Construction and Duration of the Tabernacle at Mt. Horeb
The construction of the Tabernacle at Mount Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai, was a significant undertaking for the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt. The work on the Tabernacle is generally understood to have begun approximately six months after the Israelites left Egypt [2, 4]. This period of construction lasted for about six months, with the Tabernacle being erected on the first day of the first month of the second year after the Exodus [2, 4]. This means the Tabernacle was completed and set up one year minus fifteen days after their departure from Egypt [2].
The command for its construction is linked to the Sabbath, with Ramban (Nachmanides) interpreting "these are the things which the Eternal hath commanded" in Exodus 35:1 as referring to the building of the Tabernacle, rather than solely the law of the Sabbath [3]. The detailed and costly workmanship involved in the Tabernacle's construction made the relatively short completion time remarkable [2].
Rabbinic tradition, as found in the Babylonian Talmud, indicates that Moses constructed the Tabernacle during the first year after the Exodus, and it was erected in the second year [5, 6, 7, 8]. The Tabernacle's erection on the first day of the first month is understood by some rabbis to coincide with the eighth day of the installation of the priests [10]. During the preceding seven days of installation, the Tabernacle was reportedly set up and dismantled daily, but on the eighth day, it was erected permanently until the Israelites moved from Mount Sinai [10].
Despite the detailed instructions and the presence of many wise men, the Midrash Rabbah suggests that these individuals were initially unable to erect the Tabernacle themselves. It was Moses, considered the most excellent among them, who ultimately assembled it after they brought him the crafted components [9].
The duration of the Tabernacle's use in the wilderness is also discussed in rabbinic literature. The Babylonian Talmud states that the Tabernacle stood in the wilderness for forty years less one, meaning thirty-nine years [5]. This period is linked to the sin of the spies, which resulted in the Israelites remaining in the wilderness for forty years [5]. Mount Horeb itself is noted as being an eleven days' journey from Kadesh-barnea by way of Mount Seir [1].
Sources
- Deuteronomy “Deuteronomy 1:2 (NASB) — It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea.”
- Exodus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Exodus 40:2: The first day of the first month - It Is generally supposed that the Israelites began the work of the tabernacle about the sixth month after they had left Egypt; and as the work was finished about the end of the first year of their exodus, (for it was set up the first day of the second year), that therefore they had spent about six months in making it: so that the tabernacle was erected one year all but fifteen days after they had left Egypt. Such a building, with such a profusion of curious and costly workmanship, was never got up in so short a time. But it was the”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Exodus 35:1: THESE ARE THE THINGS WHICH THE ETERNAL HATH COMMANDED, THAT YE SHOULD DO THEM. 2. SIX DAYS SHALL WORK BE DONE. The expression, these are the things which the Eternal hath commanded refers to the construction of the Tabernacle, 7 And not as Ibn Ezra explains [in his short commentary on the Book of Exodus], that these are the words refers to the law of the Sabbath, it being mentioned in the plural “words” because the Sabbath is as important as all the other commandments. But according to Ramban, the reference is to the building of the Tabernacle, and the plur”
- Exodus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Exodus 40 (introduction): THE TABERNACLE REARED AND ANOINTED. (Exo. 40:1-38) On the first day of the first month--From a careful consideration of the incidents recorded to have happened after the exodus (Exo 12:2; Exo 13:4; Exo 19:1; Exo 20:18; Exo 34:28, &c.), it has been computed that the work of the tabernacle was commenced within six months after that emigration; and consequently, that other six months had been occupied in building it. So long a period spent in preparing the materials of a movable pavilion, it would be difficult to understand, were it not for ”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Zevachim 118b.14: The Gemara asks: From where do we derive that the days of the Tent of Meeting that were in the wilderness were forty years less one? As the Master said in a baraita : In the first year after the Exodus from Egypt, Moses constructed the Tabernacle; in the second year the Tabernacle was erected, and Moses sent spies. Because of the sin of the spies, the Jewish people remained in the wilderness for forty years. It follows that the Tabernacle in the wilderness stood for thirty-nine years.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 68a.25:7: And the Master says in a baraita : During the first year after the exodus, Moses constructed the Tabernacle; during the second year, the Tabernacle was erected and Moses sent the spies. Consequently, how old was Caleb when the Jewish people crossed the Jordan? He was eighty less two, i.e., seventy-eight years old. When Joshua was dividing Eretz Yisrael into inheritances, Caleb said to him: I am eighty-five years old. It is therefore found that they conquered the land for seven years.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 68b.25:7: And the Master says in a baraita : During the first year after the exodus, Moses constructed the Tabernacle; during the second year, the Tabernacle was erected and Moses sent the spies. Consequently, how old was Caleb when the Jewish people crossed the Jordan? He was eighty less two, i.e., seventy-eight years old. When Joshua was dividing Eretz Yisrael into inheritances, Caleb said to him: I am eighty-five years old. It is therefore found that they conquered the land for seven years.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin 13a.7: And the Master says in a baraita : During the first year after the exodus, Moses constructed the Tabernacle; during the second year, the Tabernacle was erected and Moses sent the spies. Consequently, how old was Caleb when the Jewish people crossed the Jordan? He was eighty less two, i.e., seventy-eight years old. When Joshua was dividing Eretz Yisrael into inheritances, Caleb said to him: I am eighty-five years old. It is therefore found that they conquered the land for seven years.”
- Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Shemot Rabbah 52:4: There were numerous wise men there, and they came to Moses, but they were unable to erect it. As Solomon said: “Many daughters have performed valiantly, but you have surpassed [ alit ] them all” (Proverbs 31:29); as Moses was the most excellent [ meuleh ] of them all. “But you have surpassed them all.” Why? Because they crafted the Tabernacle but were unable to put it together. What did they do? Each and every one took [the product of] his labor and they came to Moses. They said: ‘Here are the boards, here are the bars.’ When Moses saw them, the Divine Prese”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Exodus 40:2: ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH SHALT THOU SET UP THE TABERNACLE OF THE TENT OF MEETING. In the opinion of our Rabbis 43 Sifra, beginning of Seder Shemini . who say that this was on the eighth day of the installation [of the priests into their sacred office], 44 On the first seven days of the installation the Tabernacle was put up and taken apart each day. But on the eighth day it was put up and no longer dismantled until they moved away from the encampment at Mount Sinai. Accordingly, since in the opinion of the Rabbis the first day of Nisan was the ei”