Analyzing Embodied Space in Ancient Israel’s Tabernacle: A Biblical Studies Perspective

Abstract

T emple building was a common activity in the ancient Near East, something undertaken by kings on earth and deities in the heavens. In both Israel and Mesopotamia, temple-building activities were linked to the act of creation of the cosmos. In the Enūma Eliš , from Mesopotamia, creation is the result of a cosmogonic battle between two gods, Marduk, the victor, and Tiamat, the loser. At the end of this battle, Marduk creates the cosmos, and when he finishes, a group of lesser gods build him an earthly temple in Babylon in which to dwell. Building this temple is the culminating act of creation. In Israel, one of its creation stories (Gen. 1:1–2:4a) provides an account of the creation, yet no temple or earthly dwelling is built for the creator God. That part of creation is delayed until the latter half of the book of Exodus (chs. 25–31; 35–40), when Israel receives instructions for construction of the wilderness tabernacle. Once the people finish building it, the deity enters it and dwells among them (Exod. 40:34). These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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