Exodus 40
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 40
Setting Up the Tabernacle. 1 Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 (A)On the first day of the first month[a] you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.(B) 3 Put the ark of the covenant in it, and screen off the ark with the veil.(C) 4 Bring in the table and set it. Then bring in the menorah and set up the lamps on it. 5 Put the golden altar of incense in front of the ark of the covenant, and hang the curtain at the entrance of the tabernacle. 6 Put the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 7 Place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8 Set up the court round about, and put the curtain at the gate of the court.
9 (D)Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it, consecrating it and all its furnishings, so that it will be sacred. 10 Anoint the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils, consecrating it, so that it will be most sacred. 11 Likewise, anoint the basin with its stand, and thus consecrate it.
12 (E)Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and there wash them with water. 13 Clothe Aaron with the sacred vestments and anoint him, thus consecrating him as my priest. 14 Bring forward his sons also, and clothe them with the tunics. 15 As you have anointed their father, anoint them also as my priests. Thus, by being anointed, shall they receive a perpetual priesthood throughout all future generations.
16 Moses did just as the Lord had commanded him. 17 On the first day of the first month of the second year the tabernacle was set up. 18 It was Moses who set up the tabernacle. He placed its pedestals, set up its frames, put in its bars, and set up its columns. 19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering on top of the tent, as the Lord had commanded him. 20 (F)He took the covenant and put it in the ark; he placed poles alongside the ark and set the cover upon it. 21 He brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the curtain veil, thus screening off the ark of the covenant, as the Lord had commanded him. 22 He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil, 23 and arranged the bread on it before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded him.(G) 24 He placed the menorah in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle, 25 and he set up the lamps before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded him. 26 He placed the golden altar in the tent of meeting, in front of the veil, 27 and on it he burned fragrant incense, as the Lord had commanded him. 28 He hung the curtain at the entrance of the tabernacle. 29 He put the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and sacrificed burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, as the Lord had commanded him. 30 (H)He placed the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing. 31 Moses and Aaron and his sons used to wash their hands and feet there, 32 for they washed themselves whenever they went into the tent of meeting or approached the altar, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 33 Finally, he set up the court around the tabernacle and the altar and hung the curtain at the gate of the court.
Thus Moses finished all the work.
God’s Presence in the Tabernacle. 34 (I)Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud rose from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on their journey. 37 But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go forward. 38 The cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire in the cloud at night, in the sight of the whole house of Israel in all the stages of their journey.
Exodus 40
GOD’S WORD Translation
Instructions for Setting Up the Tent
40 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Set up the tent (the tent of meeting) on the first day of the first month of the year. 3 Place the ark containing the words of my promise inside it, and hang the canopy over the ark. 4 Bring in the table, and arrange everything on it. Bring in the lamp stand, and set up the lamps. 5 Put the gold altar for incense in front of the ark. Put up the screen at the entrance to the tent.
6 “Put the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance to the tent of meeting. 7 Put the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8 Set up the surrounding courtyard, and put up the screen at the entrance to the courtyard. 9 Take the anointing oil, and anoint the tent and everything in it. In this way you will dedicate it and all its furnishings. Then it will be holy. 10 Anoint the altar for burnt offerings and all the utensils. In this way you will dedicate the altar, and it will be most holy. 11 Anoint the basin and stand, and they will be dedicated.
12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and wash them. 13 Then dress Aaron in the holy clothes, and anoint him. In this way you will dedicate him to serve me as priest. 14 Have his sons come forward, and dress them in their linen robes. 15 Anoint them to serve me as priests, as you anointed their father. Their anointing will begin a permanent priesthood for them for generations to come.”
Moses Sets Up the Tent
16 Moses did everything as the Lord commanded him. 17 So the tent was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year ⌞after the Israelites had left Egypt⌟. 18 When Moses set up the tent, he put the sockets in place, put up the frames, inserted the crossbars, and set up the posts. 19 He spread the outer tent over the inner tent and put the cover on top. Moses followed the Lord’s instructions.
20 He took the words of God’s promise and put them in the ark. He put the poles on the ark and placed the throne of mercy on top of the ark. 21 Then he brought the ark into the tent and hung the canopy over it to mark off where the ark was. Moses followed the Lord’s instructions.
22 Moses put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tent outside the canopy. 23 He arranged the bread on the table in the Lord’s presence, following the Lord’s instructions. 24 He placed the lamp stand in the tent of meeting opposite the table, on the south side of the tent. 25 He set up the lamps in the Lord’s presence, following the Lord’s instructions.
26 Moses put the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the canopy. 27 He burned sweet-smelling incense on it, following the Lord’s instructions. 28 Then he put up the screen at the entrance to the tent.
29 He put the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance to the tent (the tent of meeting). He sacrificed burnt offerings and grain offerings on it. Moses followed the Lord’s instructions.
30 He put the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. 31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons used this water to wash their hands and feet. 32 They would wash whenever they went into the tent of meeting or whenever they approached the altar. Moses followed the Lord’s instructions.
33 He set up the courtyard around the tent and the altar and put up the screen at the entrance to the courtyard. Finally, Moses finished the work.
The Lord Comes to the Tent
34 Then the ⌞column of⌟ smoke covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tent. 35 Moses couldn’t go into the tent of meeting, because the smoke settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tent.
36 In all their travels, whenever the ⌞column of⌟ smoke moved from the tent, the Israelites would break camp. 37 But if the column didn’t move, they wouldn’t break camp. 38 So the Lord’s column stayed over the tent during the day, and there was fire in the smoke at night. In this way all the Israelites could see the column throughout their travels.
Exodus 40
World English Bible
40 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “On the first day of the first month you shall raise up the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. 3 You shall put the ark of the covenant in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. 4 You shall bring in the table, and set in order the things that are on it. You shall bring in the lamp stand, and light its lamps. 5 You shall set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant, and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.
6 “You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. 7 You shall set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and shall put water therein. 8 You shall set up the court around it, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court.
9 “You shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and shall make it holy, and all its furniture, and it will be holy. 10 You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering, with all its vessels, and sanctify the altar, and the altar will be most holy. 11 You shall anoint the basin and its base, and sanctify it.
12 “You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall wash them with water. 13 You shall put on Aaron the holy garments; and you shall anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office. 14 You shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them. 15 You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office. Their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” 16 Moses did so. According to all that Yahweh commanded him, so he did.
17 In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was raised up. 18 Moses raised up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and put in its bars, and raised up its pillars. 19 He spread the covering over the tent, and put the roof of the tabernacle above on it, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 20 He took and put the covenant into the ark, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark. 21 He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the covenant, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 22 He put the table in the Tent of Meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside of the veil. 23 He set the bread in order on it before Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 24 He put the lamp stand in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. 25 He lit the lamps before Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 26 He put the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting before the veil; 27 and he burned incense of sweet spices on it, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 28 He put up the screen of the door to the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 30 He set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water therein, with which to wash. 31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there. 32 When they went into the Tent of Meeting, and when they came near to the altar, they washed, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 33 He raised up the court around 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 Yahweh’s glory filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses wasn’t able to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud stayed on it, and Yahweh’s glory filled the tabernacle. 36 When the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their journeys; 37 but if the cloud wasn’t taken up, then they didn’t travel until the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of Yahweh was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
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