2 On the first H7223 day H3117 of the first H259 month H2320 shalt thou set up H6965 the tabernacle H4908 of the tent H168 of the congregation. H4150
This day H3117 came ye out H3318 in the month H2320 Abib. H24
And thou shalt make H6213 curtains H3407 of goats' H5795 hair to be a covering H168 upon the tabernacle: H4908 eleven H6249 H6240 curtains H3407 shalt thou make. H6213
In the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 without H2351 the vail, H6532 which is before the testimony, H5715 Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 shall order H6186 it from evening H6153 to morning H1242 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 it shall be a statute H2708 for ever H5769 unto their generations H1755 on the behalf of the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
The tabernacle, H4908 his tent, H168 and his covering, H4372 his taches, H7165 and his boards, H7175 his bars, H1280 his pillars, H5982 and his sockets, H134
And it came to pass in the first H7223 month H2320 in the second H8145 year, H8141 on the first H259 day of the month, H2320 that the tabernacle H4908 was reared up. H6965 And Moses H4872 reared up H6965 the tabernacle, H4908 and fastened H5414 his sockets, H134 and set up H7760 the boards H7175 thereof, and put H5414 in the bars H1280 thereof, and reared up H6965 his pillars. H5982 And he spread abroad H6566 the tent H168 over the tabernacle, H4908 and put H7760 the covering H4372 of the tent H168 above H4605 upon it; as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 in the wilderness H4057 of Sinai, H5514 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 on the first H259 day of the second H8145 month, H2320 in the second H8145 year H8141 after they were come out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 saying, H559
And it came to pass on the day H3117 that Moses H4872 had fully H3615 set up H6965 the tabernacle, H4908 and had anointed H4886 it, and sanctified H6942 it, and all the instruments H3627 thereof, both the altar H4196 and all the vessels H3627 thereof, and had anointed H4886 them, and sanctified H6942 them;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 40
Commentary on Exodus 40 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 40
In this chapter,
Exd 40:1-15
The materials and furniture of the tabernacle had been viewed severally and approved, and now they must be put together.
Exd 40:16-33
When the tabernacle and the furniture of it were prepared, they did not put off the rearing of it till they came to Canaan, though they now hoped to be there very shortly; but, in obedience to the will of God, they set it up in the midst of their camp, while they were in the wilderness. Those that are unsettled in the world must not think that this will excuse them in their continued irreligion; 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 a very needful and profitable companion even in a wilderness, especially considering that our carcases may fall in that wilderness, and we may be fixed in another world before we come to fix in this.
The rearing of the tabernacle was a good day's work; the consecrating of it, and of the priests, was attended to some days after. Here we have an account only of that new-year's-day's work.
Exd 40:34-38
As when, in the creation, God had finished this earth, which he designed for man's habitation, he made man, and put him in possession of it, so when Moses had finished the tabernacle, which was designed for God's dwelling-place among men, God came and took possession of it. The shechinah, the divine eternal Word, though not yet made flesh, yet, as a prelude to that event, came and dwelt among them, Jn. 1:14. This was henceforward the place of his throne, and the place of the soles of his feet (Eze. 43:7); here he resided, here he ruled. By the visible tokens of God's coming among them to take possession of the tabernacle he testified both the return of his favour to them, which they had forfeited by the golden calf (ch. 33:7), and his gracious acceptance of all the expense they had been at, and all the care and pains they had taken about the tabernacle. Thus God owned them, showed himself well pleased with what they had done, and abundantly rewarded them. Note, God will dwell with those that prepare him a habitation. The broken and contrite heart, the clean and holy heart, that is furnished for his service, and devoted to his honour, shall be his rest for ever; here will Christ dwell by faith, Eph. 3:17. Where God has a throne and an altar in the soul, there is a living temple. And God will be sure to own and crown the operations of his own grace and the observance of his own appointments.
As God had manifested himself upon mount Sinai, so he did now in this newly-erected tabernacle. We read (ch. 24:16) that the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, which is said to be like devouring fire (v. 17), and that the cloud covered it on the outside, and the glory of the Lord filled it within, to which, probably there is an allusion in Zec. 2:5, where God promises to be a wall of fire round about Jerusalem (and the pillar of cloud was by night a pillar of fire) and the glory in the midst of her.