Exodus 40

The LORD spoke to Moses. He said:

1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2"On the first day of the first month you are to set up the tabernacle, which is the tent of meeting.

2On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.

NoteThe tabernacle was a portable tent-shrine that could be dismantled and carried as the Israelites traveled. The King James calls it "the tent of the congregation," but the Hebrew means "tent of meeting", the appointed place where God and Moses met, not a hall where the people gathered. The first month is Abib (later called Nisan), in early spring; it was reckoned as the first month because the exodus from Egypt happened in it.

3Put the ark of the testimony inside it, and screen the ark off with the veil.

3And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.

NoteThe ark was a gold-covered wooden chest. "The testimony" is the two stone tablets inscribed with the commandments, kept inside it; the ark is named after its contents. The veil was a heavy embroidered curtain that divided the tent into two rooms, hiding the ark in the inner one.

4Bring in the table, and lay out on it the things that belong on it. Bring in the lampstand, and set up its lamps.

4And 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.

NoteThe table held twelve loaves, replaced weekly, arranged with dishes and vessels, "the things that are to be set in order" is the King James way of saying the bread and its equipment. The lampstand (King James "candlestick") held no candles: it was a branched gold stand carrying seven oil lamps.

5Set the gold altar for burning incense in front of the ark of the testimony, and hang the curtain at the entrance of the tabernacle.

5And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle.

NoteIncense is fragrant resin burned to produce sweet-smelling smoke. This small gold-plated altar was used only for burning it, never for animal sacrifice. "The hanging of the door" means a curtain across the entrance; the tent had no wooden door.

6Set the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.

6And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.

NoteA burnt offering was an animal sacrifice burned whole on the altar rather than eaten. This altar stood outside in the open courtyard, in front of the tent, and was much larger than the incense altar inside.

7Set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

7And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein.

Note"Laver" is an old word for a large basin. It held water for the priests to wash with before entering the tent or approaching the altar.

8Set up the courtyard all around, and hang the curtain at the gate of the courtyard.

8And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate.

NoteThe court was a rectangular open-air enclosure of linen screens on posts, surrounding the tent, an outer boundary marking off the sacred area from the camp.

9Take the anointing oil and pour it on the tabernacle and everything in it. Set it apart, along with all its equipment, and it will be holy.

9And 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 holy.

NoteThe anointing oil was a specially blended perfumed olive oil. Pouring or smearing it on a person or object transferred that thing out of ordinary use and into exclusive use for God; that is what "hallow" and "sanctify" mean here, to set apart, not to make morally good. "Vessels" in the King James means implements or equipment generally, not only containers.

10Anoint the altar for burnt offerings and all its tools, and set the altar apart. It will be a most holy altar.

10And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy.

Note"Most holy" is a grade, not just an intensifier. Objects and offerings in that category were subject to the strictest restrictions on who could touch them and where they could be handled.

11Anoint the basin and its stand, and set it apart.

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

Note"His foot" is the King James way of saying "its stand", the base the basin rested on. In 1611 English "his" served as the possessive for things as well as people.

12Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water.

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

NoteThis washing is a ceremony of installation, done once at the start of Aaron's and his sons' service, not routine cleaning.

13Put the holy clothes on Aaron, anoint him, and set him apart, so that he may serve me as priest.

13And 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.

NoteThe "holy garments" are the specially made priestly vestments described earlier in Exodus. A priest was an official appointed to handle sacrifices, incense and the sacred objects on behalf of the people; "the priest's office" simply means the job of priest.

14Bring his sons forward and dress them in tunics.

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

NoteA tunic was a long shirt-like garment reaching to the ankles, the basic undergarment of the priestly outfit.

15Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will give them a priesthood that lasts, for all their generations to come."

15And 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.

NoteThe point is hereditary: anointing Aaron's sons established that the office would pass down through his family line permanently, rather than being reassigned in each generation.

16Moses did this. He did everything exactly as the LORD had commanded him.

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

17In the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was put up.

17And 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.

NoteThe second year after leaving Egypt, roughly a year after the exodus, and about nine months after the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai.

18Moses put up the tabernacle. He set its bases in place, put up its frames, put in its crossbars, and raised its posts.

18And 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.

NoteThe tabernacle's walls were upright wooden frames slotted into heavy metal bases at ground level and held together by horizontal crossbars threaded through rings, a knock-down structure designed for repeated assembly.

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

19And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Note"Spread abroad" in the King James means simply "spread out." Several layers went over the wooden frame: woven curtains, then coverings of animal hair and hide as weatherproofing.

20He took the testimony and put it in the ark, set the carrying poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark.

20And 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:

NoteThe mercy seat was the solid gold lid of the ark, with two winged figures on it. The English name comes from the idea of covering or wiping away offenses; the Hebrew word means a cover or covering-place. The poles slid through rings on the ark's sides so it could be carried without being touched by hand.

21He brought the ark into the tabernacle, hung up the veil that screens it off, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

21And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.

22He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil.

22And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail.

Note"Without the vail" means outside the veil, in the outer of the two rooms, not the inner one where the ark stood. In older English "without" often means "outside" rather than "lacking."

23He laid out the bread on it in order before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

23And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

NoteTwelve loaves, one for each of the tribes of Israel, set out in rows and replaced each week. "Before the LORD" means inside the tent, in God's presence.

24He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, across from the table, on the south side of the tabernacle.

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

25He set up the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

25And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

26He put the gold altar in the tent of meeting, in front of the veil,

26And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail:

27and he burned sweet-smelling incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

27And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses.

NoteOnly a specific prescribed blend of spices could be burned here; the recipe was reserved for this use alone.

28He hung up the curtain at the entrance of the tabernacle.

28And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle.

29He put the altar for burnt offerings by the entrance of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

29And 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.

NoteThe King James "meat offering" does not mean flesh. In 1611 "meat" meant food of any kind, and this offering was made of grain (flour, oil and incense) with no animal in it.

30He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing.

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

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

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

32Whenever they went into the tent of meeting, and whenever they came near the altar, they washed, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

32When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses.

NoteThis states a standing practice, not a single occasion: the washing was repeated every time they entered the tent or approached the altar.

33He put up the courtyard all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung the curtain at the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

33And 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.

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

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

Note"The glory of the LORD" translates a Hebrew word for weight or substance, used for a visible manifestation of God's presence, here something like a blazing brightness within the cloud.

35Moses could not go into the tent of meeting, because the cloud was settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

35And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

NoteThe obstacle is not a locked door: the presence filling the tent made entry impossible, in the same way the cloud on Mount Sinai had kept people off the mountain.

36Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle, the Israelites moved on, through all the stages of their travels.

36And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:

NoteThe cloud functioned as the signal to break camp. The Israelites were living as a traveling people, and "all their journeys" means the successive stages of the march, camp to camp.

37But if the cloud did not lift, they did not move on until the day it lifted.

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

38For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, where all the people of Israel could see it, through all their travels.

38For 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.

NoteThe same phenomenon appeared as cloud in daylight and as fire after dark, so it was visible at all hours. "The house of Israel" means the nation as a whole, all the descendants of Jacob (also called Israel), not a building.