More Than Enough Offerings
Study note
Bezalel, Oholiab, and all the other skilled workers began the construction. Moses had called them and they were eager to start. But the people kept bringing more and more offerings every morning. The craftsmen had to stop their work and come tell Moses that the people were bringing more than enough materials. Moses sent a command throughout the camp telling everyone to stop bringing offerings. They already had more than they needed. This is a beautiful picture of what happens when God's people give with willing hearts.
1 Bezalel, Oholiab, and every other skilled worker got to work building the sanctuary. The Lord had given them talent and eagerness. They followed the Lord's directions exactly. Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.
2 Moses called Bezalel, Oholiab, and every gifted worker. The Lord had inspired their hearts. They were all eager to start the work. And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:
3 Moses gave them all the offerings the Israelites had brought for building the sanctuary. But the people did not stop giving. They kept bringing more gifts every morning. And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.
4 Finally, the skilled workers paused their construction work and came to find Moses. And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;
5 They told Moses, "The people are bringing way more things than we need to finish the project the Lord gave us." And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.
6 Moses sent an announcement throughout the whole camp: "No one — man or woman — should prepare anything more for the sanctuary offering." The people had to be stopped from giving. And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
7 What they had already donated was more than enough to complete every part of the work. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
The Inner Curtains of the Tabernacle
Study note
The skilled workers made ten inner curtains for the Tabernacle out of finely twisted linen in blue, purple, and scarlet, with images of angelic beings called cherubim woven into the fabric. Each curtain was the same size — about forty-two feet long and six feet wide. They joined five curtains together to make one set, and the other five to make a second set. They used loops of blue fabric and gold clasps to connect the two large sets into one piece that would form the beautiful inner ceiling and walls of the Tabernacle.
8 The most skilled workers built the Tabernacle itself. They used ten curtains of finely twisted linen woven with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. Cherubim were carefully worked into the fabric. And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them.
9 Each curtain was the same size: twenty-eight cubits long by four cubits wide. The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one size.
10 They sewed five curtains together into one big panel. Then they joined the other five curtains into a second panel. And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another.
11 They put blue yarn loops along the outer edge of the last curtain in the first set. They did the same on the last curtain of the second set. And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.
12 Each edge had fifty loops, and the loops on the two panels lined up perfectly across from one another. Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second: the loops held one curtain to another.
13 They made fifty gold hooks and used them to join the two large panels together. This made the Tabernacle one single structure. And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle.
The Outer Coverings
Study note
Over the fine inner curtains, the workers made a tent of eleven curtains from goat hair. These were larger than the inner curtains. They joined five curtains into one set and six into another, then connected them with bronze clasps. Over the goat hair tent, they put a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that, a covering of fine leather. These multiple layers protected the Tabernacle from weather and gave it a sturdy outer shell.
14 For the outer tent covering over the Tabernacle, they made curtains from goat hair. There were eleven curtains in all. And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them.
15 Every one of these curtains was the same size: thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain: the eleven curtains were of one size.
16 They joined five curtains into one panel and six curtains into a second panel. And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
17 They sewed fifty loops along the outer edge of the last curtain in the first panel. They sewed fifty matching loops on the last curtain of the second panel. And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.
18 They made fifty bronze clasps to hold the two panels together as one tent. And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.
19 Over the tent, they placed a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that, a final covering of fine leather. And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that.
The Wooden Frames and Crossbars
Study note
The workers made upright frames out of acacia wood for the walls of the Tabernacle. Each frame was about fifteen feet tall and over two feet wide. Each frame had two pegs at the bottom that fit into silver bases. They made twenty frames for the south side with forty silver bases, twenty frames for the north side with forty silver bases, and six frames for the west end with two extra corner frames, using sixteen silver bases. They also made crossbars of acacia wood overlaid with gold to hold the frames together.
20 They built the upright wooden frames for the Tabernacle from acacia wood. And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up.
21 Each frame measured ten cubits tall and a cubit and a half wide. The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half.
22 Every frame had two pegs at the bottom that fit into sockets. All the Tabernacle frames were built this same way. One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
23 For the south wall, they constructed twenty frames. And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:
24 Beneath the twenty frames, they placed forty silver base sockets — two sockets per frame, one under each peg. And forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.
25 For the north wall, they also built twenty frames, And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards,
26 along with forty silver base sockets — two under every frame. And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
27 For the back wall on the west end, they built six frames. And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.
28 They added two additional frames for the two back corners. And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.
29 These corner frames were joined from bottom to top and secured at the top with a single ring. They did this identically for both corners. And they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners.
30 The back wall had eight frames total, resting on sixteen silver base sockets — a pair under each frame. And there were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every board two sockets.
31 They made crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the Tabernacle, And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
32 five for the frames on the opposite side, and five for the frames on the west end. And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward.
33 They crafted the middle crossbar to run the entire length of the wall, positioned halfway up the frames. And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other.
34 They overlaid the frames with gold, made gold rings to hold the crossbars, and overlaid the crossbars with gold. And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.
The Inner Curtain and Entrance Screen
Study note
They made the inner curtain, also called the veil, from blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it. This curtain would separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place where the Ark would sit. They hung it on four acacia wood posts overlaid with gold, set in four silver bases. They also made a screen for the entrance to the tent from blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, decorated with embroidery. This screen hung on five posts with gold hooks, set in five bronze bases.
35 They made the inner curtain. They used blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen. They wove images of cherubim into it with great skill. And he made a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.
36 They constructed four acacia wood posts for this curtain and overlaid them with gold. They made gold hooks and cast four silver base sockets. And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver.
37 For the entrance to the tent, they made a screen from blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen. It had sewn-in designs. And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework;
38 They built five posts with hooks for this screen and overlaid the tops and connecting bands with gold. The five base sockets were cast in bronze. And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass.