Tabernacle at Shiloh vs Moses Instructions
The tabernacle at Shiloh was a central place of worship for the Israelites after they conquered Canaan, as indicated in Joshua 18, where the tabernacle was set up in Shiloh after the land was divided among the tribes [4]. However, the instructions given to Moses for the construction of the tabernacle, as recorded in Exodus 25-31, do not explicitly mention Shiloh as the location where it would be set up.
The biblical account emphasizes that Moses received detailed instructions from God regarding the tabernacle's construction, including its furnishings and the rituals to be performed there [2, 3]. These instructions were given on Mount Sinai, and Moses was commanded to follow the pattern shown to him [1]. The tabernacle was constructed according to these instructions, with Bezalel and Oholiav, skilled craftsmen, carrying out the work under Moses' oversight [6, 7].
One of the key differences between the tabernacle at Shiloh and Moses' instructions is the implication that the tabernacle was initially a portable structure, designed to be moved during the Israelites' wilderness journey. In contrast, Shiloh appears to have been a more settled location for the tabernacle, at least for a period of time [4]. The biblical text does not explicitly state that the tabernacle's setup at Shiloh deviated from Moses' instructions, but it does suggest that the tabernacle's role and significance evolved over time as the Israelites transitioned from a nomadic to a more settled lifestyle.
The tabernacle at Shiloh is mentioned in several biblical passages, including Psalm 78:60, which notes that God "forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh" [1]. This reference suggests that Shiloh was an important location for the tabernacle, but also implies that it was eventually abandoned.
The Jewish tradition, as reflected in the Midrash Rabbah, emphasizes the importance of Moses receiving the instructions from God and Bezalel carrying out the construction of the tabernacle. This tradition highlights the connection between the divine instructions and the human execution of the tabernacle's construction [7].
In summary, while the tabernacle at Shiloh was an important place of worship for the Israelites, the biblical account and Jewish tradition emphasize the significance of Moses' instructions and the tabernacle's original purpose as a portable structure. The setup of the tabernacle at Shiloh represents a development in the Israelites' worship practices, as they transitioned from a nomadic to a more settled lifestyle.
The historical context of the tabernacle's setup at Shiloh is closely tied to the Israelites' conquest of Canaan and their establishment of a more permanent presence in the land. As the Israelites settled in the land, the tabernacle's role evolved, and it became a central place of worship at Shiloh [5].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Tabernacle — Moses was commanded to make after a divine pattern -- Ex 25:9; 26:30; Heb 8:5. Made of the free-will offerings of the people -- Ex 25:1-8; 35:4,5,21-29. Divine wisdom given to Bezaleel to make -- Ex 31:2-7; 35:30-35; 36:1. Called the Tabernacle of the Lord. -- Jos 22:19; 1Ki 2:28; 1Ch 16:39. Tabernacle of testimony or witness. -- Ex 38:21; Nu 1:50; 17:7,8; 2Ch 24:6; Ac 7:44. Tabernacle of the congregation. -- Ex 27:21; 33:7; 40:26. Tabernacle of Shiloh. -- Ps 78:60. Tabernacle of Joseph. -- Ps 78:67. Temple of the Lord. -- 1Sa 1:9; 3:3. House of the Lord”
- Exodus “Exodus 16:34 (ASV) — As Jehovah commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.”
- Exodus “Exodus 24:12 (YLT) — And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Come up unto Me to the mount, and be there, and I give to thee the tables of stone, and the law, and the command, which I have written to direct them.'”
- Joshua (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua 18 (introduction): The Tabernacle Set Up at Shiloh. - As soon as the tribe of Ephraim had received its inheritance, Joshua commanded the whole congregation to assemble in Shiloh, and there set up the tabernacle, in order that, as the land was conquered, the worship of Jehovah might henceforth be regularly observed in accordance with the law. The selection of Shiloh as the site for the sanctuary was hardly occasioned by the fitness of the place for this purpose, on account of its being situated upon a mountain in the centre of the land, for there were many other place”
- Joshua (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Joshua 22:23: 22:23 The eastern tribes swore by the name of the Lord that they were not guilty. • The instructions for sacrifices prescribed burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings (Lev 1–3). At this time, Israel’s worship was centered at the Tabernacle in Shiloh. To offer sacrifices anywhere but the central sanctuary was a violation of God’s covenant.”
- Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 31:1: And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the Lord had given Moses instructions about building a tabernacle, the model of which he had shown him, and what should be the furniture of it, who should minister in it, and what clothes they should wear, he acquaints him that he had provided artificers for this service; which would prevent doubts and objections that might rise up in the mind of Moses, how and by whom all this should be done; since the children of Israel had not been brought up, nor used to any curious work in Egypt, out of which they were but just come: say”
- Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Shemot Rabbah 35:3: Another matter, “You shall craft the boards,” what is written before this matter? “See and craft” (Exodus 25:40). 8 This verse is addressed to Moses (see Exodus 25:1). Was it Moses who crafted the Tabernacle? Is it not written: “Betzalel and Oholiav and every wise-hearted man crafted”? (Exodus 36:1). Rather, it was Moses in theory and Betzalel in practice. 9 Moses received the instructions from God, and Betzalel carried them out. From here our Rabbis said to give reward to the one who causes the action to be performed like the one who performed it, as we fin”