In the third month after exiting Egypt "on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai" (Ex 19:1). God said, "'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I . . . brought you to Myself'" (:4). He then proposed they "'obey My voice and keep My covenant'" (:5). When Moses presented it to the people they responded "'All that the Lord has spoken we will do!'" (:8). God then gave Moses the Ten Commandments but when Israel experienced God's presence they responded "'let not God speak to us, or we will die'" (:19) Moses replied it was "'in order that the fear of Him remain with you, so that you may not sin'" (:20).
God then instructed Moses about worship according to the Feasts of the Lord and how to prepare the Tabernacle of Moses. Eventually when everything was functioning properly "the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire" (Nu 9:15). "Whenever the cloud was lifted . . . Israel would then set out . . . and where it settled down . . . [they] would camp" (:17). "Whether it was two days or a month or a year . . . Israel remained camped" (:22). "They kept the Lord's charge, according to the command of the Lord through Moses" (:23).