Shemot 40

1 0 And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the Mishkan Ohel Mo’ed.

3 And thou shalt place therein the Aron HaEdut, and thou shalt cover so as to screen the Aron with the Parochet.

4 And thou shalt bring in the Shulchan, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the Menorah, and kindle the Nerot thereof.

5 And thou shalt place the Mizbe’ach Hazahav L’Ketoret before the Aron HaEdut, and set up the Masach HaPetach LaMishkan.

6 And thou shalt set the Mizbe’ach HaOlah before the Petach Mishkan Ohel Mo’ed.

7 And thou shalt set the Kiyor between the Ohel Mo’ed and the Mizbe’ach, and shalt place mayim therein.

8 And thou shalt set up the khatzer (court) all around, and hang up the Masach Sha’ar Hakhatzer.

9 And thou shalt take the Shemen HaMishchah, and anoint the Mishkan, and all that is therein, and shalt set it apart as kodesh, and all the utensils thereof; and it shall be kodesh.

10 And thou shalt anoint the Mizbe’ach HaOlah, and all its utensils, and set apart as kodesh the Mizbe’ach: and it shall be Mizbe’ach kodesh kodashim.

11 And thou shalt anoint the Kiyor and its Stand, and set it apart as kodesh.

12 And thou shalt bring near Aharon and his banim unto the Petach Ohel Mo’ed, and immerse them with mayim.

13 And thou shalt dress Aharon with the Bigdei Hakodesh, and anoint him, and set him apart as kodesh; that he may minister unto Me in the kohen’s office.

14 And thou shalt bring near his banim, and dress them with kuttanot:

15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their av, that they may minister unto Me in the kohen’s office: for their anointing shall surely be for them a kehunat olam throughout their dorot.

16 Thus did Moshe; according to all that Hashem 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 Mishkan was erected.

18 And Moshe erected the Mishkan, and fastened its sockets, and set up the kerashim thereof, and put in the crossbars thereof, and set up its ammudim.

19 And he spread the Ohel over the Mishkan, and put the Mikhseh of the Ohel on it from above; as Hashem commanded Moshe.

20 And he took and placed HaEdut (The Testimony, i.e., the Stone Tablets of the Ten Commandments) into HaAron, and set the carrying poles on the Aron, and put the Kapporet upon the Aron from above;

21 And he brought the Aron into the Mishkan, and set up the Parochet HaMasach, and shielded with a covering over the Aron HaEdut; as Hashem commanded Moshe.

22 And he put the Shulchan in the Ohel Mo’ed, upon the north side of the Mishkan, outside the Parochet.

23 And he set the Lechem in order upon it before Hashem; as Hashem had commanded Moshe.

24 And he put the Menorah in the Ohel Mo’ed, opposite the Shulchan, on the south side of the Mishkan.

25 And he set up the nerot (lamps) before Hashem; as Hashem commanded Moshe.

26 And he put the Mizbe’ach Hazahav in the Ohel Mo’ed before the Parochet;

27 And he burned ketoret spices thereon; as Hashem commanded Moshe.

28 And he set up the Masach HaPetach LaMishkan (Curtain of the Entrance of the Tabernacle).

29 And he put the Mizbe’ach HaOlah at the Petach Mishkan Ohel Mo’ed, and offered upon it the olah (burnt offering) and the minchah; as Hashem commanded Moshe.

30 And he set the Kiyor between the Ohel Mo’ed and the Mizbe’ach, and put mayim there, to wash withal.

31 And Moshe and Aharon and his banim washed their hands and their feet thereat;

32 When they went into the Ohel Mo’ed, and when they came near unto the Mizbe’ach, they washed; as Hashem commanded Moshe.

33 And he erected the khatzer (courtyard) all around the Mishkan and the Mizbe’ach, and set up the Masach Sha’ar HaKhatzer. So Moshe finished the work.

34 Then the Anan covered the Ohel Mo’ed, and the Kavod Hashem filled the Mishkan.

35 And Moshe was not able to enter into the Ohel Mo’ed, because the [Shekinah] cloud abode thereon, and the Kavod Hashem filled the Mishkan.

36 And when the Anan was taken up from over the Mishkan, the Bnei Yisroel went onward in all their journeys;

37 But if the Anan were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.

38 For the Anan Hashem was upon the Mishkan by day, and Eish was on it by night, in the sight of all the Bais Yisroel, throughout all their journeys. T.N. The Theme of gracious, unmerited Deliverance and Salvation for an Am Kesheh Oref (Obstinate Stiffnecked People) has been presented in the Second Book of Moses.

Shemot 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!

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.