Font Size
Exodus 40:1-33
Christian Standard Bible
Exodus 40:1-33
Christian Standard Bible
Setting Up the Tabernacle
40 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.[a](A) 3 Put the ark(B) of the testimony there and screen off the ark with the curtain. 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(C) 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(D) 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.(E) 13 Clothe Aaron with the holy garments,(F) 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.”(G)
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.[b](H) 18 Moses set up the tabernacle: He laid its bases, positioned its supports, inserted its crossbars, and set up its pillars. 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(I) 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 curtain 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 curtain. 23 He arranged the bread on it before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded him. 24 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, just as the Lord had commanded him.
26 Moses installed the gold altar in the tent of meeting, in front of the curtain, 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 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.(J)
Read full chapter
Exodus 40:1-33
Common English Bible
Exodus 40:1-33
Common English Bible
Moses sets up the dwelling
40 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 Set up the meeting tent dwelling on the first day of the first month.[a] 3 Place the chest containing the covenant inside the dwelling. Hide the chest from view with the veil. 4 Bring in the table and arrange its items. Bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 Place the gold altar for burning incense in front of the chest containing the covenant. Set up the screen at the dwelling’s entrance. 6 Put the altar for entirely burned offerings in front of the entrance to the meeting tent dwelling. 7 Put the washbasin between the meeting tent and the altar and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard all around. Hang up the screen at the courtyard gate. 9 Then take the anointing oil and anoint the dwelling and everything in it. Make holy the dwelling and all its equipment, and it will be holy. 10 Anoint the altar for entirely burned offerings and all its equipment. Make the altar holy, and the altar will be most holy. 11 Anoint the washbasin with its stand and make it holy.
12 Then bring Aaron and his sons to the meeting tent’s entrance and wash them with water. 13 Dress Aaron in the holy clothes. Anoint him and make him holy so that he may serve me as priest. 14 Then bring his sons and dress them in tunics. 15 Anoint them like you anointed their father so that they may serve me as priests. Their anointing is to the priesthood for all time in every generation.
16 Moses did everything exactly as the Lord had commanded him. 17 In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the dwelling was set up. 18 Moses set up the dwelling. He laid out its bases. He set up its boards, inserted its bars, and raised up its posts. 19 He spread the tent out over the dwelling, and he put the covering of the tent over it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 20 He took the covenant document and placed it inside the chest. He put the poles on the chest, and he set the cover on top of the chest. 21 He brought the chest into the dwelling. He set up the veil as a screen to hide from view the chest containing the covenant, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 22 He placed the table in the meeting tent, on the north side of the dwelling, outside the veil. 23 He set the bread in its proper place on the table in the Lord’s presence, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 24 He put the lampstand in the meeting tent, opposite the table on the south side of the dwelling. 25 He set up the lamps in the Lord’s presence, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 26 He put the gold altar in the meeting tent in front of the veil. 27 He burned sweet-smelling incense on it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 28 He also set up the screen at the entrance to the dwelling. 29 He placed the altar for entirely burned offerings at the entrance to the meeting tent dwelling. He offered the entirely burned offering and the grain offering on it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 30 He put the washbasin between the meeting tent and the altar, and put water in it for washing. 31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons used it to wash their hands and their feet. 32 Whenever they went into the meeting tent and whenever they approached the altar, they washed themselves, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 33 He set up the courtyard around the dwelling and the altar, and he hung up the screen at the courtyard’s gate.
God’s presence fills the dwelling!
When Moses had finished all the work,
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 40:2 March–April, Abib
Exodus 40:1-33
New International Version
Exodus 40:1-33
New International Version
Setting Up the Tabernacle
40 Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 “Set up(A) the tabernacle, the tent of meeting,(B) on the first day of the first month.(C) 3 Place the ark(D) of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table(E) and set out what belongs on it.(F) Then bring in the lampstand(G) and set up its lamps. 5 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.
6 “Place the altar(I) of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 7 place the basin(J) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard(K) around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.
9 “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.
Exodus 40:1-33
King James Version
Exodus 40:1-33
King James Version
40 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.
4 And 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.
5 And 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.
6 And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate.
9 And 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.
10 And 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.
11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it.
12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.
13 And 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.
14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats:
15 And 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.
16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the Lord commanded him, so did he.
17 And 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.
18 And 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.
19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the Lord commanded Moses.
20 And 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:
21 And 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.
22 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail.
23 And he set the bread in order upon it before the Lord; as the Lord had commanded Moses.
24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.
25 And he lighted the lamps before the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses.
26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail:
27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the Lord commanded Moses.
28 And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle.
29 And 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.
30 And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal.
31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat:
32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the Lord commanded Moses.
33 And 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.
Read full chapter
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.