The Lord's Tent Is Set Up
1 The Lord said to Moses:
2 Set up my tent on the first day of the year 3 and put the chest with the Ten Commandments behind the inside curtain. 4 Bring in the table and set on it those things that are made for it. Also bring in the lampstand and attach the lamps to it. 5 Then place the gold altar of incense in front of the sacred chest and hang a curtain at the entrance to the tent. 6 Set the altar for burning sacrifices in front of the entrance to my tent. 7 Put the large bronze bowl between the tent and the altar and fill the bowl with water. 8 Surround the tent and the altar with the wall of curtains and hang the curtain that was made for the entrance.
9 Use the sacred olive oil to dedicate to me the tent and everything in it. 10 Do the same thing with the altar for offering sacrifices and its equipment 11 and with the bowl and its stand. 12 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent and tell them to wash themselves. 13 Dress Aaron in the priestly clothes, then use the sacred olive oil to ordain him and dedicate him to me as my priest. 14 Put the priestly robes on Aaron's sons 15 and ordain them in the same way, so they and their descendants will always be my priests.
16 Moses followed the Lord's instructions. 17 And on the first day of the first month of the second year, the sacred tent was set up. 18 The posts, stands, and framework were put in place, 19 then the two layers of coverings were hung over them. 20 The stones with the Ten Commandments written on them were stored in the sacred chest, the place of mercy was put on top of it, and the carrying poles were attached. 21 The chest was brought into the tent and set behind the curtain in the most holy place. These things were done exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses.
22 The table for the sacred bread was put along the north wall of the holy place, 23 after which the bread was set on the table. 24 The lampstand was put along the south wall, 25 then the lamps were attached to it there in the presence of the Lord. 26 The gold incense altar was set up in front of the curtain, 27 and sweet-smelling incense was burned on it. These things were done exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses.
28 The curtain was hung at the entrance to the sacred tent. 29 Then the altar for offering sacrifices was put in front of the tent, and animal sacrifices and gifts of grain were offered there. 30 The large bronze bowl was placed between the altar and the entrance to the tent. It was filled with water, 31 then Moses and Aaron, together with Aaron's sons, washed their hands and feet. 32 In fact, they washed each time before entering the tent or offering sacrifices at the altar. These things were done exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses.
33 Finally, Moses had the curtains hung around the courtyard and at the entrance.
The Glory of the Lord
34 Suddenly the sacred tent was covered by a thick cloud and filled with the glory of the Lord. 35 And so, Moses could not enter the tent. 36 Whenever the cloud moved from the tent, the people would break camp and follow; 37 then they would set up camp and stay there, until it moved again. 38 No matter where the people traveled, the Lord was with them. Each day his cloud was over the tent, and each night a fire could be seen in the cloud.
Setting Up and Dedicating the Tent of the Lord's Presence
1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “On the first day of the first month set up the Tent of the Lord's presence. 3 Place in it the Covenant Box containing the Ten Commandments and put the curtain in front of it. 4 Bring in the table and place the equipment on it. Also bring in the lampstand and set up the lamps on it. 5 Put the gold altar for burning incense in front of the Covenant Box and hang the curtain at the entrance of the Tent. 6 Put in front of the Tent the altar for burning offerings. 7 Put the washbasin between the Tent and the altar and fill it with water. 8 Put up the surrounding enclosure and hang the curtain at its entrance.
9 “Then dedicate the Tent and all its equipment by anointing it with the sacred oil, and it will be holy. 10 Next, dedicate the altar and all its equipment by anointing it, and it will be completely holy. 11 Also dedicate the washbasin and its base in the same way.
12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent, and have them take a ritual bath. 13 Dress Aaron in the priestly garments, anoint him, and in this way consecrate him, so that he can serve me as priest. 14 Bring his sons and put the shirts on them. 15 Then anoint them, just as you anointed their father, so that they can serve me as priests. This anointing will make them priests for all time to come.”
16 Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded. 17 So on the first day of the first month of the second year after they left Egypt, the Tent of the Lord's presence was set up. 18 Moses put down its bases, set up its frames, attached its crossbars, and put up its posts. 19 He spread out the covering over the Tent and put the outer covering over it, just as the Lord had commanded. 20 Then he took the two stone tablets and put them in the Covenant Box. He put the poles in the rings of the Box and put the lid on it. 21 Then he put the Box in the Tent and hung up the curtain. In this way he screened off the Covenant Box, just as the Lord had commanded.
22 He put the table in the Tent, on the north side outside the curtain, 23 and placed on it the bread offered to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded. 24 He put the lampstand in the Tent, on the south side, opposite the table, 25 and there in the Lord's presence he lit the lamps, just as the Lord had commanded. 26 He put the gold altar in the Tent, in front of the curtain, 27 and burned the sweet-smelling incense, just as the Lord had commanded. 28 He hung the curtain at the entrance of the Tent, 29 and there in front of the curtain he placed the altar for burning offerings. On it he sacrificed the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the Lord had commanded. 30 He put the washbasin between the Tent and the altar and filled it with water. 31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there 32 whenever they went into the Tent or to the altar, just as the Lord had commanded. 33 Moses set up the enclosure around the Tent and the altar and hung the curtain at the entrance of the enclosure. So he finished all the work.
The Cloud over the Tent of the Lord's Presence
(Numbers 9.15-23)34 Then the cloud covered the Tent and the dazzling light of the Lord's presence filled it. 35 Because of this, Moses could not go into the Tent. 36 The Israelites moved their camp to another place only when the cloud lifted from the Tent. 37 As long as the cloud stayed there, they did not move their camp. 38 During all their wanderings they could see the cloud of the Lord's presence over the Tent during the day and a fire burning above it during the night.