Setting Up the Tabernacle

40 Then the Lord said to Moses: ² “Set up^(A) the tabernacle, the tent of meeting,^(B) on the first day of the first month.^{(C) 3} Place the ark^(D) of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. ⁴ Bring in the table^(E) and set out what belongs on it.^(F) Then bring in the lampstand^(G) and set up its lamps. ⁵ Place the gold altar^(H) of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

⁶ “Place the altar^(I) of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; ⁷ place the basin^(J) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. ⁸ Set up the courtyard^(K) around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.

⁹ “Take the anointing oil and anoint^(L) the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings,^(M) and it will be holy. ¹⁰ Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate^(N) the altar, and it will be most holy. ¹¹ Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.

¹² “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting^(O) and wash them with water.^{(P) 13} Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments,^(Q) anoint him and consecrate^(R) him so he may serve me as priest. ¹⁴ Bring his sons and dress them in tunics.^{(S) 15} Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.^(T)” ¹⁶ Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded^(U) him.

¹⁷ So the tabernacle^(V) was set up on the first day of the first month^(W) in the second year. ¹⁸ When Moses^(X) set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames,^(Y) inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. ¹⁹ Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering^(Z) over the tent, as the Lord commanded^(AA) him.

²⁰ He took the tablets of the covenant law^(AB) and placed them in the ark,^(AC) attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover^(AD) over it. ²¹ Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain^(AE) and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded^(AF) him.

²² Moses placed the table^(AG) in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain ²³ and set out the bread^(AH) on it before the Lord, as the Lord commanded^(AI) him.

²⁴ He placed the lampstand^(AJ) in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle ²⁵ and set up the lamps^(AK) before the Lord, as the Lord commanded^(AL) him.

²⁶ Moses placed the gold altar^(AM) in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain ²⁷ and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord commanded^(AN) him.

²⁸ Then he put up the curtain^(AO) at the entrance to the tabernacle. ²⁹ He set the altar^(AP) of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings,^(AQ) as the Lord commanded^(AR) him.

³⁰ He placed the basin^(AS) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, ³¹ and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash^(AT) their hands and feet. ³² They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar,^(AU) as the Lord commanded^(AV) Moses.

³³ Then Moses set up the courtyard^(AW) around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain^(AX) at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the Lord

³⁴ Then the cloud^(AY) covered the tent of meeting, and the glory^(AZ) of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory^(BA) of the Lord filled the tabernacle.^(BB)

³⁶ In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;^{(BC) 37} but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. ³⁸ So the cloud^(BD) of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

The Burnt Offering

1 The Lord called to Moses^(A) and spoke to him from the tent of meeting.^(B) He said, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord,^(C) bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.^(D)

³ “‘If the offering is a burnt offering^(E) from the herd,^(F) you are to offer a male without defect.^(G) You must present it at the entrance to the tent^(H) of meeting so that it will be acceptable^(I) to the Lord. ⁴ You are to lay your hand on the head^(J) of the burnt offering,^(K) and it will be accepted^(L) on your behalf to make atonement^(M) for you. ⁵ You are to slaughter^(N) the young bull^(O) before the Lord, and then Aaron’s sons^(P) the priests shall bring the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar^(Q) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁶ You are to skin^(R) the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.^{(S) 7} The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood^(T) on the fire. ⁸ Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat,^(U) on the wood^(V) that is burning on the altar. ⁹ You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water,^(W) and the priest is to burn all of it^(X) on the altar.^(Y) It is a burnt offering,^(Z) a food offering,^(AA) an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^(AB)

¹⁰ “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep^(AC) or the goats,^(AD) you are to offer a male without defect. ¹¹ You are to slaughter it at the north side of the altar^(AE) before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar.^{(AF) 12} You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat,^(AG) on the wood that is burning on the altar. ¹³ You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water,^(AH) and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them^(AI) on the altar.^(AJ) It is a burnt offering,^(AK) a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

¹⁴ “‘If the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, you are to offer a dove or a young pigeon.^{(AL) 15} The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head^(AM) and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar.^{(AN) 16} He is to remove the crop and the feathers^[a] and throw them down east of the altar where the ashes^(AO) are. ¹⁷ He shall tear it open by the wings, not dividing it completely,^(AP) and then the priest shall burn it on the wood^(AQ) that is burning on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

The Grain Offering

2 “‘When anyone brings a grain offering^(AR) to the Lord, their offering is to be of the finest flour.^(AS) They are to pour olive oil^(AT) on it,^(AU) put incense on it^{(AV) 2} and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour^(AW) and oil, together with all the incense,^(AX) and burn this as a memorial^[b] portion^(AY) on the altar, a food offering,^(AZ) an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(BA) 3} The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons;^(BB) it is a most holy^(BC) part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.

⁴ “‘If you bring a grain offering baked in an oven,^(BD) it is to consist of the finest flour: either thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in or thin loaves^(BE) made without yeast and brushed with olive oil.^{(BF) 5} If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle,^(BG) it is to be made of the finest flour mixed with oil, and without yeast. ⁶ Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. ⁷ If your grain offering is cooked in a pan,^(BH) it is to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil. ⁸ Bring the grain offering made of these things to the Lord; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. ⁹ He shall take out the memorial portion^(BI) from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(BJ) 10} The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons;^(BK) it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.^(BL)

¹¹ “‘Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast,^(BM) for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord. ¹² You may bring them to the Lord as an offering of the firstfruits,^(BN) but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. ¹³ Season all your grain offerings with salt.^(BO) Do not leave the salt of the covenant^(BP) of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.

¹⁴ “‘If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits^(BQ) to the Lord, offer crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire. ¹⁵ Put oil and incense^(BR) on it; it is a grain offering. ¹⁶ The priest shall burn the memorial portion^(BS) of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense,^(BT) as a food offering presented to the Lord.^(BU)