EXODUS CHAPTER 26 ~ 30

EXODUS 26

1 "Moreover you shall make the tent
Ten curtains of fine wovenment
Of linen and blue, purple, and
Scarlet embroidery by hand,
Of cherubim you shall weave them.
2 "The length of each curtain, a gem,
Shall be twenty-eight cubits, and
The width of each four cubits’ band.
And every curtain shall be of
One size for length below, above.
3 "Five curtains shall be coupled to
Each other, and the other do
For five curtains each coupled too.
4 "And you shall make loops of blue on
The edge of the curtain and on
The selvedge of one set, likewise
You shall do on the outer guise
Of curtain of the second set.
5 "Fifty loops you shall make well-met
In the one curtain, fifty loops
You shall make on the edge in groups
Of the curtain that's on the end
Of the second set, that the loops
May clasp each to each and extend.
6 "And you shall make fifty gold clasps
And couple curtains so it grasps,
So it may as one tent suspend.

Surround me, my Beloved, with linen white
With loops of blue and precious in men's sight,
And clasps of gold to make a desert tent
Within the wilderness of this world spent,
That You may dwell in me and I in You
Beneath a white- and gold-rimmed sky of blue.
May that pure covering hide from the sight
Of the on-looker curious to fight
My courtyard ablutions and sacrifice,
The bread and light and perfumes that entice
Into the inner sanctum of the soul
Where mercy-seat and decalogue and roll
Await the glory of Your presence here
Where I taste exquisite things without fear.

7 "You'll also make curtains of goats'
To be an upper tent that floats.
You shall make eleven curtains.
8 "And the length of all the curtains
Thirty cubits, and the width of
Each curtain four cubits above,
And the eleven curtains shall
Have the same measurements withal.
9 "And you shall couple five veils by
Themselves and six veils not awry
And double over the sixth veil
At the forefront of the tent pale.
10 "You shall make fifty loops upon
The edge of the veil that's upon
The outermost and in one set,
And fifty loops on the edge get
The curtain of the second set.
11 "And you shall make fifty bronze clasps,
Put the clasps into the loops' hasps,
And couple the tent, that it may
Be one. 12 "Now the remnants that stay
Of the tent's veils, the half veil spun
Shall hang over the back when done.
13 "And a cubit on one side and
A cubit on the other hand,
Of what remains of the length of
The curtains of the tent above,
Shall hang over the tent's sides, on
This side and that, covered upon.
14 "You shall also make covering
Of ram skins dyed red for the wing
Of the tent, and a covering
Of badger [seal] skins above that thing.

A goatskin covering the first of three,
Beloved, You demand for a canopy.
The little goats go running out at morn
To lead a village boy from branch to thorn,
And then come running back as night draws near
With little feet that patter at the rear
For all the world like raindrops on the stones
And dust of village paths, and by their tones
Call me to prayer who hesitated at
The muezzin's clear voice heard where I sat.
You do not ask for silks to grace Your walls,
And so I also leave lace where it falls
And dress myself in sunset's gauzes till
The clattering of goatskins becomes still.

15 "And for the tabernacle you
Shall make acacia boards to do
The upright standing. 16 "Ten cubits
Shall be the length where a board sits,
And a cubit and half shall be
The width of each board faithfully.
17 "Two tenons shall be in each board
For binding each to each when stored.
Thus you shall make for all the planks
Of the tabernacle for thanks.
18 "And you shall make the tent boards twenty
For the south side, that should be plenty.
19 "And forty silver sockets make
Under the twenty boards in stake:
Two sockets under each of them
For its two tenons to begem.
20 "And for the second side of tent,
The north, also twenty boards went
21 "Forty silver sockets with two
Under each board as though they grew.
22 "For the tent's far side to the west
You shall make six boards of the best.

My year is bound and held in the sweet frame
Of forty silver sockets without name
But Ramadhan, Muharrem days of fasting
Returning on the bright wings and the lasting
Year's flight and hover on the simple store.
The year returns as both window and door.
My year is kept in sockets set to bear
The days and weeks in single order there,
That without them would scatter and fall down,
A pile of planks beneath a cloudy frown
Instead of a straight wall to keep the gold
Of love and obedience from the sold.
In forty silver sockets still I stand
In judgement and reprieve in a strange land.

23 "And you shall also make two planks
At tent's two back corners in ranks.
24 "They shall be coupled at the base
And at the top by one ring's grace.
Thus it shall be for both of them
For two corners in stratagem.
25 "So there shall be eight boards with their
Silver sockets, sixteen in air,
Two sockets under each board there.
26 "And you shall make you bars of wood
Of acacia, five as you should
For the boards on the one tent side,
27 "Five bars for each of boards that slide
Into place on the other side
Of the tent, and five bars for those
Boards on the west side and to close.
28 "The middle bar shall pass through those
Boards from one end to other end.
29 "You'll overlay the boards and spend
With gold, and make their rings of gold
For the bars as a place to hold,
And overlay the bars with gold.
30 "You shall raise up the tabernacle
According to its pattern crackle
Which you were shown upon the mount
For which you shall give an account.

Make me, Beloved, inlaid with heavenly gold
In overlay upon the wood of cold
Desert nights and of heated noons where grew
Acacias with their small leaves begging dew.
Make me, Beloved, according to the law
In pattern shown upon the mount in awe.
The heavenly pattern I would seek before
The golden idols set before tent door.
Let me raise up Your temple before men
Not in the fashion of the Parisienne,
The New Yorker, the Roman or the Greek,
The wealthy and the stealthy and the sleek.
The heavenly pattern, shown upon the mount,
I take each word, each promise to account.

31 "You shall make a veil woven blue,
Purple, and scarlet, and fine too
Woven linen. It shall be woven
With fine design, cherubim cloven.
32 "You shall hang it upon the four
Pillars of acacia in store
And overlaid with gold. Their hooks
Gold, upon four sockets for looks
Of silver. 33 "And you'll hang the veil
From the clasps, then you'll bring by rail
Ark of the Testimony there,
Behind the veil, which it shall wear
As a divider for you where
The holy and most holy stand.
34 "You shall put the mercy seat band
On the ark of the Testimony
In the most holy place and zony.
35 "You shall set the table outside
The veil, and the lamp-stand to bide
Across from the table to ride
Upon the side of the tent there,
And you shall put the table where
It stands on the north side and fair.
36 "You shall make a screen for the door
Of the tabernacle in store,
Of blue, purple, and scarlet thread,
Fine woven linen, by well-bred.
37 "And you shall make for the screen five
Pillars of acacia and strive
To overlay them all with gold,
Their hooks also shall be of gold,
And you shall cast five sockets of
Bronze for them beneath and above.

Beloved, I have set lamp and bread in place
Within the temple of my heart and face.
Beloved, I have hung veil and gone inside
To place the golden altar on the tide.
The ark of testimony all undone
And put together with gold into one,
And set beneath the cherub wing to bide
Is in its place and I stand here to wait
And pray to You to make my harp and fate.
All things are done, I lie with open breast,
Come You, Beloved, to bless with song and fest,
And set within the witness of my heart
Beneath the mercy seat the tabled part
Upon my flesh Your law, the promised best.

EXODUS 27

1 "Make altar of acacia wood,
Five cubits long, five cubits should
Be width as well, make altar square,
And its height of three cubits there.
2 "You shall make its horns on its four
Corners, its horns are of one score.
You'll overlay the thing with bronze.
3 "Also you shall make all of bronze,
Its pans to receive ashes in,
Its shovels too and each basin
And its forks and firepans, you'll make
All its utensils of bronze take.
4 "You'll make a grate for it, network
Of bronze, and upon the network
You'll make two pairs of bronze rings at
The four corners of where it sat.
5 "You shall put it under the rim
Of the altar beneath, the trim
Of network may be midway to
The top of the altar. 6 "And you
Shall make poles for the altar, poles
Of acacia wood, from the soles
And upward with bronze overlay.
7 "The poles shall be put in the way
Of the rings, and the poles shall be
On the two sides where easily
The altar can be carried free.
8 "You shall make it hollow with planks,
As it was shown to you with thanks
Upon the mountain, so shall they
Make it duly in every way.

I enter court and whirl around within
Encircling arms of linen veils for sin,
The burnished brass of this fair slaughter ground
Reflects the fires of love from where I'm bound.
The altar is of length that I may lie
Stretched out upon my back and there to die,
Burnt in the loving fire until no loss
Appears upon the altar for the dross.
My soul arises in the glowing sparks
That fly and hover like the summer larks.
My soul flies up to You, my will falls down,
A sere and silken veil, a bridal gown,
Beloved, there is no world left me but You,
I whirl again and enter what is true.

9 "You shall also make the tent court.
For the south side hangings of sort
Of fine woven linen, of one
Hundred cubits long one side done.
10 "And its twenty pillars and their
Twenty bronze sockets they shall wear.
Hooks of the pillars and their bands
Shall be of silver in their stands.
11 "Likewise along the north side length
Hangings one hundred cubits' strength,
With its twenty pillars and their
Twenty sockets of bronze and fair,
And the hooks of the pillars and
Their bands of silver where they stand.
12 "And along the width of the court
On the west side hangings of sort
Of fifty cubits, with their ten
Pillars and sockets also ten.
13 "The width of the court on the east
Shall be fifty cubits at least.
14 "Hangings on one side of the gate
Shall be fifteen cubits in state,
With their three pillars and their three
Sockets. 15 "And on the other lee
Hangings of fifteen cubits, and
Their three pillars with sockets stand.

Bind me about, Beloved, in linen white
For burial of sacrifice tonight.
I lie as dead, Beloved, as next of kin,
You take water and spice to wash my skin.
With bitter tears You stretch my stiffened limbs
And hide me from the people's wicked whims.
In secret and most privately You tell
My bones all in array before the well.
My scant flesh falls away in single breath
As I enter the silent, dusty death.
Bind me about, Beloved, in linen shroud
And bear me off, away from praying crowd,
And hide me in the secret of Your heart
And leave the earth forever for its part.

16 "For the gate of the court a screen
Twenty cubits long, blue of sheen,
Purple, and scarlet, fine linen,
Woven by a weaver again.
It shall have four pillars and four
Sockets. 17 "And all the pillars more
Around the court have silver bands,
Their hooks of silver, sockets' stands
Of bronze. 18 "And the length of the court
Shall be one hundred cubits' sport,
The width fifty cubits throughout,
And height five cubits without doubt,
Fine linen woven, bronze sockets.
19 "All the utensils the tent gets
For all its service, all its pegs,
And all the pegs of the court's legs,
Of bronze, each in its place and sets.

WEEK 20

20 "And now you shall command the folk
Of Israel that they bring and stoke
Pure oil of pressed olives for light,
To cause the lamp to burn in sight.
21 "In the tent of meeting, outside
The veil which is before the bide
Of Testimony, Aaron and
His sons shall tend it by command
From evening until morning there
Before YHWH. It shall be a fair
Statute continuing to their
Generations for all the folk
Of Israel. And so God spoke.

Though I am neither Aaron nor his son,
Let my lamp burn until this night is done.
Let burn the kindly guiding light of God.
Let gently lead the Shepherd's staff and rod.
My darkened inner chamber opens wide
To welcome heaven's light to dwell inside.
Grant, My Beloved, a drop of olive oil,
Illuminate my hour of midnight toil.
The night work of my heart is but a tomb,
Unless You enter in my lowly room.
My inner chamber walls are dark and cold,
But in Your light they turn to shining gold.
Eternal is Your love on my desire,
If You but ever kindle my heart's fire.

EXODUS 28

1 "Now take Aaron your brother, and
His sons with him, from out the band
Of Israel's folk, that he may serve
To Me as priest, as I deserve,
Aaron and Aaron's sons: Nadab,
Abihu, Eleazar rab,
And Ithamar. 2 "And you shall make
Holy garments for Aaron 's sake,
Your brother, for glory and beauty,
And wearing them shall be his duty.

Take You away my filthy rags and stained
And leave my soul unfettered and unchained.
Give me the holy garments of Your grace,
White raiment here in this unholy place.
Clean linen lay upon my tortured brow
To cool the angers that inflame me now.
Clothe me in glory for Your mercy's sake,
Let beauty round about me garments make.
The dark cloud turns to glory where You start,
Your mornings dress in beauty from Your heart.
Clothe me in silken melodies of grace,
The offering of my soul before Your face.
In glory and in beauty at Your throne
I prostrate in Your mercies clad alone.

3 "So you shall speak to all who are
Gifted as artisan and star,
Whom I have filled with wisdom's spirit,
To make Aaron's garments, and near it
To consecrate him, that he may
Serve Me as priest and every day.
4 "And these are the garments which they
Shall make: a breastplate overlay
An ephod, a robe, skilfully
Woven tunic, a turban, see,
And a sash. And so they shall make
Holy garments for Aaron 's sake,
Your brother and his sons, that he
May minister as priest to Me.
5 "They'll take the gold, blue, purple, and
Scarlet thread, and fine linen, 6 "and
They shall make the ephod of gold,
Blue, purple, scarlet thread all told,
And fine woven linen, well worked.
7 "And it shall have its two straps jerked,
Joined at the shoulders by the edges,
And so it shall be joined like wedges.
8 "And the close woven band upon
The ephod shall be polygon
Of the same workmanship, of gold,
Blue, purple, and scarlet all told,
And fine woven linen. 9 "Then you
Shall take two onyx stones to do
And engrave on them the names of
The sons of Israel: 10 "six above
Of their names on one stone, and six
Names on the other stone, no tricks,
In order of their birth. 11 "With work
Of an engraver in stone work,
Like the engravings of a ring
Of signet, you shall grave the thing
Of the two stones with all the names
Of the sons of Israel's claims.
You shall set them in settings gold.
12 "And you shall place the two stones hold
On the shoulders of the ephod
Memorial stones before God
For the sons of Israel. So
Aaron shall bear their names to go
Before YHWH on his two shoulders
As a memorial occurs.
13 "You shall also make settings of
Gold, 14 "and then you shall make above
Two chains of pure gold like braided
Cords, and fasten the chains braided
To the settings as you are led.

Why do You demand gold, Beloved, when You
Cannot hold gold worth anything and true.
The human mind and hand grasp gold to be
Eternal and unchanging sure beauty,
And as such like Yourself, but that likeness
Is blasphemous, profane and cannot bless
The human heart. All gold is mere cold stone.
The pagan thought is gold is god flesh, bone.
The heathen hounding's seeking gold alone.
But You seek neither gem nor precious thing
Except loving obedience to sing.
Is this the priesthood's last Egyptian fling?
Or is gold not to be disputed for
A flower's beauty, if not less, no more?

15 "You'll make the breastplate of judgement.
Finely woven without relent
According to the workmanship
Of the ephod make without slip,
Of gold, blue, purple, scarlet thread,
And fine woven linen outspread,
You shall make it. 16 "And it shall be
Doubled into a square: a span
Its length, a span its width by man.
17 "And you shall put settings of stone
In it, four rows of stones alone:
A sardius, a topaz, and
An emerald, the first row manned,
18 "The second row turquoise, sapphire,
And a diamond of great desire,
19 "The third row, a jacinth, agate,
And an amethyst finely set,
20 "And the fourth row, beryl, onyx,
And a jasper, all set with tricks
In gold settings. 21 "And the stones shall
Have names of sons of Israel,
Twelve according to all their names,
Like engravings of signet frames,
Each one with its own name, they shall
Be by twelve tribes of Israel.

Twelve precious stones engraved with precious names
Eternally adorn terrestrial frames.
The secret names are carried to the throne
Where You, Belovèd, sit and reign alone,
And there receive the kiss of progeny
Blessed from the time of Abraham's degree.
Appointed ones for guidance in each age,
These shining stars lead on the pilgrimage.
Their flashing colours from the sky cast down
Rest on the breast and heart, though worth a crown.
Beloved, I seek the precious jewels that
You set to guide the world to where You're at.
I find them hidden still, occulted close
In silence instead of the vain verbose.

22 "You shall make chains for the breastplate
At the end, like braided cords' mate
Of pure gold. 23 "And you shall make two
Rings of gold for the breastplate too,
And put the two rings on both ends
Of the breastplate and at the bends.
24 "Then you shall put both braided chains
Of gold where two rings' broach remains
Which are on the ends of breastplate,
25 "And the other two ends as mate
Of the two braided chains you shall
Fasten to the two settings well,
And put them on the shoulder straps
Of the ephod in front perhaps.
26 "You shall make two rings more of gold,
And put them on the two ends rolled
Of the breastplate, on the edge of
It, on the inner side above
Of the ephod. 27 "And two rings more
Of gold you shall make, put before
On the two shoulder straps, beneath
The ephod toward its fronted wreath,
Right at the seam above the fine
Woven band of the ephod's twine,
Where its holy beauty convenes.
28 "They shall bind the breastplate by means
Of its rings to the rings attached
To the ephod, and so well-matched
Using a blue cord, so that it's
Above the well woven band fits
Of the ephod, so the breastplate
Does not come loose from ephod mate.

Bind me, Belovèd, with a bright blue cord
To Your heart and be my Lover and Lord.
The golden rings You share with me make fast
With ties of love to You and make them last.
I bear the names upon me of Your own,
Set in the gold of love and in the stone
Of my obedience to You alone.
Bind up my heart tightly within the zone
Of Your divinity until there be
Nothing left of my will, nothing of me.
Bind me, Beloved, so that I do not come
Loose from the ephod of that martyrdom.
The golden pairs pass on and two by two
Join into one all things that come to You.

29 "So Aaron shall bear the names of
The sons of Israel and above
The breastplate of judgement upon
His heart, when he goes in at dawn
And eve into the holy place,
A constant sign before YHWH's face.
30 "And you shall put in the breastplate
Of judgement the Urim of fate
And the Thummim, and they shall be
Over Aaron's heart whene'er he
Goes in before YHWH. So Aaron
Shall bear the judgement there upon
His heart for Israel's children by
YHWH and there continually.

Beloved, You make a secret of the stones
Called Urim and Thummin, like craven groans
That frighten hags and children in the night.
You do not mention here the shadow light
That comes to speak Your will to priestly question.
You leave each reader to his poor digestion.
Enough, perhaps, it is these magic gems
Bear every child of Israel's diadems
Before Your face within the hidden tent.
In love at least the secret jewels are spent.
Urim and Thummin, sacred windows on
Your revelation's bright and rosy dawn,
Comfort my heart that seeks to know Your will
As I awaken to shiver and chill.

31 "And you shall make the ephod's robe
All of blue. 32 "There shall be a scope
Opening for his head within
The middle of it, and its skin
Of woven binding all around
Its opening, like the one found
In coats of mail, so it won't tear.
33 "And upon its hem you shall wear
Pomegranates of blue, purple, and
Scarlet, all around its hem, and
Bells of gold between them around:
34 "A golden bell and pomegranate,
A golden bell and pomegranate,
Upon the robe's hem all around.
35 "And it shall be upon Aaron
When he ministers, and its sound
Will then be heard when he goes on
Into the holy place before
YHWH and when he comes out the door,
That he may not die. 36 "You'll also
Make a plate of pure gold to show
And engrave on graven signet
Holiness to YHWH. 37 "And you'll put
It on a blue cord, not for foot
But on the turban, it shall be
On the front of turban to see.

I take no turban for myself to wear
Although Ed Elwall wore one everywhere,
And half the crooks in Iran are adept
At winding turbans with their hearts unswept.
Instead I beg You, my Beloved, to give
That golden signet graven where I live,
Not in cold metal nor in written word,
But in the way I live, clear and unblurred,
As holiness to You. And on blue cord
Of loyalty to You without steel sword,
But with the sword of truth from Your own lips.
Let that turban invisible that slips
Unnoticed on the humble head obeying
Be mine bowed on the altar and there staying.

38 "So it shall be on Aaron's forehead,
That Aaron may bear all the horrid
Iniquity of holy things
Which every son of Israel brings
To hallow in all holy gifts,
And it shall always be where lifts
His forehead, that they may all be
Accepted before YHWH wholly.
39 "You shall skilfully weave the tunic
Of fine linen, and make the runic
Turban of fine linen, and you
Shall make the sash of woven hue.
40 "For Aaron's sons you'll also make
Tunics, and sashes for their sake.
And you shall make hats for them too,
For glory and beauty. 41 "So you
Shall put them on Aaron your brother
And on his sons with him. You'll smother
Them all with oil and consecrate
Them, and sanctify their estate,
That they may minister to Me
As priests. 42 "And you shall make them free
Linen trousers for nudity
To be covered, and they shall reach
From the waist to the thighs for breech.
43 "They shall be on Aaron and on
His sons when they come eve or dawn
Into tabernacle of meeting,
Or when they come near in their seating
To the altar to minister
In the holy not to incur
Iniquity and die. It shall
Be a statute and eternal
To him and his descendants all.

Give me no linen, my Beloved, but wool!
I want no priesthood, had it to the full.
The cool and lovely linen give another
Who calls his co-rebellious saint and brother.
I rather take the woollen pant and shirt
And in the worker's garb unfinely girt
Whirl in the turmoil of the friendly street
Or then pass on or then stop one to greet.
Eternal statutes bent to time and place,
When all return to stand before Your face.
Iniquity itself is temporary,
And only You eternally are merry.
No priest am I, but only slaughtered lamb
Dressed in the flesh and bone and wool I am.

EXODUS 29

1 "This is what you shall do to them
To hallow them in stratagem
For ministering to Me as priests:
Take one young bull, two rams for feasts
Without blemish, 2 "unleavened bread,
Unleavened cakes mixed with a shred
Of oil, and unleavened wafers
Anointed with oil as prefers
Made of wheat flour. 3 "You shall put them
In one basket and then bring them
In the basket, with the bull and
The two rams there and make them stand.
4 "And Aaron and his sons you shall
Bring to the doorway eternal
Of the tent of meeting, and you
Shall wash them with the water due.
5 "Then you shall take the garments, put
The tunic on Aaron , from foot
The robe of the ephod, ephod,
And the breastplate, and gird him shod
With the fine woven ephod band.
6 "You'll put the turban in your hand
Upon his head, and put the crown
Of holiness on turban down.
7 "And you shall take anointing oil,
Pour on his head, anoint no spoil.

The consecration of Aaron is like
Baptism in the early church to strike
A contrast with the ordination of
The priest and rabbi or mullah for shove.
Those hierarchies have no place allowed
Within Your revelation: they're too proud.
What once was high priest becomes in the day
Of Christ the settled status all the way
Of everyone within that kingdom of
Kings and priests, duly dressed and dipped above
And chrismed with the oil demanded by
The didachè, and that's the reason why.
Consecrate me also, Beloved, into
The priesthood given to both all and few.

8 "Then you shall bring his sons and put
Tunics on them from head to foot.
9 "And you shall gird them with their sashes,
Aaron and sons, beauty for ashes,
And put hats on them. The priesthood
Shall be theirs as statute for good.
So you shall consecrate Aaron
And his sons with these clothes upon.
10 "You shall also have the bull brought
Before the tent of meeting sought,
And Aaron and his sons shall put
Their hands on the head not the foot
Of the bull. 11 "Then you'll kill the bull
Before YHWH, by the portical
Of the tent of meeting. 12 "You shall
Take some of the blood of the bull
And put it on the altar horns
Of the altar with finger bournes,
And pour all the blood by the base
Of the altar. 13 "And you shall chase
All fat that covers the entrails,
The fatty lobe that forms the shells
Of the liver, and the two reins
Or kidneys and their fat that stains,
And burn it where altar obtains.
14 "But the flesh of the bull, with its
Skin and its offal, burn those bits
With fire outside the camp for sin.

The so-called Christian takes the death of Christ,
Replacing sacrifice of bull fair priced.
Baptized into his death the saying is,
And so the consecrated death is his.
I know from many words that You dote not
On blood of bulls, if on more than just thought,
And still Your care, Beloved, for human woes
Allows You to sigh and accept our blows.
You limit sacrifices men insist
On bringing to Your house to fill Your list,
But do not break the bending human reed
That must it seems retreat again to feed
In order to take in a serious tone
The promises to serve You God alone.

15 "You shall also take one ram in,
And Aaron and his sons shall put
Their hands on the ram's head, not foot,
16 "And you shall kill the ram, and you
Shall take its blood and make it do
To sprinkle all around the altar.
17 "Then cut the ram, and do not falter,
In pieces, wash its entrails and
Its legs, and put them all in hand
With its pieces and with its head.
18 "And you shall burn the whole ram said
Upon the altar for burnt offering
To YHWH, with sweet aroma proffering,
An offering made by fire to YHWH.
19 "And you shall also take the ram,
The other one, and for a lamb
Aaron and his sons shall put their
Hands on the head of the ram fair.
20 "Then you shall kill the ram, and take
Some of its blood and for the sake
Of putting on the right ear's tip
Of Aaron and his sons, not hip,
On the thumb of their right hand and
On the big toe of their right foot,
And sprinkle all the blood in hand
All around on the altar put.
21 "And you shall take some of the blood
That's on the altar, and some stud
Of the anointing oil, and sprinkle
On Aaron and garments no wrinkle,
On his sons and the garments of
His sons with him, all them for love,
And he and his garments shall be
Hallowed, and his sons faithfully
And his sons' garments with him too.
22 "Also you shall take the fat through
From the ram, the fat tail, the fat
That covers entrails where they're at,
The fatty lobe of liver, and
The two kidneys, the fats that stand
On them, and the right thigh, for it
Is consecrated ram and fit,
23 "One loaf of bread, one cake of oil,
And one wafer and not to spoil
From the basket of bread unyeasted
That's before YHWH and not yet feasted,
24 "And you shall put all these in hands
Of Aaron and in the commands
Of his sons, and you shall wave them
As wave offering before YHWH's hem.

Mark my ear too, Beloved, a sacrifice,
And I shall walk into the paradise
Of slaughter and whirl on the night wind till
I come a rising spark up to Your hill.
Perhaps You ought to mark my thumb and toe
On left hand and left foot because I show
The aptitude to use the left, not right.
So unworthy am I before Your sight.
In Turkey once or twice they thought I ate
With my left hand to share the devil's plate.
I swear such is not my intention here,
But only to bow to You thumb and ear,
And take the sacrificial blood upon
My toe as I whirl on the rising dawn.

25 "You shall receive them back from their
Hands and burn them on the altar
As a burnt offering, as a sweet
Aroma before YHWH as meet.
It is an offering made by fire
To YHWH. 26 "Then you shall have desire
To take the breast of the ram of
Aaron 's consecration above
And wave it as a wave offering
Before YHWH, your portion proffering.
27 "And from the ram of consecration
You shall select the breast oblation
Of the wave offering which is waved,
And the thigh of heave offering saved
Which is raised, of that which is for
Aaron and his sons in their store.
28 "It shall be from Israel's children
For Aaron and his sons till when.
For it's a heave offering, it shall
Be a heave offering punctual
From the children of Israel
From the sacrifices done well
Of their peace offerings, heave offering
To YHWH to cantillate and sing.
29 "The holy garments of Aaron
Shall be his sons' after him done,
To be anointed in them and
To consecrate them by command.
30 "That son who becomes priest instead
Of him shall wear them and not shed
For seven days, when he enters
The tent of meeting, ministers
Within the holy place. 31 "And you
Shall take the selected ram too
And boil its flesh in holy place.
32 "Then Aaron and sons face to face
Shall eat the flesh of the ram, and
The loaves that in the basket stand,
By the door of the tent of meeting.
33 "They shall eat those things at that seating
With which the atonement was made,
To consecrate them in their grade
And sanctify them, but outsider
Shall not eat them with the provider,
Because they are holy. 34 "And if
Any of the flesh of the stiff
Consecration offerings, or of
The bread, remains of the above
Until the morning, then you shall
Burn with fire the residual.
It shall not be eaten at all,
Because it is holy, though small.

Like priest in consecration eating loaf,
Although outsider counted and an oaf,
I too look to Your hand providing meat
From day to day, and that is what I eat.
The store for winter set aside by those
Rodents whose wisdom divine You too chose
Is not for the grasshopper cast like me:
I take from Your hand bread and take daily.
One sent and wise thus taught me how to pray
For daily and not weekly bread and stay.
I come at dawn to Your tent door unblessed,
With empty hand after the long night rest,
And eat the consecrated bread You give,
And on that bread and Word contrive to live.

35 "Thus you shall do to Aaron and
His sons, by all that I command.
Seven days you shall consecrate
Them. 36 "And you shall offer a great
Bull every day as sin offering
For an atonement. You shall bring
Atonement to cleanse the altar,
Anoint to sanctify the bar.
37 "Seven days you shall make atonement
For altar, sanctify its ownment,
And the altar shall be most holy,
What touches it is also holy.

There's none holy but You, Beloved, and true,
Yet what touches the holy altar's due
Becomes holy, what touches the vain thing
Becomes vain in both word and song and ring.
For seven days I follow the footsteps
That You make on creation's wicker skeps,
And see Your form almost, but not because
You have no edge nor limit but Your laws.
Your unseenness becomes the way You go,
Because there is no distance in Your show,
But Your holy presence remains unseen
While still arising on unholy scene.
My heart unholy on Your heart I lean
And by that divine touch I holy grow.

38 "Now this is what you shall offer
On the altar: two lambs prefer
Of the first year, day by day for
Continual offering. 39 "One lamb for
The morning offering and the other
Lamb between evenings as its brother.
40 "With the one lamb shall be a tithe
Of flour mixed with one-fourth of hin
Of pressed oil, and one-fourth of hin
Of grape juice as drink offering blythe.
41 "The other lamb you shall offer
Between the evenings, and confer
With it grain and drink offering as
In the morning sweet savour has,
An offering made by fire to YHWH,
42 "Continuing burnt offering through
Your generations at the door
Of the tent of meeting with YHWH,
Where I will meet to speak with you.
43 "And there I will meet as before
With the children of Israel, and
It shall be sanctified and stand
By My glory. 44 "So I will make
The tent and altar holy stake.
I'll also consecrate as priests
Both Aaron and his sons with feasts.
45 "And I will dwell among the people
Of Israel, be God without steeple.
46 "And they shall know that I am YHWH
Their God, who brought them up out through
The land of Egypt, that I may
Dwell with them, I, YHWH, God, this day.

Between the evenings when the sacrifice
Is due to You, Beloved, in Paradise,
I bring myself of flesh and grain and wine,
A human sacrifice to the divine.
On my heart burns the offering of love
Continually between evenings above,
Before the tent of meeting and its door
Seeking to see Your glory in the store.
Beloved One, You who dwell among the folk,
Dwell also here with me the way You spoke
On Sinai, and I shall know as did then
That You are God alone of all earth's men.
And in the silence of that ancient tent
Go on living as generations went.

EXODUS 30

1 "You shall make an altar to burn
Incense upon, you shall discern
To make it of acacia wood.
2 "A cubit its length truly should
Be and a cubit its width, so
It shall be square as two ways go,
And two cubits shall be its height,
Its horns of one piece with it right.
3 "And you shall overlay its top,
Its sides all around, do not stop,
But its horns also with pure gold,
And you shall make for it a mould
Of gold upon it all around.
4 "Two gold rings you shall make and found,
Under the moulding on both sides.
You shall place them on its two sides,
And they will be holders for poles
With which to bear it. 5 "Make the poles
Of acacia wood, overlay
Them with gold. 6 "And you'll let it stay
Before the veil that is before
Ark of testimony, before
The mercy seat that is upon
The testimony, whereupon
I will meet with you. 7 "Aaron shall
Burn there sweet incense clerical
Each morning, when he tends the lamps,
He shall burn incense for the camps.
8 "And when Aaron lights up the lamps
Between two evenings, he shall burn
Its incense always before YHWH
Throughout your generations too.
9 "You'll not there offer strange incense
Or burnt offering in consequence,
Or a grain offering, nor shall you
Pour a drink offering on it too.
10 "And Aaron shall make atonement
Upon its horns each year that went
With the blood of the sin offering
Of atonement that he shall bring
Once in a year where he shall make
Atonement upon it in stake
Throughout your generations too.
It is most holy unto YHWH."

The golden altar of my heart is laid
With mould and horn of gold and not afraid
With skeleton of tough acacia wood:
My golden altar gleams fair as it should.
I wait Your coming to the altar's care,
Born through the noonday shuttle and the air
Of busy street and heat: I wait Your feet.
At evening at the altar, Loved, we meet.
The sweet incense of prayer delights the room
With cloud that veils Your presence from my doom.
At morning on the sky the lamps are lit
And fleck with burnishing my altar knit
From heart to heaven. My Beloved, take place
Before my golden altar and my face.


WEEK 21

11 Then YHWH spoke to Moses, and said
12 "When you take the census instead
Of the children of Israel for
Their number, then each man in store
Shall give a ransom for his soul
To YHWH, when you have reached the goal,
That there may be no plague among
Them when you number them by rung.
13 "This is what everyone among
Those who are numbered shall give: half
A shekel by the temple staff,
(A shekel's twenty gerahs weight),
Half-shekel, offering to YHWH's state.
14 "Everyone included among
Those who are numbered, though unsung,
From twenty years old and above,
Shall give an offering for YHWH's love.
15 "The rich shall not give more, the poor
Shall not give less than half a pure
Shekel, when you give an offering
To YHWH, to make atonementing
For your souls. 16 "And then you shall take
Atonement money for the sake
Of Israel's folk, and shall appoint
It for the service of the joint,
Tent of meeting, that it may be
Memorial and atonely
For the children of Israel
Before YHWH for your souls and well.

The head tax is a thing that has been used
Against the helpless and oppressed, abused,
To force them from the squatter's shack and rights
Out of the way of right of ways and fights.
I wonder if You thought, Beloved, when You
Gave this command in shekels to a few,
That Sabbath-breakers would make laws to track
Your faithful in the forests with a knack
For living off the land without the gold
Or silver for which poor are usually sold.
Set me down in Your book as one of Yours,
Although there are no shekels in my stores,
And I will set Your name down on my tongue
As I climb ecstasies by silver rung.

17 Then YHWH spoke to Moses, and said
18 "You shall also make a bronze spread
As laver, with its base also
Of bronze, for washing on the go.
You shall put it between the tent
Of meeting and the altar leant.
And you shall put water in it,
19 "For Aaron and his sons found fit
Shall wash their hands and their feet in
Water from it and cleansed from sin.
20 "When they go in the tent of meeting,
Or when they come near altar seating
To minister, to burn an offering
Made by fire to YHWH in their proffering,
They'll wash with water, and not die.
21 "So they shall wash their hands and feet,
Lest they die, and it shall be meet,
A statute forever to them
To him and his descendants stem
Throughout their generations fleet."

Between the altar and the tent I stand
With unwashed heart and foot and face and hand.
As I dip in the brazen water pool,
The sponge on hand and foot and face is cool,
But heart burns on, untouched, unwashed, unrazed.
I wash the hand and pray Your grace amazed
May guide it from all sinful acts of choice.
I wash the face and pray Your burnished voice
May always turn my face to You instead
Of light and sound set out to move the head.
I wash the foot and pray Your guidance must
Lead it in righteous paths though paved with dust.
With burning heart uncooled, unspent, but rent
I lean on You between altar and tent.

22 And YHWH spoke to Moses, and said
23 "Also take yourself fine spice bred,
Five hundred weight of liquid myrrh,
Half as much sweet-smelling confer
Cinnamon (two hundred fifty),
Two hundred fifty of sweetly
Smelling cane, 24 "five hundred of cassia,
According as the shekels face you
In the temple, and one hin brew
Of olive oil. 25 "And you shall make
From these a holy oil for sake
Of anointing, an ointment made
By the perfumer's art and aid,
To be holy anointing oil.
26 "With it you shall anoint with toil
The tent of meeting and the ark
Of the testimony, 27 "remark,
The table and all its utensils,
The lampstand and all its utensils,
The altar of incense, 28 "also
The altar of burnt offering's glow
With all its utensils, and yet
The laver and the place it's set.
29 "You shall consecrate them, that they
May be most holy, in the day
Something touches them it shall be
Also holy with certainty.

A thing is made holy it seems by touch.
Beloved, look also on me for as much.
A thing is made unholy no doubt by
A touch as well: Belovèd, testify.
The Zoroaster's worry to be clean
Arises in the mullah's cry and spleen
To make the law a round of washings and
A rinsing of the foot and spit on hand.
Beloved, I turn from human law to You
And beg Your touch divine on what I do
And what I am, and what I seem to be.
You who have neither form nor symmetry,
Touch yet the blindness of my eye to see,
And touch my heart to bind it close to You.

30 "And you shall anoint Aaron and
His sons, and consecrate their hand,
That they may minister to Me
As priests. 31 "And you shall speak freely
To Israel's folk, saying 'Let be
This oil a holy anointing
Oil to Me and a holy thing
Throughout your generations. 32 'It
Shall not be poured on man's flesh fit,
Nor shall you make others like it,
According to its composition.
It is holy, an aquisition
Holy to you. 33 'Whoever makes
Compounds like it, whoever takes
It to put on outsiders, shall
Be cut off from his people's sal.'"
34 And YHWH said to Moses, "Take sweet
Spices, stacte and onycha neat
And galbanum, pure frankincense
With these sweet spices, and condense
Equal amounts of each. 35 "You shall
Make of these incense capital,
A compound by perfumer's art
Salted, pure, holy, set apart.

Of all the things the universe contains
Choose spices, leave the bitterness and pains.
You know I cannot live on sweet perfume
And yet are silent about bread and room.
Four spices make the temple and its gates,
Within, the secret treasure lies and waits.
Faith's altogether useless, like incense,
A passing breath of unseen providence.
The insubstantial One upon His throne
Is hidden from my sight by iron and stone.
Eternal sweetness is Your near abode,
Yet none can enter in with mortal load.
The holy temple and its reigning King
Come in one breath, in one abandoning.

36 "And some of it beat very fine
And put some of it in design
Before the testimony in
The tent of meeting without sin
Where I will meet with you. Let it
Be most holy to you and fit.
37 "But as for the incense which you
Shall make, indeed you shall eschew
To make any for yourselves like
Its composition, it shall strike
You as holy for YHWH. 38 "Who makes
The like, to smell it, that one takes
The risk of being once cut off
From his people and for his scoff."


AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

Copyright © 2007 Adams & McElwain Publishers and Thomas McElwain First Published in two volumes, The Beloved and I 2005, and Led of the Beloved, 2006. Second Edition, 2010 Third and revised edition, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this verse commentary on the sacred Scriptures may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from publisher.

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