Exodus 40 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
The first day of the first month of the second year after leaving Egypt, roughly a year into the wilderness journey
Location
The Israelite camp at Mount Sinai, at the point where the sanctuary is erected in the middle of the camp
Audience
The Israelites of the wilderness generation and their descendants, reading the closing scene of their founding story
Situation
On God's instruction Moses assembles the sacred tent, puts each piece of furniture in place, anoints the structure and installs Aaron and his sons as priests. A cloud then covers the tent and God's presence fills it so completely that even Moses cannot enter, and from then on the cloud lifting or settling tells the people when to travel and when to stay.
Key Background
New year's day was the customary date for dedicating a temple across the ancient Near East, so the timing marks a fresh beginning for the nation. The cloud and fire that guide the camp function as a visible royal standard, comparable to the fire signal carried at the head of marching armies in the region, except that here the movement of the army is dictated by God rather than by a general. Ending the book with God dwelling in the middle of the camp answers the crisis of the golden calf chapters, since the presence that seemed withdrawn is now permanently installed.
Then Yahweh told Moses,
"On the first day of the first month, set up the — the
"Place the the inside it, and hang the to screen off the
"Bring in the and arrange what goes on it. Bring in the and set up its lamps."
"Set the gold in front of the chest holding the agreement, and hang the screen at the entrance to the residence."
"Set the for in front of the entrance to the residence — the meeting tent."
"Place the between the meeting tent and the altar, and fill it with water."
"Set up the all around it and hang the screen at the entrance."
"Then take the and anoint the residence and everything in it. it and all its equipment for and it will belong to him."
"Anoint the altar for burned offerings and all its utensils. Keep the altar for God, and it will to
"Anoint the washing basin and its stand, and set it apart."
"Then bring and his sons to the entrance of the meeting tent and wash them with water."
"Dress Aaron in the for anoint him, and set him apart so he can me as
"Bring his sons forward and dress them in tunics."
"Anoint them just like you anointed their father, so they can serve me as priests. Their anointing marks them for a throughout every generation."
Moses did everything. He did exactly what Yahweh had commanded him — that's what he did.
On the first day of the first month, in the second year, the residence was set up.
Moses set up the residence: he put the in place, set up the inserted the crossbars, and raised the posts.
He spread the tent covering over the residence and placed the outer covering on top of it, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
He took the and placed it in the chest, attached the poles to the chest, and set the on top of it.
He brought the chest into the residence and hung the screening curtain to shield the chest holding the agreement, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
He placed the table inside the meeting tent, on the north side of the residence, outside the curtain.
He arranged the on it in Yahweh's presence, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
He set the lampstand inside the meeting tent, opposite the table, on the south side of the residence.
He lit the lamps in Yahweh's presence, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
He placed the gold altar inside the meeting tent, in front of the curtain.
He burned on it, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
He hung the screen at the entrance to the residence.
He set the altar for burned offerings at the entrance to the residence — the meeting tent — and offered the burned and the on it, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
He placed the washing basin between the meeting tent and the altar and filled it with water for washing.
Moses, Aaron, and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet.
Whenever they entered the meeting tent or approached the altar, they washed — just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
He set up the courtyard around the residence and the altar, and hung the screen at the courtyard entrance. And so Moses finished the work.
Then the covered the meeting tent, and Yahweh's filled the residence.
Moses wasn't able to enter the meeting tent because the cloud had on it and Yahweh's glorious presence filled the residence.
Whenever the cloud lifted from above the residence, the Israelites would set out on their journey.
But if the cloud didn't lift, they wouldn't set out — they'd wait until the day it lifted.
Because Yahweh's cloud rested over the residence during the day, and was inside it at night, visible to the entire nation of Israel throughout all their