You may know also by the great number of provinces in the Kingdom of _Darius_, that he was King of the _Medes_ and _Persians_: for upon the conquest of _Babylon_, he set over the whole Kingdom an hundred and twenty Princes, _Dan._ vi. 1. and afterwards when _Cambyses_ and _Darius Hystaspis_ had added some new territories, the whole contained but 127 provinces.

The extent of the _Babylonian_ Empire was much the same with that of _Nineveh_ after the revolt of the _Medes_. _Berosus_ saith that _Nebuchadnezzar_ held _Egypt_, _Syria_, _Phnicia_ and _Arabia_: and _Strabo_ adds _Arbela_ to the territories of _Babylon_; and saying that _Babylon_ was anciently the metropolis of _a.s.syria_, he thus describes the limits of this _a.s.syrian_ Empire. _Contiguous_, [424] saith he, _to _Persia_ and _Susiana_ are the _a.s.syrians_: for so they call _Babylonia_, and the greatest part of the region about it: part of which is _Arturia_, wherein is _Ninus [_or_ Nineveh;]_ and _Apolloniatis_, and the _Elymaeans_, and the _Paraetacae_, and _Chalonitis_ by the mountain _Zagrus_, and the fields near _Ninus_, and _Dolomene_, and _Chalachene_, and _Chazene_, and _Adiabene_, and the nations of _Mesopotamia_ near the _Gordyaeans_, and the _Mygdones_ about _Nisibis_, unto _Zeugma_ upon _Euphrates_; and a large region on this side _Euphrates_ inhabited by the _Arabians_ and _Syrians_ properly so called, as far as _Cilicia_ and _Phnicia_ and _Libya_ and the sea of _Egypt_ and the _Sinus Issicus__: and a little after describing the extent of the _Babylonian_ region, he bounds it on the north, with the _Armenians_ and _Medes_ unto the mountain _Zagrus_; on the east side, with _Susa_ and _Elymais_ and _Paraetacene_, inclusively; on the south, with the _Persian Gulph_ and _Chaldaea_; and on the west, with the _Arabes Scenitae_ as far as _Adiabene_ and _Gordyaea_: afterwards speaking of _Susiana_ and _Sitacene_, a region between _Babylon_ and _Susa_, and of _Paraetacene_ and _Cossaea_ and _Elymais_, and of the _Sagapeni_ and _Siloceni_, two little adjoining Provinces, he concludes, [425] _and these are the nations which inhabit _Babylonia_ eastward: to the north are _Media_ and _Armenia_, _exclusively_, and westward are _Adiabene_ and _Mesopotamia_, _inclusively_; the greatest part of _Adiabene_ is plain, the same being part of _Babylonia_: in same places it borders on _Armenia_: for the _Medes_, _Armenians_ and _Babylonians_ warred frequently on one another_.

Thus far _Strabo_.

When _Cyrus_ took _Babylon_, he changed the Kingdom into a Satrapy or Province: whereby the bounds were long after known: and by this means _Herodotus_ [426] gives us an estimate of the bigness of this Monarchy in proportion to that of the _Persians_, telling us that _whilst every region over which the King of _Persia_ Reigned in his days, was distributed for the nourishment of his army, besides the tributes, the _Babylonian_ region nourished him four months of the twelve in the year, and all the rest of _Asia_ eight: so the power of the region_, saith he, _is equivalent to the third part of _Asia_, and its Princ.i.p.ality, which the _Persians_ call a _Satrapy_, is far the best of all the Provinces_.

_Babylon_ [427] was a square city of 120 furlongs, or 15 miles on every side, compa.s.sed first with a broad and deep ditch, and then with a wall fifty cubits thick, and two hundred high. _Euphrates_ flowed through the middle of it southward, a few leagues on this side _Tigris_: and in the middle of one half westward stood the King's new Palace, built by _Nebuchadnezzar_; and in the middle of the other half stood the Temple of _Belus_, with the old Palace between that Temple and the river: this old Palace was built by the _a.s.syrians_, according to [428] _Isaiah_, and by consequence, by _Pul_ and his son _Nabona.s.sar_, as above: _they founded the city for the _Arabians_, and set up the towers thereof, and raised the Palaces thereof_: and at that time _Sabacon_ the _Ethiopian_ invaded _Egypt_, and made great mult.i.tudes of _Egyptians_ fly from him into _Chaldaea_, and carry thither their Astronomy, and Astrology, and Architecture, and the form of their year, which they preserved there in the _aera_ of _Nabona.s.sar_: for the practice of observing the Stars began in _Egypt_ in the days of _Ammon_, as above, and was propagated from thence in the Reign of his son _Sesac_ into _Afric_, _Europe_, and _Asia_ by conquest; and then _Atlas_ formed the Sphere of the _Libyans_, and _Chiron_ that of the _Greeks_, and the _Chaldaeans_ also made a Sphere of their own.

But Astrology was invented in _Egypt_ by _Nichepsos_, or _Necepsos_, one of the Kings of the lower _Egypt_, and _Petosiris_ his Priest, a little before the days of _Sabacon_, and propagated thence into _Chaldaea_, where _Zoroaster_ the Legislator of the _Magi_ met with it: so _Paulinus_,

_Quique magos docuit mysteria vana Necepsos_:

And _Diodorus_, [429] _they say that the _Chaldaeans_ in _Babylonia_ are colonies of the _Egyptians_, and being taught by the Priests of _Egypt_ became famous for Astrology_. By the influence of the same colonies, the Temple of _Jupiter Belus_ in _Babylon_ seems to have been erected in the form of the _Egyptian_ Pyramids: for [430] this Temple was a solid Tower or Pyramid a furlong square, and a furlong high, with seven retractions, which made it appear like eight towers standing upon one another, and growing less and less to the top: and in the eighth tower was a Temple with a bed and a golden table, kept by a woman, after the manner of the _Egyptians_ in the Temple of _Jupiter Ammon_ at _Thebes_; and above the Temple was a place for observing the Stars: they went up to the top of it by steps on the outside, and the bottom was compa.s.sed with a court, and the court with a building two furlongs in length on every side.

The _Babylonians_ were extreamly addicted to Sorcery, Inchantments, Astrology and Divinations, _Isa._ xlvii. 9, 12, 13. _Dan._ ii. 2, & v. 11.

and to the worship of Idols, _Jer._ l. 2, 40. and to feasting, wine and women. _Nihil urbis ejus corruptius moribus, nec ad irritandas illiciendasque immodicas voluptates instructius. Liberos conjugesque c.u.m hospitibus stupro coire, modo pretium flagitii detur, parentes maritique patiuntur. Convivales ludi tota Perside regibus purpuratisque cordi sunt: Babylonii maxime in vinum & quae ebrietatem sequuntur effusi sunt. Faeminarum convivia ineuntium in principio modestus est habitus; dein summa quaeque amicula exuunt, paulatimque pudorem profanant: ad ultimum, honos auribus sit, ima corporum velamenta projiciunt. Nec meretric.u.m hoc dedecus est, sed matronarum virginumque, apud quas comitas habetur vulgati corporis vilitas._ _Q. Curtius_, lib. v. cap. 1. And this lewdness of their women, coloured over with the name of civility, was encouraged even by their religion: for it was the custom for their women once in their life to sit in the Temple of _Venus_ for the use of strangers; which Temple they called _Succoth Benoth_, the Temple of Women: and when any woman was once sat there, she was not to depart 'till some stranger threw money into her bosom, took her away and lay with her; and the money being for sacred uses, she was obliged to accept of it how little soever, and follow the stranger.

The _Persians_ being conquered by the _Medes_ about the middle of the Reign of _Zedekiah_, continued in subjection under them 'till the end of the Reign of _Darius_ the _Mede_: and _Cyrus_, who was of the Royal Family of the _Persians_, might be _Satrapa_ of _Persia_, and command a body of their forces under _Darius_; but was not yet an absolute and independant King: but after the taking of _Babylon_, when he had a victorious army at his devotion, and _Darius_ was returned from _Babylon_ into _Media_, he revolted from _Darius_, in conjunction with the _Persians_ under him; [431]

they being incited thereunto by _Harpagus_ a _Mede_, whom _Xenophon_ calls _Artagerses_ and _Atabazus_, and who had a.s.sisted _Cyrus_ in conquering _Crsus_ and _Asia minor_, and had been injured by _Darius_. _Harpagus_ was sent by _Darius_ with an army against _Cyrus_, and in the midst of a battel revolted with part of the army to _Cyrus_: _Darius_ got up a fresh army, and the next year the two armies fought again: this last battel was fought at _Pasargadae_ in _Persia_, according to [432] _Strabo_; and there _Darius_ was beaten and taken Prisoner by _Cyrus_, and the Monarchy was by this victory translated to the _Persians_. The last King of the _Medes_ is by _Xenophon_ called _Cyaxares_, and by _Herodotus_, _Astyages_ the father of _Mandane_: but these Kings were dead before, and _Daniel_ lets us know that _Darius_ was the true name of the last King, and _Herodotus_, [433] that the last King was conquered by _Cyrus_ in the manner above described; and the _Darics_ coined by the last King testify that his name was _Darius_.

This victory over _Darius_ was about two years after the taking of _Babylon_: for the Reign or _Nabonnedus_ the last King of the _Chaldees_, whom _Josephus_ calls _Naboandel_ and _Belshazzar_, ended in the year of _Nabona.s.sar_ 210, nine years before the death of _Cyrus_, according to the Canon: but after the translation of the Kingdom of the _Medes_ to the _Persians_, _Cyrus_ Reigned only seven years, according to [434]

_Xenophon_; and spending the seven winter months yearly at _Babylon_, the three spring months yearly at _Susa_, and the two Summer months at _Ecbatane_, he came the seventh time into _Persia_, and died there in the spring, and was buried at _Pasargadae_. By the Canon and the common consent of all Chronologers, he died in the year of _Nabona.s.sar_ 219, and therefore conquered _Darius_ in the year of _Nabona.s.sar_ 212, seventy and two years after the destruction of _Nineveh_, and beat him the first time in the year of _Nabona.s.sar_ 211, and revolted from him, and became King of the _Persians_, either the same year, or in the end of the year before. At his death he was seventy years old according to _Herodotus_, and therefore he was born in the year of _Nabona.s.sar_ 149, his mother _Mandane_ being the sister of _Cyaxeres_, at that time a young man, and also the sister of _Amyite_ the wife of _Nebuchadnezzar_, and his father _Cambyses_ being of the old Royal Family of the _Persians_.

CHAP. V.

_A Description of the _TEMPLE_ of _Solomon_._

[435] The Temple of _Solomon_ being destroyed by the _Babylonians_, it may not be amiss here to give a description of that edifice.

This [436] Temple looked eastward, and stood in a square area, called the _Separate Place_: and [437] before it stood the _Altar_, in the center of another square area, called the _Inner Court_, or _Court of the Priests_: and these two square areas, being parted only by a marble rail, made an area 200 cubits long from west to east, and 100 cubits broad: this area was compa.s.sed on the west with a wall, and [438] on the other three sides with a pavement fifty cubits broad, upon which stood the buildings for the Priests, with cloysters under them: and the pavement was faced on the inside with a marble rail before the cloysters: the whole made an area 250 cubits long from west to east, and 200 broad, and was compa.s.sed with an outward Court, called also the _Great Court_, or _Court of the People_, [439] which was an hundred cubits on every side; for there were but two Courts built by _Solomon_: and the outward Court was about four cubits lower than the inward, and was compa.s.sed on the west with a wall, and on the other three sides [440] with a pavement fifty cubits broad, upon which stood the buildings for the People. All this was the [441] _Sanctuary_, and made a square area 500 cubits long, and 500 broad, and was compa.s.sed with a walk, called the _Mountain of the House_: and this walk being 50 cubits broad, was compa.s.sed with a wall six cubits broad, and six high, and six hundred long on every side: and the cubit was about 21, or almost 22 inches of the _English_ foot, being the sacred cubit of the _Jews_, which was an hand-breadth, or the sixth part of its length bigger than the common cubit.

The _Altar_ stood in the center of the whole; and in the buildings of [442]

both Courts over against the middle of the _Altar_, eastward, southward, and northward, were gates [443] 25 cubits broad between the buildings, and 40 long; with porches of ten cubits more, looking towards the _Altar Court_, which made the whole length of the gates fifty cubits cross the pavements. Every gate had two doors, one at either [444] end, ten cubits wide, and twenty high, with posts and thresholds six cubits broad: within the gates was an area 28 cubits long between the thresholds, and 13 cubits wide: and on either side of this area were three posts, each six cubits square, and twenty high, with arches five cubits wide between them: all which posts and arches filled the 28 cubits in length between the thresholds; and their breadth being added to the thirteen cubits, made the whole breadth of the gates 25 cubits. These posts were hollow, and had rooms in them with narrow windows for the porters, and a step before them a cubit broad: and the walls of the porches being six cubits thick, were also hollow for several uses. [445] At the east gate of the _Peoples Court_, called the _King's gate_, [446] were six porters, at the south gate were four, and at the north gate were four: the people [447] went in and out at the south and north gates: the [448] east gate was opened only for the King, and in this gate he ate the Sacrifices. There were also four gates or doors in the western wall of the _Mountain of the House_: of these [449]

the most northern, called _Shallecheth_, or the _gate of the causey_, led to the King's palace, the valley between being filled up with a causey: the next gate, called _Parbar_, led to the suburbs _Millo_: the third and fourth gates, called _Asuppim_, led the one to _Millo_, the other to the city of _Jerusalem_, there being steps down into the valley and up again into the city. At the gate _Shallecheth_ were four porters; at the other three gates were six porters, two at each gate: the house of the porters who had the charge of the north gate of the _People's Court_, had also the charge of the gates _Shallecheth_ and _Parbar_: and the house of the porters who had the charge of the south gate of the _People s Court_, had also the charge of the other two gates called _Asuppim_.

They came through the four western gates into the _Mountain of the House_, and [450] went up from the _Mountain of the House_, to the gates of the _People's Court_ by seven steps, and from the _People's Court_ to the gates of the _Priest's Court_ by eight steps: [451] and the arches in the sides of the gates of both courts led into cloysters [452] under a double building, supported by three rows of marble pillars, which b.u.t.ted directly upon the middles of the square posts, ran along from thence upon the pavements towards the corners of the Courts: the axes of the pillars in the middle row being eleven cubits distant from the axes of the pillars in the other two rows on either hand; and the building joining to the sides of the gates: the pillars were three cubits in diameter below, and their bases four cubits and an half square. The gates and buildings of both Courts were alike, and [453] faced their Courts: the cloysters of all the buildings, and the porches of all the gates looking towards the _Altar_. The row of pillars on the backsides of the cloysters adhered to marble walls, which bounded the cloysters and supported the buildings: [454] these buildings were three stories high above the cloysters, and [455] were supported in each of those stories by a row of cedar beams, or pillars of cedar, standing above the middle row of the marble pillars: the buildings on either side of every gate of the _People's Court_, being 187 cubits long, were distinguished into five chambers on a floor, running in length from the gates to the corners or the Courts: there [456] being in all thirty chambers in a story, where the People ate the Sacrifices, or thirty exhedras, each of which contained three chambers, a lower, a middle, and an upper: every exhedra was 37 cubits long, being supported by four pillars in each row, [457] whose bases were 4 cubits square, and the distances between their bases 6 cubits, and the distances between the axes of the pillars eleven cubits: and where two [458] exhedras joyned, there the bases of their pillars joyned; the axes of those two pillars being only 4 cubits distant from one another: and perhaps for strengthning the building, the s.p.a.ce between the axes of these two pillars in the front was filled up with a marble column 4 cubits square, the two pillars standing half out on either side of the square column. At the ends of these buildings [459] in the four corners of the _Peoples Court_, were little Courts fifty cubits square on the outside of their walls, and forty on the inside thereof, for stair-cases to the buildings, and kitchins to bake and boil the Sacrifices for the People, the kitchin being thirty cubits broad, and the stair-case ten. The buildings on either side of the gates of the _Priests Court_ were also 37 cubits long, and contained each of them one great chamber in a story, subdivided into smaller rooms, for the Great Officers of the Temple, and Princes of the Priests: and in the south-east and north-east corners of this court, at the ends of the buildings, were kitchins and stair-cases for the Great Officers; and perhaps rooms for laying up wood for the _Altar_.

In the eastern gate of the _Peoples Court_, sat a Court of Judicature, composed of 23 Elders. The eastern gate of the _Priests Court_, with the buildings on either side, was for the High-Priest, and his deputy the _Sagan_, and for the _Sanhedrim_ or Supreme Court of Judicature, composed of seventy Elders. [460] The building or exhedra on the eastern side of the southern gate, was for the Priests who had the oversight of the charge of the _Sanctuary_ with its treasuries: and these were, first, two _Catholikim_, who were High-Treasurers and Secretaries to the High-Priest, and examined, stated, and prepared all acts and accounts to be signed and sealed by him; then seven _Amarcholim_, who kept the keys of the seven locks of every gate of the _Sanctuary_, and those also of the treasuries, and had the oversight, direction, and appointment of all things in the _Sanctuary_; then three or more _Gisbarim_, or Under-Treasurers, or Receivers, who kept the Holy Vessels, and the Publick Money, and received or disposed of such sums as were brought in for the service of the Temple, and accounted for the same. All these, with the High-Priest, composed the Supreme Council for managing the affairs of the Temple.

The Sacrifices [461] were killed on the northern side of the _Altar_, and flea'd, cut in pieces and salted in the northern gate of the Temple; and therefore the building or exhedra on the eastern side of this gate, was for the Priests who had the oversight of the charge of the _Altar_, and Daily Service: and these Officers were, He that received money of the People for purchasing things for the Sacrifices, and gave out tickets for the same; He that upon sight of the tickets delivered the wine, flower and oyl purchased; He that was over the lots, whereby every Priest attending on the _Altar_ had his duty a.s.signed; He that upon sight of the tickets delivered out the doves and pigeons purchased; He that administred physic to the Priests attending; He that was over the waters; He that was over the times, and did the duty of a cryer, calling the Priests or Levites to attend in their ministeries; He that opened the gates in the morning to begin the service, and shut them in the evening when the service was done, and for that end received the keys of the _Amarcholim_, and returned them when he had done his duty; He that visited the night-watches; He that by a Cymbal called the Levites to their stations for singing; He that appointed the Hymns and set the Tune; and He that took care of the Shew-Bread: there were also Officers who took care of the Perfume, the Veil, and the Wardrobe of the Priests.

The exhedra on the western side of the south gate, and that on the western side of the north gate, were for the Princes of the four and twenty courses of the Priests, one exhedra for twelve of the Princes, [462] and the other exhedra for the other twelve: and upon the pavement on either side of the _Separate Place_ [463] were other buildings without cloysters, for the four and twenty courses of the Priests to eat the Sacrifices, and lay up their garments and the most holy things: each pavement being 100 cubits long, and 50 broad, had buildings on either side of it twenty cubits broad, with a walk or alley ten cubits broad between them: the building which bordered upon the _Separate Place_ was an hundred cubits long, and that next the _Peoples Court_ but fifty, the other fifty cubits westward [464] being for a stair-case and kitchin: these buildings [465] were three stories high, and the middle story was narrower in the front than the lower story, and the upper story still narrower, to make room for galleries; for they had galleries before them, and under the galleries were closets for laying up the holy things, and the garments of the Priests, and these galleries were towards the walk or alley, which ran between the buildings.

They went up from the _Priests Court_ to the Porch of the Temple by ten steps: and the [466] House of the Temple was twenty cubits broad, and sixty long within; or thirty broad, and seventy long, including the walls; or seventy cubits broad, and 90 long, including a building of treasure-chambers which was twenty cubits broad on three sides of the House; and if the Porch be also included, the Temple was [467] an hundred cubits long. The treasure-chambers were built of cedar, between the wall of the Temple, and another wall without: they were [468] built in two rows three stories high, and opened door against door into a walk or gallery which ran along between them, and was five cubits broad in every story; So that the breadth of the chambers on either side of the gallery, including the breadth of the wall to which they adjoined, was ten cubits; and the whole breadth of the gallery and chambers, and both walls, was five and twenty cubits: the chambers [469] were five cubits broad in the lower story, six broad in the middle story, and seven broad in the upper story; for the wall of the Temple was built with retractions of a cubit, to rest the timber upon. _Ezekiel_ represents the chambers a cubit narrower, and the walls a cubit thicker than they were in _Solomon_'s Temple: there were [470] thirty chambers in a story, in all ninety chambers, and they were five cubits high in every story. The [471] Porch of the Temple was 120 cubits high, and its length from south to north equalled the breadth of the House: the House was three stories high, which made the height of the _Holy Place_ three times thirty cubits, and that of the _Most Holy_ three times twenty: the upper rooms were treasure-chambers; they [472] went up to the middle chamber by winding stairs in the southern shoulder of the House, and from the middle into the upper.

Some time after this Temple was built, the _Jews_ [473] added a _New Court_, on the eastern side of the _Priests Court_, before the _King's gate_, and therein built [474] a covert for the Sabbath: this Court was not measured by _Ezekiel_, but the dimensions thereof may be gathered from those of the _Womens Court_, in the second Temple, built after the example thereof: for when _Nebuchadnezzar_ had destroyed the first Temple, _Zerubbabel_, by the commissions of _Cyrus_ and _Darius_, built another upon the same area, excepting the _Outward Court_, which was left open to the _Gentiles_: and this Temple [475] was sixty cubits long, and sixty broad, being only two stories in height, and having only one row of treasure-chambers about it: and on either side of the _Priests Court_ were double buildings for the Priests, built upon three rows of marble pillars in the lower story, with a row of cedar beams or pillars in the stories above: and the cloyster in the lower story looked towards the _Priests Court_: and the _Separate Place_, and _Priests Court_, with their buildings on the north and south sides, and the _Womens Court_, at the east end, took up an area three hundred cubits long, and two hundred broad, the _Altar_ standing in the center of the whole. The _Womens Court_ was so named, because the women came into it as well as the men: there were galleries for the women, and the men worshipped upon the ground below: and in this state the second Temple continued all the Reign of the _Persians_; but afterwards suffered some alterations, especially in the days of _Herod_.

This description of the Temple being taken princ.i.p.ally from _Ezekiel_'s Vision thereof; and the ancient _Hebrew_ copy followed by the Seventy, differing in some readings from the copy followed by the editors of the present _Hebrew_, I will here subjoin that part of the Vision which relates to the _Outward Court_, as I have deduced it from the present _Hebrew_, and the version of the Seventy compared together.

Ezekiel chap. xl. ver. 5, &c.

[476] _And behold a wall on the outside of the House round about_, at the distance of fifty cubits from it, aabb: _and in the man's hand a measuring reed six cubits long by the cubit, and an hand-breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, _or wall_, one reed, and the height one reed.

_[477]_ Then came he unto the gate _of the House_, which looketh towards the east, and went up the seven steps thereof, _AB_, and measured the threshold of the gate, _CD_, which was one reed broad, and the _Porters_ little chamber, _EFG_, one reed long, and one reed broad; and the arched pa.s.sage between the little chambers, _FH_, five cubits: and the second little chamber, _HIK_, a reed broad and a reed long; and the arched pa.s.sage, _IL_, five cubits: and the third little chamber _LMN_, a reed long and a reed broad: and the threshold of the gate next the porch of the gate within, _OP_, one reed: and he measured the porch of the gate, _QR_, eight cubits; and the posts thereof _ST_, _st_, two cubits; and the porch of the gate, _QR_, was inward, _or toward the inward court_; and the little chambers, _EF_, _HI_, _LM_, _ef_, _hi_, _lm_, were _outward, or_ to the east; three on this side, and three on that side _of the gate_. There was one measure of the three, and one measure of the posts on this side, and on that side; and he measured the breadth of the door of the gate, _Cc_, or _Dd_, ten cubits; and the breadth of the gate _within between the little chambers, Ee or Ff_, thirteen cubits; and the limit, or margin, or step before the little chambers, _EM_, one cubit on this side, and the step, _em_, one cubit on the other side; and the little chambers, _EFG_, _HIK_, _LMN_, _efg_, _hik_, _lmn_, were six cubits _broad_ on this side, and six cubits _broad_ on that side: and he measured _the whole breadth of_ the gate, from the _further_ wall of one little chamber to the _further_ wall of another little chamber: the breadth, _Gg, or Kk, or Nn_, was twenty and five cubits _through_; door, _FH_, against door, _fh_: and he measured the posts, _EF_, _HI_, and _LM_, _ef_, _hi_, and _lm_, twenty cubits _high_; and at the posts there were gates, _or arched pa.s.sages, FH, IL, fh, il_, round about; and from the _eastern_ face of the gate at the entrance, _Cc_, to the _western_ face of the porch of the gate within, _Tt_, were fifty cubits: and there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to the porch within the gate, round about, and likewise to the posts; even windows were round about within: and upon each post were palm trees._

_Then he brought me into the Outward Court, and lo there were chambers, and a pavement with pillars upon it in the court round about, _[478]_ thirty chambers _in length_ upon the pavement, supported by the pillars, _ten chambers on every side, except the western_: and the pavement b.u.t.ted upon the shoulders or sides of the gates below, _every gate having five chambers or exhedrae on either side_. And he measured the breadth _of the Outward Court_, from the fore-front of the lower-gate, to the fore-front of the inward court, an hundred cubits eastward._

_Then he brought me northward, and there was a gate that looked towards the north; he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof, and the little chambers thereof, three on this side, and three on that side, and the posts thereof, and the porch thereof, and it was according to the measures of the first gate; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth was five and twenty: and the windows thereof, and the porch and the palm-trees thereof _were_ according to the measures of the gate which looked to the east, and they went up to it by seven steps: and its porch was before them, _that is inward_. And there was a gate of the inward court over against _this_ gate of the north, as _in the gates_ to the eastward: and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits._

_A Description of THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON_

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Plate_ I. _p. 346._]

ABCD. _The Separate Place in which stood the Temple._

ABEF. _The Court of y^{e} Priests._

G. _The Altar._

DHLKICEFD. _A Pavement compa.s.sing three sides of the foremention'd Courts, and upon which stood the Buildings for the Priests, with Cloysters under them._

MNOP. _The Court of the People._

MQTSRN. _A Pavement compa.s.sing three sides of the Peoples Court, upon which stood the Buildings for the People, with Cloysters under them._

UXYZ. _The Mountain of the House._

aabb._ A Wall enclosing the whole._

c. _The Gate Shallecheth._

d. _The Gate Parbar._

ef. _The two Gates a.s.supim._

g. _The East Gate of the Peoples Court, call'd the Kings Gate._

hh. _The North and South Gates of the same Court._

iiii. _The chambers over the Cloysters of the Peoples Court where the People ate the Sacrifices, 30 Chambers in each Story._

kkkk. _Four little Courts serving for Stair Cases and Kitchins for the People._

l. _The Eastern Gate of the Priests Court, over which sate the Sanhedrin._

m. _The Southern Gate of the Priests Court._