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)set up a veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the Lord 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 the Lord, just as the Lord 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 the Lord, just as the Lord 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 the Lord had commanded Moses. ²⁸ Then he set up the ^[d]veil for the doorway of the tabernacle. ²⁹ He ^(H)set the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and ^(I)offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the Lord 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 the Lord had commanded Moses. ³³ He ^(K)erected the court all around the ^[e]tabernacle and the altar, and ^[f]hung up the veil for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the Lord

^34 (L)Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the ^(M)glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ Moses ^(N)was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁶ Throughout all their journeys ^(O)whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; ³⁷ but ^(P)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, ^(Q)the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

¹² Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” ^(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 So they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it ^(A)in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and ^(B)David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

Plans to Move the Ark to Jerusalem

15 Now David built 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)consecrate yourselves both you and your relatives, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel ^(B)to the place that I have prepared for it.