But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects ¹  of wrath ²  prepared for destruction? ³ 

And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects ¹  of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory –

For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship, ¹  I even found an altar with this inscription: ²  ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it, ³  this I proclaim to you.

But the Kohathites ¹  are not to go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, or they will die.”

They are worthless, mere objects to be mocked. ¹  When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.

They are worthless, objects to be ridiculed. When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.

They came, men and women alike, ¹  all who had willing hearts. They brought brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments, all kinds of gold jewelry, ²  and everyone came who waved ³  a wave offering of gold to the Lord.

cargo such as gold, silver, ¹  precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, ²  scarlet cloth, ³  all sorts of things made of citron wood, ⁴  all sorts of objects made of ivory, all sorts of things made of expensive wood, bronze, iron and marble,

But to the Kohathites he gave none, because the service of the holy things, which they carried ¹  on their shoulders, was their responsibility. ² 

And the Kohathites set out, carrying the articles for the sanctuary; ¹  the tabernacle was to be set up ²  before they arrived. ³ 

to design artistic designs, to work in gold, in silver, and in bronze,

“When Aaron and his sons have finished ¹  covering ²  the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is ready to journey, then ³  the Kohathites will come to carry them; ⁴  but they must not touch ⁵  any ⁶  holy thing, or they will die. ⁷  These are the responsibilities ⁸  of the Kohathites with the tent of meeting.

He caused all their conquerors ¹  to have pity on them.

All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.

to make artistic designs ¹  for work with gold, with silver, and with bronze,

This is the service of the Kohathites in the tent of meeting, relating to the most holy things. ¹ 

Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them, all of it in the form of ornaments.

We have become an object of disdain to our neighbors; those who live on our borders taunt and insult us. ¹ 

The Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the chest that was with it, which contained the gold objects. They placed them near the big stone. At that time the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the Lord.

Instruct ¹  the people that each man and each woman is to request ²  from his or her neighbor ³  items of silver and gold.” ⁴