Albert Barnes Commentary Exodus 40
Albert Barnes Commentary
Exodus 40
Albert Barnes Commentary
Exodus 40
"On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting." — Exodus 40:2 (ASV)
See (Exodus 40:17).
"And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof." — Exodus 40:4 (ASV)
The directions given in Leviticus 24:5-9 are here presupposed, and must have been issued before this chapter was written.
"And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the furniture thereof: and it shall be holy. And thou shalt anoint the altar of burnt-offering, and all its vessels, and sanctify the altar: and the altar shall be most holy." — Exodus 40:9-10 (ASV)
Most holy - In (Exodus 40:9) the tabernacle and its utensils are said to be rendered holy by the anointing; the altar and its utensils are in (Exodus 40:10) said to be “most holy”. The difference does not express a higher degree of holiness: it is only used as a caution. The position of the altar exposed it to the chance of being touched by the people when they assembled in the court, while they were not permitted to enter the tabernacle. The tabernacle itself, with all that belonged to it, is called most holy in (Exodus 30:29).
"And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up." — Exodus 40:17 (ASV)
On the first day of the month - That is, on the first of the month Nisan (Exodus 12:2; Exodus 13:4), one year, lacking fourteen days, after the departure of the Israelites from Egypt. They had been nearly three months in reaching the foot of Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1); Moses had spent eighty days on the mountain (Exodus 24:18; Exodus 34:28), and some time must be allowed for what is related in (Exodus 24:0), as well as for the interval between the two periods which Moses spent on the mountain (Exodus 33:1–23). The construction of the tabernacle and its furniture would thus appear to have occupied something less than half a year.
"And he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as Jehovah commanded Moses." — Exodus 40:19 (ASV)
The tent-cloth was spread over the tabernacle-cloth, and the covering of skins was put over the tent-cloth. See (Exodus 26:1) note.
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