Exodus 40

40 ¹ Then our Father spoke to Moses, saying:

How to Raise the Dwelling Place

² "On the first day of the first month you are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. ³ Place in it the ark of the testimony, and shield the ark with the veil. ⁴ Bring in the table and arrange what belongs on it, and bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. ⁵ Put the golden altar of incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the screen for the entrance to the tabernacle. ⁶ Set the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, ⁷ and place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. ⁸ Set up the courtyard all around, and hang the screen at the gate of the courtyard.

⁹ Then take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. ¹⁰ Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, and the altar will be most holy. ¹¹ Anoint the basin and its stand, and consecrate it.

¹² Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. ¹³ Clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he may serve me as priest. ¹⁴ Bring his sons and clothe them with tunics, ¹⁵ and anoint them as you anointed their father, so that they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations."

¹⁶ Moses did everything just as our Father commanded him. ¹⁷ So in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was raised up. ¹⁸ Moses raised up the tabernacle: he laid its bases, set up its frames, put in its crossbars, and raised its pillars. ¹⁹ He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, as our Father had commanded Moses. ²⁰ He took the testimony and placed it in the ark, set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark. ²¹ Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, hung the shielding veil, and concealed the ark of the testimony, as our Father had commanded Moses. ²² He placed the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil, ²³ and arranged the bread on it before our Father, as our Father had commanded Moses. ²⁴ He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle, ²⁵ and set up the lamps before our Father, as our Father had commanded Moses. ²⁶ He placed the golden altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil, ²⁷ and burned fragrant incense on it, as our Father had commanded Moses. ²⁸ Then he put up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. ²⁹ He set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as our Father had commanded Moses. ³⁰ He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, ³¹ and with it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet. ³² Whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar, they washed, as our Father had commanded Moses. ³³ Then he set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung the screen at the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

His Glory Fills the Tabernacle

³⁴ Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of our Father filled the tabernacle.

Cloud by Day, Fire by Night

³⁵ Moses could not enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of our Father filled the tabernacle.

³⁶ Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey; ³⁷ but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out until the day it lifted. ³⁸ For the cloud of our Father was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, for all the people of Israel to see throughout all their journeys.