1 Setting Up the Tabernacle Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the 40:2Lit dwelling place tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
3 You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.
4 You shall bring in the table and 40:4Lit arrange its arrangement arrange what belongs on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and 40:4Or light mount its lamps.
5 Moreover, you shall set the gold altar of incense before the ark of the testimony and set up the veil for the doorway to the tabernacle.
6 You shall set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
7 You shall set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water 40:7Lit there in it.
8 You shall set up the court all around and 40:8 Lit put hang up the screen for the gateway of the court.
9 Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it and set it apart as holy and all its 40:9Or utensils furnishings; and it shall be holy.
10 You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and set the altar apart as holy, and the altar shall be most holy.
11 You shall anoint the laver and its stand, and set it apart as holy.
12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.
13 You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and set him apart as holy, that he may minister as a priest to Me.
14 You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them;
15 and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will be for them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”
16 Thus Moses did; according to all that Yahweh had commanded him, so he did.
17 Now it happened, in the first month 40:17Lit in of the second year, on the firstdayof the month, the 40:17Lit dwelling place tabernacle was erected.
18 Moses erected the tabernacle and 40:18Lit put laid its bases and set up its boards and 40:18Lit put inserted its bars and erected its pillars.
19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and placed the covering of the tent 40:19Lit over it above on top of it, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
20 Then he took the testimony and putitinto the ark and 40:20Lit set attached the poles to the ark and put the 40:20Or propitiatory seat, place of atonement mercy seat 40:20Lit over the ark above on top of the ark.
21 He brought the ark into the tabernacle and placed the veil of the screen and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
22 Then he put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil.
23 He set the arrangement of bread in order on it before Yahweh, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
24 Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle.
25 He lighted the lamps before Yahweh, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
26 Then he placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil;
27 and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
28 Then he placed the screen at the doorway of the tabernacle.
29 He placed the altar of burnt offeringbeforethe doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and he offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
30 He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing.
31 From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet.
32 When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
33 He erected the court all around the 40:33Or dwelling place tabernacle and the altar, and he put up the screen for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work.The Glory of Yahweh
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.
35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had dwelt on it, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.
36 Now throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out;
37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up.
38 For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of Yahweh was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.