Tabernacle 



The first apartment of the sanctuary was called the holy place. It was twenty cubits long, and contained the altar of incense, the table of showbread, and the golden candlestick. The second apartment was called the most holy place. It was ten cubits every way, and contained the ark of the covenant.

This ark is sometimes called the ark of the testimony, sometimes the ark of the testament, and frequently the ark of God. It was made to contain the tables of the law,—the ten commandments, written by the finger of God. It was a chest, made of boards, overlaid with gold within and without, and covered with the mercy seat. The mercy seat was made out of one piece of gold, each end of it being wrought into the form of a cherub looking inward toward the mercy seat, and extending its wings forward above the mercy seat.

The golden censer, in which the priest burned incense, was also kept in the most holy place.

In the holy place, just before the ark, and separated from it only by the second vail, stood the golden altar of incense. Like the ark, it was made of boards of shittim wood overlaid with gold. It had a horn of gold at each corner, and on the top of it the priest burned incense every morning and evening.

The table of showbread stood on the north side of the holy place. It was overlaid with gold, and ornamented by a crown and border wrought in gold. On it was kept a continual supply of bread, which the priests renewed every week.

The golden candlestick stood on the south side, opposite the table of showbread. It was wrought out of one piece of gold, and had a shaft and six branches, so as to hold seven lamps, which were trimmed and kept burning by the priests.

The brazen altar stood in the court, between the gate of the court and the door of the tabernacle. It was made of boards overlaid with brass, and on it were burned the animals presented as burnt offerings to the Lord.

Between the brazen altar and the door of the tabernacle stood the laver. It was made of brass, and contained water for the priests to wash in.

All the wood used in making the sanctuary and its vessels, was overlaid with gold, no wood but shittim wood being used.

The ark was 2 1/2 cubits in length, by l 1/2 in breadth and height; the altar of incense, a cubit in length and breadth, and 2 cubits high; the table of showbread, a cubit broad, 1 1/2 cubits high, and 2 cubits long. The altar of burnt offering was 5 cubits in length and breadth, by 3 cubits in height. 





G. H. BELL.