To Your Tents, O Israel!: The Terminology, Function, Form, and Symbolism of Tents in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East

An examination of the function, form and symbolism of ancient tents, specifically in the Hebrew Bible, but also in the greater context of the Ancient Near East. Terminology associated with tents and the blending of terms for domiciles are initially explored. Then, using historical, mythological, archaeological and anthropological insights, tents are examined in their manifold usage: domiciliary, military, nuptial and religious. Various parallels and models of the Tabernacle are assessed, and the Tabernacle’s historicity is addressed. The work ends by analyzing a biblical phrase that dismisses councils: To your tents, O Israel!