As we have already discussed, eukaryotic cells contain power sources called “mitochondria,” as well as a “nucleus” which keeps the DNA molecule separate from the rest of the cell. Around the nucleus is a double membrane called the “nuclear envelope” which contains “nuclear pore complexes” (NPCs) restricting what can go in and out.
According to the story in the Bible book of Exodus, as the Hebrews wandered around the wilderness after coming out of Egypt, they were told by God to build a sanctuary that would later be called the “Tabernacle,” which they would carry around with them.1 This turns out to have many intriguing similarities to the eukaryotic cell.
The Tabernacle was a large tent housing an inner tent called the “Tent of Meeting.” If we compare this to the eukaryotic cell, the inner tent would be the equivalent of the cell nucleus. The inner tent was divided into two rooms: the “Holy” and the “Most Holy.” Inside the Most Holy was the Ark of the Covenant, which contained two tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments on them, said to have been “written by the finger of God.” 2 Two poles were permanently attached to the Ark. The two tablets would correspond well to the genome of an organism contained within the DNA molecule, which is stored in base pairs. The two poles could correspond to the two strands of the DNA double helix.
Separating the Holy from the Most Holy was a curtain, beyond which only the high priest could enter once a year on the Day of Atonement. It was described as “a curtain of blue and purple and scarlet, of double and twisted linen, the handwork of a designer who will make its cherubs.” 3
The Holy could correspond to the nuclear envelope, which separates the nucleus from the rest of the eukaryotic cell. For some reason, most translations don’t include the word “double” here, but it is there in the Hebrew, and the nuclear envelope is also a double membrane. The “blue and purple and scarlet” of twisted linen could represent the mesh of FG amino acid repeats within the central channel of a nuclear pore complex, helping to regulate what goes in and out of the nucleus.
In the Holy was a table and lampstand. Moses was instructed to “put the table outside the curtain and the lampstand opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle,” and to “put the table on the north side.” 4Utensils for drink offerings were placed on the table, along with pieces of bread called the “showbread,” which Aaron and his sons were allowed to eat.5
The lampstand matches up well with the nuclear basket, the protein complex found on the inner side of a nuclear pore complex, and which might look somewhat similar to a lampstand. The table with its showbread and utensils would match up with the various proteins such as the karyopherins, associated with the outer side of an NPC, with the bread perhaps representing the energy for transport; although given that Aaron and the priests were allowed to eat it, instead of “Ran gradient” we could think of the bread as the “Aaron gradient.”
In human cells, each NPC has a central channel, around which are 8 identical spokes built from 16 half-spokes. There is also a central ring that sits between two outer rings, one facing the nucleus and one facing the cytoplasm.
The rear section of the Tabernacle, which was on the west side, sounds remarkably similar to an NPC. Its construction was described this way: “And you will make six panels for the sides of the tabernacle to the west, and you will make two panels as corners of the tabernacle in the sides. And they will be coupled from below, and together they will be coupled on top of it to one ring; so it will be for the two of them. They will be for the two corners. And they will be 8 panels, and joints of 16 silver joints, two joints under the one panel, and two joints under the one panel.” 6
The Hebrew word here translated “corners” comes from a word meaning to “cut out,” which would be a good choice if some kind of a hole cut out of the framework was being implied. Also, the exact phrase translated here as “two joints under the one panel” is repeated twice in the Hebrew, making them duplicates of one another. The 16 silver joints correspond well with the 16 half-spokes of an NPC that make up 8 spokes, which would then be represented by the 8 panels.
These panels formed the sides of the Tabernacle, yet they are somehow coupled to “one ring.” There was also a middle bar in-between the panels, reaching from end to end.7 This would then correspond to the central ring of an NPC. Eight panels could then be coupled to form a “ring” above and below the middle bar, in the same way that the half-spokes in a human NPC are coupled to create two outer rings.
Within eukaryotic cells are mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell. These contain their own circular DNA strands (called mtDNA), and they are 16,569 nucleotides long in humans. I would suggest that mitochondria are represented, in a cryptic manner, with the tribe of Levi and their families. The numbers associated with these families seem to imply circles and the length of mitochondrial DNA. To show this, first let me give some details about these families.
While Aaron and his sons served as priests in the Tabernacle, males from the tribe of Levi aged between 30 and 50 assisted the priests by carrying out various duties.8The tribe of Levi consisted of three families: Kohath, Gershon and Merari. When the Tabernacle was to be moved, the priests, the sons of Aaron, were to cover the holy place and its utensils. The sons of Kohath were to carry those items, but they weren’t allowed to touch or look upon the holy place. The sons of Gershon were assigned to carry the tent cloths and curtains for the rest of the Tabernacle, and the sons of Merari were assigned to carry its panels, frames, joints and bars.9
A census was taken of the males from a month old and upwards. There were 7,500 from Gershon, 8,600 from Kohath and 6,200 from Merari. While the total here is 22,300, the book of Numbers refers to it as 22,000. Also, some manuscripts of the Greek Septuagint put the number for Kohath at 8,300 instead.10
Moses and Aaron then registered those between 30 and 50 years of age, the age of service. There were 2,630 from the family of Gershon, 2,750 from the family of Kohath, and 3,200 from the family of Merari, making a total of 8,580.11
They were also told to register all the Israelite males a month old and up, which came to 22,273. A ransom price of five shekels each was paid for the 273 who were in excess of the 22,000 Levites, for a total of 1,365 shekels.12 The relevance of these numbers will become clearer in a moment.
The mathematical constant pi is the ratio of a circle’s “circumference” (the distance around the edge of a circle) to its “diameter” (the widest distance across). The “radius” is the distance from the center of a circle to its edge.
Historically, the smallest fraction that has been used to approximate pi is 22/7, which is also the equivalent of 858/273. If we use this for pi and take 1,365 as the radius of a circle, then the diameter of the circle would be 2,730 and the circumference would be 8,580, the same number as the sons of Levi who were of the age of service.
Since mitochondria are only found in the outer compartment of the cell (the “cytoplasm”) if there was a correspondence with the Tabernacle to mitochondrial DNA, it would most likely be found in the numbers for Gershon (2,630) and Merari (3,200), who were assigned over the outer tent. This is indeed what we find. If we take the number 2,630 as the radius of a circle, then the circumference would be about 16,525, which is just 44 short of 16,569, the number of nucleotides in human mtDNA, which is circular.
The sons of Merari camped on the north side of the Tabernacle, the sons of Kohath on the south side, and the sons of Gershon on the west. These three camps formed a triangle around the Tabernacle. Moses and the priests camped on the east side, so that the four camps also formed a square.13
If we take the numbers 2,630 and 3,200 (associated with Gershon and Merari) as the smaller sides of a right-angled triangle, then the side opposite the right angle would have a length of just over 4,142. If we take this to be the side of a square, then the square’s perimeter would be 16,568, just one digit short of 16,569, the number of nucleotides in human mtDNA.
Mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cells, produce “adenosine triphosphate,” usually abbreviated to ATP. This is often referred to as the molecular unit of currency. It’s the chemical providing the energy that drives many of the processes in living cells. A large amount of the ATP required to power eukaryotic cells is generated in a remarkable way, which involves shuffling protons and electrons around.
The main machinery that produces ATP is a protein complex called “ATP synthase,” contained in the membrane of mitochondria. It is like a wind or water turbine, but powered by protons. The space between the double membrane acts as a barrier to protons, which are pumped into it with only one way to escape – through the ATP synthase machine. This flow of protons enables it to make ATP.
Even more remarkable is how protons are pumped into the intermembrane space. The process involves four protein complexes, collectively called the “electron transport chain.” The first complex receives two high energy electrons which are then passed on, releasing a small amount of energy that is used to pump four protons across the membrane. The second complex is similar but it doesn’t pump protons. Both of these complexes pass their electrons to a carrier molecule, which then transports them to the third complex, where four more protons are brought across the membrane.
Electrons are then transported by another carrier to the fourth complex, where four electrons, four protons and a molecule of oxygen are converted into two water molecules, and another four protons are pumped into the intermembrane space, making it even more tightly packed with protons. Incidentally, this is why we breathe. It provides oxygen for the fourth complex in the electron transport chain.
I think this process is alluded to in the description of the Tabernacle after it was set up for the first time. The twelve chieftains of Israel made a special offering: “They brought their offering before YHWH, 6 coach carts and 12 oxen, a cart for two of the chieftains and an ox for one, and they brought them before the Tabernacle.” 14 The 6 carts could represent 6 electrons, and the 12 oxen could represent the 12 protons that are pumped into the intermembrane space.
YHWH said to Moses: “Take them, and they will serve for the service of the tent of meeting, and give them to the Levites, as needed by a man for his service.” 15 In the case of the electron transport chain, this is what keeps us and our cells alive, so is literally “needed by a man for his service” and for the service of individual cells.
Moses distributed the carts and cattle to the Levites: “He gave two carts and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, as needed for their service; and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, as needed for their service.” 16 The Levites were then cleansed with water, and offered two young bulls as offerings.17
The 2 carts and 4 oxen given to the sons of Gershon could represent two electrons received by the first complex and the four complexes of the electron transport chain. The 4 carts and 8 oxen given to the sons of Merari could represent the four electrons in the fourth complex, and the 8 subunits that make up the ATP synthase machinery. The two young bulls could represent the two electron carriers.
Now, while it could be argued that each of these things, when taken by themselves, could simply be coincidence, if we take the Tabernacle and the Levites who serviced it, and compare them to the way the eukaryotic cell works, a number of intriguing parallels can be found, that seem unlikely to be coincidence when taken together. Let me briefly recap the most significant correspondences.
The eukaryotic cell has an inner compartment (the nucleus) that houses the double-stranded DNA of the cell. The Tabernacle had an inner compartment (the Most Holy) that contained the two tablets of stone, written on by God’s finger.
In the cell, a double membrane (the nuclear envelope) separates the nucleus from the outer part (the cytoplasm). In the Tabernacle, there were two curtains containing an area called the Holy that separated the Most Holy from the courtyard.
In human cells, the nuclear envelope is punctuated with nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) of 8 spokes built from 16 half-spokes, and a central ring that sits between two outer rings. The rear section of the Tabernacle was made of 8 panels and 16 silver joints, joined above and below one ring.
Facing toward the nucleus in each nuclear pore complex is the nuclear basket, while facing outwards are karyopherins. In the Holy of the Tabernacle was a lampstand, and opposite it was a table of showbread.
Mitochondria are found in the cytoplasm, and contain their own circular strands of mtDNA consisting of 16,569 nucleotides in humans. The families of Gershon and Merari were assigned over the outer tent of the Tabernacle. Taking their numbers as the length of two sides of a right-angled triangle, the third side would be just over 4,142 in length. Using this as the side of a square, the square’s perimeter would be 16,568, just one digit short of 16,569.
The electron transport chain consists of four complexes that shuffle six electrons to pump twelve protons into an intermembrane space, needed to power cells. The chieftains of Israel brought an offering of six wagons and twelve oxen before the Tabernacle, which was given “as needed by a man for his service.”
I would suggest that the Tabernacle, which the Hebrews carried around in the wilderness, represented the eukaryotic cell, presumably to help us understand that the God of Israel was also the creator of life on Earth. I suppose this is why God told Moses: “Set up the tabernacle according to its manner which you were shown in the mountain.” 18If the Tabernacle was meant to represent the eukaryotic cell, it would have been important for Moses to accurately copy the blueprint given to him! The idea that the Tabernacle represented something deeper is also found in the Christian New Testament, where the author of the book of Hebrews says that the Tabernacle and those serving in it were “a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary.” 19
One final reason why the Hebrew Tabernacle makes a good representation of the eukaryotic cell, is that just as the nuclear envelope in the cell needs to be rapidly assembled and disassembled, the Tabernacle was also a tent that could be assembled and disassembled quickly.
Incidentally, to help you remember the type of cell the Tabernacle compares with, just remember that the Hebrews had to carry it around with them in the wilderness. In other words, “you carry it,” and the type of cell it represents is a “eukaryote,” which we also carry around in our bodies.
1 Exodus 25:8,9. 2 Exodus 31:18. 3 Exodus 26:31. 4 Exodus 26:35. 5 See Leviticus 24:5-9. 6 Exodus 26:22-25. 7 Exodus 26:28. 8 Numbers 8:19. 9 Numbers 4:3-15, 21-33. 10 Numbers 3:21-39. 11 Numbers 4:34-49. 12 Numbers 3:40-51. 13 Numbers 3:23,29,35,38. 14 Numbers 7:1-3. 15 Numbers 7:5. 16 Numbers 7:7,8. 17 Numbers 8:6-8. 18 Exodus 26:30. 19 Hebrews 8:5.