Tabernaklet blir uppsatt och invigt

40 Herren sade till Mose: "På första dagen i den första månaden skall du resa uppenbarelsetältets tabernakel. Där skall du ställa vittnesbördets ark och avskärma den med förlåten. Du skall bära in bordet och lägga upp det som skall vara på det. Och du skall bära in ljusstaken och sätta upp lamporna på den. Du skall ställa det gyllene rökelsealtaret framför vittnesbördets ark och sätta upp förhänget för ingången till tabernaklet. Brännoffersaltaret skall du ställa framför ingången till uppenbarelsetältets tabernakel. Du skall ställa karet mellan uppenbarelsetältet och altaret och hälla vatten i det. Du skall sätta upp förgårdens omhängen runt omkring och hänga upp förhänget för porten till förgården. Och du skall ta smörjelseoljan och smörja tabernaklet och allt som finns i det och helga det tillsammans med alla dess tillbehör, så att det blir heligt. 10 Du skall smörja brännoffersaltaret och alla dess tillbehör och helga altaret. Det blir då högheligt. 11 Du skall också smörja karet och dess fotställning och helga det.

12 Sedan skall du föra fram Aron och hans söner till uppenbarelsetältets ingång och tvätta dem med vatten. 13 Och du skall sätta på Aron de heliga kläderna och smörja honom och helga honom till präst åt mig. 14 Hans söner skall du föra fram och sätta på dem livklädnader, 15 och du skall smörja dem så som du smorde deras far till att vara präster åt mig. Denna smörjelse skall för dem innebära ett evigt prästadöme, släkte efter släkte." 16 Och Mose gjorde så. Han gjorde i allt som Herren hade befallt honom.

17 I första månaden av andra året, på första dagen i månaden blev tabernaklet uppsatt. 18 Då satte Mose upp tabernaklet. Han lade ut dess fotstycken, ställde upp brädorna, sköt in tvärstängerna och satte upp stolparna. 19 Han bredde ut tältet över tabernaklet och tältöverdragen ovanpå det, så som Herren hade befallt Mose. 20 Han tog vittnesbördet och lade in det i arken och satte stängerna på arken. Och han lade nådastolen ovanpå arken. 21 Sedan förde han in arken i tabernaklet och satte upp förlåten, som skulle hänga framför arken, och skärmade av vittnesbördets ark, så som Herren hade befallt honom. 22 Han ställde också bordet i uppenbarelsetältet, vid tabernaklets norra sida, utanför förlåten, 23 och lade upp bröd på det inför Herrens ansikte, så som Herren hade befallt Mose. 24 Och han ställde in ljusstaken i uppenbarelsetältet mitt emot bordet på tabernaklets södra sida 25 och satte upp lamporna inför Herrens ansikte, så som Herren hade befallt Mose. 26 Han ställde in det förgyllda altaret i uppenbarelsetältet framför förlåten 27 och tände väldoftande rökelse på det, så som Herren hade befallt Mose. 28 Han satte upp förhänget framför ingången till tabernaklet. 29 Brännoffersaltaret ställde han vid ingången till uppenbarelsetältets tabernakel och offrade på det brännoffer och matoffer, så som Herren hade befallt Mose. 30 Han ställde karet mellan uppenbarelsetältet och altaret och fyllde det med vatten att tvätta sig i. 31 Mose och Aron och hans söner tvättade sina händer och fötter med vatten ur det. 32 När de skulle gå in i uppenbarelsetältet eller träda fram till altaret tvättade de sig, så som Herren hade befallt Mose. 33 Och han satte upp förgårdens omhängen runt omkring tabernaklet och altaret och hängde upp förhänget framför porten till förgården. Så fullbordade Mose arbetet.

Herrens härlighet över tabernaklet

34 Då övertäckte molnskyn uppenbarelsetältet, och Herrens härlighet uppfyllde tabernaklet. 35 Mose kunde inte gå in i uppenbarelsetältet, eftersom molnskyn vilade över det och Herrens härlighet uppfyllde tabernaklet.

36 Så ofta molnskyn höjde sig från tabernaklet bröt Israels barn upp. Så gjorde de under hela sin vandring. 37 Men så länge molnskyn inte höjde sig bröt de inte upp, förrän den dag då den höjde sig igen. 38 Ty Herrens molnsky vilade över tabernaklet om dagen, och eld var i den om natten. Så var det inför ögonen på hela Israels folk under hela deras vandring.

Moses Sets Up the Holy Tent

40 Then the Lord said to Moses, “On the first day of the first month, set up the Holy Tent, that is, the Meeting Tent. Put the Box of the Agreement in the Holy Tent. Cover the Box with the curtain. Then bring in the table. Put the things on the table that should be there. Then put the lampstand in the Tent. Put the lamps on the lampstand in the right places. Put the golden altar for offering incense in the Tent in front of the Box of the Agreement. Then put the curtain at the entrance to the Holy Tent.

“Put the altar for burning offerings in front of the entrance of the Holy Tent, that is, the Meeting Tent. Put the bowl between the Meeting Tent and the altar. Put water in the bowl. Set up the wall of curtains around the courtyard. Then put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.

“Use the anointing oil and anoint the Holy Tent and everything in it. When you put the oil on these things, you will make them holy. 10 Anoint the altar for burning offerings. Anoint everything on the altar. You will make the altar holy. It will be very holy. 11 Then anoint the bowl and the base under it to make these things holy.

12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Meeting Tent. Wash them with water. 13 Then put the special clothes on Aaron. Anoint him with the oil and make him holy. Then he can serve me as a priest. 14 Then put the clothes on his sons. 15 Anoint the sons in the same way you anointed their father. Then they can also serve me as priests. When you anoint them, they will become priests. That family will continue to be priests for all time to come.” 16 Moses obeyed the Lord. He did everything that the Lord commanded him.

17 So the Holy Tent was set up at the right time. It was the first day of the first month during the second year from the time they left Egypt. 18 Moses set up the Holy Tent just as the Lord had said. He put the bases down first. Then he put the frames on the bases. Then he put the braces on and set up the posts. 19 After that Moses put the outer tent over the Holy Tent. Then he put the covering over the outer tent. He did these things just as the Lord had commanded.

20 Moses took the Agreement and put it in the Holy Box. He put the poles on the Box and put the mercy-cover on it. 21 Then Moses put the Holy Box into the Holy Tent. He hung the curtain in the right place to protect it. In this way he protected the Box of the Agreement behind the curtain just as the Lord had commanded him. 22 Then Moses put the table in the Meeting Tent on the north side of the Holy Tent. He put it in the Holy Place, in front of the curtain. 23 Then he put the bread on the table before the Lord. He did this just as the Lord had commanded him. 24 Then Moses put the lampstand in the Meeting Tent on the south side of the Tent, across from the table. 25 Then Moses put the lamps on the lampstand before the Lord. He did this just as the Lord had commanded him.

26 Then Moses put the golden altar in the Meeting Tent, in front of the curtain. 27 Then he burned sweet-smelling incense on the altar. He did this as the Lord had commanded him. 28 Then Moses put the curtain at the entrance to the Holy Tent.

29 Moses put the altar for burning offerings at the entrance to the Holy Tent, that is, the Meeting Tent. Then Moses offered a burnt offering on that altar. He also offered grain offerings to the Lord. He did these things just as the Lord had commanded him.

30 Then Moses put the bowl between the Meeting Tent and the altar. He put water in the bowl for washing. 31 Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons used this bowl to wash their hands and feet. 32 They washed themselves every time they entered the Meeting Tent. They also washed themselves every time they went near the altar. They did these things just as the Lord commanded Moses.

33 Then Moses set up the curtains around the courtyard of the Holy Tent. He put the altar in the courtyard. Then he put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. So he finished all the work.

The Glory of the Lord

34 Then the cloud covered the Meeting Tent and the Glory of the Lord filled the Holy Tent. 35 Moses could not go into the Meeting Tent because the cloud had settled on it, and the Glory of the Lord had filled the Holy Tent.

36 When the cloud rose from the Holy Tent, the Israelites would begin to travel. 37 But when the cloud stayed on the Holy Tent, the people did not try to move. They stayed in that place until the cloud rose. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the Holy Tent during the day, and at night there was a fire in the cloud. So all the Israelites could see the cloud while they traveled.

Setting Up the Tabernacle

40 Then the Lord said to Moses: “Set up(A) the tabernacle, the tent of meeting,(B) on the first day of the first month.(C) Place the ark(D) of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. Bring in the table(E) and set out what belongs on it.(F) Then bring in the lampstand(G) and set up its lamps. 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.

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

“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.