1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they take an offering for me. From everyone whose heart makes him willing you shall take my offering.
3 This is the offering which you shall take from them : gold, silver, bronze,
4 blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair,
5 rams’ skins dyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, Notesn1 or, fine leather
6 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense,
7 onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.
8 Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
9 According to all that I show you, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all of its furniture, even so you shall make it.
Note · Exode 25.1–9
Une contribution qui n’est pas un travail forcé
Les matériaux sont demandés à ceux dont le cœur est disposé à donner. Le contraste avec la production imposée par Pharaon est important. Le projet commun ne devrait pas reprendre la logique de l’oppression quittée : la demeure annoncée est celle de Dieu au milieu des personnes, non un monument à leur chef.
10 “They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Its length shall be two and a half cubits, its width a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height. Notesn1 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.
11 You shall overlay it with pure gold. You shall overlay it inside and outside, and you shall make a gold molding around it.
12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four feet. Two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.
13 You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
14 You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark.
15 The poles shall be in the rings of the ark. They shall not be taken from it.
16 You shall put the covenant which I shall give you into the ark.
17 You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two and a half cubits shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its width.
18 You shall make two cherubim of hammered gold. You shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat.
19 Make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. You shall make the cherubim on its two ends of one piece with the mercy seat.
20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.
21 You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the covenant that I will give you.
22 There I will meet with you, and I will tell you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the covenant, all that I command you for the children of Israel.
Note · Exode 25.10–22
L’arche garde le témoignage et marque une rencontre
Les tables seront placées dans l’arche, tandis que la parole est annoncée au-dessus de son couvercle. Les chérubins ne constituent pas une image de Dieu lui-même. Le vocabulaire du propitiatoire reçoit une portée rituelle que les chapitres suivants et le Lévitique préciseront.
23 “You shall make a table of acacia wood. Its length shall be two cubits, and its width a cubit, and its height one and a half cubits.
24 You shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.
25 You shall make a rim of a hand width around it. You shall make a golden molding on its rim around it.
26 You shall make four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that are on its four feet.
27 The rings shall be close to the rim, for places for the poles to carry the table.
28 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them.
29 You shall make its dishes, its spoons, its ladles, and its bowls with which to pour out offerings. You shall make them of pure gold.
30 You shall set bread of the presence on the table before me always.
Note · Exode 25.23–30
Une table devant Dieu
Les pains et les objets de service sont préparés pour une présence régulière. Le texte ne dit pas que Dieu aurait besoin d’être alimenté pour subsister. La disposition exprime une relation cultuelle organisée ; il est inutile d’inventer pour chaque ustensile une correspondance spirituelle imposée.
31 “You shall make a lamp stand of pure gold. The lamp stand shall be made of hammered work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it.
32 There shall be six branches going out of its sides : three branches of the lamp stand out of its one side, and three branches of the lamp stand out of its other side ;
33 three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower ; and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower, so for the six branches going out of the lamp stand ;
34 and in the lamp stand four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers ;
35 and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of the lamp stand.
36 Their buds and their branches shall be of one piece with it, all of it one beaten work of pure gold.
37 You shall make its lamps seven, and they shall light its lamps to give light to the space in front of it.
38 Its snuffers and its snuff dishes shall be of pure gold.
39 It shall be made of a talent of pure gold, with all these accessories. Notesn1 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces
40 See that you make them after their pattern, which has been shown to you on the mountain.
Note · Exode 25.31–40
La lumière demande un travail précis
Le chandelier est décrit avec ses branches et ses formes végétales. La fabrication requiert une habileté réelle et une fidélité au modèle. La beauté reçoit ainsi une place dans le service, sans que le texte exige de toutes les communautés futures la reproduction de cet objet à l’identique.