The tabernacle was made of boards, with bars put across; and these bars
and boards were made of shittim wood and covered with gold. Within the
tabernacle, under the upper end, were four more pillars; a beautiful
covering, called the vail, was hung over them; and this hid the inside,
which was the most holy place, "the Holy of Holies," it was called. None
could go in there but the High Priest; and he went only once a year. In
the Holy of Holies was placed the ark. The ark was a chest, or box, made
of shittim wood, covered with gold; and there were rings in the sides
for poles to be put in when the ark was moved. The top of the ark was
called the mercy-seat; two golden angels, called cherubim, were placed
one on each side of the mercy-seat; they looked over it, and their wings
covered the top. In the ark were afterwards kept the tables of the
commandments, Aaron's rod, and afterwards a golden pot full of manna,
which God commanded to be put there. Outside the vail was the altar, on
which the holy bread, called shew-bread, was placed, and the great gold
candlestick. The tabernacle stood in a large open court; pillars of
brass surrounded it, and curtains were hung upon them. The brazen altar
for burnt offerings, and the great laver where the priests washed, stood
in this court. There were coverings and curtains to the tabernacle and
court.
Over the boards of the tabernacle was thrown a covering of fine linen,
beautifully worked in scarlet, and purple, and blue; over the linen was
a covering of goat's hair; over this, a covering of ram's skins dyed
red; and another covering of thick skins was over all. The people were
not allowed to go into the tabernacle; but the priests went in every
morning to offer incense, and every evening to light the lamps; and on
the Sabbath, to take away the old shew-bread from the table, and to put
on new. The sacrifices were offered in the court, where the people
stood.
Now, when the tabernacle was set up, Moses made Aaron the High Priest
and clothed him in the sacred garments of his office,--the coat, the
girdle, the robe, the ephod, the breastplate, and the mitre. The coat
was a long linen robe, with sleeves, and having a girdle worked in blue
and purple and scarlet. The robe was a long, blue linen garment, without
sleeves.
Around the skirts were golden bells, which sounded whenever the High
Priest went into the Holy Place.
The ephod was a short robe, worked also in blue, purple and scarlet; and
around the waist was worn a girdle of gold.
The breastplate was made of cloth, and was very thick. It had four rings
to join it to the ephod, and twelve beautiful stones were set in it; and
on these stones were cut the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, that
is, the twelve sons of Jacob.
The mitre was a linen turban; and on the front of it were the words,
_Holy of Holies_!
When all was ready, the children held a sacred feast, and Moses anointed
Aaron with oil.
The tabernacle established, the Israelites were now ready to move on
towards Canaan.
[Illustration: RETURN OF THE SPIES FROM THE LAND OF PROMISE.]