God's Instructions for Setting Up the Tabernacle
Study note
God told Moses to set up the Tabernacle on the first day of the first month — exactly one year after the Israelites left Egypt. God gave Moses step-by-step instructions: place the Ark inside and hang the curtain to shield it, bring in the table and arrange the bread on it, bring in the lampstand and light its lamps, place the gold incense altar in front of the Ark, hang the entrance curtain, set up the burnt offering altar, place the basin between the tent and the altar with water in it, set up the courtyard, and anoint everything with the holy oil to make it sacred. Then Aaron and his sons were to be washed and dressed in their priestly robes and anointed for their eternal priestly role.
1 The Lord told Moses, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 "On the first day of the first month, set up the Tabernacle — the Tent of Meeting." On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
3 "Place the Ark of the Testimony inside it and hang the shielding curtain in front of the Ark." And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the veil.
4 "Bring in the table and set everything on it in its proper place. Bring in the lampstand and light its lamps." And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.
5 "Position the gold incense altar in front of the Ark of the Testimony. Then hang the curtain across the entrance of the Tabernacle." And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle.
6 "Set the altar for burnt offerings right outside the Tabernacle door, the Tent of Meeting." And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
7 "Place the washing basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and fill it with water." And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
8 "Set up the courtyard walls around everything and hang the entrance curtain for the courtyard." And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate.
9 "Take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and everything inside it. This will set it apart as holy -- the Tabernacle and all its items." And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy.
10 "Anoint the burnt offering altar and every one of its tools. Consecrate the altar, and it will become supremely holy." And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy.
11 "Anoint the washing basin along with its stand, setting them apart as holy." And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it.
12 "Take Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting and bathe them with water." And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.
13 "Dress Aaron in the sacred clothing, anoint him, and consecrate him. Then he will be ready to serve me as priest." And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
14 "Bring his sons forward and dress them in their tunics." And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats:
15 "Anoint them the same way you anointed their father so they too can serve me as priests. This anointing establishes a priesthood that will continue through all their generations to come." And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.
Moses Sets Up the Tabernacle
Study note
Moses did everything exactly as the Lord commanded. On the first day of the first month in the second year after leaving Egypt, Moses set up the Tabernacle. He laid the bases, set up the frames, put in the crossbars, and raised the posts. He spread the tent and its coverings over the Tabernacle. He placed the stone tablets of the Testimony in the Ark, attached the poles, put on the mercy seat, and brought the Ark into the Tabernacle. He hung the shielding curtain. He set the table and the bread in order. He placed the lampstand and lit the lamps. He set up the gold incense altar and burned incense on it. He hung the entrance curtain. He placed the burnt offering altar and offered sacrifices. He put the basin in place and filled it with water. Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet from it. Finally, Moses set up the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.
16 Moses followed through on every detail, exactly the way the Lord told him. Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.
17 The Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month. It was the second year after leaving Egypt. And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.
18 Moses set the whole thing up. He laid the base sockets, stood the frames upright, slid in the crossbars, and raised the posts. And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars.
19 He spread the tent fabric over the Tabernacle. Then he layered the outer coverings on top, just as the Lord had told him. And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.
20 He placed the stone tablets of the Testimony inside the Ark. He put in the carrying poles and set the mercy seat on top. And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:
21 He brought the Ark into the Tabernacle. He hung the curtain to shield it. He did just as the Lord had told him. And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.
22 He placed the table in the Tent of Meeting. It went on the north side of the Tabernacle, outside the curtain. And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the veil.
23 He arranged the bread on it in the Lord's presence, just as the Lord had told him. And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.
24 He set up the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting, on the south side, directly across from the table. And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.
25 He lit the lamps before the Lord, just as the Lord had told him. And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
26 He placed the gold altar inside the Tent of Meeting, in front of the inner curtain. And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the veil:
27 He burned fragrant incense on it, just as the Lord had told him. And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses.
28 He hung the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle. And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle.
29 He set up the burnt gift altar at the tent door. He presented burnt offerings and grain offerings on it. He did just as the Lord had told him. And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses.
30 He placed the washing basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and filled it with water for washing. And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal.
31 Moses, Aaron, and Aaron's sons used it to wash their hands and feet. And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat:
32 They washed every time they entered the Tent of Meeting or came near the altar, just as the Lord had told Moses. When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses.
33 Moses set up the courtyard walls around the Tabernacle and the altar. He hung the curtain at the courtyard entrance. And with that, Moses finished the whole project. And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.
The Glory of the Lord Fills the Tabernacle
Study note
This is the climactic ending of the book of Exodus. After all the instructions, all the building, and all the assembly, God kept His promise. The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. The glory was so powerful that even Moses could not enter. From that day forward, whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people would travel. Whenever the cloud stayed, they would stay. The cloud of the Lord was over the Tabernacle during the day, and fire was in it at night, visible to the whole nation of Israel throughout all their journeys. God was with His people.
34 At that moment, the cloud came down and covered the Tent of Meeting. The bright glory of the Lord filled every part of the Tabernacle. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
35 Moses could not go inside the Tent of Meeting. The cloud had fully settled over it. The Lord's glory filled the space with great power. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
36 From then on, the cloud would rise up from the Tabernacle. When it did, the Israelites would pack up and keep going. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:
37 But if the cloud stayed in place, they remained camped right where they were until the day it lifted. But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
38 The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day. A fire burned inside it at night. Every Israelite could see it throughout every stage of their travels. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.