tabernacle

View more Entertainment & Arts videos

For more information on Tabernacle, visit Britannica.com.

Decorative receptacle or niche, often topped with a canopy, containing the Host, relics, a statue or other holy image.

See the Abbreviations for further details.

The portable shrine that the Israelites took with them into the desert, made by Moses according to God's command (Ex 25:8); also named the "Tent of Congregation". Its place was outside the camp, where all who sought the Lord could go (Ex 33:7); there God also spoke to Moses. The ark of the covenant was kept in the tabernacle even after the conquest of Canaan, its permanent place being at Shiloh (Josh 18:1). Eventually it was housed in Solomon's Temple (I Kgs 8:4).

The tabernacle was built by Bezalel, son of Uri (Ex 31:1-11), according to a design that was revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 25:9; 26:30). It consisted of three walls made of boards of shittim wood (acacia), plated with gold (Ex 26:15-22). Colored curtains, embroidered with cherubim, were hung over the boards. Above the tabernacle were spread 12 plain goatskin curtains and these, in turn, were covered with rams' skins and badgers' skins painted red. The tabernacle was divided into the holy place and the Holy of Holies by a veil (Ex 26:31-33) suspended on four wooden posts. The tabernacle was 30 cubits long and 10 cubits wide and it stood within a courtyard measuring 100 cubits by 50 cubits (Ex 27:9-13). This courtyard was divided into two equal parts: in the eastern half stood the tabernacle, while in the western half the vessels used in services were kept. It was surrounded by a fence made of posts from which hangings were suspended. The entrance to the court was on the east, and it was overhung with a veil (Ex 27:16), like the one at the entrance to the tabernacle. The most important ritual object was the altar of burnt offerings (Ex 27:1-2), which stood in the center of the eastern half of the court and measured 5 cubits by 5 cubits by 3 cubits. Like most of the furniture in the tabernacle it was made of acacia wood, a tree native to Sinai, and was plated with copper. The most important pieces of furniture in the tabernacle were the ark of the covenant, the golden cherubim, the incense altar and the table for the shrewbread, all of which stood in the holy place. At the southern end of the tabernacle stood the golden menorah (candelabrum).

In the NT, Jesus is the priest of the heavenly tabernacle, which is the true tabernacle (Heb 8:2, 5). The original tabernacle which is described in Hebrews 9:1-10, proceeds to state that Christ's tabernacle is more perfect, not made by man (Heb 9:11-14). The heavenly tabernacle is again mentioned in Revelation 15:5.

1. A decorative niche often topped with a canopy and housing a statue.
2. A church for a large Protestant congregation.

tabernacle, 1

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

• Types of Buildings - tabernacle: usu. large meeting house or assembly hall, used esp. as place of worship
• Classical Elements and Design - tabernacle: highly decorated niche
• Structures and Institutions - tabernacle: house of worship, esp. large tent for evangelical services; portable sanctuary in which Ark of the Covenant was carried by Israelites after the Exodus

Dansk (Danish)
n. - tabernakel, niche

Nederlands (Dutch)
tent van samenkomst (bij oude Israëlieten), bedehuis (van methodisten), mastkoker (schip), tijdelijk huizen in (m.n. in lichaam)

Français (French)
n. - (Relig) tabernacle, (US) grande église

Deutsch (German)
n. - Stiftshütte, Tabernakel, Gotteshaus, Hütte, Zelt, (mar.) Mastbock

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - σκήνωμα, ναός, αρτοφόριο, ιερό, ιεροφυλάκιο

Italiano (Italian)
tabernacolo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - tabernáculo (m), moradia (f) temporária, relicário (m)

Русский (Russian)
Скиния, кивот, молельня

Español (Spanish)
n. - tabernáculo, sagrario

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - tabernakel

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
临时房屋, 身体, 帐篷

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 臨時房屋, 身體, 帳篷

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 임시로 지은 집, 가옥, 큰 예배당

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 礼拝堂, 幕屋, 仮の住まい

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) مسكن موقت - خيمه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮בית-תפילה, מישכן, אוהל-מועד, תיבת לחם-הקודש (בכנסייה), בסיס לתורן שניתן להנמיכו במעבר תחת גשר‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.