Exodus 40

The Tabernacle Erected

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 "¹On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.

3 "²You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.

4 "You shall ³bring in the table and ⁴arrange what belongs on it; and you shall ⁵bring in the lampstand and mount its lamps.

5 "Moreover, you shall ⁶set the gold altar of incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the veil for the doorway to the tabernacle.

6 "You shall set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.

7 "You shall ⁷set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it.

8 "You shall set up the court all around and hang up the veil for the gateway of the court.

9 "Then you shall take the anointing oil and ⁸anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and shall consecrate it and all its furnishings; and it shall be holy.

10 "You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, and ⁹the altar shall be most holy.

11 "You shall anoint the laver and its stand, and consecrate it.

12 "Then you shall ¹⁰bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.

13 "¹¹You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me.

14 "You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them;

15 and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will qualify them for a ¹²perpetual priesthood throughout their generations."

16 Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did.

17 Now ¹³in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected.

18 Moses erected the tabernacle and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and inserted its bars and erected its pillars.

19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

20 Then he took ¹⁴the testimony and put it into the ark, and attached the poles to the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark.

21 He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and ¹⁵set up a veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

22 Then he ¹⁶put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside * the veil.

23 He set the arrangement of ¹⁷bread in order on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

24 Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle.

25 He ¹⁸lighted the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

26 Then he ¹⁹placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil;

27 and he ²⁰burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

28 Then he set up the veil for the doorway of the tabernacle.

29 He ²¹set the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and ²²offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

30 He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing.

31 ²³From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet.

32 When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

33 He ²⁴erected the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the veil for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the LORD

34 ²⁵Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the ²⁶glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

35 Moses ²⁷was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

36 Throughout all their journeys ²⁸whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out;

37 but ²⁹if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up.

38 For throughout all their journeys, ³⁰the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

Exodus 40 Commentary

Chapter 40

The tabernacle is to be set up, Aaron and his sons to be sanctified. (1-15) Moses performs all as directed. (16-33) The glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle. (34-38)

Verses 1-15 When a new year begins, we should seek to serve God better than the year before. In half a year the tabernacle was completed. When the hearts of numbers are earnest in a good cause, much may be done in a short time; and when the commandments of God are continually attended to, as the rule of working, all will be done well. The high-priesthood was in the family of Aaron till Christ came, and in Him, the substance of all these shadows, it continues for ever.

Verses 16-33 When the tabernacle and the furniture of it were prepared, they did not put off rearing it till they came to Canaan; but, in obedience to the will of God, they set it up in the midst of their camp. Those who are unsettled in the world, must not think that this will excuse want of religion; as if it were enough to begin to serve God when they begin to be settled in the world. No; a tabernacle for God is very needful, even in a wilderness, especially as we may be in another world before we come to fix in this. And we may justly fear lest we should deceive ourselves with a form of godliness. The thought that so few entered Canaan, should warn young persons especially, not to put off the care of their souls.

Verses 34-38 The cloud covered the tabernacle even in the clearest day; it was not a cloud which the sun scatters. This cloud was a token of God's presence to be seen day and night, by all Israel, that they might never again question, Is the Lord among us, or is he not? It guided the camp of Israel through the wilderness. While the cloud rested on the tabernacle, they rested; when it removed, they followed it. The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In light and fire the Shechinah made itself visible: God is Light; our God is a consuming Fire. Yet so dazzling was the light, and so dreadful the fire, that Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, till the splendour was abated. But what Moses could not do, our Lord Jesus has done, whom God caused to draw near; and who has invited us to come boldly, even to the mercy-seat. Being taught by the Holy Spirit to follow the example of Christ, as well as to depend upon him, to attend his ordinances, and obey his precepts, we shall be kept from losing our way, and be led in the midst of the paths of judgment, till we come to heaven, the habitation of his holiness. BLESSED BE GOD FOR JESUS CHRIST!

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 19:1; Exodus 40:17; Numbers 1:1
• 2. Exodus 26:33; Exodus 40:21; Numbers 4:5
• 3. Exodus 26:35; Exodus 40:22
• 4. Exodus 25:30; Exodus 40:23
• 5. Exodus 40:24
• 6. Exodus 40:26
• 7. Exodus 30:18; Exodus 40:30
• 8. Exodus 30:26; Leviticus 8:10
• 9. Exodus 29:37
• 10. Leviticus 8:1-6
• 11. Exodus 28:41; Leviticus 8:13
• 12. Exodus 29:9; Numbers 25:13
• 13. Exodus 40:2
• 14. Exodus 25:16; Deuteronomy 10:5; 1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chronicles 5:10; Hebrews 9:4
• 15. Exodus 26:33
• 16. Exodus 26:35
• 17. Exodus 25:30; Leviticus 24:5, 6
• 18. Exodus 25:37; Exodus 40:4
• 19. Exodus 30:6; Exodus 40:5
• 20. Exodus 30:7
• 21. Exodus 40:6
• 22. Exodus 29:38-42
• 23. Exodus 30:19, 20
• 24. Exodus 27:9-18; Exodus 40:8
• 25. Numbers 9:15-23
• 26. 1 Kings 8:11; Ezekiel 43:4; Revelation 15:8
• 27. 1 Kings 8:11; 2 Chronicles 5:13, 14
• 28. Numbers 9:17; Nehemiah 9:19
• 29. Numbers 9:19-22
• 30. Exodus 13:21; Numbers 9:12, 15; Psalms 78:14; Isaiah 4:5

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "dwelling place"
• [b]. Lit "arrange its arrangement"
• [c]. Or "light"
• [d]. Lit "there"
• [e]. Lit "put the screen"
• [f]. Or "utensils"
• [g]. Lit "be for them"
• [h]. Lit "in"
• [i]. Lit "dwelling place"
• [j]. Lit "put"
• [k]. Or "bases"
• [l]. Lit "put"
• [m]. Lit "over it above"
• [n]. Lit "set"
• [o]. Lit "propitiatory"
• [p]. Lit "over the ark above"
• [q]. Or "screen"
• [r]. Or "dwelling place"
• [s]. Lit "put the screen"

Chapter Summary

\\INTRODUCTION OF EXODUS 40\\

This chapter contains the order for setting up the tabernacle, and
placing the furniture of it where it was the will of God it should be
put, Ex 40:1-8 and for the anointing it, and all its vessels, and
also Aaron and his sons, Ex 40:9-16 all which were accordingly
done, the tabernacle was reared up, and everything was put in its
proper place, Ex 40:16-33 upon which a cloud covered the tent, and
the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, so that Moses could not
enter; which cloud afterwards was a direction in their journeys, by
night and by day, Ex 40:34-38.