for the booke of Kings saith it was 30 cubits but the booke of Chronicles nameth no summe at all onely it saith that the Porch was 120 cubits high Now [b] Kunch in les allegat David Kimchi doth dispute it whether this was the height of the Porch onely or of the whole house throughout and he shews how it maybe construed of the whole house namely that the height of it to the first floore was thirty cubits according to the reckoning of the booke of Kings and then the chambers over in severall stories did rise to 90 cubits more Yet both he and [c] Ralbag in 1 Kings 6. Aben. Ez◠in Ezr. 6. R. Levi Gershom could well be perswaded to thinke that the Temple it selfe was but 30 cubits high but are somewhat swayed by the opinion of some of their Rabbins which runneth another way For from their words it appeareth say they that there were chambers over the Temple and over the Porch and this they hold from 1 Chron 28.11 The words of that Text are these David gave to Solomon his sonne the Patterne of the Porch and the houses thereof and the Treasuries thereof and the upper chambers thereof and the Parlours thereof and the place of the mercy seat where all these particulars are so couched together except the last as if they were all within the Porch But the holy Ghost speaketh of the Porch as the first part in sight as you came up it being the front of all and the rest of the parcels mentioned are to be conceived of not as all crowded in it but as distributed and disposed in other parts of the fabrick as the Holy Ghost relateth and layeth downe elsewhere And as for the upper chambers here spoken of we need not to confine them so as to set them all either over the porch though there were some nor over the body of the Temple but to place them also as the Text doth elsewhere round about the house without in severall stories The carefull considering the measures of the Temple built by the Children of the Captivity will reasonably help to put us out of doubt about the matter that we have in dispute The measures they brought along with them out of Persia in Cyrus his Commission [d] Ezr. 6.3 4. The foundations to be strongly laid the height sixty cubits and the breadth sixty cubits with three rowes of great stones and a row of new timber and the expences to be given out of the Kings house Where wee may observe [e] Aben Ezr. in loc 1 That the length is not mentioned because that was to be of the former measure 2 That the breadth doubled the breadth of Solomons building the side chambers and all taken in And 3 That the height was double to the height of Solomons as it is expressed in the booke of Kings and as indeed the height of the Temple was though the porch were higher For it seemeth utterly against reason that Cyrus should offer to build the house as broad again as it was before and yet not so high as it was before by halfe It is no doubt but Cyrus had consultation with some of the Jews about the building and that either they counselling him should advise the abatement of so much of the height or he inlarging the breadth and the house one way should cut it short of the height and lessen it the other way is exceeding improbable the length could not be doubled because that would have lessened the measure of the Courts before it which might not be indured but the two other waies of dimension which could be allowed he allowed double to what they were before Therefore the two Texts in Kings and Chronicles are to be taken properly as they there lie before us namely that the Porch was 120 cubits high and that the rest of the Temple was but 30 and the form of the whole house was thus It stood East and West the most Holy place Westward and the Porch or entrie Eastward and the length of all from East to West was 70 cubits the breadth 20 cubits besides the breadth of the side chambers The height of the holy and most holy place 30 cubits and the porch stood at the East end like one of our high steeples 120 cubits high And indeed Solomons Temple did very truely resemble one of our Churches but onely that it differed in this that the Steeple of it which was the porch stood at the East end Now round about the sides thereof North and South and the West end Solomon built chambers of three stories high and five cubits was the height of every story the whole being 15 cubits high in all and they joined to the wall of the house without The highest story was a cubit wider then the middle and the middle a cubit wider then the lowest and yet the outmost wall of them was even and straight and jutted not over at one story or other any whit at all But the reason of this different breadth of the Stories was this the wall of the Temple for five cubits from the ground upward was thicker by a cubit then it was from thence above At the height therefore of those five cubits there was a bench of the wall of a cubit breadth left outerly round about the house on which they laid one end of the beams and timber which was the roofe of the lowest roomes or the floore of the second Story And then againe for five cubits above that the wall was thicker by a cubit then it was above and at the height of those five cubits there was such another bench left again and on that they laid the beams for the roofe of the second story which was the floore of the third And so likewise for five cubits above that the wall was yet thicker by a cubit then it was above and there the like bench was left againe and there were laid the beams of the roofe of the third story and of the whole building And this is the meaning of that verse 1 Kings 6.6 The neather most chamber was five cubits broad the middlemost sixe cubits broad and the third was seven cubits broad for he made abatings to the house on the outside round about that the beames should not have hold of the very walls of the house And thus did these chambers take up halfe the height of the house being as the lower leads of our Churches to the higher the use of the chambers we shall observe hereafter Now above these chambers in the wall of the Temple and in the outer wall of these chambers themselves there were windowes to let in light which the Text saith were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 open and shut or broad and narrow which [f] Chald par in 1 Kings 6.4 the Chaldee Paraphrast and [g] Vid. Nobil in LXX in loc Theodoret have well interpreted wide within and narrow without namely narrow without to receive the light and wide
chambers either on the north side of the house or on the south stepping over the gallery you come into the entry between two chambers one on your right hand and another on your left and their dores opening into the entry and facing one another but before you towards the Temple wall there was a round large turret-like staire case into which you might goe out of either chamber and so go up staires into the chambers over head and from thence up stairs againe into the chambers over them And thus are wee to understand that Talmudick passage of no small difficulty at the first fight [l] Mid. ubi su There were three dores to every one of the Chambers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One to the Chamber on the right hand and another to the Chamber on the left that is one dore to the entry on the one side and another to the entry on the other and one to the Chamber over head that is into this stair case that carryed up to the Chambers above And thus [m] Eze 41.7 one went up from the lowest story to the highest by the middle for [n] 1 Kin. 6.8 they went up with winding staires into the middle story and out of the middle into the third The West end Chambers had no gallery at all before them but you stepped immediately through the dores that were in the outmost wall into the entries and at the end of the entries there was such a stair-ease as this which conveyed and carryed you up from story to story On the South there were such galleries in the three heights as there were on the North and such stair cases at the end of the entries joining to the Temple-wal but that space where the galleries were was called by another name Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mesibbah as it was called on the Northside but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place of the coming down of the water Not as if here were the gutters to carry off the raines from the whole house but because in this space were laid the pipes that brought water down from the fountane Etam to the Cistern or Well in the Well-roome that was made to receive them They were so laid as that they hindred not the accesse or passage in the galleries to any of the Chambers and it may be they were not to be seen at all but lay under ground in the ground-gallery but they were glad thus to distinguish between the North and South sides by these different names as that they might the easier and quicker bee understood when they spake of a chamber in the Mesibbah or of a chamber in the conveyance of the water These chambers which where of this number measure posture and composure that hath been spoken and whose floor and roofe beams rested upon benches in the Temple wall as was observed before were for the laying up some choice treasures and utensils as also for corne wine and oile and whatsoever was brought in of 〈◊〉 and first fruites for the sustenance and subsistence of the Priâ—â—â— that attended upon the Altar and they were as measuries or storehouses for that purpose Neh. 12.44 Mal. 3.10 And now let us go up the staires of the great turret in the North-east corner on the North side for there was none such on the South that will carry us to the roofe of this building or on the leads At the top of the staines he went out at a wicket and his face was then towards the West [o] Mid. ubi su Hee walked upon the leads along upon the Northside 〈◊〉 came to the West corner when he came thither be turned his face toward the South corner when he came to the South be turned his face Eastward and went all along on the Southside till he came up a good way and there was a dore through the Temple wall into the roomes over the holy and most holy place In this roome over them which was â—â—y cubits from the ground and so were the leads whâ—â—â— were these threathings worth taking notice of 1. That as soon as a man was stept within the dâ—â—e 〈◊〉 were two Codar beams or trees said close together sloping still upward and lying along the wall by which they were said so handsomely slope and steps were either 〈◊〉 in them 〈◊〉 upon them one might go to the very top of the Temple and this was the way to the higher leads 2. Juâ—â— over the parting between the holy and most holy plâ—â—â— them 〈◊〉 some little piâ—â—asters 〈…〉 the partition 3. In the floore over the most holy places there were divers holes like trapdores through which when 〈◊〉 required they let down workmen by 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 as there was 〈◊〉 And they let them down in 〈…〉 some such thing where they could 〈…〉 before theâ—â— and the reason of this is given by the Jeâ—â—s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 holy 〈◊〉 [p] Ma. in Beth habbech per. 4. 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 they whited the Temple walls within and for this and other necessary work about the house within it was desiced and endeavoured that Priests or Levites should do the work but if such were not found to do it then other Israelites were admitted and they were admitted to go through the dores into the most holy place if Chests or Trunks were not to bee found in which to let them downe CHAP. XIII The Porch Sect. 1. The steps up to it IN taking particular account of the length of the building from East to West which was 100 cubits we will first be in at the Porch which was the beautifull front Eastward and view severally every speciall place and parcell till we come to the West end [a] See chap. The spreading of the Porch in length was 100 cubits and in height 120 twenty cubits higher then the height of the Temple And this Porch which was a crosse building to the Temple it selfe and so high above it may not improperly be conceived to be that place whither Satan brought our Saviour in his temptation when he is said to have brought him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly to the wing of the Temple There were severall things at this front before we stir from it that were very remarkeable and cannot be passed without observation And the first that we will looke upon shall bee the steps that rose up out of the Court into this entrance which were [c] Mid. per. 3. twelve in number every step halfe a cubit 〈◊〉 fing six cubits in the whole rise and so much was the floore of the Porch higher then the floore of the Court. And here wee meet with a passage in the Treatise Middeth in the place cited in the 〈◊〉 which is exceeding â—ard to be understood and the very same also in Maymonides and in him it is harder The words are these Having spoken of the steps that went up to the Porch that they were twelve and that the rise of every step
dootes to it at all but [f] Ioseph de Bell. lib. 5. c. 14. it was an open gate into which whosoever stood in the Court might looke and see the space of the porch within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. All this front was gilt with gold and through it all the first house that is the porch within might be seen and that glittered with gold also Now by all this front Josephus for they are his words meaneth not the whole face of the porch or all the hundred cubits long and hundred and twenty high but the very front of the gate or entrance only which he sheweth to have been 70 cubits high and 25 broad And herein the Talmud and hee doe not clash though the Talmud say that the height was only forty cubits and the breadth but twenty for it speaks only of the very hollow entrance but he speaks also of the Posts and head or front of the whole gate-house as we observed about the other gates before [g] Mid. ubi sup The Talmud likewise speaks of five 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beams of some choice wood the learned Buxtorfius translates it quercinoe that were laid over this gate curiously wrought with knots and flowers and a row of stone still laid between beame and beame The lowest beam that lay on the head of the gate was a cubit on either side longer then the gate was broad then was laid on that a row of stone After that another carved beame a cubit on either end longer then the other and then a row of stone Then another beam and so of the rest every beam being a cubit at either end longer then that that lay below it These were thus laid over the gate to bear the weight that was above they rose to a great height were curiously ingraven and gilt and from the highest there was a neat descending border gathered at either end of the beams stil inward and inward as the beams shortned and at last it ran down by the cheeks of the entry two cubits and an halfe broad on either side the gate And this was the front that Josephus meaneth And now turn behind this porch at whether end you will and look Wellward There ran the body of the Temple it self pointing exactly upon the middle of the porch or just upon this entrance that we have been speaking of the breadth of it between wall and wall just equall with the breadth of this entrance but the walls and chambers built on either side of such a breadth as that the whole came to seventy cubits broad and thus doth Ariel or the Lion of God as the Jewes interpret it represent the proportion of a lion broad before in the large front the porch which was of an hundred cubits breadth and narrow behind in the buildings of the house reduced in breadth to seventy cubits which breadth to take up in its severall parcells we will begin at the North side and thus we find these particular measures [h] Ibid. per. 4. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wall of the Gallery five cubits thick this was the outmost wall of all and it rose to the battlements or first leads mentioned before where the foundation for six cubits high was said to be six cubits thick but that odde cubit is not here reckoned because the count it not from the very foundation but from the wall above as any one would count in such a building 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The gallery three cubits broad 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wall of the chambers five cubits thicke 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chambers themselves six cubits broad 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wall of the Temple six cubits thick 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The breadth of the Temple within from wall to wall twenty cubits 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other wall of it six cubits thicke 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The breadth of the chambers six cubits 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wall of the chambers five cubits thicke 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The place of the coming down of the water three cubits broad 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The outmost wall five cubits Seventy in all [i] Ibid. Sect. 3. Now the chambers were in number eight and thirty fifteen upon the Northside fifteen upon the South and eight at the West end They were in three stories five in the lowest stories and five over them and five over those thus on the North and South sides but at the West end there were three on the ground and three over them and two over those Every chamber was six cubits broad and twice as long only the two highest chambers at the West end were of a greater length [k] See Ezek 40.21 And there was a space between the chambers on the same floore in manner of an entry of some 7 cubits and an halfe broad that you might passe in it betwixt chamber and chamber to every chamber doore which was upon the side Before these chambers there ran a gallery from the East end of the building to the West but at the West end there was none such of three cubits broad by which you were carryed along to any of these Entries between the chambers and so to any chamber doore In the outmost wall of the fabrick toward the North and the South there were foure doores on either side into foure entries for so many there were between five chambers but as soon as you were come within the doors there ran a gallery along on your right hand and left over which you stepped into the entry that was before you or if you went not in at the doore that was just opposite to the entry that you would goe to you might goe in at any dore you thought good and this gallery would lead you to that entry Thus was it with the lowest chambers and the like gallerie and entries were also in the middle story and in the highest Now the way to goe up into them was by a large pair of turning staires in a turret at the North-East corner of the North side by which staires you went up to the first floore and there if you would you might land in the gallery and go there to what entry or chamber you would or if you would go higher you might doe so likewise into the gallery in the third story and if you had a mind you might yet go higher up these staire up to the leads to walk over the chambers on the roof round about their whole pyle But besides this stair case-turret which thus conveyed to the roofe of the buildings there was such another at the furthest end of every one of the entries that have been spoken of which carryed up to the first and second floore or to the upper chambers but went not so high as to convey to the roofe And so had you gone in at any of the foâ—m dores to the ground
was halfe a cubit and the breadth of it to stand upon a cubit it comes on and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which applyed to the steps and their rising I should translate to this sense At every cubits rise there was a halfe pace of three cubits broad and at the highest cubits rise there was a halfe pace of four cubits broad The meaning this that as you had gone up two 〈◊〉 which being halfe a cubit high a peece made but a cubit 〈◊〉 â—he third step the space you tread upon was enlarged and was three cubits broad whereas the steps themselves that you had come up were but one cubit breadth And so from this inlarged breadth or half pace step two steps further and there was another and after two steps more another and after two steps yet more there was the highest which was an halfe pace or inlargement of four cubits breadth And so every third step of the twelve was an halfe pace or such an inlargement which made the ascent exceeding beautifull and stately And this helpeth to understand a passage in the treatise Joma which at the first reading is not easy to bee understood Where relating how when the high Pâ—â—est on the day of Expiation had slain his own bullock he gave the blood to one to 〈◊〉 it to keep it from congealing it saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [d] Ioma per. 4. That he stirred it about upon 〈…〉 of the Temple which Maymony expresseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [e] Maym. in Ioma habbech per. 5. be first it about that it 〈…〉 upon the fourth halfe pace of the Temple without that is upon the very top of these twelve steps that went up into the Porch The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [f] Ar. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baal Aruch after the production of many examples of it renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 standings or pillars or 〈◊〉 find not a 〈◊〉 word for it here to expresse it by then 〈◊〉 Now [g] Per. 4. versus finem Maymony in Bâ—â—h habbiebirah or in his 〈◊〉 of the Temple having to deale with these words of the Tahund that we have been speaking of doth utter them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Round about the walls of the Porch from below upward they were thus One cubit plain and then an halfe pace of three cubits one cubit plaine or an ordinary rising of steps and then another halfe pace of three cubits and so up so that the halfe 〈◊〉 go about the walls of the Porch His meaning is the same with what was said before but he addeth somewhat more and that is that these twelve steps thus beautifully spreding every third step into an halfe pace did not only go up to the entrance into the Porch but also there were such steps all along the front of the Porch Eastward 〈◊〉 such steps at either end of it North and South and 〈…〉 of this was because the floor of the Porch was higher 〈…〉 the floore of the Court and there then were dores in the building besides the great dore that gave passage into the Temple and into these dores you could not get without such steps Sect. II. The two Pillars Jachin and Boaâ— OF the gate or enmance into the Porch and so into the Temple and of its dimensions and beauty hath been spoken before and therefore as to that particular we need say no more here but may be silent but one maine part of the ornament and beauty of it was there omitted and reserved to this place and that is the two famous pillars that in Salomâ—â—â— Temple stood at the cheeks of the entrance or passage in Liebin and Boaâ— I find not indeed mention among the Jews Antiquities of any such pillars set at the entrance of the Temple that we are surveying which was the Temple built by Herod the Temple that was in the dayes of our Saviour though Eâ—â—kiel speak of such pillars at the doore of his Temple 〈…〉 yet because we desire to give account 〈◊〉 of whâ—â— wee finde recorded in Scripture concerning the Temple in 〈◊〉 wee cannot passe over two such memorable monuments as these two pillars of whom the story and relation is 〈◊〉 by the Scripture so largely and exactly 1. These two pillars which were of brasse consisted either of them of two parts the pillar it self 〈◊〉 the boll and 〈◊〉 that was set on the head of it The pillar it selfe was hollow the circle incompassing the the hollow four fingers thick and the compasse of that circling twelve cubits about Jer. 〈…〉 1 King 7.15 [a] R. Sol. in 1 Kin. 7. R. Le. Gers ibid. the whole thicknesse or diameter of either pillar 4 cubits or 3 cubits and 4 fifth parts of a cubit as is the reckonng of Levi Gersom The chapter or boll likewise of either pillar was hollow and was a huge piece of brasse bowse or ovall fashion which had a very large hole in it into which the top of the pillar was let and so this chapiter sate upon it 2. The length or height of either Pillar was eighteen cubits besides the Chapiter for the Text doth cleerly rockon the height of pillar and chapiter distinctly Now the booke of Chronicles summeth the length of both pillars together and saith they were five and thirty cubits high 2 Chro. 3.15 in which it commeth short a cubit of that account and 〈◊〉 that is given in the booke of Kings and Jeremy which say that 〈◊〉 pillar was eighteen cubits and so the whole of both was 〈◊〉 and thirty But halfe a cubit of either pillar was taken up and bid in the hole of the chapiter that fate upon it and so 〈…〉 in the booke of Chronicles measures them as they stood with the chapiters upon them two and twenty cubits and 〈…〉 high pillar and chapiter and all 3. The chapiter or ovall on the head of either pillar it â—â—â—led in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Rabbi Soloâ—â—â— tenders in the vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pamells Kimchi A Crowne who which 〈◊〉 Chalâ—â—â— agrees who expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corâ—â—â— but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more exactly saith is was like two Groâ—â—nes 〈◊〉 together It was a huge great ovall of five cubits high and did not only sit upon the head of the pillars but also flowâ—ed or 〈◊〉 over them being larger about a great deale then the pillars themselves 4. Wherein it is said both in King 7.16 〈…〉 that the height of either chapiter was five cubits and 〈…〉 〈…〉 17. is said 〈…〉 height of the chapiter was 〈…〉 it is 〈◊〉 and well answered by the Jews that the lowest two cubits of the chapiter were plaine and without any graving or imbroideâ—â—g but the three upper cubits were of such imbroidery To which may be added and some of them do adde it that the two lower cubits were but the rising into the spreading or belly of the chapiter and that they there are not reckoned
but the thing is referred only to the lilly worke The meaning therefore of the verse appeareth to be this that at the head of the pillar even at the setting on of the chapiter there was a curious and a large border or circle of lilly-work which stood out four cubits under the chapiter then turned downe every lilly or long tongue of brasse with a neat bending and so seemed as a flowred crowne to the head of the pillar and as a curious garland whereon the chapiter had its seat And that particular expression that it was in or by the Porch intendeth to shew that these long tongues of brasse which were made like lillies did not suddainly decline and liâ— down upon the sides of the pillars nor suddainly ascend and stick upon the sides of the chapiter but stood out into and along the porch a foure cubit circle after the manner of a spread lilly and then the tongue bended downward as the lilly doth And this construction of that verse helpeth to cleere and explaine the next verse that followes after it which otherwise would cost some pains to translate it out of the originall or to make facil sense of it being translated In consonancy and contexture to the verse before so understood as hath been held out this verse may be interpreted and paraphrased thus And the chapiters upon the two pillars were also above this lilly work for they sate upon the growing out of it even from over against the belly which was by the branch-work for the lilly-work raught out as far as the belly of the chapiters raught out with an accurate bowing or swelling upwards towards the belly where the stalkes of the branch-work and the rowes of the Pomegranats were even as a lilly gently swelleth up before the tongue or utmost point of it turneth downe againe 5. The place where these pillars stood is somewhat uncertain the text indeed saith they stood before the house 2 Chr. 3.15 and before the Temple ver 17. but yet it is to seek whether within the porch at the entring in or without the porch or within the porch at the Temple dore which last is the opinion of Robbi Sol. upon the text cited Upon these four reasons I am induced to conceive that they stood within the porch even at the very entring into it joining or standing up to the very cheeks of the gate or entrance 1. Because Ezekiel hath so placed his two pillars in the porch of his Temple namely at the top of the steps by the posts or cheeks of the entrance it selfe Ezek. 40.49 2. Because as we observed before it is said that the lilly-work under the chapiters was four cubits in the porch 3. Because the booke of Kings saith that Solomon set up the pillars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the porch as the word properly signifies though David Kimchi and our English translate it In The expression seemeth to intimate these two things first that the pillars were set up for the porch dore and not for the Temple dore as was the opinion of Solomon Jarchi cited before And secondly that they stood for the porch or very entrance into the building as dore cheeks or posts at that entrance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ios antiq lib. 8. c. 2. At the dore cheeks of the porch as saith Josephus 4. That obscure passage of Ezekiel chap. 40.48 The bredth of the gate was three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side cannot be so understood as if the entry or passage into the porch were but six cubits broad and why also should he speake of this side and that side if he meant but one intire bredth but it is well understood by Kimcbi to meane that on either side of the entry there was something standing out into the bredth of the entry three cubits which made the passage it self but fourteen cubits broad which measure of three cubits though it fel short one cubit of the thicknesse of these pillars cast by Solomon yet suiting with the measure of Ezekiels pillars it may do this for us as to shew us how these pillars that we have in hand were placed by the disposing and placing of those of his namely on your right hand and on your lest as soone as ever you were stepped within the porch The names of the two pillars to omit the fancies of some Jews about them were Iachin and Boaz 1 King 7.21 which words denote Establishment and Strength Jachin signifieth het will establish from Gods promise to establish the throne of David and his people Israel And Boaz denoteth Herein is strength namely alluding either to Gods promise in which was all their strength and settlement or to the Arke which was within which is called The strength of the Lord Psal 80.2 105.4 Sect. III. Closets for the Butchering instruments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 YEt before we enter into the porch and so into the Temple there is one thing more calls for our observation and that is certaine closets or places that were in this pile of the porch in which were laid up the knives and instruments that were used by the Priests about the killing and flaying and cutting up of the beasts to be sacrificed The treatise Middoth giveth intelligence and account of these places in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [a] Mid per. 4. Sect. 7. The Porch was broader then the Temple fifteen cubits on the North and fifteen cubits on the South and that that exceeded was called Beth hachillapoth where they laid up the knives The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie the butchering knives of the Temple Ezr. 1.9 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith [b] Vid. Ab. Ez. in Ezr. 1. Aben Ezra as it betokeneth cutting off which it doth Esay 2.18 Prov. 31.8 And [c] Kimch Ib. so saith Kimchi on the same place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are knives And of this sense is Beth hachillapoth for because they laid up the knives there therefore the place was called The chamber of the laying up of the knives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was therefore on either end of the extent of the porch for that space that it stood out further then the buildings of Temple a chamber one at the end towards the North and another at the end towards the South in which two large chambers were foure and twenty little closets wherein the knives were laid up severally for the foure and twenty courses of the Priests And these and such like little closets the Jews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fenestrae or windows because they were closets or boxes joining to the wall And besides these that wee are speaking of where the butchery instruments were laid up Maymony reckons fourscore and sixteen more for the laying up of other things four for every one of the four and twenty courses [d] Maym. in â—ele Migd per. There were saith hee 96 closets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in
side of this place of the rings there stood marble tables upon which they washed the inwards of the sacrifice and cut it up into pieces and foure cubits further North there were the pillars on which they hung up the sacrifice upon hookes that so they might flea it These pillars the Jewes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which [g] Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aruch interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pillars low or shorty it may seeme the word is taken from the latine Nanus [h] Parah per. 2. and so the treatise Parah speaketh of a red cow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 low and small Nana minuta Now these pillars were not those that supported the cloister on this North side of the Court but low pillars set by these or joyning to them [i] Mid. per. 3. Tamid per. 3. Pesachin per. 5. eight in number over the heads of which were said transome beames of cedar and hookes of iron fastned both in these beames and in the pillars on which hookes they hanged up the beast slaine for sacrifice that they might the better come at him to flea him The pillars had every one of them three hookes in them one above another that they might be fit for beasts of severall hignesses and cizes And before these pillars or rather before the space that was between the pillars so that one might easily passe betweene stood the marble tables on which after that they had given the entrailes of the beasts their first washing in the washing roome mentioned before they washt and drest them a second time and made them fit and faire for the Altar and on which after they had fleaed the beast as he hanged upon the hookes they cut him in pieces according as he was to be cut and divided for his laying on the Altar to be offered up From these low pillars to the North wall of the Court were eight cubits and this was the place and space for Israels standing on this side the Court for though these pillars spoken of did not beare up the cloister under which the people stood yet did they stand so even or close to those pillars that did that from these pillars we may and the Jewes doe count and measure the space of the Israelits station on this side and it was three cubits narrower then their standing at the East end Thus was the space taken up that was between the Altar and the North side of the Court now let us come to view the space on the other side of the Altar toward the South Where first the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causey or Rise that went up to the Altar took up two and thirty cubits even just as much space on this side as there was betwixt the Altar and the further side of the place of the rings on the other But here a question may not improperly be moved out of the Arithmetick of the Talmudicks about the measure of the Altar and the rise of it which they hold out for they say expressely that [k] Mid. per. 3. the Altar was two and thirty cubits square and that [l] Ibid. the rise on the South side was two and thirty cubits long and yet summing up both together they say that [m] Ibid. per. 5. the Altar and the rise were but sixty two cubits whereas according to the two particulars named they should be sixty foure But the reason of the account is from this either because they reckon the length of the causey or rise not from the outside of the foundation of the Altar but from the narrowing of the Altar above the Circuit for thither did the Causey bring them and land them there as the ordinary place of their service when they went to besprinkle the hornes of the Altar with the blood of the sacrifices or else because they reckon not the two first cubits of the rise or the very entrance upon it it being so flat and neare to the ground as that there was so much of the rise gone before there was any stepping off to the bridge that went to the foundation of the Altar And yet though they doe sometime account thus of the Altar and the rise that they tooke up but 62 cubits yet in distributing the 137 cubits of the Courts breadth into particular spaces they then allow as they cannot doe otherwise 32 cubits to the Altar and as many to the rise for the particulars are thus that we may sum them againe Front the North wall to the pillars 8 cubits The place of the marble tables 4 cubits From these tables to the space of the rings 4 cubits The space of the rings it selfe 24 cubits From the rings to the Altar 8 cubits The Altar it selfe 32 cubits The rise or causey 32 cubits From the rise to the South-wall 25 cubits  In all 137 cubits Now these five and twenty cubits which were betweene the foot of the rise and the South-wall is given account of by the treatise Middoth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the residue of space which was between the rise and the wall was also a place of low pillars These were some sacrifices slaine on the South side of the Altar as well as these that have been mentioned were on the North There were sacrifices which were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy of holies or the most holy sacrifices and those were the burnt-offering sin-offering and trespasse-offering and others reckoned before and these were undispensably tied to be slaine on the North side of the Altar or at least on the North side of the Court as hath been spoken And there were offerings which were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lesser holy things and these might be slaine in any part of the Court and were not bound to that side as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [n] Zevachin per. 5. Thanksgiving-offerings and the Nazarites ramme which were lesser holy offerings were slaine in any place of the Court Peace-offerings which were of the lesser holy things were also slaine in any part of the Court and so were the firstlings the tenthes and the Passeover which were also reckoned as lesser holy things Now although they speak of any part of the Court as permitted to slay the sacrifices in yet most especially have they reference to the South side of the Altar in opposition to the North and the South side understood in that latitude as the North side was when extremity and multitude of sacrifices put them to it For when the sacrifices were no more then what could be killed within the very compasse between the North side of the Altar and the North wall of the Court they were slaine there but when numerousnesse of sacrifices urged [o] Ibid. per. 6. all the North side of the Court from East to West ends and as far South as to the middle of the Altar was used to slay the beasts in and all that was accounted as
Western wall of the house but more downeward towards the dore and that the staves raught down to the dore and on the day of Expiation when the high priest went into the Holy place he went up to the Arke between these staves and could not go off to one hand or other But that that hath strained them from this conception is 1. Because they have strictly taken the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the text in the book of Kings for the Holy place without the vail whereas the booke of Chronicles doth expresly render it by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Arke for whereas the one place saith that the beads of the staves were seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth not the whole roome either of the Holy or most Holy place but that singularly Holy place that was under the wings of the Cherubims for of that place had the text spoken immediately before when it said The Priests brought the Arke into the most holy place under the wings of the Cherubims For the Cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the Ark c. and then he comes on and saith And they drew out the staves so that the ends of the staves appeared out of that holy place meaning under the wings of the Cherubims And 2. The authors alledged have strictly taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mean so as one standing at the dore betwixt the Holy and most Holy place had the most Holy place before him whereas it signifieth in the same sense that it doth in that clause in Gen. 1.20 Let the fowl flie upon the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our English hath wel rendred in the open firmament of beaven And so is it to be taken here and the verse in hand may be properly understood thus And they drew out the staves at length so that the ends of the staves were seen from that holy place in the open face of the Oracle but they were not seen without The staves were the same that were made by Moses and their length not great but only so much as to fit a mans shoulder on either side of the Arke and now when they had set the Ark between the two standing Cherubims on the floore the Cherubims inner wings covered the Ark and the staves that were above at the ends of the Ark but the rest of the staves drawn out downward toward the Oracle dore shot out from under the Cherubims wings and appeared in the open face of the most Holy place and the high Priest when he came to offer incense at the Arke on the day of Expiation he stood before the Arke between the staves [d] Maym. ubi sup It is fancied by the Jews that Solomon when hee built the Temple foreseeing that the Temple should be destroyed he caused very obscure and intricate vaults under ground to bee made wherein to hide the Ark when any such danger came that howsoever it went with the Temple yet the Arke which was as the very life of the Temple might be safe And they understand that passage in 2 Chron. 35.3 Iosiah said unto the Levites Put the Holy Arke in the house which Solomon the son of David did build c. [e] Kimch in 2 Chron. 35. as if Ioab having heard by the reading of Moses his Manuscript and by Huldabs prophecy of the danger that hung over Ierusalem he commanded to convey the Arke into this vault that it might be secured and with it say they they laid up Aarons rod the pot of Manna and the annointing oile For while the Arke stood in its place upon the stone mentioned they hold that Aarons rod and the pot of Manna stood before it but now were all conveyed into obscurity and the stone upon which the Arke stood lay over the mouth of the vault But Rabbi Solomon which useth not ordinarily to forsake such traditions hath given a more serious glosse upon the place namely whereas that Manasseb and Amon had removed the Arke out of its habitation and set up images and abominations there of their own Josiah speaketh to the Priests to restore it to its place againe what became of the Arke at the burning of the Temple by Nebucadnezzar we read not it is most like it went to the fire also How ever it sped it was not in the second Temple and is one of the five choice things that the Jews reckon wanting there Yet had they an Ark there also of their own making as they had a breast-plate of Judgement which though they both wanted the glory of the former which was giving of Oracles yet did they stand current as to the other matters of their worship as the former breast-plate and Arke had done And so having thus gone through the many parts and particulars of the Temple it selfe let us but take account of the severall parcell measures that made up the length of it an hundred cubits and so wee will turne our eye and survey upon the Courts [f] Mid. per. 4. 1. The wall of the porch was five cubits thick 2. The Porch it self eleven cubits broad 3. The wall of the Temple six cubits thick 4. The Holy place forty cubits long 5. The space between Holy and most Holy place one cubit 6. The length of the most Holy place twenty cubits 7. The Temple wall six cubits thick 8. The breadth of the chambers at the end six cubits 9. The wall of the chambers five cubits thick CHAP. XVI The Courts of the Temple THe dimensions and platform of the Temple it selfe being thus laid out we may now the better observe the forme and situation of the Courts that were before it or about it Where in the first place it will bee needfull to remember that againe which was spoken before which was that the Temple and the Courts about it were not pitched so just in the middle of the Mount of the house as that they lay in an equall distance from the four sides of the incompassing wall [a] Mid. per. 2. but they were situate more towards the North side and West in such manner as that they left lesse space betwixt them and the West then betwixt them and the North and lesse betwixt them and the North then between them and the East and lesse betwixt them and the East then betwixt them and the South There were three which we may call Courts belonging to the Temple besides that space in the mountaine of the house without them which was very large and which is ordinarily called by Christian writers Atrium Gentium or the Court of the Gemiles And these three were The Court of Israel and the Priests the Court of the women and The Chel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but properly and ordinarily the two former are only called Courts That word in Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the text
the North So on the South side of the Altar there were marble tables and low pillars for the very same use that there were on the other side of the Altar namely for the fleaing and cutting up and washing the intrulls of the sacrifices but when greater store came then that very space just between the Altar and the South wall would containe then all the South side of the Court was permitted for that use even as farre as the middle of the Altar betwixt North and South The five and twenty cubits space therefore that wee are to give account of betweene the South wall of the Court and the foot of the rise of the Altar were thus parcelled 1. There were eight cubits from the Court wall to the pillars as there were on the North side and this was the breadth of the Cloister and the standing of Israel on that side the Court. 2. The disposall of the Tables as on the other side before the pillars tooke up foure cubits 3. And then the thirteene cubits betweene these and the foot of the Altar rise was partly as is probable taken up with some rings as on the North side though not so many for they needed not and partly with some plaine pavement next to the rise that the Priests might have accesse to it the better CHAP. XXXVI The space betwixt the Altar and the Porch THe Altar stood before the gate or entrance of the Porch that gave accesse into the Temple and the space between the foundation of the Altar and the foundation of the Porch [a] Mid. per. 3. was two and twenty cubits But there was not so much cleare ground or plaine pavement and passage betweene them for the staires of the Porch being in number twelve and every step a cubit broad besides the halfe pace or inlarging at every third step caused that these steps lay downe a great way in the Court towards the Altar and took up a good space of these two and twenty cubits Every one of these steps was halfe a cubit high and thereupon the whole rise ariseth to be six cubits from the ground to the landing in the porch so that he that stood in the Porch gate his feet stood even and levell with his feet that stood upon the Circuit of the Altar [b] Tamid per. 7. Upon these steps of the Porch the Priests stood when they came out from burning incense and blessed the people As concerning the space betwixt the Porch and Altar these things are remarkable about it 1. [c] Kelim per. 1. That no man might come upon this space that had any blemish upon him nor any man might come here bare headed the reason of the former restraint is easie to be apprehended because of the holinesse of the place being so near both to the Altar and the Temple and the reason of the latter is because in their greatest devotions they used to cover their head and therefore none might come bare headed into so dovout a place 2. That no man might stand upon this space or stay within it while the Priest was burning incense in the holy place [d] Maym. in Tamid in per. 3. For whilest they burned incense in the Temple every day all the people departed from the Temple so that betweene the Temple and the Altar there was not a man till he that burned incense came forth And so at the time that the High-priest went in with the blood of the sin-offering which was to be sprinkled within all the people withdrew from between the Altar and the Temple till he came forth againe And because they might know the time when to withdraw from this space at the daily incense the Sagan or President of the service called to the Priest that was within the holy place with a loud voice and gave him notice when he should begin with the incense saying to him Offer the intense and as he spake thus the people withdrew The reason of this custome I shall not be curious to looke after but whether the Cerimony did not fitly resemble how far distant all men are from having any share with Christ in his intercession which the offering of the incense resembled be it left to the reader to consider 3. In this space between the Temple and the Altar was the murder committed upon Zacharias the son of Barachias as our Saviour mentioneth Mat. 23 â—5 Now there are various conjectures who this Zachary should be some thinke of Zachary the prophet whose booke of prophecy we have in the old Testament Some suppose it might be John Baptists father and some conceive that Christ speaketh there predictively foretelling that they should slay Zachary the son of Baruâ—h in the Temple the story of which Josephus giveth in lib. 4. de bel cap. 19. But the Talmudists doe help us to understand it of Zacharie the son of Jehoiada who was stoned by the people in this place in the daies of King Joash 2 Chron. 24. Why he is called the son of Barachias and not the son of Jehoiada is not a place here to dispute the Jerusalem Talmud hath this story concerning his slaughter which may give us cause to thinke that our Saviour spake according to the common received opinion and was understood to meane Zachary the son of Jehoiada though for speciall reason he calleth him the son of Barachias [e] Talm. Jerus in Taanith fol. 69. Rab. Jorhanan saith eighty thousand young Priests were slaine for Zacharies blood R. Jodan asked R. Aha where slew they Zacharias In the Court of the women or in the Court of Israel He saith to him not in the Court of Israel nor in the Court of the women but in the Court of the Priests c. And seven transgressions did Israel transgresse that day They slew a Priest a Prophet a Judge shed innocent blood and defiled the Court and the Sabbath which was also the day of expiation And when Nebuzaradan came thither he saw the blood bubling He saith to them what meaneth this They said to him it is the blood of bullocks and rams and lambs which we have offered upon the Altar Presently he brought bullocks and rams and lambs and killed them and as yet the blood bubled or reeked above theirs And when they confessed not he hanged them up They said the Lord is pleased to require his blood at our hands They say to him it is the blood of a Priest and Prophet and Judge who prophecied to us concerning all that thou hast done to us and we stood up against him and slew him Presently he brought eighty thousand young Priests and slew them And still the blood bubled Then he was angry at it and said to it what wouldest thou have that all the people should perish for thee Presently the holy blessed God was filled with compassion and said what is this mâ—n that is but flesh and blood filled with pity towards my children and shall not I be much more of