The
Book of Exodus with Commentary
New King James Version
Exodus 1
Israel’s Suffering in Egypt
1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came
to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob: 2 Reuben,
Simemon, Levi, and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; 4 Dan,
Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5 All those who were descendants[a] of Jacob
were seventy[b] persons (for Joseph was in Egypt already). 6 And Joseph
died, all his brothers, and all that generation. 7 But the children of
Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew
exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.
8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And
he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of
Israel are more and mightier than we; 10 come, let us deal shrewdly
with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that
they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of
the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to
afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply
cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the
more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children
of Israel. 13 So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with
rigor. 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard
bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in
the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with
rigor.
15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the
name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he
said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew
women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall
kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17
But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt
commanded them, but saved the male children alive. 18 So the king of
Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you
done this thing, and saved the male children alive?”
19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew
women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give
birth before the midwives come to them.”
20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people
multiplied and grew very mighty. 21 And so it was, because the midwives
feared God, that He provided households for them.
22 So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son
who is born[c] you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you
shall save alive.”
Exodus 2
Moses Is Born
1 And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter
of Levi. 2 So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that
he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. 3 But when she
could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed
it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the
reeds by the river’s bank. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to
know what would be done to him.
5 Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her
maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the
reeds, she sent her maid to get it. 6 And when she opened it, she saw
the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and
said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go
and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the
child for you?”
8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the
maiden went and called the child’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s
daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me,
and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and
nursed him. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to
Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name
Moses,[a] saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
Moses Flees to Midian
11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he
went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an
Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this
way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and
hid him in the sand. 13 And when he went out the second day, behold,
two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong,
“Why are you striking your companion?”
14 Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do
you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”
So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!” 15
When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses
fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he
sat down by a well.
16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew
water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and
helped them, and watered their flock.
18 When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “How is it that
you have come so soon today?”
19 And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the
shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the
flock.”
20 So he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why is it that
you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”
21 Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah
his daughter to Moses. 22 And she bore him a son. He called his name
Gershom,[b] for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign
land.”
23 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died.
Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they
cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So
God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham,
with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of
Israel, and God acknowledged them.
Exodus 3
Moses at the Burning Bush
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law,
the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert,
and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the LORD
appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he
looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was
not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see
this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”
4 So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him
from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”
And he said, “Here I am.”
5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals
off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” 6
Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid
his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
7 And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My
people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their
taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 So I have come down to deliver
them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that
land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey,
to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and
the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore,
behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have
also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come
now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My
people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh,
and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
12 So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a
sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out
of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
13 Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children
of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me
to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what
shall I say to them?”
14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said,
“Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has
sent me to you.’” 15 Moreover God said to Moses,
“Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The LORD
God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My
memorial to all generations.’ 16 Go and gather the elders of
Israel together, and say to them, ‘The LORD God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying,
“I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt;
17 and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt
to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the
Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with
milk and honey.”’ 18 Then they will heed your voice; and
you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and
you shall say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with
us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the
wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ 19 But I
am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a
mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all
My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you
go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians;
and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. 22
But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells
near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and
you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall
plunder the Egyptians.”
Exodus 4
Miraculous Signs for Pharaoh
1 Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not
believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD has
not appeared to you.’”
2 So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?”
He said, “A rod.”
3 And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on
the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4 Then the
LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the
tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a
rod in his hand), 5 “that they may believe that the LORD God of
their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob, has appeared to you.”
6 Furthermore the LORD said to him, “Now put your hand in your
bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it
out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow. 7 And He said, “Put
your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom
again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like
his other flesh. 8 “Then it will be, if they do not believe you,
nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the
message of the latter sign. 9 And it shall be, if they do not believe
even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take
water from the river[a] and pour it on the dry land. The water which
you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.”
10 Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent,
neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow
of speech and slow of tongue.”
11 So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or
who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the
LORD? 12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you
what you shall say.”
13 But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever
else You may send.”
14 So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said:
“Is not Aaron the Lemvite your brother? I know that he can speak
well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he
will be glad in his heart. 15 Now you shall speak to him and put the
words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth,
and I will teach you what you shall do. 16 So he shall be your
spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you,
and you shall be to him as God. 17 And you shall take this rod in your
hand, with which you shall do the signs.”
Moses Goes to Egypt
18 So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to
him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in
Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.”
And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”
19 Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt;
for all the men who sought your life are dead.” 20 Then Moses
took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to
the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21 And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see
that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your
hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people
go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD:
“Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I say to you, let My son
go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will
kill your son, your firstborn.”’”
24 And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met
him and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut
off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’[b] feet, and
said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26 So He
let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of
blood!”—because of the circumcision.
27 And the LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet
Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed
him. 28 So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him,
and all the signs which He had commanded him. 29 Then Moses and Aaron
went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. 30
And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then
he did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 So the people believed;
and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel
and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads
and worshiped.
Exodus 5
First Encounter with Pharaoh
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus
says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may
hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”
2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His
voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel
go.”
3 So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please,
let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to
the LORD our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the
sword.”
4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do
you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” 5
And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and
you make them rest from their labor!”
6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and
their officers, saying, 7 “You shall no longer give the people
straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for
themselves. 8 And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they
made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they
cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9
Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let
them not regard false words.”
10 And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and
spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I will
not give you straw. 11 Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it;
yet none of your work will be reduced.’” 12 So the people
were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather
stubble instead of straw. 13 And the taskmasters forced them to hurry,
saying, “Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was
straw.” 14 Also the officers of the children of Israel, whom
Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were
asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both
yesterday and today, as before?”
15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to
Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? 16
There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us,
‘Make brick!’ And indeed your servants are beaten, but the
fault is in your own people.”
17 But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say,
‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ 18 Therefore go now
and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the
quota of bricks.” 19 And the officers of the children of Israel
saw that they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not
reduce any bricks from your daily quota.”
20 Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who
stood there to meet them. 21 And they said to them, “Let the LORD
look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight
of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their
hand to kill us.”
Israel’s Deliverance Assured
22 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Lord, why have You
brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? 23 For
since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this
people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.”
Exodus 6
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I
will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and
with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”
2 And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the LORD. 3 I
appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My
name LORD[a] I was not known to them. 4 I have also established My
covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their
pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard the
groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage,
and I have remembered My covenant. 6 Therefore say to the children of
Israel: ‘I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the
burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I
will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 I
will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know
that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens
of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you into the land which I swore to
give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a
heritage: I am the LORD.’” 9 So Moses spoke thus to the
children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of
spirit and cruel bondage.
10 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 11 “Go in, tell Pharaoh
king of Egypt to let the children of Israel go out of his land.”
12 And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, “The children of
Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of
uncircumcised lips?”
13 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command for
the children of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the
children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
The Family of Moses and Aaron
14 These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of
Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
These are the families of Reuben. 15 And the sons of Simemon were
Jemuel,[b] Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite
woman. These are the families of Simemon. 16 These are the names of the
sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and
Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were one hundred and
thirty-seven. 17 The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimi according to
their families. 18 And the sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hembron,
and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred and
thirty-three. 19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the
families of Levi according to their generations.
20 Now Amram took for himself Jochebed, his father’s sister, as
wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of
Amram were one hundred and thirty-seven. 21 The sons of Izhar were
Korah, Nempheg, and Zichri. 22 And the sons of Uzziel were Mishael,
Elzaphan, and Zithri. 23 Aaron took to himself Elisheba, daughter of
Amminadab, sister of Nahshon, as wife; and she bore him Nadab, Abihu,
Elemazar, and Ithamar. 24 And the sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah,
and Abiasaph. These are the families of the Korahites. 25 Elemazar,
Aaron’s son, took for himself one of the daughters of Putiel as
wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the
fathers’ houses of the Lemvites according to their families.
26 These are the same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said,
“Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt
according to their armies.” 27 These are the ones who spoke to
Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt.
These are the same Moses and Aaron.
Aaron Is Moses’ Spokesman
28 And it came to pass, on the day the LORD spoke to Moses in the land
of Egypt, 29 that the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the
LORD. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.”
30 But Moses said before the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised
lips, and how shall Pharaoh heed me?”
Exodus 7
1 So the LORD said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God
to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. 2 You shall
speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh
to send the children of Israel out of his land. 3 And I will harden
Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land
of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on
Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of
the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know
that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out
the children of Israel from among them.”
6 Then Moses and Aaron did so; just as the LORD commanded them, so they
did. 7 And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old
when they spoke to Pharaoh.
Aaron’s Miraculous Rod
8 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 9 “When Pharaoh
speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’
then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before
Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’” 10 So Moses and
Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the LORD commanded.
And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and
it became a serpent.
11 But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the
magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their
enchantments. 12 For every man threw down his rod, and they became
serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13 And
Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD
had said.
The First Plague: Waters Become Blood
14 So the LORD said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he
refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he
goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to
meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in
your hand. 16 And you shall say to him, ‘The LORD God of the
Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they
may serve Me in the wilderness”; but indeed, until now you would
not hear! 17 Thus says the LORD: “By this you shall know that I
am the LORD. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river
with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood. 18
And the fish that are in the river shall die, the river shall stink,
and the Egyptians will loathe to drink the water of the
river.”’”
19 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your
rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their
streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools
of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood
throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers
of stone.’” 20 And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the LORD
commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in
the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants.
And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21 The
fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians
could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout
all the land of Egypt.
22 Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and
Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD
had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was
his heart moved by this. 24 So all the Egyptians dug all around the
river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the
river. 25 And seven days passed after the LORD had struck the river.
Exodus 8
The Second Plague: Frogs
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to
him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Let My people go, that they may
serve Me. 2 But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all
your territory with frogs. 3 So the river shall bring forth frogs
abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, into your
bedroom, on your bed, into the houses of your servants, on your people,
into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls. 4 And the frogs shall
come up on you, on your people, and on all your
servants.”’”
5 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out
your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the
ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’” 6
So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs
came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 And the magicians did so with
their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.
8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the
LORD that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I
will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
9 And Moses said to Pharaoh, “Accept the honor of saying when I
shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to
destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the
river only.”
10 So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be
according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the
LORD our God. 11 And the frogs shall depart from you, from your houses,
from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the
river only.”
12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh. And Moses cried out to
the LORD concerning the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh. 13
So the LORD did according to the word of Moses. And the frogs died out
of the houses, out of the courtyards, and out of the fields. 14 They
gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when
Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not
heed them, as the LORD had said.
The Third Plague: Lice
16 So the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out
your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice
throughout all the land of Egypt.’” 17 And they did so. For
Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the
earth, and it became lice on man and beast. All the dust of the land
became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
18 Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth
lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. 19 Then
the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”
But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as
the LORD had said.
The Fourth Plague: Flies
20 And the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and
stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Then say to him,
‘Thus says the LORD: “Let My people go, that they may serve
Me. 21 Or else, if you will not let My people go, behold, I will send
swarms of flies on you and your servants, on your people and into your
houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies,
and also the ground on which they stand. 22 And in that day I will set
apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of
flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in
the midst of the land. 23 I will make a difference[a] between My people
and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.”’” 24
And the LORD did so. Thick swarms of flies came into the house of
Pharaoh, into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of
Egypt. The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies.
25 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go,
sacrifice to your God in the land.”
26 And Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we would be
sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. If we
sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will
they not stone us? 27 We will go three days’ journey into the
wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He will command
us.”
28 So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to
the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far
away. Intercede for me.”
29 Then Moses said, “Indeed I am going out from you, and I will
entreat the LORD, that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from
Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. But let Pharaoh not
deal deceitfully anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to
the LORD.”
30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. 31 And the
LORD did according to the word of Moses; He removed the swarms of flies
from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained.
32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he
let the people go.
Exodus 9
The Fifth Plague: Livestock Diseased
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and tell
him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: “Let My people
go, that they may serve Me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go, and
still hold them, 3 behold, the hand of the LORD will be on your cattle
in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the
oxen, and on the sheep—a very severe pestilence. 4 And the LORD
will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the
livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the
children of Israel.”’” 5 Then the LORD appointed a
set time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the
land.”
6 So the LORD did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of
Egypt died; but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one
died. 7 Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of
the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he
did not let the people go.
The Sixth Plague: Boils
8 So the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves
handfuls of ashes from a furnace, and let Moses scatter it toward the
heavens in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 And it will become fine dust in all
the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on
man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.” 10 Then they
took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses
scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in
sores on man and beast. 11 And the magicians could not stand before
Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on
all the Egyptians. 12 But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and
he did not heed them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.
The Seventh Plague: Hail
13 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and
stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of
the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me, 14 for at
this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your
servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like
Me in all the earth. 15 Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck
you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off
from the earth. 16 But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up,
that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in
all the earth. 17 As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that
you will not let them go. 18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will
cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since
its founding until now. 19 Therefore send now and gather your livestock
and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on
every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not
brought home; and they shall die.”’”
20 He who feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh
made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. 21 But he who
did not regard the word of the LORD left his servants and his livestock
in the field.
22 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward
heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt—on man,
on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of
Egypt.” 23 And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the
LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD
rained hail on the land of Egypt. 24 So there was hail, and fire
mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it in all
the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 And the hail struck
throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man
and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every
tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of
Israel were, there was no hail.
27 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them,
“I have sinned this time. The LORD is righteous, and my people
and I are wicked. 28 Entreat the LORD, that there may be no more mighty
thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall
stay no longer.”
29 So Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city,
I will spread out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease, and
there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the
LORD’s. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you will
not yet fear the LORD God.”
31 Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the
head and the flax was in bud. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not
struck, for they are late crops.
33 So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands
to the LORD; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain was not
poured on the earth. 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail,
and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his
heart, he and his servants. 35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hard;
neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the LORD had spoken
by Moses.
Exodus 10
The Eighth Plague: Locusts
1 Now the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have
hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show
these signs of Mine before him, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing
of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in
Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know
that I am the LORD.”
3 So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus
says the LORD God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to
humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 4
Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will
bring locusts into your territory. 5 And they shall cover the face of
the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall
eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail,
and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field.
6 They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the
houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your
fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the
earth to this day.’” And he turned and went out from
Pharaoh.
7 Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this
man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD
their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?”
8 So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to
them, “Go, serve the LORD your God. Who are the ones that are
going?”
9 And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with
our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go,
for we must hold a feast to the LORD.”
10 Then he said to them, “The LORD had better be with you when I
let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. 11
Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the LORD, for that is what
you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s
presence.
12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the
land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of
Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has
left.” 13 So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt,
and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that
night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 And
the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the
territory of Egypt. They were very severe; previously there had been no
such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. 15 For they
covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and
they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which
the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on
the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt.
16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I
have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. 17 Now
therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD
your God, that He may take away from me this death only.” 18 So
he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. 19 And the LORD turned
a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into
the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of
Egypt. 20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not
let the children of Israel go.
The Ninth Plague: Darkness
21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward
heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness
which may even be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand
toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt
three days. 23 They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from
his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in
their dwellings.
24 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD;
only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones
also go with you.”
25 But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt
offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 26 Our livestock
also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must
take some of them to serve the LORD our God, and even we do not know
with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.”
27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let
them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take
heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my
face you shall die!”
29 So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your
face again.”
Exodus 11
Death of the Firstborn Announced
1 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague
on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When
he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. 2
Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his
neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and
articles of gold.” 3 And the LORD gave the people favor in the
sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the
land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the
sight of the people.
4 Then Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I
will go out into the midst of Egypt; 5 and all the firstborn in the
land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his
throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the
handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. 6 Then there shall be a
great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it
before, nor shall be like it again. 7 But against none of the children
of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you
may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and
Israel.’ 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me and
bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow
you!’ After that I will go out.” Then he went out from
Pharaoh in great anger.
9 But the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not heed you, so that
My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10 So Moses
and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened
Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out
of his land.
Exodus 12
The Passover Instituted
1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
saying, 2 “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall
be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation
of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall
take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb
for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for the lamb, let
him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number
of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your
count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the
first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 Now you
shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the
whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight.
7 And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts
and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. 8 Then they shall
eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and
with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at
all with water, but roasted in fire—its head with its legs and
its entrails. 10 You shall let none of it remain until morning, and
what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. 11 And thus
you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet,
and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the
LORD’s Passover.
12 ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and
will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast;
and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the
LORD. 13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you
are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague
shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 ‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it
as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it
as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. 15 Seven days you shall eat
unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your
houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the
seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first
day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there
shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on
them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared
by you. 17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on
this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt.
Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an
everlasting ordinance. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of
the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the
twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days no leaven
shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened,
that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel,
whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat
nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened
bread.’”
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them,
“Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your
families, and kill the Passover lamb. 22 And you shall take a bunch of
hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel
and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of
you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. 23 For the
LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the
blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over
the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike
you. 24 And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and
your sons forever. 25 It will come to pass when you come to the land
which the LORD will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep
this service. 26 And it shall be, when your children say to you,
‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 that you shall say,
‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the
houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians
and delivered our households.’” So the people bowed their
heads and worshiped. 28 Then the children of Israel went away and did
so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn
29 And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat
on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon,
and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night,
he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry
in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
The Exodus
31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise,
go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And
go, serve the LORD as you have said. 32 Also take your flocks and your
herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.”
33 And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of
the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.”
34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their
kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. 35 Now the
children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they
had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and
clothing. 36 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of
the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they
plundered the Egyptians.
37 Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about
six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. 38 A mixed
multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great
deal of livestock. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough
which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because
they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared
provisions for themselves.
40 Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt[a]was
four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the
four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came
to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of
Egypt. 42 It is a night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing
them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn
observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.
Passover Regulations
43 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance
of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. 44 But every man’s
servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he
may eat it. 45 A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. 46 In
one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh
outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. 47 All the
congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger dwells
with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males
be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be
as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. 49
One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells
among you.”
50 Thus all the children of Israel did; as the LORD commanded Moses and
Aaron, so they did. 51 And it came to pass, on that very same day, that
the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt
according to their armies.
Exodus 13
The Firstborn Consecrated
1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Consecrate to Me
all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of
Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.”
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
3 And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day in which you
went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand
the LORD brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be
eaten. 4 On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. 5 And it
shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and
the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which
He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and
honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days you
shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a
feast to the LORD. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no
leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among
you in all your quarters. 8 And you shall tell your son in that day,
saying, ‘This is done because of what the LORD did for me when I
came up from Egypt.’ 9 It shall be as a sign to you on your hand
and as a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD’s law may be
in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of
Egypt. 10 You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from
year to year.
The Law of the Firstborn
11 “And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of
the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to
you, 12 that you shall set apart to the LORD all that open the womb,
that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the
males shall be the LORD’s. 13 But every firstborn of a donkey you
shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall
break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall
redeem. 14 So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come,
saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him,
‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the
house of bondage. 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn
about letting us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land
of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast.
Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all males that open the womb, but all
the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 It shall be as a sign on
your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand
the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”
The Wilderness Way
17 Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God
did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that
was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their
minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the
people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children
of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.
19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the
children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, “God will surely
visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.”[a]
20 So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the
edge of the wilderness. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a
pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to
give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away
the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before
the people.
Exodus 14
The Red Sea Crossing
1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Speak to the
children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between
Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zemphon; you shall camp before it by
the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They
are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’ 4
Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them;
and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the
Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.” And they did so.
5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the
heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and
they said, “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go
from serving us?” 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his
people with him. 7 Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all
the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. 8 And the
LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the
children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness.
9 So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of
Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the
sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zemphon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their
eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very
afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. 11 Then they
said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you
taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us,
to bring us up out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the word that we told you
in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the
Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the
Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still,
and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you
today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no
more forever. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your
peace.”
15 And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the
children of Israel to go forward. 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch
out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel
shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I indeed
will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So
I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and
his horsemen. 18 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when
I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his
horsemen.”
19 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and
went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and
stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and
the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it
gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the
other all that night.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused
the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the
sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 So the children of
Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters
were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 And the
Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all
Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the LORD looked down
upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud,
and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. 25 And He took off[a] their
chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the
Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the
LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.”
26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the
sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their
chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27 And Moses stretched out his
hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to
its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the LORD
overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 Then the waters
returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of
Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them
remained. 29 But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the
midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right
hand and on their left.
30 So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians,
and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Thus Israel saw
the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared
the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.
Exodus 15
The Song of Moses
1 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the
LORD, and spoke, saying:
“I will sing to the LORD,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea!
2 The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt
Him.
3 The LORD is a man of war;
The LORD is His name.
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
His chosen captains also are drowned in
the Red Sea.
5 The depths have covered them;
They sank to the bottom like a stone.
6 “Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the
enemy in pieces.
7 And in the greatness of Your excellence
You have overthrown those who rose
against You;
You sent forth Your wrath;
It consumed them like stubble.
8 And with the blast of Your nostrils
The waters were gathered together;
The floods stood upright like a heap;
The depths congealed in the heart of the
sea.
9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue,
I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil;
My desire shall be satisfied on them.
I will draw my sword,
My hand shall destroy them.’
10 You blew with Your wind,
The sea covered them;
They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 “Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,
Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 You stretched out Your right hand;
The earth swallowed them.
13 You in Your mercy have led forth
The people whom You have redeemed;
You have guided them in Your strength
To Your holy habitation.
14 “The people will hear and be afraid;
Sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants
of Philistia.
15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed;
The mighty men of Moab,
Trembling will take hold of them;
All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt
away.
16 Fear and dread will fall on them;
By the greatness of Your arm
They will be as still as a stone,
Till Your people pass over, O LORD,
Till the people pass over
Whom You have purchased.
17 You will bring them in and plant them
In the mountain of Your inheritance,
In the place, O LORD, which You have
made
For Your own dwelling,
The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands
have established.
18 “The LORD shall reign forever and ever.”
19 For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen
into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea upon
them. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the
sea.
The Song of Miriam
20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in
her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with
dances. 21 And Miriam answered them:
“Sing to the LORD,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea!”
Bitter Waters Made Sweet
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into
the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and
found no water. 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink
the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was
called Marah.[a] 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying,
“What shall we drink?” 25 So he cried out to the LORD, and
the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters
were made sweet.
There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested
them, 26 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD
your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His
commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases
on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who
heals you.”
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and
seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.
Exodus 16
Bread from Heaven
1 And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the
children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim
and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed
from the land of Egypt. 2 Then the whole congregation of the children
of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 And
the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the
hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat
and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into
this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from
heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota
every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or
not. 5 And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what
they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather
daily.”
6 Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At
evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of
Egypt. 7 And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He
hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you
complain against us?” 8 Also Moses said, “This shall be
seen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the
morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you
make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us
but against the LORD.”
9 Then Moses spoke to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the
children of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for He has heard
your complaints.’” 10 Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke
to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked
toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in
the cloud.
11 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “I have heard the
complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At
twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled
with bread. And you shall know that I am the LORD your
God.’”
13 So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and
in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. 14 And when the layer
of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small
round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 So when the
children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is
it?” For they did not know what it was.
And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the LORD has
given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which the LORD has commanded:
‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one
omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man
take for those who are in his tent.’”
17 Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some
less. 18 So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had
nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man
had gathered according to each one’s need. 19 And Moses said,
“Let no one leave any of it till morning.” 20
Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of
it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with
them. 21 So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his
need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.
22 And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much
bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation
came and told Moses. 23 Then he said to them, “This is what the
LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the
LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and
lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until
morning.’” 24 So they laid it up till morning, as Moses
commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. 25
Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the
LORD; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall
gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be
none.”
27 Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day
to gather, but they found none. 28 And the LORD said to Moses,
“How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29
See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on
the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place;
let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the
people rested on the seventh day.
31 And the house of Israel called its name Manna.[a] And it was like
white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with
honey.
32 Then Moses said, “This is the thing which the LORD has
commanded: ‘Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your
generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the
wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”
33 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot and put an omer of manna
in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your
generations.” 34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up
before the Testimony, to be kept. 35 And the children of Israel ate
manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna
until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 Now an omer is
one-tenth of an ephah.
Exodus 17
Water from the Rock
1 Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on
their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment
of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the
people to drink. 2 Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said,
“Give us water, that we may drink.”
So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you
tempt the LORD?”
3 And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained
against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of
Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with
thirst?”
4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do with
this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”
5 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take
with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod
with which you struck the river, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before
you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and
water will come out of it, that the people may drink.”
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 So he called
the name of the place Massah[a] and Meribah,[b] because of the
contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the
LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”
Victory over the Amalekites
8 Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said
to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek.
Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my
hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with
Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11
And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and
when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands
became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on
it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the
other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down
of the sun. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge
of the sword.
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the
book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot
out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses
built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner;[c] 16 for he
said, “Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with
Amalek from generation to generation.”
Exodus 18
Jethro’s Advice
1 And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law,
heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His
people—that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Then
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife,
after he had sent her back, 3 with her two sons, of whom the name of
one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a stranger in a
foreign land”)[a] 4 and the name of the other was Eliemzer[b]
(for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me
from the sword of Pharaoh”); 5 and Jethro, Moses’
father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the
wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. 6 Now he had
said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you
with your wife and her two sons with her.”
7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed
him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went
into the tent. 8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had
done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the
hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the LORD had
delivered them. 9 Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD
had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the
Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has
delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of
Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the
Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods;
for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above
them.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took[c] a
burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came
with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’
father-in-law before God.
13 And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people;
and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. 14 So
when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he
said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why
do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning
until evening?”
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come
to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have a difficulty, they come to
me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes
of God and His laws.”
17 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you
do is not good. 18 Both you and these people who are with you will
surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are
not able to perform it by yourself. 19 Listen now to my voice; I will
give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the
people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. 20 And you shall
teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which
they must walk and the work they must do. 21 Moreover you shall select
from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating
covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands,
rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 And let
them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great
matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves
shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the
burden with you. 23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then
you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their
place in peace.”
24 So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he
had said. 25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them
heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers
of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 So they judged the people at all
times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every
small case themselves.
27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his
own land.
Exodus 19
Israel at Mount Sinai
1 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of
the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of
Sinai. 2 For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the
Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped
there before the mountain.
3 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the
mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and
tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the
Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to
Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My
covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people;
for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of
priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall
speak to the children of Israel.”
7 So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid
before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8 Then all
the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has
spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people
to the LORD. 9 And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you
in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and
believe you forever.”
So Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
10 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate
them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. 11 And let
them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will
come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 You shall
set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to
yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base.
Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 Not a
hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an
arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet
sounds long, they shall come near the mountain.”
14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified
the people, and they washed their clothes. 15 And he said to the
people, “Be ready for the third day; do not come near your
wives.”
16 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there
were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and
the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were
in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp
to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now
Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it
in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole
mountain[a] quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet
sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God
answered him by voice. 20 Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on
the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the
mountain, and Moses went up.
21 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest
they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish. 22
Also let the priests who come near the LORD consecrate themselves, lest
the LORD break out against them.”
23 But Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up to
Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the
mountain and consecrate it.’”
24 Then the LORD said to him, “Away! Get down and then come up,
you and Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break
through to come up to the LORD, lest He break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.
Exodus 20
The Ten Commandments
1 And God spoke all these words, saying:
2 “I am the LORD your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 “You shall have no other
gods before Me.
4 “You shall not make for
yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water
under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For
I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those
who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and
keep My commandments.
7 “You shall not take the
name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him
guiltless who takes His name in vain.
8 “ Remember the Sabbath
day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you
shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male
servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger
who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens
and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh
day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
12 “ Honor your father and
your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD
your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit
adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not bear false
witness against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your
neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his
donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
The People Afraid of God’s Presence
18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes,
the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people
saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses,
“You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with
us, lest we die.”
20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come
to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not
sin.” 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the
thick darkness where God was.
The Law of the Altar
22 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the
children of Israel: ‘You have seen that I have talked with you
from heaven. 23 You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of
silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. 24 An altar
of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your
burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In
every place where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless
you. 25 And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of
hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. 26
Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not
be exposed on it.’
Exodus 21
The Law Concerning Servants
1 “Now these are the judgments which you shall set before
them: 2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in
the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. 3 If he comes in by
himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his
wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master has given him a wife, and
she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be
her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 But if the
servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my
children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring
him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the
doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall
serve him forever.
7 “And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave, she
shall not go out as the male slaves do. 8 If she does not please her
master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be
redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since
he has dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he has betrothed her to his
son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10 If
he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing,
and her marriage rights. 11 And if he does not do these three for her,
then she shall go out free, without paying money.
The Law Concerning Violence
12 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to
death. 13 However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him
into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
14 “But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to
kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may
die.
15 “And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be
put to death.
16 “He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his
hand, shall surely be put to death.
17 “And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be
put to death.
18 “If men contend with each other, and one strikes the other
with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but is confined to
his bed, 19 if he rises again and walks about outside with his staff,
then he who struck him shall be acquitted. He shall only pay for the
loss of his time, and shall provide for him to be thoroughly healed.
20 “And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so
that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. 21
Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be
punished; for he is his property.
22 “If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives
birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished
accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall
pay as the judges determine. 23 But if any harm follows, then you shall
give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand,
foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
26 “If a man strikes the eye of his male or female servant, and
destroys it, he shall let him go free for the sake of his eye. 27 And
if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let
him go free for the sake of his tooth.
Animal Control Laws
28 “If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, then the ox shall
surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of
the ox shall be acquitted. 29 But if the ox tended to thrust with its
horn in times past, and it has been made known to his owner, and he has
not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox
shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. 30 If there
is imposed on him a sum of money, then he shall pay to redeem his life,
whatever is imposed on him. 31 Whether it has gored a son or gored a
daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him. 32 If the
ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty
shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
33 “And if a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and does not
cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls in it, 34 the owner of the pit
shall make it good; he shall give money to their owner, but the dead
animal shall be his.
35 “If one man’s ox hurts another’s, so that it dies,
then they shall sell the live ox and divide the money from it; and the
dead ox they shall also divide. 36 Or if it was known that the ox
tended to thrust in time past, and its owner has not kept it confined,
he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal shall be his own.
Exodus 22
Responsibility for Property
1 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or
sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a
sheep. 2 If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he
dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed. 3 If the sun has risen
on him, there shall be guilt for his bloodshed. He should make full
restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4
If the theft is certainly found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox
or donkey or sheep, he shall restore double.
5 “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed, and lets
loose his animal, and it feeds in another man’s field, he shall
make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own
vineyard.
6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns, so that stacked
grain, standing grain, or the field is consumed, he who kindled the
fire shall surely make restitution.
7 “If a man delivers to his neighbor money or articles to keep,
and it is stolen out of the man’s house, if the thief is found,
he shall pay double. 8 If the thief is not found, then the master of
the house shall be brought to the judges to see whether he has put his
hand into his neighbor’s goods.
9 “For any kind of trespass, whether it concerns an ox, a donkey,
a sheep, or clothing, or for any kind of lost thing which another
claims to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the
judges; and whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his
neighbor. 10 If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a
sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies, is hurt, or driven away, no
one seeing it, 11 then an oath of the LORD shall be between them both,
that he has not put his hand into his neighbor’s goods; and the
owner of it shall accept that, and he shall not make it good. 12 But
if, in fact, it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to the
owner of it. 13 If it is torn to pieces by a beast, then he shall bring
it as evidence, and he shall not make good what was torn.
14 “And if a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it
becomes injured or dies, the owner of it not being with it, he shall
surely make it good. 15 If its owner was with it, he shall not make it
good; if it was hired, it came for its hire.
Moral and Ceremonial Principles
16 “If a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with
her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife. 17 If
her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money
according to the bride-price of virgins.
18 “You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
19 “Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.
20 “He who sacrifices to any god, except to the LORD only, he
shall be utterly destroyed.
21 “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for
you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
22 “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. 23 If
you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely
hear their cry; 24 and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you
with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children
fatherless.
25 “If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you,
you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him
interest. 26 If you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a
pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. 27 For
that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he
sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I
am gracious.
28 “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
29 “You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce
and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. 30
Likewise you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with
its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.
31 “And you shall be holy men to Me: you shall not eat meat torn
by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.
Exodus 23
Justice for All
1 “You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your
hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. 2 You shall not
follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to
turn aside after many to pervert justice. 3 You shall not show
partiality to a poor man in his dispute.
4 “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray,
you shall surely bring it back to him again. 5 If you see the donkey of
one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from
helping it, you shall surely help him with it.
6 “You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his
dispute. 7 Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the
innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked. 8 And you
shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the
words of the righteous.
9 “Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart
of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
The Law of Sabbaths
10 “Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce,
11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the
poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the
field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your
olive grove. 12 Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day
you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of
your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.
13 “And in all that I have said to you, be circumspect and make
no mention of the name of other gods, nor let it be heard from your
mouth.
Three Annual Feasts
14 “Three times you shall keep a feast to Me in the year: 15 You
shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (you shall eat unleavened
bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the
month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt; none shall appear
before Me empty); 16 and the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your
labors which you have sown in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering
at the end of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your
labors from the field.
17 “Three times in the year all your males shall appear before
the Lord GOD.[a]
18 “You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened
bread; nor shall the fat of My sacrifice remain until morning. 19 The
first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of
the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its
mother’s milk.
The Angel and the Promises
20 “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and
to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of Him and
obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your
transgressions; for My name is in Him. 22 But if you indeed obey His
voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies
and an adversary to your adversaries. 23 For My Angel will go before
you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the
Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I
will cut them off. 24 You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve
them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow
them and completely break down their sacred pillars.
25 “So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your
bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of
you. 26 No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I
will fulfill the number of your days.
27 “I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among
all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn
their backs to you. 28 And I will send hornets before you, which shall
drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you.
29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land
become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for
you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until
you have increased, and you inherit the land. 31 And I will set your
bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to
the River.[b] For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your
hand, and you shall drive them out before you. 32 You shall make no
covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in
your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their
gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
Exodus 24
Israel Affirms the Covenant
1 Now He said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and
Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and
worship from afar. 2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD, but they
shall not come near; nor shall the people go up with him.”
3 So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all
the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said,
“All the words which the LORD has said we will do.” 4 And
Moses wrote all the words of the LORD. And he rose early in the
morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve
pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent young
men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and
sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD. 6 And Moses took half
the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the
altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing
of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has said we will
do, and be obedient.” 8 And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on
the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which
the LORD has made with you according to all these words.”
On the Mountain with God
9 Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the
elders of Israel, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. And there was
under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was
like the very heavens in its clarity. 11 But on the nobles of the
children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they
ate and drank.
12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain
and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and
commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.”
13 So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the
mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us
until we come back to you. Indeed, Aaron and Hur are with you. If any
man has a difficulty, let him go to them.” 15 Then Moses went up
into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain.
16 Now the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud
covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of
the midst of the cloud. 17 The sight of the glory of the LORD was like
a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children
of Israel. 18 So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up
into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty
nights.
Exodus 25
Offerings for the Sanctuary
1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Speak to the
children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who
gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. 3 And
this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and
bronze; 4 blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and
goats’ hair; 5 ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood;
6 oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet
incense; 7 onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the
breastplate. 8 And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among
them. 9 According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the
tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall
make it.
The Ark of the Testimony
10 “And they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half
cubits shall be its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit
and a half its height. 11 And you shall overlay it with pure gold,
inside and out you shall overlay it, and shall make on it a molding of
gold all around. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put
them in its four corners; two rings shall be on one side, and two rings
on the other side. 13 And you shall make poles of acacia wood, and
overlay them with gold. 14 You shall put the poles into the rings on
the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them. 15 The poles
shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16
And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you.
17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half
cubits shall be its length and a cubit and a half its width. 18 And you
shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them
at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub at one end, and
the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim at the
two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat. 20 And the cherubim
shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their
wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall
be toward the mercy seat. 21 You shall put the mercy seat on top of the
ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you.
22 And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above
the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of
the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to
the children of Israel.
The Table for the Showbread
23 “You shall also make a table of acacia wood; two cubits shall
be its length, a cubit its width, and a cubit and a half its height. 24
And you shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a molding of gold all
around. 25 You shall make for it a frame of a handbreadth all around,
and you shall make a gold molding for the frame all around. 26 And you
shall make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings on the four
corners that are at its four legs. 27 The rings shall be close to the
frame, as holders for the poles to bear the table. 28 And you shall
make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the
table may be carried with them. 29 You shall make its dishes, its pans,
its pitchers, and its bowls for pouring. You shall make them of pure
gold. 30 And you shall set the showbread on the table before Me always.
The Gold Lampstand
31 “You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand
shall be of hammered work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its
ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece. 32 And six
branches shall come out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand
out of one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of the other
side. 33 Three bowls shall be made like almond blossoms on one branch,
with an ornamental knob and a flower, and three bowls made like almond
blossoms on the other branch, with an ornamental knob and a
flower—and so for the six branches that come out of the
lampstand. 34 On the lampstand itself four bowls shall be made like
almond blossoms, each with its ornamental knob and flower. 35 And there
shall be a knob under the first two branches of the same, a knob under
the second two branches of the same, and a knob under the third two
branches of the same, according to the six branches that extend from
the lampstand. 36 Their knobs and their branches shall be of one piece;
all of it shall be one hammered piece of pure gold. 37 You shall make
seven lamps for it, and they shall arrange its lamps so that they give
light in front of it. 38 And its wick-trimmers and their trays shall be
of pure gold. 39 It shall be made of a talent of pure gold, with all
these utensils. 40 And see to it that you make them according to the
pattern which was shown you on the mountain.
Exodus 26
The Tabernacle
1 “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains
of fine woven linen and blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic
designs of cherubim you shall weave them. 2 The length of each curtain
shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four
cubits. And every one of the curtains shall have the same measurements.
3 Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five
curtains shall be coupled to one another. 4 And you shall make loops of
blue yarn on the edge of the curtain on the selvedge of one set, and
likewise you shall do on the outer edge of the other curtain of the
second set. 5 Fifty loops you shall make in the one curtain, and fifty
loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is on the end of
the second set, that the loops may be clasped to one another. 6 And you
shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains together with
the clasps, so that it may be one tabernacle.
7 “You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair, to be a
tent over the tabernacle. You shall make eleven curtains. 8 The length
of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain
four cubits; and the eleven curtains shall all have the same
measurements. 9 And you shall couple five curtains by themselves and
six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain
at the forefront of the tent. 10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge
of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the
edge of the curtain of the second set. 11 And you shall make fifty
bronze clasps, put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent
together, that it may be one. 12 The remnant that remains of the
curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over
the back of the tabernacle. 13 And a cubit on one side and a cubit on
the other side, of what remains of the length of the curtains of the
tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and on
that side, to cover it.
14 “You shall also make a covering of ram skins dyed red for the
tent, and a covering of badger skins above that.
15 “And for the tabernacle you shall make the boards of acacia
wood, standing upright. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board,
and a cubit and a half shall be the width of each board. 17 Two tenons
shall be in each board for binding one to another. Thus you shall make
for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 And you shall make the boards
for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side. 19 You shall make
forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards: two sockets under each
of the boards for its two tenons. 20 And for the second side of the
tabernacle, the north side, there shall be twenty boards 21 and their
forty sockets of silver: two sockets under each of the boards. 22 For
the far side of the tabernacle, westward, you shall make six boards. 23
And you shall also make two boards for the two back corners of the
tabernacle. 24 They shall be coupled together at the bottom and they
shall be coupled together at the top by one ring. Thus it shall be for
both of them. They shall be for the two corners. 25 So there shall be
eight boards with their sockets of silver—sixteen
sockets—two sockets under each of the boards.
26 “And you shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards
on one side of the tabernacle, 27 five bars for the boards on the other
side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the
tabernacle, for the far side westward. 28 The middle bar shall pass
through the midst of the boards from end to end. 29 You shall overlay
the boards with gold, make their rings of gold as holders for the bars,
and overlay the bars with gold. 30 And you shall raise up the
tabernacle according to its pattern which you were shown on the
mountain.
31 “You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet
thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design
of cherubim. 32 You shall hang it upon the four pillars of acacia wood
overlaid with gold. Their hooks shall be gold, upon four sockets of
silver. 33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps. Then you shall
bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil
shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy. 34
You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the Testimony in the Most
Holy. 35 You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand
across from the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south;
and you shall put the table on the north side.
36 “You shall make a screen for the door of the tabernacle, woven
of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a
weaver. 37 And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia
wood, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be gold, and you
shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.
Exodus 27
The Altar of Burnt Offering
1 “You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long
and five cubits wide—the altar shall be square—and its
height shall be three cubits. 2 You shall make its horns on its four
corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay
it with bronze. 3 Also you shall make its pans to receive its ashes,
and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you
shall make all its utensils of bronze. 4 You shall make a grate for it,
a network of bronze; and on the network you shall make four bronze
rings at its four corners. 5 You shall put it under the rim of the
altar beneath, that the network may be midway up the altar. 6 And you
shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them
with bronze. 7 The poles shall be put in the rings, and the poles shall
be on the two sides of the altar to bear it. 8 You shall make it hollow
with boards; as it was shown you on the mountain, so shall they make it.
The Court of the Tabernacle
9 “You shall also make the court of the tabernacle. For the south
side there shall be hangings for the court made of fine woven linen,
one hundred cubits long for one side. 10 And its twenty pillars and
their twenty sockets shall be bronze. The hooks of the pillars and
their bands shall be silver. 11 Likewise along the length of the north
side there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, with its twenty
pillars and their twenty sockets of bronze, and the hooks of the
pillars and their bands of silver.
12 “And along the width of the court on the west side shall be
hangings of fifty cubits, with their ten pillars and their ten sockets.
13 The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits. 14
The hangings on one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with
their three pillars and their three sockets. 15 And on the other side
shall be hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their
three sockets.
16 “For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty
cubits long, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven
linen, made by a weaver. It shall have four pillars and four sockets.
17 All the pillars around the court shall have bands of silver; their
hooks shall be of silver and their sockets of bronze. 18 The length of
the court shall be one hundred cubits, the width fifty throughout, and
the height five cubits, made of fine woven linen, and its sockets of
bronze. 19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for all its service, all
its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.
The Care of the Lampstand
20 “And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring
you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn
continually. 21 In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is
before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening
until morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to their
generations on behalf of the children of Israel.
Exodus 28
Garments for the Priesthood
1 “Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from
among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest,
Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab, Abihu, Elemazar, and Ithamar. 2
And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and
for beauty. 3 So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I
have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s
garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest. 4
And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an
ephod,[a] a robe, a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. So
they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that
he may minister to Me as priest.
The Ephod
5 “They shall take the gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread,
and the fine linen, 6 and they shall make the ephod of gold, blue,
purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, artistically worked.
7 It shall have two shoulder straps joined at its two edges, and so it
shall be joined together. 8 And the intricately woven band of the
ephod, which is on it, shall be of the same workmanship, made of gold,
blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen.
9 “Then you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the
names of the sons of Israel: 10 six of their names on one stone and six
names on the other stone, in order of their birth. 11 With the work of
an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall
engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall
set them in settings of gold. 12 And you shall put the two stones on
the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel.
So Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders as
a memorial. 13 You shall also make settings of gold, 14 and you shall
make two chains of pure gold like braided cords, and fasten the braided
chains to the settings.
The Breastplate
15 “You shall make the breastplate of judgment. Artistically
woven according to the workmanship of the ephod you shall make it: of
gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, you shall
make it. 16 It shall be doubled into a square: a span shall be its
length, and a span shall be its width. 17 And you shall put settings of
stones in it, four rows of stones: The first row shall be a sardius, a
topaz, and an emerald; this shall be the first row; 18 the second row
shall be a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; 19 the third row, a
jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row, a beryl, an
onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold settings. 21 And the
stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to
their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own
name; they shall be according to the twelve tribes.
22 “You shall make chains for the breastplate at the end, like
braided cords of pure gold. 23 And you shall make two rings of gold for
the breastplate, and put the two rings on the two ends of the
breastplate. 24 Then you shall put the two braided chains of gold in
the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate; 25 and the
other two ends of the two braided chains you shall fasten to the two
settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in the
front.
26 “You shall make two rings of gold, and put them on the two
ends of the breastplate, on the edge of it, which is on the inner side
of the ephod. 27 And two other rings of gold you shall make, and put
them on the two shoulder straps, underneath the ephod toward its front,
right at the seam above the intricately woven band of the ephod. 28
They shall bind the breastplate by means of its rings to the rings of
the ephod, using a blue cord, so that it is above the intricately woven
band of the ephod, and so that the breastplate does not come loose from
the ephod.
29 “So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the
breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy
place, as a memorial before the LORD continually. 30 And you shall put
in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim,[b] and they
shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the LORD. So
Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart
before the LORD continually.
Other Priestly Garments
31 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 There
shall be an opening for his head in the middle of it; it shall have a
woven binding all around its opening, like the opening in a coat of
mail, so that it does not tear. 33 And upon its hem you shall make
pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and
bells of gold between them all around: 34 a golden bell and a
pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe
all around. 35 And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its
sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the LORD
and when he comes out, that he may not die.
36 “You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it,
like the engraving of a signet:
HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
37 And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the
turban; it shall be on the front of the turban. 38 So it shall be on
Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy
things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and
it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before
the LORD.
39 “You shall skillfully weave the tunic of fine linen thread,
you shall make the turban of fine linen, and you shall make the sash of
woven work.
40 “For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics, and you shall
make sashes for them. And you shall make hats for them, for glory and
beauty. 41 So you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons
with him. You shall anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them,
that they may minister to Me as priests. 42 And you shall make for them
linen trousers to cover their nakedness; they shall reach from the
waist to the thighs. 43 They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when
they come into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the
altar to minister in the holy place, that they do not incur iniquity
and die. It shall be a statute forever to him and his descendants after
him.
Exodus 29
Aaron and His Sons Consecrated
1 “And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for
ministering to Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams without
blemish, 2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and
unleavened wafers anointed with oil (you shall make them of wheat
flour). 3 You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the
basket, with the bull and the two rams.
4 “And Aaron and his sons you shall bring to the door of the
tabernacle of meeting, and you shall wash them with water. 5 Then you
shall take the garments, put the tunic on Aaron, and the robe of the
ephod, the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the
intricately woven band of the ephod. 6 You shall put the turban on his
head, and put the holy crown on the turban. 7 And you shall take the
anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him. 8 Then you shall
bring his sons and put tunics on them. 9 And you shall gird them with
sashes, Aaron and his sons, and put the hats on them. The priesthood
shall be theirs for a perpetual statute. So you shall consecrate Aaron
and his sons.
10 “You shall also have the bull brought before the tabernacle of
meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands on the head of
the bull. 11 Then you shall kill the bull before the LORD, by the door
of the tabernacle of meeting. 12 You shall take some of the blood of
the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and
pour all the blood beside the base of the altar. 13 And you shall take
all the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the
liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and burn them
on the altar. 14 But the flesh of the bull, with its skin and its
offal, you shall burn with fire outside the camp. It is a sin offering.
15 “You shall also take one ram, and Aaron and his sons shall put
their hands on the head of the ram; 16 and you shall kill the ram, and
you shall take its blood and sprinkle it all around on the altar. 17
Then you shall cut the ram in pieces, wash its entrails and its legs,
and put them with its pieces and with its head. 18 And you shall burn
the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD; it is a
sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
19 “You shall also take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons
shall put their hands on the head of the ram. 20 Then you shall kill
the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the tip of the right
ear of Aaron and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, on the thumb
of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot, and
sprinkle the blood all around on the altar. 21 And you shall take some
of the blood that is on the altar, and some of the anointing oil, and
sprinkle it on Aaron and on his garments, on his sons and on the
garments of his sons with him; and he and his garments shall be
hallowed, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.
22 “Also you shall take the fat of the ram, the fat tail, the fat
that covers the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver, the two
kidneys and the fat on them, the right thigh (for it is a ram of
consecration), 23 one loaf of bread, one cake made with oil, and one
wafer from the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD;
24 and you shall put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands
of his sons, and you shall wave them as a wave offering before the
LORD. 25 You shall receive them back from their hands and burn them on
the altar as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma before the LORD. It is
an offering made by fire to the LORD.
26 “Then you shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s
consecration and wave it as a wave offering before the LORD; and it
shall be your portion. 27 And from the ram of the consecration you
shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering which is waved, and
the thigh of the heave offering which is raised, of that which is for
Aaron and of that which is for his sons. 28 It shall be from the
children of Israel for Aaron and his sons by a statute forever. For it
is a heave offering; it shall be a heave offering from the children of
Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, that is, their
heave offering to the LORD.
29 “And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons’ after
him, to be anointed in them and to be consecrated in them. 30 That son
who becomes priest in his place shall put them on for seven days, when
he enters the tabernacle of meeting to minister in the holy place.
31 “And you shall take the ram of the consecration and boil its
flesh in the holy place. 32 Then Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh
of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the
tabernacle of meeting. 33 They shall eat those things with which the
atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them; but an outsider
shall not eat them, because they are holy. 34 And if any of the flesh
of the consecration offerings, or of the bread, remains until the
morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be
eaten, because it is holy.
35 “Thus you shall do to Aaron and his sons, according to all
that I have commanded you. Seven days you shall consecrate them. 36 And
you shall offer a bull every day as a sin offering for atonement. You
shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall
anoint it to sanctify it. 37 Seven days you shall make atonement for
the altar and sanctify it. And the altar shall be most holy. Whatever
touches the altar must be holy.[a]
The Daily Offerings
38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of
the first year, day by day continually. 39 One lamb you shall offer in
the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. 40 With
the one lamb shall be one-tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with
one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine as
a drink offering. 41 And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight;
and you shall offer with it the grain offering and the drink offering,
as in the morning, for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the
LORD. 42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your
generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD,
where I will meet you to speak with you. 43 And there I will meet with
the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My
glory. 44 So I will consecrate the tabernacle of meeting and the altar.
I will also consecrate both Aaron and his sons to minister to Me as
priests. 45 I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their
God. 46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought
them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the
LORD their God.
Exodus 30
The Altar of Incense
1 “You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall
make it of acacia wood. 2 A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its
width—it shall be square—and two cubits shall be its
height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 And you shall
overlay its top, its sides all around, and its horns with pure gold;
and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around. 4 Two gold
rings you shall make for it, under the molding on both its sides. You
shall place them on its two sides, and they will be holders for the
poles with which to bear it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood,
and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it before the veil that
is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over
the Testimony, where I will meet with you.
7 “Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he
tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. 8 And when Aaron lights
the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense
before the LORD throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer
strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor
shall you pour a drink offering on it. 10 And Aaron shall make
atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering
of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout
your generations. It is most holy to the LORD.”
The Ransom Money
11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 12 “When you take the
census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall
give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there
may be no plague among them when you number them. 13 This is what
everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel
according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs).
The half-shekel shall be an offering to the LORD. 14 Everyone included
among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall
give an offering to the LORD. 15 The rich shall not give more and the
poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering
to the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves. 16 And you shall take
the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for
the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be a memorial for
the children of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for
yourselves.”
The Bronze Laver
17 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 18 “You shall also make
a laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall
put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall
put water in it, 19 for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and
their feet in water from it. 20 When they go into the tabernacle of
meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an
offering made by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest
they die. 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they
die. And it shall be a statute forever to them—to him and his
descendants throughout their generations.”
The Holy Anointing Oil
22 Moreover the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Also take for
yourself quality spices—five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh,
half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels),
two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cane, 24 five hundred
shekels of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin
of olive oil. 25 And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an
ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a
holy anointing oil. 26 With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of
meeting and the ark of the Testimony; 27 the table and all its
utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense; 28
the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and
its base. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy;
whatever touches them must be holy.[a] 30 And you shall anoint Aaron
and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as
priests.
31 “And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying:
‘This shall be a holy anointing oil to Me throughout your
generations. 32 It shall not be poured on man’s flesh; nor shall
you make any other like it, according to its composition. It is holy,
and it shall be holy to you. 33 Whoever compounds any like it, or
whoever puts any of it on an outsider, shall be cut off from his
people.’”
The Incense
34 And the LORD said to Moses: “Take sweet spices, stacte and
onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices;
there shall be equal amounts of each. 35 You shall make of these an
incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure,
and holy. 36 And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of
it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet
with you. It shall be most holy to you. 37 But as for the incense which
you shall make, you shall not make any for yourselves, according to its
composition. It shall be to you holy for the LORD. 38 Whoever makes any
like it, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people.”
Exodus 31
Artisans for Building the Tabernacle
1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “See, I have
called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of
Judah. 3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in
understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to
design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 5 in
cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner
of workmanship.
6 “And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of
Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of
all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded
you: 7 the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the
mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the
tabernacle— 8 the table and its utensils, the pure gold lampstand
with all its utensils, the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt
offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base— 10
the garments of ministry,[a] the holy garments for Aaron the priest and
the garments of his sons, to minister as priests, 11 and the anointing
oil and sweet incense for the holy place. According to all that I have
commanded you they shall do.”
The Sabbath Law
12 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 13 “Speak also to the
children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep,
for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that
you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. 14 You shall keep
the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it
shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that
person shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Work shall be done
for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD.
Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to
death. 16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to
observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual
covenant. 17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel
forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and
on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’”
18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He
gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with
the finger of God.
Exodus 32
The Gold Calf
1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the
mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him,
“Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this
Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not
know what has become of him.”
2 And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which
are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring
them to me.” 3 So all the people broke off the golden earrings
which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received
the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool,
and made a molded calf.
Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out
of the land of Egypt!”
5 So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a
proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD.” 6
Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and
brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and
rose up to play.
7 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go, get down! For your people whom
you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. 8 They
have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They
have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to
it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out
of the land of Egypt!’” 9 And the LORD said to Moses,
“I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!
10 Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them
and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.”
11 Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: “LORD, why
does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out
of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why
should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm
them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face
of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this
harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your
servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them,
‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all
this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they
shall inherit it forever.’”[a] 14 So the LORD relented from
the harm which He said He would do to His people.
15 And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two
tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on
both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. 16 Now
the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of
God engraved on the tablets.
17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he
said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”
18 But he said:
“It is not the noise of the shout
of victory,
Nor the noise of the cry of defeat,
But the sound of singing I hear.”
19 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf
and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the
tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20
Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and
ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the
children of Israel drink it. 21 And Moses said to Aaron, “What
did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon
them?”
22 So Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord become hot.
You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me,
‘Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man
who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become
of him.’ 24 And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let
them break it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the
fire, and this calf came out.”
25 Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had
not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), 26 then Moses
stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the
LORD’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi
gathered themselves together to him. 27 And he said to them,
“Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his
sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance
throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his
companion, and every man his neighbor.’” 28 So the sons of
Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men
of the people fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, “Consecrate
yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this
day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother.”
30 Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people,
“You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the LORD;
perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 Then Moses
returned to the LORD and said, “Oh, these people have committed a
great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32 Yet now, if
You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of
Your book which You have written.”
33 And the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I
will blot him out of My book. 34 Now therefore, go, lead the people to
the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go
before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I
will visit punishment upon them for their sin.”
35 So the LORD plagued the people because of what they did with the
calf which Aaron made.
Exodus 33
The Command to Leave Sinai
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here,
you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to
the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying,
‘To your descendants I will give it.’ 2 And I will send My
Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite
and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3 Go
up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your
midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked
people.”
4 And when the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put
on his ornaments. 5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the
children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. I could come
up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take
off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you.’” 6
So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by
Mount Horeb.
Moses Meets with the LORD
7 Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the
camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that
everyone who sought the LORD went out to the tabernacle of meeting
which was outside the camp. 8 So it was, whenever Moses went out to the
tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent
door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle. 9 And it
came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of
cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD
talked with Moses. 10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing
at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man
in his tent door. 11 So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man
speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant
Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.
The Promise of God’s Presence
12 Then Moses said to the LORD, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring
up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send
with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have
also found grace in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I
have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know
You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this
nation is Your people.”
14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give
you rest.”
15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do
not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your
people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So
we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are
upon the face of the earth.”
17 So the LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you
have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by
name.”
18 And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”
19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you,
and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious
to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will
have compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face;
for no man shall see Me, and live.” 21 And the LORD said,
“Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22 So it
shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of
the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. 23 Then I
will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall
not be seen.”
Exodus 34
Moses Makes New Tablets
1 And the LORD said to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone
like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets the words that
were on the first tablets which you broke. 2 So be ready in the
morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present
yourself to Me there on the top of the mountain. 3 And no man shall
come up with you, and let no man be seen throughout all the mountain;
let neither flocks nor herds feed before that mountain.”
4 So he cut two tablets of stone like the first ones. Then Moses rose
early in the morning and went up Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded
him; and he took in his hand the two tablets of stone.
5 Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and
proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD passed before him and
proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious,
longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for
thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means
clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth
generation.”
8 So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and
worshiped. 9 Then he said, “If now I have found grace in Your
sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us, even though we are a
stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us
as Your inheritance.”
The Covenant Renewed
10 And He said: “Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your
people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth,
nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the
work of the LORD. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.
11 Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I am driving out from
before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the
Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 12 Take heed to yourself,
lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are
going, lest it be a snare in your midst. 13 But you shall destroy their
altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images 14
(for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is
Jealous, is a jealous God), 15 lest you make a covenant with the
inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot with their gods and
make sacrifice to their gods, and one of them invites you and you eat
of his sacrifice, 16 and you take of his daughters for your sons, and
his daughters play the harlot with their gods and make your sons play
the harlot with their gods.
17 “You shall make no molded gods for yourselves.
18 “The Feast of Unleavened Bread you shall keep. Seven days you
shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, in the appointed time
of the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib you came out from Egypt.
19 “All that open the womb are Mine, and every male firstborn
among your livestock, whether ox or sheep. 20 But the firstborn of a
donkey you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem him,
then you shall break his neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall
redeem.
“And none shall appear before Me empty-handed.
21 “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall
rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
22 “And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits
of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end.
23 “Three times in the year all your men shall appear before the
Lord, the LORD God of Israel. 24 For I will cast out the nations before
you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when
you go up to appear before the LORD your God three times in the year.
25 “You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leaven,
nor shall the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover be left until
morning.
26 “The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring to
the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its
mother’s milk.”
27 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write these words, for according
to the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with
Israel.” 28 So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty
nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the
tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.[a]
The Shining Face of Moses
29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two
tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down
from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face
shone while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children
of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were
afraid to come near him. 31 Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and
all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked
with them. 32 Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he
gave them as commandments all that the LORD had spoken with him on
Mount Sinai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put
a veil on his face. 34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to
speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he
would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been
commanded. 35 And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of
Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put
the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.
Exodus 35
Sabbath Regulations
1 Then Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of
Israel together, and said to them, “These are the words which the
LORD has commanded you to do: 2 Work shall be done for six days, but
the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the
LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. 3 You shall
kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”
Offerings for the Tabernacle
4 And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel,
saying, “This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying: 5
‘Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a
willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD: gold,
silver, and bronze; 6 blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and
goats’ hair; 7 ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood;
8 oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet
incense; 9 onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the
breastplate.
Articles of the Tabernacle
10 ‘All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all
that the LORD has commanded: 11 the tabernacle, its tent, its covering,
its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; 12 the
ark and its poles, with the mercy seat, and the veil of the covering;
13 the table and its poles, all its utensils, and the showbread; 14
also the lampstand for the light, its utensils, its lamps, and the oil
for the light; 15 the incense altar, its poles, the anointing oil, the
sweet incense, and the screen for the door at the entrance of the
tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its
poles, all its utensils, and the laver and its base; 17 the hangings of
the court, its pillars, their sockets, and the screen for the gate of
the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle, the pegs of the court, and
their cords; 19 the garments of ministry,[a] for ministering in the
holy place—the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the
garments of his sons, to minister as priests.’”
The Tabernacle Offerings Presented
20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the
presence of Moses. 21 Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and
everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’s
offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its
service, and for the holy garments. 22 They came, both men and women,
as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings,
rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made
an offering of gold to the LORD. 23 And every man, with whom was found
blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, goats’ hair, red
skins of rams, and badger skins, brought them. 24 Everyone who offered
an offering of silver or bronze brought the LORD’s offering. And
everyone with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the service,
brought it. 25 All the women who were gifted artisans spun yarn with
their hands, and brought what they had spun, of blue, purple, and
scarlet, and fine linen. 26 And all the women whose hearts stirred with
wisdom spun yarn of goats’ hair. 27 The rulers brought onyx
stones, and the stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate,
28 and spices and oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the
sweet incense. 29 The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to
the LORD, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring
material for all kinds of work which the LORD, by the hand of Moses,
had commanded to be done.
The Artisans Called by God
30 And Moses said to the children of Israel, “See, the LORD has
called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of
Judah; 31 and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and
understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, 32 to design
artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, 33 in cutting
jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of
artistic workmanship.
34 “And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and
Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35 He has filled
them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the
designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread,
and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and
those who design artistic works.
Exodus 36
1 “And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in
whom the LORD has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all
manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to
all that the LORD has commanded.”
The People Give More than Enough
2 Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in
whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred,
to come and do the work. 3 And they received from Moses all the
offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the
service of making the sanctuary. So they continued bringing to him
freewill offerings every morning. 4 Then all the craftsmen who were
doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was
doing, 5 and they spoke to Moses, saying, “The people bring much
more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded
us to do.”
6 So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed
throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman do any
more work for the offering of the sanctuary.” And the people were
restrained from bringing, 7 for the material they had was sufficient
for all the work to be done—indeed too much.
Building the Tabernacle
8 Then all the gifted artisans among them who worked on the tabernacle
made ten curtains woven of fine linen, and of blue, purple, and scarlet
thread; with artistic designs of cherubim they made them. 9 The length
of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain
four cubits; the curtains were all the same size. 10 And he coupled
five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to
one another. 11 He made loops of blue yarn on the edge of the curtain
on the selvedge of one set; likewise he did on the outer edge of the
other curtain of the second set. 12 Fifty loops he made on one curtain,
and fifty loops he made on the edge of the curtain on the end of the
second set; the loops held one curtain to another. 13 And he made fifty
clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains to one another with the
clasps, that it might be one tabernacle.
14 He made curtains of goats’ hair for the tent over the
tabernacle; he made eleven curtains. 15 The length of each curtain was
thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven
curtains were the same size. 16 He coupled five curtains by themselves
and six curtains by themselves. 17 And he made fifty loops on the edge
of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops he made on
the edge of the curtain of the second set. 18 He also made fifty bronze
clasps to couple the tent together, that it might be one. 19 Then he
made a covering for the tent of ram skins dyed red, and a covering of
badger skins above that.
20 For the tabernacle he made boards of acacia wood, standing upright.
21 The length of each board was ten cubits, and the width of each board
a cubit and a half. 22 Each board had two tenons for binding one to
another. Thus he made for all the boards of the tabernacle. 23 And he
made boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side. 24
Forty sockets of silver he made to go under the twenty boards: two
sockets under each of the boards for its two tenons. 25 And for the
other side of the tabernacle, the north side, he made twenty boards 26
and their forty sockets of silver: two sockets under each of the
boards. 27 For the west side of the tabernacle he made six boards. 28
He also made two boards for the two back corners of the tabernacle. 29
And they were coupled at the bottom and coupled together at the top by
one ring. Thus he made both of them for the two corners. 30 So there
were eight boards and their sockets—sixteen sockets of
silver—two sockets under each of the boards.
31 And he made bars of acacia wood: five for the boards on one side of
the tabernacle, 32 five bars for the boards on the other side of the
tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle on the far
side westward. 33 And he made the middle bar to pass through the boards
from one end to the other. 34 He overlaid the boards with gold, made
their rings of gold to be holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars
with gold.
35 And he made a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine
woven linen; it was worked with an artistic design of cherubim. 36 He
made for it four pillars of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold,
with their hooks of gold; and he cast four sockets of silver for them.
37 He also made a screen for the tabernacle door, of blue, purple, and
scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver, 38 and its five
pillars with their hooks. And he overlaid their capitals and their
rings with gold, but their five sockets were bronze.
Exodus 37
Making the Ark of the Testimony
1 Then Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits
was its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half
its height. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and
made a molding of gold all around it. 3 And he cast for it four rings
of gold to be set in its four corners: two rings on one side, and two
rings on the other side of it. 4 He made poles of acacia wood, and
overlaid them with gold. 5 And he put the poles into the rings at the
sides of the ark, to bear the ark. 6 He also made the mercy seat of
pure gold; two and a half cubits was its length and a cubit and a half
its width. 7 He made two cherubim of beaten gold; he made them of one
piece at the two ends of the mercy seat: 8 one cherub at one end on
this side, and the other cherub at the other end on that side. He made
the cherubim at the two ends of one piece with the mercy seat. 9 The
cherubim spread out their wings above, and covered the mercy seat with
their wings. They faced one another; the faces of the cherubim were
toward the mercy seat.
Making the Table for the Showbread
10 He made the table of acacia wood; two cubits was its length, a cubit
its width, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And he overlaid it
with pure gold, and made a molding of gold all around it. 12 Also he
made a frame of a handbreadth all around it, and made a molding of gold
for the frame all around it. 13 And he cast for it four rings of gold,
and put the rings on the four corners that were at its four legs. 14
The rings were close to the frame, as holders for the poles to bear the
table. 15 And he made the poles of acacia wood to bear the table, and
overlaid them with gold. 16 He made of pure gold the utensils which
were on the table: its dishes, its cups, its bowls, and its pitchers
for pouring.
Making the Gold Lampstand
17 He also made the lampstand of pure gold; of hammered work he made
the lampstand. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental
knobs, and its flowers were of the same piece. 18 And six branches came
out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of one side, and
three branches of the lampstand out of the other side. 19 There were
three bowls made like almond blossoms on one branch, with an ornamental
knob and a flower, and three bowls made like almond blossoms on the
other branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower—and so for the
six branches coming out of the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand
itself were four bowls made like almond blossoms, each with its
ornamental knob and flower. 21 There was a knob under the first two
branches of the same, a knob under the second two branches of the same,
and a knob under the third two branches of the same, according to the
six branches extending from it. 22 Their knobs and their branches were
of one piece; all of it was one hammered piece of pure gold. 23 And he
made its seven lamps, its wick-trimmers, and its trays of pure gold. 24
Of a talent of pure gold he made it, with all its utensils.
Making the Altar of Incense
25 He made the incense altar of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit and
its width a cubit—it was square—and two cubits was its
height. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 And he overlaid it with
pure gold: its top, its sides all around, and its horns. He also made
for it a molding of gold all around it. 27 He made two rings of gold
for it under its molding, by its two corners on both sides, as holders
for the poles with which to bear it. 28 And he made the poles of acacia
wood, and overlaid them with gold.
Making the Anointing Oil and the Incense
29 He also made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet
spices, according to the work of the perfumer.
Exodus 38
Making the Altar of Burnt Offering
1 He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood; five cubits
was its length and five cubits its width—it was square—and
its height was three cubits. 2 He made its horns on its four corners;
the horns were of one piece with it. And he overlaid it with bronze. 3
He made all the utensils for the altar: the pans, the shovels, the
basins, the forks, and the firepans; all its utensils he made of
bronze. 4 And he made a grate of bronze network for the altar, under
its rim, midway from the bottom. 5 He cast four rings for the four
corners of the bronze grating, as holders for the poles. 6 And he made
the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze. 7 Then he put
the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to bear
it. He made the altar hollow with boards.
Making the Bronze Laver
8 He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze
mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the
tabernacle of meeting.
Making the Court of the Tabernacle
9 Then he made the court on the south side; the hangings of the court
were of fine woven linen, one hundred cubits long. 10 There were twenty
pillars for them, with twenty bronze sockets. The hooks of the pillars
and their bands were silver. 11 On the north side the hangings were one
hundred cubits long, with twenty pillars and their twenty bronze
sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver. 12 And
on the west side there were hangings of fifty cubits, with ten pillars
and their ten sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were
silver. 13 For the east side the hangings were fifty cubits. 14 The
hangings of one side of the gate were fifteen cubits long, with their
three pillars and their three sockets, 15 and the same for the other
side of the court gate; on this side and that were hangings of fifteen
cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets. 16 All the
hangings of the court all around were of fine woven linen. 17 The
sockets for the pillars were bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their
bands were silver, and the overlay of their capitals was silver; and
all the pillars of the court had bands of silver. 18 The screen for the
gate of the court was woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of
fine woven linen. The length was twenty cubits, and the height along
its width was five cubits, corresponding to the hangings of the court.
19 And there were four pillars with their four sockets of bronze; their
hooks were silver, and the overlay of their capitals and their bands
was silver. 20 All the pegs of the tabernacle, and of the court all
around, were bronze.
Materials of the Tabernacle
21 This is the inventory of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the
Testimony, which was counted according to the commandment of Moses, for
the service of the Lemvites, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the
priest.
22 Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made
all that the LORD had commanded Moses. 23 And with him was Aholiab the
son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer, a
weaver of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine linen.
24 All the gold that was used in all the work of the holy place, that
is, the gold of the offering, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred
and thirty shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 25 And
the silver from those who were numbered of the congregation was one
hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five
shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary: 26 a bekah for each
man (that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary),
for everyone included in the numbering from twenty years old and above,
for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men. 27 And
from the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the
sanctuary and the bases of the veil: one hundred sockets from the
hundred talents, one talent for each socket. 28 Then from the one
thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the
pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made bands for them.
29 The offering of bronze was seventy talents and two thousand four
hundred shekels. 30 And with it he made the sockets for the door of the
tabernacle of meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, and
all the utensils for the altar, 31 the sockets for the court all
around, the bases for the court gate, all the pegs for the tabernacle,
and all the pegs for the court all around.
Exodus 39
Making the Garments of the Priesthood
1 Of the blue, purple, and scarlet thread they made garments of
ministry,[a] for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy
garments for Aaron, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Making the Ephod
2 He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of
fine woven linen. 3 And they beat the gold into thin sheets and cut it
into threads, to work it in with the blue, purple, and scarlet thread,
and the fine linen, into artistic designs. 4 They made shoulder straps
for it to couple it together; it was coupled together at its two edges.
5 And the intricately woven band of his ephod that was on it was of the
same workmanship, woven of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and
of fine woven linen, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
6 And they set onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold; they were
engraved, as signets are engraved, with the names of the sons of
Israel. 7 He put them on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones
for the sons of Israel, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Making the Breastplate
8 And he made the breastplate, artistically woven like the workmanship
of the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine
woven linen. 9 They made the breastplate square by doubling it; a span
was its length and a span its width when doubled. 10 And they set in it
four rows of stones: a row with a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald was
the first row; 11 the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and a
diamond; 12 the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13 the
fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in
settings of gold in their mountings. 14 There were twelve stones
according to the names of the sons of Israel: according to their names,
engraved like a signet, each one with its own name according to the
twelve tribes. 15 And they made chains for the breastplate at the ends,
like braided cords of pure gold. 16 They also made two settings of gold
and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the
breastplate. 17 And they put the two braided chains of gold in the two
rings on the ends of the breastplate. 18 The two ends of the two
braided chains they fastened in the two settings, and put them on the
shoulder straps of the ephod in the front. 19 And they made two rings
of gold and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the edge of
it, which was on the inward side of the ephod. 20 They made two other
gold rings and put them on the two shoulder straps, underneath the
ephod toward its front, right at the seam above the intricately woven
band of the ephod. 21 And they bound the breastplate by means of its
rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it would be
above the intricately woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate
would not come loose from the ephod, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Making the Other Priestly Garments
22 He made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. 23 And
there was an opening in the middle of the robe, like the opening in a
coat of mail, with a woven binding all around the opening, so that it
would not tear. 24 They made on the hem of the robe pomegranates of
blue, purple, and scarlet, and of fine woven linen. 25 And they made
bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates on the
hem of the robe all around between the pomegranates: 26 a bell and a
pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe
to minister in, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
27 They made tunics, artistically woven of fine linen, for Aaron and
his sons, 28 a turban of fine linen, exquisite hats of fine linen,
short trousers of fine woven linen, 29 and a sash of fine woven linen
with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, made by a weaver, as the LORD
had commanded Moses.
30 Then they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote
on it an inscription like the engraving of a signet:
HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
31 And they tied to it a blue cord, to fasten it above on the
turban, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
The Work Completed
32 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was
finished. And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD
had commanded Moses; so they did. 33 And they brought the tabernacle to
Moses, the tent and all its furnishings: its clasps, its boards, its
bars, its pillars, and its sockets; 34 the covering of ram skins dyed
red, the covering of badger skins, and the veil of the covering; 35 the
ark of the Testimony with its poles, and the mercy seat; 36 the table,
all its utensils, and the showbread; 37 the pure gold lampstand with
its lamps (the lamps set in order), all its utensils, and the oil for
light; 38 the gold altar, the anointing oil, and the sweet incense; the
screen for the tabernacle door; 39 the bronze altar, its grate of
bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the laver with its base; 40
the hangings of the court, its pillars and its sockets, the screen for
the court gate, its cords, and its pegs; all the utensils for the
service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 41 and the garments
of ministry,[b] to minister in the holy place: the holy garments for
Aaron the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister as priests.
42 According to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the children
of Israel did all the work. 43 Then Moses looked over all the work, and
indeed they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, just so they had
done it. And Moses blessed them.
Exodus 40
The Tabernacle Erected and Arranged
1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “On the first day
of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of
meeting. 3 You shall put in it the ark of the Testimony, and partition
off the ark with the veil. 4 You shall bring in the table and arrange
the things that are to be set in order on it; and you shall bring in
the lampstand and light its lamps. 5 You shall also set the altar of
gold for the incense before the ark of the Testimony, and put up the
screen for the door of the tabernacle. 6 Then you shall set the altar
of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of
meeting. 7 And you shall set the laver between the tabernacle of
meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8 You shall set up the
court all around, and hang up the screen at the court gate.
9 “And you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the
tabernacle and all that is in it; and you shall hallow it and all its
utensils, and it shall be holy. 10 You shall anoint the altar of the
burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar. The
altar shall be most holy. 11 And you shall anoint the laver and its
base, and consecrate it.
12 “Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the
tabernacle of meeting and wash them with water. 13 You shall put the
holy garments on Aaron, and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may
minister to Me as priest. 14 And you shall bring his sons and clothe
them with tunics. 15 You shall anoint them, as you anointed their
father, that they may minister to Me as priests; for their anointing
shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their
generations.”
16 Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so
he did.
17 And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the
first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up. 18 So Moses
raised up the tabernacle, fastened its sockets, set up its boards, put
in its bars, and raised up its pillars. 19 And he spread out the tent
over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, as
the LORD had commanded Moses. 20 He took the Testimony and put it into
the ark, inserted the poles through the rings of the ark, and put the
mercy seat on top of the ark. 21 And he brought the ark into the
tabernacle, hung up the veil of the covering, and partitioned off the
ark of the Testimony, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
22 He put the table in the tabernacle of meeting, on the north side of
the tabernacle, outside the veil; 23 and he set the bread in order upon
it before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 24 He put the
lampstand in the tabernacle of meeting, across from the table, on the
south side of the tabernacle; 25 and he lit the lamps before the LORD,
as the LORD had commanded Moses. 26 He put the gold altar in the
tabernacle of meeting in front of the veil; 27 and he burned sweet
incense on it, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 28 He hung up the
screen at the door of the tabernacle. 29 And he put the altar of burnt
offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and
offered upon it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as the LORD
had commanded Moses. 30 He set the laver between the tabernacle of
meeting and the altar, and put water there for washing; 31 and Moses,
Aaron, and his sons would wash their hands and their feet with water
from it. 32 Whenever they went into the tabernacle of meeting, and when
they came near the altar, they washed, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
33 And he raised up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar,
and hung up the screen of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.
The Cloud and the Glory
34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of
the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the
tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory
of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud was taken up
from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in
all their journeys. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did
not journey till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the
LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in
the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
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