The Altar and the Court

Exodus 27

Instructions are given for building the bronze altar of burnt offering and its utensils, and for the curtained court that surrounds the tabernacle, including its posts, hangings, and gate. The Lord also commands that pure oil be kept ready so that a lamp may burn continually before him.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonTHOU shalt make also an altar of incorruptible wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square and the height of it shall be three cubits.

BrentonAnd thou shalt make an altar of incorruptible wood, of five cubits in the length, and five cubits in the breadth; the altar shall be square, and the height of it shall be of three cubits.

GreekΚαὶ ποιήσεις θυσιαστήριον ἐκ ξύλων ἀσήπτων, πέντε πήχεων τὸ μῆκος, καὶ πέντε πήχεων τὸ εὖρος· τετράγωνον ἔσται τὸ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ τριῶν πήχεων τὸ ὕψος αὐτοῦ.

KJVAnd thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

JPSAnd thou shalt make the altar of acacia-wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be four-square; and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

ThomsonAnd thou shalt make the horns at the four corners. The horns shall be a component part of it and thou shalt overlay them with brass. And thou shalt make a border for the altar.

BrentonAnd thou shalt make the horns on the four corners; the horns shall be of the same piece, and thou shalt overlay them with brass.

GreekΚαὶ ποιήσεις τὰ κέρατα ἐπὶ τῶν τεσσάρων γωνιῶν· ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἔσται τὰ κέρατα, καὶ καλύψεις αὐτὰ χαλκῷ.

KJVAnd thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

JPSAnd thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof; the horns thereof shall be of one piece with it; and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

ThomsonAnd its cover and its pans and its flesh-hooks and its fire-hearth and all its utensils thou shalt make of brass.

BrentonAnd thou shalt make a rim for the altar; and its covering and its cups, and its flesh-hooks, and its fire-pan, and all its vessels shalt thou make of brass.

GreekΚαὶ ποιήσεις στεφάνην τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ· καὶ τὸν καλυπτῆρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰς φιάλας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰς κρεάγρας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ πυρεῖον αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ποιήσεις χαλκᾶ.

KJVAnd thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.

JPSAnd thou shalt make its pots to take away its ashes, and its shovels, and its basins, and its flesh-hooks, and its fire-pans; all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.

ThomsonAnd thou shalt make for it a brass gate of net-work; and for the grate thou shalt make four rings of brass under the four sides;

BrentonAnd thou shalt make for it a brazen grate with net-work; and thou shalt make for the grate four brazen rings under the four sides.

GreekΚαὶ ποιήσεις αὐτῷ ἐσχάραν ἔργῳ δικτυωτῷ χαλκῆν· καὶ ποιήσεις τῇ ἐσχάρᾳ τέσσαρες δακτυλίους χαλκοῦς ὑπὸ τὰ τέσσαρα κλίτη.

KJVAnd thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.

JPSAnd thou shalt make for it a grating of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brazen rings in the four corners thereof.

Thomsonand thou shalt put them under the grate of the altar below (now the grate must be half way up the height of the altar.)

BrentonAnd thou shalt put them below under the grate of the altar, and the grate shall extend to the middle of the altar.

GreekΚαὶ ὑποθήσεις αὐτοὺς ὑπὸ τὴν ἐσχάραν τοῦ θυσιαστήριου κάτωθεν· ἔσται δὲ ἡ ἐσχάρα ἕως τοῦ ἡμίσους τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου.

KJVAnd thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.

JPSAnd thou shalt put it under the ledge round the altar beneath, that the net may reach halfway up the altar.

ThomsonAnd thou shalt make for the altar poles of incorruptible wood and overlay them with brass,

BrentonAnd thou shalt make for the altar staves of incorruptible wood, and thou shalt overlay them with brass.

GreekΚαὶ ποιήσεις τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ἀναφορεῖς ἐκ ξύλων ἀσήπτων, καὶ περιχαλκώσεις αὐτοὺς χαλκῷ.

KJVAnd thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass.

JPSAnd thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of acacia-wood, and overlay them with brass.

Thomsonand thou shalt put the poles into the rings; and let the poles be along the sides of the altar in carrying it.

BrentonAnd thou shalt put the staves into the rings; and let the staves be on the sides of the altar to carry it.

GreekΚαὶ εἰσάξεις τοὺς ἀναφορεῖς εἰς τοὺς δακτυλίους· καὶ ἔστωσαν ἀναφορεῖς κατὰ πλευρὰ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἐν τῷ αἴρειν αὐτό.

KJVAnd the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.

JPSAnd the staves thereof shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, in bearing it.

ThomsonHollow, and of boards thou shalt make it. According to what is shewn thee on this mount so shalt thou make it.

BrentonThou shalt make it hollow with boards: according to what was shewed thee in the mount, so thou shalt make it.

GreekΚοῖλον συνιδωτὸν ποιήσεις αὐτό· κατὰ τὸ παραδειχθέν σοι ἐν τῷ ὄρει, οὕτω ποιήσεις αὐτό.

KJVHollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

JPSHollow with planks shalt thou make it; as it hath been shown thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

ThomsonThou shalt also make a court for the tabernacle. For the south side, the hangings of the court shall be of cotton thread; the length for that side one hundred cubits

BrentonAnd thou shalt make a court for the tabernacle, curtains of the court of fine linen spun on the south side, the length of a hundred cubits for one side.

GreekΚαὶ ποιήσεις αὐλὴν τῇ σκηνῇ· εἰς τὸ κλίτος τὸ πρὸς Λίβα ἱστία τῆς αὐλῆς ἐκ βύσσου κεκλωσμένης· μῆκος ἑκατὸν πήχεων τῷ ἑνὶ κλίτει.

KJVAnd thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:

JPSAnd thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side.

Thomsonand their pillars twenty. And the twenty bases of these pillars shall be of brass and their links and their fillets of silver.

BrentonAnd their pillars twenty, and twenty brazen sockets for them, and their rings and their clasps of silver.

GreekΚαὶ οἱ στύλοι αὐτῶν εἴκοσι, καὶ αἱ βάσεις αὐτῶν εἴκοσι χαλκαῖ, καὶ οἱ κρίκοι αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ ψαλίδες ἀργυραῖ.

KJVAnd the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.

JPSAnd the pillars thereof shall be twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.

ThomsonSo for the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long with their twenty pillars; and the twenty bases of them shall be of brass, and the links and the fillets of these pillars and their bases shall be overlaid with silver.

BrentonThus shall there be to the side toward the north curtains of a hundred cubits in length; and their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty of brass, and the rings and the clasps of the pillars, and their sockets overlaid with silver.

GreekΟὕτως τῷ κλίτει τῷ πρὸς ἀπηλιώτην ἱστία ἑκατὸν πήχεων μῆκος· καὶ οἱ στύλοι αὐτῶν εἴκοσι, καὶ αἱ βάσεις αὐτῶν εἴκοσι χαλκαῖ· καὶ οἱ κρίκοι καὶ αἱ ψαλίδες τῶν στύλων, καὶ αἱ βάσεις αὐτῶν περιηργυρωμέναι ἀργυρίῳ.

KJVAnd likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

JPSAnd likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, and the pillars thereof twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

ThomsonAnd for the breadth of the court westward there shall be hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten and their bases ten.

BrentonAnd in the breadth of the tabernacle toward the west curtains of fifty cubits, their pillars ten and their sockets ten.

GreekΤὸ δὲ εὖρος τῆς αὐλῆς τὸ κατὰ θάλασσαν ἱστία πεντήκοντα πήχεων· στύλοι αὐτῶν δέκα, καὶ βάσεις αὐτῶν δέκα.

KJVAnd for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.

JPSAnd for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.

ThomsonAnd for the breadth of the court eastward there shall be hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten and their bases ten.

BrentonAnd in the breadth of the tabernacle toward the south, curtains of fifty cubits; their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.

GreekΚαὶ εὖρος τῆς αὐλῆς τῆς πρὸς Νότον ἱστία πεντήκοντα πήχεων· στύλοι αὐτῶν δέκα, καὶ βάσεις αὐτῶν δέκα.

KJVAnd the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.

JPSAnd the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.

ThomsonBut on one side of the gateway, the length of the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, their pillars three and their bases three;

BrentonAnd the height of the curtains shall be of fifteen cubits for the one side of the gate; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

GreekΚαὶ πεντεκαίδεκα πήχεων τὸ ὕψος τῶν ἱστίων τῷ κλίτει τῷ ἑνί· στύλοι αὐτῶν τρεῖς, καὶ αἱ βάσεις αὐτῶν τρεῖς.

KJVThe hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

JPSThe hangings for the one side [of the gate] shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

Thomsonand for the other side of the gateway, the length of the hangings shall be fifteen cubits; their pillars three and their bases three:

BrentonAnd for the second side the height of the curtains shall be of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

GreekΚαὶ τὸ κλίτος τὸ δεύτερον δεκαπέντε πήχεων τῶν ἱστίων τὸ ὕψος· στύλοι αὐτῶν τρεῖς, καὶ αἱ βάσεις αὐτῶν τρεῖς.

KJVAnd on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

JPSAnd for the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

Thomsonand for the gate of the court there shall be a curtain of twenty cubits long, made of blue and purple and scarlet yarn and cotton thread woven with a variety of embroidery; the pillars four and their bases four.

BrentonAnd a veil for the door of the court, the height of it of twenty cubits of blue linen, and of purple, and spun scarlet, and of fine linen spun with the art of the embroiderer; their pillars four, and their sockets four.

GreekΚαὶ τῇ πύλῃ τῆς αὐλῆς κάλυμμα· εἴκοσι πήχεων τὸ ὕψος ἐξ ὑακίνθου, καὶ πορφύρας, καὶ κοκκίνου κεκλωσμένου, καὶ βύσσου κεκλωσμένης τῇ ποικιλίᾳ τοῦ ῥαφιδευτοῦ· στύλοι αὐτῶν τέσσαρες, καὶ αἱ βάσεις αὐτῶν τέσσαρες.

KJVAnd for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.

JPSAnd for the gate of the court shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the weaver in colours: their pillars four, and their sockets four.

ThomsonAll the pillars of the court round about shall be filletted with silver and the capitals shall be silvered and their bases of brass.

BrentonAll the pillars of the court round about overlaid with silver, and their chapiters silver and their brass sockets.

GreekΠάντες οἱ στύλοι τῆς αὐλῆς κύκλῳ κατηργυρωμένοι ἀργυρίῳ, καὶ αἱ κεφαλίδες αὐτῶν ἀργυραῖ, καὶ αἱ βάσεις αὐτῶν χαλκαῖ.

KJVAll the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.

JPSAll the pillars of the court round about shall be filleted with silver; their hooks of silver, and their sockets of brass.

ThomsonThe length of the court shall be a hundred cubits on each side, and the breadth fifty cubits at each end, and the height of the cotton hangings five cubits. And the bases shall be of brass,

BrentonAnd the length of the court shall be a hundred cubits on each side, and the breadth fifty on each side, and the height five cubits of fine linen spun, and their sockets of brass.

GreekΤὸ δὲ μῆκος τῆς αὐλῆς ἑκατὸν ἐφʼ ἑκατόν· καὶ εὖρος πεντήκοντα ἐπὶ πεντήκοντα· καὶ ὕψος πέντε πήχεῶν ἐκ βύσσου κεκλωσμένης, καὶ βάσεις αὐτῶν χαλκαῖ.

KJVThe length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.

JPSThe length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits, of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.

Thomsonand all the implements and all the utensils and all the pins of the court shall be of brass.

BrentonAnd all the furniture and all the instruments and the pins of the court shall be of brass.

GreekΚαὶ πᾶσα ἡ κατασκευὴ καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐργαλεῖα καὶ οἱ πάσσαλοι τῆς αὐλῆς χαλκοῖ.

KJVAll the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

JPSAll the instruments of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

ThomsonMoreover thou shalt give orders to the children of Israel; and let them provide for thee, clear, pure oil expressed from olives to burn for a light, that a lamp may be kept burning continually in the tabernacle of the testimony.

BrentonAnd do thou charge the children of Israel, and let them take for thee refined pure olive-oil beaten to burn for light, that a lamp may burn continually

GreekΚαὶ σὺ σύνταξον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ λαβέτωσάν σοι ἔλαιον ἐξ ἐλαιῶν ἀτρυγον καθαρὸν κεκομμένον εἰς φῶς καῦσαι, ἵνα καίηται λύχνος διαπαντός

KJVAnd thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.

JPSAnd thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.

ThomsonOn the outside of the veil which is before the covenant Aaron and his sons shall keep it burning from evening till morning before the Lord. This shall be an everlasting ordinance for your generations among the children of Israel.

Brentonin the tabernacle of the testimony, without the veil that is before the ark of the covenant, shall Aaron and his sons burn it from evening until morning, before the Lord: it is a perpetual ordinance throughout your generations of the children of Israel.

Greekἐν τῇ σκηνῇ τοῦ μαρτυρίου· ἔξωθεν τοῦ καταπετάσματος τοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς διαθήκης καύσει αὐτὸ Ἀαρὼν καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ ἀφʼ ἑσπέρας ἕως πρωῒ, ἐναντίον Κυρίου, νόμιμον αἰώνιον εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν παρὰ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ.

KJVIn the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

JPSIn the tent of meeting, without the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall set it in order, to burn from evening to morning before the LORD; it shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.