Exodus 40

Set Up the Dwelling

1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“On the first day of the first month you shall set up the dwelling, the tent of meeting. 3You shall put there the ark of the testimony and screen the ark with the veil. 4You shall bring in the table and arrange what belongs on it. You shall bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5You shall put the gold altar for incense before the ark of the testimony and set up the screen at the entrance of the dwelling. 6You shall put the altar of burnt offering before the entrance of the dwelling, the tent of meeting. 7You shall put the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. 8You shall set up the court all around and hang the screen at the gate of the court.

Anoint and Consecrate the Sanctuary

9“You shall take the anointing oil and anoint the dwelling and all that is in it. You shall consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it shall be holy. 10You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils and consecrate the altar, and the altar shall be most holy. 11You shall anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate it. 12Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons near to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13You shall clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him so that he may serve as priest to me. 14You shall bring his sons near and clothe them with tunics. 15You shall anoint them as you anointed their father, so that they may serve as priests to me. Their anointing shall be for them a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”

Moses Sets Up the Dwelling

16Moses did according to all that the LORD had commanded him; so he did. 17In the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the dwelling was set up. 18Moses set up the dwelling, placed its bases, set up its frames, put in its crossbars, and set up its pillars. 19He spread the tent over the dwelling and put the covering of the tent over it from above, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 20He took the testimony and put it into the ark, put the poles on the ark, and put the cover on the ark from above. 21He brought the ark into the dwelling, set up the screening veil, and screened the ark of the testimony, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Furnishings Are Put in Place

22He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the dwelling, outside the veil, 23and arranged the bread upon it before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 24He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting opposite the table, on the south side of the dwelling, 25and set up the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 26He put the gold altar in the tent of meeting before the veil 27and burned fragrant incense upon it, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 28He set up the screen at the entrance of the dwelling.

The Altar, Basin, and Court

29He put the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the dwelling, the tent of meeting, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 30He put the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31and Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet from it. 32When they entered the tent of meeting and when they approached the altar, they washed, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 33He set up the court around the dwelling and the altar and hung the screen at the gate of the court.

So Moses completed the work.

The Glory of the LORD Fills the Dwelling

34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the dwelling. 35Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled upon it and the glory of the LORD filled the dwelling. 36Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the dwelling, the children of Israel would set out in all their journeys. 37But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day it was taken up. 38For the cloud of the LORD was upon the dwelling by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.