Exodus 40:25

Summary

The Hebrew text states that someone (referring back to Aaron, per the wider context of Exodus 40) set up the lamps before Yehovah, in accordance with what Yehovah had commanded Moses. The verse closes the account of the tabernacle furnishings with a formula of compliance to divine instruction.

Key words

• va-ya'al ("and he lifted up", H5927H) — hiphil narrative form, causative: the subject causes the lamps to go up/be set up, continuing the narrative sequence.
• nerot ("lamps", H5216A) — feminine plural noun, the object being placed.
• li-fnei ("before", H6440G) — construct plural noun with preposition, literally "to the face of," indicating spatial orientation toward Yehovah.
• ka'asher ("as", H0834D) — relative particle introducing a comparative clause of conformity.
• tzivvah ("he had commanded", H6680) — piel perfect, intensive stem denoting a formal command, completed prior to the main action.

What the text says

The verse is built on two coordinated clauses. The first, introduced by the narrative va- ("and") prefixed to ya'al ("he lifted up", H5927H hiphil), reports the action: the lamps (nerot, H5216A) are set up "before Yehovah" (li-fnei Yehovah, H6440G + H3068G). The hiphil stem of ya'al is causative, meaning the subject makes the lamps go up or be positioned — a nuance not distinguishable in English translations that simply render it as "set up" or "lit."

The second clause is a comparative subordinate clause introduced by ka'asher ("just as", H0834D), which anchors the action to a prior divine command. The verb tzivvah ("he had commanded", H6680) is in the piel perfect, an intensive stem indicating a formal, completed act of commanding, with Yehovah as subject and Moses (Mosheh, H4872) as the recipient, marked by the untranslated direct object marker 'et (H0853). This closing formula — action followed by conformity clause — is repeated throughout Exodus 40 to mark each stage of the tabernacle's assembly as executed according to instruction.

Differences between versions

The Hebrew text specifies that "the lamps" (nerot, H5216A) were set up. The Septuagint (LXXSWETE) diverges substantially, stating instead that "he burned incense of the composition" (τὸ θυμίαμα τῆς συνθέσεως) upon it, with no mention of lamps. The Vulgate (VULCLEM) follows the same reading as the LXX, referring to "incense of spices" (incensum aromatum) rather than lamps. The Spanish (RV1909, SBLIBRE) and English (BSB) translations consulted here follow the Hebrew text in referring to lamps.