Exodus 40:34

The Glory of the Lord

34 Then ¹the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and ²the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:34 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 40:34

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation
The outside of it; this cloud was the same with the pillar of cloud that went before the Israelites, as soon almost as they came out of Egypt; and led them through the Red sea, and conducted them to Mount Sinai; only it now appeared in a different form, not erect as a pillar, but more expanded, so as to cover the tabernacle without;

and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle;
the inside of it, not the most holy place only, but the holy place also: this was an uncommon brightness, lustre, and splendour, a glorious stream of light, which the eye of man could not well bear to behold; such a glory filled the temple of Solomon at the dedication of that, ( 1 Kings 8:11 ) and was an emblem of Christ, the brightness of his Father's glory, dwelling in and filling the tabernacle of the human nature, where the Godhead, the Shechinah, the divine Majesty, dwells bodily, ( Hebrews 1:3 ) ( John 1:14 ) ( Colossians 2:9 ) .

Exodus 40:34 In-Context

32 When they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, as the LORD commanded Moses.

33 And he erected the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

36 Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out.

Cross References

• 1. See Exodus 13:21
• 2. Exodus 29:43; Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 9:15; [1 Kings 8:10, 11; 2 Chronicles 5:13, 14; 2 Chronicles 7:2; Isaiah 6:4; Haggai 2:7, 9; Revelation 15:8]