This verse marks a minor step in the argument, expressed by King James Version‘s “Now,” and in other translations by beginning a new paragraph. Verses 2-5 have described the sanctuary; verses 6-7 will describe what happened there.
The first few words are literally “These things having thus been prepared.” Before translating This is how those things have been arranged, it is essential to determine whether the sentence in question refers back to the preceding paragraph (and thus involves the location of various objects) or whether this sentence refers to what follows, namely, the various rituals to be performed. If, as is more probable, the first sentence of verse 6 refers specifically to the arrangement of objects, it may be combined with the preceding paragraph as a concluding statement; for example, “This, then, is how the various things in the sanctuary have been arranged” or “… were arranged.” If another possible interpretation of the Greek is used, and the first part of verse 6 is combined with what follows, it may be rendered as “In view of how the objects in the sanctuary are arranged, the following is what happened.” The Greek word for arranged is the same used in verse 2 (Good News Translation put up). Here as in other places the author passes smoothly from one aspect of the subject to another—in this case, from the description of what the tent contained to an account of what went on in it. This and those things probably refer back to verses 1-5. Knox emphasizes this by linking verse 6a with verse 5b as follows: “We have no time to treat of these more particularly, but this was the general fashion of it.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch links verse 6a with what follows, but somewhat undertranslates it: “So the whole holy place consists of two parts. Each day the priests go into the first tent….” The translation will vary slightly according to whether the “preparations” (Revised Standard Version) are thought of as being (a) for a particular service, for example, lighting the candles and preparing the bread, or (b) the more permanent furnishings of the sanctuary. (b) fits the context better; this is brought out by Phillips‘ “Under this arrangement” and Jerusalem Bible‘s “Under these provisions.”
On tent, see 8.2 and 9.1-2. Barclay translates “first tent” here and “second tent” in verse 7 as “the outer part of the tabernacle” and “the inner part of the tabernacle.” It is often better to speak of the outer tent as “the first part of the tent” or “the first room of the tent.”
Every day is more precisely “continually” (Revised Standard Version). The priests, in fact, went twice a day into the outer part of the sanctuary; see Numbers 18.2-6.
To perform their duties may be rendered as “to do what they must do” or “to do what their work as priests requires them to do.” On duties, see comments on “worship” at Heb. 9.1.
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .