Revisions were added to this webpage on 22 Apr 2002
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"Side" or "Sides"
as applicable to the north, south, and west walls

"Board" or "Boards"

Till now, assembling the tabernacle boards has been straight-forward. The instructions have been clear. But the next few biblical verses are somewhat confusing. It's the treatment of the corner boards in the west end of the tabernacle that may cause some disagreement by "would-be tabernacle builders". The instructions begin:

"Corners"

The first question is: Were two boards made for each corner, thus utilising four boards? This would make a total of ten (6 + 4) boards for the west end. The corner boards, however, were to be "coupled" as described in the next verses, so that the width of the west wall would be a total of eight boards.

"Coupled"

"Ring"

"Both"

The bible does not say that there was a total of "50" or "48" boards for the perimeter of three sides to the tabernacle, but it says that there were 20 boards on the north side, 20 boards on the south side, and 6 boards plus 2 corner boards on the west end, totalling 8 boards at the west end. So some may consider that the total number of actual boards could be 50, but the ground layout/perimeter of the three walls would only take the space of 48 boards placed side by side. What we are really concerned with here, is not the actual number of boards used in the construction, but the actual length and width of the tabernacle. It seems that the Bible record is quite clear - 20 + 20 + 8 (= 48) boards, placed side by side, slotted into their silver sockets - 2 sockets for each board, making a total of 96 silver sockets for the walls of the Tabernacle. Let's look at some of the some possible alternatives for the construction of the corner boards.

Some tabernacle researchers claim that only one board was used for the corners, and it was cut in half so that half a board was used on each side of the six boards of the west wall. Now this would mean that the two end boards were not as wide as all the others around the tabernacle, and that they had two tenons to slot into two silver sockets which were spaced much closer together than the tenons and sockets of the other six boards. I don't know if this is structurally sound, but am assuming that it was not the way the tabernacle was constructed.

Corners Diagram 1 Ground View of base containing the 16 silver sockets into which the West Wall Boards are slotted West Wall Width = (6 x 33") + (2 x 16.5") = 231 inches?   PLAN REJECTED ?

One may think that, if the corner boards were cut in half and joined together (again, I don't know if this is structurally sound or not) to form an angle, then the length of the south and north walls would be each three-quarters of a cubit longer, i.e. (based on a 22 inch cubit) 20.5 boards would measure 31.5 cubits, or 693 inches; whilst the west wall would measure (6 x 22) + (16.5 x 2) = 198 + 33 = 231 inches for the width of the tabernacle.

Corners Diagram 2 Ground View of base containing the 16 silver sockets into which the West Wall Boards are slotted, however extending length of north and south walls West Wall Width = (6 x 33") + (2 x 16.5") = 231 inches?   PLAN REJECTED ?

These designs are yet other alternatives which have been considered by would-be tabernacle builders. I can think of other structural combinations, and no doubt many others have done so too. We've considered enough examples here to accept the fact that the Bible says that eight boards were assembled side by side, and made up the width of the West Wall. We'll look at just one more design option, and leave the matter there.

Corners Diagrams 3 and 4 West Wall Width = (8 x 33") but In the next diagram, the inside Width of Tabernacle is reduced to be considerably less than eight boards wide. The above corner treatment would extend the length of the Tabernacle to be more than the equivalent length of 20 boards along the north and south sides. The width of the Tabernacle (?) would depend upon the angle of the two corner boards too. There are also two boards in each corner, making a total of ten boards, not eight boards as required for the West Wall. There were only 16 silver sockets made for the West Wall; this layout would require 20 silver sockets. PLANS REJECTED ?

We get a clue of measurement from the fact that each board had two tenons, and these tenons slotted into two sockets of silver. As we're given the total of sixteen sockets for the west wall, this seems to imply that the actual width of the tabernacle was equivalent to eight boards - all one-and-a-half cubits wide - with the sixteen sockets evenly spaced beneath the eight boards. The width of the tabernacle would therefore be 8 boards x 33 inches = 264 inches. This is width that I prefer; and it seems to be a neater architectural construction "pattern". When we study the numeric combinations of this overall "pattern" we arrive at some most interesting results. (An architect's or builder's opinion on this would be very much appreciated.) The structural design given in Diagram 5a may prove to be stronger, and there is an assumption that the tabernacle boards have a thickness ratio of 6:1 - that is one-sixth of 33 inches equals 5.5 inches. The "cubit ratio" therefore is 4:1, or one-quarter of 22 inches equals 5.5 inches. Considering that the tabernacle was portable in every way, so that it could be moved from place to place, and that the length of the boards was 10 cubits (220 inches, i.e. taller than 18 feet high) it is inconceivable to think that the boards would 1.5 cubits square in width (i.e. 33 inches square) - it would take many men to lift 48 of these. The plank shape for the boards appears to be more desirable from a practical point of view.

Corners Diagram 5 West Wall Width = (33 x 8) = 264 inches? OR something of similar combination to make up the same wall width of eight boards, say, with mitred corner boards where the coupling rings are placed on top of, and below the joinings of the mitred corners? One wonders how sophisticated the carpentry techniques were around 1552 BC? Because I'm not a carpenter or builder, I don't understand how or where the "coupling" would be placed on the corner boards. The way the curtains are overlayed to form the roof of the tabernacle, just like a tent, also influences the ground layout of the tabernacle boards. We study the curtains later. In this example, too, the inside width of the tabernacle would be reduced by a few inches because of the thickness of the boards. Corners Diagram 5a West Wall gives the Tabernacle Interior Width as = (33 x 8) = 264 inches and the Tabernacle Exterior Width = 264 + 5.5 + 5.5 = 275 inches (which is 55 x 5) The application of this design for the West Wall would widen the exterior size of the tabernacle by 11 inches (from 264 inches to 275 inches). As a result, the tabernacle curtains would be 5.5 inches higher from ground level along the north and south walls, than they would be if the exterior width was 264 inches.

Corners Diagram 6:  Corners Diagram 7: Corners Diagram 8:

The significance of the above numbers does not need repeating here, but can be found in the previous sections of this work. The number 484 is worthy of mention, to remind us that 484 feet is the height of the Pyramid of Cheops, assuming that its capstone is in place.

Another significant number with the Pyramid of Cheops, was the Displacement Factor. When the Pyramid was built, a displacement error of 286.1 (the actual mathematical value) was made in the laying of the base circuit, and it was because of this that the capstone would not fit at the apex of the Pyramid. This symbolised that the entire passage system is 286.1 inches out of alignment of the Pyramid's centre plane. The prophetic significance of this calculation, is thought by some, to be symbolic of man's displacement from God's plan of perfection. The number 286 is regarded, therefore, as a measure of human error.

The reason I refer to this displacement number of 286 here, is that if we calculate the perimeter of the Tabernacle's West End corner boards when coupled together, (whether the coupling is between two boards side-by side, or whether the coupling is on the corner of two boards) there is an indication of "displacement". Let's look at a corner of the Tabernacle:

Maybe the Bible record of how the corners of the Tabernacle were to be assembled was left a little vague for the very reason that God wants us to analyse the Temple's structure, and in so doing, become aware of man's displacement in relationship with God, and what God requires of him. The numbers 572 (13 x 44), and 286 (13 x 22), are symbolic of man's rebellion against God. "13" is the number of "rebellion".

If we add the perimeters of the two corners, i.e. 572 + 572 we get the total some of 1144 inches around the two sets of corner boards.

This combination of numbers signifies rebellion and corruption represented in the two sets of corner boards which support the six boards, representing man, in the West Wall. But in combination with the number eight, these numbers signify ATONEMENT and RESURRECTION. Eight has to do with Jesus Christ, and signifies that "at-one-ment" with Him; man can be regenerated and renewed to new beginnings. Jesus Christ is both King and Priest, as signified in the number eleven. As revealed in the Introduction to this study "Measure the Temple", and reinforced in the last section of this chapter, numbers eleven and twenty-two often emerge when it is time for man to be "brought to order", after he has been on a path of imperfection and disintegration - and this is where the priestly role comes to the fore.

Let's look at the above ground level, three-sides of the west wall, just as we did for the north and south walls in the last section of this chapter.

Above ground level, surrounding the western wall of the tabernacle we have the wonderful number eight, in concentrated form, symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ and the ultimate things which He represents - the choice of regeneration, renewal and resurrection for mankind (if only he will choose this option, follow, and obey).

Who would have thought that an explanation of God's relationship with man could be so aptly described in such an apparently simple structure of eight assembled boards, at the west end of a three-sided structure? The cycle of life continues - every day - with the sun, moon, and planets rising in the east in the morning, travelling over the top of the Tabernacle from east to west during the day, and setting in the west in the evening, behind the Tabernacle's Golden West Wall (covered on the outside with curtains), set against Earth's horizon.

Maybe, if we stand and face the west wall of the Tabernacle, and throughout the year observe the setting sun, we can mark out the movement of the sun above the top of the Tabernacle boards - that tropical movement which is visible because of the tilt of the earth's axis, and gives us the seasons with the summer and winter solstices. Does the design of the Tabernacle, too, have astronomical significance, just as does the great Pyramid of Cheops?

The sun goes over the top, east to west.

The Assembled Boards overlaid in gold, which make framework of the Tabernacle, looking from the east end towards the west end. The perspective leaves much to be desired (I am not a technical drawer), but I hope the layout gives some indication of 20 boards on north and south sides, and 8 boards in west wall. The pillars have been placed in this sketch, but we will discuss their placement in the work which follows.

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