Exodus 29 43

Exodus 29:43 kjv

And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

Exodus 29:43 nkjv

And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory.

Exodus 29:43 niv

there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.

Exodus 29:43 esv

There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory.

Exodus 29:43 nlt

I will meet the people of Israel there, in the place made holy by my glorious presence.

Exodus 29 verses

Exodus 29 43 Meaning

Exodus 29:43 declares God's solemn promise to personally meet with the children of Israel at the newly consecrated Tabernacle. This sacred dwelling, intended for divine presence, would be set apart and made holy not by human effort alone, but by the tangible manifestation of God's own glory. The verse signifies God's deep desire for covenant communion with His people, made possible through His holy presence residing among them within this designated sacred space.

Exodus 29 43 Context

The immediate context of Exodus 29 is the detailed ordination process for Aaron and his sons to serve as priests, alongside the instructions for the daily burnt offering. This chapter describes the specific garments, anointing rituals, and animal sacrifices necessary to prepare the priesthood for their sacred duties within the Tabernacle. Verse 43 serves as a pivotal summary statement, articulating the ultimate purpose of all these elaborate preparations: to facilitate God's personal dwelling among and meeting with His covenant people. The broader context includes God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the covenant establishment at Mount Sinai, and the subsequent divine command to build the Tabernacle (Ex 25). This portable sanctuary was Yahweh's chosen earthly dwelling, ensuring His holy presence would accompany Israel's wilderness journey, distinguishing Him from pagan deities and affirming His unique commitment to His chosen nation.

Exodus 29 43 Word analysis

• There (שָׁמָּה - shammah): A locative adverb emphasizing a specific, divinely appointed place. It refers to the Tabernacle, specifically where God promised to meet Israel (e.g., above the Mercy Seat). It signifies God's deliberate choice of location for divine-human encounter.
• I will meet (נוֹעַד - nōʿad, from יָעַד - yaʿad): This verb means to appoint, to set a time or place, to gather by appointment. It signifies a pre-arranged, intentional, and covenantal rendezvous initiated by God. It highlights God’s desire for direct, albeit mediated, communion.
• with the children of Israel (אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - et-bĕnê yiśrā’ēl): Specifies the beneficiaries of this divine promise: God's covenant people. The meeting is accessible to all Israel through the consecrated Tabernacle system and the mediating priesthood.
• and the tabernacle (וְהַמִּשְׁכָּן - vĕhammiškān): "Tabernacle" (mishkan) means "dwelling place." It designates the sacred, mobile structure God commanded to be built as His earthly abode among Israel (Ex 25:8). Its construction embodies God's unique immanence.
• shall be sanctified (וְנִקְדַּשׁ - vĕniqdash, from קָדַשׁ - qadash): A passive verb meaning "to be set apart," "consecrated," "made holy." It stresses that holiness is not inherent to the structure but is imparted by a divine act, making it fit for God's dwelling.
• by My glory (בִּכְבוֹדִי - bikkĕvôḏî): "Glory" (kavod) literally signifies weight or substance, then majesty, splendor, or manifest presence. Here, it denotes the visible, awe-inspiring presence of God (often seen as cloud or fire, e.g., Ex 40:34), which acts as the divine agent of sanctification and authentication.
• "There I will meet with the children of Israel": This phrase underlines God’s desire for a personal, albeit structured, relationship with His chosen people. The Tabernacle served as the designated sacred nexus for divine communication and covenant renewal, setting Israel's God apart from regional deities often perceived as distant or requiring constant appeasement. This intimate relationship foreshadows the ultimate dwelling of God with humanity.
• "and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory": This passage emphasizes that the Tabernacle's holiness derives solely from God's own majestic presence, not from its physical materials, human rituals, or intrinsic power. It establishes the principle that only God can impart true holiness, ensuring the sacred space is fitting for His transcendent dwelling while also serving as a polemic against ancient Near Eastern practices where idols or human-made artifacts were thought to bestow sanctity upon a temple.

Exodus 29 43 Bonus section

• The phrase "tabernacle of meeting" (אָהֶל מוֹעֵד - ohel mo'ed), used extensively in the Pentateuch, strongly echoes the meaning of ya'ad (meet), emphasizing that the Tabernacle was purposefully designed as a place of appointed communion.
• The meticulous and extensive instructions for the Tabernacle (occupying multiple chapters in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers) underscore its paramount importance as the central focus of Israelite worship and the visible symbol of God's covenant presence among them.
• The tangible manifestation of God's glory (cloud, fire, and often accompanying sound) ensured that Israel experientially knew God was with them, providing concrete assurance of His faithfulness to His covenant promise to dwell and meet with them. This sensory experience built faith and facilitated awe.
• This verse establishes the essential connection between God's holiness and His presence. Where God's glory dwells, there is holiness; where there is holiness, true worship and communion can occur.

Exodus 29 43 Commentary

Exodus 29:43 is a foundational declaration concerning the purpose and nature of the Tabernacle. It reveals God's deep desire for an intimate, established presence among His people, signified by the promise to "meet" them there. This meeting is not casual, but an "appointed" rendezvous, emphasizing a deliberate covenant relationship. Crucially, the verse stresses that the Tabernacle's holiness derives entirely from God's "glory" – His manifested, weighty presence – rather than human efforts. This divine sanctification sets the Tabernacle apart as the uniquely sacred space where God would condescend to dwell and interact with humanity, through the mediation of the priesthood and sacrifices. This profound principle of God dwelling among His people and making a place holy by His presence anticipates later fulfillments in Christ, who "tabernacled" among humanity (Jn 1:14), and in the Church as His spiritual temple (1 Cor 3:16-17), ultimately culminating in the new heavens and new earth where God's Tabernacle is eternally with His people (Rev 21:3).