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]atoning cover ^[c]on top of the ark. ²¹ He then brought the ark into the tabernacle, and ^(B)set up a veil for the covering, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ²² He also ^(C)put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. ²³ And 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 And 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 curtain for the doorway of the tabernacle. ²⁹ And he ^(H)set the altar of burnt offering in front of 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 basin 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 And he ^(K)erected the courtyard all around the ^[d]tabernacle and the altar, and ^[e]hung up the curtain for the gate of the courtyard. So 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 And 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 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 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 reported to 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)So David went and brought the ark of God up from the house of Obed-edom to ^(B)the city of David with joy.

¹⁷ Now 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 he said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites; ^(A)consecrate yourselves, you and your relatives, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel ^(B)to the place that I have prepared for it.