The Tabernacle of the Lord

Then the Lord said to Moses:

"Set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting,

on the first day of the first month.

Place the ark of the Testimony in it

and shield the ark with the curtain.

Bring in the table

and set out what belongs on it.

Then bring in the lampstand

and set up its lamps.

Place the gold altar of incense

in front of the ark of the Testimony

and put the curtain

at the entrance to the tabernacle.

"Place the altar of burnt offering

in front of the entrance to the tabernacle,

the Tent of Meeting;

place the basin

between the Tent of Meeting and the altar

and put water in it.

Set up the courtyard around it

and put the curtain

at the entrance to the courtyard."

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 upon it,

and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

In all the travels of the Israelites,

whenever the cloud lifted

from above the tabernacle,

they would set out;

but if the cloud did not lift,

they did not set out -

until the day it lifted.

So the cloud of the Lord

was over the tabernacle by day,

and fire was in the cloud by night,

in the sight of all the house of Israel

during all their travels.

(Exodus 40:1-8,34-38)