Exodus 38:21-31

New International Reader's Version

The Amounts of the Metals Used

²¹ Here are the amounts of the metals used for the holy tent, where the tablets of the covenant law were kept. Moses commanded the Levites to record the amounts. The Levites did the work under the direction of Ithamar. Ithamar was the son of Aaron the priest. ²² Bezalel, the son of Uri, made everything the Lord had commanded Moses. Uri was the son of Hur. Bezalel was from the tribe of Judah. ²³ Oholiab, the son of Ahisamak, helped Bezalel. Oholiab was from the tribe of Dan. He could carve things and make patterns. And he could sew skillfully with blue, purple and bright red yarn and on fine linen. ²⁴ The total weight of the gold from the wave offering was more than a ton. It was weighed out in keeping with the standard weights used in the sacred tent. The gold was used for all the work done in connection with the sacred tent.

²⁵ The silver received from the men in the community who were listed and counted weighed almost four tons. It was weighed out in keeping with the weights used in the sacred tent. ²⁶ It amounted to a fifth of an ounce for each person. It was weighed out in keeping with the weights used in the sacred tent. The silver was received from the men who had been listed and counted. All of them were 20 years old or more. Their total number was 603,550. ²⁷ The four tons of silver were used to make the bases for the holy tent and for the curtain. The 100 bases were made from the four tons. Each base used more than 75 pounds of silver. ²⁸ The workers used 45 pounds to make the hooks for the posts, to cover the tops of the posts, and to make their bands.

²⁹ The bronze from the wave offering weighed two and a half tons. ³⁰ The workers used some of it to make the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting. They used some for the bronze altar for burnt offerings and its bronze grate and all its tools. ³¹ They used some for the bases for the courtyard around the holy tent. They used some for the bases for the courtyard entrance. And they used the rest to make all the tent stakes for the holy tent and the courtyard around it.