^21 (A)And Yahweh was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might go by day and by night.

The Cloud Covering the Tabernacle

¹⁵ Now on ^(A)the day that the tabernacle was erected ^(B)the cloud covered the tabernacle, the ^(C)tent of the testimony, and ^(D)in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle until morning. ¹⁶ So it was continuously; ^(E)the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. ^17 (F)Now whenever the cloud would go up from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. ¹⁸ At the ^[a]command of Yahweh the sons of Israel would set out, and at the ^[b]command of Yahweh they would camp; ^(G)as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. ¹⁹ Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, ^[c]the sons of Israel would keep the charge of Yahweh and not set out. ²⁰ If ^[d]sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, ^(H)according to the ^[e]command of Yahweh they remained camped. Then according to the ^[f]command of Yahweh they set out. ²¹ If ^[g]sometimes the cloud ^[h]remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning, they would move out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. ²² Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, dwelling above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but ^(I)when it was lifted, they did set out. ^23 (J)At the ^[i]command of Yahweh they camped, and at the ^[j]command of Yahweh they set out; they kept the charge of Yahweh, according to the ^[k]command of Yahweh by the hand of Moses.