Yahweh’s Instructions for Setting Up the Tabernacle
1Yahweh spoke to Moses: 2On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 3Put the ark of the testimony there, and screen the ark with the veil. 4Bring in the table and arrange what is to be arranged on it; bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5Set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the screen at the entrance of the tabernacle. 6Set the altar of burnt offering before the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 7Set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8Set up the courtyard all around, and put the screen at the gate of the courtyard. 9Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its utensils, and it will be holy. 10Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar; the altar will be most holy. 11Anoint the basin and its stand, and consecrate it. 12Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water. 13Clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he may serve me as priest. 14Bring his sons near and clothe them with tunics. 15Anoint them, as you anointed their father, so that they may serve me as priests; their anointing will be theirs for a priesthood without end, throughout their generations.
Moses Sets Up the Tabernacle
16Moses did everything just as Yahweh had commanded him — so he did. 17In the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was set up. 18Moses set up the tabernacle: he laid its bases, set up its frames, put in its crossbars, and set up its posts. 19He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above it, as Yahweh had commanded Moses. 20He took the testimony and put it into the ark, set the poles on the ark, and put the atonement cover on top of the ark. 21He brought the ark into the tabernacle, set up the veil of the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, as Yahweh had commanded Moses. 22He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil, 23and arranged the bread on it before Yahweh, as Yahweh had commanded Moses. 24He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle, 25and set up the lamps before Yahweh, as Yahweh had commanded Moses. 26He set the golden altar in the tent of meeting, before the veil, 27and burned fragrant incense on it, as Yahweh had commanded Moses. 28He put up the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle. 29He set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as Yahweh had commanded Moses. 30He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing. 31Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet at it — 32whenever they entered the tent of meeting, and whenever they approached the altar, they washed, as Yahweh had commanded Moses. 33He set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and put up the screen for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.
The Glory of Yahweh Fills the Tabernacle
34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. 35Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. 36Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle, the Israelites set out, on all their journeys. 37But if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out, until the day it lifted. 38For the cloud of Yahweh was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, on all their journeys.
