TABERNACLE. The Hebrew word properly signifies handsome tent. There were three public tabernacles among the Jews previous to the building of Solomon's Temple. The first, which Moses erected, was called "the Tabernacle of the Congregation." In this he gave audience, heard causes, and inquired of God. The second was that which Moses built for God, by his express command. The third public tabernacle was that which David erected in Jerusalem for the reception of the ark when he received it from the house of Obed-edom. But it is the second of these, called the Tabernacle, by way of distinction, that we have more particularly to notice. This tabernacle was of an ob long, rectangular form,' 30 cubits long, 10 broad, an 10 in height, which is equivalent to 55 feet long, 18 broad, and 18 high. The two sides and the western end were formed of boards of shittim wood, overlaid with thin plates of gold, and fixed in solid sockets or vases of silver. It was so con trived as to be taken to pieces and put together again at pleasure. It was covered with four different kinds of cur tains. The first and inner curtain was composed of fine linen, magnificently embroidered with figures of cherubim, in shades of blue, purple and scarlet; this formed the beau tiful ceiling. The next covering was made of goat's hair;
the third of rams' skins died red; and the fourth, and outward covering, was made of other animals' skins, colored red. The east end of the tabernacle was ornamented with five pillars, from which richly-embroidered curtains were sus pended. The inside was divided, by a richly-embroidered vail of linen, into two parts, the holy place and the holy of holies; in the first of which were placed the altar of incense, the table with the shew-bread, and the seven-branched can dlestick; in the latter place were the ark, the mercy-seat, and the cherubim. Besides this vail of fine linen which sepa rated the most holy place, the tabernacle was furnished with other vails of divers colors, viz: of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine-twined linen, (white,) from which are derived the em blematic colors of the several degrees of Masonry. the chamber of a Royal Arch chapter, a temporary structure, after the plan of the one built by Moses, may be erected, as a representation of the tabernacle constructed by Zerubbabel, near the ruins of the first temple, after the return of the captives from Babylon, while the people were building the second temple.