²⁰ Then he took ^(A)the testimony and put it into the ark and ^[a]attached the poles to the ark and put the ^[b]mercy seat ^[c]on top of the ark. ²¹ He brought the ark into the tabernacle and ^(B)placed the veil of the screen and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. ²² Then he ^(C)put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. ²³ He set the arrangement of ^(D)bread in order on it before Yahweh, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. ²⁴ Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. ²⁵ He ^(E)lighted the lamps before Yahweh, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. ²⁶ Then he ^(F)placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil; ²⁷ and he ^(G)burned fragrant incense on it, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. ²⁸ Then he placed the screen at the doorway of the tabernacle. ²⁹ He ^(H)placed the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and he ^(I)offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. ³⁰ He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. ^31 (J)From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. ³² When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. ³³ He ^(K)erected the court all around the ^[d]tabernacle and the altar, and he put up the screen for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work.

The Glory of Yahweh

^34 (L)Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the ^(M)glory of Yahweh ^(N)filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ And Moses ^(O)was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had dwelt on it, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. ³⁶ Now throughout all their journeys ^(P)whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; ³⁷ but ^(Q)if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. ³⁸ For throughout all their journeys, ^(R)the cloud of Yahweh was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

¹² Then it was told to King David, saying, “Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” So ^(A)David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into ^(B)the city of David with gladness.

¹⁷ And they brought in the ark of Yahweh and placed it ^(A)in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and ^(B)David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.

The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

15 Then David made houses for himself in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and ^(A)pitched a tent for it.

¹² and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites; ^(A)set yourselves apart as holy, both you and your relatives, that you may bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, ^(B)to the place that I have prepared for it.