(5) The Court. The tabernacle thus described described in Exod. xxv. to xxvii.. and in xxxv. to xxxvii.
(2) Form. The tabernacle was of an oblong rectangular form, thirty cubits long, ten broad, and ten in height (Exod. xxvi :18-29; xxxvi :23 34)• (3) Structure and Curtains. The two sides, and the .western end, were formed of boards of acacia wood, overlaid with thin plates of gold, and fixed in solid sockets, or vases of silver. Above, they were secured by bars of the same wood,over laid with gold, passing through rings of gold, which were fixed to the boards. On the east end, which was the entrance, there were no boards, but only five pillars of shittim wood, whose chapiters and fillets were overlaid with gold, and their honks gold, standing on five sockets of brass. The tab ernacle thus erected was covered with four differ ent kinds of curtains. The first and inner curtain was composed of fine linen, magnificently em broidered with figures of cherubim, in shades of blue, purple and scarlet ; this formed the beautiful ceiling. The next covering was made of goats' hair ; the third of rams' skins, dyed red; and the fourth and outward covering was made of badg-, crs' skins, as our translators have it, but which is not quite certain, as it is generally thought that the original intends only skins of some descrip tion, dyed of a particular color. We have already stood in an open space, of an oblong form, one hundred cubits in length, and fifty in breadth, sit uated due east and west (Exod. xxvii :18). This court was surrounded with pillars of brass, filleted with silver, and placed at the distance of five cubits from each other. Their sockets were of brass and were fastened to the earth with pins of the same metal (Exod. xxxviii:10, 17, 20). Their height is not stated, but it was probably five cubits, that being the length of the curtains that were sus pended on them (Exod. xxxviii These cur tains, which formed an enclosure round the court, were of fine twined white linen yarn (Exod. xxvii:9; xxxviii :9, 16), except that at the en trance on the east end, which was of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine white twined linen, with cords to draw it either up, or aside, when the priests entered the court (Exod. xxxviii :18 ; xxxix :4o). Within this area stood the altar of burnt-offerings, and the laver and its foot. The former was placed in a line between the door of the court and the door of the tabernacle, but nearer the former (Exod. x1:6, 29), the latter stood between the altar of burnt-offering and the door of the tabernacle (Exod. xxxviii :8).
But although the tabernacle was surrounded by the court, there is no reason to think that it stood in the center of it ; for there was no oc casion for so large an area at the west end as at the east, where the altar and other utensils of the sacred service were placed. It is more able that the area at this end was fifty cubits (7) Dedication. The remarkable and costly structure thus described was erected in the wilder ness of Sinai. on the first day of the first month
of the second year, after the Israelites left Egypt (Exod. x1:17) ; and when erected was anointed, together with its furniture, with holy oil (verses 9-11), and sanctified by blood (Exod. xxiv:6-8; Heb. ix :21). The altar of burnt offering, es pecially, was sanctified by sacrifices during seven days (Exod. xxix :37), while rich donations were given by the princes of the tribes, for the service of the sanctuary (Num. vii.).
(8) Location. We should not omit to observe, that the tabernacle was so constructed as to be taken to pieces and put together again, as oc casion required. This was indispensable; it being designed to accompany the Israelites during their travels in the wilderness. As often as they re moved, the tabernacle was taken to pieces, and borne in regular order by the Levites (Num. iv). Wherever they encamped it was pitched in the midst of their tents, which were set up in a quadrangular form, under their respective stand ards, at a distance from the tabernacle of 2,000 square; and indeed a less space than that could hardly suffice for the work that was to be done there, and for the persons who were immedi ately to attend the service. We now proceed to notice the furniture which the tabernacle con tained.
(8) Furniture. In the holy place were three objects worthy of notice, viz., the altar of incense, he table for the shcwbread, and the candlestick for the lights, each of which have been described in their respective places. The altar of incense was placed in the middle of the sanctuary, before the veil (Exod. xxx :6-to; x1:26, 27) and on it the incense was burnt morning andevening (Exod. xxx :7, 8, 34-38). On the north side of the altar of incense, that is, on the right hand of the priest as he entered, stood the table for the shewbread (Exod. xxvi :35 ; xl :22, 23), and on the south side of the holy place, the golden candlestick (Exod. xxv In the most holy place were the ARK OF THE COVENANT, the MERCY SEAT, and the CHER mum, for a description of which their articles may be consulted.
cubits; while Moses and Aaron, with the priests and Levites occupied a place between them.
Figurative. (1) 'The light shall be dark in his tabernacle' (Job xviii :6), is a symbol of mis fortune. When Job says, 'The secret of God was upon my tabernacle' (xxix :4), he means that the blessing of God was upon his tent. (2) 'Who shall abide in thy tabernacle:" (Ps. xv ) means 'who shall be in the communion of the church of God?' (3) Did not this tabernacle represent the Redeemer, early in his manhood? (Heb. viii: 2; ix :21.) Did it not represent the gospel church, the "tabernacle of our mystical David?" Nay, did not this sacred tent rather prefigure heaven, where "Jehovah," Jesus, and the whole of the chief substance of the church are to be found ? (Deb. ix :11; Rev. xiii :6.)