BASON, or Laver of the Tabernacle. Exod. xxxviii. 8.Moses observes, that it was made of the brass looking-glasses belonging to those devout women, who watched, and stood centinels at the door of the Tabernacle. Athenæus1 informs us, that among the Persians there were women who watched all night, and kept guard at the King’s palace door. They slept in the day time, and passed the night in singing and playing upon instruments with the help of that light which they received from lamps. This ancient custom of the women keeping guard at the palace gate of the Eastern Kings, is still continued at this day2. It was probably after this manner, tho’ more modestly, that the Israelitish women passed the night at the door of the Tabernacle, as it were at the door of their Lord, and Monarch.
As to looking-glasses, they were made formerly of all sorts of metals, of silver, copper, pewter, and a mixture of copper and pewter. In the East almost all looking-glasses are still at this day made of metal: It was very easy therefore for Moses to melt them, that he might form out of them the Bason for the Tabernacle. A great number was necessary to compose so large a vessel; but according to the meaning of the original, these women came in troops like a kind of Army to the door of the Tabernacle; so that there might be sufficiently for this use, and an overplus besides.
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