Instructions for the incense altar

1“Tell the skilled workers to make an altar from acacia wood, for burning incense.

2It is to be square, ◄18 in./45 cm.► on each side. It is to be ◄3 feet/90 cm.► high. Tell them to make a projection that looks like a horn on each of the top corners. The projections must be carved from the same block of wood that the altar is made from.

3They must cover the top and the four sides, including the projections, with pure gold. Put a gold border around the altar, near the top.

4They must make two gold rings for carrying the altar. They must attach them to the altar below the border, one on each side of the altar. These rings are for the poles for carrying the altar.

5Tell them to make these two poles from acacia wood and cover them with gold.

6They must put this altar outside the curtain that hangs in front of the sacred chest and its lid. That is the place where I will talk with you.

7Aaron must burn sweet-smelling incense on this altar. He must burn some every morning when he takes care of the lamps,

8and he must burn some in the evening when he lights the lamps. The incense must be burned continually, throughout all future generations.

9The priests must not burn on the altar any incense that I have not told you to burn, or burn any animal on it, or any grain offering for me, or pour any wine on it as an offering.

10One time every year Aaron must perform the ritual for making this altar pure. He must do it by putting on its four projections some of the blood from the animal that was sacrificed ◄to remove the guilt of the people’s sins/so that the people would no longer be guilty for sins►. This ritual is to be done by Aaron and his descendants throughout all future generations. This altar must be completely dedicated to me, Yahweh.”

Instructions for the money to take care of the Sacred Tent

11Yahweh also said to Moses/me,

12“When your leaders ◄take a census of/count► the Israeli people, each man who is counted must pay to me a price to save his life. They must do this in order that no disaster will happen to them while the people are being counted.

13Every man who is counted must pay to me ◄0.2 ounces/5.7 grams► of silver. They must use the official standard when they weigh the silver.

14All the men who are at least 20 years old must pay this amount to me when the people are counted.

15Rich men must not pay more than this amount, and poor men must not pay less than this amount, when they pay this money to save their lives.

16Your leaders must collect this money from the Israeli people and give it to those who will take care of the Sacred Tent. This money is the payment for the lives of those who take care of the Sacred Tent, ◄to enable me not to forget them/and then I will remember to protect them►.”

Instructions for the washbasin

17Yahweh also said to Moses/me,

18“Tell the skilled workers to make a bronze washbasin and a bronze base for it. They must put it between the Sacred Tent and the altar, and fill it with water.

19Aaron and his sons must ritually wash their hands and their feet with this water

20before they enter the Sacred Tent and before they come to the altar to sacrifice offerings that will be burned on it. If they do that, they will not die because of disobeying my instructions.

21They must wash their hands and their feet, in order that they will not die. They and the males descended from them must obey this ritual throughout all generations.”

Instructions for the oil for anointing

22Yahweh also said to Moses/me,

23“Tell the people to collect some of the finest spices— ◄12 pounds/6 kg.► of ◄liquid myrrh/sweet-smelling sap named myrrh►, ◄6 pounds/3 kg.► of sweet-smelling cinnamon, ◄6 pounds/3 kg.► of a sweet-smelling cane/reed,

24and ◄12 pounds/6 kg.► of ◄cassia/a sweet-smelling bark named cassia►. Be sure that they use the official standard when they weigh these things. Tell an expert perfumer to mix these with ◄one gallon/four liters► of olive oil

25to make sacred oil for anointing.

26Use this oil for anointing the Sacred Tent, the sacred chest,

27the table and all the things that are used with it, the lampstand and all the things that are used to take care of it, the altar for burning incense,

28and the altar for offering sacrifices that will be burned, along with its bases and the washbasin and all the things that are used with it.

29Dedicate them by anointing them, in order that they will be completely holy/sacred. Anyone or anything that touches the altar will become taboo.

30And anoint Aaron and his sons. By doing that, you will dedicate them to serve me by being priests.

31And tell the Israeli people, ‘This oil will be my sacred anointing oil that must be used throughout all future generations.

32You must not pour it on the bodies of people who are not priests, and you must not make other oil to be like it by mixing the same amount of those things. This oil is sacred, and you must consider it to be sacred.’

33I will consider that anyone who makes ointment like this for any other purpose, and anyone who puts any of this ointment on someone who is not a priest, no longer be allowed to associate with my people.”

34Yahweh also said to Moses/me, “Tell the people to take equal parts of several sweet spices—stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense—

35and tell an expert perfumer to mix them together to make some perfume. Add some salt to keep it pure and make it holy.

36Beat some of it into a fine powder. Then take some of it into the Sacred Tent and sprinkle it in front of the sacred chest. You must all consider this incense to be very holy.

37The people must not mix the same spices to make incense for themselves. This incense must be completely dedicated to me, Yahweh.

38I will consider that anyone who makes incense like this to use it for perfume will no longer be allowed to associate with my people.”