Setting Up the Tabernacle
(Acts 7:44–47; Hebrews 9:1–10)
Then the LORD said to Moses, “On the first day of the first month you are to set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. Exo 26:30Exo 13:4Exo 12:1-2Exo 40:17-19Num 1:1Num 7:1Exo 26:1Exo 26:7 Put the ark of the Testimony 1in it and screen off the ark with the veil. Exo 35:12Num 4:5Rev 11:19Exo 25:22Exo 40:20-21Lev 16:14Exo 25:10Exo 26:31 Then bring in the table and set out its arrangement; bring in the lampstand as well, and set up its lamps. Lev 24:8Exo 25:23-39Exo 26:35-36Exo 37:10-24Exo 40:22-25Lev 24:5-6
Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony, and hang the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. Heb 10:19-221Jn 2:1-2Heb 9:24Jhn 14:6Exo 26:36-37Exo 30:1-5Exo 35:25-28Exo 37:25-28 Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. Exo 40:291Jn 2:21Jn 4:9-10Eph 1:6-7Exo 27:1-8Exo 38:1-7Heb 13:10 And place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 1Jn 1:7Heb 10:22Psa 26:6Tit 3:5Zec 13:1Exo 30:18-21Exo 38:8Exo 40:30-32
Set up the surrounding courtyard and hang the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard. 1Co 12:28Eph 4:11-12Exo 27:9-19Exo 38:9-20Exo 40:33Mat 16:18
Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings, and it shall be holy. Lev 8:10Num 7:11Jn 2:202Co 1:222Co 1:4Exo 30:23-33Exo 37:29Exo 39:39 Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it shall be most holy. Exo 29:36-37Isa 61:1Luk 1:351Co 1:302Co 5:21Heb 7:26Isa 11:2Jhn 17:19 Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.
Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. Lev 8:1-13Exo 29:1-35Lev 9:1-24Gal 4:4Isa 11:1-5Isa 61:1-3Jhn 3:34Luk 1:35 And you are to clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he may serve Me as a priest. Exo 28:411Jn 2:201Jn 2:27Heb 10:10Heb 10:29Isa 61:1Jhn 17:19Jhn 3:34 Bring his sons forward and clothe them with tunics. 1Co 1:301Co 1:9Isa 44:3-5Isa 61:10Jhn 1:16Rom 13:14Rom 8:30 Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve Me as priests. Their anointing will qualify them for a permanent priesthood throughout their generations.” Num 25:13Heb 5:1-14Heb 7:17-24Heb 8:1-10Psa 110:4Exo 12:14Exo 29:9Exo 30:31
Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him. 1Co 4:2Deu 4:1Exo 40:17-32Deu 12:32Exo 23:21-22Exo 39:42-43Isa 8:20Mat 28:20 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year. Num 7:1Exo 40:1-2Num 9:1
When Moses set up the tabernacle, he laid its bases, positioned its frames, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts. 1Pe 1:51Ti 3:15Exo 26:15-30Exo 36:20-34Exo 40:2Ezk 37:27-28Gal 4:4Isa 33:24 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, just as the LORD had commanded him. Exo 26:1-14Exo 36:8-19
Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark. Exo 16:341Jn 2:21Ki 8:9Deu 10:5Exo 25:16-21Exo 31:18Exo 37:6-9Exo 40:3 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and shielded off the ark of the Testimony, just as the LORD had commanded him. Exo 26:33Exo 40:3Exo 35:12Heb 10:19-20
Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. Exo 26:35Eph 3:8Jhn 6:53-57Exo 40:24 He arranged the bread on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him. Exo 25:30Exo 40:4Heb 9:2Mat 12:4
He also placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle Exo 25:31-35Exo 26:35Exo 37:17-24Jhn 1:1Jhn 1:5Jhn 1:9Jhn 8:12Psa 119:105 and set up the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him. Exo 25:37Exo 40:4Rev 4:5
Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the veil, Exo 40:51Jn 2:1Exo 30:1-10Heb 10:1Heb 7:25Jhn 11:42Jhn 17:1-26Mat 23:19 and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded him. Exo 30:7 Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. Exo 40:5Eph 2:18Exo 26:36-37Exo 38:9-19Heb 10:19-20Jhn 10:9Jhn 14:6 He placed the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded him. Exo 40:6Exo 27:1-8Exo 29:38-46Exo 38:1-7Heb 13:10Heb 13:5-6Heb 9:12Rom 3:24-26
He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing; Exo 40:7Exo 30:18-21Exo 38:8Ezk 36:25Heb 10:22 and from it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet. 1Jn 1:71Jn 1:9Exo 30:19-20Jhn 13:10Psa 26:6Psa 51:6-7 They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Exo 30:19-20Exo 40:19Psa 73:19
And Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and he hung the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work. Exo 40:8Exo 27:9-161Co 12:121Co 12:281Ki 6:92Ti 4:7Eph 2:18Eph 4:11-13
The Cloud and the Glory
(Numbers 9:15–23)
Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Rev 15:8Num 9:15-232Ch 7:2Exo 14:19-20Exo 14:24Exo 29:43Rev 21:23-24Exo 13:21-22 Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 1Ki 8:112Ch 7:2Lev 16:2Isa 6:42Ch 5:13-14Rev 15:8
Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out through all the stages of their journey. Neh 9:19Num 9:17Exo 13:21-22Num 10:11-131Co 10:1Num 10:33-36Num 19:17-22Psa 105:39 If the cloud was not lifted, they would not set out until the day it was taken up. Num 9:19-22Psa 31:15 For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel through all their journeys. Psa 78:14Exo 13:21Num 9:15Isa 4:5-6Psa 105:39