Exodus 40

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. You shall put the ark of the Testimony there and screen off the ark with the veil. You shall bring in the table and arrange what belongs on it. You shall bring in the lampstand and light its lamps. You shall place the gold altar for incense before the ark of the Testimony and put up the entrance screen of the tabernacle. You shall place the altar of burnt offering before the entrance of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. You shall place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it. You shall set up the courtyard around it and put up the screen for the courtyard gate. You shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it. You shall consecrate it and all its utensils, and it shall be holy. You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils and consecrate the altar, and the altar shall be most holy. You shall anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate it. You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. You shall clothe Aaron in the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he may serve me as priest. You shall bring his sons near and clothe them in tunics. You shall anoint them as you anointed their father, so that they may serve me as priests. Their anointing shall establish them in a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.” Moses did according to everything the LORD had commanded him; so he did. In the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was set up. Moses set up the tabernacle, put its bases in place, set up its boards, put in its bars, and set up its pillars. He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it above, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He took the Testimony and put it into the ark. He set the poles on the ark and put the mercy seat on top of the ark. He brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the screening veil, and screened off the ark of the Testimony, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He placed the table in the Tent of Meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. He arranged the bread on it before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. He lit the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting before the veil, and burned fragrant incense on it, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He put up the entrance screen of the tabernacle. He placed the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered the burnt offering and the grain offering on it, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. Moses, Aaron, and his sons would wash their hands and their feet with water from it. Whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting and whenever they approached the altar, they would wash, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar and put up the screen for the courtyard gate. So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on all their journeys. But if the cloud was not lifted, they would not set out until the day it was lifted. For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire would be in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

Rights and attribution