Exodus 40:6

Modern

Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.

Traditional

And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.

Literal

And you shall set the altar of the burnt offering before the face of the door of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.

Latin

…et ante illud altare holocausti:

Hebrew

English

Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.

The report on setting up the Tent of Meeting starts with the Lord's commands (40:1–15). It continues with how Moses obeyed those commands (40:16–33).
The repeated statement that "Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded" (40:16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32) strongly contrasts with Aaron’s self-serving statement in 32:22–24. God wants to share his presence with us, but his holiness requires us to give up our own efforts to secure his presence and gifts.

Theme notes and profiles

Exodus 40:29
He placed the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded him.
Hebrews 13:10
We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
Ephesians 1:6–7
…to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
1 John 2:2
He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Exodus 38:1–7
Bezalel constructed the altar of burnt offering from acacia wood. It was square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high.
Exodus 27:1–8
“You are to build an altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high.
1 John 4:9–10
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.