Exodus 40:17

WEB

It happened in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up.

KJV

And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.

Commentary

And it came to pass in the first month, in the second year,.... Of the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt: on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up; so that this was in the spring of the year, about the vernal equinox, on a new year's day, that this was done, which was beginning the year well: it was within a fortnight of a year after their coming out of Egypt, and when they had been about five months and a half in building the tabernacle; for such a time it seems they were in doing that, and which, considering the many things to be done, and in the winter season, it shows great dispatch. Where was the place, in which the tabernacle was reared up, is not said: it is (d) observed, that near the southwest corner of that part of Mount Sinai, which is called Mount Episteme, there is a little hill called Araone by the Arabs, and by the Greeks the tabernacle of the testimony, where they say Aaron was consecrated, and first performed the offices of the priesthood: probably, says a learned man (e), on this hill was placed the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses was ordered to place without the camp afar off; but he seems to mistake the tent of Moses, or however the little tabernacle erected before the grand one was made, for this tabernacle in Exo 33:7 which he seems to refer to; it is more probable that it was now reared up in the midst of the camp of Israel, see Num 2:2 . (d) Pocock's Travels, p. 147. (e) Clayton's Chronology of the Hebrew Bible, p. 350.