You shall set uses the same word as in verse 5, where Revised Standard Version has “you shall put.” The altar of the burnt offering is described in 27.1-5 and 38.1-4. Before the door of the tabernacle is literally “to the face of the entrance of the mishkan.” This means that this altar was to be placed outside the “Tent” but “in front of the entrance” (Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New American Bible, Revised English Bible). Good News Translation‘s “in front of the Tent” may not be clear enough. The tabernacle of the tent of meeting is the same as in verse 1.

And place the laver uses the same word for place as for set in verse 6. The laver is the bronze “washbasin” that is mentioned in 30.18 and 38.8. Between the tent of meeting and the altar means that the bronze altar for sacrifice had to be placed far enough from the entrance to the tent itself that there was enough space for the laver. And put water in it is literally “and you shall give water there.” The same word is used again for put. Good News Translation‘s “fill it with water” is not clearly stated, but it is a possible interpretation (so also Contemporary English Version, New Jerusalem Bible, and Translator’s Old Testament).

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .