Constructing the Tabernacle and Providing for It: The Embodiment of Kingship in Moses’ Figure

Abstract By examining Moses’ civic and cultic roles and comparing them to those of kings in the ancient Near East, I demonstrate that Moses, rather than the community or the high priest, holds a pivotal cultic position in P. Although lacking several typical royal attributes, Moses still holds responsibilities that align closely with those of ancient Near Eastern monarchs. He should be considered a de facto royal figure in the context of Priestly literature in its earliest stages, significantly impacting the interpretation of the relationship between religion and state according to P.