Bezaleel

1The LORD spoke to Moses. He said:

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

NoteIn the King James, LORD in big letters stands for God's own name. It was a special name the people of Israel used for God.

2"Look. I have called one man by name. He is Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur. He comes from the family group of Judah.

See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:

NoteA family group is called a tribe in many Bibles. The people of Israel came from twelve brothers long ago. Judah was one of those brothers. Everyone who came from him was called the tribe of Judah.

3I have filled him with the Spirit of God. He has wisdom, understanding, and knowledge for every kind of work.

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

Note"I have filled him with the spirit of God" is a way of saying God gave this man his skill. It means the man could make things well because God helped him.

4He can plan beautiful things. He can work with gold, with silver, and with bronze.

To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

NoteThe King James says "brass," but the metal here is bronze. Bronze is made by mixing two metals together. People used it long before they had iron.

5He can cut stones and set them in place. He can carve wood. He can do every kind of work.

And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

NoteCutting stones means shaping pretty stones like jewels. Setting them means fixing them into gold so they stay put.

6And look, I have given Aholiab to work with him. Aholiab is the son of Ahisamach, from the family group of Dan. I have also put wisdom in the hearts of all the wise workers. Now they can make everything I have told you to make:

And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

NoteThe King James calls these workers "wise hearted." Here wise does not mean good at school. It means very good at making things with your hands.

7the tent of meeting, where God meets with his people; the ark of the testimony, the special box for God's words; the cover that sits on top of it; and all the things used in the tent;

The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,

NoteThe King James calls the tent "the tabernacle of the congregation." It was a big tent the people carried with them. They set it up wherever they stopped, and there they came to God. The ark was a wooden box covered in gold. Inside it went the stone tablets with God's words. The King James calls the gold lid on top "the mercy seat."

8the table and all its things; the pure lampstand and all its things; the altar for burning sweet smoke;

And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense,

NoteThe lampstand was made of gold and held burning oil. It was not a candle, even though the King James calls it a "candlestick." An altar is a special table for giving gifts to God. Incense is a mix of sweet-smelling gum and spice. When you burn it, the whole room smells lovely.

9the altar for burnt offerings and all its things; and the washing bowl and its stand;

And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot,

NoteA burnt offering was an animal given to God as a gift. It was burned up on the altar, all of it. The King James word "laver" means a big bowl. The priests washed their hands and feet in it before they served God.

10the woven clothes for serving; the holy clothes for Aaron the priest, the man who serves God for the people; and the clothes for his sons, so they can serve as priests too;

And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office,

NoteA priest was a man chosen to serve God for everyone else. He brought the people's gifts to God and cared for the holy tent.

11the special oil for pouring, and the sweet-smelling incense for the holy place. They must make all of it just as I have told you."

And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.

NotePouring this special oil on a person or a thing showed it now belonged to God. The word for that is anointing. It was a way of saying, this is set apart and not for ordinary use.

30Moses said to the people of Israel, "Look, the LORD has called Bezaleel by name. He is the son of Uri, the son of Hur, from the tribe of Judah.

And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;

NoteCalled by name means God picked this one man on purpose. A tribe is a big family group. Israel had twelve tribes, and Judah was one of them.

31God has filled him with his Spirit. He has given him skill, understanding, and knowledge for every kind of work.

And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

32He can plan beautiful things and make them out of gold, silver, and bronze.

And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

NoteThe King James says "curious works." Back in 1611 that meant carefully made and beautiful. It did not mean strange or odd.

33He can cut stones and set them in place. He can carve wood. He can do every kind of skillful work.

And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.

NoteThe King James says "cunning work." Long ago cunning meant very skillful. It did not mean sneaky.

34God has also made him able to teach others. God did the same for Aholiab son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan.

And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

35God has filled them both with skill to do every kind of work. They can carve. They can plan designs. They can sew patterns into cloth with blue, purple, and bright red yarn and fine linen. They can weave. They can do any work and plan any clever design."

Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.

NoteAn engraver cuts designs into stone or wood. An embroiderer sews colored patterns onto cloth. A weaver makes cloth by crossing threads over and under.

1So Bezaleel and Aholiab began to work. Every man with a skilled heart worked too. The LORD had given them skill and understanding. They knew how to do every kind of work for the sanctuary, God's holy tent. They did all that the LORD had commanded.

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.

NoteThe LORD in big letters stands for God's own name. Bezaleel and Aholiab were the two men in charge of the work. A sanctuary is a holy place set apart for God. The old words say "wise hearted." That means very good at making things.

2Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab to him. He called every skilled man the LORD had given skill to. He called each one whose heart moved him to come and do the work.

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:

NoteThe old words say his heart "stirred him up." It means he really wanted to help.

3They took from Moses all the gifts the people of Israel had brought. The gifts were for the work of building the holy tent. And the people still brought more free gifts every morning.

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. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.

NoteAn offering is a gift people bring to God. These gifts were gold, cloth, wood, and other things to build with.

4So all the skilled men who were doing the work on the holy tent left their jobs and came.

And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;

5They said to Moses, "The people are bringing much more than we need. We have more than enough for the work the LORD told us to do."

And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

6So Moses gave an order. It was called out all through the camp: "No man or woman should make anything more as a gift for the holy tent." So the people were stopped from bringing more.

And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.

NoteA camp is a big group of tents where people live. Israel was traveling, so everyone slept in tents.

7The things they already had were enough for all the work. In fact, they had too much.

For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.

1Bezalel made the ark. The ark was a special chest, and he built it from acacia wood. It was two and a half cubits long. It was a cubit and a half wide. It was a cubit and a half high.

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:

NoteBezalel was the man God picked to lead all this building work. The ark was a holy chest. God's people kept the stone rules inside it. Acacia is a strong tree that grows in dry desert places. A cubit was about eighteen inches. That is about as long as a grown-up's forearm.

2He covered the ark with pure gold, inside and outside. He made a gold border all around it.

And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.

NoteThe King James calls the gold rim a "crown." It was not a crown for a king's head. It was a raised gold edge around the top, like a picture frame.

3He made four gold rings for it. He put them at its four corners. Two rings were on one side. Two rings were on the other side.

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.

4He made poles out of acacia wood. He covered the poles with gold.

And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

NoteThe King James word "staves" just means long poles.

5He slid the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark. The poles were for carrying the ark.

And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.

NoteThe poles stayed in the rings all the time. When the people moved camp, men lifted the poles onto their shoulders. That way no one had to touch the holy chest itself.

6He made the mercy seat out of pure gold. That was the cover for the ark. It was two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

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.

NoteThe mercy seat was the gold lid that sat on top of the ark. It was not a chair to sit on. It was the place where God met with his people.

7He made two cherubim out of gold. Cherubim are winged beings. He hammered them out of one piece of gold, one at each end of the mercy seat.

And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;

NoteCherubim are strong winged beings who serve God. The word "cherubims" in the King James is just an old way to say more than one cherub.

8One cherub was on one end. The other cherub was on the other end. They were made from the same piece as 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.

9The cherubim spread their wings up high. Their wings covered the mercy seat. They faced each other. They looked toward the mercy seat.

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.

10He made the table out of acacia wood. It was two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.

And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:

NoteThis table stood inside the holy tent. Twelve loaves of bread were kept on it, one for each family group in Israel.

11He covered the table with pure gold. He made a gold border all around it.

And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about.

12He also made a rim around the table. The rim was as wide as a hand. He made a gold border around the rim too.

Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.

NoteA handbreadth is how wide your hand is across the palm. On a grown-up that is about three inches.

13He made four gold rings for the table. He put the rings at the four corners, by its four legs.

And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof.

14The rings were close to the rim. They held the poles for carrying the table.

Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.

15He made the poles out of acacia wood and covered them with gold. They were for carrying the table.

And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.

16He made the things that went on the table out of pure gold. He made its dishes, its pans, its bowls, and its jars for pouring.

And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold.

NoteThe King James says "spoons" and "covers." These were small gold dishes and jars. The jars were used to pour out wine as a gift to God.

17He made the lampstand out of pure gold. He hammered it into shape. Its base, its stem, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were all one piece.

And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:

NoteThe King James calls it a "candlestick," but it held no candles. It was a gold stand for little lamps that burned olive oil. Hammered means the gold was pounded into shape with a tool.

18Six branches came out from its sides. Three branches were on one side. Three branches were on the other side.

And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:

19One branch had three cups shaped like almond flowers, each with a bud and a flower. The next branch had three cups shaped like almond flowers too. It was the same on all six branches.

Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.

NoteThe King James word "knops" means buds, the little bumps before a flower opens. Almond trees blossom very early, before winter is even over. Their flowers were a shape everyone in that land knew well.

20The lampstand itself had four cups shaped like almond flowers. They had buds and flowers as well.

And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:

21One bud was under the first two branches. One bud was under the next two branches. One bud was under the last two branches. Six branches came out from the lampstand.

And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it.

22The buds and the branches were all part of the lampstand. The whole thing was one piece of pure hammered gold.

Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.

23He made its seven lamps out of pure gold. He also made its wick trimmers and its little trays.

And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold.

NoteThe lamps burned olive oil, and each one had a cloth wick. The King James "snuffers" were small tongs for trimming the burnt part of the wick. The "snuffdishes" were little trays to hold the burnt bits.

24He used one talent of pure gold to make the lampstand and all its tools.

Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.

NoteA talent was a weight, about seventy five pounds. That is heavier than most children can lift.

25He made the altar for burning incense out of acacia wood. Incense is spices that smell sweet when they burn. The altar was a cubit long and a cubit wide, so it was square. It was two cubits high. Its horns were part of the same piece of wood.

And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.

NoteAn altar was a special table for giving gifts to God. This one was only for burning sweet spices, not meat. Its horns were four bumps at the corners, shaped a bit like animal horns.

26He covered the altar with pure gold. He covered the top, the sides all around, and the horns. He also made a gold border all around it.

And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about.

27He made two gold rings for it, below the border. He put one on each of its two sides. The rings held the poles for carrying it.

And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal.

28He made the poles out of acacia wood. He covered them with gold.

And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

29He also made the holy anointing oil. That is oil poured on people or things. He made the pure incense of sweet spices too. He made them the way a perfume maker does.

And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

NoteThe King James says the work of an "apothecary." That was someone who mixed oils and spices to make them smell sweet. The holy oil was poured on people and things to show they now belonged to God.

21This is the list of everything used for the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony. Moses gave the order to count it all. The Levites did this work. They are men from the family of Levi who helped at the tent. Ithamar led them. He was the son of Aaron the priest, the man who led the worship.

This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.

NoteThe Testimony means the two flat stones with God's rules written on them. They were kept inside the tent. Levi was one of the twelve family groups of Israel. Men from that family took care of the tent.

22Bezaleel made everything the LORD told Moses to make. He was the son of Uri, the son of Hur, from the family group of Judah.

And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses.

NoteLORD in capital letters stands for God's own special name. Judah was another one of the twelve family groups of Israel.

23Aholiab son of Ahisamach worked with him. He was from the family group of Dan. He carved, he planned designs, and he sewed with blue, purple, and red thread and fine linen.

And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.

NoteTo carve means to cut shapes into wood, metal, or stone. To sew designs onto cloth with colored thread is called embroidery.

3Solomon and the whole crowd went to the worship place at Gibeon. God's special tent was there. Moses, who served the LORD, had made that tent long ago in the desert.

So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

NoteA worship place was a spot, often on a hill, where people prayed to God. Gibeon was a town near Jerusalem. The special tent was made long ago by Moses, the leader who brought God's people out of Egypt. People met with God there.

4David had brought the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim. David had set up a tent for it in Jerusalem.

But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

NoteThe ark was a golden box that held God's rules written on stone. It reminded people that God was with them. Kirjath-jearim was a town where the ark had been kept.

5The bronze altar was at Gibeon, in front of the LORD's tent. Bezaleel, the son of Uri, had made it. Uri was the son of Hur. Solomon and the crowd went there to ask God for help.

Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it.

NoteBronze is a hard, shiny metal, a mix of copper and tin. An altar was a big stone or metal table. People burned gifts for God on it.

6Solomon went up to the bronze altar in front of the LORD. It stood at the special tent. There he burned a thousand animals as gifts to God.

And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it.

NoteBurning animals as gifts was how people said thank you and sorry to God. A thousand was a huge number of gifts, more than anyone usually gave.