The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 "Make The Dwelling itself from ten panels of tapestry woven from fine twisted linen, blue and purple and scarlet material, with an angel-cherubim design. A skilled craftsman should do it.
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“Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.
2 The panels of tapestry are each to be forty-six feet long and six feet wide.
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The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size.
3 Join five of the panels together, and then the other five together.
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Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another.
4 Make loops of blue along the edge of the outside panel of the first set and the same on the outside panel of the second set.
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And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set.
5 Make fifty loops on each panel.
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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 Then make fifty gold clasps and join the tapestries together so that The Dwelling is one whole.
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And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole.
7 "Next make tapestries of goat hair for a tent that will cover The Dwelling. Make eleven panels of these tapestries.
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“You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make.
8 The length of each panel will be forty-five feet long and six feet wide.
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The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall be the same size.
9 Join five of the panels together, and then the other six. Fold the sixth panel double at the front of the tent.
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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 Now make fifty loops along the edge of the end panel and fifty loops along the edge of the joining panel.
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You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.
11 Make fifty clasps of bronze and connect the clasps with the loops, bringing the tent together.
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“You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be a single whole.
12 "Hang half of the overlap of the tapestry panels over the rear of The Dwelling.
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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 The eighteen inches of overlap on either side will cover the sides of the tent.
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And the extra that remains in the length of the curtains, the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it.
14 Finally, make a covering for the tapestries of tanned rams' skins dyed red and over that a covering of dolphin skins.
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And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and a covering of goatskins on top.
15 "Frame The Dwelling with planks of acacia wood,
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“You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood.
16 each section of frame fifteen feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide,
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Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame.
17 with two pegs for securing them. Make all the frames identical:
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There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together. So shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle.
18 twenty frames for the south side
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You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side;
19 with forty silver sockets to receive the two pegs from each of the twenty frames;
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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 the next frame for its two tenons;
22 for the rear of The Dwelling, which faces west, make six frames
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And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames.
23 with two additional frames for the rear corners.
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And you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear;
24 Both of the two corner frames need to be double in thickness from top to bottom and fit into a single ring
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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 - eight frames altogether with sixteen sockets of silver, two under each frame.
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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 "Now make crossbars of acacia wood, five for the frames on one side of The Dwelling,
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“You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle,
27 five for the other side, and five for the back side facing west.
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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 center crossbar runs from end to end halfway up the frames.
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The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall run from end to end.
29 Cover the frames with a veneer of gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. And cover the crossbars with a veneer of gold.
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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 Then put The Dwelling together, following the design you were shown on the mountain.
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Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain.
31 "Make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. Have a design of angel-cherubim woven into it by a skilled craftsman.
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“And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it.
32 Fasten it with gold hooks to four posts of acacia wood covered with a veneer of gold, set on four silver bases.
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And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver.
33 After hanging the curtain from the clasps, bring the Chest of The Testimony in behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Holy-of-Holies.
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And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.
34 Now place the Atonement-Cover lid on the Chest of The Testimony in the Holy-of-Holies.
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You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place.
35 Place the Table and the Lampstand outside the curtain, the Lampstand on the south side of The Dwelling and the Table opposite it on the north side.
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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 "Make a screen for the door of the tent. Weave it from blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.
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“You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework.
37 Frame the weaving with five poles of acacia wood covered with a veneer of gold and make gold hooks to hang the weaving. Cast five bronze bases for the poles.
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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.
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.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025