Exodus 40:4 kjv
And 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.
Exodus 40:4 nkjv
You shall bring in the table and arrange the things that are to be set in order on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and light its lamps.
Exodus 40:4 niv
Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps.
Exodus 40:4 esv
And you shall bring in the table and arrange it, and you shall bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps.
Exodus 40:4 nlt
Then bring in the table, and arrange the utensils on it. And bring in the lampstand, and set up the lamps.
Exodus 40 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 25:23-30 | “You shall make a table of acacia wood... and make on it an arrangement of the bread of the Presence...” | Instructions for the Table of Showbread. |
| Exod 25:31-40 | “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold... You shall make its seven lamps, and set them up...” | Instructions for the Menorah. |
| Lev 24:5-9 | “You shall take fine flour and bake twelve loaves... and set them in two rows, six in a row, on the pure gold table... This shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place...” | Regulations for preparing and eating the showbread. |
| Lev 24:1-4 | “Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn... Aaron shall arrange it from evening to morning before the Lord regularly.” | Regulations for maintaining the Menorah's light. |
| Num 4:7-8 | “On the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth... and they shall put on it the plates, the dishes, the bowls, and the flagons... also the regular bread shall be on it.” | Instructions for covering the table for transport. |
| Num 8:2-4 | “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.’” | Aaron's specific duty in lighting the Menorah. |
| 1 Sam 21:6 | “So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.” | David and his men eating the showbread. |
| 2 Chr 13:11 | “And they offer to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt offerings and incense... and the lampstand of pure gold with its lamps to burn every evening; for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him.” | Emphasizing consistent maintenance of Temple elements. |
| Psa 23:5 | “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” | Figurative language of God's provision (table). |
| Zech 4:2-6 | “And he said to me, ‘What do you see?’ I said, ‘I see a lampstand all of gold... and its seven lamps... This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” | Prophetic vision of the Menorah, symbolizing spiritual power. |
| Mt 4:4 | “But he answered, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” | Jesus connects spiritual life to God's word, related to the idea of sustenance beyond physical bread. |
| Mt 5:14-16 | “You are the light of the world... Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” | Believers as spiritual "lampstands" for God. |
| Mt 12:3-4 | “He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence...’” | Jesus references David's eating the showbread, valuing mercy over ritual. |
| Jn 1:4-9 | “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it... The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” | Jesus as the true spiritual Light. |
| Jn 6:35 | “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’” | Jesus as the ultimate spiritual "bread." |
| Jn 8:12 | “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” | Jesus' declaration as the Light. |
| Jn 9:5 | “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” | Further affirmation of Jesus as the Light. |
| Heb 8:1-5 | “Now the point in what we are saying is this: 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 is the priest of a superior, heavenly Tabernacle. |
| Heb 9:1-2 | “Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary... in it were the lampstand and the table with the bread of the Presence; this is called the Holy Place.” | Describes the contents and layout of the earthly Tabernacle. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)...” | Access to God's presence through Christ, paralleling the Tabernacle's interior. |
| Rev 1:12-20 | “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands... As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven lampstands are the seven churches...” | The lampstands symbolize the churches, with Christ present among them. |
Exodus 40 verses
Exodus 40 4 Meaning
Exodus 40:4 commands Moses to bring the Table of Showbread and the Lampstand (Menorah) into the newly erected Tabernacle and to prepare them for their intended sacred functions. This act marks the commencement of the structured, divinely ordained worship and daily service within the Holy Place, symbolizing God's covenant presence, provision, and illumination among His people, Israel.
Exodus 40 4 Context
Exodus chapter 40 marks the culmination of the Tabernacle's construction and serves as its dedication and inauguration. Following the meticulous divine instructions provided in earlier chapters (Exod 25-30), the Israelites, filled with wisdom from God (Exod 35:30-35), faithfully executed every detail. The preceding verses (Exod 40:1-3) specify the date—the first day of the first month of the second year after leaving Egypt—and command Moses to erect the Tabernacle structure itself and place the Ark of the Testimony within the Most Holy Place. Verse 4 transitions to the setup of specific items in the Holy Place: the Table of Showbread and the Lampstand. This signifies the active preparation for daily worship, highlighting God's immediate desire to indwell and commune with His people through prescribed rituals and objects, in stark contrast to the surrounding pagan worship practices lacking such intimate and structured divine presence.
Exodus 40 4 Word analysis
- bring in (וְהֵבֵאתָ, v'heve'ta): Derived from the Hebrew root בֹּוא (bo), "to come." In the Hiphil stem, it means "to cause to come" or "to bring." This indicates a direct command for Moses to personally carry and place these items. The verb emphasizes purposeful action as part of the meticulous instructions for setting up the sacred space.
- the table (הַשֻּׁלְחָן, ha-shulchan): Refers specifically to the Table of Showbread or Table of the Presence (לחם הפנים, Lechem HaPanim). Its Hebrew root relates to "sending forth" or "throwing out," likely referring to the placing of food upon it. This golden table, placed on the north side of the Holy Place, served to hold twelve loaves of bread, symbolizing God's continual provision and communion with His twelve tribes.
- arrange its arrangement (וְעָרַכְתָּ אֶת־עֶרְכּוֹ, v'arakhta et-erk'ko): The verb עָרַךְ (ʿarak) means "to arrange," "to set in order," or "to put in proper position." The repeated root in the cognate accusative "its arrangement" (עֶרֶךְ, ʿerek) intensifies the command, emphasizing the precise and orderly setup of all its components (loaves, vessels, frankincense, Exod 25:29). This reflects God's nature as a God of order and the necessity for diligent and meticulous service in His presence.
- the lampstand (וְהַמְּנוֹרָה, v'ha-menorah): The golden Menorah, often translated as "candlestick" but more accurately a seven-branched lampstand. Its root is related to "to shine" or "lamp." Positioned on the south side of the Holy Place, opposite the table, it was the sole source of illumination within the Holy Place, symbolizing God's divine light, guidance, truth, and His illuminating presence among His people.
- set up its lamps (וְהַעֲלֵיתָ אֶת־נֵרֹתֶיהָ, v'haʿaleita et-neroteiha): The verb הֶעֱלָה (he'elah) is a Hiphil form meaning "to cause to go up" or "to kindle," implying the action of lighting the individual lamps (נֵרֹת, nerot) of the Menorah. The perpetual lighting of these lamps (Lev 24:1-4) ensured a constant spiritual light within God's dwelling, representing His unfailing presence and wisdom.
- "bring in the table, and arrange its arrangement": This phrase underscores the preparation for sustenance and fellowship. It signifies God's intention to continuously provide for His people, represented by the Bread of the Presence, and demands an ordered human response in maintaining this divine provision within the sacred space. It speaks to both God's faithfulness and Israel's active participation in their covenant relationship.
- "bring in the lampstand, and set up its lamps": This instruction highlights the theme of divine light and revelation. The Menorah was the single source of illumination in the Holy Place, signifying that God is the exclusive source of light, truth, and spiritual guidance for His people. It points to the constant presence of God's Spirit illuminating their path and the need for His people to be diligent in tending to this light, allowing God's truth to shine forth.
Exodus 40 4 Bonus section
- The precise placement of the Table (north side) and Lampstand (south side) in the Holy Place, as commanded in earlier chapters and reiterated here, reveals the strategic and purposeful design of the Tabernacle to reflect divine order and symbolism.
- The Table and Lampstand represent two core aspects of God's relationship with His people: provision (physical and spiritual sustenance) and revelation (light, truth, guidance). Both were essential for daily priestly duties and symbolized Israel's reliance on Yahweh.
- The absence of windows or any natural light in the Tabernacle (apart from the courtyard) meant the Menorah was the sole source of light in the Holy Place, stressing its foundational role as a symbol of divine illumination.
- The inauguration of these furnishings with Moses's own hand emphasizes the fulfillment of God's detailed commands and the establishment of His dwelling among men in a tangible, active way.
Exodus 40 4 Commentary
Exodus 40:4 details the critical stage of setting up the Holy Place within the newly erected Tabernacle by commanding the installation and preparation of the Table of Showbread and the Lampstand. This instruction moves beyond the physical construction to the activation of the sacred furniture for priestly service. The Table, with its constant provision of twelve loaves (one for each tribe), signified God's unending sustenance for His people and their perpetual fellowship with Him, portraying His generosity and faithfulness. Conversely, the Lampstand, perpetually burning with pure olive oil, symbolized God's illuminating presence, His divine truth, and the guidance He provides in the spiritual darkness. The meticulous ordering ("arrange its arrangement," "set up its lamps") emphasizes the necessity for careful, reverent, and precise obedience in God's worship, underscoring that all divine service is to be carried out according to His prescribed standard, not human invention. Ultimately, these elements point forward to Christ as the true Bread of Life who perfectly sustains His people (Jn 6) and the Light of the World who illumines their path (Jn 8).