Exodus 25:10-40

10 "First let them make a Chest using acacia wood: make it three and three-quarters feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide and deep
11 . Cover it with a veneer of pure gold inside and out and make a molding of gold all around it.
12 Cast four gold rings and attach them to its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
13 Make poles from acacia wood and cover them with a veneer of gold
14 and insert them into the rings on the sides of the Chest for carrying the Chest.
15 The poles are to stay in the rings; they must not be removed.
16 "Place The Testimony that I give you in the Chest.
17 "Now make a lid of pure gold for the Chest, an Atonement-Cover, three and three-quarters feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide.
18 "Sculpt two winged angels out of hammered gold for either end of the Atonement-Cover,
19 one angel at one end, one angel at the other. Make them of one piece with the Atonement-Cover.
20 Make the angels with their wings spread, hovering over the Atonement-Cover, facing one another but looking down on it.
21 Set the Atonement-Cover as a lid over the Chest and place in the Chest The Testimony that I will give you.
22 I will meet you there at set times and speak with you from above the Atonement-Cover and from between the angel-figures that are on it, speaking the commands that I have for the Israelites. The Table
23 "Next make a Table from acacia wood. Make it three feet long, one and one-half feet wide and two and one-quarter feet high.
24 Cover it with a veneer of pure gold. Make a molding all around it of gold.
25 Make the border a handbreadth wide all around it and a rim of gold for the border.
26 Make four rings of gold and attach the rings to the four legs
27 parallel to the table top. They will serve as holders for the poles used to carry the Table.
28 Make the poles of acacia wood and cover them with a veneer of gold. They will be used to carry the Table.
29 "Make plates, bowls, jars, and jugs for pouring out offerings. Make them of pure gold.
30 "Always keep fresh Bread of the Presence on the Table before me. The Lampstand
31 "Make a Lampstand of pure hammered gold. Make its stem and branches, cups, calyxes, and petals all of one piece.
32 Give it six branches, three from one side and three from the other;
33 put three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch, three on the next, and so on - the same for all six branches.
34 On the main stem of the Lampstand, make four cups shaped like almonds, with calyx and petals,
35 a calyx extending from under each pair of the six branches,
36 the entire Lampstand fashioned from one piece of hammered pure gold.
37 "Make seven of these lamps for the Table. Arrange the lamps so they throw their light out in front.
38 Make the candle snuffers and trays out of pure gold.
39 "Use a seventy-five-pound brick of pure gold to make the Lampstand and its accessories.
40 Study the design you were given on the mountain and make everything accordingly.

Exodus 25:10-40 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 25

In this chapter an order is given for a freewill offering towards various things for the worship and service of God, and the materials to be offered, which would be useful and acceptable, are mentioned particularly, Ex 25:1-7, as also another order to build a sanctuary for God, after a model that he would give, Ex 25:8,9, and, an ark to put in the law on tables of stone, the fashion of which, and the various things belonging to it, are described, Ex 25:10-16, and a mercy seat with cherubim on it to be set over the ark, where the Lord promises to meet Moses and commune with him, Ex 25:17-22 and a table with various appurtenances to it to place the shewbread on, Ex 25:23-30 and a candlestick of gold, whose parts are described, and all the instruments relative to it, Ex 25:31-40.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.