« | Exodus 39 | » |
1 The workers used the blue, purple, and red yarn to make special clothes for the priests to wear when they served in the holy place. They also made the special clothes for Aaron as the Lord had commanded Moses.
2 They made the ephod from gold thread, fine linen, and blue, purple, and red yarn.
3 (They hammered the gold into thin strips and cut the gold into long threads. They wove the gold into the blue, purple, and red yarn and fine linen. This was the work of a very skilled person.)
4 They made the shoulder pieces for the ephod. They tied these shoulder pieces to the two corners of the ephod.
5 They wove the cloth belt and fastened it to the ephod. It was made the same way as the ephod— they used gold thread, fine linen, and blue, purple, and red yarn, just as the Lord commanded Moses.
6 The workers put the onyx stones for the ephod in gold settings. They wrote the names of the sons of Israel on these stones.
7 Then they put these jewels on the shoulder pieces of the ephod. These jewels were to help God to remember the Israelites. This was done as the Lord commanded Moses.
8 Then they made the judgment pouch. It was the work of a skilled person, just like the ephod. It was made from gold threads, fine linen, and blue, purple, and red yarn.
9 The judgment pouch was folded in half to make a square pocket. It was 1 span long and 1 span wide.
10 Then the workers put four rows of beautiful jewels on the judgment pouch. The first row had a ruby, a topaz, and a beryl.
11 The second row had a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald.
12 The third row had a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst.
13 The fourth row had a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. All these jewels were set in gold.
14 There were twelve jewels on the judgment pouch—one jewel for each of the sons of Israel. Each stone had the name of one of the sons of Israel carved onto it, like a seal.
15 The workers made two chains from pure gold for the judgment pouch. The chains were braided like a rope.
16 The workers made two gold rings and fastened them to two corners of the judgment pouch. Then they made two gold settings for the shoulder pieces.
17 They fastened the gold chains to the rings at the corners of the judgment pouch.
18 They fastened the other ends of the gold chains to the settings on the shoulder pieces. They fastened these to the front of the ephod.
19 Then they made two more gold rings and put them on the other two corners of the judgment pouch. This was on the inside edge of the judgment pouch next to the ephod.
20 They also put two gold rings on the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod. These rings were near the fastener, just above the cloth belt.
21 Then they used a blue ribbon and tied the rings of the judgment pouch to the rings of the ephod. In this way the judgment pouch would rest close to the cloth belt and would be held tight against the ephod. They did everything just as the Lord commanded.
22 Then they made the robe for the ephod from blue cloth. It was woven by a skilled worker.
23 They made a hole in the center of the robe and sewed a piece of cloth around the edge of this hole. This cloth kept the hole from tearing.
24 Then they used fine linen and blue, purple, and red yarn to make the cloth pomegranates. They hung these pomegranates around the bottom edge of the robe.
25 Then they made bells from pure gold. They hung these bells around the bottom edge of the robe between the pomegranates.
26 Around the bottom edge of the robe there were bells and pomegranates. There was a bell following each pomegranate. This robe was for the priest to wear when he served the Lord. It was made just as the Lord commanded Moses.
27 Skilled workers wove shirts for Aaron and his sons. These shirts were made from fine linen.
28 And the workers made a turban from fine linen. They also used fine linen to make head bands and underclothes.
29 Then they made the cloth belt from fine linen and blue, purple, and red yarn. Designs were sewn into the cloth. These things were made as the Lord had commanded Moses.
30 Then they made the strip of gold for the holy crown. They made it from pure gold. They wrote words into the gold. They wrote these words: holy to the lord.
31 They fastened the gold strip to a blue ribbon. Then they tied the blue ribbon around the turban like the Lord had commanded Moses.
32 So all the work on the Holy Tent, that is, the Meeting Tent, was finished. The Israelites did everything exactly like the Lord had commanded Moses.
33 Then they showed the Holy Tent and everything in it to Moses. They showed him the rings, the frames, the braces, the posts, and the bases.
34 They showed him the covering of the Tent that was made from ram skins dyed red and the covering that was made from fine leather. And they showed him the curtain that covered the entrance to the Most Holy Place.
35 They showed Moses the Box of the Agreement, the poles used for carrying it, and the mercy-cover.
36 They showed him the table with everything on it and the special bread.
37 They showed him the pure gold lampstand and the lamps on it, the oil, and all the other things that were used with the lamps.
38 They showed Moses the golden altar, the anointing oil, the sweetsmelling incense, and the curtain that covered the entrance to the Tent.
39 They showed him the bronze altar, the bronze screen, the poles used for carrying the altar, and everything that was used on the altar. They showed him the bowl and the base under the bowl.
40 They showed Moses the wall of curtains around the courtyard with the posts and bases. They showed him the curtain that covered the entrance to the courtyard. They showed him the ropes and the tent pegs. They showed him everything in the Holy Tent, that is, the Meeting Tent.
41 Then they showed Moses the clothes that were made for the priests serving in the holy area. They showed him the special clothes for Aaron the priest and his sons to wear when they served as priests.
42 The Israelites did all this work exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses.
43 Moses looked closely at all the work and saw that it was done exactly as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.