of boards of shittim wood,* overlaid with thin plates of gold, and fixed below in solid sockets or bases of silver; and above they were fastened by bars of the same wood overlaid with gold, running through golden rings, which were fixed to the boards. The tabernacle was divided into two apartments, by means of a vail, or curtain, hung upon four pillars or columns of shittim wood, overlaid with gold, and fixed in solid bases of silver: the first apartment was called the holy place, which was twenty cubits long, and ten wide: the second was called the most holy place, which was ten cubits long, and ten broad. The vail which separated these two apartments was exceedingly costly, made of blue, purple, scarlet, fine twined linen, and embroidered with cherubim.t The tabernacle thus erected was covered with four different coverings or curtains; the first and inner curtain was made of fine linen, magnificently embroidered with figures of cherubim, in shades of blue, purple, and scarlet, which must form a beautiful ceiling to the tabernacle. This curtain consisted of ten breadths, which were joined together, five and five of a side, by fifty blue loops, and as many golden clasps. The next * Shittim wood is generally supposed to be the Acacia Nilotica, a species of thorn, solid, light, and very beautiful. Dr. Shaw says that it abounds in Arabia Deserta, the very place where Moses was when he builded the tabernacle. + The Jews say that this vail was four fingers breadth in thickness, in order to prevent any person from seeing through it: but, as Calmet observes, there was no necessity for this, as there was no window or place for light in the tabernacle, and consequently the most simple vail would have been sufficient to obstruct the discovery of any thing behind it, which could only be discerned by the light that came in at the door, or by that afforded by the golden candlestick which stood on the outside of the vail. covering was made of goat's hair. In different parts of the east, the goats have long, fine, and beautiful hair, almost as fine as silk. The third covering was made of ram's skins, dyed red; and the outward and fourth covering was made of what is called badger's skins: what kind of animal this was is quite uncertain. Bochart has exhausted the subject, and seems to have proved, that no kind of animal is intended, but a particular colour. Exod. xxvi. As the east end of the tabernacle had no boards, it was closed with a richly embroidered curtain, hung upon five pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold, and fixed in bases of brass. Exod. xxvi, 36, 37. This may be called the first vail, as it occupied the door or entrance to the tabernacle: the vail that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies, is called the second vail. Heb. ix, 3. These two vails, and the inner covering of the tabernacle, were all of the same materials, and of the same workmanship. See Exod. xxvii, 16. The tabernacle stood in an enclosure or court of one hundred cubits in length, and fifty in breadth, which was made with pillars set in bases of brass, and filletted with silver, five cubits, or nearly three yards high, and at the same distance from one another. As the height of the enclosure was but half the height of the tabernacle, (Exod. xxvi, 16,) so the sacred building might easily be seen by the people from without. There were hangings of fine twined linen, forming, according to the Targum, a kind of network extended on the pillars, to form the enclosure, The entrance into this court was at the east end; where there were hangings for the space of twenty cubits of the same materials and workmanship with that of the inner covering of the tabernacle, and the outer and inner vail, and were supported by four of the pillars; and were also so fastened as to be drawn or lifted up for entrance. Exod. xxvii, 9, 16. It is probable that the tabernacle did not stand in the centre of this court; for there was no occasion for so large an area at the west end as at the east, where the altar of burnt offering stood, &c. II. Of the Furniture and Utensils pertaining to the Tabernacle. 1. THE ARK OF THE COVENANT.-This was a kind of chest, or coffer, two cubits and a half long, one and a half broad, and one and a half high; that is, if we take the cubit at twenty-one inches, about four feet five inches in length, and two feet six inches in breadth and in depth. It was made of shittim wood, and overlaid within and without with thin plates of gold. It had on each side two rings of gold, through which two bars of shittim wood overlaid with gold were put, by which it was carried by the priests. Around the upper rim of the ark there was a border of gold wreathed round about in the shape of waves:* this border served to keep fast the lid of the ark, or the mercy-seat. In it were deposited the two tables of The Septuagint has it, Kuμaтa xpvσa σтρenтa kukλw," waves of gold wreathed round about." |