Rather, you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the covenant and over all its equipment and over all that belongs to it; they are to carry the tabernacle and all its equipment, and they shall tend it and shall camp around the tabernacle.

but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the covenant, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the Israelites, and the Levites shall perform the duties of the tabernacle of the covenant.”

“When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the screening curtain and cover the ark of the covenant with it;

When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he would hear the voice speaking to him from above the cover that was on the ark of the covenant from between the two cherubim; thus it spoke to him.

The Cloud and the Fire

On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant, and from evening until morning it was over the tabernacle, having the appearance of fire.

Departure from Sinai

In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the covenant.

So they set out from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey with the ark of the covenant of the Lord going before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them,

But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, even though the ark of the covenant of the Lord and Moses had not left the camp.

Place them in the tent of meeting before the covenant, where I meet with you.

So Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant.

When Moses went into the tent of the covenant on the next day, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted. It put forth buds, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.

And the Lord said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept as a warning to rebels, so that you may make an end of their complaints against me, or else they will die.”

So bring with you also your brothers of the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, in order that they may be joined to you and serve you while you and your sons with you are in front of the tent of the covenant.

All the holy offerings that the Israelites present to the Lord I have given to you, together with your sons and daughters, as a perpetual due; it is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord for you and your descendants as well.”

Therefore say, ‘I hereby grant him my covenant of peace.

It shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.’ ”