Exodus 40:6 kjv
And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
Exodus 40:6 nkjv
Then you shall set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
Exodus 40:6 niv
"Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting;
Exodus 40:6 esv
You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting,
Exodus 40:6 nlt
Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the Tabernacle entrance.
Exodus 40 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 29:42 | This shall be a continual burnt offering... at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD | Specifies location for ongoing sacrifices. |
| Lev 1:3-4 | ...he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD... to make atonement. | Confirms where offerings are brought for atonement. |
| Lev 4:7 | ...pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle... | Reaffirms altar's exact placement for rituals. |
| Lev 17:11 | For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls... | Defines blood sacrifice on altar as means of atonement. |
| Exo 25:8 | And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. | Purpose of the Tabernacle: God's dwelling. |
| Exo 29:43 | And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. | God's intention to meet His people at the Tent. |
| Exo 30:18 | And thou shalt make a laver... and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle... and the altar... | Establishes the altar's spatial relationship to other items. |
| Exo 40:7 | And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein. | Details the sequence and position of laver after the altar. |
| Num 3:38 | And those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east... shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons... | Implies the altar was at the east entrance, aligning with priest's encampment. |
| Psa 40:6 | Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. | Points beyond physical sacrifice to spiritual obedience and Christ. |
| Isa 53:10 | Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him... when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin... | Prophecy of Christ's suffering as the ultimate sin offering. |
| Rom 3:25 | Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood... | Christ as the propitiation, fulfilling the purpose of the altar. |
| Rom 12:1 | ...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. | Believers are now called to spiritual, living sacrifices, echoing total dedication. |
| Eph 5:2 | And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God... | Christ's sacrifice as a fragrant offering. |
| Heb 7:27 | Who needeth not daily... to offer up sacrifice... for this he did once, when he offered up himself. | Christ's singular, sufficient sacrifice replacing daily offerings. |
| Heb 9:12 | Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. | Christ's blood as the superior, effective sacrifice for eternal redemption. |
| Heb 10:4 | For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. | Limitations of Old Testament sacrifices, pointing to their typological nature. |
| Heb 10:10 | By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. | Sanctification through Christ's perfect, unique sacrifice. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us... | Access to God through Christ's torn body, replacing the veil. |
| John 10:9 | I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved... | Christ as the ultimate access point to God, akin to the Tabernacle's door. |
| 1 Pet 3:18 | For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God... | Christ's suffering enables us to be brought into God's presence. |
| Rev 21:3 | ...Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them... | Ultimate fulfillment of God dwelling with humanity, surpassing the earthly Tabernacle. |
Exodus 40 verses
Exodus 40 6 Meaning
Exodus 40:6 describes a crucial step in setting up the Tabernacle: placing the altar of burnt offering directly in front of the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. This act highlights the divinely ordained sequence for approaching God. The altar, the site of atonement through sacrifice, must be the first point of contact for worshipers, signifying that access to God's presence is only made possible through propitiation for sin. This specific positioning underscores the foundational role of sacrifice in the covenant relationship, providing the means by which Israel could draw near to their holy God.
Exodus 40 6 Context
Exodus 40 culminates the lengthy section detailing the construction and equipping of the Tabernacle, meticulously fulfilling the commands given by God on Mount Sinai. Verses 1-15 outline Moses' precise instructions for setting up each piece of furniture and consecrated vessel on the first day of the first month. Verse 6, specifically, focuses on the "altar of the burnt offering," which stands as the most prominent object in the outer court, immediately facing the entrance of the Tabernacle proper. This placement is strategically crucial. The entire chapter emphasizes God's presence among His people (Exo 40:34-38), which is only possible due to Israel's obedient adherence to divine patterns for worship and atonement. Historically, this marked the beginning of Israel's journey as a distinct nation with a central place of worship, distinguishing their monotheistic worship from the idolatrous practices of surrounding cultures.
Exodus 40 6 Word analysis
- And thou shalt set: Hebrew: וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ (wə·śam·tā), from root שׂוּם (śūm), meaning "to set," "to place," "to put." This is a direct command, emphasizing divine instruction and Moses' faithful execution, concluding a long series of specific details about Tabernacle construction. It conveys definitive purpose.
- the altar: Hebrew: מִזְבַּח (mizbaḥ), from root זָבַח (zāḇaḥ), meaning "to slaughter" or "to sacrifice." This signifies the designated place for sacrifice. It highlights a blood-centered system for sin atonement.
- of the burnt offering: Hebrew: הָֽעֹלָ֖ה (hā·‘ō·lāh), from root עָלָה (‘ālāh), meaning "to ascend" or "to go up." This specifies a particular type of sacrifice where the whole animal was consumed by fire, symbolizing complete dedication to God and an ascending fragrance acceptable to Him. It prefigured Christ's total offering.
- before the door: Hebrew: לִפְנֵ֥י פֶ֖תַח (lif·nê fe·ṯaḥ). לִפְנֵי (lif·nê) means "before" or "in the presence of," indicating immediate proximity. פֶּתַח (petaḥ) means "opening" or "door," serving as the gateway to the sacred space. This positioning means it is the initial point of access for anyone approaching God's presence within the Tabernacle complex. It visually represented the necessary first step of dealing with sin.
- of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation: Hebrew: אֹ֣הֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד (’ō·hel mô·‘êḏ). This phrase literally means "Tent of Meeting" or "Tent of Assembly." The KJV's "tabernacle of the tent of the congregation" uses a redundant structure but refers to the singular structure where God promised to meet with Israel (מוֹעֵד - "appointed meeting"). It emphasizes that the Tabernacle was God's chosen dwelling place where He communed with His people. This underscores the privilege of fellowship, granted through the means provided at the altar.
Exodus 40 6 Bonus section
The Altar of Burnt Offering was constructed of acacia wood overlaid with bronze (Exo 27:1-8). The use of bronze, a metal resistant to intense heat, indicated its purpose as the place of judgment and fire, while the underlying wood represented humanity. This specific placement of the altar was a visible daily reminder that all divine interaction and blessings flow from dealing with sin. Its central and initial position in the Tabernacle's outer court reflected the primacy of atonement in God's redemptive plan, establishing a "way of peace" between a holy God and His sinful people. The consistent emphasis on this order throughout Levitical law highlights the principle that obedience, accessed through reconciliation, precedes fellowship and worship.
Exodus 40 6 Commentary
Exodus 40:6 concisely outlines a crucial liturgical and theological placement within the newly completed Tabernacle: the altar of burnt offering, situated directly at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. This was not a arbitrary detail but a divinely commanded arrangement, deeply symbolic of God's prescribed way for humanity to approach Him. The altar was the starting point; before anyone could enter further into the Tabernacle's courts or consider the holy objects within, they had to confront the reality of sin and the necessity of atonement through sacrifice. This ordered procession from outside to the inner parts of the Tabernacle mirrors spiritual truth.
The significance of the burnt offering cannot be overstated; it symbolized total dedication, purification, and reconciliation with God. By requiring it as the first step, God communicated that holiness must be respected, and sin addressed, before communion is possible. This system of atonement through substitutionary sacrifice powerfully foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He became the Altar, the Sacrifice, and the Priest. Just as the Tabernacle’s door led to the altar, so too, Christ is the "Door" through whom we must pass (John 10:9) to reach God, and His atoning sacrifice is the only way to reconcile with a holy God (Heb 10:10, 19-20). This foundational arrangement in the Tabernacle therefore laid a groundwork for understanding the saving work of Christ, establishing that His finished work on the cross is the primary means by which we enter God’s presence today.