Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

B Hebrew:

I just read Exodus 26 and decided to try to model in Google Sketchup the
tabernacle and other constructions connected with it. This was done to see
if I can get a better handle on the technical terminology used.

I know it is not exact, but in round figures, I used the measurement of 1.5
ft / cubit.

>From verse 15, I read it to say that the planks holding the tent up are
vertical. Verse 16 they are ten cubits (15 feet, about 5 meters) tall by a
cubit and a half wide (about 2 1/4 feet, 3/4 meter), and from other
descriptions probably about 6–9 inches thick. Wow! Try to buy planks like
that at your local lumber yard! I bet you would find it difficult.

It’s very unlikely that Israel got those planks by bringing them from Egypt
when they left, so that gives an idea of the types of trees that were still
found at that time in Sinai—big trees, able to produce such massive planks.

This also gives a very different picture of the tent—20 beams long by six
beams wide plus corner pieces, in meters about 15 meters long by five meters
wide by five meters tall. In round figures, 45 feet long by 15 feet wide by
15 feet high. That’s a big tent. Far different from all the illustrations
I’ve ever seen that make it seem much smaller.

This has changed the way I think the tent cloths were made and joined
together. To be honest, I’m not sure how that was done. As a result, I did
not finish making the model.

This is just from chapter 26, I’ll see how this is modified when I read the
later chapters that describe the actual construction process in greater
detail. Hopefully that will clear up some of my questions raised by trying
to make the model.

Sent for your information, and comments.

Karl W. Randolph.