A second time Moses goes upon mount Sinai, Exodus 34:1.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.
Then Moses comes down from the mount with the new two tables of testimony (tables of stone) which wrote upon was “words of the covenant, the ten commandments” Exodus 34:28.
In Exodus 35 all the congregation of the children of Israel gathered together what God had commanded which consisted of all the necessary items to build the Tabernacle.
In Exodus 36 the LORD puts into the men who build the sanctuary wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of construction for the service of the sanctuary.
- Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.
- And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it: In Exodus 36:3 all the material needed for the construction of the sanctuary was brought to Moses.
- And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal.
The tabernacle is built while the Children of Israel are in the wilderness, it will be their Temple for worship. Put together with the elaborate material order by God. This portable structure could be taken apart and moved very carefully by those who knew how.
Once the Children of Israel were established in their country Israel, in time its progression brought about King Solomon into power as King. King Solomon had the First Temple built, a majestic structure of beautiful wood and other material. not sure what became of the tabernacle, as many of the components used to build it wouldn’t last over a long period of time unless replaced.
In Exodus 36:10 the construction of the tabernacle begins and runs through verse 38.
In Exodus 37:10 it continues running, then through Exodus 38 and 39.
Work on the Ark begins in Exodus 37:1 running into verse 9.
- And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:
- And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without and made a crown of gold to it roundabout.
- And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it.
- And he made staves of shittim wood and overlaid them with gold.
- And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
- And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
- And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;
- One cherub on the end on this side and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
- And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.
The building of the Ark ends here in verse 9. In Exodus verse 10 through 38 items for the construction of the table is described and other items, dishes, candlestick, the incense altar were made, etc.
In Exodus 38:1 the altar for burnt offering is made of shittim wood.
- And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: The construction of the tabernacle continues through this chapter and through Exodus 39. In verse 43 Moses is pleased with the completion of the tabernacle
- 43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so, had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
Exodus 40 the LORD speaks unto Moses about the setting up of the tabernacle.
- And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
- On the first day of the first-month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
- And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the veil.
- And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it, and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.
The instructions for setting up are given through verse 10. In verse 11 the laver and its foot (stand) are given to be anointed and consecrated.
Laver, an Old Testament large basin used by a priest in an ceremonial washing of sacred vessels. In verse 12 through 15 Aaron and his sons are instructed on what to do. In verse 17 Moses instructs the tabernacle to be erected.
Leviticus goes into detailed instruction on worship, consecrating on the priesthood and the people.