Objects — T

table

A table of acacia wood overlaid with gold. It stands outside the curtain on the north side of the Dwelling, opposite the lamp-stand; the loaves of permanent offering are always put on it. It is anointed with the holy oil. Bezalel and Oholiab are commissioned to make the table.

tamarisk

Abraham planted a tamarisk at Beersheba after swearing the covenant oath.

tambourine

Tambourines appear in Laban's lament; after the sea crossing Miriam takes up a tambourine and the women follow her dancing.

tent

Abraham's tent marks his journeys in Canaan; in Exodus 18 Moses and Jethro go into the tent at the mountain of God. Sheets of goats' hair form a tent over the Dwelling, with covers of rams' skins and fine leather; a screen closes its entrance. When Moses goes out to the Tent of Meeting, every man stands at the door of his tent and watches.

Tent of Meeting

The sanctuary where Aaron and his sons tend the lamp from dusk to dawn. They are bathed at its entrance and vested there; Yahweh will meet Israel at the entrance and speak there. They wear linen breeches when they enter it or approach the altar, as a perpetual decree. Census ransom money is applied to its service; a bronze basin stands between it and the altar; it is anointed with the holy oil. Bezalel and Oholiab are commissioned to make the Tent of Meeting. Moses pitches it outside the camp and talks with Yahweh there face to face; Joshua never leaves its inside.

tenth

Abram gave a tenth to Melchizedek; Jacob vows to pay a tenth of everything God gives him at Bethel.

Testimony

Aaron stores the jar of manna in front of the Testimony. After forty days Moses comes down from Sinai with two new tablets of the Testimony, the skin of his face radiant.

thigh

The thigh appears in Abraham's and Jacob's oath rituals, and in the hip-socket strike during Jacob's wrestling at Peniel.

thorn-bushes

If a fire breaks out, setting light to thorn bushes and burning stacks, standing corn or the field, the person who started the fire makes full restitution.

Thummim

Placed with the Urim in the breastplate of judgement, on Aaron's heart when he enters Yahweh's presence, so that he bears Israel's judgement always.

thunder

Thunder accompanies the hail plague in Egypt and, after the Ten Words, peals of thunder terrify the people with lightning, trumpet and the smoking mountain.

tomb

Tombs appear in Abraham's burial negotiations and when Jacob asks burial in his ancestral tomb; in Genesis 50 Joseph cites Jacob's oath to be buried in the tomb he dug in Canaan.

topaz

A precious stone in the first row of the breastplate of judgement, with sard and emerald.

torch

A flaming torch appears with a smoking firepot in Abram's covenant vision.

tower

The tower in Genesis 11 was built as part of Babel, with its top intended to reach heaven.

tree-of-knowledge

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is the forbidden tree in Eden.

tree-of-life

The tree of life stands in Eden and is later guarded after humanity's expulsion.

trees

Trees within the Machpelah field are included in Abraham's purchase; at Elim there are seventy palm trees beside twelve springs where Israel camps.

trough

Troughs are where animals drink; Rebekah empties her pitcher into one, Jacob places peeled shoots in them, and in Exodus 2 Reuel's daughters fill troughs to water their father's flock.

trumpet

A very loud trumpet blast sounds at Sinai as Yahweh descends; after the Ten Words the people see the trumpet blasting with thunder, lightning and smoke, and keep their distance.

tunic

In Exodus 4 Moses puts his hand inside his tunic and it comes out diseased white as snow, then is restored. Aaron's embroidered tunic is woven of fine linen as a sacred vestment; he is dressed in it at his consecration, and his sons also receive tunics.

tunic-of-skins

Skin garments appear after the fall and again when Rebekah covers Jacob's smooth skin with kids' skins to deceive Isaac.

turban

A turban of fine linen for Aaron. A flower of pure gold on a violet-purple cord sits on its front, on Aaron's brow, engraved 'Consecrated to Yahweh'. At consecration the turban is placed on his head and the symbol of holy consecration put on it.

turtledove

A turtledove is one of the birds brought by Abram for the covenant ritual.