Exodus 40

1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “On the first day of the first month you are to set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.

“On the first day of the first month you shall raise up the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting.

3 Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil.

You shall put the ark of the covenant in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.

4 Then bring in the table and set out its arrangement; bring in the lampstand as well, and set up its lamps.

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 Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony, and hang the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

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 Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.

“You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting.

7 And place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

You shall set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and shall put water therein.

8 Set up the surrounding courtyard and hang the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard.

You shall set up the court around it, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court.

9 Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings, and it shall be holy.

“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 Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it shall be most holy.

You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering, with all its vessels, and sanctify the altar, and the altar will be most holy.

11 Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.

You shall anoint the basin and its base, and sanctify it.

12 Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water.

“You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall wash them with water.

13 And you are to clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he may serve Me as a priest.

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 Bring his sons forward and clothe them with tunics.

You shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them.

15 Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve Me as priests. Their anointing will qualify them for a permanent priesthood throughout their generations.”

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 everything just as the LORD had commanded him.

Moses did so. According to all that the LORD commanded him, so he did.

17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year.

In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was raised up.

18 When Moses set up the tabernacle, he laid its bases, positioned its frames, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts.

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 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, just as the LORD had commanded him.

He spread the covering over the tent, and put the roof of the tabernacle above on it, as the LORD commanded Moses.

20 Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark.

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 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and shielded off the ark of the Testimony, just as the LORD had commanded him.

He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the covenant, as the LORD commanded Moses.

22 Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil.

He put the table in the Tent of Meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside of the veil.

23 He arranged the bread on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

He set the bread in order on it before the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

24 He also placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle

He put the lamp stand 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.

He lit the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

26 Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the veil,

He put the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting before the veil;

27 and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded him.

and he burned incense of sweet spices on it, as the LORD commanded Moses.

28 Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

He put up the screen of the door to the tabernacle.

29 He placed the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded him.

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 the LORD commanded Moses.

30 He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing;

He set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water therein, with which to wash.

31 and from it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet.

Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there.

32 They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

When they went into the Tent of Meeting, and when they came near to the altar, they washed, as the LORD commanded Moses.

33 And Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and he hung the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

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 the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the LORD’s glory filled the tabernacle.

35 Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Moses wasn’t able to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud stayed on it, and the LORD’s glory filled the tabernacle.

36 Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out through all the stages of their journey.

When the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their journeys;

37 If the cloud was not lifted, they would not set out until the day it was taken up.

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 the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel through all their journeys.

For the cloud of the LORD 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.