Tent
“Tent, dwelling”
Summary
A tent was the characteristic dwelling of the nomadic peoples of the ancient Near East, including the Hebrew patriarchs, typically made of black goats' hair cloth stretched over poles.
☩Construction and Materials
Arab tents, called beit ('house'), were made of strips of black goats' hair cloth woven by women and sewn together into large sheets. The covering was stretched over poles—typically nine in number arranged in three groups, though simpler tents might have only one to three poles. Ropes fastened to loops at the edges were tied to wooden pegs driven into the ground with mallets, such as Jael used to kill Sisera. The black goats' hair cloth was rain-resistant, becoming more waterproof as the material matted with use.
☩Interior Arrangement
Tents were typically divided into two compartments by a curtain or carpet partition fastened to the middle posts. The men's apartment was generally on the right side when entering, the women's on the left, though this varied among tribes. Women had their own separate tents, as seen with Sarah, Rebecca, Leah, and Rachel. Hooks on the tent poles served for hanging various articles, and the floor was covered with straw mats, goats' hair rugs, or woolen carpets according to the family's means.
☩Nomadic Life and Biblical Usage
The Hebrew patriarchs were tent-dwellers who moved according to the needs of their flocks and herds. Israel resumed tent life during the wilderness wanderings after leaving Egypt, and even after settling in Canaan, the phraseology of tent life remained common. The expression 'to your tents, O Israel' persisted long after the nation had settled in houses. The ease with which tents could be struck made them a fitting symbol for the transitory nature of human life and the dissolution of the mortal body.
Related Verses153 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Tent," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. X (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Tent," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Tent," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Tent," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).