Exodus 40

1 The LORD said to Moses,

2 "On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.

3 And you shall put in it the ark of the testimony, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.

4 And you shall bring in the table, and set its arrangements in order; and you shall bring in the lampstand, and set up its lamps.

5 And you shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the screen for the door of the tabernacle.

6 You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting,

7 and place the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

8 And you shall set up the court round about, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court.

9 Then you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture; and it shall become holy.

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

11 You shall also anoint the laver and its base, and consecrate it.

12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water,

13 and put upon Aaron the holy garments, and you shall anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve me as priest.

14 You shall bring his sons also and put coats on them,

15 and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests: and their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations."

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

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

18 Moses erected the tabernacle; he laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars;

19 and he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent over it, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

20 And he took the testimony and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark, and set the mercy seat above on the ark;

21 and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

22 And he put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil,

23 and set the bread in order on it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

24 And he put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle,

25 and set up the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil,

27 and burnt fragrant incense upon it; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

28 And he put in place the screen for the door of the tabernacle.

29 And he set the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the cereal offering; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

30 And he set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing,

31 with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet;

32 when they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses.

33 And he erected the court round the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.

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

35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

36 Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would go onward;

37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not go onward till the day that it was taken up.

38 For throughout all their journeys the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was 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!

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.