Exodus 40
New Century Version
Setting Up the Holy Tent
40 Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 “On the first day of the first month, set up the Holy Tent, which is the Meeting Tent. 3 Put the Ark of the Agreement in it and hang the curtain in front of the Ark. 4 Bring in the table and arrange everything on the table that should be there. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 Put the gold altar for burning incense in front of the Ark of the Agreement, and put the curtain at the entrance to the Holy Tent.
6 “Put the altar of burnt offerings in front of the entrance of the Holy Tent, the Meeting Tent. 7 Put the bowl between the Meeting Tent and the altar, and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard around the Holy Tent, and put the curtain at the entry to the courtyard.
9 “Use the special olive oil and pour it on the Holy Tent and everything in it, in order to give the Tent and all that is in it for service to the Lord. They will be holy. 10 Pour the special oil on the altar for burnt offerings and on all its tools. Give the altar for service to God, and it will be very holy. 11 Then pour the special olive oil on the bowl and the base under it so that they will be given for service to God.
12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Meeting Tent, and wash them with water. 13 Then put the holy clothes on Aaron. Pour the special oil on him, and give him for service to God so that he may serve me as a priest. 14 Bring Aaron’s sons and put the inner robes on them. 15 Pour the special oil on them in the same way that you appointed their father as priest so that they may also serve me as priests. Pouring oil on them will make them a family of priests, they and their descendants from now on.” 16 Moses did everything that the Lord commanded him.
17 So the Holy Tent was set up on the first day of the first month during the second year after they left Egypt. 18 When Moses set up the Holy Tent, he put the bases in place, and he put the frames on the bases. Next he put the crossbars through the rings of the frames and set up the posts. 19 After that, Moses spread the cloth over the Holy Tent and put the covering over it, just as the Lord commanded.
20 Moses put the stone tablets that had the Agreement written on them into the Ark. He put the poles through the rings of the Ark and put the lid on it. 21 Next he brought the Ark into the Tent and hung the curtain to cover the Ark, just as the Lord commanded him.
22 Moses put the table in the Meeting Tent on the north side of the Holy Tent in front of the curtain. 23 Then he put the bread on the table before the Lord, just as the Lord commanded him. 24 Moses put the lampstand in the Meeting Tent on the south side of the Holy Tent across from the table. 25 Then he put the lamps on the lampstand before the Lord, just as the Lord commanded him.
26 Moses put the gold altar for burning incense in the Meeting Tent in front of the curtain. 27 Then he burned sweet-smelling incense on it, just as the Lord commanded him. 28 Then he hung the curtain at the entrance to the Holy Tent.
29 He put the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance to the Holy Tent, the Meeting Tent, and offered a whole burnt offering and grain offerings on it, just as the Lord commanded him. 30 Moses put the bowl between the Meeting Tent and the altar for burnt offerings, and he put water in it for washing. 31 Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons used this water to wash their hands and feet. 32 They washed themselves every time they entered the Meeting Tent and every time they went near the altar for burnt offerings, just as the Lord commanded Moses.
33 Then Moses set up the courtyard around the Holy Tent and the altar, and he put up the curtain at the entry to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.
The Cloud over the Holy Tent
34 Then the cloud covered the Meeting Tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Holy Tent. 35 Moses could not enter the Meeting Tent, because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Holy Tent.
36 When the cloud rose from the Holy Tent, the Israelites would begin to travel, 37 but as long as the cloud stayed on the Holy Tent, they did not travel. They stayed in that place until the cloud rose. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the Holy Tent during the day, and there was a fire in the cloud at night. So all the Israelites could see the cloud while they traveled.
Exodus 40
The Voice
40 Then the Eternal One instructed Moses.
The last half of the Book of Exodus offers a picture of the relationship between God and humanity through powerful symbols. The amazing truth of all Scripture is reflected here: God resides in the midst of His people. In every detail of God’s directives—the ethical rules, the people’s offerings, the design of the congregation tent and its furnishings, God’s redemptive acts—God is announcing the central truth: He is present with His covenant people. So the physical elements of this covenant bear witness to deep, spiritual realities. God is in the process of repairing the world from the damage caused by sin and death; but to do so, He needs a people. This is why He chooses Israel and makes them different from everyone else. He needs agents on the ground devoted to liberating a world held hostage to lesser powers and feebler gods. But where will those people be formed and trained to be God’s effective agents? They will be shaped in the crucible of worship and obedience.
Eternal One: 2 When the first day of the first month arrives, erect the sanctuary of the congregation tent. 3 Place the covenant chest in there—as a witness to our agreement—and screen it from sight with the veil. 4 Move the table into place and arrange the utensils on it. Then move the lampstand into place and set up all its lamps. 5 Place the golden altar for incense in front of the covenant chest outside the veil, and install the curtain at the entrance to the congregation tent. 6 Set up the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance to the congregation tent. 7 Place the basin between the sanctuary of the congregation tent and the altar, and fill it with water. 8 Erect the posts and fabric panels around the courtyard, and hang the panel at the court’s entrance. 9 Anoint the tent and everything in it with the anointing oil. Consecrate it and all its furnishings, so that it will all be holy. 10 Anoint the altar for burnt offerings and all its tools, and consecrate the altar so that it will be most holy. 11 Anoint the basin and its stand, and consecrate it as well. 12 Escort Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the sanctuary of the congregation tent and cleanse them with water. 13 Dress Aaron in the sacred garments, then anoint and sanctify him so that he may serve Me as high priest. 14 Next bring his sons forward and dress them in tunics. 15 Anoint them in the same way that you anointed their father, Aaron, so that they may serve Me as priests. With their anointing, they will enter the priesthood and remain priests forever for all their generations.
16 Moses did exactly as the Eternal One instructed him.
17 The congregation tent was erected on the first day of the first month of the second year after the exodus from Egypt. 18 Moses raised it. He began by laying down the bases, installing the frame panels, attaching the crossbars, and erecting the posts. 19 He covered the frame of the tent with the tent fabric and then covered that with other layers they made. He did this exactly as the Eternal One had instructed him.
20 He then placed the stone tablets—as a witness to their agreement—inside the covenant chest. He slid the poles through the rings on the chest and covered the chest with the seat of mercy, where sins are atoned. 21 He carried the covenant chest into the congregation tent and hung the veil to screen it from sight exactly as the Eternal One had instructed him. 22 He then placed the table on the northern end of the sanctuary of the congregation tent outside of the veil. 23 He arranged the bread on the table before the Eternal exactly as the Eternal One had instructed him. 24 He took the lampstand into the sanctuary of the congregation tent and set it up on the southern end, directly opposite the table. 25 He lit the lamps before the Eternal One, exactly as the Eternal One had instructed him. 26 He put the golden altar in front of the veil within the sanctuary 27 and burned fragrant incense on it, exactly as the Eternal One had instructed him. 28 He hung the screen at the entrance of the congregation tent. 29 He put the altar for burnt offering in front of the entrance to the sanctuary of the congregation tent, inside the courtyard. He offered burnt offerings and grain offerings on it exactly as the Eternal One had instructed him. 30-31 He put the basin between the sanctuary and the altar for burnt offerings and filled it with water so Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons could wash their hands and feet and cleanse themselves. 32 When they went into the congregation tent and when they came near the altar, they washed themselves exactly as the Eternal One had instructed Moses. 33 Moses then raised the posts and panels that enclosed the courtyard around the congregation tent and altar. He put up the screen at the court entrance. Moses completed the work.
The congregation tent faces the rising sun in the east. Its orientation along with the bronze and gold objects all around create a brilliant sight every morning.
34 At that moment, a cloud blanketed the congregation tent, and the glory of the Eternal filled the sanctuary. 35 Moses could not even go into the congregation tent because the cloud had enveloped it, and the glory of the Eternal filled the sanctuary. 36 Through all their wanderings in the desert, whenever the cloud lifted up from the congregation tent, the Israelites would break camp and set out. 37 But when the cloud covered the tent, they remained where they were and did not set out until once again the cloud lifted. 38 Through all their wanderings, the cloud of the Eternal stood over the congregation tent during the day and at night fire was lit for all the community of Israel to see.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.