1And the Lord said to Moses, 2On the first day of the first month you are to put up the House of the Tent of meeting. 3And inside it put the ark of the law, hanging the veil before it. 4And put the table inside, placing all the things on it in order; and put in the support for the lights, and let its lights be burning. 5And put the gold altar for burning perfumes in front of the ark of the law, hanging the curtain over the doorway of the House. 6And put the altar of burned offerings before the doorway of the House of the Tent of meeting. 7And let the washing-vessel, with water in it, be put between the Tent of meeting and the altar. 8And put up the hangings forming the open space all round it, with the curtain over its doorway. 9And take the holy oil and put it on the House and everything in it, and make it and everything in it holy: 10And put oil on the altar of burned offering, and make it and all its vessels holy; this altar is to be most holy. 11And put oil on the washing-vessel and its base, and make them holy. 12Then let Aaron and his sons come to the door of the Tent of meeting; and after washing them with water, 13You are to put on Aaron the holy robes; and you are to put oil on him, and make him holy, so that he may be my priest. 14And take his sons with him and put coats on them; 15And put oil on them as you did on their father, so that they may be my priests: the putting on of oil will make them priests for ever, from generation to generation. 16And Moses did this; as the Lord gave him orders, so he did. 17So on the first day of the first month in the second year the House was put up. 18Moses put up the House; placing its bases in position and lifting up its uprights, putting in the rods and planting the pillars in their places; 19Stretching the outer tent over it, and covering it, as the Lord had given him orders. 20And he took the law and put it inside the ark, and put the rods at its side and the cover over it; 21And he took the ark into the House, hanging up the veil before it as the Lord had given him orders. 22And he put the table in the Tent of meeting, on the north side outside the veil. 23And he put the bread on it in order before the Lord, as the Lord had said. 24The support for the lights he put in the Tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side: 25Lighting the lights before the Lord, as the Lord had given him orders. 26And he put the gold altar in the Tent of meeting, in front of the veil: 27Burning sweet perfumes on it, as the Lord had given him orders. 28And he put up the curtain at the doorway of the House. 29And at the door of the House of the Tent of meeting, he put the altar of burned offerings, offering on it the burned offering and the meal offering, as the Lord had given him orders. 30And between the altar and the Tent of meeting he put the vessel with water in it for washing. 31In it the hands and feet of Moses and Aaron and his sons were washed, 32Whenever they went into the Tent of meeting, and when they came near the altar, as the Lord had given orders to Moses. 33And he put up the hangings forming the open space round the House and the altar, and put the curtain over the doorway. So Moses made the work complete. 34Then the cloud came down covering the Tent of meeting, and the House was full of the glory of the Lord; 35So that Moses was not able to go into the Tent of meeting, because the cloud was resting on it, and the House was full of the glory of the Lord. 36And whenever the cloud was taken up from the House, the children of Israel went forward on their journey: 37But while the cloud was there, they made no move till it was taken up. 38For the cloud of the Lord was resting on the House by day, and at night there was fire in the cloud, before the eyes of all the people of Israel, and so it was through all their journeys.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
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!