Exodus 40

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

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

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 2. Month of the second year, verse 15. The first day of every month was kept with some degree of solemnity, though it was not a day of rest. Numbers 33:11. 1 Kennicott. 20:5. and so forth Calmet.

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3

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

4

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

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

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

7

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

8

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

9

“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

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

11

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

12

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

13

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.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 13. Priesthood. Hebrew “And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may serve me in the priest’s office: (14) and thou shalt bring his sons, and put on them their tunics; (15) and thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may perform the office of priests to me for ever, in their generations.” As the priesthood was hereditary in Aaron’s family, this first unction might suffice for all. Yet, the new high priests were always anointed till the days of our Saviour. Calmet. 29:7.

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14

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

15

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

17

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

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 17. Cover of purple, goat skins, and so forth

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18

Moses raised up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and put in its bars, and raised up its pillars.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 18. Testimony, or tables of the law. The pagans enclosed various symbolical figures, cakes, and so forth in their mystic arks. Clem. Alex. But how different were they from the sacred records of religion! Calmet.

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19

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

20

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

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

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

23

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

24

He put the lamp stand in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 24. Roof, covering both the holy of holies and the sanctuary. Menochius.

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25

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

26

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

27

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

28

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

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 28. Laver. This is a repetition of verse 7, ( Calmet.) shewing that the command was fulfilled. Bible.

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29

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

31

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

32

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

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 32. Glory. The cloud which had rested over the tent, appointed for prayer, came now to the grand tabernacle, in the midst of the camp. Calmet.—By its superior lustre, it signified that the glory of God was there. Saint Augustine q. 173.

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33

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.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 33. Moses, out of respect, abstained from entering that day. Calmet.—The cloud of legal observances, though designed to prefigure Christ and the gospel, seems however to hinder the Jews from recognizing them. Saint Augustine Tirinus.

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34

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

35

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

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

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 36. A fire. The same cloud overshadowed the camp by day, and enlightened it by night. Chal. Calmet. 13:22.

LEVITICUS

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37

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 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.