Exodus 40:2-8 Meaning: A New Start on the First Day
2“On the first day of the first month you shall raise up the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting.
3You shall put the ark of the covenant in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.
4You shall bring in the table, and set in order the things that are on it. You shall bring in the lamp stand, and light its lamps.
5You shall set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant, and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.
6“You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting.
7You shall set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and shall put water therein.
8You shall set up the court around it, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court.
2On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
3And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.
4And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.
5And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle.
6And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
7And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
8And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate.
2On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
3And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil.
4And 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.
5And thou shalt set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.
6And thou shalt set the altar of burnt-offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
7And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
8And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court.
2`On the first day of the month, in the first month, thou dost raise up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting,
3and hast set there the ark of the testimony, and hast covered over the ark with the vail,
4and hast brought in the table, and set its arrangement in order, and hast brought in the candlestick, and caused its lamps to go up.
5`And thou hast put the golden altar for perfume before the ark of the testimony, and hast put the covering of the opening to the tabernacle,
6and hast put the altar of the burnt-offering before the opening of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting,
7and hast put the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and hast put water there.
8`And thou hast set the court round about, and hast placed the covering of the gate of the court,
2On the day of the first month, on the first of the month, shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
3And thou shalt put in it the ark of the testimony, and shalt cover the ark with the veil.
4And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it. And thou shalt bring in the candlestick and light its lamps.
5And thou shalt set the golden altar for the incense before the ark of the testimony; and hang up the curtain of the entrance to the tabernacle.
6And thou shalt set the altar of burnt-offering before the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
7And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and shalt put water in it.
8And thou shalt fix the court round about, and hang up the curtain at the gate of the court.
Meaning in one sentence
God commands Moses to set up the tabernacle on the first day of the first month, exactly one year after the Exodus, marking a fresh beginning and the return of
Context
Exodus 40 brings the book to its close. The tabernacle and all its furnishings are complete, crafted by skilled workers over many months. Now God speaks to Moses one more time: set it all up on the first day of the first month. That date was no accident. It fell exactly one year after Israel left Egypt, as Wesley and other commentators note. The people had camped at Sinai, received the law, broken the covenant with the golden calf, and then repented. Now the place where God would dwell among them was to be established. This was not just a logistical checklist. It was the moment the Lord moved back into the middle of His people's camp.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words give this passage its weight. Rishon means "first", the first month, the first day. It carries the sense of what comes before all else, what sets the tone for everything that follows. In Hebrew, chodesh (month) literally means "new moon." So the first day of the month was a time of renewal by definition. And the verb God uses for Moses is taqim, from the root qum: "you will set up" or "raise up." This is not casual assembly. It means to establish something so it stands firm and cannot be moved. Put the three together and you get more than a date. You get a declaration: today, at this hinge-point of time, God is doing something new and permanent.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have noted the care God took with the timing. John Calvin (Reformed) believed the tabernacle had already been pitched outside the camp after the golden calf, and that this command is about moving it to its proper place in the center of Israel, restoring the broken relationship. Other commentators, such as Adam Clarke (Methodist) and Matthew Henry (Presbyterian), emphasize that the date is exactly one year after the Exodus, a kind of anniversary of deliverance. The Cambridge Bible (Anglican) observes that instructions given earlier are now repeated because the moment for action has finally arrived. Each reading agrees: God was not in a hurry, and He wanted His people to know the day mattered.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
This week, you might ask yourself what needs to be put in its proper place so you can sense God's presence more fully. The tabernacle was assembled piece by piece, each item set down exactly where God commanded. Maybe that means setting aside a consistent time each day to read a Psalm before the rush begins. Maybe it means mending a relationship that has been pushed to the edge of your life. God did not rush the tabernacle into place. He waited for the right day. You can take a small, deliberate step today to make room for Him, not out of guilt, but because you want to find Him where He has always wanted to be found: at the center.
Main takeaway: God chose the first day of a new year to establish His dwelling among His people, offering them a fresh start.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God told Moses to set up a special tent on the very first day of a new month. It was like a brand new start for God's people. God wanted to live right in the middle of their camp.
For ages 9, 12
The tabernacle was finished, but Moses did not just put it up right away. He waited until God said, "Set it up on the first day of the first month." That date was exactly one year after they left Egypt. God wanted them to remember that He had saved them, and now He was coming to live with them. Sometimes we have to wait for God's timing too.
Questions People Ask
Why did God specify the first day of the first month for setting up the tabernacle?
The date linked the tabernacle to the Exodus. The first month (Abib) was the month Israel left Egypt (Exodus 12:2). Setting up the tabernacle exactly one year later showed that the same God who rescued them now dwelt among them. It was a fresh start after the golden calf.
Was the tabernacle set up earlier outside the camp after the golden calf?
Some interpreters, like John Calvin, thought the tabernacle was pitched outside the camp temporarily after the golden calf as a sign of God's distance. In Exodus 40, it is moved to its proper place in the center of the camp, restoring the relationship. Other commentators believe this was the first time it was ever assembled.
What does the 'first day of the first month' mean in the Hebrew calendar?
It was New Year's Day on Israel's religious calendar. God had declared that month the beginning of months at the Exodus (Exodus 12:2). The day itself was marked by the new moon and was a time of sacred assembly, making it a fitting moment for the dedication of the tabernacle.
How does this passage connect to the rest of Exodus?
Exodus begins with slavery in Egypt and ends with God's glory filling the tabernacle. The command to set it up on the first day of the first month ties the entire story together: the same God who brought Israel out now comes to live in their midst. It is the climax of the book's theme of deliverance and presence.
Why were these instructions repeated if they had been given earlier?
The Cambridge Bible notes that now the time had come to act. The earlier instructions in Exodus 25, 31 were for building; here God repeats them as a checklist for assembly. It shows God's care for order and His desire that Moses follow every detail exactly as shown on the mountain.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study