Exodus, Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Verses 1-38: Construction of the Tabernacle

1. “Bezalel and Oholiab, and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary, are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded.”
2. Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work.
3. They 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.
4. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing
5. and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.”
6. Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more,
7. because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.
8. All the skilled among the workers made the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by expert hands.
9. Each curtain was twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide—all the curtains were the same size.
10. They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five.
11. Then they made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and the same was done with the end curtain in the other set.
12. They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other.
13. Then they made fifty gold clasps and used them to fasten the two sets of curtains together so that the tabernacle was a unit.
14. They made curtains of goats’ hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether.
15. Each curtain was thirty cubits long and four cubits wide—the eleven curtains were the same size.
16. They joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another set.
17. 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.
18. They made fifty bronze clasps to fasten the tent together as a unit.
19. Then they made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of another durable leather.
20. They made upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.
21. Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide,
22. with two projections set parallel to each other. They made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.
23. They made twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle
24. and made forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection.
25. For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, they made twenty frames
26. and forty silver bases—two under each frame.
27. They made six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle,
28. and two frames were made for the corners of the tabernacle at the far end.
29. At these two corners the frames were double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both were made alike.
30. So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.
31. They also made crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle,
32. five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west end, at the far end.
33. They made the center crossbar so that it extended from one end of the frames to the other.
34. They overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also, they overlaid the crossbars with gold.
35. They made the curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker.
36. They made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold. They made gold hooks for the posts and cast their four silver bases.
37. For the entrance to the tent they made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer;
38. and the five posts with their hooks. They overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold and made their five bases of bronze.

Interpretation: This chapter describes the enthusiastic response of the Israelites to the call for materials and labor to construct the Tabernacle, demonstrating their generosity and willingness to contribute to this sacred project. The detailed account of the construction work, under the direction of Bezalel, Oholiab, and other skilled craftsmen, highlights the meticulous care taken to follow God’s instructions precisely. The completion of these tasks signifies not only the physical construction of a place of worship but also the collective effort and spirit of the community in dedicating resources and talents to honor God’s presence among them.