Good News Translation (GNT)

The Treatment of Slaves

1 “Give the Israelites the following laws:

2 If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve you for six years. In the seventh year he is to be set free without having to pay anything.

3 If he was unmarried when he became your slave, he is not to take a wife with him when he leaves; but if he was married when he became your slave, he may take his wife with him.

4 If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, the woman and her children belong to the master, and the man is to leave by himself.

5 But if the slave declares that he loves his master, his wife, and his children and does not want to be set free,

6 then his master shall take him to the place of worship. There he is to make him stand against the door or the doorpost and put a hole through his ear. Then he will be his slave for life.

7 “If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to be set free, as male slaves are.

8 If she is sold to someone who intends to make her his wife, but he doesn’t like her, then she is to be sold back to her father; her master cannot sell her to foreigners, because he has treated her unfairly.

9 If a man buys a female slave to give to his son, he is to treat her like a daughter.

10 If a man takes a second wife, he must continue to give his first wife the same amount of food and clothing and the same rights that she had before.

11 If he does not fulfill these duties to her, he must set her free and not receive any payment.

Laws about Violent Acts

12 “Whoever hits someone and kills him is to be put to death.

13 But if it was an accident and he did not mean to kill him, he can escape to a place which I will choose for you, and there he will be safe.

14 But when someone gets angry and deliberately kills someone else, he is to be put to death, even if he has run to my altar for safety.

15 “Whoever hits his father or his mother is to be put to death.

16 “Whoever kidnaps someone, either to sell him or to keep him as a slave, is to be put to death.

17 “Whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to death.

18-19 “If there is a fight and someone hits someone else with a stone or with his fist, but does not kill him, he is not to be punished. If the one who was hit has to stay in bed, but later is able to get up and walk outside with the help of a cane, the one who hit him is to pay for his lost time and take care of him until he gets well.

20 “If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished.

21 But if the slave does not die for a day or two, the master is not to be punished. The loss of his property is punishment enough.

22 “If some men are fighting and hurt a pregnant woman so that she loses her child, but she is not injured in any other way, the one who hurt her is to be fined whatever amount the woman’s husband demands, subject to the approval of the judges.

23 But if the woman herself is injured, the punishment shall be life for life,

24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

26 “If someone hits his male or female slave in the eye and puts it out, he is to free the slave as payment for the eye.

27 If he knocks out a tooth, he is to free the slave as payment for the tooth.

The Responsibility of Owners

28 “If a bull gores someone to death, it is to be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but its owner is not to be punished.

29 But if the bull had been in the habit of attacking people and its owner had been warned, but did not keep it penned up—then if it gores someone to death, it is to be stoned, and its owner is to be put to death also.

30 However, if the owner is allowed to pay a fine to save his life, he must pay the full amount required.

31 If the bull kills a boy or a girl, the same rule applies.

32 If the bull kills a male or female slave, its owner shall pay the owner of the slave thirty pieces of silver, and the bull shall be stoned to death.

33 “If someone takes the cover off a pit or if he digs one and does not cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,

34 he must pay for the animal. He is to pay the money to the owner and may keep the dead animal.

35 If someone’s bull kills someone else’s bull, the two of them shall sell the live bull and divide the money; they shall also divide up the meat from the dead animal.

36 But if it was known that the bull had been in the habit of attacking and its owner did not keep it penned up, he must make good the loss by giving the other man a live bull, but he may keep the dead animal.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/363/32k/EXO/21-a3c530978885fa05e41e3592666e0b30.mp3?version_id=68—

Laws about Repayment

1 “If someone steals a cow or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he must pay five cows for one cow and four sheep for one sheep.

2-4 He must pay for what he stole. If he owns nothing, he shall be sold as a slave to pay for what he has stolen. If the stolen animal, whether a cow, a donkey, or a sheep, is found alive in his possession, he shall pay two for one.

“If a thief is caught breaking into a house at night and is killed, the one who killed him is not guilty of murder. But if it happens during the day, he is guilty of murder.

5 “If someone lets his animals graze in a field or a vineyard and they stray away and eat up the cropsgrowing in someone else’s field, he must make good the loss with the crops from his own fields or vineyards.

6 “If someone starts a fire in his own field and it spreads through the weeds to someone else’s field and burns up grain that is growing or that has been cut and stacked, the one who started the fire is to pay for the damage.

7 “If anyone agrees to keep someone else’s money or other valuables for him and they are stolen from his house, the thief, if found, shall repay double.

8 But if the thief is not found, the one who was keeping the valuables is to be brought to the place of worship and there he must take an oath that he has not stolen the other one’s property.

9 “In every case of a dispute about property, whether it involves cattle, donkeys, sheep, clothing, or any other lost object, the two people claiming the property shall be taken to the place of worship. The one whom God declares to be guilty shall pay double to the other one.

10 “If anyone agrees to keep someone else’s donkey, cow, sheep, or other animal for him, and the animal dies or is injured or is carried off in a raid, and if there was no witness,

11 the man must go to the place of worship and take an oath that he has not stolen the other man’s animal. If the animal was not stolen, the owner shall accept the loss, and the other man need not repay him;

12 but if the animal was stolen, the man must repay the owner.

13 If it was killed by wild animals, the man is to bring the remains as evidence; he need not pay for what has been killed by wild animals.

14 “If anyone borrows an animal from someone else and it is injured or dies when its owner is not present, he must pay for it.

15 But if that happens when the owner is present, he need not repay. If it is a rented animal, the loss is covered by the rental price.

Moral and Religious Laws

16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, he must pay the bride price for her and marry her.

17 But if her father refuses to let him marry her, he must pay the father a sum of money equal to the bride price for a virgin.

18 “Put to death any woman who practices magic.

19 “Put to death any man who has sexual relations with an animal.

20 “Condemn to death anyone who offers sacrifices to any god except to me, the Lord.

21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner; remember that you were foreigners in Egypt.

22 Do not mistreat any widow or orphan.

23 If you do, I, the Lord, will answer them when they cry out to me for help,

24 and I will become angry and kill you in war. Your wives will become widows, and your children will be fatherless.

25 “If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest.

26 If you take someone’s cloak as a pledge that he will pay you, you must give it back to him before the sun sets,

27 because it is the only covering he has to keep him warm. What else can he sleep in? When he cries out to me for help, I will answer him because I am merciful.

28 “Do not speak evil of God,and do not curse a leader of your people.

29 “Give me the offerings from your grain, your wine, and your olive oil when they are due.

“Give me your first-born sons.

30 Give me the first-born of your cattle and your sheep. Let the first-born male stay with its mother for seven days, and on the eighth day offer it to me.

31 “You are my people, so you must not eat the meat of any animal that has been killed by wild animals; instead, give it to the dogs.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/363/32k/EXO/22-9f6582fe66e622760efc474cbcf93ab5.mp3?version_id=68—

Justice and Fairness

1 “Do not spread false rumors, and do not help a guilty person by giving false testimony.

2 Do not follow the majority when they do wrong or when they give testimony that perverts justice.

3 Do not show partiality to a poor person at his trial.

4 “If you happen to see your enemy’s cow or donkey running loose, take it back to him.

5 If his donkey has fallen under its load, help him get the donkey to its feet again; don’t just walk off.

6 “Do not deny justice to a poor person when he appears in court.

7 Do not make false accusations, and do not put an innocent person to death, for I will condemn anyone who does such an evil thing.

8 Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe makes people blind to what is right and ruins the cause of those who are innocent.

9 “Do not mistreat a foreigner; you know how it feels to be a foreigner, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

The Seventh Year and the Seventh Day

10 “For six years plant your land and gather in what it produces.

11 But in the seventh year let it rest, and do not harvest anything that grows on it. The poor may eat what grows there, and the wild animals can have what is left. Do the same with your vineyards and your olive trees.

12 “Work six days a week, but do no work on the seventh day, so that your slaves and the foreigners who work for you and even your animals can rest.

13 “Listen to everything that I, the Lord, have said to you. Do not pray to other gods; do not even mention their names.

The Three Great Festivals

14 “Celebrate three festivals a year to honor me.

15 In the month of Abib, the month in which you left Egypt, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the way that I commanded you. Do not eat any bread made with yeast during the seven days of this festival. Never come to worship me without bringing an offering.

16 “Celebrate the Harvest Festival when you begin to harvest your crops.

“Celebrate the Festival of Shelters in the autumn, when you gather the fruit from your vineyards and orchards.

17 Every year at these three festivals all your men must come to worship me, the Lord your God.

18 “Do not offer bread made with yeast when you sacrifice an animal to me. The fat of animals sacrificed to me during these festivals is not to be left until the following morning.

19 “Each year bring to the house of the Lord your God the first grain that you harvest.

“Do not cook a young sheep or goat in its mother’s milk.

Promises and Instructions

20 “I will send an angel ahead of you to protect you as you travel and to bring you to the place which I have prepared.

21 Pay attention to him and obey him. Do not rebel against him, for I have sent him, and he will not pardon such rebellion.

22 But if you obey him and do everything I command, I will fight against all your enemies.

23 My angel will go ahead of you and take you into the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will destroy them.

24 Do not bow down to their gods or worship them, and do not adopt their religious practices. Destroy their gods and break down their sacred stone pillars.

25 If you worship me, the Lord your God, I will bless you with food and water and take away all your sicknesses.

26 In your land no woman will have a miscarriage or be without children. I will give you long lives.

27 “I will make the people who oppose you afraid of me; I will bring confusion among the people against whom you fight, and I will make all your enemies turn and run from you.

28 I will throw your enemies into panic;I will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites as you advance.

29 I will not drive them out within a year’s time; if I did, the land would become deserted, and the wild animals would be too many for you.

30 Instead, I will drive them out little by little, until there are enough of you to take possession of the land.

31 I will make the borders of your land extend from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Mediterranean Sea and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give you power over the inhabitants of the land, and you will drive them out as you advance.

32 Do not make any agreement with them or with their gods.

33 Do not let those people live in your country; if you do, they will make you sin against me. If you worship their gods, it will be a fatal trap for you.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/363/32k/EXO/23-a6c87fdb9890d387bf437e98480f3b01.mp3?version_id=68—

The Covenant Is Sealed

1 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up the mountain to me, you and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the leaders of Israel; and while you are still some distance away, bow down in worship.

2 You alone, and none of the others, are to come near me. The people are not even to come up the mountain.”

3 Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s commands and all the ordinances, and all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the Lord has said.”

4 Moses wrote down all the Lord’s commands. Early the next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

5 Then he sent young men, and they burned sacrifices to the Lord and sacrificed some cattle as fellowship offerings.

6 Moses took half of the blood of the animals and put it in bowls; and the other half he threw against the altar.

7 Then he took the book of the Covenant, in which the Lord’s commands were written, and read it aloud to the people. They said, “We will obey the Lord and do everything that he has commanded.”

8 Then Moses took the blood in the bowls and threw it on the people. He said, “This is the blood that seals the covenant which the Lord made with you when he gave all these commands.”

9 Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the leaders of Israel went up the mountain

10 and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath his feet was what looked like a pavement of sapphire, as blue as the sky.

11 God did not harm these leading men of Israel; they saw God, and then they ate and drank together.

Moses on Mount Sinai

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up the mountain to me, and while you are here, I will give you two stone tablets which contain all the laws that I have written for the instruction of the people.”

13 Moses and his helper Joshua got ready, and Moses beganto go up the holy mountain.

14 Moses said to the leaders, “Wait here in the camp for us until we come back. Aaron and Hur are here with you; and so whoever has a dispute to settle can go to them.”

15 Moses went up Mount Sinai, and a cloud covered it.

16-17 The dazzling light of the Lord’s presence came down on the mountain. To the Israelites the light looked like a fire burning on top of the mountain. The cloud covered the mountain for six days, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from the cloud.

18 Moses went on up the mountain into the cloud. There he stayed for forty days and nights.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/363/32k/EXO/24-81146f19f72a7a6f82d5941c434d029c.mp3?version_id=68—

Offerings for the Sacred Tent

1 The Lord said to Moses,

2 “Tell the Israelites to make an offering to me. Receive whatever offerings anyone wishes to give.

3 These offerings are to be: gold, silver, and bronze;

4 fine linen; blue, purple, and red wool; cloth made of goats’ hair;

5 rams’ skin dyed red; fine leather; acacia wood;

6 oil for the lamps; spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet-smelling incense;

7 carnelians and other jewels to be set in the ephodof the High Priest and in his breastpiece.

8 The people must make a sacred Tent for me, so that I may live among them.

9 Make it and all its furnishings according to the plan that I will show you.

The Covenant Box

10 “Make a Box out of acacia wood, 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

11 Cover it with pure gold inside and out and put a gold border all around it.

12 Make four carrying rings of gold for it and attach them to its four legs, with two rings on each side.

13 Make carrying poles of acacia wood and cover them with gold

14 and put them through the rings on each side of the Box.

15 The poles are to be left in the rings and must not be taken out.

16 Then put in the Box the two stone tablets that I will give you, on which the commandments are written.

17 “Make a lid of pure gold, 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.

18 Make two winged creaturesof hammered gold,

19 one for each end of the lid. Make them so that they form one piece with the lid.

20 The winged creatures are to face each other across the lid, and their outspread wings are to cover it.

21 Put the two stone tablets inside the Box and put the lid on top of it.

22 I will meet you there, and from above the lid between the two winged creatures I will give you all my laws for the people of Israel.

The Table for the Bread Offered to God

23 “Make a table out of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

24 Cover it with pure gold and put a gold border around it.

25 Make a rim 3 inches wide around it and a gold border around the rim.

26 Make four carrying rings of gold for it and put them at the four corners, where the legs are.

27 The rings to hold the poles for carrying the table are to be placed near the rim.

28 Make the poles of acacia wood and cover them with gold.

29 Make plates, cups, jars, and bowls to be used for the wine offerings. All of these are to be made of pure gold.

30 The table is to be placed in front of the Covenant Box, and on the table there is always to be the sacred bread offered to me.

The Lampstand

31 “Make a lampstand of pure gold. Make its base and its shaft of hammered gold; its decorative flowers, including buds and petals, are to form one piece with it.

32 Six branches shall extend from its sides, three from each side.

33 Each of the six branches is to have three decorative flowers shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals.

34 The shaft of the lampstand is to have four decorative flowers shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals.

35 There is to be one bud below each of the three pairs of branches.

36 The buds, the branches, and the lampstand are to be a single piece of pure hammered gold.

37 Make seven lamps for the lampstand and set them up so that they shine toward the front.

38 Make its tongs and trays of pure gold.

39 Use seventy-five pounds of pure gold to make the lampstand and all this equipment.

40 Take care to make them according to the plan that I showed you on the mountain.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/363/32k/EXO/25-221f88a499f8f518f44c8bc357906609.mp3?version_id=68—

The Tent of the Lord’s Presence

1 “Make the interior of the sacred Tent, the Tent of my presence, out of ten pieces of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool. Embroider them with figures of winged creatures.

2 Make each piece the same size, 14 yards long and 2 yards wide.

3 Sew five of them together in one set, and do the same with the other five.

4 Make loops of blue cloth on the edge of the outside piece in each set.

5 Put fifty loops on the first piece of the first set and fifty loops matching them on the last piece of the second set.

6 Make fifty gold hooks with which to join the two sets into one piece.

7 “Make a cover for the Tent out of eleven pieces of cloth made of goats’ hair.

8 Make them all the same size, 15 yards long and 2 yards wide.

9 Sew five of them together in one set, and the other six in another set. Fold the sixth piece double over the front of the Tent.

10 Put fifty loops on the edge of the last piece of one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the other set.

11 Make fifty bronze hooks and put them in the loops to join the two sets so as to form one cover.

12 Hang the extra half piece over the back of the Tent.

13 The extra half yard on each side of the length is to hang over the sides of the Tent to cover it.

14 “Make two more coverings, one of rams’ skin dyed red and the other of fine leather, to serve as the outer cover.

15 “Make upright frames for the Tent out of acacia wood.

16 Each frame is to be 15 feet long and 27 inches wide,

17 with two matching projections, so that the frames can be joined together. All the frames are to have these projections.

18 Make twenty frames for the south side

19 and forty silver bases to go under them, two bases under each frame to hold its two projections.

20 Make twenty frames for the north side of the Tent

21 and forty silver bases, two under each frame.

22 For the back of the Tent on the west, make six frames,

23 and two frames for the corners.

24 These corner frames are to be joined at the bottom and connected all the way to the top. The two frames that form the two corners are to be made in this way.

25 So there will be eight frames with their sixteen silver bases, two under each frame.

26 “Make fifteen crossbars of acacia wood, five for the frames on one side of the Tent,

27 five for the frames on the other side, and five for the frames on the west end, at the back.

28 The middle crossbar, set halfway up the frames, is to extend from one end of the Tent to the other.

29 Cover the frames with gold and fit them with gold rings to hold the crossbars, which are also to be covered with gold.

30 Set up the Tent according to the plan that I showed you on the mountain.

31 “Make a curtain of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool. Embroider it with figures of winged creatures.

32 Hang it on four posts of acacia wood covered with gold, fitted with hooks, and set in four silver bases.

33 Place the curtain under the row of hooks in the roof of the Tent, and put behind the curtain the Covenant Box containing the two stone tablets. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

34 Put the lid on the Covenant Box.

35 Outside the Most Holy Place put the table against the north side of the Tent and the lampstand against the south side.

36 “For the entrance of the Tent make a curtain of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool and decorated with embroidery.

37 For this curtain make five posts of acacia wood covered with gold and fitted with gold hooks; make five bronze bases for these posts.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/363/32k/EXO/26-3f305330b1383437bd761acdbb57a16b.mp3?version_id=68—

The Altar

1 “Make an altar out of acacia wood. It is to be square, 7½ feet long and 7½ feet wide, and it is to be 4½ feet high.

2 Make projections at the top of the four corners. They are to form one piece with the altar, and the whole is to be covered with bronze.

3 Make pans for the greasy ashes, and make shovels, bowls, hooks, and fire pans. All this equipment is to be made of bronze.

4 Make a bronze grating and put four bronze carrying rings on its corners.

5 Put the grating under the rim of the altar, so that it reaches halfway up the altar.

6 Make carrying poles of acacia wood, cover them with bronze,

7 and put them in the rings on each side of the altar when it is carried.

8 Make the altar out of boards and leave it hollow, according to the plan that I showed you on the mountain.

The Enclosure for the Tent of the Lord’s Presence

9 “For the Tent of my presence make an enclosure out of fine linen curtains. On the south side the curtains are to be 50 yards long,

10 supported by twenty bronze posts in twenty bronze bases, with hooks and rods made of silver.

11 Do the same on the north side of the enclosure.

12 On the west side there are to be curtains 25 yards long, with ten posts and ten bases.

13 On the east side, where the entrance is, the enclosure is also to be 25 yards wide.

14-15 On each side of the entrance there are to be 7½ yards of curtains, with three posts and three bases.

16 For the entrance itself there is to be a curtain 10 yards long made of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool, and decorated with embroidery. It is to be supported by four posts in four bases.

17 All the posts around the enclosure are to be connected with silver rods, and their hooks are to be made of silver and their bases of bronze.

18 The enclosure is to be 50 yards long, 25 yards wide, and 2½ yards high. The curtains are to be made of fine linen and the bases of bronze.

19 All the equipment that is used in the Tent and all the pegs for the Tent and for the enclosure are to be made of bronze.

Taking Care of the Lamp

20 “Command the people of Israel to bring you the best olive oil for the lamp, so that it can be lit each evening.

21 Aaron and his sons are to set up the lamp in the Tent of my presence outside the curtain which is in front of the Covenant Box. There in my presence it is to burn from evening until morning. This command is to be kept forever by the Israelites and their descendants.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/363/32k/EXO/27-0c3ff0a947a52a5759188a07a7dd3ca0.mp3?version_id=68—

Garments for the Priests

1 “Summon your brother Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Separate them from the people of Israel, so that they may serve me as priests.

2 Make priestly garments for your brother Aaron, to provide him with dignity and beauty.

3 Call all the skilled workers to whom I have given ability, and tell them to make Aaron’s clothes, so that he may be dedicated as a priest in my service.

4 Tell them to make a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, an embroidered shirt, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these priestly garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they can serve me as priests.

5 The skilled workers are to use blue, purple, and red wool, gold thread, and fine linen.

6 “They are to make the ephod of blue, purple, and red wool, gold thread, and fine linen, decorated with embroidery.

7 Two shoulder straps, by which it can be fastened, are to be attached to the sides.

8 A finely woven belt made of the same materials is to be attached to the ephod so as to form one piece with it.

9 Take two carnelian stones and engrave on them the names of the twelve sons of Jacob,

10 in the order of their birth, with six on one stone and six on the other.

11 Have a skillful jeweler engrave on the two stones the names of the sons of Jacob, and mount the stones in gold settings.

12 Put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. In this way Aaron will carry their names on his shoulders, so that I, the Lord, will always remember my people.

13 Make two gold settings

14 and two chains of pure gold twisted like cords, and attach them to the settings.

The Breastpiece

15 “Make a breastpiece for the High Priest to use in determining God’s will. It is to be made of the same materials as the ephod and with similar embroidery.

16 It is to be square and folded double, 9 inches long and 9 inches wide.

17 Mount four rows of precious stones on it; in the first row mount a ruby, a topaz, and a garnet;

18 in the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond;

19 in the third row, a turquoise, an agate, and an amethyst;

20 and in the fourth row, a beryl, a carnelian, and a jasper. These are to be mounted in gold settings.

21 Each of these twelve stones is to have engraved on it the name of one of the sons of Jacob, to represent the tribes of Israel.

22 For the breastpiece make chains of pure gold, twisted like cords.

23 Make two gold rings and attach them to the upper corners of the breastpiece,

24 and fasten the two gold cords to the two rings.

25 Fasten the other two ends of the cords to the two settings, and in this way attach them in front to the shoulder straps of the ephod.

26 Then make two rings of gold and attach them to the lower corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod.

27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the lower part of the front of the two shoulder straps of the ephod, near the seam and above the finely woven belt.

28 Tie the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that the breastpiece rests above the belt and does not come loose.

29 “When Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will wear this breastpiece engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel, so that I, the Lord, will always remember my people.

30 Put the Urim and Thummimin the breastpiece, so that Aaron will carry them when he comes into my holy presence. At such times he must always wear this breastpiece, so that he can determine my will for the people of Israel.

The Other Priestly Garments

31 “The robe that goes under the ephod is to be made entirely of blue wool.

32 It is to have a hole for the head, and this hole is to be reinforced with a woven binding to keep it from tearing.

33-34 All around its lower hem put pomegranates of blue, purple, and red wool, alternating with gold bells.

35 Aaron is to wear this robe when he serves as priest. When he comes into my presence in the Holy Place or when he leaves it, the sound of the bells will be heard, and he will not be killed.

36 “Make an ornament of pure gold and engrave on it ‘Dedicated to the Lord.’

37 Tie it to the front of the turban with a blue cord.

38 Aaron is to wear it on his forehead, so that I, the Lord, will accept all the offerings that the Israelites dedicate to me, even if the people commit some error in offering them.

39 “Weave Aaron’s shirt of fine linen and make a turban of fine linen and also a sash decorated with embroidery.

40 “Make shirts, sashes, and caps for Aaron’s sons, to provide them with dignity and beauty.

41 Put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons. Then ordain them and dedicate them by anointing them with olive oil, so that they may serve me as priests.

42 Make linen shorts for them, reaching from the waist to the thighs, so that they will not expose themselves.

43 Aaron and his sons must always wear them when they go into the Tent of my presence or approach the altar to serve as priests in the Holy Place, so that they will not be killed for exposing themselves. This is a permanent rule for Aaron and his descendants.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/363/32k/EXO/28-efd83364d9afb339aa7e8001cc1afa55.mp3?version_id=68—

Instructions for Ordaining Aaron and His Sons as Priests

1 “This is what you are to do to Aaron and his sons to dedicate them as priests in my service. Take one young bull and two rams without any defects.

2 Use the best wheat flour, but no yeast, and make some bread with olive oil, some without it, and some in the form of thin cakes brushed with oil.

3 Put them in a basket and offer them to me when you sacrifice the bull and the two rams.

4 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of my presence, and have them take a ritual bath.

5 Then dress Aaron in the priestly garments—the shirt, the robe that goes under the ephod, the ephod, the breastpiece, and the belt.

6 Put the turban on him and tie on it the sacred sign of dedication engraved ‘Dedicated to the Lord.’

7 Then take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him.

8 “Bring his sons and put shirts on them;

9 put sashes around their waists and tie caps on their heads. That is how you are to ordain Aaron and his sons. They and their descendants are to serve me as priests forever.

10 “Bring the bull to the front of the Tent of my presence and tell Aaron and his sons to put their hands on its head.

11 Kill the bull there in my holy presence at the entrance of the Tent.

12 Take some of the bull’s blood and with your finger put it on the projections of the altar. Then pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.

13 Next, take all the fat which covers the internal organs, the best part of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar as an offering to me.

14 But burn the bull’s flesh, its skin, and its intestines outside the camp. This is an offering to take away the sins of the priests.

15 “Take one of the rams and tell Aaron and his sons to put their hands on its head.

16 Kill it, and take its blood and throw it against all four sides of the altar.

17 Cut the ram in pieces; wash its internal organs and its hind legs, and put them on top of the head and the other pieces.

18 Burn the whole ram on the altar as a food offering. The odor of this offering pleases me.

19 “Take the other ram—the ram used for dedication—and tell Aaron and his sons to put their hands on its head.

20 Kill it, and take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Throw the rest of the blood against all four sides of the altar.

21 Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes. He, his sons, and their clothes will then be dedicated to me.

22 “Cut away the ram’s fat, the fat tail, the fat covering the internal organs, the best part of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh.

23 From the basket of bread which has been offered to me, take one loaf of each kind: one loaf made with olive oil and one made without it and one thin cake.

24 Put all this food in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them dedicate it to me as a special gift.

25 Then take it from them and burn it on the altar, on top of the burnt offering, as a food offering to me. The odor of this offering pleases me.

26 “Take the breast of this ram and dedicate it to me as a special gift. This part of the animal will be yours.

27 “When a priest is ordained, the breast and the thigh of the ram being used for the ordination are to be dedicated to me as a special gift and set aside for the priests.

28 It is my unchanging decision that when my people make their fellowship offerings, the breast and the thigh of the animal belong to the priests. This is the people’s gift to me, the Lord.

29 “Aaron’s priestly garments are to be handed on to his sons after his death, for them to wear when they are ordained.

30 The son of Aaron who succeeds him as priest and who goes into the Tent of my presence to serve in the Holy Place is to wear these garments for seven days.

31 “Take the meat of the ram used for the ordination of Aaron and his sons and boil it in a holy place.

32 At the entrance of the Tent of my presence they are to eat it along with the bread left in the basket.

33 They shall eat what was used in the ritual of forgiveness at their ordination. Only priests may eat this food, because it is sacred.

34 If some of the meat or some of the bread is not eaten by morning, it is to be burned; it is not to be eaten, for it is sacred.

35 “Perform the rites of ordination for Aaron and his sons for seven days exactly as I have commanded you.

36 Each day you must offer a bull as a sacrifice, so that sin may be forgiven. This will purify the altar. Then anoint it with olive oil to make it holy.

37 Do this every day for seven days. Then the altar will be completely holy, and anyone or anything that touches it will be harmed by the power of its holiness.

The Daily Offerings

38 “Every day for all time to come, sacrifice on the altar two one-year-old lambs.

39 Sacrifice one of the lambs in the morning and the other in the evening.

40 With the first lamb offer two pounds of fine wheat flour mixed with one quart of pure olive oil. Pour out one quart of wine as an offering.

41 Sacrifice the second lamb in the evening, and offer with it the same amounts of flour, olive oil, and wine as in the morning. This is a food offering to me, the Lord, and its odor pleases me.

42 For all time to come, this burnt offering is to be offered in my presence at the entrance of the Tent of my presence. That is where I will meet my people and speak to you.

43 There I will meet the people of Israel, and the dazzling light of my presence will make the place holy.

44 I will make the Tent and the altar holy, and I will set Aaron and his sons apart to serve me as priests.

45 I will live among the people of Israel, and I will be their God.

46 They will know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the Lord their God.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/363/32k/EXO/29-ab90c5fd9bcc1425157babc047e3b85a.mp3?version_id=68—

The Altar for Burning Incense

1 “Make an altar out of acacia wood, for burning incense.

2 It is to be square, 18 inches long and 18 inches wide, and it is to be 36 inches high. Its projections at the four corners are to form one piece with it.

3 Cover its top, all four sides, and its projections with pure gold, and put a gold border around it.

4 Make two gold carrying rings for it and attach them below the border on two sides to hold the poles with which it is to be carried.

5 Make these poles of acacia wood and cover them with gold.

6 Put this altar outside the curtain which hangs in front of the Covenant Box. That is the place where I will meet you.

7 Every morning when Aaron comes to take care of the lamps, he is to burn sweet-smelling incense on it.

8 He must do the same when he lights the lamps in the evening. This offering of incense is to continue without interruption for all time to come.

9 Do not offer on this altar any forbidden incense, any animal offering, or any grain offering, and do not pour out any wine offering on it.

10 Once a year Aaron is to perform the ritual for purifying the altar by putting on its four projections the blood of the animal sacrificed for sin. This is to be done every year for all time to come. This altar is to be completely holy, dedicated to me, the Lord.”

The Tax for the Tent of the Lord’s Presence

11 The Lord said to Moses,

12 “When you take a census of the people of Israel, each man is to pay me a price for his life, so that no disaster will come on him while the census is being taken.

13 Everyone included in the census must pay the required amount of money, weighed according to the official standard. Everyone must pay this as an offering to me.

14 Everyone being counted in the census, that is, every man twenty years old or older, is to pay me this amount.

15 The rich man is not to pay more, nor the poor man less, when they pay this amount for their lives.

16 Collect this money from the people of Israel and spend it for the upkeep of the Tent of my presence. This tax will be the payment for their lives, and I will remember to protect them.”

The Bronze Basin

17 The Lord said to Moses,

18 “Make a bronze basin with a bronze base. Place it between the Tent and the altar, and put water in it.

19 Aaron and his sons are to use the water to wash their hands and feet

20 before they go into the Tent or approach the altar to offer the food offering. Then they will not be killed.

21 They must wash their hands and feet, so that they will not die. This is a rule which they and their descendants are to observe forever.”

The Anointing Oil

22 The Lord said to Moses,

23 “Take the finest spices—12 pounds of liquid myrrh, 6 pounds of sweet-smelling cinnamon, 6 pounds of sweet-smelling cane,

24 and 12 pounds of cassia (all weighed according to the official standard). Add one gallon of olive oil,

25 and make a sacred anointing oil, mixed like perfume.

26 Use it to anoint the Tent of my presence, the Covenant Box,

27 the table and all its equipment, the lampstand and its equipment, the altar for burning incense,

28 the altar for burning offerings, together with all its equipment, and the washbasin with its base.

29 Dedicate these things in this way, and they will be completely holy, and anyone or anything that touches them will be harmed by the power of its holiness.

30 Then anoint Aaron and his sons, and ordain them as priests in my service.

31 Say to the people of Israel, ‘This holy anointing oil is to be used in my service for all time to come.

32 It must not be poured on ordinary men, and you must not use the same formula to make any mixture like it. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy.

33 Whoever makes any like it or uses any of it on anyone who is not a priest will no longer be considered one of my people.’”

The Incense

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take an equal part of each of the following sweet spices—stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense.

35 Use them to make incense, mixed like perfume. Add salt to keep it pure and holy.

36 Beat part of it into a fine powder, take it into the Tent of my presence, and sprinkle it in front of the Covenant Box. Treat this incense as completely holy.

37 Do not use the same formula to make any incense like it for yourselves. Treat it as a holy thing dedicated to me.

38 If anyone makes any like it for use as perfume, he will no longer be considered one of my people.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/363/32k/EXO/30-cf70a9c22141235fde2cac256c0ea341.mp3?version_id=68—