Exodus 27:21
in Exodus 27In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamps before the LORD from evening until morning. This is to be a permanent statute for the Israelites for the generations to come.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In the tent of meeting, without the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before Jehovah: it shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
KJV
In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
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This verse in Exodus 27
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The tabernacle of the congregation - More literally, the tent of meeting. This is the first occurrence of this designation of the tabernacle, and the idea connected with it is that of Yahweh meeting with either Moses, or the priests, or (in a few cases) with the people gathered into a congregation at the entrance of the tent. Without the rail, which is before the testimony - i. e. the holy place (see Exo 25:16).
This site's exposition
bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light
on Exodus 27:20-21
The chapter turns from building to a standing duty, and it does so before Aaron is consecrated in chapters 28 and 29. The oil is beaten rather than milled, which is the first and clearest run, and the lamp is to be ordered from evening to morning every night. The phrase statute for ever occurs here for the first time in Scripture, and it falls on the first continuing obligation laid on the priesthood. Leviticus 24:2 to 4 gives the command again almost word for word, and 1 Samuel 3:3 dates the call of Samuel by a night when the lamp of God was close to going out.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The grate was set into the hollow of the altar, about the middle of it, in which the fire was kept, and the sacrifice burnt; it was made of net-work like a sieve, and hung hollow, that the fire might burn the better, and that the ashes might fall through. Now, this brazen altar was a type of Christ dying to make atonement for our sins.
In the tabernacle of the congregation,....
There an altar was ordered to be set up, to which they must bring their sacrifices, and on which their priests must offer them to God: and this altar was to sanctify their gifts. Here they were to present their services to God, as from the mercy-seat he gave his oracles to them; and thus a communion was settled between God and Israel.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
shall order it from evening to morning--The tabernacle having no windows, the lamps required to be lighted during the day. JOSEPHUS says that in his time only three were lighted; but his were degenerate times, and there is no Scripture authority for this limitation.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The tabernacle of the congregation - The place where all the assembly of the people were to worship, where the God of that assembly was pleased to reside, and to which, as the habitation of their king and protector, they were ever to turn their faces in all their adorations. Before the testimony - That is, the ark where the tables of the covenant were deposited. See Exo 25:16. Aaron and his sons - These and their descendants being the only legitimate priests, God having established the priesthood in this family. Shall order it from evening to morning - Josephus says the whole of the seven lamps burned all the night; in the morning four were extinguished, and three kept burning through the whole day. Others assert that the whole seven were kept lighted both day and night continually; but it appears sufficiently evident, from 1Sa 3:3, that these lamps were extinguished in the morning: And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, etc. See also Exo 30:8: And when Aaron Lighteth The Lamps At Even. It appears therefore that the business of the priests was to light the lamps in the evening; and either to extinguish them in the morning, or permit them to burn out, having put in the night before as much oil as was necessary to last till daylight. A statute for ever - This ordering of the lamps night and morning, and attendance on the service of the tabernacle, was a statute that was to be in full force while the tabernacle and temple stood, and should have its spiritual accomplishment in the Christian Church to the end of time. Reader, the tabernacle and temple are both destroyed; the Church of Christ is established in their place. […]
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בְּאֹ֣הֶל | beohel | in [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| מוֹעֵד֩ | moed | meeting | H4150 → | 223 times |
| מִח֨וּץ | michutz | from [the] outside | H2351 → | 164 times |
| לַפָּרֹ֜כֶת | laparokhet | of the curtain | H6532 → | 25 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [is] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָעֵדֻ֗ת | haedut | the testimony | H5715 → | 59 times |
| יַעֲרֹךְ֩ | yaarokh | he will arrange | H6186 → | 74 times |
| אֹת֨וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אַהֲרֹ֧ן | ʾaharon | Aaron | H175 → | 347 times |
| וּבָנָ֛יו | uvanav | and sons his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| מֵעֶ֥רֶב | meerev | from evening | H6153 → | 134 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| בֹּ֖קֶר | boker | morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| חֻקַּ֤ת | chukat | a statute of | H2708 → | 104 times |
| עוֹלָם֙ | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
| לְדֹ֣רֹתָ֔ם | ledorotam | to generations their | H1755 → | 167 times |
| מֵאֵ֖ת | meet | from with | H854 → | 929 times |
| בְּנֵ֥י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
בְּאֹ֣הֶלin [the] tent of
beohelH168 →345 times
מוֹעֵד֩meeting
moedH4150 →223 times
מִח֨וּץfrom [the] outside
michutzH2351 →164 times
לַפָּרֹ֜כֶתof the curtain
laparokhetH6532 →25 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עַל־[is] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָעֵדֻ֗תthe testimony
haedutH5715 →59 times
יַעֲרֹךְ֩he will arrange
yaarokhH6186 →74 times
אֹת֨וֹ<obj.> it
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
אַהֲרֹ֧ןAaron
ʾaharonH175 →347 times
וּבָנָ֛יוand sons his
uvanavH1121 →4930 times
מֵעֶ֥רֶבfrom evening
meerevH6153 →134 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
בֹּ֖קֶרmorning
bokerH1242 →214 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
חֻקַּ֤תa statute of
chukatH2708 →104 times
עוֹלָם֙perpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
לְדֹ֣רֹתָ֔םto generations their
ledorotamH1755 →167 times
מֵאֵ֖תfrom with
meetH854 →929 times
בְּנֵ֥י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ סIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 19:21This is a permanent statute for the people: The one who sprinkles the water of purification must wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water of purification will be unclean until evening.
it leads to
- Hebrews 9:13–14
For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,
- Hebrews 10:4
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
- Hebrews 9:13–14
Through
Leviticus 3:17This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.”
it leads to
- Genesis 9:4
But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it.
- Matthew 26:28
This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
- Deuteronomy 15:23
But you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.
- Deuteronomy 12:23
Only be sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.
- Genesis 9:4
Through
Leviticus 16:34This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites because of all their sins.” And all this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.
it leads to
- Hebrews 9:7
But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
- Hebrews 9:25
Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
- Hebrews 9:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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On this verse
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.