Exodus 40

New International Version

Setting Up the Tabernacle

40 Then theLordsaid to Moses:² “Set up^(A)the tabernacle, the tent of meeting,^(B)on the first day of the first month.^(C)3 Place the ark^(D)of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain.⁴ Bring in the table^(E)and set out what belongs on it.^(F)Then bring in the lampstand^(G)and set up its lamps.⁵ Place 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;⁷ place the basin^(J)between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it.⁸ Set 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.¹⁰ Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate^(N)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^(O)and wash them with water.^(P)13 Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments,^(Q)anoint him and consecrate^(R)him so he may serve me as priest.¹⁴ Bring his sons and dress them in tunics.^(S)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.^(T)”¹⁶ Moses did everything just as theLordcommanded^(U)him.

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

²⁰ He 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.²¹ Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain^(AE)and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as theLordcommanded^(AF)him.

²² Moses placed the table^(AG)in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain²³ and set out the bread^(AH)on it before theLord, as theLordcommanded^(AI)him.

²⁴ He placed the lampstand^(AJ)in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle²⁵ and set up the lamps^(AK)before theLord, as theLordcommanded^(AL)him.

²⁶ Moses placed the gold altar^(AM)in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain²⁷ and burned fragrant incense on it, as theLordcommanded^(AN)him.

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

³⁰ He placed the basin^(AS)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^(AT)their hands and feet.³² They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar,^(AU)as theLordcommanded^(AV)Moses.

³³ Then 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 theLord

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

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