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Exodus Chapter
Forty
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO
EXODUS 40
This chapter contains the
order for setting up the tabernacle
and placing the furniture of it where it
was the will of God it should be put
Exodus 40:1 and for
the anointing it
and all its vessels
and also Aaron and his sons
Exodus 40:9 all
which were accordingly done
the tabernacle was reared up
and everything was
put in its proper place
Exodus 40:16 upon
which a cloud covered the tent
and the glory of the Lord filled the
tabernacle
so that Moses could not enter; which cloud afterwards was a
direction in their journeys
by night and by day
Exodus 40:34.
Exodus 40:1 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses
saying:
YLT 1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
saying
And the Lord
spake unto Moses
.... When the tabernacle
and the work of it
were finished
and
he had taken a survey of it
and everything belonging to it
which appeared to
be done as was ordered:
saying; as follows.
Exodus 40:2 2 “On
the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of
meeting.
YLT 2`On the first day of the month
in the first
month
thou dost raise up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting
On the first
day of the first month
.... Which was the month Nisan
as the Targum of Jonathan
expresses it; which was the month the children of Israel came out of Egypt
out
of which they had now been a whole year
excepting fourteen days:
shalt thou set
up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation; the
tabernacle
which had a tent or covering over it
to which the people were
gathered at times for religious service.
Exodus 40:3 3 You
shall put in it the ark of the Testimony
and partition off the ark with the
veil.
YLT 3and hast set there the ark of the testimony
and hast covered over the ark with the vail
And thou shall
put therein the ark of the testimony
.... The ark or chest
where the law was
a testimony of the divine will
and which was to be put into
the most holy place of the tabernacle:
and cover the
ark with the vail; not with the propitiatory or mercy seat
as the Targum of
Jonathan; for though that was a covering or lid to the ark
yet not a vail;
this was the vail that divided between the holy place and the most holy
and so
covered or hid the ark from the sight even of the priests that went into the
holy place.
Exodus 40:4 4 You
shall bring in the table and arrange the things that are to be set in order on
it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and light its lamps.
YLT 4and hast brought in the table
and set its
arrangement in order
and hast brought in the candlestick
and caused its lamps
to go up.
And thou shall
bring in the table
.... The table of shewbread
which was to be set in the holy
place:
and set in
order the things that are to be set in order upon it; besides the
dishes
spoons
covers
and bowls
there were the twelve loaves of shewbread to
be set in two rows:
and thou shall
bring in the candlestick
and light the lamps thereof; which was to
be brought and set in the same holy place with the shewbread table; and though
the lamps were to be lighted by Aaron
the priest of the Lord
he being not yet
consecrated
the office was performed by Moses.
Exodus 40:5 5 You
shall also set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the
Testimony
and put up the screen for the door of the tabernacle.
YLT 5`And thou hast put the golden altar for
perfume before the ark of the testimony
and hast put the covering of the
opening to the tabernacle
And thou shalt
set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony
.... Not in
the most holy place where the ark was
but over against it in the holy place:
and put the
hanging of the door of the tabernacle; the door of entrance
into the holy place
where there were to be no other things set but those now
mentioned
the shewbread table
the candlestick
and the altar of incense; and
these being brought in
the hanging was to be put up
which hid the sight of
the above things
and forbid the entrance of the people there.
Exodus 40:6 6 Then
you shall set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle
of the tent of meeting.
YLT 6and hast put the altar of the burnt-offering
before the opening of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting
And thou shall
set the altar of the burnt offering
.... Where the sacrifices
of the people were to be brought
and offered up by the priests; and this was
to be set up in the open court
as it was proper it should
both because of the
smell and smoke of the sacrifices:
before the door
of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation; just a little
before the entrance into the holy place.
Exodus 40:7 7 And
you shall set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar
and
put water in it.
YLT 7and hast put the laver between the tent of
meeting and the altar
and hast put water there.
And thou shall
set the laver
.... As is directed in Exodus 30:18.
Exodus 40:8 8 You
shall set up the court all around
and hang up the screen at the court gate.
YLT 8`And thou hast set the court round about
and
hast placed the covering of the gate of the court
And thou shall
set up the court round about
.... Which consisted of various hangings
east
west
north
and south; see Exodus 27:9.
Exodus 40:9 9 “And
you shall take the anointing oil
and anoint the tabernacle and all that is
in it; and you shall hallow it and all its utensils
and it shall be holy.
YLT 9and hast taken the anointing oil
and anointed
the tabernacle
and all that [is] in it
and hallowed it
and all its vessels
and it hath been holy;
Verses
9-11
And thou shall
take the anointing oil
and anoint the tabernacle
.... In this
and the two following verses Exodus 40:10
orders are given for the anointing of the tabernacle and its vessels
the altar
of burnt offering and its vessels
the laver and its foot
whereby they were
consecrated for divine use and service
according to Exodus 30:26
Exodus 40:10 10 You
shall anoint the altar of the burnt offering and all its utensils
and
consecrate the altar. The altar shall be most holy.
YLT 10and thou hast anointed the altar of the
burnt-offering
and all its vessels
and sanctified the altar
and the altar
hath been most holy;
Exodus 40:11 11 And you shall anoint the
laver and its base
and consecrate it.
YLT 11and thou hast anointed the laver and its
base
and sanctified it.
Exodus 40:12 12 “Then
you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of meeting and
wash them with water.
YLT 12`And thou hast brought near Aaron and his
sons unto the opening of the tent of meeting
and hast bathed them with water;
Verses
12-14
And thou shalt
bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation
.... To wash
anoint
and clothe them
as in the two following verses Exodus 40:13
that
they might minister in the priest's office
according to Exodus 28:41
Exodus 40:13 13 You
shall put the holy garments on Aaron
and anoint him and consecrate him
that
he may minister to Me as priest.
YLT 13and thou hast clothed Aaron with the holy
garments
and anointed him
and sanctified him
and he hath acted as priest to
Me.
Exodus 40:14 14 And
you shall bring his sons and clothe them with tunics.
YLT 14`And his sons thou dost bring near
and hast
clothed them with coats
Exodus 40:15 15 You
shall anoint them
as you anointed their father
that they may minister to Me
as priests; for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood
throughout their generations.”
YLT 15and anointed them as thou hast anointed their
father
and they have acted as priests to Me
and their anointing hath been to
be to them for a priesthood age-during
to their generations.'
And thou shall
anoint them as thou didst anoint their father
.... For Aaron was first
anointed
and then his sons:
that they may
minister unto me in the priest's office; which they might not do
before their anointing
though separated for it
and called unto it:
for their
anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their
generations; that is
this ceremony of anointing was to be used in all ages
at the investiture of the high priest with his office
until the Messiah should
come
who would put an end to the Aaronic priesthood; for not common priests
only the successors of the high priest
were anointed in later times; this
present unction serving for all the priests that should follow in successive
generations
so long as the priesthood continued.
Exodus 40:16 16 Thus
Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him
so he
did.
YLT 16And Moses doth according to all that Jehovah
hath commanded him; so he hath done.
Thus did Moses
.... He set up
the tabernacle
and every thing in its place
and anointed them
and Aaron and
his sons:
according to
all that the Lord commanded him
so did he; by which he approved
himself to be a faithful servant in the house of God.
Exodus 40:17 17 And
it came to pass in the first month of the second year
on the first day
of the month
that the tabernacle was raised up.
YLT 17And it cometh to pass
in the first month
in
the second year
in the first of the month
the tabernacle hath been raised up;
And it came to
pass in the first month
in the second year
.... Of the departure of
the children of Israel out of Egypt:
on the first
day of the month
that the tabernacle was reared up; so that this
was in the spring of the year
about the vernal equinox
on a new year's day
that this was done
which was beginning the year well: it was within a
fortnight of a year after their coming out of Egypt
and when they had been
about five months and a half in building the tabernacle; for such a time it seems
they were in doing that
and which
considering the many things to be done
and
in the winter season
it shows great dispatch. Where was the place
in which
the tabernacle was reared up
is not said: it isF4Pocock's Travels
p. 147. observed
that near the southwest corner of that part of Mount Sinai
which is called Mount Episteme
there is a little hill called Araone by the
Arabs
and by the Greeks the tabernacle of the testimony
where they say Aaron
was consecrated
and first performed the offices of the priesthood: probably
says a learned manF5Clayton's Chronology of the Hebrew Bible
p.
350.
on this hill was placed the tabernacle of the congregation
which Moses
was ordered to place without the camp afar off; but he seems to mistake the
tent of Moses
or however the little tabernacle erected before the grand one
was made
for this tabernacle in Exodus 33:7 which
he seems to refer to; it is more probable that it was now reared up in the
midst of the camp of Israel
see Numbers 2:2.
Exodus 40:18 18 So
Moses raised up the tabernacle
fastened its sockets
set up its boards
put in
its bars
and raised up its pillars.
YLT 18and Moses raiseth up the tabernacle
and
setteth its sockets
and placeth its boards
and placeth its bars
and raiseth
its pillars
And Moses
reared up the tabernacle
.... Not of himself
but with the help of others:
and fastened
the sockets
and set up the boards thereof; fixed the silver sockets
all around
which were the foundation of the building
and placed and
established the shittim boards in them:
and put in the
bars thereof; to keep the boards close and tight:
and reared up
his pillars; the pillars that supported the vail between the holy and holy of
holies
and those on which the hanging for the door of the tabernacle was put
as well as the several pillars all around the court of the tabernacle for the
hangings of that.
Exodus 40:19 19 And
he spread out the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on
top of it
as the Lord
had commanded Moses.
YLT 19and spreadeth the tent over the tabernacle
and putteth the covering of the tent upon it above
as Jehovah hath commanded
Moses.
And he spread
abroad the tent over the tabernacle
.... Which were curtains
of goats' hair:
and put the
covering of the tent above upon it; which was of rams' skins
died red
and over that another covering of badgers' skins:
as the Lord
commanded Moses; Exodus 26:7.
Exodus 40:20 20 He
took the Testimony and put it into the ark
inserted the poles through
the rings of the ark
and put the mercy seat on top of the ark.
YLT 20And he taketh and putteth the testimony unto
the ark
and setteth the staves on the ark
and putteth the mercy-seat on the
ark above;
And he took and
put the testimony into the ark
.... The ten commands
called the
"testimony"
because they testified and declared what was the will of
God with respect to things to be done
or not done. The Targum of Jonathan
says
he put the broken pieces of the tables into it; but what became of them
or were done with them
we nowhere read; and it does not appear that any other
but those that Moses hewed by the order of God
were put into the ark; see Deuteronomy 10:1.
and set the
staves on the ark; that it might be ready to be carried whenever a remove was
necessary:
and put the
mercy seat above upon the ark; together with the cherubim.
Exodus 40:21 21 And he brought the ark
into the tabernacle
hung up the veil of the covering
and partitioned off the
ark of the Testimony
as the Lord had commanded Moses.
YLT 21and bringeth in the ark unto the tabernacle
and placeth the vail of the covering
and covereth over the ark of the
testimony
as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
And he brought
the ark into the tabernacle
.... Into that part of it called the holy of
holies:
and set up the
vail of the covering
and covered the ark of the testimony; the vail
which divided between the and most holy place
and so kept out of sight the ark
of the testimony within
from being seen by any
even by the priests in the
holy place:
as the Lord
commanded Moses; Exodus 26:33.
Exodus 40:22 22 He
put the table in the tabernacle of meeting
on the north side of the
tabernacle
outside the veil;
YLT 22And he putteth the table in the tent of
meeting
on the side of the tabernacle northward
at the outside of the vail
And he put the
table in the tent of the congregation
.... In the holy place;
for there the shewbread table
which is here meant
was put:
upon the side
of the tabernacle northward
without the vail; on the north side of the
tabernacle
at a little distance from the walls
which were the curtains and
boards
even in the holy place on the outside of the vail
which divided from
the most holy place.
Exodus 40:23 23 and
he set the bread in order upon it before the Lord
as the Lord had commanded
Moses.
YLT 23and setteth in order upon it the arrangement
of bread
before Jehovah
as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
And he set the
bread in order upon it before the Lord
.... The shewbread
the
twelve cakes of it
in two rows
six in a row:
as the Lord had
commanded Moses: Exodus 25:30.
Exodus 40:24 24 He
put the lampstand in the tabernacle of meeting
across from the table
on the
south side of the tabernacle;
YLT 24And he putteth the candlestick in the tent of
meeting
over-against the table
on the side of the tabernacle southward
And he put the
candlestick in the tent of the congregation
.... In the same place
the holy place: over against the table: the shewbread table:
on the side of
the tabernacle southward: directly opposite to the table.
Exodus 40:25 25 and
he lit the lamps before the Lord
as the Lord had commanded
Moses.
YLT 25and causeth the lamps to go up before
Jehovah
as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
And he lighted
the lamps before the Lord
.... The seven lamps belonging to it: this
though it was the business of the priests of Aaron
and his sons
yet they not
being at present invested with their office
was done by Moses
who in this and
several other things mentioned in this chapter officiated as a priest:
as the Lord
commanded Moses
Exodus 25:37.
Exodus 40:26 26 He
put the gold altar in the tabernacle of meeting in front of the veil;
YLT 26And he setteth the golden altar in the tent
of meeting
before the vail
And he put the
golden altar
.... The altar of incense; so called because it was overlaid with
gold
and to distinguish it from the altar of burnt offering
which was covered
with brass: to this altar there is an allusion in Revelation 8:3.
in the tent of
the congregation
before the vail; in the same place
the
holy place
where the shewbread table and candlestick were
and these were all
the furniture of it; and this was put
not within the vail
but before it
over
against the ark
as that stood within it
Exodus 40:5.
Exodus 40:27 27 and
he burned sweet incense on it
as the Lord had commanded Moses.
YLT 27and maketh perfume on it -- spice-perfume --
as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
And he burnt
sweet incense thereon
.... Which is another branch of the priestly office exercised by
Moses
and which he would never have done had he not had a command from God for
it
as follows:
as the Lord
commanded Moses; he commanded Moses indeed to order and direct Aaron to do this
but he being not yet consecrated
Moses
being the Lord's priest
did it.
Exodus 40:28 28 He
hung up the screen at the door of the tabernacle.
YLT 28And he setteth the covering of the opening to
the tabernacle
And he set up
the hanging at the door of the tabernacle. That is
at the door of
the holy place
all being brought into it that were to be placed there.
Exodus 40:29 29 And
he put the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of
the tent of meeting
and offered upon it the burnt offering and the grain
offering
as the Lord
had commanded Moses.
YLT 29and the altar of the burnt-offering he hath
set at the opening of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting
and causeth the
burnt-offering to go up upon it
and the present
as Jehovah hath commanded
Moses.
And he put the
altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the
congregation
.... Of which see Exodus 40:6.
and offered
upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; either the burnt
offering the meat offering of the daily sacrifice
as Jarchi interprets it
see
Exodus 28:38 or it
may be rather the burnt offering and meat offering of the consecration of Aaron
and his sons
Exodus 29:1.
as the Lord
commanded Moses; in the places referred to.
Exodus 40:30 30 He
set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar
and put water
there for washing;
YLT 30And he putteth the laver between the tent of
meeting and the altar
and putteth water there for washing
And he set the
laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar
.... Of which
position
see Exodus 30:18.
and put water
there to wash withal; for the priests to wash their hands and
feet with; a type of that laver or fountain opened for the house of David and
inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in
Zechariah 13:1.
Exodus 40:31 31 and Moses
Aaron
and his
sons would wash their hands and their feet with water from it.
YLT 31and Moses and Aaron and his sons have washed
their hands and their feet at the same;
And Moses
and
Aaron
and his sons
washed their hands and their feet thereat. This laver was
for the priests
and Moses
officiating as a priest
washed in it
with Aaron
and his sons
whom he was now about to consecrate to the priest's office
and
invest with it by offering sacrifice for them; Jarchi says this was on the
eighth day of the consecration.
Exodus 40:32 32 Whenever
they went into the tabernacle of meeting
and when they came near the altar
they washed
as the Lord
had commanded Moses.
YLT 32in their going in unto the tent of meeting
and in their drawing near unto the altar
they wash
as Jehovah hath commanded
Moses.
When they went
into the tent of the congregation
.... Not only at this
time
but at all other times:
and when they
came near unto the altar
they washed; to the altar of burnt
offering to offer sacrifice; and also to the altar of incense
and burn incense
on that; for before whatever service they performed in the tabernacle they
washed:
as the Lord
commanded Moses; Exodus 30:20 this
phrase is near twenty times expressed in this and the preceding chapter
to
show that everything was done by the workmen
and everything put in its proper
place by Moses
exactly according to the will of God; no one pursuing his own
fancy and private judgment
but all consulting the mind of God
and acting
according to that.
Exodus 40:33 33 And
he raised up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar
and hung up the
screen of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.
YLT 33And he raiseth up the court round about the
tabernacle
and about the altar
and placeth the covering of the gate of the
court; and Moses completeth the work.
And he reared
up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar
.... Which
consisted of hangings one hundred cubits long and fifty broad; see Exodus 27:9
&c.
and set up the
hanging of the court gate; which was at the east end of it; and the
hanging was of twenty cubits
hung upon four pillars
Exodus 27:16.
so Moses
finished the work; of the tabernacle
in making it by workmen
and in rearing it up
by the help of others; and as the former was the work of some months
so the
latter
it is highly probable
was the work of some days
at least
in doing
all that is said to be done in this chapter relative to it; for though it is
said to be reared up on the first day of the first month
yet not then fully
set up
or everything done requisite to the use and service of it; see Numbers 7:1.
Exodus 40:34 34 Then
the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting
and the glory of the Lord filled the
tabernacle.
YLT 34And the cloud covereth the tent of meeting
and the honour of Jehovah hath filled the tabernacle;
Then a cloud
covered the tent of the congregation
.... The outside of it;
this cloud was the same with the pillar of cloud that went before the
Israelites
as soon almost as they came out of Egypt; and led them through the
Red sea
and conducted them to Mount Sinai; only it now appeared in a different
form
not erect as a pillar
but more expanded
so as to cover the tabernacle
without:
and the glory
of the Lord filled the tabernacle; the inside of it
not
the most holy place only
but the holy place also: this was an uncommon
brightness
lustre
and splendour
a glorious stream of light
which the eye of
man could not well bear to behold; such a glory filled the temple of Solomon at
the dedication of that
1 Kings 8:11 and
was an emblem of Christ
the brightness of his Father's glory
dwelling in and
filling the tabernacle of the human nature
where the Godhead
the Shechinah
the divine Majesty
dwells bodily
Hebrews 1:3 Colossians 2:9.
Exodus 40:35 35 And
Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting
because the cloud rested
above it
and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
YLT 35and Moses hath not been able to go in unto
the tent of meeting
for the cloud hath tabernacled on it
and the honour of
Jehovah hath filled the tabernacle.
And Moses was
not able to enter into the tent of the congregation
.... He had
been there before
both in the holy
and in the most holy place
to see that
the furniture of each were put as the Lord directed
which being done he came
out again; and now a cloud being on the outside of it
and the glory of the
Lord within
he was so struck with an awe and reverence of the divine Being
of
whose presence these were a symbol
that he could not engage his heart
or had
not boldness to go into the tabernacle until he was called
Leviticus 1:1 for
so it follows:
because the
cloud abode thereon
and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle; there was
something
no doubt
very venerable in the spreading cloud
as well as very
striking in the refulgent glory
which commanded distance
even to a person
that had been used to converse with God; Moses
that went into the midst of the
cloud where the Lord was
now could not or durst not go into the tabernacle it
covered; and he who then was not deterred by the sight of the glory of God
which was like devouring fire
Exodus 24:16 now
could not
or at least thought it not proper and advisable to enter into the
holy place erected for the service and worship of God; the chief reason of
which may be
because
as yet
he had not a call to enter
as he then had
and
as we find was afterwards given him
Leviticus 1:1 and
perhaps another reason may be
because he was now no longer a priest; Aaron and
his sons being invested with the priestly office
whose business it was to draw
nigh to God; and indeed the call he afterwards had was not to come into the
tabernacle
but was a call unto him out of it.
Exodus 40:36 36 Whenever
the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle
the children of Israel would
go onward in all their journeys.
YLT 36And in the going up of the cloud from off the
tabernacle the sons of Israel journey in all their journeys;
And when the
cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle
.... By the Lord himself
or it removed by his order
that is
rose up and stood above the tabernacle
and appeared in the form of a pillar
and went before it:
the children of
Israel went onward in all their journeys; the motion of the cloud
was a direction to set forward and continue their journey as long as it lasted;
but when it rested and abode upon the tabernacle
then they stopped and rested
also
as is suggested in the following verse Exodus 40:37
see Numbers 9:17 thus
the saints are to be followers of God as dear children
and to follow the Lamb
whithersoever he goes or directs
and walk after the Spirit
the dictates and
directions thereof; so the wheels in Ezekiel's vision went and stood
as did
the living creatures
and the spirit in them
Ezekiel 1:19.
Exodus 40:37 37 But
if the cloud was not taken up
then they did not journey till the day that it
was taken up.
YLT 37and if the cloud go not up then they journey
not
until the day of its going up:
But if the
cloud were not taken up
then they journeyed not
.... Even if it continued
so two days
or a month
or a year
as very probably it sometimes did; which
will in some measure account for the long continuance of the Israelites in the
wilderness
see Numbers 9:22.
till the day
that it was taken up: or
"of its ascent"F6העלתו
"sustolli ejus"
Montanus.
being "lifted up"
or going
upwards
higher in the air
right over the tabernacle
or perhaps more to the
front of it; the word used before in this and the preceding verse has the
signification of ascending upwards.
Exodus 40:38 38 For
the cloud of the Lord
was above the tabernacle by day
and fire was over it by night
in the
sight of all the house of Israel
throughout all their journeys.
YLT 38for the cloud of Jehovah [is] on the
tabernacle by day
and fire is in it by night
before the eyes of all the house
of Israel in all their journeys.
For the cloud
of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day
.... Or over itF7על המשכן "supra
tabernaculum"
Drusius.
it covered it
when it abode upon it
and
rested; and stood on high over it when it moved and the people journeyed:
and fire was on
it by night; the same phenomenon which had the appearance of a cloud in the
day time shone like fire in the night time: or "fire was in it"F8בו "in ea"; Fagius
Junius & Tremellius;
Drusius. ; that is
in the cloud; so it appeared in the night
and was
as the
Targum of Jonathan here calls it
a pillar of fire; the same with the pillar of
cloud and fire
which departed not from the people all the while they were in
the wilderness
Exodus 13:21 and
this was
in the sight of
all the house of Israel
throughout all their journeys; whether by
night or by day; for in hot countries they travel much by night; and as the
cloud was both a shelter from the heat of the sun in the daytime
and a
direction of their way; so the fire by night was of the same use for direction
and might be also terrifying to wild beasts in the wilderness
who are afraid
of fire
and so be a security to the Israelites from them; all which is an emblem
of the guidance and protection
light
joy
and comfort
the church of God has
from his gracious presence
while in the wilderness of this world; see Isaiah 4:5.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》