Exodus 40:9 kjv
And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy.
Exodus 40:9 nkjv
"And you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it; and you shall hallow it and all its utensils, and it shall be holy.
Exodus 40:9 niv
"Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy.
Exodus 40:9 esv
"Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it may become holy.
Exodus 40:9 nlt
"Take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and all its furnishings to consecrate them and make them holy.
Exodus 40 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 29:36-37 | You shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it... | Prefigures the consecration of holy objects through anointing. |
| Ex 30:22-33 | The LORD said to Moses, “Take the finest spices... Make of these a sacred anointing oil..." | Details the divine recipe and sacredness of the anointing oil used. |
| Lev 8:10-12 | Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it... | Fulfillment of this command, showing the practical application of the instruction. |
| Num 7:1 | On the day Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it... | Further historical confirmation of the Tabernacle's anointing and dedication. |
| Ps 89:20 | I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him. | Anointing applied to individuals, showing a broader principle of divine setting apart. |
| Isa 61:1 | The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me... | Prophecy of the Messiah's anointing by the Spirit, tying the physical oil to spiritual empowerment. |
| Dan 9:24-26 | To anoint a most holy place. To bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up vision... | Prophecy concerning the Anointed One and the ultimate consecration. |
| Hag 2:7 | I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. | Connects a physical temple to divine glory, similar to the Tabernacle's purpose. |
| Zech 4:14 | These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth. | Foreshadows those consecrated by God's Spirit for service. |
| Mt 3:16 | As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven... | Jesus' anointing with the Spirit, establishing Him as the ultimate Anointed One (Messiah). |
| Lk 4:18-19 | The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news... | Jesus declares His fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy of anointing from Isa 61:1. |
| Acts 4:27 | For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed... | Jesus recognized as God's Anointed Servant (Messiah). |
| Acts 10:38 | How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power... | Direct New Testament statement about Jesus' spiritual anointing. |
| 2 Cor 1:21-22 | Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of... | Believers are spiritually anointed by God, signifying His ownership and gifting of the Spirit. |
| 1 Jn 2:20 | But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. | Believers have an inner spiritual anointing (the Holy Spirit) for guidance and truth. |
| 1 Jn 2:27 | As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you... | Reiteration of the Holy Spirit's permanent indwelling and teaching work in believers. |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? | Believers individually become a spiritual temple, indwelt and therefore consecrated by the Spirit. |
| 1 Cor 6:19 | Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you... | Our bodies are consecrated by the indwelling Spirit, linking personal holiness to divine presence. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | ...built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. | The church collectively as a holy temple, indwelt by God's Spirit. |
| Heb 9:1-2 | Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. | Describes the earthly Tabernacle and its sacred components, highlighting its consecrated nature. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by... | Points to Christ's superior "consecration" of a new and living way into God's presence. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood... | Believers are collectively a spiritual house, reflecting the Tabernacle's purpose. |
| Rev 21:3 | And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people..." | Ultimate fulfillment of God's desire to dwell with His people, a complete and eternal "hallowing." |
Exodus 40 verses
Exodus 40 9 Meaning
Exodus 40:9 instructs Moses to take the specially consecrated anointing oil and apply it to the entire Tabernacle structure and all its interior furnishings and vessels. This act of anointing was commanded by God to set apart and declare these objects as holy, dedicated exclusively for His service and worship, thereby preparing them to be the sacred dwelling place of the Lord among His people. It signifies the transfer of a sacred quality to mundane objects, making them fit for divine presence and use.
Exodus 40 9 Context
Exodus 40 concludes the book of Exodus, focusing on the highly anticipated erection of the Tabernacle and its formal dedication. Verses 1-16 detail God's specific commands to Moses regarding the final assembly and consecration of the portable sanctuary. These instructions cover everything from setting up the various components (ark, table, lampstand, altars) to washing and anointing the priests. Verse 9 is specifically about consecrating the structure itself and its contents with holy oil, an indispensable step for it to function as the sacred dwelling place for the Holy God amidst His people. The preceding chapters (Exodus 35-39) describe the meticulous construction of the Tabernacle according to the divine blueprint, and this chapter signifies its completion and activation for worship. Historically, this act would have cemented the Tabernacle's status as the epicenter of Israelite worship, visually demonstrating God's presence and demands for holiness.
Exodus 40 9 Word analysis
- And: Connects this command to the preceding instructions for assembling the Tabernacle. It signifies the next, crucial step in its preparation for sacred use.
- thou shalt take: Hebrew "laqach" (לָקַח). A direct imperative to Moses, highlighting his divinely appointed role as the one to execute these sacred actions. It emphasizes obedience to divine instruction.
- the anointing oil: Hebrew "shemen hammishchah" (שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה). Not just any oil, but a specially prepared, consecrated compound as detailed in Exodus 30:22-33. This oil was explicitly forbidden for common use or replication. Its sacred composition signifies its purpose: to imbue holiness and dedicate for God. It symbolizes the Holy Spirit and divine empowerment.
- and anoint: Hebrew "mashach" (מָשַׁח). The root verb from which "Messiah" (anointed one) derives. This act physically consecrates by applying the sacred oil. It sets something or someone apart for a special, sacred purpose, effectively sanctifying it and qualifying it for divine service. It implies a ritual purification and installation.
- the tabernacle: Hebrew "hammishkan" (הַמִּשְׁכָּן). Meaning "dwelling place." This refers to the entire tent structure where God intended to dwell among His people. The anointing transforms a physical structure into a holy space for God's presence.
- and all that is therein: This encompasses everything inside the Tabernacle – the Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy Seat, the Table of Showbread, the Lampstand, and all their associated components and implements. The anointing covered every part, ensuring comprehensive consecration.
- and shalt hallow it: Hebrew "v'qaddashta oto" (וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ אֹתוֹ) - from "qadash" (קָדַשׁ), to make holy, consecrate, set apart. This word explicitly states the purpose of the anointing: to render it holy. Holiness implies separation from the common and dedication to God. It means making it ceremonially pure and fit for the divine presence.
- and all the vessels thereof: Hebrew "v'et-kol-keliya" (וְאֵת כָּל־כֵּלֶיהָ). "Vessels" refers to all the various utensils, tools, and implements used in the Tabernacle service, such as censers, pitchers, bowls, forks for the altar, and snuffers for the lampstand. Their anointing meant that even the smallest tools used in worship were to be consecrated and treated with sacred regard, underscoring the thoroughness of God's command for holy service.
Exodus 40 9 Bonus section
The act of anointing in the Old Testament, particularly with the "anointing oil," was reserved for three primary categories: priests (for service), kings (for rule), and sacred objects/places (for divine presence/worship). This verse places the Tabernacle and its vessels squarely in the third category, signifying their extreme sacredness. The detailed instructions for consecration emphasized God's desire for purity and order in worship, reflecting His own holy character. The deliberate and explicit hallowing ensured that the Israelites understood these were not merely architectural structures or functional tools but rather sacred elements through which they could interact with a holy God. The entire process points forward to the ultimate "Anointed One," Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies God's presence and serves as the consecrated mediator and sacrifice, fulfilling all that the Tabernacle symbolized. Furthermore, it foreshadows the New Covenant reality where believers are "anointed" by the Holy Spirit and become living temples for God's dwelling (1 Cor 6:19), embodying His holy presence in the world.
Exodus 40 9 Commentary
Exodus 40:9 lays out a foundational principle of Old Covenant worship: for something to be used in God's service or to be considered a place of His presence, it must first be consecrated. The anointing oil, divinely prescribed and exclusive, was the medium for this consecration. It marked the Tabernacle and its contents as distinctly separate from the profane, imbuing them with a sacred status necessary for them to host a holy God. This was not a mere symbolic gesture but an act that, by divine command, changed the spiritual state of the objects. It underscored the absolute holiness of God and His demand for holiness in all that approaches Him. This consecration paved the way for God's glory to fill the Tabernacle (Ex 40:34-35), demonstrating that only a "hallowed" space could receive the Divine presence. In a broader sense, this anticipates the spiritual "anointing" of believers by the Holy Spirit in the New Covenant, setting them apart as temples for God and vessels for His service.