Exodus Chapter 26
Showing all 37 verses for Exodus Chapter 26.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. "
"Build the tabernacle itself out of ten curtains of finely woven linen, dyed blue, purple and scarlet, with skilfully embroidered cherubim worked into them."
God cares about beauty and craftsmanship devoted to His presence; ordinary thread and cloth become sacred through skilled, loving effort. Jesus calls you to bring your best creativity and care to your devotion, not whatever is left over after everything else.
"The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. "
"Each curtain should be about 12.4 metres long and 1.8 metres wide - all ten curtains the same size."
God's exact measurements show He is not vague about how He wants to dwell among His people; even the size of a curtain mattered to Him. Jesus calls you to trust that God is attentive to the details of your life, not just its broad outline.
"The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. "
"Join five of the curtains together, edge to edge, and do the same with the other five."
The curtains had to be coupled together to function as one covering - a picture of how you were never meant to stand alone but joined to others in faith. Jesus calls you to seek real connection with fellow believers, becoming stronger together than you ever could apart.
"And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. "
"Make loops of blue material along the edge of the outer curtain in each set, where the two sets will be joined."
Even the loops - small, unseen connecting points - were made with the same care as everything else. Jesus calls you to remember that the hidden, connecting work you do for others matters just as much as the visible parts of your life.
"Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. "
"Make fifty loops on the edge of one curtain and fifty on the matching edge of the other, so the loops line up with each other."
The loops were designed so that they might 'take hold one of another' - a beautiful picture of how you're meant to hold onto others in relationship, supporting and being supported. Jesus calls you to link your life with others in mutual care rather than isolation.
"And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle. "
"Make fifty gold clasps and use them to join the two sets of curtains together, so the tabernacle becomes one single unit."
Fifty gold clasps turned many separate curtains into a single tabernacle - unity achieved not by sameness but by things being bound together. Jesus calls you to be an agent of unity yourself, the clasp that holds different people together as one body.
"And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. "
"Make curtains of goat hair to cover the tabernacle as a tent over it - eleven curtains in total."
A humbler outer layer of goats' hair protected the beautiful inner curtains beneath it - a reminder that unglamorous, practical service still matters even when no one admires it. Jesus calls you not to despise the plain, protective work you do that others may never see.
"The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. "
"Each of these curtains should be about 13.8 metres long and 1.8 metres wide - all eleven the same size."
The goats' hair curtains, though a covering rather than the beautiful inner layer, were still measured with the same exacting care - lesser-seen work deserves no less diligence. Jesus calls you to bring full effort to tasks that will go unnoticed, not just the ones that earn attention.
"And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. "
"Join five of these curtains together as one set, and the other six as another set, folding the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent."
One curtain was doubled at the front of the tent, an extra layer of protection exactly where it was needed most. Jesus calls you to be wise about where you place extra care and protection in your own life - strengthening the places most exposed.
"And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second. "
"Make fifty loops along the edge of the outer curtain in each set."
Fifty loops again, matched precisely between two sets of curtains, so that nothing would be left loose or unfastened. Jesus calls you to bring that same completeness to your commitments, finishing what you start rather than leaving things half-joined.
"And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. "
"Make fifty bronze clasps and put them through the loops to join the tent together as a single covering."
Brass clasps, humbler than the gold ones inside, still coupled the tent together so that it might be one - even the outer, less precious materials served the same unifying purpose. Jesus calls you to value every kind of contribution towards unity, not only the most impressive ones.
"And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. "
"The extra half-curtain left over from the tent covering should hang down over the back of the tabernacle."
The extra curtain simply hung over the back of the tabernacle, covering what remained rather than being wasted or discarded. Jesus calls you to trust that even the leftover, unplanned parts of your life have a purpose in His hands.
"And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. "
"The extra fabric hanging down on either side of the tent should cover the sides of the tabernacle, to protect it."
A cubit of extra curtain on each side hung down simply to cover and protect the tabernacle's edges. Jesus calls you to extend that same instinct to cover and protect the vulnerable edges of the people and situations around you.
"And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins. "
"Make a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red, and above that, another covering of tough hide."
Layer upon layer protected the sacred space within, with red-dyed skins evoking sacrifice and covering guarding what was holy. Jesus, whose own blood became the ultimate covering, calls you to trust that His sacrifice shields and secures your access to God.
"And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. "
"Make upright wooden frames for the tabernacle, using acacia wood."
The boards, standing upright, gave the tabernacle its strength and shape - like character built to stand firm under pressure. Jesus calls you to let your life be built solidly enough to bear the weight of His presence within you.
"Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board. "
"Each frame should be about 4.6 metres tall and 68 centimetres wide."
Every board was cut to the same careful standard, showing that God's household has no room for shortcuts or inconsistency. Jesus calls you to bring that same reliability to your own life, letting your character be as steady as it is on your best days.
"Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. "
"Each frame should have two pegs, evenly spaced, to connect it to the next one - make all the tabernacle's frames this way."
Each board was fitted with tenons designed to interlock securely with its sockets - nothing stood alone or unattached in God's house. Jesus calls you to be firmly rooted and fitted into your community of faith, not free-floating and disconnected from others.
"And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. "
"Make twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle."
Twenty matching boards formed the south wall - strength built not from one dramatic piece but from many identical, faithful ones standing together. Jesus calls you to see your own steady, ordinary faithfulness as part of something much bigger than you can see.
"And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. "
"Make forty silver bases to go under the twenty frames - two bases under each frame, one for each peg."
Silver, the very metal later used as atonement money, formed the foundation the boards stood on - God's dwelling was literally founded upon the price of redemption. Jesus calls you to remember that your standing before God rests not on your own strength but on the price He paid for you.
"And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: "
"For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, make another twenty frames."
The north side mirrored the south exactly - God's house had no favoured side, with every wall built with equal care and precision. Jesus calls you to treat everyone in your life with that same even-handed care, without playing favourites.
"And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. "
"These also need forty silver bases - two bases under each frame."
The same forty silver sockets appeared again on the north side - the same foundation of redemption applying equally, without exception, to every wall of God's house. Jesus calls you to trust that His grace reaches every side of your life just as fully.
"And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. "
"For the back of the tabernacle, facing west, make six frames."
Even the back wall, the side facing away from the entrance and least likely to be admired, was still built with six full boards. Jesus calls you to give real effort to the parts of your life that face away from the crowd, not just the parts people see.
"And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. "
"Make two more frames for the two back corners of the tabernacle."
The corners, easy to overlook in the overall plan, were given their own dedicated boards and reinforcement. Jesus calls you to notice the overlooked corners of your own life and relationships, giving them the same care as the obvious central parts.
"And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. "
"These corner frames should be joined together at the bottom and fitted into a single ring at the top - the same for both corners."
A single ring joined the corner boards at top and bottom, from foundation to peak - unity in God's house ran all the way through, not just on the surface. Jesus calls you to seek that same wholeness in your own life, letting your inner convictions and outer actions be joined as one.
"And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. "
"In total there should be eight frames for the back wall, with sixteen silver bases - two under each frame."
Again, silver sockets - redemption - undergirded every corner board without exception. Jesus calls you to trust that no part of your life, however awkward or hard to fit, is excluded from His redeeming grace.
"And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, "
"Make crossbars out of acacia wood - five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle,"
Bars of wood were prepared to run the length of the boards, ready to bind the whole structure together so it could not collapse under its own weight. Jesus calls you to let His word and Spirit be that same bar running through your life, holding you steady under pressure.
"And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward. "
"five bars for the frames on the other side, and five bars for the frames on the west, back side."
Bars were provided for every side of the tabernacle, north, south and west alike - no wall was left unsupported. Jesus calls you to trust that He provides the strength you need on every side of your life, not just the sides that feel most obviously vulnerable.
"And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. "
"The middle bar should run all the way from one end of the frames to the other."
The middle bar reached from one end to the other, hidden inside the boards, binding the whole tabernacle invisibly from within. Jesus calls you to let His presence work quietly within you, holding your life together even when no one else can see it happening.
"And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. "
"Cover the frames with gold, make gold rings on them to hold the bars, and cover the bars with gold too."
Plain wood was covered in gold - a picture of how God takes ordinary human material and clothes it in His glory. Jesus calls you to trust that your ordinary humanity, joined to Him, can carry and reflect divine glory.
"And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount. "
"Set up the tabernacle exactly according to the design you were shown on the mountain."
Moses was to build exactly according to the pattern shown to him on the mountain, not his own preference - obedience meant following God's blueprint precisely. Jesus calls you to build your life according to what God has shown you, trusting His design over your own improvisation.
"And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: "
"Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet material and finely woven linen, skilfully embroidered with cherubim."
The veil, richly woven with cherubim, stood as the final barrier before the very presence of God. Jesus calls you to remember that when He died, that same veil in the Temple was torn, opening the way to God for you.
"And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. "
"Hang it on four gold-covered acacia-wood posts with gold hooks, standing on four silver bases."
Even the pillars holding up the veil were covered in gold, honoured though their only job was to support something greater. Jesus calls you to find dignity in supporting roles - not every calling is centre stage, but every calling can be carried out with glory.
"And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. "
"Hang the curtain from the clasps, and bring the Ark of the covenant in behind it. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place."
The veil marked a real separation between people and the fullest presence of God - sin created distance that only God's own provision could close. Jesus calls you to hold on to the hope that in Him, that separation is finally over.
"And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. "
"Put the mercy seat on top of the Ark, inside the Most Holy Place."
At the very centre of it all sat the mercy seat, not a throne of judgement but a place of atonement. Jesus calls you to know that when you approach God, mercy - not condemnation - is what waits for you at the centre.
"And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side. "
"Put the table outside the curtain, on the north side of the tabernacle, and place the lampstand across from it, on the south side."
Bread and light were placed just outside the veil - provision and illumination available even before reaching the innermost presence of God. Jesus, the bread of life and the light of the world, calls you to receive from Him at every stage of your journey towards God, not only at the very end.
"And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. "
"Make a curtain for the entrance of the tent, of blue, purple and scarlet material and finely woven linen, decorated with needlework."
Even the entrance to the tent was made beautiful and inviting, not plain or forbidding. Jesus calls you to remember that the way into God's presence, through Him, is not grim but genuinely welcoming.
"And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them. "
"Make five acacia-wood posts for this curtain, covered with gold, with gold hooks, standing on five bronze bases."
The outer pillars for this hanging stood on brass, humbler than the silver within, showing that even the entryway of faith is accessible on solid, ordinary ground. Jesus calls you to know that stepping towards God doesn't require you to have everything figured out first - the door is already sturdy and ready for you.