The Tabernacle was the portable tent sanctuary built at Sinai (c. 1445 BC), and Solomon's Temple was the permanent stone-and-cedar house in Jerusalem (completed c. 959 BC). Both held the ark and the glory of God, and both point to Jesus, in whom God dwells with us (John 1:14).
Tabernacle vs. Temple, Side by Side
| Tabernacle | Solomon's Temple | |
|---|---|---|
| Builders | Moses, with Bezalel and Oholiab (Exodus 31:1–6) | Solomon, with Hiram of Tyre's craftsmen (1 Kings 5–7) |
| Date | Set up in the first month of the second year after the Exodus, c. 1445 BC (Exodus 40:17) | Begun c. 966 BC and finished in seven years, c. 959 BC (1 Kings 6:37–38) |
| Structure | A portable tent of curtains and acacia frames inside a courtyard 100 by 50 cubits (Exodus 27:9–18) | A permanent house of stone and cedar, 60 cubits long, 20 wide, and 30 high (1 Kings 6:2) |
| Where | Sinai, then Shiloh and later Gibeon (Joshua 18:1; 1 Chronicles 16:39) | Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1) |
| Furnishings | The ark, the golden table, the lampstand, the incense altar, the bronze altar, and the basin (Exodus 25–30) | The same pattern, with ten lampstands, ten basins, the bronze Sea, and the pillars Jachin and Boaz (1 Kings 7:15–49) |
| The glory | The cloud covered the tent and the glory of the Lord filled it (Exodus 40:34–35) | The cloud filled the house so the priests could not stand to minister (1 Kings 8:10–11) |
| What happened | The ark was lost at Shiloh's fall and the Tabernacle's worship moved to Gibeon (1 Samuel 4; 1 Chronicles 16:39) | Babylon burned it in 586 BC (2 Kings 25:8–10) |
What They Share
Both were built to God's pattern, both placed the ark in the Most Holy Place, and both showed that God draws near to His people through sacrifice, priesthood, and a veil. Moses was told to make everything according to the pattern shown on the mountain (Exodus 25:9, 40). Solomon's Temple followed the same plan on a larger, permanent scale (1 Kings 6–7). The Bible calls both a meeting place between God and His people.
How Both Point to Jesus
John says the Word became flesh and "tabernacled" among us (John 1:14). Jesus spoke of the temple of His body (John 2:19–21), and Hebrews says He serves as High Priest in the true tent that the Lord set up (Hebrews 8:1–2). After His resurrection God's temple is not a building but a people indwelt by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:19–22).
Read the Chapters
- Moses' Tabernacle: the pattern, the furnishings, and the glory.
- Shiloh: where the Tabernacle stood in the promised land.
- The Tabernacle at Gibeon: two places of worship in David's day.
- Solomon's Temple: the house for God's name.
- Jesus, the Living Temple: how Christ fulfills both.
Common Questions
What is the difference between the Tabernacle and the Temple?
The Tabernacle was a portable tent built under Moses at Sinai, and the Temple was a permanent stone-and-cedar house built by Solomon in Jerusalem. Both used the same pattern of courtyard, Holy Place, and Most Holy Place (Exodus 25–40; 1 Kings 6).
Where was the ark kept in each?
In the Most Holy Place of both, behind the veil (Exodus 26:33; 1 Kings 8:6).
Which came first, the Tabernacle or the Temple?
The Tabernacle came first, about 1445 BC. Solomon's Temple was begun about 966 BC, roughly 480 years after the Exodus (1 Kings 6:1).