I.a tent (syn. tentorium): “tabernacula dicuntur a similitudine tabernarum, quae ipsae, quod ex tabulis olim fiebant, dictae sunt, non, ut quidam putant, quod tabulis cludantur,” Fest. p. 356 Müll.; cf.: unde (sc. a tabernis) et tabernacula sunt dicta, licet ex tentoriis pellibus fiant, id. s. v. contubernales, p. 38 ib.
I. In gen.: “tabernaculo in litore posito,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 33, § 87: “in ipso aditu portus tabernacula carbaseis intenta velis collocabat,” id. ib. 2, 5, 12, § “30: collocassem mihi in campo Martio,” id. Pis. 25 61: “militare,” id. Brut. 9, 37: “Caesar eo die tabernacula statui passus non est,” Caes. B. C. 1, 81; Nep. Eum. 7, 1: “tabernaculis stantibus castra reliquerunt,” Liv. 22, 42, 2: “tabernaculis detensis,” Caes. B. C. 3, 85; Liv. 41, 3, 1: “militare,” Cic. Brut. 9, 37: “regium,” Liv. 24, 40, 11: “regis,” Curt. 3, 3, 8; 7, 10, 14: “ducis,” Tac. A. 1, 29: “qui in unā philosophiā quasi tabernaculum vitae suae collocarunt,” as it were, have pitched their tent, settled down, Cic. de Or. 3, 20, 77. —
II. In partic., in relig. lang.: tabernaculum capere, to choose a place for a tent without the city, wherein to observe the auspices previous to holding the comitia: “tabernaculum recte captum,” in the proper manner, with due ceremonies, Cic. Div. 2, 35, 75; cf.: “parum recte tabernaculum capere,” Liv. 4, 7, 3: “cum tabernaculum vitio cepisset imprudens,” improperly, Cic. Div. 1, 17, 33: “tabernaculum vitio captum,” id. N. D. 2, 4, 11; Val. Max. 1, 1, 3.—
III. The Jewish tabernacle, Vulg. Num. 7, 1 et saep.