were assigned their own tents. (Gen. 13:5; 31:33) Probably mats were used on the ground inside the tent.

Tents were a distinctive feature of nomadic life, contrasting with the houses of those having a more settled life. Thus, Abraham is described as ‘dwelling in tents’ while he was “awaiting the city having real foundations.” (Heb. 11:9, 10) It seems that during their stay in Egypt the Israelites mainly lived in houses, not tents. (Ex. 12:7) But upon leaving Egypt they reverted to tents (Ex. 16:16) and used them throughout the forty years in the wilderness. (Lev. 14:8; Num. 16:26) During this period two particular tents were especially important, the “tabernacle” and Moses’ tent. (Ex. 25:8, 9; 26:1; 33:7; see TABERNACLE; TENT OF MEETING.) Even after the Israelites conquered the Promised Land tents were still used at times by shepherds or agricultural workers in the field. (Song of Sol. 1:8) Zechariah 12:7 likely refers to such ones, they being the first to be affected and in need of protection if an enemy nation came against the land to attack the city of Jerusalem. Also, tents were used by military commanders and armies when on distant expeditions.—1 Sam. 17:54; 2 Ki. 7:7; compare Daniel 11:45.

The long contact of the Israelites with tents undoubtedly gave rise to the poetic use of “tent” to refer to any habitation, even if it was a normal house.—Ex. 12:23, 30; 1 Sam. 13:2; 1 Ki. 12:16; Ps. 78:51.

FIGURATIVE USES

This familiarity with tents is also reflected in the Bible’s many figurative references to tents. Regarding the time he was approaching death, Hezekiah wrote: “My own habitation has been pulled out and removed from me like the tent of shepherds.” (Isa. 38:12) As a tent occupying a spot could quickly be taken down and removed, the poles taken out and the pegs pulled up, so Hezekiah’s place in the land of the living seemed transitory and easily removed. Eliphaz likened death to pulling out the tent cord, which would make a tent collapse. (Job 4:21) Somewhat similarly, Paul used the metaphor of a tent when speaking of the human bodies of spirit-begotten Christians. A collapsible tent is a more fragile and temporary dwelling than a normal house. Though existing on earth in a mortal body of flesh, the Christians having the spirit as a token of the heavenly life to come look forward to “a building from God,” a heavenly body that is everlasting, incorruptible.—1 Cor. 15:50-53; 2 Cor. 5:1-5; compare 2 Peter 1:13, 14.

In portraying the destruction to come upon the Jews, Jeremiah used the figure of a tent. (Jer. 4:20) He likened the desolated nation to a woman whose tent was down, with its cords cut. Further emphasizing the pathetic condition, her sons were in exile, so there was no one remaining who could help her with the work of raising and stretching the tent. (Jer. 10:20) When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, the city as a former collection of dwellings could be described as “the tent of the daughter of Zion” into which God had poured his rage.—Lam. 2:4.

A “tent” also served in another figurative way in a number of instances. The tent of an individual was a place of rest and protection from the elements. (Gen. 18:1) In view of the customs regarding hospitality, visitors had reason to believe that they would be cared for and respected when welcomed into someone’s tent. Consequently, when Revelation 7:15 says about the “great crowd” that God “will spread his tent over them” it suggests protective care and security. (Ps. 61:3, 4) Isaiah speaks of the preparations that God’s wife, Zion, is to make for the sons she will produce. She is told to “make the place of your tent more spacious.” (Isa. 54:2) Thus, she enlarges the protective place for her children.

At Revelation 21:1-3, God projected John’s vision into the thousand-year reign of Christ, and said: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them [or, tent with them].” In a way foreshadowed by the tent or tabernacle in the wilderness, God will dwell, not personally, but representatively with mankind as he deals with them through the “Lamb of God,” who is also the great High Priest.—Ex. 25:8; 33:20; John 1:29; Heb. 4:14.

TENTH PART

See TITHE.

TENTMAKER

One who makes or repairs tents. Acts 18:3 designates the trade of Paul, Aquila and Priscilla by the Greek term ske·no·poi·osʹ. Various opinions have been offered as to the exact type of craftsman indicated by this word (whether a tentmaker, weaver of tapestry or ropemaker); however, numerous scholars acknowledge that “there seems no reason to depart from the translation ‘tent-makers.’”—The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Vol. II, p. 385.

When Paul first visited Corinth he stayed with Aquila and Priscilla “on account of being of the same trade.” (Acts 18:1-3) The apostle Paul was from Tarsus in Cilicia, an area famous for its goat-hair cloth named cilicium from which tents were made. (Acts 21:39) Among the Jews of the first century C.E. it was considered honorable to teach a lad a trade even if he was to receive a higher education. So Paul likely gained experience in the manufacture of tents while still a youth. Tentmaking may also have been the type of work the apostle did in Thessalonica (1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:8) and other places. (Acts 20:34, 35; 1 Cor. 4:11, 12) The work was not easy, for it is reported that the cilicium tended to be stiff and rough, consequently being difficult to cut and sew.

TENT OF MEETING

An expression applied both to the tent of Moses (Ex. 33:7) and to the sacred tabernacle erected in the wilderness. (Ex. 39:32, 40; 40:2, 6, 7, 22, 24, 26, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35) For a time until the erection of the tabernacle, the tent of Moses served as a temporary sanctuary. This was by reason of the fact that the cloud, representing Jehovah’s presence, stationed itself “at” (likely, in front of) the entrance of this tent whenever Moses entered, and Jehovah communicated with Moses there. It was called the “tent of meeting,” evidently because the people had to go there to inquire of Jehovah and thus, in effect, they met Jehovah there. (Ex. 33:7-11) Apparently for the same reason the sacred tabernacle was termed the “tent of meeting.”—See TABERNACLE.

TENT OF THE TESTIMONY

See TABERNACLE.

TEN WORDS

This English equivalent for the Hebrew expression ʽaseʹreth had-d^eva·rimʹ, found only in the Pentateuch, designates the ten basic laws of the Law covenant; commonly called the Ten Commandments. (Ex. 34:28; Deut. 4:13; 10:4) This special code of laws is also spoken of as the “Words” (Deut. 5:22) and as “the words of the covenant.” (Ex. 34:28) The Septuagint Version (Ex. 34:28; Deut. 10:4) reads “deʹka [ten] loʹgous [words],” from which combination the word Decalogue is derived.

SOURCE OF TABLETS

The Ten Words or Commandments were first orally given at Mount Sinai by the angel of Jehovah. (Ex. 20:1; 31:18; Deut. 5:22; 9:10; Acts 7:38, 53; see also Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2.) Moses then ascended the Mount to receive the Ten Words in written form on two stone tablets, along with other commandments and instructions. During his extended forty-day stay the people grew restless and made a molten calf to worship. Seeing this spectacle of idolatry upon descending the mountain, Moses threw down and shattered “the tablets [that] were the workmanship of God,” the very tablets upon which the Ten Words had been written.—Ex. 24:12; 31:18–32:19; Deut. 9:8-17; compare Luke 11:20.

Jehovah later told Moses: “Carve out for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I must write upon the tablets the words that appeared on the first tablets, which you shattered.” (Ex. 34:1-4) And so after another forty days spent in the mountain, a duplicate copy of the Ten Words was obtained. These were kept by Moses in an ark of acacia wood. (Deut. 10:1-5) The two tablets were called “the tablets of the covenant.” (Deut. 9:9, 11, 15) Evidently this is why the gold-overlaid ark later made by Bezalel, in which the tablets were eventually kept, was called “the ark of the covenant.” (Josh. 3:6, 11; 8:33; Judg. 20:27; Heb. 9:4) This legislation of the Ten Words was also called “the testimony” (Ex. 25:16, 21; 40:20), and the “tablets of the Testimony” (Ex. 31:18; 34:29), hence the expressions “the ark of the testimony” (Ex. 25:22; Num. 4:5), and also “the tabernacle of the Testimony,” that is, the tent where the Ark was housed.—Ex. 38:21.

Concerning the first set of tablets, it is stated that they not only were made by Jehovah, but were also “written on by God’s finger”, evidently denoting God’s spirit. (Ex. 31:18; Deut. 4:13; 5:22; 9:10) Likewise, the second set of tablets, although carved out by Moses, were written upon by Jehovah. When, at Exodus 34:27, Moses was told, “Write down for yourself these words,” reference was not to the Ten Words themselves, but, rather, as on a previous occasion (Ex. 24:3, 4), he was to write down some of the other details pertaining to the covenant regulations. Hence, the pronoun “he” in Exodus 34:28b refers to Jehovah when it says: “And he [Jehovah, not Moses] proceeded to write upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Words.” Verse one shows this to be so. Later, when recalling these events, Moses confirms that it was Jehovah who duplicated the tablets.—Deut. 10:1-4.

CONTENTS OF THE COMMANDMENTS

By way of an introduction to these ten great Words is the forthright statement in the first person: “I am Jehovah your God, who have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves.” (Ex. 20:2) This not only states who is speaking to whom but shows why the Decalogue was especially given to the Jews at that time. It was not given to Abraham.—Deut. 5:2, 3.

The first commandment, “You must not have any other gods against my face,” put Jehovah first. (Ex. 20:3) It involved his lofty office and unique position as the Almighty God, the Most High, the Supreme Sovereign. This commandment indicated that the Israelites were not to have any other gods as rivals to Jehovah.

The second commandment was a natural follow-up of the first in that it forbade idolatry in any shape or form as an open affront to Jehovah’s glory and Personage. ‘You must not make a carved image or a form like anything in the heavens, on the earth or in the waters under the earth, nor are you to bow down to or serve them.’ This prohibition is underscored with the declaration: “Because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion.”—Ex. 20:4-6.

The third commandment, in its proper and logical sequence, declared: “You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way.” (Ex. 20:7) This harmonizes with the prominence attached to Jehovah’s name throughout the Hebrew Scriptures (it occurs 6,962 times). Within just these few verses of the Ten Words (2-17), the name occurs eight times. The phrase “not take up” has the thought of “not pronounce” or “not lift up (or carry).” To do this to God’s name in a “worthless way” would be to lift up that name to a falsehood, or “in vain.” The Israelites who were privileged to bear Jehovah’s name as his witnesses and who became apostate were in effect taking up and carrying about Jehovah’s name in a worthless way.—Isa. 43:10; Ezek. 36:20, 21.

The fourth commandment stated: “Remembering the sabbath day to hold it sacred, you are to render service and you must do all your work six days. But the seventh day is a sabbath to Jehovah your God. You must not do any work, you nor your son nor your daughter, your slave man nor your slave girl nor your domestic animal nor your alien resident who is inside your gates.” (Ex. 20:8-10) By their holding this day as holy to Jehovah, all, even the slaves and the domestic animals, would have the benefit of refreshing rest. The sabbath day also provided opportunity to concentrate on spiritual matters without distraction.

The fifth commandment, “Honor your father and your mother” (Ex. 20:12), may be viewed as linking together the first four, which define man’s duties toward God, and the remaining commandments, which set forth man’s obligations toward fellow creatures. For since parents serve as God’s representatives, by keeping the fifth command one is, in a twofold sense, honoring and obeying both the Creator and those creatures upon whom God has conferred authority. This command was the only one of the Ten with a promise attached: “in order that your days may prove long upon the ground that Jehovah your God is giving you.”—Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16; Eph. 6:2, 3.

The next commandments in the code were stated very tersely: the sixth, “You must not murder”; the seventh, “You must not commit adultery”; the eighth, “You must not steal.” This is the way these laws are listed in the Masoretic text—laws dealing with crimes causing the greatest to the least harm to one’s neighbor, in that order. In some Greek manuscripts (Codex Alexandrinus, Codes Ambrosianus) the order is ‘murder, theft, adultery’; Philo has ‘adultery, murder, theft’; the Codex Vaticanus, ‘adultery, theft, murder.’ Going then from deeds to words, the ninth says: “You must not testify falsely as a witness against your fellow man.”—Ex. 20:16.

The tenth commandment (Ex. 20:17) was unique in that it forbade covetousness, that is, wrong desire for the property and possessions, including the wife, belonging to a fellowman. No human lawmakers originated such a law, for, indeed, there would be no way humanly possible of enforcing it. Jehovah, on the other hand, by this tenth commandment made each one directly accountable to Him who sees and knows all the secret thoughts of a person’s heart.—1 Sam. 16:7; Prov. 21:2; Jer. 17:10.

OTHER LISTINGS OF THESE LAWS

The above division of the Ten Words as found at Exodus 20:2-17 is a natural one. It is the same as given by Josephus, Jewish historian of the first century C.E. (Antiquities of the Jews, Book III, chap. V, par. 5), and by the Jewish philosopher Philo, also of the first century C.E. (Biblical Antiquities, chap. XI, pars. 6-13) Others, however, including Augustine, combined the two laws against foreign gods and images (Ex. 20:3-6; Deut. 5:7-10) into one commandment, and then, in order to recover a tenth, divided verse 17 of Exodus chapter 20 (Deut. 5:21) into two commandments, thus making a ninth against coveting a man’s wife, and a tenth against coveting his house, and so forth. Augustine sought to support his theoretical division on the later parallel listing of the Decalogue at Deuteronomy 5:6-21, where two different Hebrew words in verse 21 are found (“Neither must you desire [Heb., hha·madhʹ] . . . Neither must you selfishly crave [Heb., ʼa·wahʹ]”), rather than on the earlier text in Exodus 20:17, where just the one verb (“desire”) occurs twice.

There are other minor differences in the wording between the parallel enumerations of the Ten Commandments in Exodus and Deuteronomy, but these in no way affect the force or the meaning of the laws. Whereas, in the former listing, the Ten Words are stated in formal legislative style, its later repetition is more narrative in form, for on the latter occasion