The Tabernacle

Eugene Springer wrote this brief history of the tabernacle. It appeared in the January 22, 1981 edition of the Gospel Advocate.

We very seldom hear anyone refer to or trace the history of the tabernacle. Usually the individual will trace the ark of the Covenant instead. We want to trace the tabernacle.

After the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea and came to Mt. Sinai, they were given the law and the tabernacle was built. The tabernacle was moved about, as the children of Israel moved until they divided the land of Canaan for the tribes. At the time of the dividing of the land, the tabernacle was set up at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1). The tabernacle, with the ark of the the Covenant remained at Shiloh until 1 Samuel 4, when Israel was fighting the Philistines. The children of Israel took the ark of the Covenant out of the tabernacle at Shiloh and brought it to Ebenezer (the battlefield), where the Philistines captured it. After the problems the Philistines had, which are described in 1 Samuel 5, they sent the ark of the Covenant back. They sent it to Kirjath-jearim, where it remained for the next 20 years (1 Samuel 7:2).

The place of the tabernacle after the capture of the ark is not given, but Samuel, who was a prophet and priest, was at Gilgal. Samuel judged the people at Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah (1 Samuel 7:16). Saul was installed as king at Gilgal (1 Samuel 11:15).

The next mention of the tabernacle is at Nob in 1 Samuel 21:1. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia describes Nob as, "a city just north of Jerusalem, between Jerusalem and Anathoth." While David was fleeing from Saul, he came to Nob and to the tabernacle. This is where he ate the shew-bread of the tabernacle (1 Samuel 21:3-6) and David was given Goliath's sword (1 Samuel 21:9). When Saul learned the priests had helped David, he had all the priests killed, only one escaped (1 Samuel 22:9-20). In this passage Nob is called the city of priests.

The tabernacle is moved from Nob to Gibeon, probably by Saul. Later, when David is king, he brings the ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem from Kirjath-jearim. David builds a tabernacle for the ark of the Covenant at Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:1-3, 2 Samuel 6:12-18). We now have two tabernacles, one at Jerusalem with the ark (1 Chronicles 16:10 and the original one at Gibeon with the alter (1 Chronicles 16:39).

The tabernacles at Gibeon and Jerusalem were both used until the temple was built by Solomon. The original alter was at Gibeon and the ark of the Covenant was at Jerusalem. Solomon went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices (1 Kings 3:4). The Lord appeared to Solomon in 1 Kings 3 at Gibeon and Solomon went to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the Covenant (1 Kings 3:15).

After Solomon built the temple, the services at Gibeon were stopped because the tabernacle and the ark were placed in the temple (1 Kings 8:4).