they made on the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold; 16 and they made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece; 17 and they put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece.  18 Two ends of the two cords they had attached to the two settings of filigree; thus they attached it in front to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod.  19 Then they made two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod.  20 And they made two rings of gold, and attached them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod, at its joining above the skilfully woven band of the ephod.  21 And they bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it should lie upon the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece should not come loose from the ephod; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

22 He also made the robe of the ephod woven all of blue; 23 and the opening of the robe in it was like the opening in a garment, with a binding around the opening, that it might not be torn.  24 On the skirts of the robe they made pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen. 25 They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the skirts of the robe round about, between the pomegranates; 26 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate round about upon the skirts of the robe for ministering; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

27 They also made the coats, woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, 28 and the turban of fine linen, and the caps of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twined linen, 29 and the girdle of fine twined linen and of blue and purple and scarlet stuff, embroidered with needlework; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it an inscription, like the engraving of a signet, “Holy to the LORD.”  31 And they tied to it a lace of blue, to fasten it on the turban above; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

32 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished; and the people of Israel had done according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so had they done.  33 And they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 34 the covering of tanned rams’ skins and goatskins, and the veil of the screen; 35 the ark of the testimony with its poles and the mercy seat; 36 the table with all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 37 the lampstand of pure gold and its lamps with the lamps set and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; 38 the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door of the tent; 39 the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the laver and its base; 40 the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, and its pegs; and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 41 the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons to serve as priests.  42 According to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work.  43 And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, so had they done it. And Moses blessed them.

23            Exodus 25:30, 39:36; Leviticus 24:5-9
30-32     Exodus 30:18-21
34            1 Kings 8:10-11; Isaiah 6:4; Ezekiel 43:4-5; Revelation 15:8

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.  3 And you shall put in it the ark of the testimony, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.  4 And you shall bring in the table, and set its arrangements in order; and you shall bring in the lampstand, and set up its lamps.  5 And you shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the screen for the door of the tabernacle.  6 You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, 7 and place the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.  8 And you shall set up the court round about, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court. 9 Then you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture; and it shall become holy.  10 You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar; and the altar shall be most holy.  11 You shall also anoint the laver and its base, and consecrate it.  12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water, 13 and put upon Aaron the holy garments, and you shall anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve me as priest.  14 You shall bring his sons also and put coats on them, 15 and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests: and their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”

16 Thus did Moses; according to all that the LORD commanded him, so he did.  17 And in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected.  18 Moses erected the tabernacle; he laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars; 19 and he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent over it, as the LORD had commanded Moses.  20 And he took the testimony and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark, and set the mercy seat above on the ark; 21 and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony; as the LORD had commanded Moses.  22 And he put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil, 23 and set the bread in order on it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.  24 And he put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, 25 and set up the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.  26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil, 27 and burnt fragrant incense upon it; as the LORD had commanded Moses.  28 And he put in place the screen for the door of the tabernacle. 29 And he set the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the cereal offering; as the LORD had commanded Moses. 30 And he set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing, 31 with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet; 32 when they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses.  33 And he erected the court round the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  36 Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would go onward; 37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not go onward till the day that it was taken up.  38 For throughout all their journeys the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.