The Tabernacle Is Raised
Exodus 40YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, “On the first day of the first month you are to raise up the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. You are to put the ark of the covenant in it and shield the ark with the veil. You are to bring in the table, and set in order the things that are on it. Then bring in the lamp stand, and light its lamps. You are to set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant, and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.
“You are to set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. You are to set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it. You are to set up the court around it and hang up the screen of the gate of the court.
“You are to take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and make it holy, and all its furniture, and it will be holy. You are to anoint the altar of burnt offering, with all its vessels, and sanctify the altar, and the altar will be most holy. You are to anoint the basin and its base, and sanctify it.
“You are to bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. You are to put on Aaron the holy garments, anoint him and sanctify him, so that he may minister to me in the priest’s office. You are to bring his sons, and put tunics on them. You are to anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office. Their anointing will be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” Moses did so. According to all that YHWH commanded him, so he did.
In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was raised up. Moses raised up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, 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 above on it, as YHWH commanded Moses. He took and put the covenant into the ark, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark. He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the covenant, as YHWH commanded Moses. He put the table in the Tent of Meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside of the veil. He set the bread in order on it before YHWH, as YHWH commanded Moses. He put the lamp stand in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. He lit the lamps before YHWH, as YHWH commanded Moses. He put the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting before the veil; and he burned incense of sweet spices on it, as YHWH commanded Moses. He put up the screen of the door to the tabernacle. He set the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, as YHWH commanded Moses. He set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water therein, with which to wash. 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 YHWH commanded Moses. He raised up the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.
The Glory of YHWH
Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and YHWH’s glory filled the tabernacle. Moses wasn’t able to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud stayed on it, and YHWH’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 wasn’t taken up, then they didn’t travel until the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of YHWH was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.