“On the first day of the first month you are to raise up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.
You are to put the ark of the testimony in it, and you are to screen the ark with the curtain.
You are to bring in the table and set in order the things that are on it. You are to bring in the menorah and light its lamps.
You are to set the golden altar of incense before the ark of the testimony and put up the screen for the entrance to the tabernacle.
“You are to set the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.
You are to set the bronze basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and are to put water in it.
You are to set up the courtyard around it and hang up the screen of the gate of the courtyard.”
“You are to take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and are to sanctify it, and all its furniture; and it will be holy.
You are to anoint the altar of burnt offering, with all its utensils, and sanctify the altar; and the altar will be most holy.
You are to anoint the bronze basin and its base, and sanctify it.
“You are to bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and are to wash them with water.
You are to put the holy garments on Aaron, and you are to anoint him and sanctify him, so that he may serve me as priest.
You are to bring his sons and put tunics on them.
You are to anoint them as you anointed their father, so that they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”
So Moses did those things. According to all that Yahweh commanded him, so he did.
And in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was set up.
Moses raised up the tabernacle and placed its bases, and set up its boards, and put in its bars and raised up its pillars.
He spread the covering over the tent and put the roof of the tabernacle on top of it, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
He took the testimony and put it into the ark, and attached the poles to the ark and put the mercy seat over the ark.
He brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung up the curtain for the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony as Yahweh commanded Moses.
He put the table in the Tent of Meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside of the curtain.
He set the bread in order on it before Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
He put the menorah in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle,
and he lit the lamps before Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
He put the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting in front of the curtain,
and he burned incense made of sweet spices on it, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
He hung up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.
He set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
He set the bronze basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in for washing.
Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there.
When they went into the Tent of Meeting and when they came near to the altar, they washed, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
He set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar and set up the screen for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.
The Glory of the Lord
Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.
Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting because the cloud stayed on it, and Yahweh’s glory filled the tabernacle.
When the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward throughout all their journeys;
but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not travel until the day that it was taken up.
For throughout all their journeys the cloud of Yahweh was on the tabernacle by day and there was fire in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.