וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֥ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה עֶ֣שֶׂר יְרִיעֹ֑ת שֵׁ֣שׁ מָשְׁזָ֗ר וּתְכֵ֤לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן֙ וְתֹלַ֣עַת שָׁנִ֔י כְּרֻבִ֛ים מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה חֹשֵׁ֖ב תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתָֽם׃

You shall make the Tabernacle of ten sheets made of spun white linen , and dyed woolen threads shall be spun into it: Threads of sky-blue, purple, and scarlet wool. With artfully worked likenesses of cherubs shall you make them, the sheets. High-level craftsmanship was required to render the form of cherubs on every sheet. According to some opinions, there was a different picture on each side of the fabric.

אֹ֣רֶךְ ׀ הַיְרִיעָ֣ה הָֽאַחַ֗ת שְׁמֹנֶ֤ה וְעֶשְׂרִים֙ בָּֽאַמָּ֔ה וְרֹ֙חַב֙ אַרְבַּ֣ע בָּאַמָּ֔ה הַיְרִיעָ֖ה הָאֶחָ֑ת מִדָּ֥ה אַחַ֖ת לְכָל־הַיְרִיעֹֽת׃

The length of each sheet shall be twenty-eight cubits and the width shall be four cubits for each sheet; there shall be one measure for all the sheets.

חֲמֵ֣שׁ הַיְרִיעֹ֗ת תִּֽהְיֶ֙יןָ֙ חֹֽבְרֹ֔ת אִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־אֲחֹתָ֑הּ וְחָמֵ֤שׁ יְרִיעֹת֙ חֹֽבְרֹ֔ת אִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־אֲחֹתָֽהּ׃

Five of the ten sheets shall be attached one to another: They must be sewn into a single unit; and five sheets shall be attached one to another in the same fashion.

וְעָשִׂ֜יתָ לֻֽלְאֹ֣ת תְּכֵ֗לֶת עַ֣ל שְׂפַ֤ת הַיְרִיעָה֙ הָאֶחָ֔ת מִקָּצָ֖ה בַּחֹבָ֑רֶת וְכֵ֤ן תַּעֲשֶׂה֙ בִּשְׂפַ֣ת הַיְרִיעָ֔ה הַקִּ֣יצוֹנָ֔ה בַּמַּחְבֶּ֖רֶת הַשֵּׁנִֽית׃

You shall make loops of sky-blue wool, sewn on the edge of the sheet, at the extremity, at the end of the first array of five sheets; and you shall do likewise, making loops of dyed, sky-blue wool, at the edge of the outermost sheet at the edge of the second array of five sheets.

חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים לֻֽלָאֹ֗ת תַּעֲשֶׂה֮ בַּיְרִיעָ֣ה הָאֶחָת֒ וַחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים לֻֽלָאֹ֗ת תַּעֲשֶׂה֙ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַיְרִיעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר בַּמַּחְבֶּ֣רֶת הַשֵּׁנִ֑ית מַקְבִּילֹת֙ הַלֻּ֣לָאֹ֔ת אִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־אֲחֹתָֽהּ׃

Fifty loops shall you make in the one sheet, and fifty loops you shall make at the extremity of the sheet that is in the second array; the loops shall correspond one to another, fifty loops facing fifty loops.

וְעָשִׂ֕יתָ חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים קַרְסֵ֣י זָהָ֑ב וְחִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֶת־הַיְרִיעֹ֜ת אִשָּׁ֤ה אֶל־אֲחֹתָהּ֙ בַּקְּרָסִ֔ים וְהָיָ֥ה הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן אֶחָֽד׃ (פ)

You shall make fifty hooks of gold and attach the sheets one to another with the hooks. Each pair of loops were held together by a gold hook. All the Tabernacle’s sheets were thus to be joined together. And the Tabernacle shall be one, a single unit. The Rashbam explains that the use of the word “Tabernacle” here denotes only the sheets rather than the structure as a whole. His interpretation is supported in subsequent verses.

וְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ יְרִיעֹ֣ת עִזִּ֔ים לְאֹ֖הֶל עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן עַשְׁתֵּי־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה יְרִיעֹ֖ת תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתָֽם׃

In addition to the first set of sheets, which were made of dyed wool and linen, and can be considered part of the Tabernacle itself, you shall make sheets of goats’ hair as a tent over the Tabernacle, a second layer over the aforementioned cover; you shall make them eleven sheets.

אֹ֣רֶךְ ׀ הַיְרִיעָ֣ה הָֽאַחַ֗ת שְׁלֹשִׁים֙ בָּֽאַמָּ֔ה וְרֹ֙חַב֙ אַרְבַּ֣ע בָּאַמָּ֔ה הַיְרִיעָ֖ה הָאֶחָ֑ת מִדָּ֣ה אַחַ֔ת לְעַשְׁתֵּ֥י עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה יְרִיעֹֽת׃

The length of each sheet shall be thirty cubits and the width of each sheet four cubits; one measure for eleven sheets.

וְחִבַּרְתָּ֞ אֶת־חֲמֵ֤שׁ הַיְרִיעֹת֙ לְבָ֔ד וְאֶת־שֵׁ֥שׁ הַיְרִיעֹ֖ת לְבָ֑ד וְכָפַלְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַיְרִיעָ֣ה הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔ית אֶל־מ֖וּל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֹֽהֶל׃

You shall attach five sheets alone and six sheets alone; five of the sheets shall be one unit, while the other six shall form a separate unit. And after the tent has been erected, you shall fold half of the width of the sixth sheet (see verse 12) and let it hang down over the roof’s edge at the front of the tent .

וְעָשִׂ֜יתָ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים לֻֽלָאֹ֗ת עַ֣ל שְׂפַ֤ת הַיְרִיעָה֙ הָֽאֶחָ֔ת הַקִּיצֹנָ֖ה בַּחֹבָ֑רֶת וַחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים לֻֽלָאֹ֗ת עַ֚ל שְׂפַ֣ת הַיְרִיעָ֔ה הַחֹבֶ֖רֶת הַשֵּׁנִֽית׃

You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the one sheet, the outermost of the first array, and fifty loops on the edge of the outermost sheet of the second array.

וְעָשִׂ֛יתָ קַרְסֵ֥י נְחֹ֖שֶׁת חֲמִשִּׁ֑ים וְהֵבֵאתָ֤ אֶת־הַקְּרָסִים֙ בַּלֻּ֣לָאֹ֔ת וְחִבַּרְתָּ֥ אֶת־הָאֹ֖הֶל וְהָיָ֥ה אֶחָֽד׃

You shall make fifty hooks of bronze, and you shall place the hooks into the loops and attach the tent, and it shall be one. Together these sheets formed a tent, which was laid over the wool and linen sheets that served as the roof of the Tabernacle.

וְסֶ֙רַח֙ הָעֹדֵ֔ף בִּירִיעֹ֖ת הָאֹ֑הֶל חֲצִ֤י הַיְרִיעָה֙ הָעֹדֶ֔פֶת תִּסְרַ֕ח עַ֖ל אֲחֹרֵ֥י הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

As there was one extra sheet of goats’ hair over and above the length of the tent itself, and only half of it was hung over the front of the tent (verse 9), half a length of a sheet remained. The overhang that remains of the sheets of the tent, half the sheet that remains shall hang over the ground at the back of the Tabernacle, where there is no entrance.

וְהָאַמָּ֨ה מִזֶּ֜ה וְהָאַמָּ֤ה מִזֶּה֙ בָּעֹדֵ֔ף בְּאֹ֖רֶךְ יְרִיעֹ֣ת הָאֹ֑הֶל יִהְיֶ֨ה סָר֜וּחַ עַל־צִדֵּ֧י הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה לְכַסֹּתֽוֹ׃

The cover of goats’ hair was larger than the linen and wool cover of the Tabernacle not only in its length, which comprised the widths of each section, but also in its breadth, which corresponded to each section’s length. The length of each sheet of goats’ hair was 30 cubits, while that of the cloth sheets of the Tabernacle was 28 cubits. With regard to these two extra cubits, the cubit on this side and the cubit on that side, from that which remains of the length of the sheets of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the Tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. These sheets hung over the boards of the Tabernacle, which served as its walls.

וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ מִכְסֶה֙ לָאֹ֔הֶל עֹרֹ֥ת אֵילִ֖ם מְאָדָּמִ֑ים וּמִכְסֵ֛ה עֹרֹ֥ת תְּחָשִׁ֖ים מִלְמָֽעְלָה׃ (פ)

You shall make a cover for the goats’ hair tent. This covering shall be of rams’ hides dyed red and a fourth layer, a cover of tah · hides over the top . According to some opinions, there were only three layers, and the outermost one was made half of rams’ hides and half of taḥash hides.

וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ אֶת־הַקְּרָשִׁ֖ים לַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן עֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּ֖ים עֹמְדִֽים׃

You shall make the boards for the Tabernacle of sanded boards of acacia wood. The boards must be constructed standing upright, oriented in the manner that the trees grow. Some understand this as an instruction that the boards should be sturdy.

עֶ֥שֶׂר אַמּ֖וֹת אֹ֣רֶךְ הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ וְאַמָּה֙ וַחֲצִ֣י הָֽאַמָּ֔ה רֹ֖חַב הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ הָאֶחָֽד׃

Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, of each one. Because the boards were positioned upright, this was also the height of the Tabernacle. And one and a half cubits shall be the width of each board.

שְׁתֵּ֣י יָד֗וֹת לַקֶּ֙רֶשׁ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד מְשֻׁלָּבֹ֔ת אִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־אֲחֹתָ֑הּ כֵּ֣ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה לְכֹ֖ל קַרְשֵׁ֥י הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

Two tenons, pegs, for each board will protrude from the edges, parallel one to another. Due to their height, the boards needed to be supported. To accomplish this, protruding pegs were placed in each board opposite corresponding sockets in the next board. The boards were placed side by side, so that the protruding tenons fit into the sockets. So you shall make for all the boards of the Tabernacle.

וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ אֶת־הַקְּרָשִׁ֖ים לַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן עֶשְׂרִ֣ים קֶ֔רֶשׁ לִפְאַ֖ת נֶ֥גְבָּה תֵימָֽנָה׃

You shall make the boards for the Tabernacle. Twenty boards shall be constructed for placement on the southern side.

וְאַרְבָּעִים֙ אַדְנֵי־כֶ֔סֶף תַּעֲשֶׂ֕ה תַּ֖חַת עֶשְׂרִ֣ים הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ שְׁנֵ֨י אֲדָנִ֜ים תַּֽחַת־הַקֶּ֤רֶשׁ הָאֶחָד֙ לִשְׁתֵּ֣י יְדֹתָ֔יו וּשְׁנֵ֧י אֲדָנִ֛ים תַּֽחַת־הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ הָאֶחָ֖ד לִשְׁתֵּ֥י יְדֹתָֽיו׃

You shall make forty silver sockets under the twenty boards: Two sockets under the one board for its two tenons, protrusions at the bottom of the boards, and two sockets under the one board for its two tenons. These protruding tenons were inserted into the hollow sockets below them, which held the boards in place.

וּלְצֶ֧לַע הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית לִפְאַ֣ת צָפ֑וֹן עֶשְׂרִ֖ים קָֽרֶשׁ׃

For the second side of the Tabernacle, for the north side: twenty boards,

וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אַדְנֵיהֶ֖ם כָּ֑סֶף שְׁנֵ֣י אֲדָנִ֗ים תַּ֚חַת הַקֶּ֣רֶשׁ הָֽאֶחָ֔ד וּשְׁנֵ֣י אֲדָנִ֔ים תַּ֖חַת הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ הָאֶחָֽד׃

and their forty sockets of silver: two sockets under the one board and two sockets under the one board. The arrangements of boards and sockets on the southern and northern sides of the Tabernacle were identical.

וּֽלְיַרְכְּתֵ֥י הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן יָ֑מָּה תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה שִׁשָּׁ֥ה קְרָשִֽׁים׃

For the side of the Tabernacle on the west, you shall make only six boards, as the Tabernacle’s length and width were unequal.

וּשְׁנֵ֤י קְרָשִׁים֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה לִמְקֻצְעֹ֖ת הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן בַּיַּרְכָתָֽיִם׃

And you shall make two additional boards for the corners of the Tabernacle on the sides. The aforementioned six boards spanned the western side of the Tabernacle from the inside. However, an additional two boards were required on either side to cover the width of the northern and southern walls.

וְיִֽהְי֣וּ תֹֽאֲמִים֮ מִלְּמַטָּה֒ וְיַחְדָּ֗ו יִהְי֤וּ תַמִּים֙ עַל־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ אֶל־הַטַּבַּ֖עַת הָאֶחָ֑ת כֵּ֚ן יִהְיֶ֣ה לִשְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם לִשְׁנֵ֥י הַמִּקְצֹעֹ֖ת יִהְיֽוּ׃

They, the boards, shall be even at the bottom, at the level of the sockets, and matching along their entire length. And they shall meet together at its top, at its one ring, a ring at the top of each pair of boards which will bind them together. So it shall also be for two of them, the two extra planks mentioned above; they shall be for the two corners.

וְהָיוּ֙ שְׁמֹנָ֣ה קְרָשִׁ֔ים וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֣ם כֶּ֔סֶף שִׁשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר אֲדָנִ֑ים שְׁנֵ֣י אֲדָנִ֗ים תַּ֚חַת הַקֶּ֣רֶשׁ הָאֶחָ֔ד וּשְׁנֵ֣י אֲדָנִ֔ים תַּ֖חַת הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ הָאֶחָֽד׃

There shall be on the west side a total of eight boards, and their silver sockets: sixteen sockets, two sockets under the one board and two sockets under the one board. This is how the overall structure of the Tabernacle was built, on the western, northern, and southern sides.

וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ בְרִיחִ֖ם עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים חֲמִשָּׁ֕ה לְקַרְשֵׁ֥י צֶֽלַע־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן הָאֶחָֽד׃

You shall make bars of acacia wood to hold the boards together: Five for the boards of the one side of the Tabernacle,

וַחֲמִשָּׁ֣ה בְרִיחִ֔ם לְקַרְשֵׁ֥י צֶֽלַע־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן הַשֵּׁנִ֑ית וַחֲמִשָּׁ֣ה בְרִיחִ֗ם לְקַרְשֵׁי֙ צֶ֣לַע הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן לַיַּרְכָתַ֖יִם יָֽמָּה׃

and five bs for the boards of the second side of the Tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the Tabernacle, for the side to the west. Four of these bars extended from each board on the outside, two on its right side and two on its left, on the upper and lower parts of the boards. Each spanned half the width of the board, and they met in the middle.

וְהַבְּרִ֥יחַ הַתִּיכֹ֖ן בְּת֣וֹךְ הַקְּרָשִׁ֑ים מַבְרִ֕חַ מִן־הַקָּצֶ֖ה אֶל־הַקָּצֶֽה׃

And the fifth, central bar shall be inside the boards. A hole was made through the width of the boards, and through it ran the fifth board, from the end to the end. Unlike the other four bars, the fifth bar spanned the entire width of the board.

וְֽאֶת־הַקְּרָשִׁ֞ים תְּצַפֶּ֣ה זָהָ֗ב וְאֶת־טַבְּעֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה זָהָ֔ב בָּתִּ֖ים לַבְּרִיחִ֑ם וְצִפִּיתָ֥ אֶת־הַבְּרִיחִ֖ם זָהָֽב׃

You shall plate the boards with gold, and their rings, which join them together, you shall make of gold. These rings shall be housings for the bars. And you shall plate the bars with gold as well.

וַהֲקֵמֹתָ֖ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן כְּמִ֨שְׁפָּט֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרְאֵ֖יתָ בָּהָֽר׃ (ס)

You shall establish the Tabernacle in accordance with its proper design, which you were shown on the mountain.

וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ פָרֹ֗כֶת תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מָשְׁזָ֑ר מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה חֹשֵׁ֛ב יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתָ֖הּ כְּרֻבִֽים׃

You shall make a curtain of sky-blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and linen, all of which must be spun together; it shall be artfully made with decorative cherubs on its back. The curtain was fashioned skillfully, such that the decorations could be seen on both sides.

וְנָתַתָּ֣ה אֹתָ֗הּ עַל־אַרְבָּעָה֙ עַמּוּדֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֔ים מְצֻפִּ֣ים זָהָ֔ב וָוֵיהֶ֖ם זָהָ֑ב עַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה אַדְנֵי־כָֽסֶף׃

As the curtain will not be connected to any wall, you shall place it on four acacia pillars plated with gold, their hooks of gold, upon four silver sockets. The four pillars were likely evenly spaced, with the curtain hanging on their hooks.

וְנָתַתָּ֣ה אֶת־הַפָּרֹכֶת֮ תַּ֣חַת הַקְּרָסִים֒ וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ שָׁ֙מָּה֙ מִבֵּ֣ית לַפָּרֹ֔כֶת אֵ֖ת אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת וְהִבְדִּילָ֤ה הַפָּרֹ֙כֶת֙ לָכֶ֔ם בֵּ֣ין הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ וּבֵ֖ין קֹ֥דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים׃

You shall place the curtain under the gold hooks which connect the sets of overhanging sheets (see verse 6), and you shall bring there the Ark of the Testimony behind the curtain, and the opaque curtain shall partition for you between the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies.

וְנָתַתָּ֙ אֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת עַ֖ל אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵדֻ֑ת בְּקֹ֖דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים׃

You shall place the golden ark cover upon the Ark of the Testimony in the Holy of Holies.

וְשַׂמְתָּ֤ אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ מִח֣וּץ לַפָּרֹ֔כֶת וְאֶת־הַמְּנֹרָה֙ נֹ֣כַח הַשֻּׁלְחָ֔ן עַ֛ל צֶ֥לַע הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן תֵּימָ֑נָה וְהַ֨שֻּׁלְחָ֔ן תִּתֵּ֖ן עַל־צֶ֥לַע צָפֽוֹן׃

You shall place the table outside the curtain, in the Sanctuary, the larger space facing the entrance, and the candelabrum opposite the table on the side of the Tabernacle to the south, and the table you shall place on the north side.

וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ מָסָךְ֙ לְפֶ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מָשְׁזָ֑ר מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה רֹקֵֽם׃

At the eastern end of the Tent of Meeting, where the table and candelabrum will stand, you shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent of sky-blue, purple and scarlet wool, and linen, all of which shall be spun together, the work of an embroiderer. This task was simpler than the weaving required for the sheets of the Tabernacle and the curtain dividing the sanctuary, which were described above as the work of a craftsman (verse 31).

וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ לַמָּסָ֗ךְ חֲמִשָּׁה֙ עַמּוּדֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֔ים וְצִפִּיתָ֤ אֹתָם֙ זָהָ֔ב וָוֵיהֶ֖ם זָהָ֑ב וְיָצַקְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֔ם חֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אַדְנֵ֥י נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ (ס)

You shall make five acacia pillars for the screen, and you shall plate them with gold; their hooks, upon which the screen is hung, shall be of gold. You shall cast for them five bronze sockets. The screen of the Tabernacle was hung on the five pillars inserted into bronze sockets and served as the Tabernacle’s fourth wall.