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1 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

2 On the first day of the first moneth shalt thou set vp the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation.

3 And thou shalt put therein the Arke of the Testimonie, and couer the Arke with the Uaile:

4 And thou shalt bring in the Table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order vpon it, and thou shalt bring in the Candlesticke, and light the lampes thereof.

5 And thou shalt set the Altar of gold for the incense before the Arke of the Testimonie, and put the hanging of the doore to the Tabernacle.

6 And thou shalt set the Altar of the burnt offering, before the doore of the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation.

7 And thou shalt set the Lauer betweene the Tent of the Congregation and the Altar, and shalt put water therein.

8 And thou shalt set vp the Court round about, and hang vp the hanging at the Court gate.

9 And thou shalt take the annoynting oyle, and annoynt the Tabernacle and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shalbe holy.

10 Aud thou shalt annoynt the Altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctifie the Altar: and it shalbe an Altar most Holy.

11 And thou shalt annoynt the Lauer and his foot, and sanctifie it.

12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sonnes vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and wash them with water.

13 And thou shalt put vpon Aaron the holy garments, and anoynt him, and sanctifie him, that he may minister vnto me in the Priests office.

14 And thou shalt bring his sonnes, and clothe them with coats.

15 And thou shalt anoynt them, as thou didst anoynt their father, that they may minister vnto mee in the Priests office: For their anoynting shall surely be an euerlasting Priesthood, throughout their generations.

16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the Lord commanded him, so did he.

17 ¶ And it came to passe in the first moneth, in the second yeere, on the first day of the moneth, that the Tabernacle was reared vp.

18 And Moses reared vp the Tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set vp the boards thereof, and put in the barres thereof, and reared vp his pillars.

19 And he spread abroad the tent ouer the Tabernacle, and put the couering of the Tent aboue vpon it, as the Lord commanded Moses.

20 ¶ And he tooke and put the testimony into the Arke, and set the staues on the Arke, and put the Mercie-seat aboue vpon the Arke.

21 And he brought the Arke into the Tabernacle, and set vp the Uaile of the couering, and couered the Arke of the Testimony, as the Lord commanded Moses.

22 ¶ And hee put the Table in the Tent of the Congregation, vpon the side of the Tabernacle Northwaed, without the Uaile.

23 And he set the bread in order vpon it, before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

24 ¶ And he put the candlesticke in the Tent of the Congregation, ouer against the Table, on the side of the Tabernacle Southward.

25 And he lighted the lampes before the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

26 ¶ And he put the golden Altar in the Tent of the Congregation, before the Uaile.

27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon, as the Lord commanded Moses.

28 ¶ And hee set vp the hanging, at the doore of the Tabernacle.

29 And he put the Altar of burnt offering by the doore of the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation, and offered vpon it the burnt offering, and the meat offring, as the Lord commanded Moses.

30 ¶ And he set the Lauer betweene the Tent of the Congregation and the Altar, & put water there, to wash withall.

31 And Moses, and Aaron and his sonnes, washed their hands, and their feet thereat.

32 When they went into the Tent of the Congregation, and when they came neere vnto the Altar, they washed, as the Lord commanded Moses.

33 And hee reared vp the Court round about the Tabernacle, and the Altar, & set vp the hanging of the Court gate: so Moses finished the worke.

34 ¶ Then a cloud couered the Tent of the Congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.

35 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 And when the cloud was taken vp from ouer the Tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their iourneys:

37 But if the cloud were not taken vp, then they iourneyed not, till the day that it was taken vp.

38 For the cloud of the Lord was vpon the Tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their iourneys.

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Commentary for Exodus 40

The tabernacle is to be set up, Aaron and his sons to be sanctified. (1-15) Moses performs all as directed. (16-33) The glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle. (34-38)1-15 When a new year begins, we should seek to serve God better than the year before. In half a year the tabernacle was completed. When the hearts of numbers are earnest in a good cause, much may be done in a short time; and when the commandments of God are continually attended to, as the rule of working, all will be done well. The high-priesthood was in the family of Aaron till Christ came, and in Him, the substance of all these shadows, it continues for ever.

16-33 When the tabernacle and the furniture of it were prepared, they did not put off rearing it till they came to Canaan; but, in obedience to the will of God, they set it up in the midst of their camp. Those who are unsettled in the world, must not think that this will excuse want of religion; as if it were enough to begin to serve God when they begin to be settled in the world. No; a tabernacle for God is very needful, even in a wilderness, especially as we may be in another world before we come to fix in this. And we may justly fear lest we should deceive ourselves with a form of godliness. The thought that so few entered Canaan, should warn young persons especially, not to put off the care of their souls.

34-38 The cloud covered the tabernacle even in the clearest day; it was not a cloud which the sun scatters. This cloud was a token of God's presence to be seen day and night, by all Israel, that they might never again question, Is the Lord among us, or is he not? It guided the camp of Israel through the wilderness. While the cloud rested on the tabernacle, they rested; when it removed, they followed it. The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In light and fire the Shechinah made itself visible: God is Light; our God is a consuming Fire. Yet so dazzling was the light, and so dreadful the fire, that Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, till the splendour was abated. But what Moses could not do, our Lord Jesus has done, whom God caused to draw near; and who has invited us to come boldly, even to the mercy-seat. Being taught by the Holy Spirit to follow the example of Christ, as well as to depend upon him, to attend his ordinances, and obey his precepts, we shall be kept from losing our way, and be led in the midst of the paths of judgment, till we come to heaven, the habitation of his holiness. BLESSED BE GOD FOR JESUS CHRIST!

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

Discussion for Exodus 40

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