FROM THE EDITOR

in the wilderness. All that which is surrounded by this partition, which, as noted, is like the court of the Tabernacle, is called ‘Courtyard’ (Hebrew: עזרה), whereas all of it together is called ‘Temple’ (Hebrew: מקדש) [ lit. ‘the Holy Place’].

The Jews called it sometimes miškān (מִשְׁכָּן – meesh-KAHN) comes from the Hebrew root meaning “to dwell”; the tabernacle was considered to be the earthly dwelling place of God, which, like the Latin taberna, meant a dwelling-place, but more commonly Ohel, which meant, like tabernacle, a tent. In shape it resembled a tent, and is supposed to have derived its form from the tents used by the Patriarchs during their nomadic life. There are three Tabernacles mentioned in Scripture history—the Ante Sinaitic, the Sinaitic, and the Davidic

1. The Ante-Sinaitic Tabernacle was the tent used, perhaps from the beginning of the Exodus, for the transaction of business, and was situated at some distance from the camp. It was used only provisionally and was superseded by the Tabernacle proper.

2. The Sinaitic Tabernacle. This was constructed by Aholiab or Oholiab (Hebrew: אָהֳלִיאָב ʾĀholīʾāḇ, “father’s tent”) and Bezalel, Bezaleel, or Betzalel (Hebrew: בְּצַלְאֵל, Bəṣalʼēl), was the chief artisan of the Tabernacle and was in charge of building the Ark of the Covenant; both under the immediate direction of Moses. The costliness and splendor of this edifice