36:8-19 Keep in mind that all the work was done with simple hand tools and fire. There was no electricity, designing software, laser engravers, or power tools. The skilled craftsmen made all the embroidered curtains (tapestries) by hand. The curtains were joined together by gold clasps. A goat hair curtain, rougher and more durable than linen, was made to go over the top of the Tabernacle. They made a covering of ram skins dyed red and another covering of hides of sea cows (probably a durable skin like that of seals).

36:20 - 37:16 The wooden frames were overlaid in pure gold and supported by silver bases. They made a curtain that would divide the Tabernacle into two rooms. Only the high priest would be allowed to go into the inner room. Bezalel, the craftsman, made the ark of the covenant out of acacia wood overlaid with pure gold. It had angels on the top made of hammered gold. The table for the Bread of the Presence was acacia wood overlaid with pure gold. The plates, bowls and pitchers were also pure gold.

v. 17-29 The lampstand was made from a talent of gold (about 75 pounds). A small altar for burning incense was made of acacia wood overlaid with pure gold. The sacred anointing oil and incense were the work of master perfumers. A larger altar was built out of acacia wood and overlaid in bronze. Its grating and utensils were also bronze. This altar would be located outside the Tabernacle. It was used for burning sacrifices. They made a bronze basin to hold water for ceremonial washing. It was made "from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting." In class we talked about how ancient mirrors were not glass mirrors like we have today but were made of a highly polished piece of silver or bronze. It's interesting that the water basin was made from mirrors, because when you look into water in a basin you always see your reflection. Also, notice that Moses said there were women serving at the entrance to the Tabernacle.

38:1-31 The curtains of the courtyard were made of linen and supported by bronze bases, not silver ones like in the Tabernacle. The courtyard was twice as long as it was wide. All the posts had silver bands and silver hooks. A curtain was made for the entrance to the courtyard. Moses recorded the specific amounts of the materials they used. Keep in mind that they had to break the Tabernacle down and carry it whenever they moved during that 40 years in the wilderness. The weight of the metals alone was almost 15,000 pounds (7.5 tons) not including all the curtains and wooden posts.

The gold was a wave offering and it was used for the sanctuary. The silver was from the census in which Moses collected ½ shekel from each male over the age of 20-- a total of 603,550 men. Each of the silver bases weighed one talent or about 75 pounds. The bronze was a wave offering and was used for bases, utensils, tent pegs and the bronze altar. If we were to build the same Tabernacle at today's values it would cost more than 54 million dollars, not including labor.

• gold = 29 talents and 730 shekels (2,000 pounds) worth about $51,840,000 today
• silver = 100 talents and 1,775 shekels (7,500 pounds) worth about $3,528,000 today
• bronze = 70 talents and 2,400 shekels (5,000 pounds) worth about $28,000 today

Much more next time.

 --Sandy Blank