yet
connected
sacred
objects,
the
ark
and
the
propitiatory
or
mercy-seat
(25'°-^2
37'->).
(a)
P's
characteristic
name
for
the
former
is
the
ark
6J
the
testimony.
The
latter
term
Is
a
synonym
in
P/for
the
Decalogue
(25"),
which
was
written
on
'the
tables
of
testimony'
(31"),
de-posited,
according
to
an
early
tradition,
within
the
ark.
The
ark
itself
occasionally
receives
the
simple
title
of
'
the
testimony,
'
whence
the
Tabernacle
as
sheltering
the
ark
is
named
in
P
both
'the
dwelling
(EV
'tabernacle')
of
the
testimony'
(Ex
SS^i
etc.)
and
'the
tent
of
the
testimony'
(Nu
9"
etc.).
The
ark
of
the
Priests'
Code
is
an
oblong
chest
of
acacia
wood,
2i
cubits
in
length
and
li
in
breadth
and
height
(5X3X3
half-cubits),
overlaid
within
and
without
with
pure
gold.
The
sides
are
decorated
with
an
obscure
form
of
ornamentation,
the
'crown'
of
Ex
25",
probably
a
moulding
(RVm
'rim
or
moulding').
At
the
four
corners
(v.12
AV;
RV,
less
accurately,
'feet')
the
usual
rings
were
attached
to
receive
the
bearing-poles.
The
precise
point
of
attach-ment
is
uncertain,
whether
at
the
ends
of
the
two
long
sides
or
of
the
two
short
sides.
Since
it
would
be
more
seemly
that
the
throne
of
J",
presently
to
be
described,
should
face
in
the
direction
of
the
march,
it
is
more
probable
that
the
poles
were
meant
to
pass
through
rings
attached
to
the
short
sides,
but
whether
these
were
to
be
attached
at
the
lowest
point
of
the
sides,
or
higher
up,
cannot
be
determined.
That
the
Decalogue
or
'testimony'
was
to
find
a
place
in
the
ark
(25")
has
already
been
stated.
(&)
Distinct
from
the
ark,
but
resting
upon
and
of
the
same
superficial
dimensions
as
its
top,
viz.
2i
by
li
cubits,
we
find
a
slab
of
solid
gold
to
which
is
given
the
name
kavvOreth.
The
best
English
rendering
is
the
propitiatory
(vv.'™-),
of
which
the
current
mercy
-seat,
adopted
by
Tindale
from
Luther's
rendering,
is
a
not
Inappropriate
paraphrase.
From
opposite
ends
of
the
propitiatory,
and
'of
one
piece'
with
it
(v."
RV),
rose
a
pair
of
cherubim
figures
of
beaten
work
of
pure
gold.
The
faces
of
the
cherubim
were
bent
dovmwards
in
the
direction
of
the
propitiatory,
while
the
wings
with
which
each
was
furnished
met
overhead,
so
as
to
cover
the
propitiatory
(vv."-").
We
have
now
penetrated
to
the
innermost
shrine
of
the
priestly
sanctuary.
Its
very
position
is
significant.
The
surrounding
court
is
made
up
of
two
squares,
60
cubits
each
way,
placed
side
by
side
(see
above).
The
eastern
square,
with
its
central
altar,
is
the
worshippers'
place
of
meeting.
The
entrance
to
the
Tabernacle
proper
lies
along
the
edge
of
the
western
square,
the
exact
centre
of
which
is
occupied
by
the
most
holy
place.
In
the
centre
of
the
latter,
again,
at
the
point
of
inter-section
of
the
diagonals
of
the
square,
we
may
be
sure,
is
the
place
intended
for
the
ark
and
the
propitiatory.
Here
in
the
very
centre
of
the
camp
is
the
earthly
throne
of
J".
Here,
'from
above
the
propitiatory,
from
between
the
cherubim,'
the
most
holy
of
all
earth's
holy
places,
will
God
henceforth
meet
and
commune
with
His
servant
Moses
(25^2).
But
with
Moses
only;
for
even
the
high
priest
is
permitted
to
enter
the
most
holy
place
but
once
a
year,
on
the
great
Day
of
Atone-ment,
when
he
comes
to
sprinkle
the
blood
of
the
national
sin-offering
'with
his
finger
upon
the
mercy-
seat'
(Lv
16").
The
ordinary
priests
came
only
into
the
holy
place,
the
lay
worshipper
only
into
'the
court
of
the
dwelling.'
In
the
course
of
the
foregoing
exposi-tion,
it
will
have
been
seen
how
these
ascending
degrees
of
sanctity
are
reflected
in
the
materials
employed
in
the
construction
of
the
court,
holy
place,
most
holy
place,
and
propitiatory
respectively.
It
is
not
without
significance
that
the
last
named
is
the
only
article
of
solid
gold
in
the
whole
sanctuary.
8.
These
observations
lead
naturally
to
a
brief
ex-position
of
the
religious
symbolism
which
so
evidently
pervades
every
part
of
the
wilderness
sanctuary.
Its
position
in
the
centre
of
the
camp
of
the
Hebrew
tribes
has
already
been
more
than
once
referred
to.
By
this
the
Priestly
writer
would
emphasize
the
central
place
which
the
rightly
ordered
worship
of
Israel's
covenant
God
must
occupy
in
the
theocratic
community
of
the
future.
The
most
assured
fruit
of
the
discipline
of
the
Baby-lonian
Exile
was
the
final
triumph
of
monotheism.
This
triumph
we
find
reflected
in
the
presuppositions
of
the
Priests'
Code.
One
God,
one
sanctuary,
is
the
idea
implicit
throughout.
But
not
only
is
there
no
God
but
Jahweh;
Jahweh,
Israel's
God,
'is
one'
(Dt
6'
RVm),
and
because
He
is
one.
His
earthly
'dwell-ing
'
must
be
one
(Ex
26«
RV,
ct.
§
6
(o)).
The
Tabernacle
thus
symbolizes
both
the
oneness
and
the
unity
of
J".
Nor
is
the
perpetual
striving
after
proportion
and
symmetry
which
characterizes
all
the
measurements
of
the
Tabernacle
and
its
furniture
without
a
deeper
significance.
By
this
means
the
author
undoubtedly
seeks
to
symbolize
the
perfection
and
harmony
of
the
Divine
character.
Thus,
to
take
but
a
single
illustration,
the
perfect
cube
of
the
most
holy
place,
of
which
'
the
length
and
breadth
and
height,'
like
those
of
the
New
Jerusalem
of
the
Apocalypse
(21"),
'are
equal,'
is
clearly
intended
to
symbolize
the
perfection
of
the
Divine
character,
the
harmony
and
equipoise
of
the
Divine
attributes.
Above
all,
however,
the
Tabernacle
in
its
relation
to
the
camp
embodies
and
symbolizes
the
almost
un-approachable
holiness
of
God.
This
fundamental
conception
has
been
repeatedly
emphasized
in
the
foregoing
sections,
and
need
be
re-stated
in
this
con-nexion
only
for
the
sake
of
completeness.
The
symbolism
of
the
Tabernacle
is
a
subject
in
which
pious
imagina-tions
in
the
past
have
run
riot,
but
with
regard
to
which
one
must
endeavour
to
be
faithful
to
the
ideas
in
the
mind
of
the
Priestly
author.
The
threefold
division
of
the
sanctuary,
for
example,
into
court,
holy
place,
and
holy
of
holies,
may
have
originally
symbolized
the
earth,
heaven,
and
the
heaven
of
heavens,
but
for
the
author
of
Ex
25
tf.
it
was
an
essential
part
of
the
Temple
tradition
(cf.
Temple,
§
7).
In
this
case,
therefore,
the
division
should
rather
be
taken,
as
in
§
7
above,
as
a
reflexion
of
the
three
grades
of
the
theocratic
com-munity,
people,
priests,
and
high
priest.
9.
Reluctantly,
but
unavoidably,
we
must
return,
in
conclusion,
to
the
question
mooted
in
§
2
as
to
the
relation
of
the
gorgeous
sanctuary
above
described
to
the
simple
'tent
of
meeting'
of
the
older
Pentateuch
sources.
In
other
words,
is
P's
Tabernacle
historical?
In
the
first
place,
there
is
no
reason
to
question,
but
on
the
contrary
every
reason
to
accept,
the
data
of
the
Elohistic
source
(E)
regarding
the
Mosaic
'tent
of
meeting.'
This
earlier
'tabernacle'
is
first
met
with
in
Ex
33'-":
'
Now
Moses
used
to
take
the
tent
and
to
pitch
it
[the
tenses
are
frequentative]
without
the
camp,
afar
off
from
the
camp
.
.
.
and
it
came
to
pass
that
every
one
which
sought
the
Lord
went
out
unto
the
tent
of
meeting
which
was
without
the
camp.'
To
it,
we
are
further
informed,
Moses
was
wont
to
retire
to
commune
with
J",
who
descended
in
the
pillar
of
the
cloud
to
talk
with
Moses
at
the
door
of
the
tent
'as
a
man
talketh
with
his
friend'
(see
also
the
references
in
Nu
ll«-so
12"'-
14'»).
Only
a
mind
strangely
insensible
to
the
laws
of
evidence,
or
still
in
the
fetters
of
an
antiquated
doctrine
of
inspira^
tion,
could
reconcile
the
picture
of
this
simple
tent,
'afar
off
from
the
camp,'
with
Joshua
as
its
single
non-
Levitical
attendant
(33"),
vrith
that
of
the
Tabernacle
of
the
Priests'
Code,
situated
in
the
centre
of
the
camp,
with
its
attendant
army
of
priests
and
Levites.
More-over,
neither
tent
nor
Tabernacle
is
rightly
intelligible
except
as
the
resting-place
of
the
ark,
the
symbol
of
J^'s
presence
with
His
people.
Now,
the
oldest
of
our
extant
historical
sources
have
much
to
tell
us
of
the
fortunes
of
the
ark
from
the
time
that
it
formed
the
glory
of
the
Temple
at
Shiloh
until
it
entered
its
final
resting-place
in
that
of
Solomon
(see
Ark).
Butnowheie
is
there
the
slightest
reference
to
anything
in
the
least
