The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday February 7, 2019 (NIV)

Curtains of Linen

26 “Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle (sacred tent of worship) with ten [interior] curtains of fine twisted linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet fabric; you shall make them with [embroidered] cherubim, the handwork of a skillful craftsman. ² The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all of the curtains shall measure the same. ³ The five curtains shall be joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another. ⁴ You shall make loops of blue on the outer edge of the last curtain in the first set, and likewise in the second set. ⁵ You shall make fifty loops on the one curtain, and fifty loops on the edge of the last curtain that is in the second set. The loops on one curtain correspond to the loops on the other. ⁶ You shall make fifty gold hooks, and fasten the curtains together with the hooks; and the tabernacle shall be one unit.

Curtains of Goats’ Hair

⁷ “Then you shall make [exterior] curtains of goats’ hair as a tent over the tabernacle. You shall make eleven curtains in all. ⁸ Each curtain shall be thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. The eleven curtains shall all measure the same. ⁹ You shall join five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent [to make a closed door]. ¹⁰ Make fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set.

¹¹ “You shall make fifty bronze hooks and put the hooks into the loops and join the tent together so that it may be one unit. ¹² The overlapping part that is left over from the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over, shall lap over the back of the tabernacle. ¹³ The cubit on one side and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains of the tent shall lap over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and the other side, to cover it. ¹⁴ You shall make a third covering for the tent of rams’ ^[a]skins dyed red, and a fourth covering above that of ^[b]porpoise skins.

Boards and Sockets

¹⁵ “Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright [as a trellis-like frame]. ¹⁶ The length of each board shall be ten cubits and the width of each board shall be one and a half cubits. ¹⁷ Make two dovetails in each board for fitting [them] together; you shall do the same for all the tabernacle boards. ¹⁸ You shall make the boards for the tabernacle [in the following quantities]: twenty boards for the south side. ¹⁹ You shall make forty silver sockets under the twenty boards, two sockets under each board for its two dovetails, and two sockets under another board for its two dovetails; ²⁰ for the north side of the tabernacle there shall be twenty boards, ²¹ and their forty silver sockets, two sockets under each board. ²² For the back or west side of the tabernacle you shall make six boards. ²³ Make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear [on both sides]. ²⁴ They shall be joined together underneath, and joined together on top with one ring. So shall it be for both of them; they shall form the two [rear] corners. ²⁵ There shall be eight boards and sixteen silver sockets; two sockets under each board.

²⁶ “Then you shall make [fifteen] bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷ and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the rear end of the tabernacle, for the back wall toward the west. ²⁸ And the middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through [horizontally] from end to end. ²⁹ You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold to hold the bars. You shall overlay the bars with gold. ³⁰ You shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan [the direction corresponding to its meaning and purpose] which has been shown to you on the mountain.

The Veil and Screen

³¹ “You shall make a veil [to divide the two rooms] of blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and fine twisted linen, skillfully worked with cherubim on it. ³² You shall hang it on four pillars (support poles) of acacia wood overlaid with gold, with gold hooks, on four silver sockets. ³³ You shall hang the veil from the hooks [that connect the curtains together], and you shall bring the ark of the Testimony there within the veil. The veil shall separate for you the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. ³⁴ You shall put the ^[c]mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony in the Holy of Holies. ³⁵ You shall set the table [for the bread] outside the veil [in the Holy Place] on the north side, and the lampstand opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle.

³⁶ “You shall make a screen [to provide a covering] for the doorway of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and finely woven [embroidered] linen, the work of an embroiderer.^{(A) 37} You shall make five pillars (support poles) of acacia wood to support the hanging curtain and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five [base] sockets of bronze for them.

The Bronze Altar

27 “And you shall make the altar [for burnt offerings] of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. ² Make horns (horn-shaped projections) for it on its four corners; the horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. ³ You shall make pots to remove its ashes, and shovels, basins [to catch the blood of the sacrificed animal], meat-forks, and firepans [to store live coals]. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. ⁴ Also make a grate for it, a network of bronze; and on the grid you are to make four bronze rings at its four corners. ⁵ And you shall put it under the ledge of the altar, so that the grid will extend halfway up the altar. ⁶ You shall make [carrying] poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, overlaid with bronze. ⁷ The poles shall be inserted through the rings on the two sides of the altar so that it may be carried.^{(B) 8} You are to make the altar hollow with planks; as you were shown on the mountain [of Sinai], so shall it be made.

Court of the Tabernacle

⁹ “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. The south side of the court is to have curtains of fine twisted linen, a hundred cubits long for one side; ¹⁰ it shall have twenty pillars and twenty bronze sockets; but the hooks of the pillars and their fasteners shall be silver; ¹¹ likewise for the north side there shall be curtains, a hundred cubits long, and its twenty pillars and twenty bronze sockets; but the hooks of the pillars and their fasteners shall be silver. ¹² For the width of the court on the west side there shall be curtains of fifty cubits, with ten pillars (support poles) and ten sockets. ¹³ The width of the court [to the front], on the east side shall be fifty cubits. ¹⁴ The curtains for one side [of the gate] shall be fifteen cubits with three pillars and three sockets. ¹⁵ On the other side [of the gate] the curtains shall be fifteen cubits with three pillars and three sockets. ¹⁶ For the gate of the court there shall be a screen [to provide a covering] of twenty cubits, of blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and finely woven [embroidered] linen, the work of an embroiderer, with four pillars and four [base] sockets. ¹⁷ All the pillars (support poles) around the court shall be joined together with silver rods; their hooks shall be of silver and their sockets of bronze. ¹⁸ The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, and the width fifty [cubits] throughout, and the height five cubits of fine twisted linen, and their sockets of bronze. ¹⁹ All the tabernacle’s utensils and instruments used in all its service, and all its stakes, and all the stakes for the court, shall be of bronze.

²⁰ “You shall command the Israelites to provide you with clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually [every night]. ²¹ In the Tent of Meeting [of God with His people], outside the veil which is in front of the [ark of the] Testimony [and sets it apart], Aaron [the high priest] and his sons shall keep the lamp burning from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a perpetual statute [to be observed] throughout their generations on behalf of the Israelites.

Parable of Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went to ^[a]meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish [thoughtless, silly, and careless], and five were wise [far-sighted, practical, and sensible]. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps. ⁵ Now while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep. ⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order [trimmed the wicks and added oil and lit them]. ⁸ But the foolish virgins said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise replied, ‘No, otherwise there will not be enough for us and for you, too; go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ But while they were going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut and locked. ¹¹ Later the others also came, and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open [the door] for us.’ ¹² But He replied, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I do not know you [we have no relationship].’ ¹³ Therefore, be on the alert [be prepared and ready], for you do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come].

Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it is just like a man who was about to take a journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his possessions.^{(A) 15} To one he gave five ^[b]talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The one who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he [made a profit and] gained five more. ¹⁷ Likewise the one who had two [made a profit and] gained two more. ¹⁸ But the one who had received the one went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And the one who had received the five talents came and brought him five more, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted to me five talents. See, I have [made a profit and] gained five more talents.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’

²² “Also the one who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have [made a profit and] gained two more talents.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’

²⁴ “The one who had received one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a harsh and demanding man, reaping [the harvest] where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid [to lose the talent], and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is your own.’

²⁶ “But his master answered him, ‘You wicked, lazy servant, you knew that I reap [the harvest] where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter seed. ²⁷ Then you ought to have put my money with the bankers, and at my return I would have received my money back with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

²⁹ “For to everyone who has [and values his blessings and gifts from God, and has used them wisely], more will be given, and [he will be richly supplied so that] he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have [because he has ignored or disregarded his blessings and gifts from God], even what he does have will be taken away.^{(B) 30} And throw out the worthless servant into the outer darkness; in that place [of grief and torment] there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

The Commendation of Wisdom