Instructions for making the sacred chest

10 “Tell the people to make a sacred chest from acacia wood. It is to be ◄45 in./110 cm.► long, ◄27 in./66 cm.► wide, and ◄27 in./66 cm.► high. 11 Cover it with pure gold inside and outside, and put a gold border around the top of it. 12 They must make/cast four rings from gold and fasten them to the legs of the chest. Put two rings on each side of the chest. 13 They must make two poles from acacia wood, and they must cover them with gold. 14 They must put the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest, so that the chest can be carried by the poles. 15 The poles must always be left in the rings; they must not take the poles out of the rings. 16 Put inside the chest the two stone slabs that I will give you, on which I have written my commandments.

17 Tell them to make a lid for the chest from pure gold. It will be the place where I will forgive people’s sins. It also is to be ◄45 in./110 cm.► long and ◄27 in./66 cm.► wide. 18 Tell them to hammer huge lump of gold into the form of two creatures that have wings. 19 One of these is to be put at each end of the chest, but the gold from which they are made must be joined to the gold from which the lid is made. 20 Tell them to place the winged creatures so that their wings touch each other and spread out over the lid. 21 Put inside the chest the stone slabs that I will give you. Then fasten the lid onto the top of the chest. 22 I will set times to talk with you there. From above the lid of the chest, between the two winged creatures, I will tell to you all my laws that you must tell to the Israeli people.”