Study Desk

There must be twelve jewels on the chest covering—one jewel for each of the names of the sons of Israel. Carve the name of one of the twelve tribes on each of the stones as you would carve a seal.

"Make chains of pure gold, twisted together like rope, for the chest covering.

And put the Urim and Thummim inside the chest covering so that they will be on Aaron's heart when he goes before the Lord . They will help in making decisions for the Israelites. So Aaron will always carry them with him when he is before the Lord .

Make a hole in the center for Aaron's head, with a woven collar around the hole so it will not tear.

Also make woven inner robes, cloth belts, and headbands for Aaron's sons, to give them honor and beauty.

"Make for them linen underclothes to cover them from the waist to the upper parts of the legs.

Aaron and his sons must wear these underclothes when they enter the Meeting Tent and anytime they come near the altar to serve as priests in the Holy Place. If they do not wear these clothes, they will be guilty of wrong, and they will die. This will be a law that will last from now on for Aaron and all his descendants.

"The holy clothes made for Aaron will belong to his descendants so that they can wear these clothes when they are appointed as priests.

Aaron's son, who will become high priest after Aaron, will come to the Meeting Tent to serve in the Holy Place. He is to wear these clothes for seven days.

Each day you are to offer a bull to remove the sins of Aaron and his sons so they will be given for service to the Lord . Make the altar ready for service to the Lord , and pour oil on it to make it holy.

Spend seven days making the altar ready for service to God and making it holy. Then the altar will become very holy, and anything that touches it must be holy.

"Make an altar out of acacia wood for burning incense.

Do not use this altar for offering any other incense, or burnt offering, or any kind of grain offering, or drink offering.

Once a year Aaron must make the altar ready for service to God by putting blood on its corners—the blood of the animal offered to remove sins. He is to do this once a year from now on. This altar belongs completely to the Lord 's service."

Gather from the people of Israel this money paid to buy back their lives, and spend it on things for the service in the Meeting Tent. This payment will remind the Lord that the Israelites' lives have been bought back."

"Make a bronze bowl, on a bronze stand, for washing. Put the bowl and stand between the Meeting Tent and the altar, and put water in the bowl.

and mix all these things like a perfume to make a holy olive oil. This special oil must be put on people and things to make them ready for service to God.

Also, put the oil on the altar for burnt offerings and on all its tools, as well as on the bowl and the stand under the bowl.

You will prepare all these things for service to God, and they will be very holy. Anything that touches these things must be holy.

"Put the oil on Aaron and his sons to give them for service to me, that they may serve me as priests.