whom it is written For the Lord thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee nor destroy thee nor forget the covenant of thy fathers Presently he gave a signe to the blood and it was swallowed up in the place R. Jochanan saith the 80000. young Priests fled to the midst of the chambers of the Sanctuary and they were at burnt and of all them none was left but Joshua the son of Jozedeck as it is written It not this a brand pluckt out of the fire Zech. 3.2 In this space between the Altar and the Porch there stood the Laver but not directly before the Altar but removed towards the South so that it stood betwixt the rise of the Altar and the porch as we shall observe in the viewing of it by and by But the Talmud speaketh of a Vessel which by its relation appeareth to have layn directly betwixt Porch and Altar which it calleth Migrephah but what to english it is not very ready The Treatise Tamid speaketh thus of it [f] Tamid per. 5. They that were to goe into the Temple to burne incense and to dresse the lamps came between the Porch and the Altar one of them taketh the Migrephah and rings it between the Porch and the Altar one man could not heare another speake in Jerusalem because of the sound of the Migrephah It served for three things The Priest that heard the sound of it knew that his brethren the Priests were gone in to worship and he ran and came A Levite that heard the sound of it knew that his brethren the Levites were gone in to sing and he ranne and came And the chiefe of the stationary men brought them that had been uncleane and set them in the gate of Nicanor Now what kinde of thing this Migrephah was I finde but little light towards an exact resolution [g] Gloss in Mishnaioth ibi Some say it was a great vessell which they rung to make a sound but of what fashion and whether for any other use also they leave uncertain The Chaldee renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Exod. 38.3 c. which seemeth to be the same word with this that wee are about and so he understands it to meane some of the fire-shovels that belonged to the Altar which being either rung upon or shoved upon the pavement would make a loud noise being of brasse and very big The Jewes upon the sound of this and divers other things at the Temple do hyperbolize thus [h] Tamid per. 3. Even from Jericho they heard the noise of the great gate of the Temple when it opened From Jericho they heard the ringing of the Migrephab From Jericho they heard the noise of the Engine that Ben Kâ—ttin made for the Laver. From Jericho they heard the voice of the cryer that called them to their services From Jericho they heard the sound of the pipe From Jericho they heard the sound of the Cymbal From Jericho they heard the sound of the song From Jericho they heard the sound of the Trumpets And some say also the voice of the High priest when he uttered the name Jehovah on the day of expiation c. The truth of which things is not to be pleaded seeing it is apparent that they are uttered by way of hyperbole onely it may not be improper to observe how common the phrase was From Jerusalem to Jericho which is also used in Luke 10.30 CHAP. XXXVII Concerning the Vessells and Utensills of the Temple SECT 1. The Laver. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THe first command of making the Laver and the end of it being made is related in Exod. 30.18 19 20. c. in these words Thou shalt make a Laver of brasse and his foot of brasse to wash withall and thou shalt put it between the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Altar and thou shalt put water therein For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat when they goe into the Tabernacle of the Congregation they shall wash with water that they dye not or when they come near the Altar to minister c. And the making of it is related in Exod. 38.8 He made the Laver of brasse and the foot of it of brasse of the looking glasses of the women assembling which assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation The measures and the receipt of it is not at all described The Holy Ghost hath left it undetermined what was the forme or the cize of it but hath given notice onely of the materials of it and the end It was made of the brazen Looking-glasses of the women that assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle The Septuagint expresseth it of the Fasting women which fasted at the doore of the Tabernacle reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Jerusalem Targum with which also Jonathans agrees reads it of the Looking-glasses of the modest women which were modest at the doore of the Tabernacle which Aben Ezra's glosse upon the place helps us to understand thus It is the custome of all women saith he to looke their faces in Looking-glasses every morning either of brasse or glasse that they may see to dresse their heads but behold there were women in Israel that served the Lord that departed from this worldly delight and gave away their glasses as a free-will-offering for they had no more use of them but they came every day to the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation to pray and to heare the words of the commandement The end of it was to wash the hands and feet of the Priests but the most ultimate end was to signifie the washing and purifying by the spirit of grace which is so oft called water in the Scripture and so the sprinkling of the bloud of the Sacrifice and the washing in the water of the Laver did read the two great Divinity Lectures of washing by the bloud of Christ from guilt and by the grace of God from filthinesse and pollution The cize and measure of the Laver at the second Temple is not described neither only we have these things recorded of it in the Antiquities of the Hebrew writers 1. That it stood between the Altar and the Porch as the Primitive appointment was Exod. 30.18 but not just and directly between them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [a] Mid. per. 3. Sect. 6. a little aside toward the South And the reason given for the placing of it there is this [b] R. Sol. in Exod. 30. ex Zevachin Because it is said And the Altar of burnt-offering at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation meaning that the Altar was to be before the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Laver not to be before the Tabernacle of the Congregation but it was set a little aside toward the South 2. That at the first it had but two spouts or cocks out of which the water ran
his time but taken in and built afterward either by Asa or by Jehoshaphat before that time and occasion that the text mentioned in the book of Chronicles speaketh of and so there came to bee two Courts in the House of the Lord 2 Kings 21.5 2 It is called The outer Court Ezek. 46.21 [d] Mid. per. 2. Kimch in loc as that text is generally and truely understood by the Iewish writers which we shall have occasion to examine anon and the reason of the name doth easily appeare namely because it lay on the outside of the Court of Israel and further off from the Temple 3. It is also called The Treasury John 8.20 the reason of which name we shall observe before wee have done with the survey of this Court But by the Jewish writers it is generally and ordinarily called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Court of the Women and the reason of that name was because the women might goe no higher or further then into this Court. [e] Joseph de Bell. l. 5. c. 14. Antiq. l. 15. c. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This being the proper place for them to worship in and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 further then this towards the Temple was unaccessible to them onely when a woman brought a sacrifice she might goe into the Court of Israel as we have observed in another place This Court lay at the East end of the Court of Israel and was parted from it by a high wall so that whosoever came to worship here could see nothing of the service in the other Court and indeed heare but little unlesse they went up the steps of the gate and looked in for til you came to the middle of the entry of the gate that went up into the upper Court it was but of the same holinesse with the Court of the women but beyond the middle it was holier The floore of this Court was even and levell throughout [f] Mid. ubi ant and it was a perfect square of 135 cubits long and 135. cubits broad and it was curiously flag'd with marble as indeed was all the space both Courts Chel and the other space that was within the wall that incompassed the holy ground And they have this tradition about the pavement of the Court where the Altar stood [g] Maym. in beth habbech per. 1. That all the Court was flag'd with faire stones and if any flag were loosed although it lay still in its place yet was it not lawfull to stand upon it to do any part of the service till it were fastned againe The entring into the Court of the women was by three gates one on the East one on the North and one on the South and there was a fourth on the West which went up out of this Court into the upper Court or that of Israel All these gates as also all the other that went into the upper Court of which hereafter were [h] Joseph de Bell. ubi supr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gilt all over both posts and lintels one onely excepted of which instantly We will goe up at the East gate out of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chel out of which there were five steps that rose up to the gate to land you in it The gate it selfe was exceeding sumptuous and exceeding beautifull and this was that which was called the beautifull gate of the Temple Act. 3.2 at which the Creeple lay begging of almes both of men and women that went into the Temple At this gate began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The inner Temple as Josephus doth often call it distinguishing between that space that was inclosed within the boundary wall that incompassed the whole holy ground and that space that was inclosed within the wall that incompassed the Courts the former of them was called the outer Temple and the latter was called the inner and both of them bare the name of the Temple and so in the Scripture whosoever went but within the compasse of the holy ground is said to have gone into the Temple Now this gate being the very front and entrance into the Inner Temple or into that space within which the choicest sanctity and bravery of the Temple was it was built and decked with such sumptuousnesse and singular gallantry as was fitting for the frontispice of so brave a place And hence it came to beare the name of beautifull and that the rather also in comparison of the gate Shushan or the outmost East gate that entered into the mountaine of the house for that was but a low and homely gate-house for a reason that hath been observed heretofore but this was goodly and lofty and stood bravely mounted upon the far higher ground This gate Josephus [i] Joseph ubi supr calleth the Corinthian gate because it was of Corinthian brass whereas the rest of the gates were gilt with gold And here occurreth a difference betwixt him and the Talmudicall writers for they do unanimously hold the brazen gate to be the gate of Nicanor which wee shall survey anon which was the gate that went out of the Court of the Women into the Court of Israel but he doth as confidently affirme on the other hand that it was that that went out of the Chel into the Court of the women His words are these Mia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was one gate without the Temple of Corinthian brasse which exceeded in glory those of gold or silver Now where this gate stood namely in that place that we are upon appeareth by this passage of his a little after The gate above the Corinthian gate which opened East over against the gate of the Temple c. It is not much materiall to determine whether of these Easterne gates were of brasse it is onely needfull to be resolved which of them was that that was called the gate of Nicanor because upon the knowledge of that there are divers things depending and in the next chapter but one shall be shewed that it was that gate that went out of the Court of the Women into the Court of Israel But if I were to moderate between the differing parties I should say their difference in this matter is not reall but onely apparent Josephus calls the gate that came into the Court of the Women the brazen gate because it was all so posts and lintell and all overlaid with brasse which shone above gold but the Talmudists say the doores of the gate of Nicanor were only of brasse but the whole front of the gate beside all of gold and so that was not the brazen gate but onely brazen doores but the other was properly the brazen gate When Peter and Iohn had healed the Creeple at this gate the text saith that he went with them into the Temple that is into the Court of the Women which was the common and ordinary place of worship for those that brought not a Sacrifice and from thence he went backe
occasion and that occasion was threefold namely either to lay his hand upon the beast that he offered or to kill him or to wave some part of him and then his coming into the Court either of Israel or of the Priests or both was ordinarily at the North or South side of the Court according as his offering was to be slaine on the North or South side of the Altar as we have observed before [e] Maim in Beth habbechirah per. 6. The Court of the people was levell with the floore of the East gate or the gate Nicanor but the floore of the Court of the Priests was two cubits and an halfe higher and the rifing thus Imagine you came up from the gate of Nicanor or rather imagine the Levites coming up from it with their musicall instruments in their hands which we observed before they laid up in roomes just under the Court of Israel but the doores of those roomes opening into the Court of the women when they were risen the many steps into the gate of Nicanor and were come thorough it they had on either hand a faire passage into the cloister or Court of the people such another as he hath that cometh upon the Royall Exchange either out of Cornhill or Bartlemew-lane he may step into the cloister walk on whether hand he will they walked upon even ground till they came over the breadth of the Court of the people or to the pillars which were on the further side of that Court which bare up the cloister and distinguished the Court of the people and the Court of the Priests one from another Then was there a rising of two cubits and an halfe but stepped up thus [f] Id. ibid. Mid. per. 2. Sect. 6. First there was a step of a cubit high and then three steps of halfe a cubit high a piece thus it was as you went directly up from the gate of Nicanor forwards But if you would turne on either hand there were the desks or standings of the Levites where they stood to sing and to make their musick made with steps as even as that middle rising just now mentioned first a rising of a oubit height and that ran along at that height all along before the railes and pillars that parted twixt the Court of the Priests and Court of people and then were there three steps up of halfe a cubit high a piece and on the highest step stood the Levites with their instruments and their song their feet even with the floore of the Court of the Priests and a desk before them Elias Levita it seemes observed not this rising both into the Court in the Levites station when he saith [g] Elias in Tishbi in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dukan which was the name of their desks and which the learned render Suggestus or Pulpitum was nothing else but a bench or fourme whereon they stood for their feet stood even with the floore of the Court and were not raised above it at all His words are these I wonder at this Targum on Psalme 134. Lift up your hands O ye Priests upon the holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bench on which the Levites stood when they sung and it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ducan in the Arabick but in the Dutch and vulgar Banea In this construction of it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bench and owning it for an Arabick word he followeth [b] Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aruch verbatim but I confesse I doe not very well understand the cause of his wonder especially considering what he saith before the words cited namely this We call the place where the Priests lifted up their hands when they blessed the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dukan and so is the Targum Lift up your hands O ye Priests on the holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and at this I wonder Now if he wonder that the Targum hath brought in the Priest blessing the people from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desk or Pulpit in that Psalme he might have found the like in other places For the Chaldee of Jonathan upon the law doth thus render the 23 verse of the sixth of Numbers [i] Targ. Jonath in legem in Num. 6. Speak to Aaron and his sonnes saying Thus shall ye blesse the children of Israel spreading their hands upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dukana and they shall speake to them in this manner where the Hebrew glosse in the margin interprets it [k] Glossa marg ibid. by spreading their hands in the place called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dukana and a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The benched place called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dukan And so the large Chaldee Paraphrase upon the Canticles glosseth the seventh verse of the third chapter Behold his bed which is Solomons threescore valiant men are about it thus [l] Targ. in Cant. 3. when Solomon the King of Israel built the house of the Sanctuary of the Lord in Jerusalem the Lord said by his word How beautifull is this house of the Sanctuary which is built to me by King Solomon the sonne of David and how beautifull are the Priests when they spread forth their hands and stand upon their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dukan and blesse the People the House of Israel by the threescore wonders that were delivered to Moses their master But it seemes his wonder is at this that the Jewes so generally and the Chaldee Paraphrase particularly should hold that the Priests when they blessed the people stood upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dukan whereas the Dukan or these Deskes were for the Levites and not for the Priests And if I did conceive that they meant these very deskes of the Levites when they say the Priests stood in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ducan and blessed the people I should wonder with him also but I suppose they meant some other deskes appropriate to the Priests for this purpose or the place of the priests standing when they blessed the people and as by a name best knowne they call it Dukan The words of the Talmud in description of these deskes where the Levites stood to sing and to make their musicke are these [m] Mid. per. 2. Fahbi Eliezer the sonne of Jacob saith there was a rising viz. out of the Court of the people into the Court of the Priests and it was a cubit high and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ducan was set above it and in that there were three steps of halfe a cubit high a piece So that the Court of the Priests is found to be higher then the Court of Israel by two cubits and an halfe So that it appeares indeed that the Levites stood upon raised steps in their deskes but it is plain withall that the highest step was no higher then the
at which they washed but that in after-times [c] Ioma per. 3. Ben Kattin made 12 spouts or cocks to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Mishneh recordeth in the Treatise Joma It calleth the cocks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paps [d] Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because saith Aruch they were as the paps of a woman and water ran out of them at which they washed their hands and so Rabbi Solomon charactering the Laver saith [e] R. Sol. ubi supra It was like a great Cauldren and it had paps or cocks that voided water out of their mouths Now the Gemara of the Babylon Talmud upon the Mishneh cited disputing the case why Ben Kattin should make 12 spouts to it they resolve it thus That the Tradition was that he made so many that the 12 Priests his brethren which had to do with the dayly sacrifice might wash themselves at it all together we observe in its due place that there were so many Priests imployed about the offering up of the dayly sacrifice some for one part of the service and some for another Therefore this Ben Kattin being a Priest himselfe did so provide that these many Priests that were to be imployed together might also stand and wash together and by this that so many might wash together at the severall cocks of it it appeareth to be a vessell of great reception and capacity 3. There is frequent mention among the Talmudicks of an appurtenance to the Laver which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which before we can english will cost some inquiry The Mishneh even now cited recordeth that as Ben Kattin made the cocks for the Laver so also that he made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mukene to the Laver that the water of it might not be uncleane by standing all night And so in the Treatise Tamid [f] Tamid per. 1. Sect. 4. where it is discoursing of the Priest that should cleanse the Altar going to wash his hands and feet at the Laver it saith That his fellowes heard the sound of the wood which Ben Kattin made the Mukene for the Laver The Gemara upon the former place disputes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [g] Joma fol. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is the Mukene Robba saith it is a wheele And so saith Aruch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [h] Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning of Mukene is a wheele Now in what place and to what use this wheel was is now all the question [i] Gloss in Mishnaioth in Tamid vid. Maym. in Biath Mikd. per. 5. some say it was to let downe the Laver into the Wel to fill it with water or to let it lie in the Well all night and so there is speech in the Treatise Zevachin of [k] Zevach. per. 2. fol. 18. drawing and fetching up the Laver out of the molten sea which Solomon made for it was let downe into that all night lest the water of it should be polluted by standing all night in it But when we observe the greatnesse of this Laver that we are speaking of under the second Temple at which as hath been related 12 men might stand round and wash together and when we consider that there was no Well neere to the place where the Laver stood by divers paces it will appeare a thing unimaginable that one Priest should let downe the Laver into the Well and fetch it up againe full of water for the Treatise Tamid makes the dealing with the Mukene of the Laver be it what it will to be but one Priests worke I do not remember that I have read of what matter the Laver of the second Temple was made whether of brasse or stone Conduit-like for to hold it of wood is very unsuitable to the exceeding great statelinesse of the Temple in other things yet were it of wood it would have been a very hard taske for any one man to manage it in that manner as they doe a bucket in a Well be the Engine of Ben Kattins making never so active and cunningly contrived [l] Maym. ubi supr and therefore Maimonides leaves it as a thing of doubtfulnesse about letting it downe into the Well for saith he they let it downe into a gathering of waters or into the Wel and on the morrow drew it up or they filled it every day in the morning Therefore by the Mukene of the Laver I see not what else can be understood then some contrivall either found out or at least the cost of it discharged by Ben Kattin the Priest whereby water was drawne up and forced by the wheel in the Wel-roome in some singular conveyance to fill the Laver when there was occasion Not that the Laver was stirred out of its place or needed any such removall but as it is knowne by common experience water by the working of a wheele was carried in pipes into it at pleasure So that whereas the standing of the water in it all night did make that water uselesse and unlawfull for that end that the water of the Laver was to serve unto it either was evacuated over night when the worke of the day was done or if it stood all night it was let out in the morning by the Priest that was to do the first worke of the day namely who was to cleanse the burnt-offering Altar of its ashes and he had no more to do to fill the Laver againe but only to goe into the wel-roome and there to draw at the wheel a while and that brought up water by conveyances into it So that now to give an English translation to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mukene we may very well call it the Engine of the Laver and so doth [m] Aruch ubi supr Rabbi Nathan give us some incouragement to do when he tels us that it is a Greek word and I suppose he means the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Machina an Engine 4. There was never to be so little water in the Laver but that it might be sufficient to wash four Priests a rowe and the reason of this Tradition Baal Turim would derive from this [n] Baal hatturim in Exod. 30. because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is used for this washing Exod. 30.18 is observed by the Masoreth to be used in all four times But a reason something more rationall is given by others and that is this [o] Maym. ubi supr Because it is said And Aaron and his sons shal wash thereat now these were four Aaron Eleazer Ithamar and Phinehas 5. Their manner of washing at the Laver was thus [p] Id. ibid. R. Sol. in Ex. 30. He laid his right hand upon his right foot and his left hand upon his left foot and the cock or spout running upon them he thus stood stooping and washed hands and feet together And he that went about the service with unwashen hands and feet