Exodus 40:17 kjv
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 nkjv
And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up.
Exodus 40:17 niv
So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.
Exodus 40:17 esv
In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected.
Exodus 40:17 nlt
So the Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year.
Exodus 40 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 25:8 | "Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." | Divine command and purpose of the Tabernacle. |
| Ex 29:45-46 | "I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God..." | God's intention to dwell with Israel. |
| Ex 39:32 | "Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished..." | Preceding verse confirming completion of construction. |
| Ex 40:2 | "On the first day of the first month, you shall erect the tabernacle..." | God's prior explicit command regarding the timing of erection. |
| Ex 40:34-35 | "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." | God's immediate validation and indwelling upon its erection. |
| Lev 8:10-11 | "And Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it and consecrated them." | Consecration ritual immediately following the erection. |
| Num 7:1 | "On the day when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it..." | Confirmation of the Tabernacle's completed setup and anointing. |
| Num 9:15-16 | "On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle..." | Reiterates the divine presence immediately resting on the Tabernacle. |
| Num 10:11-12 | "In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony..." | Indicates the first movement of the Tabernacle after its erection. |
| 1 Ki 8:10-11 | "And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord..." | Echoes the filling of Solomon's Temple with God's glory. |
| Isa 60:7 | "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." | Future vision of God's dwelling as a place of universal worship. |
| Ezek 43:4-5 | "And the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east...the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple." | Prophetic return of God's glory to the Temple. |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory..." | Jesus as the ultimate dwelling ("tabernacling") of God among humanity. |
| John 2:19-21 | "Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." But he was speaking about the temple of his body." | Jesus presenting Himself as the true, ultimate Temple. |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" | Believers individually as the spiritual dwelling place of God. |
| 2 Cor 6:16 | "For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them..." | The church corporately as the spiritual dwelling place of God. |
| Eph 2:21-22 | "In him the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." | The Church as a unified, growing dwelling place for God. |
| Col 2:16-17 | "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you... These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." | The Tabernacle's rituals and structures as shadows pointing to Christ. |
| Heb 8:1-2 | "We have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man." | Christ serving in the true heavenly Tabernacle. |
| Heb 9:11-12 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest... he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood..." | Christ's superior and final High Priestly ministry, transcending earthly tabernacles. |
| Heb 10:1 | "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities..." | Reaffirms the Tabernacle's ceremonial law as a shadow. |
| Rev 15:5 | "After this I looked, and the temple of the tent of witness in heaven was opened..." | The heavenly Tabernacle from which divine judgments proceed. |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God." | The ultimate, eternal dwelling of God with His redeemed people. |
| Rev 21:22 | "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb." | In the New Heavens and New Earth, no literal temple is needed because God's immediate presence is pervasive. |
Exodus 40 verses
Exodus 40 17 Meaning
Exodus chapter 40 verse 17 marks a pivotal moment in the wilderness journey of Israel, stating: "In the first month, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected." This verse signifies the completion of a major divine command given to Moses, representing God's covenantal faithfulness and the commencement of God's indwelling presence among His chosen people. It marks a new beginning for Israel's worship and their walk with God, providing a visible and tangible center for their relationship with the Holy One.
Exodus 40 17 Context
Exodus 40:17 appears at the culmination of the book of Exodus. Following the dramatic deliverance from Egypt and the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai (chapters 1-24), God commanded the construction of a portable sanctuary – the Tabernacle – where He would dwell among His people during their wilderness journey (chapters 25-31). Chapters 35-39 detail the diligent and Spirit-enabled efforts of the Israelites, led by skilled craftsmen like Bezalel and Oholiab, in faithfully executing every instruction given by the Lord. This verse marks the physical completion and raising of this divine structure, serving as the dramatic fulfillment of the detailed commands. The Tabernacle was erected precisely on the date appointed by God, highlighting God's order and Moses' precise obedience, preparing Israel for the establishment of its worship life detailed in the subsequent book of Leviticus. Historically, this signified a tangible symbol of God's presence for the Israelites, distinguishing them from all other nations.
Exodus 40 17 Word analysis
- In the first month (בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁוֹן֙ - bakhodesh harishon): This refers to the month of Abib or Nisan (Ex 12:2), which marked the Israelites' liberation from Egypt with the Passover. Its placement here emphasizes a new beginning for Israel, paralleling their national birth in the exodus with their spiritual birth as a people among whom God dwells. It underscores divine timing and the establishment of a new covenantal order centered on God's presence.
- on the first day (בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ - be'echad lakhodesh): The precision of "the first day" amplifies the significance of the event as an inauguration, a singular point of commencement. This date, distinct in its specificity, highlights that the Tabernacle was not merely set up, but it was set up on the appointed day, reflecting the divine plan's exactitude and the readiness of God to dwell among His people immediately.
- of the month (לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ - lakhodesh): Reiterates the emphasis on a calendar-marked, precise divine schedule. It connects this momentous occasion to the sacred calendar Israel would now follow, where God's interventions would be remembered and celebrated.
- the tabernacle (הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ - hammishkan): This word, derived from shakan (to dwell), inherently means "dwelling place" or "sanctuary." It is the physical manifestation of God's decision to reside among humanity. This structure was designed down to its smallest detail by divine blueprint, emphasizing its holiness and the sacred means by which God chose to make Himself accessible. Its very name encapsulates the purpose of God’s personal presence with His people.
- was erected (הוּקַ֖ם - huqam): A passive verb form, implying that the Tabernacle was "made to stand" or "set up." While Moses oversaw the process (Ex 40:18), the passive voice subtly underscores that it was by divine command and empowerment that it could be erected, thereby establishing God’s dwelling. It points to a definitive, permanent installation of this crucial structure.
Exodus 40 17 Bonus section
The date, "the first day of the first month," specifically Nisan 1, establishes the Tabernacle's inauguration precisely one year after the Exodus from Egypt (Ex 12:2; 19:1). This carefully orchestrated timeline emphasizes God's providence and faithfulness to His covenant, demonstrating that His plan for their redemption was holistic—freeing them physically from slavery and spiritually bringing His presence among them. The parallel to God bringing order out of chaos in Genesis 1 (creation of light on "the first day") further underscores this new spiritual creation for Israel, moving from a wandering enslaved people to a covenanted nation with God in their midst. This act solidified the framework for holiness and atonement, shaping the entirety of Israel's journey through the wilderness and setting the stage for their future life in the promised land.
Exodus 40 17 Commentary
Exodus 40:17 encapsulates the faithful fulfillment of God's meticulously detailed commands concerning the Tabernacle. This was no ordinary construction; it was the sacred dwelling of the Almighty, a visible representation of His presence amidst His people in the wilderness. The specific timing – "In the first month, on the first day" – is profoundly symbolic, evoking images of new beginnings (the Passover month), fresh starts, and the perfect divine order. This was not a human invention but God's way of demonstrating His desire to be close to His covenant people, setting a pattern for their relationship and worship. The Tabernacle served as the central point of Israel's spiritual life, pointing forward to the ultimate reality of God dwelling with humanity in the person of Jesus Christ, who "tabernacled" among us (Jn 1:14). It also prefigures the new covenant reality where believers, both individually and corporately, become the Spirit's dwelling place (1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor 6:16). The erection of the Tabernacle thus marked a pivotal transition from God giving instructions to His active, physical indwelling, inaugurating the full priestly system and sacrificial worship that would define Israel’s relationship with their Holy God.