#Breastpiece of Decision

[lordgodjehovahsway]

Exodus 28: God Gives Moses Guidance and Orders on the Sacred Garments Aaron and His Sons will Wear as Priests

1 “Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. 

2 Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. 

3 Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. 

4 These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. 

5 Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

The Ephod

6 “Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of skilled hands. 

7 It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. 

8 Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.

9 “Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel 

10 in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. 

11 Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings 

12 and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the Lord. 

13 Make gold filigree settings 

14 and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece

15 “Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 

16 It is to be square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double. 

17 Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 

18 the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 

19 the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; 

20 the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings. 

21 There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

22 “For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. 

23 Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece. 

24 Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 

25 and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. 

26 Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. 

27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. 

28 The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

29 “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. 

30 Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

Other Priestly Garments

31 “Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, 

32 with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar around this opening, so that it will not tear. 

33 Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. 

34 The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. 

35 Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die.

36 “Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the Lord. 

37 Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. 

38 It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the Lord.

39 “Weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer. 

40 Make tunics, sashes and caps for Aaron’s sons to give them dignity and honor. 

41 After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.

42 “Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. 

43 Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die.

“This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants.

[thepitofjob]

Job 28: 12-19: "Urim and Thummim."

Our interlude, a product of what is called Binah, "the understanding of the architecture of the data" continues as we delve into the properties of what is called the Ephod. The Ephod or chestplate all Jews own and wear, they put it on before they fix their hair under their turbans.

The purpose of the Ephod is found in Vayeshev:

25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites [those who hear, obey, and act] coming from Gilead [the heap of testimony stones, AKA the Ephod, the human heart], with their camels [young men bearing the virtues] bearing gum [sugar meaning kindness], balm [compassion], and myrrh [holiness], on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite [strifers] traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels[c] of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

-> seeing a cure for Strife, some mugs traded Prosperity which filled a dry well for wares from the Obedient Actors and went on their way.

The myrrh trade is borne by Reporters who understand the meaning of lessons of life which they lean in Gilead, the place whence one learns and incorporates the Testimony Stones. Men need all of these precious substances and minerals in order to extract the fruit, Joseph from the pit.

"And they drew Joseph up" like a fruit smoothie or something. The Value in Gematria is 9560, טהס‎, תחש, "like a dolphin." ‎The Kabbalah of the Dolphin refers to the speed and agility one has in the water, AKA "a hurrier".

Our interlude then must contain knowledge of the Ephod and the Gilead Fountain well ahead of time so proper comparisons can be made. The comparison of the frankinsense or myrrh trade to Binah is a good one. One must cut the tree, wait for the resin to myrrh to bleed, then one must harvest, dry, and transport it thousands of miles away to its final destination for evaporation in a sacred place:

12 But where can wisdom be found?     Where does understanding dwell? 13 No mortal comprehends its worth;     it cannot be found in the land of the living. 14 The deep says, “It is not in me”;     the sea says, “It is not with me.” 15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold,     nor can its price be weighed out in silver. 16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,     with precious onyx or lapis lazuli. 17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,     nor can it be had for jewels of gold. 18 Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;     the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. 19 The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;     it cannot be bought with pure gold.

The stones in the Ephod are not to be taken literally. Each one has a hidden meaning. From Tetzaveh:

15 “Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 16 It is to be square—a span[a] long and a span wide—and folded double. 17 Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 18 the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 19 the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; 20 the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper.[b] Mount them in gold filigree settings. 21 There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

Four Rows = Four Directions, each has three attributes assigned to it.

22 “For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. 23 Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece. 24 Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 25 and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. 26 Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. 27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. 28 The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

The Blue Cord of the Intellect, where science informs the emotions and ensures they do not unhinge the rest is essential. As the Torah says, we must be married and bound by choice, by rule of law and evolutionary pressure. We cannot make ourselves in knights in shining armor, we must learn how to do it.

29 “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. 30 Also put the Urim "lights from flames" and the Thummim "perfections, integrities" in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord."

We peform Binah as the Torah says in order to be effective in all that we do. As the Etymology says "to close the distance between oneself and other breathers."

"The verb בין (bin) means to understand (Job 18:2), consider (Deuteronomy 32:7), perceive (Proverbs 7:7), have insight (Jeremiah 49:7), discern (1 Samuel 16:18). In Arabic this word means to become separated. In Sabean an associated noun means the wise.

Two derivatives of this verb are בינה (bina) and תבונה (tebuna), both meaning understanding, which is quite logical, but derivative בין (ben) meaning 'between' is perhaps harder to distinguish.

A radar works by emitting bundles of rays. If the bundle is wide, two little objects in the distance will be reflected as one dot on the radar screen. If the bundle is narrow the two little objects will be separately distinguished.

This difficult adverb therefore primarily defines the identity of parties and their relative identity, rather than just the space between them. This is the reason why this word occurs double or triple in statements like: ביני וביניכם ובין כל־נפש חיה, literally: between me and between you and between all living breathers (Genesis 9:12)."

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 12-13: But where can wisdom be found? Not on this planet, sister brother.

The Number is 9364, טגוד‎ ‎‎‎, tagud, "an association or guild, binding society together through organization."

Associations are made up of survivors. Survivors are the ones that tell society about the evil they have seen and pressure the naive to avoid repeating the causes of depravity from which they escaped. All the religions are supposed to warehouse these experiences and petition their pilgrims to heed the wisdom of survivors.

v. 14-15: It is not in me, nor can it be bought. We already know one cannot exit the vagina and then become a very good man. Punishment will not incite wisdom, there is no incentive that can induce it. One must assert to oneself a Superior Being made the world and is wise in all things and the Torah is His doing. We know in fact that it is, so there should be not one problem explaining its value to mankind.

The Number is 8486, חדחו‎‎‎‎, "they were exhausted." In sanskrit, there is a term called jiva. Jiva means "life in bondage." Bondage, according to the Torah is forbidden. One may not, under any circumstances permit lordship over the Self by any other except the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God will never tell us what to do or force us to act. He will gladly supply us with His Wisdom, but what happens next is always a work in progress of our own making.

The more one attempts to fathom this, the fewer the moments spent in bondage. Eventually the jiva ends. Many wonder if this excludes every expectation or desire men experience, as if freedom from bondage means we are not allowed to do much of anything but sit up, wash, eat, drink, work, pee and then go to sleep. The Torah allows quite a lot, from certain things it teaches us to refrain.

Yes, one can engage in bondage, except one cannot fail in one's duties or responsibilities while doing it. That is not hard to understand.

The conscious decision to fulfill one's duties is the result of habit. The habit should not be broken or the "exhausted" tendency will gain new life and the jiva will return and begin to take over once again.

v. 16-17: It cannot be bought with Ophir: "Its strength must be broken."

"It's not clear what the unused verb אפר ('apar) might have meant but it's clearly not very positive and possibly has to do with being exhausted or depleted of inner strength and inherent merit.

Noun אפר ('eper) means ashes, which is what remains when all useful energy is extracted from a fuel. Noun אפר ('aper) means covering or bandage, which is what is applied over a limb when its inherent strength is broken."

The Number is 10382, קגחב‎‎, "the density of the darkness."

Jiva habits have to be drowned in the dense darkness of meditation. One must sit, close one's eyes and be able to take control of what is happening. For this exercise there is no substitute.

Even though I consider myself proficient at meditation, I still get angry, frustrated, or sad but I do not allow these emotional experiences to affect my lifestyle. I do not permit my emotions to have follow through or rebound in my actions. If they surface, I wait for them to pass by then I act. The expectations of one's actions must be managed well ahead of time and for that one must understand what the mind is like after it has gone dark.

v. 18-19: The price of wisdom is beyond rubies. Rubies are Kabbalah for the struggle I mention above. One must wrestle with addictive, compulsive, and aggravating impulses in the mind till one is the master. This is not fun. Rubies symbolize just how much fun this is not.

"The verb כיד (kyd) is also not used in the Bible but in cognate language it describes pains, strive or struggle, which is not far removed from כדד (kdd). This root's sole derivative is the noun כידון (kidon), meaning dart or javelin as an instrument of combat (1 Samuel 17:45, Jeremiah 50:42, Job 41:21)."

Javelins exist well beyond the range of the mind, the hand, the arms, the legs and feet. Well beyond the range of the struggle is the exhaustion of the jiva, still we aim the weapon of the mind and hurl our thoughts at it, and eventually the jiva will be caught.

The Number is 10504, יןד‎, "yind". "will be worn." What is worn is supposed to be the Self. Unlike the jiva, the Self is eternal, never worn out.

While it is indeed fun to get high and put on leather underthings and hang out with the fellas, this will eventually create a jiva, a lifestyle. The one can figure out how to harness the Self and wield it as if it were the sole driver is the one we want to become. Others will respect and listen to such a person. The former, he will not be respected as much.

[verseofthedayus]

Verse of the Day - Today's Verse - Exodus 28:29

Verse of the Day: Today's Verse – Exodus 28:29 Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD. —Exodus 28:29 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Symbolically, the High Priest had all the people of Israel “on his heart” when he entered the Holy Place. Jesus, our ultimate Priest, had…

[yhwhrulz]

Wayside Chapel Daily Devotional 16th February 2023

February 16

Exodus 28:30 30Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.

The LORD gave Moses detailed instructions for the Tabernacle (a mobile house of worship) and all its furniture and instruments. The priests had special clothing that they were to wear when they ministered. The High Priest had a breastpiece that had twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. We do not know the details of the Urim and Thummim, but they are believed to be two additional stones that were used to determine the LORD's will. Since the Spirit of God came upon people, but did not live in their hearts until Pentecost, the people needed some way to determine the LORD's leading. Some believe that these stones would glow, one for a 'yes' answer, the other for a 'no' answer. They were worn over the high priest's heart.

Some people today would love to have the Urim and Thummim. I often hear people say, "If God would just send me a fax, it would be so much easier." God desires us to have an intimate relationship with Him. I'm grateful I live in a day when I do not have to consult a stone, but instead have the Spirit of God living in my heart. If I have been walking in communion with Him, the answer is always clear and very personal. I get a 'yes' or a 'no' or no glow at all in my heart. No glow at all means I'm not ready to know the answer, or I'm asking the wrong question and need not worry about it now. That is the time when people would like that fax from God. But God is telling us, "Trust me! I know what is best and will tell you when you need to know." His "not now" answer should be sufficient for us. Trust Him!

Consider: If the answer to your question is not clearly in God's Word, God can speak to your heart, as long as you genuinely desire to know His will.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Priestly Garments

1 “Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. 2 Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. 3 Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. 4 These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. 5 Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

The Ephod

6 “Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of skilled hands. 7 It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. 8 Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.

9 “Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel 10 in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. 11 Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings 12 and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the Lord. 13 Make gold filigree settings 14 and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece

15 “Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 16 It is to be square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double. 17 Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 18 the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 19 the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; 20 the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings. 21 There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

22 “For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. 23 Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece. 24 Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 25 and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. 26 Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. 27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. 28 The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

29 “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. 30 Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord. — Exodus 28:1-30 | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide. Cross References: Exodus 25:3-4; Exodus 25:7; Exodus 29:5; Exodus 39:2; Exodus 39:5-6; Exodus 39:8; Exodus 39:10; Exodus 39:12-13; Exodus 39:15-16; Exodus 39:18; Leviticus 8:8; Ezra 2:63; Nehemiah 7:65; Song of Solomon 5:14; 1 Corinthians 11:24; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Hebrews 5:1; Revelation 7:4; Revelation 21:19-20

[hatrackley]

Making Decisions

“Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. It is to be square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double. Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and…

[talmidimblogging]

Faithlife Verse of the Day Exodus 28:29 w/notes

Faithlife Verse of the Day Exodus 28:29 w/notes

Exodus 28:29 NET w/notes 28:29 Aaron will bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of decision over his heart39 when he goes into the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. Read more 39sn So Aaron will have the names of the tribes on his shoulders (v. 12) which bear the weight and symbol of office (see Isa 9:6; 22:22), and over his heart (implying that they have…

[thestreamofconsciousness777]

Moses and Aaron were among his priests, and Samuel was among those calling upon his name. They were calling to Jehovah, and he himself kept answering them...

“You must not take up an untrue report. Do not cooperate with a wicked one by becoming a witness who schemes violence. You must not follow after the crowd for evil ends; and you must not testify over a controversy so as to turn aside with the crowd in order to pervert justice. As for the lowly one, you must not show preference in a controversy of his.

“Should you come upon your enemy’s bull or his ass going astray, you are to return it without fail to him. Should you see the ass of someone who hates you lying down under its load, then you must refrain from leaving him. With him you are without fail to get it loose.

“You are not to pervert the judicial decision of your poor man in his controversy.

“You are to keep far from a false word. And do not kill the innocent and the righteous, for I shall not declare the wicked one righteous.

“You are not to accept a bribe, for the bribe blinds clear-sighted men and can distort the words of righteous men.

“And you must not oppress an alien resident, as YOU yourselves have known the soul of the alien resident, because YOU became alien residents in the land of Egypt.

“And for six years you are to sow your land with seed and you must gather its produce. But the seventh year you are to leave it uncultivated and you must let it lie fallow, and the poor ones of your people must eat of it; and what is left over by them the wild beasts of the field are to eat. That is the way you are to do with your vineyard and your olive grove.

“Six days you are to do your work; but on the seventh day you are to desist, in order that your bull and your ass may rest and the son of your slave girl and the alien resident may refresh themselves.

“And YOU are to be on your guard respecting all that I have said to YOU; and YOU must not mention the name of other gods. It should not be heard upon your mouth.

“Three times in the year you are to celebrate a festival to me. You will keep the festival of unfermented cakes. You will eat unfermented cakes seven days, just as I have commanded you, at the appointed time in the month of A’bib, because in it you came out of Egypt. And they must not appear before me empty-handed. Also, the festival of harvest of the first ripe fruits of your labors, of what you sow in the field; and the festival of ingathering at the outgoing of the year, when you gather in your labors from the field. On three occasions in the year every male of yours will appear before the face of the [true] Lord, Jehovah.

“You must not sacrifice along with what is leavened the blood of my sacrifice. And the fat of my festival should not stay overnight until morning.

“The best of the first ripe fruits of your ground you are to bring to the house of Jehovah your God. “You must not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.

“Here I am sending an angel ahead of you to keep you on the road and to bring you into the place that I have prepared. Watch yourself because of him and obey his voice. Do not behave rebelliously against him, for he will not pardon YOUR transgression; because my name is within him. However, if you strictly obey his voice and really do all that I shall speak, then I shall certainly be hostile to your enemies and harass those who harass you. For my angel will go ahead of you and will indeed bring you to the Am’or·ites and the Hit’tites and the Per’iz·zites and the Ca’naan·ites, the Hi’vites and the Jeb’u·sites, and I shall certainly efface them. You must not bow down to their gods or be induced to serve them, and you must not make anything like their works, but you will without fail throw them down and you will without fail break down their sacred pillars. And YOU must serve Jehovah YOUR God, and he will certainly bless your bread and your water; and I shall indeed turn malady away from your midst. Neither a woman suffering an abortion nor a barren woman will exist in your land. I shall make the number of your days full.

“And I shall send the fright of me ahead of you, and I shall certainly throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I shall indeed give the back of the neck of all your enemies to you. And I will send the feeling of dejection ahead of you, and it will simply drive the Hi’vites, the Ca’naan·ites and the Hit’tites out from before you. I shall not drive them out from before you in one year, that the land may not become a desolate waste and the wild beasts of the field really multiply against you. Little by little I shall drive them out from before you, until you become fruitful and really take possession of the land.

“And I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Phi·lis’tines and from the wilderness to the River; because I shall give into YOUR hand the inhabitants of the land, and you will certainly drive them out from before yourself. You are not to conclude a covenant with them or their gods. They should not dwell in your land, that they may not cause you to sin against me. In case you should serve their gods, it would become a snare to you.”

And to Moses he said: “Go up to Jehovah, you and Aaron, Na’dab and A·bi’hu and seventy of the older men of Israel, and YOU must bow down from a distance. And Moses by himself must approach Jehovah; but they should not approach, and the people should not go up with him.”

Then Moses came and related to the people all the words of Jehovah and all the judicial decisions, and all the people answered with one voice and said: “All the words that Jehovah has spoken we are willing to do.” Accordingly Moses wrote down all the words of Jehovah. Then he got up early in the morning and built at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve pillars corresponding with the twelve tribes of Israel. After that he sent young men of the sons of Israel and they offered up burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as sacrifices, as communion sacrifices to Jehovah. Then Moses took half the blood and put it in bowls, and half the blood he sprinkled upon the altar. Finally he took the book of the covenant and read it in the ears of the people. Then they said: “All that Jehovah has spoken we are willing to do and be obedient.” So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people and said: “Here is the blood of the covenant that Jehovah has concluded with YOU as respects all these words.”

And Moses and Aaron, Na’dab and A·bi’hu and seventy of the older men of Israel proceeded to go up, and they got to see the God of Israel. And under his feet there was what seemed like a work of sapphire flagstones and like the very heavens for purity. And he did not put out his hand against the distinguished men of the sons of Israel, but they got a vision of the [true] God and ate and drank.

Jehovah now said to Moses: “Come up to me in the mountain and stay there, as I want to give you the stone tablets and the law and the commandment that I must write in order to teach them.” So Moses and Joshua his minister got up and Moses went up into the mountain of the [true] God. But to the older men he had said: “YOU wait for us in this place until we return to YOU. And, look! Aaron and Hur are with YOU. Whoever has a case at law, let him approach them.” Thus Moses went up into the mountain while the cloud was covering the mountain.

And Jehovah’s glory continued to reside upon Mount Si’nai, and the cloud continued to cover it for six days. At length on the seventh day he called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the sight of Jehovah’s glory was like a devouring fire on the mountaintop. Then Moses entered into the midst of the cloud and went on up the mountain. And Moses continued in the mountain forty days and forty nights.

And Jehovah proceeded to speak to Moses, saying: “Speak to the sons of Israel, that they may take up a contribution for me: From every man whose heart incites him YOU people are to take up the contribution of mine. And this is the contribution that YOU are to take up from them: gold and silver and copper, and blue thread, and wool dyed reddish purple, and coccus scarlet material, and fine linen, and goat’s hair, and ram skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood; oil for the luminary, balsam oil for the anointing oil and for perfumed incense; and onyx stones and setting stones for the eph’od and for the breastpiece. And they must make a sanctuary for me, as I must tabernacle in the midst of them. According to all that I am showing you as the pattern of the tabernacle and pattern of all its furnishings, that is the way YOU are to make it.

“And they must make an Ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits its length and a cubit and a half its width and a cubit and a half its height. And you must overlay it with pure gold. Inside and outside you are to overlay it, and you must make a border of gold round about upon it. And you must cast four rings of gold for it and put them above its four feet, with two rings upon the one side of it and two rings upon its other side. And you must make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you must put the poles through the rings upon the sides of the Ark in order to carry the Ark with them. In the rings of the Ark the poles are to stay. They are not to be removed from it. And you must place in the Ark the testimony that I shall give you.

“And you must make a cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits its length and a cubit and a half its width. And you must make two cherubs of gold. Of hammered work you are to make them on both ends of the cover. And make one cherub on this end and one cherub on that end. On the cover YOU are to make the cherubs at its two ends. And the cherubs must be spreading out their two wings upward, screening over the cover with their wings, with their faces one toward the other. Toward the cover the faces of the cherubs should be. And you must place the cover above upon the Ark, and in the Ark you will place the testimony that I shall give you. And I will present myself to you there and speak with you from above the cover, from between the two cherubs that are upon the ark of the testimony, even all that I shall command you for the sons of Israel.

“And you must make a table of acacia wood, two cubits its length and a cubit its width and a cubit and a half its height. And you must overlay it with pure gold, and you must make for it a border of gold round about. And you must make for it a rim of a handbreadth round about, and you must make the border of gold for its rim round about. And you must make for it four rings of gold and place the rings on the four corners that are for the four feet. The rings should be close by the rim as supports for the poles to carry the table. And you must make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, and they must carry the table with them.

“And you must make its dishes and its cups and its pitchers and its bowls with which they will pour [libations]. You are to make them out of pure gold. And you must put the showbread upon the table before me constantly.

“And you must make a lampstand of pure gold. Of hammered work the lampstand is to be made. Its base, its branches, its cups, its knobs and its blossoms are to proceed out from it. And six branches are running out from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. Three cups shaped like flowers of almond are on the one set of branches, with knobs and blossoms alternating, and three cups shaped like flowers of almond on the other set of branches, with knobs and blossoms alternating. This is the way it is with the six branches running out from the lampstand. And on the lampstand are four cups shaped like flowers of almond, with its knobs and its blossoms alternating. And the knob under two branches is out of it and the knob under the two other branches is out of it and the knob under two more branches is out of it, for the six branches running out from the lampstand. Their knobs and their branches are to proceed out from it. All of it is one piece of hammered work, of pure gold. And you must make seven lamps for it; and the lamps must be lit up, and they must shine upon the area in front of it. And its snuffers and its fire holders are of pure gold. Of a talent of pure gold he should make it with all these utensils of it. And see that you make them after their pattern that was shown to you in the mountain.

“And the tabernacle you are to make of ten tent cloths, of fine twisted linen and blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material. With cherubs, the work of an embroiderer, you will make them. The length of each tent cloth is twenty-eight cubits and the width of each tent cloth is four cubits. There is one measure for all the tent cloths. Five tent cloths are to form a series with the one joined to the other, and five tent cloths a series with the one joined to the other. And you must make loops of blue thread upon the edge of the one tent cloth at the end of the series; and you are to do the same upon the edge of the outermost tent cloth at the other place of junction. You will make fifty loops on the one tent cloth, and fifty loops you will make on the extremity of the tent cloth that is at the other place of junction, the loops being opposite one to the other. And you must make fifty hooks of gold and join the tent cloths one to the other by means of the hooks, and it must become one tabernacle.

“And you must make cloths of goat’s hair for the tent upon the tabernacle. You will make eleven tent cloths. The length of each tent cloth is thirty cubits, and the width of each tent cloth is four cubits. There is one measure for the eleven tent cloths. And you must join five tent cloths by themselves and six tent cloths by themselves, and you must fold double the sixth tent cloth at the forefront of the tent. And you must make fifty loops upon the edge of the one tent cloth, the outermost one in the series, and fifty loops upon the edge of the tent cloth at the other place of junction. And you must make fifty hooks of copper and put the hooks in the loops and join the tent together, and it must become one. And what remains over of the cloths of the tent is an overhanging. Half of the tent cloth that remains over is to hang over the back of the tabernacle. And the cubit on this side and the cubit on that side in what remains over in the length of the cloths of the tent will serve as an overhanging on the sides of the tabernacle, to cover it on this side and on that.

“And you must make a covering for the tent of ram skins dyed red and a covering of sealskins up on top.

“And you must make the panel frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing on end. Ten cubits is the length of a panel frame, and a cubit and a half is the width of each panel frame. Each panel frame has two tenons joined one to the other. That is the way you will do with all the panel frames of the tabernacle. And you must make the panel frames for the tabernacle, twenty panel frames for the side toward the Neg’eb, to the south.

“And you will make forty socket pedestals of silver under the twenty panel frames; two socket pedestals under the one panel frame with its two tenons, and two socket pedestals under the other panel frame with its two tenons. And for the other side of the tabernacle, the northern side, twenty panel frames, and their forty socket pedestals of silver, two socket pedestals under the one panel frame and two socket pedestals under the other panel frame. And for the rear sections of the tabernacle to the west you will make six panel frames. And you will make two panel frames as corner posts of the tabernacle on its two rear sections. And they should be duplicates at the bottom, and together they should be duplicates up to the top of each one at the first ring. That is the way it should be for the two of them. They will serve as two corner posts. And there must be eight panel frames and their socket pedestals of silver, sixteen pedestals, two socket pedestals under the one panel frame and two socket pedestals under the other panel frame.

“And you must make bars of acacia wood, five for the panel frames of the one side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the panel frames of the other side of the tabernacle and five bars for the panel frames of the side of the tabernacle for the two rear sections to the west. And the middle bar at the center of the panel frames is running through from end to end.

“And you will overlay the panel frames with gold, and their rings you will make of gold as supports for the bars; and you must overlay the bars with gold. And you must set up the tabernacle according to the plan of it that you have been shown in the mountain.

“And you must make a curtain of blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen. He will make it with cherubs, the work of an embroiderer. And you must put it upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold. Their pegs are of gold. They are upon four socket pedestals of silver. And you must put the curtain under the hooks and bring the ark of the testimony there within the curtain; and the curtain must make a division for YOU between the Holy and the Most Holy. And you must put the cover upon the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy.

“And you must set the table outside the curtain, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and the table you will put on the north side. And you must make a screen for the entrance of the tent of blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver. And you must make for the screen five pillars of acacia and overlay them with gold. Their pegs are of gold. And you must cast for them five socket pedestals of copper.

“And you must make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits its length and five cubits its width. The altar should be foursquare, and its height three cubits. And you must make its horns upon its four corners. Its horns will proceed out of it, and you must overlay it with copper. And you must make its cans for clearing away its fatty ashes, and its shovels, and its bowls, and its forks, and its fire holders; and you will make all its utensils of copper. And you must make a grating for it, a network of copper; and you must make upon the net four rings of copper at its four extremities. And you must put it under the altar’s rim down within, and the net must be toward the center of the altar. And you must make poles for the altar, its poles being of acacia wood, and you must overlay them with copper. And its poles must be put into the rings, and the poles must be upon the two sides of the altar when carrying it. A hollow chest of planks you will make it. Just as he showed you in the mountain, so they will make it.

“And you must make the courtyard of the tabernacle. For the side toward the Neg’eb, to the south, the courtyard has hangings of fine twisted linen, a hundred cubits being the length for the one side. And its twenty pillars and their twenty socket pedestals are of copper. The pegs of the pillars and their joints are of silver. So, too, it is for the north side in length, the hangings being for a hundred cubits of length, and its twenty pillars and their twenty socket pedestals being of copper, the pegs of the pillars and their joints being of silver. As for the width of the courtyard, on the west side the hangings are of fifty cubits, their pillars being ten and their socket pedestals ten. And the width of the courtyard on the east side toward the sunrising is fifty cubits. And there are fifteen cubits of hangings to one side, their pillars being three and their socket pedestals three. And for the other side there are fifteen cubits of hangings, their pillars being three and their socket pedestals three.

“And for the gate of the courtyard there is a screen twenty cubits long, of blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver, their pillars being four and their socket pedestals four. All the pillars of the courtyard round about have fastenings of silver, and their pegs are of silver but their socket pedestals of copper. The length of the courtyard is a hundred cubits, and the width fifty cubits, and the height five cubits, of fine twisted linen, and their socket pedestals being of copper. And all the utensils of the tabernacle in all its service, and all its tent pins, and all the pins of the courtyard are of copper.

“As for you, you are to command the sons of Israel that they get for you pure, beaten olive oil for the luminary, in order to light up the lamps constantly. In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that is by the Testimony, Aaron and his sons will set it in order from evening till morning before Jehovah. It is a statute to time indefinite for their generations, to be performed by the sons of Israel.

“And as for you, bring near to yourself Aaron your brother and his sons with him from the midst of the sons of Israel that he may act as priest to me, Aaron, Na’dab and A·bi’hu, El·e·a’zar and Ith’a·mar, the sons of Aaron. And you must make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and beauty. And you yourself are to speak to all the ones wise with a heart that I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, and they must make Aaron’s garments for sanctifying him, that he may act as priest to me.

“And these are the garments that they will make: a breastpiece, and an eph’od and a sleeveless coat and a robe of checkerwork, a turban and a sash; and they must make the holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may act as priest to me. And they themselves will take the gold and the blue thread and the wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material and the fine linen.

“And they must make the eph’od of gold, blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple, coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer. And it is to have two shoulder pieces to be joined at its two extremities, and it must be joined. And the girdle, which is upon it for tying it close, according to its workmanship should be of its materials, of gold, blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen.

“And you must take two onyx stones and engrave upon them the names of the sons of Israel, six of their names upon the one stone and the names of the six remaining ones upon the other stone in the order of their births. With the work of a craftsman in stones, with the engravings of a seal, you are to engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. Set in settings of gold is how you will make them. And you must put the two stones upon the shoulder pieces of the eph’od as memorial stones for the sons of Israel; and Aaron must carry their names before Jehovah upon his two shoulder pieces as a memorial. And you must make settings of gold, and two chains of pure gold. As cords you will make them, with the workmanship of a rope; and you must attach the ropelike chains to the settings.

“And you must make the breastpiece of judgment with the workmanship of an embroiderer. Like the workmanship of the eph’od you will make it. Of gold, blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen you will make it. It should be foursquare when doubled, a span of the hand being its length and a span of the hand its width. And you must fill it with a filling of stones, there being four rows of stones. A row of ruby, topaz and emerald is the first row. And the second row is turquoise, sapphire and jasper. And the third row is lesh’em stone, agate and amethyst. And the fourth row is chrys’o·lite and onyx and jade. Sockets of gold should be in their fillings. And the stones should be according to the names of the sons of Israel, the twelve according to their names. With the engravings of a seal they should be, each one according to its name, for the twelve tribes.

“And you must make upon the breastpiece wreathed chains, in ropework, of pure gold. And you must make upon the breastpiece two rings of gold, and you must put the two rings upon the two extremities of the breastpiece. And you must put the two ropes of gold through the two rings at the extremities of the breastpiece. And you will put the two ends of the two ropes through the two settings, and you must put them upon the shoulder pieces of the eph’od, at the forefront of it. And you must make two rings of gold and set them at the two extremities of the breastpiece upon its edge that is on the side toward the eph’od inward. And you must make two rings of gold and put them upon the two shoulder pieces of the eph’od from below, on its forefront, near its place of joining, above the girdle of the eph’od. And they will bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the eph’od with a blue string, that it may continue above the girdle of the eph’od and the breastpiece may not get displaced from on top the eph’od.

“And Aaron must carry the names of the sons of Israel on the breastpiece of judgment over his heart when he comes into the Holy as a memorial before Jehovah constantly. And you must put the U’rim and the Thum’mim into the breastpiece of judgment, and they must prove to be over Aaron’s heart when he comes in before Jehovah; and Aaron must carry the judgments of the sons of Israel over his heart before Jehovah constantly.

“And you must make the sleeveless coat of the eph’od completely of blue thread. And there must be an opening at its top in the middle of it. Its opening should have a border round about, the product of a loom worker. Like the opening of a coat of mail it should be for it, that it may not be torn. And you must make upon the hem of it pomegranates of blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material, upon its hem round about, and bells of gold in between them round about; a bell of gold and a pomegranate, a bell of gold and a pomegranate upon the hem of the sleeveless coat round about. And it must be upon Aaron that he may minister, and the sound from him must be heard when he goes into the sanctuary before Jehovah and when he comes out, that he may not die.

“And you must make a shining plate of pure gold and engrave upon it with the engravings of a seal, ‘Holiness belongs to Jehovah.’ And you must fasten it with a blue string, and it must come to be upon the turban. On the forefront of the turban it should come to be. And it must come to be upon Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron must answer for the error committed against the holy objects, which the sons of Israel will sanctify, that is to say, all their holy gifts; and it must stay upon his forehead constantly, to gain approval for them before Jehovah.

“And you must weave in checkerwork the robe of fine linen and make a turban of fine linen, and you will make a sash, the work of a weaver.

“And for Aaron’s sons you will make robes, and you must make sashes for them, and you will make headgears for them for glory and beauty. And with them you must clothe Aaron your brother and his sons with him, and you must anoint them and fill their hand with power and sanctify them, and they must act as priests to me. And make drawers of linen for them to cover the naked flesh. From the hips and to the thighs they are to extend. And they must be upon Aaron and his sons when they come into the tent of meeting or when they go near to the altar to minister in the holy place, that they may not incur error and certainly die. It is a statute to time indefinite for him and his offspring after him.

“And this is the thing that you are to do to them to sanctify them for acting as priests to me: Take a young bull, and two rams, sound ones, and unfermented bread and unfermented ring-shaped cakes moistened with oil and unfermented wafers smeared with oil. Out of fine wheat flour you will make them. And you must put them upon a basket and present them in the basket, and also the bull and the two rams.

“And you will present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and you must wash them with water. Then you must take the garments and clothe Aaron with the robe and the sleeveless coat of the eph’od and with the eph’od and the breastpiece, and you must tie it closely to him with the girdle of the eph’od. And you must set the turban upon his head and put the holy sign of dedication upon the turban. And you must take the anointing oil and pour it upon his head and anoint him.

“Then you will bring his sons near and you must clothe them with the robes. And you must gird them with the sashes, Aaron as well as his sons, and you must wrap the headgear upon them; and the priesthood must become theirs as a statute to time indefinite. So you must fill the hand of Aaron and the hand of his sons with power.

“You must now present the bull before the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands upon the bull’s head. And you must slaughter the bull before Jehovah, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And you must take some of the bull’s blood and put it with your finger upon the horns of the altar, and all the rest of the blood you will pour out at the base of the altar. And you must take all the fat that covers the intestines, and the appendage upon the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them, and you must make them smoke upon the altar. But the bull’s flesh and its skin and its dung you will burn with fire outside the camp. It is a sin offering.

“Then you will take the one ram, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands upon the ram’s head. And you must slaughter the ram and take its blood and sprinkle it round about upon the altar. And you will cut up the ram into its pieces, and you must wash its intestines and its shanks and put its pieces to one another and up to its head. And you must make the entire ram smoke upon the altar. It is a burnt offering to Jehovah, a restful odor. It is an offering made by fire to Jehovah.

“Next you must take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands upon the ram’s head. And you must slaughter the ram and take some of its blood and put it upon the lobe of Aaron’s right ear and upon the lobe of his sons’ right ear and upon the thumb of their right hand and the big toe of their right foot, and you must sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar. And you must take some of the blood that is upon the altar and some of the anointing oil, and you must spatter it upon Aaron and his garments and upon his sons and the garments of his sons with him, that he and his garments and his sons and the garments of his sons with him may indeed be holy.

“And you must take from the ram the fat and the fat tail and the fat that covers the intestines, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them, and the right leg, for it is a ram of installation; also a round loaf of bread and a ring-shaped cake of oiled bread and a wafer out of the basket of unfermented cakes that is before Jehovah. And you must place them all upon the palms of Aaron and upon the palms of his sons, and you must wave them to and fro as a wave offering before Jehovah. And you must take them off their hands and make them smoke upon the altar upon the burnt offering as a restful odor before Jehovah. It is an offering made by fire to Jehovah.

“And you must take the breast of the ram of installation, which is for Aaron, and wave it to and fro as a wave offering before Jehovah, and it must become your portion. And you must sanctify the breast of the wave offering and the leg of the sacred portion that was waved and that was contributed from the ram of installation, from what was for Aaron and from what was for his sons. And it must become Aaron’s and his sons’ by a regulation to time indefinite to be performed by the sons of Israel, because it is a sacred portion; and it will become a sacred portion to be rendered by the sons of Israel. From their communion sacrifices it is their sacred portion for Jehovah.

“And the holy garments that are Aaron’s will serve for his sons after him to anoint them in them and to fill their hand with power in them. Seven days the priest who succeeds him from among his sons and who comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the holy place will wear them.

“And you will take the ram of installation, and you must boil its flesh in a holy place. And Aaron and his sons must eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And they must eat the things with which atonement has been made to fill their hand with power, in order to sanctify them. But a stranger may not eat them, because they are something holy. And if any of the flesh of the installation sacrifice and of the bread should be left over until the morning, then you must burn what is left over with fire. It must not be eaten, because it is something holy.

“And you must do this way to Aaron and his sons according to all that I have commanded you. You will take seven days to fill their hand with power. And you will offer the bull of the sin offering daily for an atonement, and you must purify the altar from sin by your making atonement over it, and you must anoint it to sanctify it. You will take seven days to make atonement over the altar, and you must sanctify it that it may indeed become a most holy altar. Anyone who touches the altar is to be holy.

“And this is what you will offer upon the altar: young rams each a year old, two a day constantly. And you will offer the one young ram in the morning, and you will offer the other young ram between the two evenings. And a tenth part of an e’phah measure of fine flour moistened with the fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a drink offering of the fourth of a hin of wine, will go for the first young ram. And you will offer the second young ram between the two evenings. With a grain offering like that of the morning and with a drink offering like its, you will render it as a restful odor, an offering made by fire to Jehovah. It is a constant burnt offering throughout YOUR generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before Jehovah, where I shall present myself to YOU people to speak to you there. “And I will present myself there to the sons of Israel, and it will certainly be sanctified by my glory. And I will sanctify the tent of meeting and the altar; and I shall sanctify Aaron and his sons for them to act as priests to me. 

And I will tabernacle in the midst of the sons of Israel, and I will prove to be their God. And they will certainly know that I am Jehovah their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I may tabernacle in the midst of them. I am Jehovah their God.

“And you must make an altar as a place for burning incense; out of acacia wood you will make it. A cubit in length and a cubit in width, it should be foursquare, and its height two cubits. Its horns extend out of it. And you must overlay it with pure gold, its top surface and its sides round about and its horns; and you must make a border of gold round about for it. You will also make for it two rings of gold. Down below its border upon two of its sides you will make them, upon two opposite sides of it, as they must serve as supports for the poles with which to carry it. And you must make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you must put it before the curtain that is near the ark of the testimony, before the cover that is over the Testimony, where I shall present myself to you.

“And Aaron must make perfumed incense smoke upon it. Morning by morning, when he dresses the lamps, he will make it smoke. And when Aaron lights up the lamps between the two evenings, he will make it smoke. It is an incense constantly before Jehovah during YOUR generations. YOU must not offer upon it illegitimate incense or a burnt offering or a grain offering; and YOU must not pour a drink offering upon it. And Aaron must make atonement upon its horns once a year. With some of the blood of the sin offering of the atonement he will make atonement for it once a year during YOUR generations. It is most holy to Jehovah.”

And Jehovah went on to speak to Moses, saying: “Whenever you take the sum of the sons of Israel as a census of them, then they must each give a ransom for his soul to Jehovah when taking a census of them, that there may come to be no plague upon them when taking a census of them. This is what all those will give who pass over to those numbered: a half shekel by the shekel of the holy place. Twenty ge’rahs equal a shekel. A half shekel is the contribution to Jehovah. Everyone passing over to those registered from twenty years old and upward will give Jehovah’s contribution. The rich should not give more, and the lowly must not give less than the half shekel, in order to give Jehovah’s contribution so as to make atonement for YOUR souls. And you must take the silver money of the atonement from the sons of Israel and give it in behalf of the service of the tent of meeting, that it may indeed serve as a memorial before Jehovah for the sons of Israel, to make atonement for YOUR souls.”

And Jehovah spoke further to Moses, saying: “You must make a basin of copper and its stand of copper for washing, and you must put it between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water into it. And Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and their feet at it. When they go into the tent of meeting they will wash with water that they may not die, or when they go near the altar to minister in order to make an offering made by fire smoke to Jehovah. And they must wash their hands and their feet that they may not die, and it must serve as a regulation to time indefinite for them, for him and his offspring throughout their generations.”

And Jehovah continued to speak to Moses, saying: “As for you, take to yourself the choicest perfumes: myrrh in congealed drops five hundred units, and sweet cinnamon in half that amount, two hundred and fifty units, and sweet calamus two hundred and fifty units, and cassia five hundred units by the shekel of the holy place, and olive oil a hin. Then you must make out of it a holy anointing oil, an ointment, a mixture that is the work of an ointment maker. It is to be a holy anointing oil.

“And you must anoint with it the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, and the table and all its utensils and the lampstand and its utensils and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils and the basin and its stand. And you must sanctify them that they may indeed become most holy. Anyone touching them is to be holy. And you will anoint Aaron and his sons, and you must sanctify them for acting as priests to me.

“And you will speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘This is to continue as a holy anointing oil to me during YOUR generations. It is not to be rubbed in the flesh of mankind, and with its composition YOU must not make any like it. It is something holy. It is to continue as something holy for YOU. Anyone who makes an ointment like it and who puts some of it upon a stranger must be cut off from his people.’”

And Jehovah went on to say to Moses: “Take to yourself perfumes: stacte drops and onycha and perfumed galbanum and pure frankincense. There should be the same portion of each. And you must make it into an incense, a spice mixture, the work of an ointment maker, salted, pure, something holy. And you must pound some of it into fine powder and put some of it before the Testimony in the tent of meeting, where I shall present myself to you. It should be most holy to YOU people. And the incense that you will make with this composition, YOU must not make for yourselves. For you it is to continue as something holy to Jehovah. Whoever makes any like it to enjoy its smell must be cut off from his people.”

And Jehovah continued to speak to Moses, saying: “See, I do call by name Bez’al·el the son of U’ri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. And I shall fill him with the spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in every kind of craftsmanship, for designing devices, for working in gold and silver and copper, and in working of stones to set them and in working of wood to make products of every kind. As for me, look! I do put with him O·ho’li·ab the son of A·his’a·mach of the tribe of Dan, and in the heart of everyone wise of heart I do put wisdom, that they may indeed make everything I have commanded you: the tent of meeting and the Ark for the testimony and the cover that is upon it, and all the utensils of the tent, and the table and its utensils, and the lampstand of pure gold and all its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils,and the basin and its stand, and the garments of knitted work and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons for acting as priests; and the anointing oil and the perfumed incense for the sanctuary. According to everything I have commanded you they will do.”

And Jehovah said further to Moses: “As for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Especially my sabbaths YOU are to keep, for it is a sign between me and YOU during YOUR generations that YOU may know that I Jehovah am sanctifying YOU. And YOU must keep the sabbath, for it is something holy to YOU. A profaner of it will positively be put to death. In case there is anyone doing work on it, then that soul must be cut off from the midst of his people. Six days may work be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of complete rest. It is something holy to Jehovah. Anyone doing work on the sabbath day will positively be put to death. And the sons of Israel must keep the sabbath, so as to carry out the sabbath during their generations. It is a covenant to time indefinite. Between me and the sons of Israel it is a sign to time indefinite, because in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day he rested and proceeded to refresh himself.’”

Now as soon as he had finished speaking with him on Mount Si’nai he proceeded to give Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone written on by God’s finger.

-Exodus 23-31, NWT

Family Calls For Probe After Told No Footage of Shooting of Autistic Palestinian

[chadcoronado-blog]

What does the Lord Say Today? “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.” Amen. Exodus 28:29-30 NKJV #AllGloryAndHonorToGod ☝️😁 Philippians 4:17 (at Fair Oaks, California)

[yhwhrulz]

Wayside Chapel Daily Devotional

Morning February 16

Exodus 28:30 30Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.

The LORD gave Moses detailed instructions for the Tabernacle (a mobile house of worship) and all its furniture and instruments. The priests had special clothing that they were to wear when they ministered. The High Priest had a breastpiece that had twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. We do not know the details of the Urim and Thummim, but they are believed to be two additional stones that were used to determine the LORD's will. Since the Spirit of God came upon people, but did not live in their hearts until Pentecost, the people needed some way to determine the LORD's leading. Some believe that these stones would glow, one for a 'yes' answer, the other for a 'no' answer. They were worn over the high priest's heart.

Some people today would love to have the Urim and Thummim. I often hear people say, "If God would just send me a fax, it would be so much easier." God desires us to have an intimate relationship with Him. I'm grateful I live in a day when I do not have to consult a stone, but instead have the Spirit of God living in my heart. If I have been walking in communion with Him, the answer is always clear and very personal. I get a 'yes' or a 'no' or no glow at all in my heart. No glow at all means I'm not ready to know the answer, or I'm asking the wrong question and need not worry about it now. That is the time when people would like that fax from God. But God is telling us, "Trust me! I know what is best and will tell you when you need to know." His "not now" answer should be sufficient for us. Trust Him!

Consider: If the answer to your question is not clearly in God's Word, God can speak to your heart, as long as you genuinely desire to know His will.

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Faithlife Verse of the Day | Logos Bible Software

Faithlife Verse of the Day | Logos Bible Software

Exodus 28:29 NET w/Notes

28:29 Aaron will bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of decision over his heart39 when he goes into the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.

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39

sn So Aaron will have the names of the tribes on his shoulders (v. 12) which bear the weight and symbol of office (see Isa 9:6; 22:22), and over his heart (implying…