An Atheist Explores the Bible Part Eighteen: Let's Build a Tabernacle (Exodus 36-40)

Exodus 36-40

Let's Build a Tabernacle

Welcome to another instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Bible version).

In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the King James Bible, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology.

For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/2F8f9JT

For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP

And now:

Exodus 36

“Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.

We’ve had a fairly lengthy set-up and set of instructions for the tabernacle, ark and associated paraphernalia, now it’s time to build it. This chapter is another repetition of the instructions, but it’s of a kind that fits with folk tale tradition, and therefore works, rather than the clumsy writing of some recent chapters. It smacks of that kind of style that stems from an oral tradition, you know the kind: “In order to reach the ogre’s castle you must cross the deep, wide sea, brave the deep, dark forest and climb the tall, cruel mountains. And so the knight set out, and he crossed the deep wide sea, and passed through the deep, dark forest, and climbed the tall, cruel mountains.” It has a rhythm to it. I this case, as well, there’s a practical side as it also serves to reinforce the measurements of all the items, which is obviously of great ritual importance in a religious and cultural identity.

Exodus 37

“And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:”

Okay, more of the same. Last chapter was the tabernacle, this chapter the ark and altar dressing. Really not a lot else to say on this.

Exodus 38

“All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.”

The work continues, finishing with the altar and the court of the tabernacle. The chapter closes with some figures telling us how much precious metal was donated to build the items, like totting up the bill at the end.

Exodus 39

“And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses.”

Not done yet, I forgot about the priestly vestments, which are described again here. Evidently Aaron is forgiven for the whole golden calf incident as he still gets to be high priest.

Exodus 40

“For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys”

Now we’re done. This chapter details how the tabernacle etc. were set up and first consecrated with anointing oil, and that from then on, as the above quote says, whenever they set it down the cloud of God descended on it and they waited until it had lifted before setting off. Actually, I have to say although the description is a bit gaudy for my tastes I imagine this was a pretty impressive sight, particularly to have been created by a nomadic people to take with them and set up wherever they stopped. If nothing else it says a lot about how important their religion was to the Israelites as a gothic cathedral says about the people of mediaeval Europe.

And that’s Exodus, which kind of loops back almost to where it began, or at least to when the Israelites first left Egypt. I didn’t enjoy it as much as Genesis – some of the writing was particularly execrable and there were a lot of building instructions. Although I preferred the more human interactions of Abraham down to Joseph, compared to the supernatural violence of Moses and Abraham, there is a strong sense of the religion of the Israelites becoming galvanised and a more powerful force in their lives.