Exodus 40

Setting Up the Tabernacle

1 And the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty. spake unto Moses, saying,

2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. Temple: Exodus 26:30, Numbers 1:1, 7:1. Parallel theme: Exodus 13:4

3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. Witness: Exodus 25:22, Numbers 4:5. Parallel theme: Exodus 35:12, Leviticus 16:14, Revelation 11:19

4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. Parallel theme: Leviticus 24:8

5 And thou shalt set the altarAltar: מִזְבֵּחַ (Mizbeach). The Hebrew mizbeach (מִזְבֵּחַ) means altar—from the root 'to slaughter.' Altars were places where sacrifices were offered to God, pointing forward to Christ's ultimate sacrifice. of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle. Parallel theme: John 14:6, Hebrews 9:24

6 And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. Sacrifice: Exodus 40:29, Hebrews 13:10. Parallel theme: 1 John 2:2

7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein. Sacrifice: Psalms 26:6. Parallel theme: Zechariah 13:1, Titus 3:5, Hebrews 10:22, 1 John 1:7

8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate. Parallel theme: Exodus 40:33, Matthew 16:18, 1 Corinthians 12:28

9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holyHoly: קָדוֹשׁ (Qadosh). The Hebrew qadosh (קָדוֹשׁ) means holy or set apart—separated from common use for God's purposes. God is 'the Holy One of Israel,' utterly distinct from creation in moral perfection.. Holy: Leviticus 8:10, Numbers 7:1

10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctifySanctify: קָדַשׁ (Qadash). The Hebrew qadash (קָדַשׁ) means to set apart or consecrate—separating something for God's sacred purposes. God sanctified the seventh day (Genesis 2:3) and calls His people to 'be holy; for I am holy' (Leviticus 11:44). the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy. Holy: Luke 1:35, John 17:19, Hebrews 7:26. Sacrifice: Leviticus 8:11. Parallel theme: Isaiah 11:2, 61:1, John 3:34, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 5:21 +4

11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it.

12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.

13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. Holy: 1 John 2:20. Parallel theme: Exodus 28:41, 1 John 2:27

14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats:

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. Eternal Life: Numbers 25:13. Parallel theme: Psalms 110:4

16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty. commanded him, so did he. References Lord: Deuteronomy 4:1

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. Temple: Numbers 7:1

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.

20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: Witness: Exodus 16:34

21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty. commanded Moses. Witness: Exodus 26:33, 40:3. Parallel theme: Exodus 35:12

22 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail. Temple: Exodus 26:35. Parallel theme: Ephesians 3:8

23 And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. Parallel theme: Exodus 25:30, 40:4, Matthew 12:4, Hebrews 9:2

24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.

25 And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses. Light: Exodus 25:37, 40:4

26 And he put the golden altarAltar: מִזְבֵּחַ (Mizbeach). The Hebrew mizbeach (מִזְבֵּחַ) means altar—from the root 'to slaughter.' Altars were places where sacrifices were offered to God, pointing forward to Christ's ultimate sacrifice. in the tent of the congregation before the vail: Sacrifice: Exodus 40:5

27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty. commanded Moses. Parallel theme: Exodus 30:7

28 And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle. Temple: Exodus 40:5

29 And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses. Sacrifice: Exodus 40:6

30 And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal. Sacrifice: Exodus 40:7

31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat:

32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altarAltar: מִזְבֵּחַ (Mizbeach). The Hebrew mizbeach (מִזְבֵּחַ) means altar—from the root 'to slaughter.' Altars were places where sacrifices were offered to God, pointing forward to Christ's ultimate sacrifice., they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses.

33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Parallel theme: Exodus 40:8

The Glory of the Lord Fills the Tabernacle

34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty. filled the tabernacle. References Lord: Exodus 14:24, Leviticus 16:2, 2 Chronicles 5:13. Glory: Exodus 29:43, 2 Chronicles 7:2, Haggai 2:7, Revelation 15:8. Temple: Exodus 33:9, Revelation 21:3. Parallel theme: Isaiah 6:4 +5

35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the gloryGlory: כָּבוֹד (Kavod). The Hebrew kavod (כָּבוֹד) literally means 'weight' or 'heaviness,' metaphorically denoting glory, honor, or majesty. God's glory (Shekinah) filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34) and temple (1 Kings 8:11). of the LORD filled the tabernacle. References Lord: Leviticus 16:2. Glory: 1 Kings 8:11, 2 Chronicles 7:2, Revelation 15:8. Parallel theme: Isaiah 6:4

36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: Temple: Numbers 9:17. Parallel theme: Nehemiah 9:19

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

38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. References Lord: Exodus 13:21. Temple: Numbers 9:15. Parallel theme: Psalms 78:14, 105:39