Setting Up the Tabernacle

40 Then the Lord said to Moses: “Set up(A) the tabernacle, the tent of meeting,(B) on the first day of the first month.(C) Place the ark(D) of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. Bring in the table(E) and set out what belongs on it.(F) Then bring in the lampstand(G) and set up its lamps. Place the gold altar(H) of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

“Place the altar(I) of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; place the basin(J) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. Set up the courtyard(K) around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.

“Take the anointing oil and anoint(L) the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings,(M) and it will be holy. 10 Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate(N) the altar, and it will be most holy. 11 Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.

12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting(O) and wash them with water.(P) 13 Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments,(Q) anoint him and consecrate(R) him so he may serve me as priest. 14 Bring his sons and dress them in tunics.(S) 15 Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.(T) 16 Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded(U) him.

17 So the tabernacle(V) was set up on the first day of the first month(W) in the second year. 18 When Moses(X) set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames,(Y) inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. 19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering(Z) over the tent, as the Lord commanded(AA) him.

20 He took the tablets of the covenant law(AB) and placed them in the ark,(AC) attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover(AD) over it. 21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain(AE) and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded(AF) him.

22 Moses placed the table(AG) in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain 23 and set out the bread(AH) on it before the Lord, as the Lord commanded(AI) him.

24 He placed the lampstand(AJ) in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle 25 and set up the lamps(AK) before the Lord, as the Lord commanded(AL) him.

26 Moses placed the gold altar(AM) in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain 27 and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord commanded(AN) him.

28 Then he put up the curtain(AO) at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar(AP) of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings,(AQ) as the Lord commanded(AR) him.

30 He placed the basin(AS) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash(AT) their hands and feet. 32 They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar,(AU) as the Lord commanded(AV) Moses.

33 Then Moses set up the courtyard(AW) around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain(AX) at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the Lord

34 Then the cloud(AY) covered the tent of meeting, and the glory(AZ) of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory(BA) of the Lord filled the tabernacle.(BB)

36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;(BC) 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud(BD) of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

Setting Up and Dedicating the Tent of the Lord's Presence

40 The Lord said to Moses, “On the first day of the first month set up the Tent of the Lord's presence. Place in it the Covenant Box containing the Ten Commandments and put the curtain in front of it. Bring in the table and place the equipment on it. Also bring in the lampstand and set up the lamps on it. Put the gold altar for burning incense in front of the Covenant Box and hang the curtain at the entrance of the Tent. Put in front of the Tent the altar for burning offerings. Put the washbasin between the Tent and the altar and fill it with water. Put up the surrounding enclosure and hang the curtain at its entrance.

“Then dedicate the Tent and all its equipment by anointing it with the sacred oil, and it will be holy. 10 Next, dedicate the altar and all its equipment by anointing it, and it will be completely holy. 11 Also dedicate the washbasin and its base in the same way.

12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent, and have them take a ritual bath. 13 Dress Aaron in the priestly garments, anoint him, and in this way consecrate him, so that he can serve me as priest. 14 Bring his sons and put the shirts on them. 15 Then anoint them, just as you anointed their father, so that they can serve me as priests. This anointing will make them priests for all time to come.”

16 Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded. 17 So on the first day of the first month of the second year after they left Egypt, the Tent of the Lord's presence was set up. 18 Moses put down its bases, set up its frames, attached its crossbars, and put up its posts. 19 He spread out the covering over the Tent and put the outer covering over it, just as the Lord had commanded. 20 Then he took the two stone tablets and put them in the Covenant Box. He put the poles in the rings of the Box and put the lid on it. 21 Then he put the Box in the Tent and hung up the curtain. In this way he screened off the Covenant Box, just as the Lord had commanded.

22 He put the table in the Tent, on the north side outside the curtain, 23 and placed on it the bread offered to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded. 24 He put the lampstand in the Tent, on the south side, opposite the table, 25 and there in the Lord's presence he lit the lamps, just as the Lord had commanded. 26 He put the gold altar in the Tent, in front of the curtain, 27 and burned the sweet-smelling incense, just as the Lord had commanded. 28 He hung the curtain at the entrance of the Tent, 29 and there in front of the curtain he placed the altar for burning offerings. On it he sacrificed the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the Lord had commanded. 30 He put the washbasin between the Tent and the altar and filled it with water. 31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there 32 whenever they went into the Tent or to the altar, just as the Lord had commanded. 33 Moses set up the enclosure around the Tent and the altar and hung the curtain at the entrance of the enclosure. So he finished all the work.

The Cloud over the Tent of the Lord's Presence(A)

34 (B)Then the cloud covered the Tent and the dazzling light of the Lord's presence filled it. 35 Because of this, Moses could not go into the Tent. 36 The Israelites moved their camp to another place only when the cloud lifted from the Tent. 37 As long as the cloud stayed there, they did not move their camp. 38 During all their wanderings they could see the cloud of the Lord's presence over the Tent during the day and a fire burning above it during the night.

The Tabernacle Erected and Arranged

40 Then the Lord (A)spoke to Moses, saying: “On the first day of the (B)first month you shall set up (C)the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. (D)You shall put in it the ark of the Testimony, and [a]partition off the ark with the veil. (E)You shall bring in the table and (F)arrange the things that are to be set in order on it; (G)and you shall bring in the lampstand and [b]light its lamps. (H)You shall also set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the Testimony, and put up the screen for the door of the tabernacle. Then you shall set the (I)altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. And (J)you shall set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. You shall set up the court all around, and hang up the screen at the court gate.

“And you shall take the anointing oil, and (K)anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it; and you shall hallow it and all its utensils, and it shall be holy. 10 You shall (L)anoint the altar of the burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar. (M)The altar shall be most holy. 11 And you shall anoint the laver and its base, and consecrate it.

12 (N)“Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of meeting and wash them with water. 13 You shall put the holy (O)garments on Aaron, (P)and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest. 14 And you shall bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. 15 You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to Me as priests; for their anointing shall surely be (Q)an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”

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

17 And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the (R)tabernacle was [c]raised up. 18 So Moses raised up the tabernacle, fastened its sockets, set up its boards, put in its bars, and raised up its pillars. 19 And he spread out the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 20 He took (S)the Testimony and put it into the ark, inserted the poles through the rings of the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark. 21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, (T)hung up the veil of the covering, and partitioned off the ark of the Testimony, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

22 (U)He put the table in the tabernacle of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil; 23 (V)and he set the bread in order upon it before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 24 (W)He put the lampstand in the tabernacle of meeting, across from the table, on the south side of the tabernacle; 25 and (X)he lit the lamps before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 26 (Y)He put the gold altar in the tabernacle of meeting in front of the veil; 27 (Z)and he burned sweet incense on it, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 28 (AA)He hung up the screen at the door of the tabernacle. 29 (AB)And he put the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and (AC)offered upon it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 30 (AD)He set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, and put water there for washing; 31 and Moses, Aaron, and his sons would (AE)wash their hands and their feet with water from it. 32 Whenever they went into the tabernacle of meeting, and when they came near the altar, they washed, (AF)as the Lord had commanded Moses. 33 (AG)And he raised up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the screen of the court gate. So Moses (AH)finished the work.

The Cloud and the Glory(AI)

34 (AJ)Then the (AK)cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the (AL)glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses (AM)was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 (AN)Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would [d]go onward in all their journeys. 37 But (AO)if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. 38 For (AP)the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 40:3 screen
  2. Exodus 40:4 set up
  3. Exodus 40:17 erected
  4. Exodus 40:36 journey