Tabernacle of Moses. Moses received the extremely detailed instruction for the Tabernacle while in the cloud on the mountain with the Lord God for forty days and nights (Exo 24:18). These comprehensive instructions are recorded in the Book of Exodus from Exodus 25:1 through Exodus 31:4. So, the directive alone is four chapters or one hundred and forty-one verses. This speaks of the importance the Tabernacle was to God and the people of God respectfully.
The actual construction of the Tabernacle is recorded in Exodus 35:30 through Exodus 40:33. This is a space of over four chapter and is one hundred and eight verses.
Again we see by the amount of Scripture given to both the instructions for and construction of the Tabernacle how important the Tabernacle was to the Lord God.
The Scriptures say,
Exodus 40:33 Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.
Tabernacle of Moses
To build a project to move you will need a piece of plywood or something to make the project mobile. Maybe consider a 1/2 to 3/4 inch piece of plywood that won’t bend when lifted. Leave it 4 feet x 8 feet or cut it to 4 x 4 feet according to the size wanted. Paint it brown, or better yet, spray it with an aerosol glue and sprinkle dirt on it as the Tabernacle was built on the ground.
Next you will need some white cloth (linen, i.e. cotton) for the outer court curtain and a smaller amount of
Here is what you will build.
The instructions are from the inside out, or we could say from the Lord’s perspective looking out to humanity. I am using the Message Bible as it gives the dimensions for each part in feet rather than cubits, so it will be easier to convert to the scale needed.
Exodus Chapter 25 (MSG – Message Bible)
1 God spoke to Moses:
2 “Tell the Israelites that they are to set aside offerings for me. Receive the offerings from everyone who is willing to give.
3 These are the offerings I want you to receive from them: gold, silver, bronze;
4 blue, purple, and scarlet material; fine linen; goats’ hair;
5 tanned rams’ skins; dolphin skins; acacia wood;
6 lamp oil; spices for anointing oils and for fragrant incense;
7 onyx stones and other stones for setting in the Ephod and the Breastpiece.
8 Let them construct a Sanctuary for me so that I can live among them.
9 You are to construct it following the plans I’ve given you, the design for The Dwelling and the design for all its furnishings.
The Ark of the Covenant
10 “First let them make a Chest using acacia wood: make it three and three-quarters feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide and deep
11 . Cover it with a veneer of pure gold inside and out and make a molding of gold all around it.
12 Cast four gold rings and attach them to its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
13 Make poles from acacia wood and cover them with a veneer of gold
14 and insert them into the rings on the sides of the Chest for carrying the Chest.
15 The poles are to stay in the rings; they must not be removed.
16 “Place The Testimony that I give you in the Chest.
17 “Now make a lid of pure gold for the Chest, an Atonement-Cover, three and three-quarters feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide.
18 “Sculpt two winged angels out of hammered gold for either end of the Atonement-Cover,
19 one angel at one end, one angel at the other. Make them of one piece with the Atonement-Cover.
20 Make the angels with their wings spread, hovering over the Atonement-Cover, facing one another but looking down on it.
21 Set the Atonement-Cover as a lid over the Chest and place in the Chest The Testimony that I will give you.
22 I will meet you there at set times and speak with you from above the Atonement-Cover and from between the angel-figures that are on it, speaking the commands that I have for the Israelites.
Shewbread Table
23 “Next make a Table from acacia wood. Make it three feet long, one and one-half feet wide and two and one-quarter feet high.
24 Cover it with a veneer of pure gold. Make a molding all around it of gold.
25 Make the border a handbreadth wide all around it and a rim of gold for the border.
26 Make four rings of gold and attach the rings to the four legs
27 parallel to the table top. They will serve as holders for the poles used to carry the Table.
28 Make the poles of acacia wood and cover them with a veneer of gold. They will be used to carry the Table.
29 “Make plates, bowls, jars, and jugs for pouring out offerings. Make them of pure gold.
30 “Always keep fresh Bread of the Presence on the Table before me. The Lampstand
Golden Lampstand
31 “Make a Lampstand of pure hammered gold. Make its stem and branches, cups, calyxes, and petals all of one piece.
32 Give it six branches, three from one side and three from the other;
33 put three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch, three on the next, and so on – the same for all six branches.
34 On the main stem of the Lampstand, make four cups shaped like almonds, with calyx and petals,
35 a calyx extending from under each pair of the six branches,
36 the entire Lampstand fashioned from one piece of hammered pure gold.
37 “Make seven of these lamps for the Table. Arrange the lamps so they throw their light out in front.
38 Make the candle snuffers and trays out of pure gold.
39 “Use a seventy-five-pound brick of pure gold to make the Lampstand and its accessories.
40 Study the design you were given on the mountain and make everything accordingly.
Exodus 26
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.
2 The panels of tapestry are each to be forty-six feet long and six feet wide.
3 Join five of the panels together, and then the other five together.
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.
5 Make fifty loops on each panel.
6 Then make fifty gold clasps and join the tapestries together so that The Dwelling is one whole.
7 “Next make tapestries of goat hair for a tent that will cover The Dwelling. Make eleven panels of these tapestries.
8 The length of each panel will be forty-five feet long and six feet wide.
9 Join five of the panels together, and then the other six. Fold the sixth panel double 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.
11 Make fifty clasps of bronze and connect the clasps with the loops, bringing the tent together.
12 “Hang half of the overlap of the tapestry panels over the rear of The Dwelling.
13 The eighteen inches of overlap on either side will cover the sides of the tent.
14 Finally, make a covering for the tapestries of tanned rams’ skins dyed red and over that a covering of dolphin skins.
15 “Frame The Dwelling with planks of acacia wood,
16 each section of frame fifteen feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide,
17 with two pegs for securing them. Make all the frames identical:
18 twenty frames for the south side
19 with forty silver sockets to receive the two pegs from each of the twenty frames;
22 for the rear of The Dwelling, which faces west, make six frames
23 with two additional frames for the rear corners.
24 Both of the two corner frames need to be double in thickness from top to bottom and fit into a single ring
25 – eight frames altogether with sixteen sockets of silver, two under each frame.
26 “Now make crossbars of acacia wood, five for the frames on one side of The Dwelling,
27 five for the other side, and five for the back side facing west.
28 The center crossbar runs from end to end halfway up the frames.
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.
30 Then put The Dwelling together, following the design 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.
32 Fasten it with gold hooks to four posts of acacia wood covered with a veneer of gold, set on four silver bases.
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.
34 Now place the Atonement-Cover lid on the Chest of The Testimony in the Holy-of-Holies.
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.
36 “Make a screen for the door of the tent. Weave it from blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.
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.
Exodus 27
Brazen Altar
1 “Make an Altar of acacia wood. Make it seven and a half feet square and four and a half feet high.
2 Make horns at each of the four corners. The horns are to be of one piece with the Altar and covered with a veneer of bronze.
3 Make buckets for removing the ashes, along with shovels, basins, forks, and fire pans. Make all these utensils from bronze.
4 Make a grate of bronze mesh and attach bronze rings at each of the four corners.
5 Put the grate under the ledge of the Altar at the halfway point of the Altar.
6 Make acacia wood poles for the Altar and cover them with a veneer of bronze.
7 Insert the poles through the rings on the two sides of the Altar for carrying.
8 Use boards to make the Altar, keeping the interior hollow.
Courtyard
9 “Make a Courtyard for The Dwelling. The south side is to be 150 feet long. The hangings for the Courtyard are to be woven from fine twisted linen,
10 with their twenty posts, twenty bronze bases, and fastening hooks and bands of silver.
11 The north side is to be exactly the same.
12 “For the west end of the Courtyard you will need seventy-five feet of hangings with their ten posts and bases.
13 Across the seventy-five feet at the front, or east end,
14 you will need twenty-two and a half feet of hangings, with their three posts and bases on one side
15 and the same for the other side.
16 At the door of the Courtyard make a screen thirty feet long woven from blue, purple, and scarlet stuff, with fine twisted linen, embroidered by a craftsman, and hung on its four posts and bases.
17 All the posts around the Courtyard are to be banded with silver, with hooks of silver and bases of bronze.
18 The Courtyard is to be 150 feet long and seventy-five feet wide. The hangings of fine twisted linen set on their bronze bases are to be seven and a half feet high.
19 All the tools used for setting up The Holy Dwelling, including all the pegs in it and the Courtyard, are to be made of bronze.
20 “Now, order the Israelites to bring you pure, clear olive oil for light so that the lamps can be kept burning.
21 In the Tent of Meeting, the area outside the curtain that veils The Testimony, Aaron and his sons will keep this light burning from evening until morning before God. This is to be a permanent practice down through the generations for Israelites.
Exodus 28
1 “Get your brother Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites to serve me as priests: Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, Ithamar.
2 Make sacred vestments for your brother Aaron to symbolize glory and beauty.
3 Consult with the skilled craftsmen, those whom I have gifted in this work, and arrange for them to make Aaron’s vestments, to set him apart as holy, to act as priest for me.
4 These are the articles of clothing they are to make: Breastpiece, Ephod, robe, woven tunic, turban, sash. They are making holy vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons as they work as priests for me.
5 They will need gold; blue, purple, and scarlet material; and fine linen. The Ephod
6 “Have the Ephod made from gold; blue, purple, and scarlet material; and fine twisted linen by a skilled craftsman.
7 Give it two shoulder pieces at two of the corners so it can be fastened.
8 The decorated band on it is to be just like it and of one piece with it: made of gold; blue, purple, and scarlet material; and of fine twisted linen.
9 Next take two onyx stones and engrave the names of the sons of Israel on them in the order of their birth,
10 six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other.
11 Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a jeweler engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in settings of filigreed gold.
12 Fasten the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the Ephod – they are memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will wear these names on his shoulders as a memorial before God.
13 Make the settings of gold filigree.
14 Make two chains of pure gold and braid them like cords, then attach the corded chains to the settings.
The Breastpiece
15 “Now make a Breastpiece of Judgment, using skilled craftsmen, the same as with the Ephod. Use gold; blue, purple, and scarlet material; and fine twisted linen.
16 Make it nine inches square and folded double.
17 Mount four rows of precious gemstones on it. First row: carnelian, topaz, emerald.
18 Second row: ruby, sapphire, crystal.
19 Third row: jacinth, agate, amethyst.
20 Fourth row: beryl, onyx, jasper.
21 The twelve stones correspond to the names of the Israelites, with twelve names engraved, one on each, as on a seal for the twelve tribes.
22 “Then make braided chains of pure gold for the Breastpiece, like cords.
23 Make two rings of gold for the Breastpiece and fasten them to the two ends.
24 Fasten the two golden cords to the rings at the ends of the Breastpiece.
25 Then fasten the other ends of the two cords to the two settings of filigree, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the Ephod in front.
26 Then make two rings of gold and fasten them to the two ends of the Breastpiece on its inside edge facing the Ephod.
27 Then make two more rings of gold and fasten them in the front of the Ephod to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces, near the seam above the decorated band.
28 Fasten the Breastpiece in place by running a cord of blue through its rings to the rings of the Ephod so that it rests secure on the decorated band of the Ephod and won’t come loose.
29 “Aaron will regularly carry the names of the sons of Israel on the Breastpiece of Judgment over his heart as he enters the Sanctuary into the presence of God for remembrance.
30 Place the Urim and Thummim in the Breastpiece of Judgment. They will be over Aaron’s heart when he enters the presence of God. In this way Aaron will regularly carry the Breastpiece of Judgment into the presence of God. The Robe
31 “Make the robe for the Ephod entirely of blue,
32 with an opening for the head at the center and a hem on the edge so that it won’t tear.
33 For the edge of the skirts make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet material all around and alternate them with bells of gold
34 – gold bell and pomegranate, gold bell and pomegranate – all around the hem of the robe.
35 Aaron has to wear it when he does his priestly work. The bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place and comes into the presence of God, and again when he comes out so that he won’t die. The Turban, Tunic, Underwear
36 “Make a plate of pure gold. Engrave on it as on a seal: ‘Holy to God.’
37 Tie it with a blue cord to the front of the turban.
38 It is to rest there on Aaron’s forehead. He’ll take on any guilt involved in the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate, no matter what they bring. It will always be on Aaron’s forehead so that the offerings will be acceptable before God.
39 “Weave the tunic of fine linen. Make the turban of fine linen. The sash will be the work of an embroiderer.
40 Make tunics, sashes, and hats for Aaron’s sons to express glory and beauty.
41 Dress your brother Aaron and his sons in them. Anoint, ordain, and consecrate them to serve me as priests.
42 “Make linen underwear to cover their nakedness from waist to thigh.
43 Aaron and his sons must wear it whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the Altar to minister in the Holy Place so that they won’t incur guilt and die. This is a permanent rule for Aaron and all his priest-descendants.
Exodus 29
1 “This is the ceremony for consecrating them as priests. Take a young bull and two rams, healthy and without defects.
2 Using fine wheat flour but no yeast make bread and cakes mixed with oil and wafers spread with oil.
3 Place them in a basket and carry them along with the bull and the two rams.
4 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water.
5 “Then take the vestments and dress Aaron in the tunic, the robe of the Ephod, the Ephod, and the Breastpiece, belting the Ephod on him with the embroidered waistband.
6 Set the turban on his head and place the sacred crown on the turban.
7 Then take the anointing oil and pour it on his head, anointing him.
8 Then bring his sons, put tunics on them
9 and gird them with sashes, both Aaron and his sons, and set hats on them. Their priesthood is upheld by law and is permanent.
10 Bring the bull to the Tent of Meeting. Aaron and his sons will place their hands on the head of the bull.
11 Then you will slaughter the bull in the presence of God at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
12 Take some of the bull’s blood and smear it on the horns of the Altar with your finger; pour the rest of the blood on the base of the Altar.
13 Next take all the fat that covers the innards, fat from around the liver and the two kidneys, and burn it on the Altar.
14 But the flesh of the bull, including its hide and dung, you will burn up outside the camp. It is an Absolution-Offering.
15 “Then take one of the rams. Have Aaron and his sons place their hands on the head of the ram.
16 Slaughter the ram and take its blood and throw it against the Altar, all around.
17 Cut the ram into pieces; wash its innards and legs, then gather the pieces and its head
18 and burn the whole ram on the Altar. It is a Whole-Burnt-Offering to God, a pleasant fragrance, an offering by fire to God.
19 “Then take the second ram. Have Aaron and his sons place their hands on the ram’s head.
20 Slaughter the ram. Take some of its blood and rub it on Aaron’s right earlobe and on the right earlobes of his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Sprinkle the rest of the blood against all sides of the Altar.
21 Then take some of the blood that is on the Altar, mix it with some of the anointing oil, and splash it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes so that Aaron and his clothes and his sons and his sons’ clothes will be made holy.
22 “Take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the innards, the long lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat on them, and the right thigh: this is the ordination ram.
23 Also take one loaf of bread, an oil cake, and a wafer from the breadbasket that is in the presence of God.
24 “Place all of these in the open hands of Aaron and his sons who will wave them before God, a Wave-Offering.
25 Then take them from their hands and burn them on the Altar with the Whole-Burnt-Offering – a pleasing fragrance before God, a gift to God.
26 “Now take the breast from Aaron’s ordination ram and wave it before God, a Wave-Offering. That will be your portion.
27 “Consecrate the Wave-Offering breast and the thigh that was held up. These are the parts of the ordination ram that are for Aaron and his sons.
28 Aaron and his sons are always to get this offering from the Israelites; the Israelites are to make this offering regularly from their Peace-Offerings.
29 “Aaron’s sacred garments are to be handed down to his descendants so they can be anointed and ordained in them.
30 The son who succeeds him as priest is to wear them for seven days and enter the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place.
31 “Take the ordination ram and boil the meat in the Holy Place.
32 At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, Aaron and his sons will eat the boiled ram and the bread that is in the basket.
33 Atoned by these offerings, ordained and consecrated by them, they are the only ones who are to eat them. No outsiders are to eat them; they’re holy.
34 Anything from the ordination ram or from the bread that is left over until morning you are to burn up. Don’t eat it; it’s holy.
35 “Do everything for the ordination of Aaron and his sons exactly as I’ve commanded you throughout the seven days.
36 Offer a bull as an Absolution-Offering for atonement each day. Offer it on the Altar when you make atonement for it: Anoint and consecrate it.
37 Make atonement for the Altar and consecrate it for seven days; the Altar will become soaked in holiness – anyone who so much as touches the Altar will become holy.
38 “This is what you are to offer on the Altar: two year-old lambs each and every day,
39 one lamb in the morning and the second lamb at evening.
40 With the sacrifice of the first lamb offer two quarts of fine flour with a quart of virgin olive oil, plus a quart of wine for a Drink-Offering.
41 The sacrifice of the second lamb, the one at evening, is also to be accompanied by the same Grain-Offering and Drink-Offering of the morning sacrifice to give a pleasing fragrance, a gift to God.
42 “This is to be your regular, daily Whole-Burnt-Offering before God, generation after generation, sacrificed at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. That’s where I’ll meet you; that’s where I’ll speak with you;
43 that’s where I’ll meet the Israelites, at the place made holy by my Glory.
44 I’ll make the Tent of Meeting and the Altar holy. I’ll make Aaron and his sons holy in order to serve me as priests.
45 I’ll move in and live with the Israelites. I’ll be their God.
46 They’ll realize that I am their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live with them. I am God, your God.
Tabernacle of Moses
Tabernacle of Moses
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