Exodus 39

Israel makes the preists’ clothes

They also made professionally-woven clothes out of blue, purple, and scarlet material for Aaron and the others who would serve in the sacred place just like the Existing One had instructed Moses. 

They made the priest’s cape by hammering out gold sheets and cutting them into threads and weaving those threads with fine linen and blue, purple, and scarlet material. It was a masterpiece. They made shoulder pieces and attached them to the 2 upper corners of the cape. It had a band on it woven from the same materials, and it was its most brilliant part. They made it just like the Existing One had requested. They made onyx gemstones that were set in gold lattices. The jewels were engraved with the names of Israel’s sons (similar to the engravings on a signet ring). Bezalel placed them on the cape’s shoulder pieces to commemorate Israel's sons just like the Existing One had instructed Moses.

Then Bezalel made the chestpiece which was a masterpiece like the cape. It was made out of gold, fine twisted linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet material. The chestpiece was square and it was 2-ply with one ply going horizontal and one ply going vertical. They filled it up by mounting 4 rows of gemstones on it:

  1. First row: ruby, topaz, emerald

  2. Second row: turquoise, sapphire, diamond

  3. Third row: jacinth, agate, amethyst

  4. Fourth row: beryl, onyx, jasper

The gemstones were set in gold lattices and mounted to the chestpiece. There are 12 gemstones because they correspond with the names of Israel’s 12 tribes (their names were engraved on the gemstones). They connected the cape to the chestpiece by putting golden rings on 2 of the chestpiece’s corners and using twisted golden cords to attach them to lattices on the cape’s shoulder pieces. They put 2 more rings on the chestpiece’s inner edges (near the cape), and put 2 rings on the bottom of the cape’s shoulder pieces (above the cape’s woven band), and tied them together with a blue cord so that the chestpiece would be attached the cape’s woven band. That way, the chestpiece wouldn’t become detached from the cape. They did it just like the Existing one had instructed Moses. 

Then Bezalel wove together a purple robe. The robe had an opening at the top so it could be put on over-the-head like a coat of mail. Its opening had a border all around it so that it wouldn’t get torn. Around the hem of the robe they alternated bells and pomegranates. The bells were made of gold, and the pomegranates were made of twisted linen and blue, purple, and scarlet material. They did it following the instructions that the Existing One had given Moses. 

They made long, shirt-like undergarments for Aaron and his sons along with turbans, pants, and a waistband. They were all professionally woven out of fine twisted linen, but the waistband was also made with blue, purple, and scarlet material. It was all done according to the instructions the Existing One had given Moses. 

They made a sacred crown of pure gold and engraved it to read, “Set apart to the Existing One,” and they fastened it on top of the turban with a purple cord just like the Existing One had instructed Moses. 

God’s home is completed

So all the work on God’s dwelling place / meeting room was completed. The Israelites had followed all the instructions the Existing One had given Moses. They presented God’s home to Moses, showing him everything including:

  • The tent with its accessories: clasps, boards, bars, pillars, bases

  • The rams’ skin covering dyed red, the leather covering, and the veil screen. 

  • The chest of evidence, its poles, and its golden slab lid

  • The table, all its accessories, and the bread of God’s presence

  • The golden lampstand, its row of lams, its accessories, and the lighting oil

  • The golden altar, the consecrating oil, the fragrant incense, and the veil for the tent’s doorway

  • The bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles, its accessories, along with the basin and its stand

  • The courtyard’s curtains, pillars, pillar bases, the screen for the courtyard gate, its cords, its pegs, and all the equipment for serving God’s dwelling place / meeting room

  • The woven garments for serving in the sacred place and the sacred garments for Aaron and his sons to serve as priests

So the Israelites did all the work following the instructions that the Existing One gave Moses. Moses examined all their work and it was in line with God’s instructions, so Moses praised them.

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Exodus 40

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Exodus 38