1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 3And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. 4And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.40.4 the things…: Heb. the order thereof 5And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle. 6And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 7And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein. 8And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate. 9And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy. 10And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy.40.10 most holy: Heb. holiness of holinesses 11And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it. 12And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. 13And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 14And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: 15And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.
16Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.
17¶ 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. 18And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars. 19And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.
20¶ And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: 21And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.
22¶ And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail. 23And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.
24¶ And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward. 25And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
26¶ And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail: 27And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses.
28¶ And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle. 29And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses.
30¶ And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal. 31And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat: 32When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses. 33And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.
34¶ Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:40.36 went onward: Heb. journeyed 37But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. 38For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
Moses Sets Up the Holy Tent
1Then the Lord said to Moses, 2“Set up the holy tent, the tent of meeting. Set it up on the first day of the first month. 3Place in it the ark where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. Hide the ark with the curtain. 4Bring in the table for the holy bread. Arrange the loaves of bread on it. Then bring in the lampstand. Set up its lamps. 5Place the gold altar for burning incense in front of the ark where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. Put up the curtain at the entrance to the holy tent.
6“Place the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance to the holy tent, the tent of meeting. 7Place the large bowl between the tent of meeting and the altar. Put water in the bowl. 8Set up the courtyard around the holy tent. Put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.
9“Get the anointing oil. Anoint the holy tent and everything in it. Set apart the holy tent and everything that belongs to it. Then it will be holy. 10Anoint the altar for burnt offerings and all its tools. Set apart the altar. Then it will be a very holy place. 11Anoint the large bowl and its stand. Set them apart.
12“Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting. Wash them with water. 13Dress Aaron in the sacred clothes. Anoint him and set him apart. Then he will be able to serve me as priest. 14Bring his sons and dress them in their inner robes. 15Anoint them just as you anointed their father. Then they will be able to serve me as priests. They will be anointed to do the work of priests. That work will last for all time to come.” 16Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him.
17So the holy tent was set up. It was the first day of the first month in the second year. 18Moses set up the holy tent. He put the bases in place. He put the frames in them. He put in the crossbars. He set up the posts. 19He spread the holy tent over the frames. Then he put the coverings over the tent. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.
20He got the tablets of the covenant law. He placed them in the ark. He put the poles through its rings. And he put the cover on it. The cover was the place where sin is paid for. 21Moses brought the ark into the holy tent. He hung the curtain to hide the ark where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.
22Moses placed the table for the holy bread in the tent of meeting. It was on the north side of the holy tent outside the curtain. 23He arranged the loaves of bread on it in the sight of the Lord. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.
24Moses placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting. It stood across from the table on the south side of the holy tent. 25He set up the lamps in front of the Lord. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.
26Moses placed the gold altar for burning incense in the tent of meeting. He placed it in front of the curtain. 27He burned sweet-smelling incense on it. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.
28Then Moses put up the curtain at the entrance to the holy tent. 29He set the altar for burnt offerings near the entrance to the holy tent, the tent of meeting. He sacrificed burnt offerings and grain offerings on it. Moses did it as the Lord had commanded him.
30Moses placed the large bowl between the tent of meeting and the altar. He put water in the bowl for washing. 31Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet. 32They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar. They did it as the Lord had commanded Moses.
33Then Moses set up the courtyard around the holy tent and altar. He put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses completed the work.
The Glory of the Lord
34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting. The glory of the Lord filled the holy tent. 35Moses couldn’t enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it. The glory of the Lord filled the holy tent.
36The Israelites continued their travels. Whenever the cloud lifted from above the holy tent, they started out. 37But if the cloud didn’t lift, they did not start out. They stayed until the day it lifted. 38So the cloud of the Lord was above the holy tent during the day. Fire was in the cloud at night. All the Israelites could see the cloud during all their travels.
