Exodus 40

Setting up the Tabernacle

1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 "You are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. 3 Put the ark of the testimony there and screen off the ark with the veil. 4 Then bring in the table and lay out its arrangement; also bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 Place the gold altar for incense in front of the ark of the testimony. Put up the screen for the entrance to the tabernacle. 6 Position the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 7 Place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

8 Assemble the surrounding courtyard and hang the screen for the gate of the courtyard.
9 "Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings so that it will be holy. 10 Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar so that it will be especially holy.

11 Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate it.
12 "Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13 Clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he can serve Me as a priest. 14 Have his sons come forward and clothe them in tunics.

15 Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve Me as priests. Their anointing will serve to inaugurate a permanent priesthood for them throughout their generations."
16 Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him. 17 The tabernacle was set up in the first month of the second year, on the first [day] of the month. 18 Moses set up the tabernacle: he laid its bases, positioned its planks, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts.

19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
20 Moses took the testimony and placed [it] in the ark, and attached the poles to the ark. He set the mercy seat on top of the ark.

21 He brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the Lord had commanded him.
22 Moses placed the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. 23 He arranged the bread on it before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded him. 24 He also 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, just as the Lord had commanded him.
26 Moses also installed the gold altar in the tent of meeting, in front of the veil, 27 and burned fragrant incense on it, just as the Lord had commanded him. 28 He put up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle.

29 Then he placed the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered the burnt offering and the grain offering on it, just as the Lord had commanded him.
30 He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. 31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet from it.

32 They washed whenever they came to the tent of meeting and approached the altar, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

33 Next Moses set up the surrounding courtyard for the tabernacle and the altar and hung a screen for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

The Lord's Glory

34 The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

35 Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
36 The Israelites set out whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle throughout all the stages of their journey. 37 If the cloud was not taken up, they did not set out until the day it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey.

Exodus 40

Setting Up the Sanctuary

1 s Then the Lord spoke to Moses:t2 “On the first day of the first month you are to set upt the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.3 You are to place the ark of the testimony in it and shield the ark with the special curtain.4 You are to bring in the table and set out the things that belong on it;t then you are to bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps.5 You are to putt the gold altar for incense in front of the ark of the testimony and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.6 You are to put the altar for the burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.7 You are to put the large basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it.t8 You are to set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the gate of the courtyard.9 And taket the anointing oil, and anointt the tabernacle and all that is in it, and sanctifyt it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy.10 Then you are to anoint the altar for the burnt offering witht all its utensils; you are to sanctify the altar, and it will be the most holy altar.

11 You must also anoint the large basin and its pedestal, and you are to sanctify it.s
12 “You are to bringt Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.13 Then you are to clothe Aaron with the holy garments and anoint him and sanctify him so that he may minister as my priest.14 You are to bringt his sons and clothe them with tunics15 and anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may minister as my priests; their anointing will make them a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.”

16 This is what Moses did, according to all the Lord had commanded him – so he did.
17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month, in the second year.18 When Moses set up the tabernacle and put its bases in place, he set up its frames, attached its bars, and set up its posts.19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it, as the Lord had commanded Moses.20 He took the testimony and put it in the ark, attached the poles to the ark, and then put the atonement lid on the ark.

21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, hungt the protecting curtain,t and shielded the ark of the testimony from view, just 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 curtain.

23 And he set the bread in order on itt before the Lord, just 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 Then he set up the lamps before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
26 And he put the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain,

27 and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
28 Then he put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

29 He also put the altar for the burnt offering by the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
30 Then he put the large basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in itt for washing.31 Moses and Aaron and his sons would wash their hands and their feet from it.

32 Whenever they enteredt the tent of meeting, and whenever they approachedt the altar, they would wash,t just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

33 And he set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and put the curtain at the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.36 But when the cloud was lifted upt from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set outt on all their journeys;37 but if the cloud was not lifted up, then they would not journey further until the day it was lifted up.t

38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, but fire would bet on it at night, in plain viewt of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.