Exodus 37:1-29 VOICE

[1] After this Bezalel built the covenant chest out of acacia wood. It was 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. [2] He overlaid the entire thing, inside and out, with pure gold, and decorated it with gold trim all the way around it. [3] He cast four gold rings and attached them to its four corners-two rings on each side of the chest. [4] He made poles out of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. [5] He slid the poles through the rings on the sides of the chest in order to carry it without touching it. The poles were never to be removed. [6] He built a cover for the chest out of pure gold. It is known as the seat of mercy-where sins are atoned-and it was 45 inches long and 27 inches wide. [7] He also fashioned two winged guardians out of hammered gold and placed them at both ends of the seat of mercy. [8] He placed one winged creature at each end of the seat of mercy. He had it made so that the winged guardians appeared as one solid piece with the cover. [9] The guardians faced one another with bowed heads, their wings spread so that they were reaching up and covering the seat of mercy. [10] Bezalel then built the table out of acacia wood-36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high. [11] He overlaid it with pure gold, and decorated it with gold trim around the edge. [12] He put a three-inch-wide rim around it and placed gold trim around the rim. [13] Then he cast four gold rings and attached them to each of the table's four corners at its four legs. [14] The rings were placed just beneath the rim so they could hold the poles in order to carry the table. [15] He made the poles out of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. [16] He had his artisans make different kinds of vessels for use at the table-platters, pans, pitchers, and bowls-out of pure gold for use with the offerings of incense and drink. [17] Then Bezalel fashioned a lampstand out of pure, hammered gold. He made its base, trunk, branches, decorative buds and blossoms, and lamp cups out of one solid piece. [18] Six branches extended from the trunk's sides-three on one side and three on the other. [19] Each of the six branches had three decorative cups shaped like almond blossoms whose buds have just flowered. [20] On the trunk of the lampstand, there were four cups, shaped like almond blossoms whose buds have just flowered. [21] A single almond bud sat beneath each pair of six branches extending out from the trunk of the lampstand. [22] All the buds and branches were crafted out of pure, hammered gold of one solid piece. [23] Bezalel had his artisans make seven lamps, trays, and tongs out of pure gold. [24] He made the lampstand and all its accessories out of 75 pounds of pure gold. [25] Bezalel then built the altar of incense out of more acacia wood. He made it in the shape of a square-18 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 36 inches high. He carved the horns and the top of the altar out of one piece of wood. [26] He overlaid the whole thing, the top, the sides, and the horns with pure gold and attached a gold trim around its edges. [27] He fashioned two gold rings and attached them beneath the trim on the two opposite sides to hold the poles used to carry the altar. [28] He made the poles out of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. [29] With the skill of a master perfumer, he blended the ingredients to make the sacred anointing oil and fragrant incense.