Exodus 25

Berean Standard Bible · Compare translations · 1446 BC · Egypt & the Exodus · Tap a verse to copy, share or highlight ·

40 verses · 748 words · ~4 min read · ~5 min listen

Offerings for the Tabernacle

¹Then the Lord said to Moses, ²“Tell the Israelites to bring Me an offering. You are to receive My offering from every man whose heart compels him. ³This is the offering you are to accept from them:

gold, silver, and bronze;

⁴blue, purple, and scarlet yarn;

fine linen and goat hair;

⁵ram skins dyed red and fine leather;

acacia wood;

⁶olive oil for the light;

spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;

⁷and onyx stones and gemstones to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

⁸And they are to make a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them. ⁹You must make the tabernacle and design all its furnishings according to the pattern I show you.

The Ark of the Covenant

Exodus 37:1–5

¹⁰And they are to construct an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. ¹¹Overlay it with pure gold both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it.

¹²Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, two rings on one side and two on the other. ¹³And make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, in order to carry it. ¹⁵The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed. ¹⁶And place inside the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.

The Mercy Seat

Exodus 37:6–9

¹⁷And you are to construct a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. ¹⁸Make two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat, ¹⁹one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. ²⁰And the cherubim are to have wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the mercy seat.

²¹Set the mercy seat atop the ark, and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark.

²²And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

The Table of Showbread

Exodus 37:10–16; Leviticus 24:5–9

²³You are also to make a table of acacia wood two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. ²⁴Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it. ²⁵And make a rim around it a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim.

²⁶Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners at its four legs. ²⁷The rings are to be close to the rim, to serve as holders for the poles used to carry the table. ²⁸Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that the table may be carried with them.

²⁹You are also to make the plates and dishes, as well as the pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold.

³⁰And place the Bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.

The Lampstand

Exodus 37:17–24; Numbers 8:1–4

³¹Then you are to make a lampstand of pure, hammered gold. It shall be made of one piece, including its base and shaft, its cups, and its buds and petals.

³²Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. ³³There are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms on the first branch, each with buds and petals, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches that extend from the lampstand.

³⁴And on the lampstand there shall be four cups shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals. ³⁵For the six branches that extend from the lampstand, a bud must be under the first pair of branches, a bud under the second pair, and a bud under the third pair. ³⁶The buds and branches are to be all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

³⁷Make seven lamps and set them up on the lampstand so that they illuminate the area in front of it. ³⁸The wick trimmers and their trays must be of pure gold. ³⁹The lampstand and all these utensils shall be made from a talent of pure gold.

⁴⁰See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

Footnotes (10)

a v5 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals
b v10 The ark was approximately 3.75 feet long, 2.25 feet wide, and 2.25 feet high (114.3 centimeters long, 68.6 centimeters wide, and 68.6 centimeters high).
c v16 The Testimony refers to the stone tablets in the ark of the covenant inscribed with the Ten Commandments; also in verses 21 and 22.
d v17 Or an atonement cover; here and throughout Exodus
e v17 The mercy seat was approximately 3.75 feet long and 2.25 feet wide (114.3 centimeters long and 68.6 centimeters wide).
f v22 That is, the ark of the covenant
g v23 The table was approximately 3 feet long, 1.5 feet wide, and 2.25 feet high (91.4 centimeters long, 45.7 centimeters wide, and 68.6 centimeters high).
h v25 A handbreadth is approximately 2.9 inches or 7.4 centimeters.
i v39 A talent is approximately 75.4 pounds or 34.2 kilograms of gold.
j v40 Cited in Hebrews 8:5

Study notes on this chapter · 3

Type / patternDebated

The mercy seat and the means of atonement

The lid of the ark, where atoning blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement, is the 'mercy seat'. In Romans 3:25 Paul says God put Christ forward as a 'hilasterion', the same Greek word the Septuagint uses for the mercy seat. The word's best translation is disputed, and translations render it as 'propitiation', 'expiation', 'sacrifice of atonement' or 'mercy seat'.

When: Sinai era; Romans, c. AD 57.

Original passageExodus 25:17–22Leviticus 16:14–15

Echoed inRomans 3:23–26Hebrews 9:5

Ways people read this (4)

Propitiation: Christ's death turns aside God's wrath (Reformed, evangelical and many Catholic readers).
Expiation: the emphasis is on cleansing and removing sin, not on appeasing wrath.
Mercy seat: Christ is the place where God and humanity meet, fulfilling the ark's lid.
Christus Victor and other traditions stress other dimensions of the atonement alongside these.

Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.

Type / patternLinked by the New Testament

The tabernacle as copy of the heavenly pattern

God told Moses to build the tabernacle exactly according to the pattern shown him on the mountain. Hebrews says the priests serve at a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, and that Christ entered the true one.

When: Sinai (traditionally c. 1446 or c. 1250 BC); Hebrews, before AD 70 (most likely).

Original passageExodus 25:40Exodus 25:8–9

Where the New Testament applies itHebrews 8:1–6Hebrews 9:23–24

Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.

Type / patternWidely held reading

The tabernacle and the Word made flesh

God's glory filled the tabernacle in the wilderness. John says the Word became flesh and 'dwelt' (literally 'tabernacled') among us, and we saw his glory. Revelation says the dwelling of God is with humanity in the new creation.

When: Exodus (c. 1446 or c. 1250 BC); John, c. AD 80–95.

Original passageExodus 40:34–38Exodus 25:8

Echoed inJohn 1:14Revelation 21:3

Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.

See all prophecy & fulfillment notes →

Exodus 25

Offerings for the Tabernacleⓘ

The Ark of the Covenantⓘ

The Mercy Seatⓘ

The Table of Showbreadⓘ

The Lampstandⓘ

Study notes on this chapter · 3

The mercy seat and the means of atonement

The tabernacle as copy of the heavenly pattern

The tabernacle and the Word made flesh

Offerings for the Tabernacle

The Ark of the Covenant

The Mercy Seat

The Table of Showbread

The Lampstand