Add parallel Print Page Options

32 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting was finished; and the Israelites did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses; that is what they did. 33 They brought the tabernacle to Moses [for him to inspect]: the tent and all its furnishings, its hooks, its [frame] boards, its bars, its support poles, its sockets or bases; 34 and the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of [a]porpoise skins, and the veil (partition) of the screen (curtain); 35 the ark of the Testimony, its carrying poles and the mercy seat; 36 the table and all its utensils and the bread of the Presence (showbread); 37 the pure gold lampstand and its lamps, with the lamps placed in order, all its utensils, and the oil for the light; 38 the golden altar [of incense], the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the [hanging] veil for the doorway of the tent; 39 the bronze altar [of burnt offering] and its grating of bronze, its poles and all its utensils, the basin and its base; 40 the curtains of the courtyard, its support poles and sockets, and the screen (curtain) for the courtyard gate, its cords and pegs, and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the Tent of Meeting [of God with His people];(A) 41 the [finely] woven garments for serving and ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons to minister as priests. 42 So the Israelites did all the work according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses. 43 And Moses [carefully] inspected all the work, and behold, they had done it; just as the Lord had commanded, so had they done it. So Moses blessed them.

The Tabernacle Erected

40 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “On the first day of the first month (Abib) you shall set up the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting [of God with you]. You shall place the ark of the Testimony there, and you shall screen off the ark [from the Holy Place of God’s Presence] with the veil (partition curtain).(B) You shall bring in the table [for the bread] and arrange its setting; you shall bring in the lampstand and mount and light its lamps.(C) You shall set the golden altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony [outside the veil], and put the [hanging] veil at the doorway of the tabernacle. You shall set the [bronze] altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. You shall set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar [of burnt offering], and put water in it. You shall set up the courtyard [curtains] all around and hang up the screen (curtain) for the gateway of the courtyard. Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture; and it shall be holy (declared sacred, separated from secular use). 10 You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, and the altar shall be most holy. 11 You shall anoint the basin and its base, and consecrate it. 12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water.(D) 13 You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve as a priest to Me. 14 You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them; 15 you shall anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may serve as priests to Me; and their anointing shall qualify them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” 16 Thus Moses did; in accordance with all that the Lord commanded him, so he did.

17 Now it happened on the first day of the first month (Abib) in the second year [after the exodus from Egypt], that the tabernacle was erected. 18 Moses erected the tabernacle, laid its sockets, set up its boards, put in its bars and erected its support poles. 19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it, just as the Lord had commanded him. 20 He took the Testimony [the stones inscribed with the Ten Commandments] and put it into the ark [of the covenant], and placed the poles [through the rings] on the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark. 21 Moses brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up a veil (partition) for the screen (curtain), and screened off the ark of the Testimony, just as the Lord had commanded him. 22 Then he put the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. 23 He set the bread [of the Presence] in order on it before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded him.(E) 24 Then he put the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. 25 Moses mounted and lighted the lamps [on the lampstand] before the Lord, just as the Lord commanded him. 26 He put the golden altar [of incense] in the Tent of Meeting in front of the veil; 27 he burned fragrant incense [as a symbol of prayer] on it, just as the Lord commanded him.(F) 28 Then he set up the screen (curtain) at the doorway of the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the Lord commanded him. 30 He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar [of burnt offering], and put water in it for washing. 31 Then from it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. 32 When they entered the Tent of Meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as the Lord commanded Moses. 33 And he erected the courtyard all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung the screen (curtain) at the gateway of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the Lord

34 Then the cloud [the Shekinah, God’s visible, dwelling presence] covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory and brilliance of the Lord filled the tabernacle.(G) 35 Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud remained on it, and the glory and brilliance of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 In all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out; 37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey on until the day when it was taken up. 38 For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 39:34 The meaning of the Hebrew word is not certain; some scholars have suggested that the material is instead a fine leather of unspecified origin.

Moses Inspects the Tabernacle(A)

32 So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.(B) 33 Then they brought the tabernacle(C) to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 34 the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of another durable leather[a] and the shielding curtain; 35 the ark of the covenant law(D) with its poles and the atonement cover; 36 the table(E) with all its articles and the bread of the Presence;(F) 37 the pure gold lampstand(G) with its row of lamps and all its accessories,(H) and the olive oil(I) for the light; 38 the gold altar,(J) the anointing oil,(K) the fragrant incense,(L) and the curtain(M) for the entrance to the tent; 39 the bronze altar(N) with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basin(O) with its stand; 40 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard;(P) the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 41 and the woven garments(Q) worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.

42 The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.(R) 43 Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded.(S) So Moses blessed(T) them.

Setting Up the Tabernacle

40 Then the Lord said to Moses: “Set up(U) the tabernacle, the tent of meeting,(V) on the first day of the first month.(W) Place the ark(X) of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. Bring in the table(Y) and set out what belongs on it.(Z) Then bring in the lampstand(AA) and set up its lamps. Place the gold altar(AB) of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

“Place the altar(AC) of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; place the basin(AD) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. Set up the courtyard(AE) around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.

“Take the anointing oil and anoint(AF) the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings,(AG) and it will be holy. 10 Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate(AH) 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(AI) and wash them with water.(AJ) 13 Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments,(AK) anoint him and consecrate(AL) him so he may serve me as priest. 14 Bring his sons and dress them in tunics.(AM) 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.(AN) 16 Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded(AO) him.

17 So the tabernacle(AP) was set up on the first day of the first month(AQ) in the second year. 18 When Moses(AR) set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames,(AS) inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. 19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering(AT) over the tent, as the Lord commanded(AU) him.

20 He took the tablets of the covenant law(AV) and placed them in the ark,(AW) attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover(AX) over it. 21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain(AY) and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded(AZ) him.

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

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

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

28 Then he put up the curtain(BI) at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar(BJ) of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings,(BK) as the Lord commanded(BL) him.

30 He placed the basin(BM) 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(BN) their hands and feet. 32 They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar,(BO) as the Lord commanded(BP) Moses.

33 Then Moses set up the courtyard(BQ) around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain(BR) at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the Lord

34 Then the cloud(BS) covered the tent of meeting, and the glory(BT) of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory(BU) of the Lord filled the tabernacle.(BV)

36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;(BW) 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud(BX) 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.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 39:34 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals

The Cloud on the Tabernacle

15 Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected, the cloud [of God’s presence] covered the tabernacle, that is, the tent of the Testimony; and in the evening it was over the tabernacle, appearing like [a pillar of] fire until the morning.(A) 16 So it was continuously; the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent (tabernacle), afterward the Israelites would set out; and in the place where the cloud stopped, there the Israelites would camp. 18 At the Lord’s command the Israelites would journey on, and at His command they would camp. As long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle they remained camped. 19 Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the Israelites would keep their obligation to the Lord and not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud remained only a few days over the tabernacle, and in accordance with the command of the Lord they remained camped. Then at His command they set out. 21 If sometimes the cloud remained [over the tabernacle] from evening only until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning, they would journey on; whether in the daytime or at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. 22 Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud [of the Lord’s presence] lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the Israelites remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they set out. 23 At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed on; they kept their obligation to the Lord, in accordance with the command of the Lord through Moses.

Read full chapter

The Cloud Above the Tabernacle

15 On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law,(A) was set up,(B) the cloud(C) covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire.(D) 16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire.(E) 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out;(F) wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.(G) 18 At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained(H) in camp. 19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order(I) and did not set out.(J) 20 Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. 23 At the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

Read full chapter