Duration of the Tabernacle in Gibeon
The Tabernacle, originally constructed by Moses in the wilderness, resided in Gibeon for a significant period after the destruction of Nob and before the construction of Solomon's Temple [3, 1]. This portable sanctuary, also known as the "dwelling-place" or "tent of meeting," was where God's presence was manifested to Israel [4].
Biblical accounts confirm the Tabernacle's presence in Gibeon. First Chronicles 21:29 states, "But the Tabernacle of the Lord which Moses had made in the wildernesse, and the altar of burnt offring were at that season in the hie place at Gibeon" [1]. The King James Version similarly notes, "For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon" [2]. This location, Gibeon, was a "hill-city" within the territory of Benjamin and became a priestly city [3].
The move to Gibeon followed the destruction of Nob, where the Tabernacle had previously been located [3, 10]. While the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem by David and placed in a temporary tabernacle he pitched for it [6, 9], the original Mosaic Tabernacle and its brazen altar remained at Gibeon [5, 8, 9]. This meant that during David's reign, there were effectively two centers of worship: the Ark in Jerusalem and the Tabernacle in Gibeon [6].
The duration of the Tabernacle's stay in Gibeon is estimated by some traditions to be around 57 years, following its time in Shiloh and Nob [10]. During this period, Gibeon served as a significant site for national devotion. King Solomon, for instance, traveled to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, indicating its importance as a place of worship due to the presence of the Tabernacle and the altar of burnt offering [5, 7]. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the brazen altar there, a prodigious number that some interpret as occurring over several days rather than a single event [7].
The Tabernacle's presence in Gibeon continued until the completion of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. At that point, the Tabernacle from Gibeon, along with its sacred vessels, was brought into the newly constructed Temple [6]. This marked the end of the Tabernacle's long history as a portable sanctuary, as it was superseded by the permanent structure of the Temple.
Sources
- I Chronicles “I Chronicles 21:29 (Geneva1599) — (But the Tabernacle of the Lord which Moses had made in the wildernesse, and the altar of burnt offring were at that season in the hie place at Gibeon.”
- King James Version “[KJV] 1 Chronicles 21:29 — For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Gibeon — Hill-city, "one of the royal cities, greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty" (Josh. 10:2). Its inhabitants were Hivites (11:19). It lay within the territory of Benjamin, and became a priest-city (18:25; 21:17). Here the tabernacle was set up after the destruction of Nob, and here it remained many years till the temple was built by Solomon. It is represented by the modern el-Jib, to the south-west of Ai, and about 5 1/2 miles north-north-west of Jerusalem. A deputation of the Gibeonites, with their allies from three other cities (Josh. 9;17), vi”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Tabernacle — (1.) A house or dwelling-place (Job 5:24; 18:6, etc.). (2.) A portable shrine (comp. Acts 19:24) containing the image of Moloch (Amos 5:26; marg. and R.V., "Siccuth"). (3.) The human body (2 Cor. 5:1, 4); a tent, as opposed to a permanent dwelling. (4.) The sacred tent (Heb. mishkan, "the dwelling-place"); the movable tent-temple which Moses erected for the service of God, according to the "pattern" which God himself showed to him on the mount (Ex. 25:9; Heb. 8:5). It is called "the tabernacle of the congregation," rather "of meeting", i.e., where God pr”
- 1 Kings (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Kings 3:4: the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there--The old tabernacle and the brazen altar which Moses had made in the wilderness were there (Ch1 16:39; Ch1 21:29; Ch2 1:3-6). The royal progress was of public importance. It was a season of national devotion. The king was accompanied by his principal nobility (Ch2 1:2); and, as the occasion was most probably one of the great annual festivals which lasted seven days, the rank of the offerer and the succession of daily oblations may help in part to account for the immense magnitude of the sacrifices.”
- 1 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 8:4: They brought up - the tabernacle - It is generally agreed that there were now two tabernacles at Gibeon, and the other in the city of David, which one David had constructed as a temporary residence for the ark, in the event of a temple being built. Which of these tabernacles was brought into the temple at this time, is not well known; some think both were brought in, in order to prevent the danger of idolatry. I should rather suppose that the tabernacle from Gibeon was brought in, and that the temporary one erected by David was demolished.”
- 1 Kings (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Kings 3:4: And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there,.... About four or five miles from Jerusalem; See Gill on Kg1 2:28; for that was the great high place; not that the place itself might be higher than others that were used; but here were the tabernacle of Moses, and the altar; so that it was a more dignified place, and more sacred because of them: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar; the brazen altar of burnt offerings there; not at one time, but on several days successively; though Jarchi says on one day; and which was a prodigious number, ne”
- 1 Chronicles (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Chronicles 21:28: For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made,.... Or ordered to be made by the command of God, and according to his direction: and the altar of burnt offerings, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon; which was four or five miles from Jerusalem, and too far for David to go in that time of extremity; though he must have gone thither to sacrifice, had not the Lord bid him build an altar on the threshingfloor; for there was the altar of burnt offering, on which only, according to the law of Moses, sacrifices were to be offered: this high place is, i”
- 2 Samuel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Samuel 6:17: they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it--The old tabernacle remained at Gibeon (Ch1 16:39; Ch1 21:29; Ch2 1:3). Probably it was not removed because it was too large for the temporary place the king had appropriated, and because he contemplated the building of a temple.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Exodus 24:11: And they did eat and drink . This means that they ate there the peace-offerings at the lower part of the mountain before G-d previous to their returning to their tents, for peace-offerings have to be eaten within an enclosure; in Jerusalem they were eaten within the wall of the city, 543 Zebachim 112b. in Shiloh 544 The Tabernacle stood in Shiloh, in the territory of the tribe of Ephraim, for three hundred and sixty-nine years. After Shiloh was destroyed by the Philistines, the Tabernacle stood in Nob and then in Gibeon — a period of fifty-seven years — an”