Exodus 40

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) ³Place the ark^(D) of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. ⁴Bring in the table^(E) and set out what belongs on it.^(F) Then bring in the lampstand^(G) and set up its lamps. ⁵Place 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; ⁷place the basin^(J) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. ⁸Set 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. ¹⁰Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate^(N) the altar, and it will be most holy. ¹¹Anoint 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) ¹³Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments,^(Q) anoint him and consecrate^(R) him so he may serve me as priest. ¹⁴Bring his sons and dress them in tunics.^(S) ¹⁵Anoint 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)” ¹⁶Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded^(U) him.

¹⁷So the tabernacle^(V) was set up on the first day of the first month^(W) in the second year. ¹⁸When Moses^(X) set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames,^(Y) inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. ¹⁹Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering^(Z) over the tent, as the Lord commanded^(AA) him.

²⁰He 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. ²¹Then 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.

²²Moses placed the table^(AG) in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain ²³and set out the bread^(AH) on it before the Lord, as the Lord commanded^(AI) him.

²⁴He placed the lampstand^(AJ) in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle ²⁵and set up the lamps^(AK) before the Lord, as the Lord commanded^(AL) him.

²⁶Moses placed the gold altar^(AM) in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain ²⁷and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord commanded^(AN) him.

²⁸Then he put up the curtain^(AO) at the entrance to the tabernacle. ²⁹He 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.

³⁰He placed the basin^(AS) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, ³¹and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash^(AT) their hands and feet. ³²They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar,^(AU) as the Lord commanded^(AV) Moses.

³³Then 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.

The Glory of the Lord

³⁴Then the cloud^(AY) covered the tent of meeting, and the glory^(AZ) of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory^(BA) of the Lord filled the tabernacle.^(BB)

³⁶In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;^(BC) ³⁷but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. ³⁸So the cloud^(BD) of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

Proverbs 16

New International Version

16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.^(A)

²All a person’s ways seem pure to them,^(B)
but motives are weighed^(C) by the Lord.^(D)

³Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.^(E)

⁴The Lord works out everything to its proper end^(F)—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.^(G)

⁵The Lord detests all the proud of heart.^(H)
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.^(I)

⁶Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord^(J) evil is avoided.^(K)

⁷When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace^(L) with them.^(M)

⁸Better a little with righteousness
than much gain^(N) with injustice.^(O)

⁹In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.^(P)

¹⁰The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.^(Q)

¹¹Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.^(R)

¹²Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.^(S)

¹³Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.^(T)

¹⁴A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,^(U)
but the wise will appease it.^(V)

¹⁵When a king’s face brightens, it means life;^(W)
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.^(X)

¹⁶How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight^(Y) rather than silver!^(Z)

¹⁷The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.^(AA)

¹⁸Pride^(AB) goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit^(AC) before a fall.^(AD)

¹⁹Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.

²⁰Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,^[a]^(AE)
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.^(AF)

²¹The wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction.^[b]^(AG)

²²Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,^(AH)
but folly brings punishment to fools.

²³The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,^(AI)
and their lips promote instruction.^[c]^(AJ)

²⁴Gracious words are a honeycomb,^(AK)
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.^(AL)

²⁵There is a way that appears to be right,^(AM)
but in the end it leads to death.^(AN)

²⁶The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.

²⁷A scoundrel^(AO) plots evil,
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.^(AP)

²⁸A perverse person stirs up conflict,^(AQ)
and a gossip separates close friends.^(AR)

²⁹A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.^(AS)

³⁰Whoever winks^(AT) with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

³¹Gray hair is a crown of splendor;^(AU)
it is attained in the way of righteousness.

³²Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.

³³The lot is cast^(AV) into the lap,
but its every decision^(AW) is from the Lord.^(AX)

Footnotes

Proverbs 16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive

Psalm 88

New International Version

Psalm 88^[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.^[b] A maskil^[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.

¹Lord, you are the God who saves me;^(A)
day and night I cry out^(B) to you.
²May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.

³I am overwhelmed with troubles^(C)
    and my life draws near to death.^(D)
⁴I am counted among those who go down to the pit;^(E)
    I am like one without strength.^(F)
⁵I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off^(G) from your care.

⁶You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.^(H)
⁷Your wrath^(I) lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.^[d]^(J)
⁸You have taken from me my closest friends^(K)
    and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined^(L) and cannot escape;^(M)
⁹    my eyes^(N) are dim with grief.

I call^(O) to you, Lord, every day;
    I spread out my hands^(P) to you.
¹⁰Do you show your wonders to the dead?
    Do their spirits rise up and praise you?^(Q)
¹¹Is your love declared in the grave,
    your faithfulness^(R) in Destruction^[e]?
¹²Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
    or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

¹³But I cry to you for help,^(S) Lord;
in the morning^(T) my prayer comes before you.^(U)
¹⁴Why, Lord, do you reject^(V) me
and hide your face^(W) from me?

¹⁵From my youth^(X) I have suffered^(Y) and been close to death;
    I have borne your terrors^(Z) and am in despair.^(AA)
¹⁶Your wrath^(AB) has swept over me;
    your terrors^(AC) have destroyed me.
¹⁷All day long they surround me like a flood;^(AD)
    they have completely engulfed me.
¹⁸You have taken from me friend^(AE) and neighbor—
    darkness is my closest friend.

Footnotes

Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon