In a previous article we considered the Old Testament theme of ‘pilgrimage, encounter, communion’ from its initial instance at Sinai to its later eschatological developments. At the root of this theme lies the idea of the kabod, the visible manifestation of Yahweh's holy presenceto the people in the form of a numinous and fiery cloud. We have now to consider a second tradition which grows out of this initial conception of Yahweh's presence by his kabod, and which has also exercised a decisive influence on the development of Old Testament theology as a whole. It is the theology of the tent of meeting. We have seen that the essential characteristic of kabod theology is that the fiery cloud, the kabod, descends at certain sacred moments on a holy place chosen by Yahweh for his encounter with his people. At first this is Mount Sinai. But at Sinai itself Yahweh chooses to have a movable sanctuary made so that he can accompany the people. Instead of the people going up to him in the mountain, he will come down to them at the tent. The shrine which awaits his presence accompanies them wherever they go.