The Meaning of Exodus 40:36 Explained

Exodus 40:36

KJV: And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:

YLT: And in the going up of the cloud from off the tabernacle the sons of Israel journey in all their journeys;

Darby: And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel journeyed in all their journeys.

ASV: And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their journeys:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when the cloud  was taken up  from  over the tabernacle,  the children  of Israel  went onward  in all their journeys: 

What does Exodus 40:36 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 40:17-38 - The Tabernacle Set Up And Dedicated
At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice all was finished. Moses had placed the table on the right and the candlestick on the left of the holy place; had set the incense-altar near the veil; had washed in the laver, and had anointed it and all its vessels. The Ark had been hidden behind the veil, and Aaron invested in his robes. Then the congregation, deeply moved, retired to their tents and night settled on the mountains. Moses also retired from the scene, full of thankfulness. See Psalms 90:16-17.
They had hardly left the structure when the cloud that had guided their march settled down upon it, and the glory of the Lord-"the Shechinah"-shone within the Tabernacle itself. Moses immediately hastened back, and found the Presence of God so manifestly in possession that he dared not enter. Behold! the tabernacle of God was with men. So in after years the Divine Word dwelled in the mortal body of Jesus. See John 1:14, 2 Corinthians 5:1, Revelation 21:3. This is the worthy close of this great book of the Exodus.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comment [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 40

1  The tabernacle is commanded to be reared, anointed, and consecrated
13  Aaron and his sons to be sanctified
16  Moses performs all things accordingly
34  A cloud covers the tabernacle

What do the individual words in Exodus 40:36 mean?

And Whenever was taken up the cloud from above the tabernacle would go onward the sons of Israel in all their journeys
וּבְהֵעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּכֹ֖ל מַסְעֵיהֶֽם

וּבְהֵעָל֤וֹת  And  Whenever  was  taken  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
הֶֽעָנָן֙  the  cloud 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָנָן  
Sense: cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass.
מֵעַ֣ל  from  above 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁכָּן  
Sense: dwelling place, tabernacle.
יִסְע֖וּ  would  go  onward 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָסַע  
Sense: to pull out, pull up, set out, journey, remove, set forward, depart.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
בְּכֹ֖ל  in  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מַסְעֵיהֶֽם  their  journeys 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מַסַּע  
Sense: a pulling up (of stakes), breaking camp, setting out, journey.