skhvnwma (17 times); and in the Vulg. by tabernaculum. A second name tent,
lh,a&o , H185, is more definite, and describes the characteristic dwelling of the
wilderness, though it was used also in later times (Ps. 15:1; 27:4). This name is used sometimes alone (Ex. 26:9, 11 ff., 36; 33:7 ff.; 36:18 f., 37; 39:33, 38; Num. 9:17; 18:3; Deut. 31:15), but more frequently in combination with other words (the tent of meeting, the tent of the witness [testimony]). The habitation (dwelling) and the tent are clearly distinguished (Ex. 26:7; 35:11; 36:14; Num. 9:15). The tent was over the dwelling, as its covering (Num. 3:25), so that we find the phrase the tabernacle (dwelling) of the tent of
meeting (Ex. 39:32; 40:2, 6, 29 d[e/m lh,ao $ K'v]mi : comp. Apoc. 15:5 oJ nao;"
th'" skhnh'" tou' marturivou ). Unhappily the LXX. rendered lh,a&o , H185 in the
same way as $ K;vmi ( skhnhv nearly 140 times, and by skhvnwma 44 times);
and in this it was followed by the Vulgate which gives for the most part tabernaculum for both. The word tentorium , which is elsewhere used for tent, and not unfrequently for the tents of the people in the narrative of the Exodus (Num. 1:53; 2:3, 27, & c.), is used in the Vulgate in connexion with the Tabernacle for the curtains (Ex. 26:2), for the screen at the entrance of the Tent (Ex. 26:36 f.; 35:15; 36:37; 39:38, & c.), for the hangings and the screen of the court (Ex. 27:9 ff., 16; 35:17; 38:9 ff.; 39:39 f., & c.). Once only
it is used for the sacred lh,a&o , H185 (Ex. 33:8), and once for the sacred
$ K;v]mi , H5438 (Num. 9:15). The name palace ( lk;yhe , H2121) belongs to a
later time (1 Sam. 1:9; 3:3); but house ( tyIB&' , H1074) is used of the
Tabernacle (Ex. 23:19), as it is used of the tents of the patriarchs (Gen.
27:15; 33:17; : yhiløah; tyBe 1 Chron. 6:33).
More commonly, however, the Tabernacle is described by a compound title. The simple terms habitation and tent are defined by the addition of some other word as witness (testimony) or meeting; and these two designations express two distinct aspects of the Tabernacle.
( b ) The title the tent of witness, tdU[eh; lh,ao , is rare. It occurs Num.
9:15 (LXX. to;n oi\kon tou' marturivou ); 17:7 f. (22 f.) ( hJ skhnh; tou' mart .); 18:2
( hJ sk. t. m. ). We find also the habitation (tabernacle) of witness, tdU[eh;
$ K'v]mi , Ex. 38:21; Num. 1:50, 53; 10:11 ( hJ sk. t. m. ). The Vulgate rendering of
both phrases, except in the last place (which has tabernaculum foederis ), is
tabern. testimonii. The sense of the titles is fixed by the use of tWd[e , H6343
in other connexions; the ark of the witness ( tWd[eh; $ /ra} ) Ex. 25:22; 26:33 f.;
30:6, 26 (LXX. hJ kibwto;" tou' marturivou , Vulg. arca testimonii [ testamenti
30.26]); the tables of the witness ( tWd[eh; t/jlu ) Ex. 31:18; 34:29 (LXX. aiJ
plavke" [ tou' marturivou ], Vulg. tabulae testimonii ); and the veil of the witness
( tdU[eh; tk,roP; ) Lev. 24:3 (Vulg. velum testimonii ). The witness was the
revelation which God had made of His will expressed in the ten words (Ex. 25:16, 21). Comp. Ex. 16:34; 27:21; 40:20; Lev. 16:13; Num. 17:4-10. This witness was the solemn declaration of the claims and nature of God, who took up His dwelling in the midst of Israel (Lev. 19:2). The Tent under which He dwelt had this enshrined in it to determine its character. So it was that this
Tabernacle was specially called a holy place, a sanctuary ( vD:q]mi , H5219
LXX. aJgivasma, to; aJgiasthvrion, to; hJgiasmevnon, ta; a{gia , Vulg. sanctuarium.