Exodus 40

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, communicate] to Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed], word study 2 “On the first [primary] day [a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time] of the [primary] first month [the new moon and the lunar cycle] you are to [raise up, set up, rear up] set up the tabernacle [a special tent where God met with the Israelites], the [tent, ohel, a nomad’s home] Tent of Meeting [moed, a meeting or appointed time, a sacred season or festival]. word study 3 Put the ark [sacred chest, container of the covenant] of the Testimony [God’s laws, witness to His presence] in it and screen off [cover, separate with] the ark with [behind, using] the veil [curtain, partition]. word study 4 Then bring in the table [for sacred purposes, a place of communion] and set out its arrangement [in order, with all things properly valued]; bring in the lampstand [candlestick] as well, and set up its lamps [to shine, providing spiritual guidance]. word study 5 Place the gold [valuable, brilliant] altar [a place of sacrifice] of incense [a sweet smoke, perfume] in front of [before the presence, facing] the ark [a box, chest] of the Testimony [God’s laws, instructions], and hang [put, set] the curtain [a covering, veil] at the entrance [doorway, gate] to the tabernacle [a special tent, meeting place]. word study 6 Place the altar [of sacrifice, for burnt offerings] of burnt offering [a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar] in front of [before, opposite] the entrance [doorway, gateway] to the tabernacle [a special tent], the Tent [a portable dwelling, a nomad’s home] of Meeting [a meeting or appointed time, a sacred season]. word study 7 And place [set, put] the basin [laver, washing-vessel] between [in the midst of] the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of Meeting [assembly, appointed time] and the altar [place of sacrifice], and put [place, set] water [liquid refreshment] in it [there, at that location]. word study 8 Set up [appoint, establish] the surrounding [encompassing, around] courtyard [court, open space] and hang [put up, suspend] the curtain [covering, screen] for the entrance [gate, doorway] to the courtyard [court, enclosed area]. word study 9 Take the anointing [holy, consecrated] oil and anoint [rub with oil, set apart] the tabernacle [a sacred tent, a place of worship] and everything [all things, the entire contents] in it; consecrate [set apart, make holy] it along with all [every single one] its furnishings [utensils, equipment], and it shall be [exist as, become] holy [sacred, set apart for God]. word study 10 Anoint [rub oil on, set apart] the altar [place of sacrifice] of burnt offering [sacrifices completely consumed by fire] and all [everything, every part] its utensils [instruments, vessels]; consecrate [set apart as holy, dedicate] the altar, and it shall be [exist as, become] most holy [sacred, set apart]. word study 11 Anoint [to rub oil on, set apart] the basin [a round container, washbasin] and its stand [base, pedestal] and consecrate [set apart as holy, sanctify] them [the basin and its stand]. word study 12 Then bring [present, approach] Aaron [the first high priest, Moses’ brother] and his sons [descendants, offspring] to the entrance [door, gateway] to the Tent [tabernacle, ohel] of Meeting [appointed time] and wash [bathe, ritually cleanse] them with water [liquid, source of refreshment]. word study 13 And you are to clothe [put on, dress] Aaron with the holy [set apart, sacred] garments, anoint [rub oil on, consecrate] him, and consecrate [set apart, dedicate] him, so that he may serve [minister, act as priest] Me as a priest [one who mediates between God and man]. word study 14 Bring his sons [the descendants, his male children] forward and clothe [to wrap around, put on] them with tunics [long, shirt-like garments, coats]. word study 15 Anoint [consecrate, set apart] them just as you anointed [rubbed oil on] their father, so that they may also serve [minister, perform sacred duties] Me as priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] [having a special role]. Their anointing [consecrated portion, sacred oil] will qualify [make them fit, enable] them for a permanent [everlasting, eternal] priesthood [office of spiritual leadership] throughout their generations [family lines, descendants].” word study 16 Moses [the Israelite leader] did everything [all that was commanded, according to all instructions] just as [in exact accordance with, so] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] had commanded [given orders, appointed] him [as His servant]. word study 17 So the tabernacle [a special tent where God met with the Israelites] was set up [reared up, raised] on the first day of the first month [lunar cycle, new moon] of the second year [a period of time, like when Abraham was 100 years old]. word study 18 When Moses [the Israelite leader] set up [raised, erected] the tabernacle [a special tent where God met with the Israelites], he laid [placed, positioned] its bases [foundations, sockets], positioned [set, arranged] its frames [boards, planks], inserted [put, placed] its crossbars [bars, beams], and set up [raised, established] its posts [pillars, uprights]. word study 19 Then he spread [stretched out, unfolded] the tent [tabernacle, nomad’s home] over the tabernacle [portable place of worship] and put the covering [animal skins, protective layer] over the tent, just as [in accordance with] the LORD [Yehovah, God’s covenant name] had commanded [given orders, appointed] him. word study 20 Moses took [received, got] the Testimony [covenant, witness, God’s laws] and placed [put, set] it in the ark [a box or chest, the Ark of the Covenant], attaching [setting, placing] the poles [staves, bars] to the ark; and he set [put, placed] the mercy seat [a golden lid, the atonement cover, the place of reconciliation] atop [above, upon, over] the ark. word study 21 Then he brought the ark [a sacred chest, the Ark of the Covenant] into the tabernacle [a portable place of worship, the dwelling place of God], put up the veil [a curtain, a screen] for the screen, and shielded off [covered, protected] the ark of the Testimony [a witness to God’s covenant, the law], just as the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had commanded [given orders, instructed] him. word study 22 Moses placed [set in position, put] the table [a shulchan, for sacred purposes] in the Tent [ohel, a nomad’s home] of Meeting [a sacred season] on the north [zaphon] side of the tabernacle [a portable sanctuary], outside [beyond the boundary] the veil [a separating curtain]. word study 23 He arranged [set in order, laid out] the bread [food, especially grain offerings] on it before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], just as [according to] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme Commander] had commanded [given orders to] him [Moses, the Israelite leader]. word study 24 He also placed [set in position, appointed] the lampstand [candlestick, chandelier] in the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of Meeting [appointed time, sacred season] opposite [before, in front of] the table [place of communion] on the south [Negeb, southern district] side of the tabernacle [portable sanctuary, divine dwelling] word study 25 and set up [lighted, causeth to go up] the lamps [devices that hold a flame, providing spiritual light] before [in the presence of, face to face with] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], just as [which, according to the command] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme Commander] had commanded [given orders, appointed] him [Moses, the Israelite leader]. word study 26 Moses placed [set in position, appointed] the gold [valuable, brilliant] altar [place of sacrifice, offering] in the Tent [nomad’s home, tabernacle] of Meeting [sacred gathering, appointed time], in front of [before the presence, facing] the veil [curtain, screen], word study 27 and he burned [sweet] fragrant incense [spice-perfume, sweet spices] on it, just as [exactly as, according to the command of] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] had commanded [given orders to, appointed] him [Moses, the leader]. word study 28 Then he put up [set in place, hung] the curtain [covering, screen] at the entrance [doorway, gate] to the tabernacle [sacred tent, place of meeting]. word study 29 He placed the altar [of sacrifice, for burnt offerings] of burnt offering [a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar] near the entrance [doorway, threshold] to the tabernacle [a special tent, the portable place of worship], the Tent of Meeting [the place of divine encounter, sacred assembly], and offered on it the burnt offering [a gift totally consumed by fire] and the grain offering [a gift of fine flour], just as the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] had commanded [given orders, instructed] him. word study 30 He placed [set in position, put] the basin [laver, washbasin] between [in the middle of] the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of Meeting [appointed time, assembly] and the altar [place of sacrifice, platform] and put [gave, poured] water [source of refreshment, liquid] in it for washing [to cleanse, purify, ritual bathing]; word study 31 and from it [as a source of purification] Moses [the Israelite leader], Aaron [the first high priest], and his sons [descendants, spiritual heirs] washed [ritually cleansed, bathed] their hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share] and feet [the foot, the leg] [thereat, at the same place]. word study 32 They washed [with water, as a ritual cleansing] whenever they entered [went into, came near to] the Tent [tabernacle, place of meeting] of Meeting [appointed time, sacred assembly] or approached [drew near to, came close to] the altar [place of sacrifice, table of offering], just as [in accordance with, as commanded by] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] had commanded [given orders to, instructed] Moses. word study 33 And Moses [the leader of Israel] set up the courtyard [surrounding area, open space] around the tabernacle [place of God’s presence, sacred tent] and the altar [place of sacrifice, worship], and he hung the curtain [screen, veil] for the entrance [gate, doorway] to the courtyard. So Moses [the servant of God] finished [completed, ended] the work [labor, task, divine service]. word study 34 Then the cloud covered the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of Meeting [appointed time, sacred gathering], and the glory [great honor, splendor] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] filled [to make full, complete] the tabernacle [portable place of worship, divine dwelling]. word study 35 Moses [the Israelite leader, a servant of God] was unable [lacked the power or strength] to enter [go into, approach] the Tent [tabernacle, a sacred dwelling] of Meeting [assembly, a place of worship] because [for the reason that] the cloud [a divine covering] had settled [rested, dwelled] on it, and the glory [splendor, majestic presence] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] filled [completed, made full] the tabernacle [a portable place of worship, the dwelling place of God]. word study 36 Whenever the cloud was lifted [taken up, rose] from above [on, over] the tabernacle [the sacred tent, dwelling place], the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] would set out [depart, journey] through all [every, the entirety of] the stages [journeys, marches] of their journey [travel, migration]. word study 37 If the cloud was not lifted [did not ascend or rise], they would not set out [journey or travel] until the day [a period of time, a season] it was taken up [ascended, rose, or went up]. word study 38 For the cloud of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] was over [upon, above] the tabernacle [a special tent where God met with the Israelites] by day [daily, in the daytime], and fire [burning, flame] was in the cloud by night [in the darkness, a time of rest], in the sight [before the eyes, visible to] of all [everything, the whole] the house [family, descendants] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, God’s chosen people] through [during, throughout] all [every, the entirety of] their journeys [travels, migrations]. word study