Exodus 40:17-38

17So they put up the tabernacle on the first day of the first month. It was in the second year after they had left Egypt.

18When Moses put up the tabernacle, he first put the metal bases in their right places. Then he put up the boards, the bars to hold them, and the poles.

19Then he covered the tabernacle with the tent and he put the leather covers over the tent. He did this in the way that the Lord had commanded him.

20Moses took the two flat stones with God's special commands on them. He put them inside the Covenant Box. He put the poles through the rings on the box. He put the special lid on top of the box.

21Then he brought the Covenant Box into the tabernacle. He hung the special curtain to hide it, so that nobody could see it. He did this in the way that the Lord had commanded him.

22Moses put the special table inside the Tent of Meeting. He put it outside the curtain, on the north side of the Holy Place.

23He put the special bread on the table as an offering to the Lord, as the Lord had commanded him.

24He also put the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting. He put it on the south side of the Holy Place, opposite the table.

25Then he put the lamps in their places in front of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded him.

26Moses put the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that hid the Covenant Box.

27He burned sweet incense on it, as the Lord had commanded him.

28Then he hung the curtain at the entrance of the tent.

29He put the altar for burnt offerings outside the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. He offered a burnt offering and a grain offering on it, as the Lord had commanded him.

30Moses put the large bowl for water between the Tent of Meeting and the altar. He put water in it for the priests to wash themselves.

31Moses and Aaron and Aaron's sons used the water to wash their hands and their feet.

32They washed themselves every time that they went into the Tent of Meeting. They also washed themselves before they went to offer sacrifices at the altar. They did what the Lord had commanded Moses to do.

33Moses also made the yard around the tabernacle and round the altar. He hung the curtain at the entrance of the yard. In that way, Moses finished the work.

34Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting. The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

35Moses could not go into the Tent of Meeting because of the cloud and the bright glory of the Lord.

36The Israelites followed the cloud during all their journeys. Every time that the cloud rose up from the tabernacle, they would continue on their journey.

37But if the cloud remained on the tabernacle, the Israelites did not travel. They stayed where they were until the day when the cloud rose up.

38So the cloud stayed over the tabernacle during the day, to show that the Lord was with them. During the night, there was fire in the cloud. All the Israelites could see the cloud during all their journeys.