Exodus 1:1-38:20

The Israelites Oppressed 1These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: 2Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 4Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. 6Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,

7but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them. 9“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 11So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 13and worked them ruthlessly.

14They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly. 16“When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”

19The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” 20So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 22Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”

4His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

7Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” 8“Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother.

Moses Flees to Midian 11One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 21Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 24God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.

4When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 7The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.

10So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

12And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you The Hebrew is plural. will worship God on this mountain.”

14God said to Moses, “ I AM WHO I AM . Or I will be what I will be This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘ I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

15God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, The Hebrew for Lord sounds like and may be related to the Hebrew for I am in verse 14. the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation. 19But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 21“And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed.

Signs for Moses 1Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” 4Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.

6Then the LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous The Hebrew word for leprous was used for various diseases affecting the skin. —it had become as white as snow.

9But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”

10Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” 11The LORD said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? 15You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 22Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, 24At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses Hebrew him and was about to kill him. 30and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people,

Bricks Without Straw 1Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’ ”

2Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.” 4But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!” 6That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: 7“You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw.

9Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.” 10Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw.

16Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”

18Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.” 19The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.”

21and they said, “May the LORD look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

God Promises Deliverance 22Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? 23Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” 4I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. 7I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 10Then the LORD said to Moses,

11“Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.”

12But Moses said to the LORD, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips Hebrew I am uncircumcised of lips; also in verse 30 ?”

Family Record of Moses and Aaron 13Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

14These were the heads of their families The Hebrew for families here and in verse 25 refers to units larger than clans. : The sons of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel were Hanok and Pallu, Hezron and Karmi. These were the clans of Reuben.

20Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, who bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.

21The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg and Zikri.

22The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri.

25Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the Levite families, clan by clan.

27They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt—this same Moses and Aaron. 2You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. 3But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, 4he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. 6Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded them.

7Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

9“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.” 10So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 12Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

The Plague of Blood 14Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. 22But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said. 23Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart.

24And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river.

1In Hebrew texts 8:1-4 is numbered 7:26-29, and 8:5-32 is numbered 8:1-28. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 6So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land.

7But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt. 13And the LORD did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields.

18But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere,

19the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said.

The Plague of Flies 20Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the river and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

21If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will be covered with them.

23I will make a distinction Septuagint and Vulgate; Hebrew will put a deliverance between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.’ ”

24And the LORD did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials; throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.

25Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.”

27We must take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, as he commands us.”

28Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.” 31and the LORD did what Moses asked. The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. 32But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

The Plague on Livestock 1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.”

4But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’ ” 5The LORD set a time and said, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land.” 6And the next day the LORD did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died.

7Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go.

The Plague of Boils 8Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh.

9It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on people and animals throughout the land.” 11The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians.

12But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses. 15For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 18Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now. 20Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. 22Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.”

26The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were. 29Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD . The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD ’s.

30But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God.” 31(The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom.

32The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.) 34When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts.

2that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD .” 3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 4If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow.

6They will fill your houses and those of all your officials and all the Egyptians—something neither your parents nor your ancestors have ever seen from the day they settled in this land till now.’ ” Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh.

9Moses answered, “We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because we are to celebrate a festival to the LORD .” 10Pharaoh said, “The LORD be with you—if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil. Or Be careful, trouble is in store for you!

11No! Have only the men go and worship the LORD, since that’s what you have been asking for.” Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence.

15They covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt. 19And the LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Or the Sea of Reeds Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt.

20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go. 22So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.

23No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived. 25But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the LORD our God. 27But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 29“Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear before you again.”

The Plague on the Firstborn 1Now the LORD had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. 2Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” 6There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. 7But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. 2“This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb The Hebrew word can mean lamb or kid; also in verse 4. for his family, one for each household. 5The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 7Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 9Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. 10Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 12“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD . 15For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. 19For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel.

20Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.” 22Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 24“Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 27then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ ” Then the people bowed down and worshiped.

28The Israelites did just what the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron. 29At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.

30Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

32Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.” 34So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing.

36The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.

39With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.

Passover Restrictions 43The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover meal: “No foreigner may eat it. 46“It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones. 48“A foreigner residing among you who wants to celebrate the LORD ’s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat it.

Consecration of the Firstborn 1The LORD said to Moses,

2“Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.” 3Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the LORD brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast. 5When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites—the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to observe this ceremony in this month: 8On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’

10You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year. 11“After the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your ancestors,

16And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.”

19Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.” See Gen. 50:25.

4And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD .” So the Israelites did this. 5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” 8The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. 10As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD . 11They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?

12Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

14The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” 16Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.

20coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

25He jammed See Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text removed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.” 29But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

2“The LORD is my strength and my defense Or song ; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

3The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name.

5The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone.

8By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.

9The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’

10But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

The Waters of Marah and Elim 22Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. Marah means bitter. )

24So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

25Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink. There the LORD issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. 27Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.

3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD ’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

5On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.” 11The LORD said to Moses,

15When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.

16This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer That is, possibly about 3 pounds or about 1.4 kilograms; also in verses 18, 32, 33 and 36 for each person you have in your tent.’ ” 17The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little.

19Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” 22On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers That is, possibly about 6 pounds or about 2.8 kilograms for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses.

23He said to them, “This is what the LORD commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the LORD . So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’ ” 25“Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the LORD . You will not find any of it on the ground today.

26Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.” 27Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you The Hebrew is plural. refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.”

32Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’ ”

33So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the LORD to be kept for the generations to come.” 34As the LORD commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law, so that it might be preserved.

35The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

4Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

The Amalekites Defeated 8The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 10So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.

13So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 5Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God.

6Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

8Moses told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the LORD had saved them. 9Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10He said, “Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”

12Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God. 15Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. 18You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 20Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 22Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.

23If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” 25He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

6you Or possession, for the whole earth is mine. 6 You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” 7So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak.

9The LORD said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said. 10And the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes

13They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.” 14After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 17Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

19As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. Or and God answered him with thunder 21and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish.

24The LORD replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the LORD, or he will break out against them.”

2“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3“You shall have no other gods before Or besides me.

6but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 8“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.

16“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

19and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

21The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

23Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.

1“These are the laws you are to set before them: 3If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. 5“But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ 7“If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. 9If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. 10If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.

17“Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. 23But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 26“An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye.

27And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth. 30However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.

34the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.

Protection of Property 1In Hebrew texts 22:1 is numbered 21:37, and 22:2-31 is numbered 22:1-30. “Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

3but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed. “Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft.

4If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.

5“If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.

6“If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution. 7“If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.

9In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges. Or before God The one whom the judges declare Or whom God declares guilty must pay back double to the other. 12But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner.

18“Do not allow a sorceress to live. 26If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset,

28“Do not blaspheme God Or Do not revile the judges or curse the ruler of your people. 31“You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.

Laws of Justice and Mercy 1“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness. 2“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd,

5If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it. 6“Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

8“Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

Sabbath Laws 10“For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops,

11but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

12“Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.

The Three Annual Festivals 14“Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me. 23My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. 29But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you.

30Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land. 33Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”

The Covenant Confirmed 1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance,

2but Moses alone is to approach the LORD ; the others must not come near. And the people may not come up with him.” 6Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar.

7Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.”

8Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” 9Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up 10and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky.

11But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.

14He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.” 15When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it,

Offerings for the Tabernacle 1The LORD said to Moses, 4blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 5ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals ; acacia wood; 6olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;

7and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

9Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

The Ark 10“Have them make an ark That is, a chest of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. That is, about 3 3/4 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide and high or about 1.1 meters long and 68 centimeters wide and high; similarly in verse 17

16Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you. 19Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 21Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you.

22There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

The Table 23“Make a table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. That is, about 3 feet long, 1 1/2 feet wide and 2 1/4 feet high or about 90 centimeters long, 45 centimeters wide and 68 centimeters high 24Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it. 25Also make around it a rim a handbreadth That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters wide and put a gold molding on the rim. 26Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are. 27The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. 29And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings.

The Lampstand 31“Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 33Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 35One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 37“Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. 38Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. 39A talent That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. 40See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain. 2All the curtains are to be the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. That is, about 42 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 13 meters long and 1.8 meters wide 5Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. 9Join five of the curtains together into one set and the other six into another set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. 11Then make fifty bronze clasps and put them in the loops to fasten the tent together as a unit. 12As for the additional length of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over is to hang down at the rear of the tabernacle. 13The tent curtains will be a cubit That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters longer on both sides; what is left will hang over the sides of the tabernacle so as to cover it. 15“Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 16Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide, That is, about 15 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide or about 4.5 meters long and 68 centimeters wide 19and make forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. 22Make six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle,

25So there will be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame. 27five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle.

29Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

30“Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain. 31“Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. 32Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases.

35Place the table outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand opposite it on the south side. 2Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. 3Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 7The poles are to be inserted into the rings so they will be on two sides of the altar when it is carried.

8Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.

The Courtyard 9“Make a courtyard for the tabernacle. The south side shall be a hundred cubits That is, about 150 feet or about 45 meters; also in verse 11 long and is to have curtains of finely twisted linen, 10with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 13On the east end, toward the sunrise, the courtyard shall also be fifty cubits wide. 14Curtains fifteen cubits That is, about 23 feet or about 6.8 meters; also in verse 15 long are to be on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, 17All the posts around the courtyard are to have silver bands and hooks, and bronze bases.

19All the other articles used in the service of the tabernacle, whatever their function, including all the tent pegs for it and those for the courtyard, are to be of bronze.

Oil for the Lampstand 20“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. 4These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests.

The Ephod 6“Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of skilled hands. 10in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. 11Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings 12and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD . 13Make gold filigree settings

The Breastpiece 15“Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 20the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper. The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain. Mount them in gold filigree settings. 24Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 26Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. 29“Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD .

30Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD . Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD . 32with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. around this opening, so that it will not tear. 33Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. 34The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. 37Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. 40Make tunics, sashes and caps for Aaron’s sons to give them dignity and honor. 42“Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. 3Put them in a basket and present them along with the bull and the two rams. 4Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 7Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head. 8Bring his sons and dress them in tunics 12Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar. 13Then take all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar.

21And take some blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.

28This is always to be the perpetual share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons. It is the contribution the Israelites are to make to the LORD from their fellowship offerings.

30The son who succeeds him as priest and comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days. 31“Take the ram for the ordination and cook the meat in a sacred place. 33They are to eat these offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred. 35“Do for Aaron and his sons everything I have commanded you, taking seven days to ordain them. 36Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it. 40With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin That is, probably about 1 quart or about 1 liter of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering. 45Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.

The Altar of Incense 1“Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. 2It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high That is, about 1 1/2 feet long and wide and 3 feet high or about 45 centimeters long and wide and 90 centimeters high —its horns of one piece with it. 4Make two gold rings for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it.

6Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you. 7“Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps.

10Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering Or purification offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the LORD .” 12“When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them. 14All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the LORD .

16Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD, making atonement for your lives.” 18“Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 19Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it.

Anointing Oil 22Then the LORD said to Moses, 24500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin That is, probably about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters of olive oil. 25Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. 27the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense,

29You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy. 30“Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.

33Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.’ ” 35and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. 36Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. 37Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the LORD . 38Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.” 4to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. 6Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: 9the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— 10and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests,

13“Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy. 18When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God. 5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD .”

6So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

8They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’

10Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” 12Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’ ”

17When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.” 19When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.

20And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.

21He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?” 22“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’

26So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.

29Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.” 31So Moses went back to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold.

32But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” 33The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.

34Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” 35And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

3Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”

13If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

14The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

18Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” 19And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 22When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” 2Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. 4So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. 5Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD .

7maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” 8Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.

9“Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.” 11Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

14Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

20Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons. “No one is to appear before me empty-handed.

21“Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest. 22“Celebrate the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering at the turn of the year. That is, in the autumn

24I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the LORD your God.

25“Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast, and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Festival remain until morning.

26“Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. “Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.” 27Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”

28Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.

32Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. 33When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34But whenever he entered the LORD ’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD .

3Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

Materials for the Tabernacle 4Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the LORD has commanded: 6blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 8olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;

9and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 11the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 13the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; 17the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; 20Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, 22All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD . 24Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the LORD, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 25Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. 26And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. 28They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.

29All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do. 31and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 32to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 3They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.

5and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.”

7because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work. 12They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. 15All eleven curtains were the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. That is, about 45 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 14 meters long and 1.8 meters wide 17Then they made fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. 21Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide, That is, about 15 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide or about 4.5 meters long and 68 centimeters wide 25For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, they made twenty frames 26and forty silver bases—two under each frame. 27They made six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, 28and two frames were made for the corners of the tabernacle at the far end.

30So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame. 32five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. 33They made the center crossbar so that it extended from end to end at the middle of the frames. 3He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 4Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 19Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 20And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 29They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer.

The Altar of Burnt Offering 1They Or He; also in verses 2-9 built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits That is, about 4 1/2 feet or about 1.4 meters high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters long and wide 3They made all its utensils of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 5They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating.

7They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.

The Courtyard 9Next they made the courtyard. The south side was a hundred cubits That is, about 150 feet or about 45 meters long and had curtains of finely twisted linen, 10with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.

11The north side was also a hundred cubits long and had twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 12The west end was fifty cubits That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters wide and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 14Curtains fifteen cubits That is, about 22 feet or about 6.8 meters long were on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, 16All the curtains around the courtyard were of finely twisted linen.

17The bases for the posts were bronze. The hooks and bands on the posts were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver; so all the posts of the courtyard had silver bands.