Exodus 40:17

17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.

Exodus 40:17 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 40:17

And it came to pass in the first month, in the second
year
Of the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt;

on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up;
so that this was in the spring of the year, about the vernal equinox, on a new year's day, that this was done, which was beginning the year well: it was within a fortnight of a year after their coming out of Egypt, and when they had been about five months and a half in building the tabernacle; for such a time it seems they were in doing that, and which, considering the many things to be done, and in the winter season, it shows great dispatch. Where was the place, in which the tabernacle was reared up, is not said: it is F4 observed, that near the southwest corner of that part of Mount Sinai, which is called Mount Episteme, there is a little hill called Araone by the Arabs, and by the Greeks the tabernacle of the testimony, where they say Aaron was consecrated, and first performed the offices of the priesthood: probably, says a learned man F5, on this hill was placed the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses was ordered to place without the camp afar off; but he seems to mistake the tent of Moses, or however the little tabernacle erected before the grand one was made, for this tabernacle in ( Exodus 33:7 ) which he seems to refer to; it is more probable that it was now reared up in the midst of the camp of Israel, see ( Numbers 2:2 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F4 Pocock's Travels, p. 147.
F5 Clayton's Chronology of the Hebrew Bible, p. 350.

Exodus 40:17 In-Context

15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.
16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.
17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.
18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars.
19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.
The King James Version is in the public domain.