Open English Translation EXO Chapter 40

40 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, 2 “On the first day of the first month, you should set up the tent where we’ll meet. 3 Put the box for the transcript slabs in its place and hang the curtain to screen it from sight. 4 Then bring in the bread table and arrange its utensils, and bring in the lampstand and set up the lamps, 5 and put the gold incense altar in front of the sacred box and set up the entrance curtain for the tent. 6 Put the altar for burning sacrifices in front of the entrance to the sacred tent where we’ll meet. 7 Put the washbasin between the sacred tent and that altar, and fill it with water. 8 Set-up the curtains around the outside to make the courtyard, and also set up the courtyard’s entrance curtain.

9 Then take the sacred anointing oil and smear it on the sacred tent and everything that’s in it, then none of those things should be touched by others—it will all be sacred. 10 Also anoint the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils. After that, the altar shouldn’t be touched by others—it will be very sacred. 11 Anoint the washbasin and its base, and then prohibit others from using it.

12 Now bring Aharon and his sons to the entrance of the sacred tent and wash them with water. 13 Then put the sacred garments on Aharon and anoint him and make him sacred, so he can now serve as a priest to me. 14 Also bring his sons and dress them in tunics 15 and anoint them like you anointed their father, and they will serve as priests to me. Their anointing will cause them to be a priesthood forever throughout their generations.”

16 So Mosheh did everything that Yahweh had instructed him to do. 17 It was the first day of the first month of their second year when they set up the sacred tent. 18 Mosheh set up the residence by setting out its bases and standing up the frames with their bars, and the pillars. 19 He spread the two tarpaulin layers over the tent just as Yahweh had instructed him. 20 Then he took the two stone slabs with the transcript and put them into the box. He put the poles into the rings on the box and fitted the atonement platform on the top of the box as a lid, 21 and brought the box into the residence. He set up the curtain to conceal the box with the transcript, just as Yahweh had instructed him.

22 He put the table into the sacred tent on the north side of the residence, outside the curtain, 23 and arranged the bread on it to display it to Yahweh, just as Yahweh had instructed him. 24 He put the lampstand inside the sacred tent across from the table, on the south side of the residence, 25 and he placed the lamps on it in Yahweh’s presence, just as Yahweh had instructed him. 26 Then he put the gold incense altar inside the sacred tent in front of the curtain that screened the sacred box from view, 27 and burnt some fragrant incense on it, just as Yahweh had instructed him, 28 then he hung the curtain at the tent entrance. 29 He put the altar for burning sacrifices at the gate of the sacred tent and offered the burnt offering and the grain offering up on it, just as Yahweh had instructed him. 30 Then he placed the washbasin between the tent and the altar, and filled it with water 31 so that Mosheh, and Aharon and his sons, could wash their hands and feet from it. 32 Whenever they went into the sacred tent or whenever they went near the altar, first they would wash themselves, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. 33 He erected the courtyard curtains around the residence and the altar, and he set up the courtyard gate curtain. And so Mosheh finished the work.

34 Then a cloud covered the sacred tent and Yahweh’s power and bright light filled the residence[ref] 35 and Mosheh was unable to enter the tent because the cloud had settled on it and Yahweh’s splendour had filled the residence. 36 From then onwards, whenever the cloud went up from over the residence, the Israelis would pack their camp and set out on their travels, 37 but while the cloud remained, they would stay in that place until the cloud lifted. 38 Yahweh’s cloud would be there during the day but it would become fire at night, and so the Israelis could always see it.