Exodus 40:5 kjv
And 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.
Exodus 40:5 nkjv
You shall also set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the Testimony, and put up the screen for the door of the tabernacle.
Exodus 40:5 niv
Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.
Exodus 40:5 esv
And you shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the screen for the door of the tabernacle.
Exodus 40:5 nlt
"Place the gold incense altar in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Then hang the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
Exodus 40 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 30:1-8 | "You shall make an altar to burn incense... Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it every morning..." | Construction and daily use of the Incense Altar. |
| Exod 25:10-22 | "They shall make an ark of acacia wood... Put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you." | Instructions for the Ark of the Testimony. |
| Exod 26:36-37 | "You shall make a screen for the door of the tent...of blue, purple, and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen..." | Details on the making of the Tabernacle screen. |
| Exod 40:16 | "Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD commanded him, so he did." | Moses' precise obedience in constructing the Tabernacle. |
| Exod 40:34 | "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle." | God's glory confirming the completed Tabernacle. |
| Lev 16:12-13 | "He shall take a censer full of burning coals... and put the incense on the fire before the LORD..." | Use of incense on the Day of Atonement near the Ark. |
| 1 Kin 6:22 | "And the altar of cedar was before the inner sanctuary." | Incense Altar in Solomon's Temple, similar placement. |
| Heb 9:3-5 | "Behind the second curtain was a tent called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense..." | Location of incense altar in heavenly pattern. |
| Rev 8:3-4 | "And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints..." | Incense symbolizing prayers in heavenly worship. |
| Luke 1:9-10 | "According to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense." | Priestly service in the Temple, connecting to incense offering. |
| Psa 141:2 | "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you..." | Prayer likened to ascending incense. |
| Exod 25:8-9 | "Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you..." | God's desire to dwell with His people and demand for exact blueprint. |
| Num 10:33 | "So they set out from the mount of the LORD... and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them..." | The Ark's central role in guiding Israel. |
| Deut 12:5-7 | "But you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose... and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices..." | Centralized worship and specific dwelling place for God. |
| Isa 60:7 | "They shall come up with acceptance on my altar..." | Prophetic vision of future acceptable worship. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens... In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." | New Testament parallel: believers as God's spiritual dwelling. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | "You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices..." | Believers as a spiritual house and priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices. |
| Heb 4:16 | "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." | New covenant access to God, no longer restricted. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus... by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body," | Christ's sacrifice opening access to God's presence (the torn veil). |
| 1 Tim 2:5 | "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus," | Christ as the ultimate intercessor, connecting to the altar of incense. |
| John 14:6 | "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." | Christ as the sole means of access to God, replacing ritualistic access. |
| Exod 37:25-29 | "He made the altar of incense of acacia wood..." | Details of the altar's construction by Bezalel. |
| Rev 15:5-8 | "...the temple of the tent of witness in heaven was opened...and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God..." | Heavenly temple imagery, God's dwelling and glory. |
| John 2:19-21 | "Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He was speaking about the temple of his body." | Jesus as the new and ultimate Temple. |
Exodus 40 verses
Exodus 40 5 Meaning
Exodus 40:5 details a crucial step in the final assembly and consecration of the Tabernacle: the precise placement of the gold altar of incense and the curtain (screen) for the entrance. This instruction emphasizes the divine order and sacred function of each element within God's dwelling place. The gold altar for incense was to be placed in the Holy Place, directly before the veil that separated it from the Most Holy Place, where the Ark of the Testimony resided. This altar's purpose was to offer fragrant incense, symbolizing the prayers of God's people ascending to Him. The screen for the door of the Tabernacle marked the boundary of the sacred tent itself, regulating access into the Holy Place and signifying the distinct separation of God's holy presence from the common world.
Exodus 40 5 Context
Exodus chapter 40 marks the triumphant conclusion of the instructions regarding the Tabernacle, initiated in Exodus 25. For the first time, Israel physically constructs and assembles the sanctuary that God commanded, according to His precise design (Exod 25:9). Moses, acting as the divinely appointed overseer, methodically follows every instruction from God for setting up each piece of furniture and drapery. Verse 5 is part of a detailed sequence in Exodus 40:1-33 where God commands Moses to consecrate and set up the Tabernacle and its contents on the first day of the first month. This specific verse emphasizes the strategic placement of the golden incense altar in the Holy Place and the main entrance screen. This precise ordering of elements highlights God's demand for worship that is both structured and intentional, a stark contrast to the arbitrary or pagan worship practices of surrounding nations. The completion and assembly of the Tabernacle culminate in the dwelling of God's glory (the Shekinah) within it, as described later in Exodus 40:34-38, signifying His immediate presence among His people after their liberation from Egypt. The historical context is a nomadic Israel in the wilderness, learning how to be a holy people in covenant with a holy God.
Exodus 40 5 Word analysis
- "You shall set": (Hebrew: וְשַׂמְתָּ, vəśamtā) This is a direct command from God to Moses, indicating divine authority and the necessity of precise obedience. It highlights the non-negotiable nature of God's architectural and liturgical instructions.
- "the gold altar": (Hebrew: מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב, mizbaḥ hazāhāḇ) Refers specifically to the Altar of Incense (Exod 30:1-10), distinct from the large bronze altar of burnt offering in the outer court. Its gold overlay signifies its preciousness, sacredness, and association with the divine presence, suitable for offerings ascending directly towards God's throne.
- "for the incense": (Hebrew: לִקְטֹרֶת, liqṭōreṯ) Specifies the singular purpose of this altar: to burn holy incense daily. This act symbolizes prayer, praise, and intercession rising acceptably to God (Psa 141:2, Rev 8:3-4).
- "before the ark of the testimony": (Hebrew: לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן הָעֵדֻת, lip̄nê ʾărōn hāʿēḏūṯ) Indicates the specific placement. Though "before" the Ark, it was separated from it by the thick veil, situated in the Holy Place (Heb 9:3-4). This arrangement emphasizes that access to the ultimate presence of God (represented by the Ark) was mediated and preceded by fervent prayer and worship symbolized by the incense.
- "and put": (Hebrew: וְשַׂמְתָּ, vəśamtā) A repeated command, indicating another precise action required of Moses, maintaining the parallel and deliberate nature of the assembly.
- "the screen": (Hebrew: מָסָךְ, māsāḵ) A curtain or covering (Exod 26:36). This specific screen served as the entrance to the holy tent itself, made of embroidered linen, distinguishing it from the simple tent coverings or the internal veil (Exod 26:31-35). It controlled physical access and signified the demarcation between sacred and profane space.
- "for the door": (Hebrew: לְפֶתַח, ləp̄ethaḥ) Explicitly states its function as the entrance curtain for the Tabernacle structure.
- "of the tabernacle": (Hebrew: הָאֹהֶל, hāʾōhel, specifically "the tent") Refers to the main Tent of Meeting, the holy dwelling structure (Hebrew: מִשְׁכָּן, miškan, usually for the dwelling place overall). This completes the specification of the screen's location.
Word-groups Analysis:
- "the gold altar for the incense before the ark of the testimony": This phrase meticulously positions a key element of worship. The "gold altar" signifies the preciousness and purity of acceptable worship, directly linked to "incense" which embodies the rising prayers of the people. Its placement "before the ark of the testimony" but separated by the veil underscores that approaching God's ultimate presence requires sanctification and specific, Divinely appointed mediation and intercession.
- "and put the screen for the door of the tabernacle": This emphasizes the regulated and guarded access to the sacred space. The "screen" functions as a threshold, marking the boundary between the ordinary world outside and the consecrated space where God dwells. This highlights God's holiness and His sovereign control over who may approach Him and how. It signifies that direct, unhindered access was not yet permissible.
Exodus 40 5 Bonus section
The precise sequence and placement of the Tabernacle furnishings in Exodus 40 reflect a journey or progression in approaching God, from the outer court (Bronze Altar of Burnt Offering, Laver), through the Holy Place (Lampstand, Table of Showbread, Altar of Incense), and finally to the Most Holy Place (Ark of the Testimony). The Altar of Incense, positioned just before the veil, marks the climax of interaction in the Holy Place, representing prayer ascending right to God's symbolic throne room. It is a visual representation of the truth that genuine access to God's deepest presence is prefaced by cleansing (Laver), spiritual illumination (Lampstand), spiritual sustenance (Table of Showbread), and fervent prayer (Incense Altar). The meticulous fulfillment of all commands in Exodus 40 foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment found in Christ, who is the true dwelling place of God (John 2:21), the way to the Father (John 14:6), and through whom believers become a spiritual temple (1 Pet 2:5; Eph 2:20-22). The "screen" which controlled access symbolizes humanity's natural separation from God due to sin, a barrier later overcome by Christ's sacrificial death.
Exodus 40 5 Commentary
Exodus 40:5 is a micro-instruction within the larger, culminating act of setting up the Tabernacle, meticulously detailing the final positions of two crucial elements. The placement of the Altar of Incense "before the ark of the testimony" (though still in the Holy Place and separated by the veil) highlights the profound importance of prayer and intercession as an indispensable step toward God's ultimate presence. The continuous burning of incense symbolized the unceasing worship and supplication of God's people rising before Him. Its golden nature speaks to the divine standard and acceptance of this offering. The "screen for the door of the tabernacle" represented the necessary separation between the common world and God's holy dwelling. It signified controlled access, underscoring God's absolute holiness and the careful reverence required to approach Him. The strict adherence to these placement instructions by Moses demonstrates the principle that God demands worship on His own terms, not on human whim. These specific placements within the Tabernacle's layout pointed forward to a greater reality: that through Christ, the true Altar and High Priest, humanity gains bold access (Heb 4:16, 10:19-20) to God's presence, for He Himself is the Way, and He has torn the veil (Matt 27:51) of separation. This order established the pattern for acceptable worship under the Old Covenant, emphasizing mediation, holiness, and the ascension of devotion to a sovereign God.