(1) When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who shall go before us, for that fellow Moses—the man who brought us from the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him.”(2) Aaron said to them, “[You men,] take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”(3) And all the people took off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.(4) This he took from them and cast in a mold, and made it into a molten calf. And they exclaimed, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

(1) Moses then convoked the whole Israelite community and said to them: These are the things that יהוה has commanded you to do:

(15) When Moses had ascended the mountain, the cloud covered the mountain.(16) The Presence of יהוה abode on Mount Sinai, and the cloud hid it for six days. On the seventh day [God] called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.(17) Now the Presence of יהוה appeared in the sight of the Israelites as a consuming fire on the top of the mountain.(18) Moses went inside the cloud and ascended the mountain; and Moses remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

(33) And he set up the enclosure around the Tabernacle and the altar, and put up the screen for the gate of the enclosure. When Moses had finished the work,(34) the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of יהוה filled the Tabernacle.(35) Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of יהוה filled the Tabernacle.(36) When the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would set out, on their various journeys;(37) but if the cloud did not lift, they would not set out until such time as it did lift.(38) For over the Tabernacle a cloud of יהוה rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys.