For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.

1 CHRONICLES 21:29KJV
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1 Chronicles 21:29 (KJV)

What does 1 Chronicles 21:29 mean?

1 Chronicles 21:29 explains that, at the time being described, the tabernacle of the LORD and the altar for burnt offerings—originally set up by Moses in the wilderness—were located at a high place in Gibeon. This detail helps clarify why worship and sacrifices were happening at Gibeon instead of Jerusalem during this period.

The verse is part of a narrative where King David is arranging sacrifices after a national crisis. The writer points out that the main sanctuary and altar, made by Moses (the tabernacle), had not yet been moved to Jerusalem, so official worship was still happening at Gibeon. This background helps the reader understand the religious setting and why David was not using the future temple site just yet.

The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 21:29

  • טַבְּנֶה (mishkan, transliterated "mishkan") — "tabernacle": This word refers to the portable sanctuary made by Moses, emphasizing that Israel's central place of worship was still mobile and not yet replaced by a permanent temple.
  • יְהוָה (YHWH, transliterated "YHWH") — "LORD": The verse highlights that the tabernacle belonged to the LORD, underlining its sacredness and authority as the center of Israelite worship.
  • מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach, transliterated "mizbeach") — "altar": This is the altar specifically for burnt offerings, showing that the sacrificial system established in the wilderness was still in use at Gibeon.
  • בָּמוֹת (bamah, transliterated "bamah") — "high place": The use of this word shows that the tabernacle and altar were set up on an elevated site at Gibeon, which was common for worship locations before the temple was built in Jerusalem.

Why 1 Chronicles 21:29 matters

  • This verse clears up why David and others were worshipping at Gibeon rather than Jerusalem, showing that the central sanctuary had not yet been moved.
  • It emphasizes the continuity between the worship practices established by Moses and those in David’s time, connecting Israel’s past in the wilderness to its present.
  • By mentioning the "high place," the verse hints at the transitional period in Israel’s worship, before the temple centralized all sacrifices in Jerusalem.