King Solomon's Temple

Transcript

Visiting King Solomon’s Temple Sunil Beta Baskar David 31-Dec-2009 Chapter 1 Introduction King Solomon’s Temple has been the subject of interest to many, especially the Freemasons as it forms an important ritual part of the “Blue Lodge.”1 This work draws upon sources[ sources [New28 New28]] including Sir Isaac Newton among several others to present present as much much information information as is known about this structure. structure. This work is intented for anyone who may be interested in King Solomon’s Temple or ancient cient Jewish Jewish or Semitic archaeol archaeologica ogicall sites. sites. Some information information presente presented d may be exclusively interesting to Freemasons. There is mystic belief that the numbers encoded in the architectural draft of the temple constitute an encoded message. This work intends to provide information, diagrams, cite and highlight differences existing among the sources. The reader may use this information to interpret the Temple as an exemplary edifice or an allegory or a hidden message or a combination of all. The Temple was located in Jerusalem built upon what is termed the Temple mount. Biblical accounts exclusively state that the Temple was constructed by King Solomon, the third King of Israel, son of King David. There is no historic or archaeologic record confirming the life of any of the early monarchs of Israel as descri described bed in the Bible. Bible. Schol Scholars ars attribut attributee this to lexica lexicall drift drift result resulting ing in changes of names, titles and dates in historic accounts. The Temple which was built by King Solomon as a house of the God and the sanctuary of the Ark of the Tabernacle is referred to as The First Temple . Upon return of the Israelites from Babylonian exile, the edifice that was restored as part of the reconstruction of Jerusalem is referred to as The Second Temple . Later work in renovating and expanding the temple under Herod, the Great, under the Roman Empire is referred to as The Renovated Temple . All reference referencess to the structure excavated and explored by archaeologists from the time of the Knights Templar to the present day refer to the site of the construction as The  terminology is to avoid avoid confusion. confusion. The structure structure referred Temple Mount. This terminology to in all periods is King Solomon’s Temple, Temple, the subject of this book. The years used for chronology are from the revised Gregorian Calendar in 1 The Craft Lodge 1 CHAPTER CHAPTER 1. INTRODUC INTRODUCTION  TION  2 use in the present present day. day. Years are designated designated BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (in the Common Era) synonymous to BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) Domini) or the Year of the Lord. I have referred referred to the Dome of Rock as The Temple emple Mount Mount in most part part of this text. text. I have have specified specified referen references ces to the Al-Aqsa mosque  explicitly when necessary to distinguish it from the Temple  Mount. There are references to the existence of ruins of a Jebusite structure at or near the place of the Temple Temple when it was first constructe constructed. d. These ruins ruins are referred to as The Temple of Enoch . This may not be a reference reference to the Biblical Biblical Enoch and has almost no supporting supporting archaeolog archaeologic ic evidence. evidence. I have excluded excluded discussions on such structures which have too few references and no archaelogic record. Chapter 2 Brief Chronology Year 950 BCE 587 BCE 515 BCE 445 BCE 4 BC BCE E 70 CE 691 69 1 CE 1035 103 5 CE 1112 111 2 CE Edifice The First Temple Sacked  The Second Second Temple The Second Second Temple The Renov Renovated ated Temple Temple Sacked  The Temple Temple Mount Mount The Temple Mount Mount (Excava (Excavations tions)) Architect King Solomon Solomon (Monar (Monarch) ch) Nebuchadnezzar Zerubabel Zerubabel (Exilarc (Exilarch) h) Nehemiah Nehemiah (Exilarc (Exilarch) h) Herod the the Great Great (Client (Client King) King) Nero Caesar Caliph Caliph Abd al-Mali al-Malik k ibn Marwan Marwan Caliph Caliph Al-Zahir Al-Zahir The Knights Knights Templar emplar Table 2.1: Brief Chronology of the Temple 2.1 2.1 The The Firs Firstt Templ emple e King Solomon’s Temple itself is believed to have been constructed in 950 BCE at Jerusa Jerusalem lem.. Constr Construct uction ion of the Templ Templee is though thoughtt to have have been aided aided by the Phoenicians, namely King Hiram Hiram of Tyre. The successors of King Solomon were weak and ruled a divided Israel (regents Reheboam and Jereboam.) Nebuchadnezzar II is documented to have conquered Jerusalem in 597 BCE which was then ruled by Jehoiakim. The Jews were exiled into Babylonian captivity following the invasion. It is documented in Biblical annals that a Jewish revolt was quelled and the Temple was destroyed in 587 BCE. A clay tablet documents a successful invasion of Egypt (referred to as Mitzaim) which was then ruled by Amasis. There is a reference to his subjugation of Tyre (Phoenicia) in a siege lasting at least a decade. decade. There There is archaelogica archaelogicall account account of an earlier attempt at invading invading Egypt in 601 BCE which was not successful. None of these accounts specifically mention the existence of a Temple in Jerusalem. There is also no record of the Temple of Melqa’art (in Tyre) which supposedly existed at this time and was chiefly considered a Temple of Heracles adorned by two Bronze pillars [Str69 Str69]]. 3 CHAPTER CHAPTER 2. 2. BRIEF CHRONOLO CHRONOLOGY  GY  2.2 2.2 4 The The Sec Secon ond d Tem Templ ple e The Babyloni Babylonians ans were were invaded invaded by the Aechemnid Aechemnid Empire under Cyrus Cyrus the Great who sent the Jews back in a gesture of good-will. Cyrus Cyrus the Great Great who is also referred to as Cyrus Cyrus II is recognized as the first Emperor (Shahanshah) of Persia. The ruins of the old temple were supposedly  rediscovered in 530 BCE. The Temple was planned for reconstruction in the year 515 BCE. The plans for reconstruction are attributed to Zerubabel who was authorized by Cyrus, Cyrus, the Actual construction construction of the Second Second Temple Temple was done Great to carry them out. Actual by Nehemiah in 445 BCE. Following ollowing this reconstruc reconstruction, tion, the edifice edifice required required maintenance and building work that had been postponed for years. 2.3 2.3 The The Ren Reno ovated ated Tem Templ ple e Temple[ Jos93]] working from 19 BCE Herod Herod the Great Great, expanded the Second Temple[Jos93 BCE until 4 BCE larger structure. structure. Hostilities Hostilities with Rome in 67 CE reBCE into a much larger sulted in total destruction of the Temple in 70 CE during the first Jewish-Roman war. 2.4 Exca Excav vations, ations, The Temp Temple le Moun Mountt Preserv Preservation by the Caliphates Caliphates Almost a millennium later, another ancient structure of archaeologic and religious interest in Jerusalem named the 738 CE and renovated in Al-Aqsa mosque  is dated to have been consructed in 738 1035 1035 CE by Caliph Al-Zahir . An older structure named the sacred Dome of Rock  was constructed in 691 CE. This structure covers what is presumed to be a portion of the front porch of the Temple itself. itself. The ruins of the Temple Temple are thought to extend under the Dome of Rock  where early excavation attempts were conducted. Two legends are associated with the Dome of Rock . It is considered by some to be the place of  Prophet Mohammed ’s Mohammed ’s ascension ascension to Heaven. Heaven. It is thought thought to be part part of extens extensiv ivee remain remainss of King King Solomo Solomon’s n’s Templ Temple. e. The latter latter brough broughtt interest to the Knights Templar. The Knights Templar Legend has it that the ruins of this structure were disco discove vered red by the Knights Knights Templar emplar (lit. the Knights Knights of the Templ Temple) e) or the Order of the Poor Knights of Christ during the First Crusade 1 . The Knights Templar are believed to have conducted the only known extensive excavation attempt attempt at this time. This excav excavation was not thoroughly thoroughly documented documented nor is the result of the excavation excavation published published in any form. The Knights Templar Templar were were thought to have taken hidden secrets of ancient Knowledge and Treasures from the excavation excavation site back to Europe. Some believe believe that the Knights Templar Templar had discovered the biblical Ark of the Covenant or a like priceless treasure or artefact. Most of this speculation is owing to the lack of public documentation of their excavations. 1 dated to the period 1095-1099 1095-1099 CE CHAPTER CHAPTER 2. 2. BRIEF CHRONOLO CHRONOLOGY  GY  5 The Al-Aqsa Mosque  was used as a palace by the Knights Templar during their excavation near the sacred Dome of Rock . The excav excavatio ation n itself itself is also also undocumented. The Excavations were permitted by King Baldwin II  and later by Salahedine Salahedine Ayubi 2 . The Templar Knights were consecrated in 1119 1119 CE. It is known that by 1129 1129 CE The Templar Knights were offered special rights under Omne Datum Optimum , a Papal Bull Bul l3 which was issued by Pope Innocent II. This allowed them to become what could officially be designated the world’s first multinational corporation. They were permitted to establish offices in different states without having to pay taxes for passage between them. They also improvised improvised and provided provided banking banking services. King Philip IV of France France is said to have relied heavily on the Knights Templar for Financial and Banking services. This elevation of the order itself raised many eyebrows and hinted that they had possessed something from Jerusalem that was highly valued by the Church. On Friday Friday, , 13th 13th Octobe October r 1304 1304 CE a Papal Bull condemning the Knights Templar as enemies of the Church resulted in the execution of most members of the order. order. The organiz organizati ation on ceased ceased to exist after this infamous infamous event event.. After After the dissolution of the order in 1312 1312 CE, the Shroud of Turin  was revealed in the possession of the surviving descendants of the Knights Templar (Geoffroy de Charny). Further excavation attempts have been forbidden to ensure structural preservation of many archaelogical structures in Jerusalem. Recent archaelogical work has revealed a network of arches and tunnels directly under the Temple Mount. These structures have been attributed to Herod, the Great  who used them to increa increase se the support support struct structure ure beneath beneath the Temple emple to expand expand the com comple plex. x. Old Pottery work and artefacts dating back to late 8th Centur Century y BCE and 7th suggest the existence existence of a structure. This excava excavation tion work is inCentury Century BCE suggest complete and inconclusive. The Nation State of Israel and the reduced Kingdom of Judaea are not recorded in the historical annals from the 8th Century BCE until the invasion of the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar. Although the Dome of Rock  is off-limits to visitors in the modern day, a Military Lodge of Freemasons held a meeting here in 1918 1918 CE which is documented here here[[Sto00 Sto00]] online. The Chronology of the Temple prior to the construction of The Second Temple has no historical basis. Zerubbabel  and Nehemiah’s contributions were documented by the Persians under Artaxerxe Artaxerxes s I. There are no known accounts of the existence of a Temple such as King Solomon’s Temple prior to Zerubbabel  in public domain. 2 3 better known as Saladin Saladin or Salah-udSalah-ud-din, din, noted for his Chivalry Chivalry letter patent issued by the Pope with the papal seal ( bulla ) Chapter 3 Description of the Temple 3.1 3.1 The The Bibl Biblic ical al Desc Descri ript ptio ion n The Temple is described in the Biblical Old Testament in I Kings 6:1...8:11 6:1...8:11. 3.1.1 3.1.1 Ston Stone, e, Wood Wood and and Gol Gold d The Temple, built as the House of God by King Solomon was sixty( 60) cubits in length, twenty( twenty(20) cubits in breadth and thirty(30) cubits in height. The porch before the Temple was twenty( 20) cubits in length, according to the breadth of  the House. The breadth breadth of the front was was Ten( Ten(10) cubits. Windows Windows of narrow narrow frames were made for the House. Floors were built against the wall of the house. These walls were built all around the temple and the sanctuary with rooms all around. The lowest storey1 was five(5) cubits broad the middle storey was six( 6) cubits broad and the third was seven(7) cubits broad. There were narrow ledges built around so as not to lay hold of the walls of the House. The House was built of stone made ready 2 beforehand . No hammer or axe or iron tool was used for construction construction of the edifice. edifice. The door of the middle storey storey was in the right side of the house. This door went went up with winding winding stairs into the middle storey and (the stairs led) out of the middle storey into the third. The House was covered covered with beams and rows of cedar. cedar. He built the side-storie side-storiess on all the house, five(5) cubits high. They rested on the House with timbers of  cedar. The inner walls of the House were built with boards of cedar from the floor unto the ceiling. ceiling. The inside was cover covered ed with wood and the floor of the House was made of planks of fir. King Solomon Solomon built twent twenty( y(20) cubits on the sides of  the House, both on the floor and the walls with boards of cedar. He even built them for it inside for the sanctuary for the Holy of Holies. The House, with the Temple before it was forty( 40) cubits. The cedar of the house was carved with gourds gourds and open flowers flowers.. The cedar cedar covere covered d all the stone on the inside inside.. The 1 2 inner section, also story, not “overlaid floor” or level as in modern use cut for fitment 6 CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  7 Holy of Holies was inside the House to set the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. The Holy of Holies in the front part was twenty( 20) cubits in length, breadth and height. height. It was overlaid overlaid with pure gold. The altar was covered covered with cedar. cedar. The inside inside of the House House was was overl overlaid aid with gold. Inside Inside the Hol Holy y of Hol Holies ies he made two cherubs of olive wood, each ten(10) cubits cubits high. high. He overl overlaid aid all the House with gold until until he had completed his work work on the House. House. Each Each wing of  a cherub was five( 5) cubits giving a ten( 10) cubit wingspan. The cherubs were set inside in the inner House with their wingspans set from wall to wall, their wings touching in the middle of the House. The cherubs too were overlaid with gold. He carved all the walls of the House with figures of cherubs, palm trees and open flowers on the inside and the outside. The floor of the house was overlaid with gold inside inside and outside. The doors to the Holy place were made of olive olive ? wood. wood. The lintel lintel and side posts posts were were a fifth part. part. The two( two(2) doors were of  olive olive wood with similar similar carvings carvings of cherubs, cherubs, palm trees and open flowers. flowers. They were were overlaid overlaid with gold. There were were side posts for the entrance entrance to the temple from the doors of olive, a fourth? part. The two side-posts side-posts to the door were of  fir tree. The two two leaves leaves of each each door were were folding, both carved with cherubs, cherubs, palm trees and open bowers further covered with gold fitted on carved work. The inner court was built with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams. The foundation foundation of the House of the Lord was laid in the month of  Zif  of the fourth(4th ) year. The House was was completed completed in the month of  Bul  of the th eleventh( 11 ) year according to all its plans. It took Seven( 7) years in building the House. House. A description of the palace and house of King Solomon that was constructed  in thirteen years made of hewn stone cut by metal mentioned in the book of  Kings has been omitted from this text. Like King Solomon’s Temple, there is no archaeological evidence yet of such a palace or house. 3.1.2 3.1.2 Bron Bronze ze work ork King Hiram of Tyre sent a man, the son of a widow of the tribe of Napthali whose father was a skilled worker worker in bronze. bronze. He cast two two pillars of bronze, bronze, each eighteen(18) cubits high. A line of twelve twelve((12) cubits circumvented the second pillar. pillar. Two capitals capitals of Melted bronze were were set atop the pillars. The height height of  each capital was five(5) cubits. Twisted threads of chain-work formed gratings on the belly of the pillars. There were seven( 7) threads for each pillar. Two(2) rows of pomegranates covered the capitals around the gratings. The pillars were set in the porch of the temple. The right pillar (from the inside of the temple) was was named named “Jach “Jachin” in” and the left pillar pillar,, “Boaz. “Boaz.” The top of the pillars pillars was adorned adorned with lily-work lily-work thus completing completing both pillars. pillars. The pomegranates pomegranates were two-hundred( 200) in number. The man sent by King Hiram Hiram of Tyre yre is (also) (also) referre referred to as Hiram. Hiram. This reference is omitted in this text, but the role of the Bronze artificer is exclusively  CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  8 undertaken by this man. When the pillars had been completed, he made a molten sea with a diameter of ten(10) cubits cubits from brim brim to brim. brim. It was five( five(5) cubits high with a circumference (or line of) thirty( 30) cubits cubits.. Under Under the brim brim were were gourds gourds around around it, ten(10) to each cubit. The gourds were cast in two rows. The molten sea stood on twelve(12) oxen, three facing each direction (North, East, West and South.) The sea atop was but a hand-breadth thick with the brim fashioned like that of  a cup with the bud of a lily. It contained a thousand baths. Ten(10) bases of bronz, four(4) cubits long and four(4) cubits broad at one base, three(3) cubits high. The work of the bases had borders between the stays. On the borders between the ledges 3 were were lions, oxen and cherubs. cherubs. A pedestal was above the stays. Beneath the lion and oxen were wreaths of hanging work. The base had four( 4) bronze wheels and axles of bronze. Underneath the basin 4 were were casted supports with wreaths at each side. The mouth within and above the capital was one( 1) cubit. Its mouth was rounded rounded like the pedestal, a cubit and a half (1.5) in diamet diameter. er. On the mouth mouth were carvings carvings and the borders borders were square, square, not round. There There were four( 4) wheels under the border. The axles of the wheels were in the base. The height of each wheel was a cubit and a half ( 1.5). The work of the wheels wheels resembled resembled a chariot chariot wheel in its likeness of axle-rods 5 , rims, hubs and spokes. Four( 4) supports were provided to the four(4) corners of each base. At the top of the base sat a round compass, half a cubit(0.5) hig high. h. He engraved cherubs, lions and palm trees on the plates of its sides and its borders. There were ten( 10) bases made with one casting and one measure making them uniform. Five(5) bases were placed on the right of the house and five( 5) on the left. The sea was set at the right of the House, placed in the South-East corner of the House. He made the basins, shovels shovels and bowls of bronze thus finishing finishing all the work in his due for king Solomon for the House of the Lord. Casting the Bronze Two pillars, two bowls 6 of the capitals, top of the two pillars and two gratings to cover cover the two bowls of capitals on the top of the pillars. pillars. The four hundred hundred pomegranates for the two pillars, two rows for each to cover the bowls of the capitals capitals were on the face of the pillars. pillars. The ten(10) basins were placed on the ten(10) bases. One melted sea with twelve twelve((12) oxen seated under was placed. All the vessels made for the House of the Lord were of burnished 7 bronze. The king cast them in the plain of Jordan in the thick soil of the ground between Succoth Succoth and Zarethan. Zarethan. King Solomon left all vessels vessels unweighe unweighed d8 because they 3 below the stays base 5 axle-trees 6 spheres 7 lustred, polished 8 unaccounted for value 4 CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  9 were exceedingly many. 3.1.3 3.1.3 Vesse essels ls King Solomon placed all the vessels in the House of the Lord, the altar of gold and the table of gold on which was the Bread of the Presence 9 . The lampstands were of pure gold, five( 5) on the right and five(5) on the left. These were placed in front front of the Hol Holy y of Holies Holies with with the flowers flowers,, lam lamps ps and tongs tongs of gol gold. d. The bowls, snuffers, basins, spoons, fire-pans of pure gold and hinges of gold for the doors of the inner House House were made as such. All work that King Solomon Solomon made for the House of the Lord was completed. King Solomon brought in the things whichhis father king David David dedicated: dedicated: the silver, silver, gold and vessels vessels were put into the treasuries of the House of the Lord. 3.1.4 3.1.4 Cons Consec ecra rati tion on King Solomon gathered the elders of Israel and the heads of all the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the sons of Israel to king Solomon in Jerusalem to bring the Ark of the Cove Covenan nantt out of the city city of David David which which is Zion. The men of  Israel gathered to King Solomon at the feast during the holy month of Ethanim which is the seventh( 7th ) month. month. The elders elders of Israel Israel cam camee in and the priest priestss took up the Ark. They brought brought the Ark up unto the Lord and the Tabernacle abernacle of the congregation with the holy vessels which were in the tabernacle; and even those that the priests priests10 and the Levites brought. The Ark of the convenant was placed in the holy place into the Holy of  Holies, under the wings of the Cherubs. The Cherubs covered the Ark at front. Staves Staves covered covered the Ark above. above. They drew out the staves staves such that the ends of  the staves were visible in the holy place . They were not seen outside the Holy of  Holies. There was nothing within the Ark excepting the two( 2) Tablets of stone placed inside by Moses at Horeb. As the Ark was set and the priests came out of the Holy of Holies, a cloud filled the House of the Lord. The priests could not stand to minister minister because of the thick cloud. cloud. The glory of the Lord had filled the House. House. The biblical units described described were were slightly slightly different from the conventional ventional units of the same name. Because Because of their relativisti relativisticc nature and variation based on role (normal, royal) they do not correspond exactly to a measure in the modern System Internationale units. • • 9 10 The cubit is 48 - 57. 57.6 cm; the variation comes from the deployment as distance or as solid measure. The bath is 24.8 24.88 8 - 43.2 43.2 L, the larger volume being the Royal “Bat”. Showbread Kohanim CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  3.2 3.2 10 Sir Sir Isaac Isaac Newt Newton on’s ’s Des Descr crip ipti tion on This description of the Temple is from “The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms - Amended” by Sir Isaac Newton. 3.2.1 3.2.1 The The Str Struc uctu tura rall Pla Plan n The Temple looked eastward and stood in a square area called the Separate  Before it stood the Altar Altar in the center center of another another square square area called called Place . Before the Inner Court or Court of Priests . These two two square areas were were parted only by a marble rail that ran two-hundred(200) cubits from west to east and onehundred(100) cubits cubits north north to south. south. This This area area was was enclos enclosed ed in the west west with with a wall. On the other three sides it was surrounde surrounded d by a pavement pavement which which was fifty(50) cubits wide. Upon this pavement pavement there there were rooms11 for the Priests with cloysters cloysters underneath. underneath. The pavemen pavementt was separated separated from the inside by a marble rail before the cloysters cloysters.. The whole made an area two-hu two-hundred ndred and fifty(250) cubits long from west to east and two-hundred(200) cubits broad north to south. This structure structure itself was enclosed enclosed by an outward outward Court which was called the Great Court or Court of the People  which was one-hundred(100) cubits on every side. These were the only two courts built by king Solomon. The outward Court was four(4) cubits lower than the Inner Court. This was further further encompassed by a wall on the west and another pavement fifty( 50) cubits wide on the three sides. Upon this pavement pavement there were were buildings buildings for the People. People. All of this completed the Sanctuary . This construction attributed to King Solomon made a square five-hundred( 500) cubits long and five-hundred(500) cubits broad. It was entirely surrounded by a walkway called the Mountain of the House . The walk itself was fifty( 50) cubits broad and was skirted by a wall that stood six( 6) cubits broad, six(6) cubits high and six-hundred(600) cubits. The Biblical Biblical Cubit is a measure equivalent to 21 12 or almost 22 inches of the English Foot, Pound and Second (FPS) system. The sacred sacred cubit is bigger than the common cubit. It was by a hand-breadth12 or one-sixth( 16 th ) longer than the common cubit. This is also referred to as the Sacred Cubit of the Jews. Jews. 3.2. 3.2.2 2 The The Alta Altar r The Altar stood in the center of the whole structure of the inner and outer courts courts.. In the buildi buildings ngs of both Courts Courts over over against against the middle middle of the altar, altar, eastward, southward and northward were gates measuring twenty-five( 25) cubits in breadth and forty( 40) cubits long with porches of ten(10) cubits looking toward the Altar Court which made the whole length of the gates fifty(50) cubits across across the pavemen pavements. ts. Every Every gate had two doors one at either end. The doors were ten(10) cubits wide, twenty( 20) high with posts and thresholds six(6) cubits broad: within the gates was an area twenty-eight(28) cubits long between 11 12 syn. buildings heb. tefach CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  11 the thresholds thresholds and thirteen( thirteen(13) cubits wide. On either side of this area were three( 3) posts, each six( 6) cubits square and twenty(20) cubits high with arches five(5) cubits wide between between them. The posts and arches filled the twenty-eight( 28) cubits in length between the thresholds. Their breadth being added to the thirteen( 13) cubits made the whole breadth of the gates twenty-five(25) cubits. These posts were hollow and had rooms in them with narrow windows for the porters and a step before them which was one(1) cubit broad. The walls walls of the porches porches were six(6) cubits thick and was hollow 13 for several uses. The east gate of the Peoples Court was called the King’s gate . At th this (east) gate were six( 6) porters porters.. At the north gate gate were were four( four(4) porters and a like four(4) in the south gate. gate. The people people went went in and out throug through h the north north and south gates. gates. The east gate was was opened only for the King and in this gate he ate the Sacrifices. There were also four( 4) gates or doors in the western wall of the Mountain of the House . Of these the one which was closer closer north was called Shallecheth or the gate of the causey  which led to the King’s palace. The valley between was filled up with a causey causey. The next gate called Parbar  led to the suburbs Millo . The third and fourth gates were both called Asuppim, one led to Millo  and the other to the city of  Jerusalem. The steps went down the valley and extended up into the city. city. At the gate Shallecheth were four(4) porters. At the other three gates were six( 6) porters, two(2) at each each gate. The house house of the porters porters who had charge of the north gate of the People’s Court also had charge of the gates house of the porters porters who had charge charge of the south south Shallechet and Parbar . The house gate of the People’s Court had also the charge of the two gates called Asuppim. The Altar referred here is a sacrificial altar whose purpose is to receive the sacrifices of the People. 13 indicative of a repository CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  Figure 3.1: King Solomon’s Temple, Structural Plan, Drawing I, Sir Isaac Newton The legend to this plan is taken verbatim from the account of Sir Isaac Newton. ABCD. The Separate Place in which stood the Temple. ABEF. The Court of The Priests. G. The Altar. DHLKICEFD. A Pavement compassing 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 compassing three sides of the Peoples Court, upon which stood the Buildings for the People, with Cloysters under them. UXYZ. The Mountain of the House. 12 CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  13 aabb. aabb. A Wall enclosing the whole. c. The Gate Shallecheth. (North-East corner) d. The Gate Parbar . ef . The two Gates Assupim. g. The East Gate of the Peoples Court, called the Kings Gate . hh. hh. The North and South Gates of the same Court. iiii. iiii. The chambers over the Cloysters of the Peoples Court where the People ate the Sacrifices, 30 Chambers in each Story. kkkk. 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. n. The Northern Gate of the same Court, where the Sacrifices were flayed. opqrst. opqrst. The Buildings over the Cloysters for the Priests, viz six large Chambers (subdivided) in each Story, whereof  o and p were for the High Priest and Sagan , q for the Overseers of the Sanctuary and Treasury, r for the Overseers of the Altar and Sacrifice and s and t for the Princes of the twenty-four Courses of Priests. uu. uu. Two Courts in which were Stair Cases and Kitchins for the Priests. x. The House or Temple which (together with the Treasure Chambers y, and Buildings zz on each side of the Separate Place) is more particularly describ’d on the second Plate. 3.2.3 3.2.3 Acces Accesss thro through ugh the Gates Gates People came through the four( 4) western gates into the Mountain of the House  and went up from there to the People’s Court by seven(7) steps. From the Peoarchess  ple’s Court to the gates of the Priest’s Court were eight( 8) steps. The arche in the sides of the gates of both courts led into cloysters under a double building, supported by three(3) rows of marble pillars which butted directly upon the centres centres of the square square posts. The axis of the pillars pillars of the middle-row middle-row were were eleven( 11) cubits apart from the axis of the pillars of the two rows on either hand. These pillars were each three( 3) cubits in diameter below and their bases were four-and-a-half ( 4 12 ) cubits square. The gates and buildings of both Courts were alike and faced their Courts. The Cloysters of all the builidngs and the porches of all the gates faced the Alcloysters adhered adhered to the marble walls walls14 which tar . The row of pillars behind the cloysters bounded the cloysters cloysters and supported the buildings. buildings. These buildings buildings were three storeys15 high high above above the cloyste cloysters. rs. A row row of cedar cedar beams or pillar pillarss of cedar standing above the middle row of the marble pillars were the primary support for these buildings. A cloyster cloyster (lat. claustrum) claustrum) is a covered overed walk-way walk-way with an open collonnade collonnade on each side. It is also spelt cloister in modern usage. 14 15 railings floors as in the modern sense CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  14 Figure 3.2: Cloyster of St.Trophimus, St.Trophimus, Arles, France 3.2.4 3.2.4 Sacrifi Sacrifices ces:: Kitc Kitchens hens and Suppor Supportt Struct Structure uress The buildings on either side of every gate of the People’s Court being 187 12 cubits long and were distinguished in having five chambers on a floor running in lengh from the gates to the corners or the Courts. There were a total of thirty chambers chambers to each each storey storey where People People ate the Sacrifices. Sacrifices. These These were were synonysynonymously thirty exhedras each of which contained three chambers, a lower, middle and upper chamber. chamber. Every Every exhedra was was 37 12 cubits long, being supported by four pillars in each row. The base of these pillars was four-and-a-half( 4 12 ) cubits cubits 1 square. square. The distance between between their bases was six-and-a-half( six-and-a-half(6 2 ) cubits cubits.. The The distances between the axes of the pillars was thus eleven( 11) cubits and at the part where the two exhedras (across the pillars) joined, the bases of the pillars  joined, the axis of those two pillars were only four-and-a-half( 4 12 ) cubits distant from each other. For strengthening16 the building the space between the axes of these two pillars was filled up with a marble column which was four-and-a-half( 4 12 ) cubits square square.. The two two pillar pillarss stood half out on either either side of the square square column. column. At the ends of these buildings in the four corners of the Peoples Court were little courts fifty(50) cubits square on the outside of their walls and forty( 40) cubits square on the inside thereof for the stair-cases of the buildings and the kitchens17 to bake and boil the Sacrifices for the People. Each kitchen was thirty( 30) cubits broad and the stair-case ten( 10) cubits broad. broad. The buildings buildings on either side o fthe gates of the Priests Court were also 1 37 2 cubits long and contained within each of them a great chamber in a storey subdivided subdivided into smaller smaller rooms for the Great Great Officers Officers of the Temple and Princes of the Priests. In the South-East and North-East North-East corners corners of this court, at the ends of the buildings were kitchens and stair-cases for the Great Officers; and perhaps rooms for laying up wood for the Altar . 16 17 Newton’s supposition for this structure’s purpose Newton uses kitchins, old english CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  15 Figure 3.3: King Solomon’s Temple, Plan, Drawing II, Sir Isaac Newton The Legend to this drawing is also taken verbatim as prior. ABCD. ABCD. The Separate Place. ABEF. ABEF. The Inner Court, or Court of the Priests, parted from the Separate Place, and and Pavement on the other three sides, by a marble rail. G. The Altar. HHH. HHH. The East, South, & North Gates of the Priests Court. III. III . & c. The Cloysters supporting the Buildings for the Priests. KK. KK. Two Courts in which were Stair Cases and Kitchins for the Priests. L. Ten Steps to the Porch of the Temple. M. The Porch of the Temple. N. The Holy Place. O. The most Holy Place. PPPP. PPPP. Thirty Treasure-Chambers, in two rows, opening into a gallery, door against door, and compassing three sides of the Holy & most Holy Places. CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  16 Q. The Stairs leading to the Middle Chamber. RRRR. RRRR. & c. The buildings for the twenty-four( 24) Courses of Priests, upon the Pavement on either side of the Separate Place, three Stories high without Cloysters, but the upper Stories narrower than the lower, to make room for Galleries before them. There were 24 Chambers in each Story and they opend into a walk or alley, SS. SS. between the Buildings. TT. TT. Two Courts in which were Kitchins for the Priests of the twenty-four( 24) Courses. 3.2.5 3.2.5 The The High High Officer Officerss of the Tem Templ ple e In the eastern gate of the Peoples Court sat a Judicial court composed of  23 Elders18 . The eastern gate of the Priests Court with buildings on either side was for the High-Priest High-Priest19 and his deputy, the Sagan and for the Sanhedrim or Supreme Court of Judges composed of seventy( 70) Elders. Elders. The building 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 with its treasu treasurie ries. s. They They were two Catholikim, High-T High-Treasurers reasurers and Secretarie Secretariess to the High-Priest. High-Priest. They examined, stated and prepared all acts and accounts to be signed and sealed by him. him. There There were were seven seven Amarcholim who kept the keys of the seven locks of  every gate of the Sanctuary . They also held the treasuries treasuries and had oversigh oversight, t, direction and appointment of all things in the Sanctuary . There were were three three or more Gisbarim or Under-Treasurers or Receivers who kept the Holy vessels and the Public Money20 . They received or disposed of such sums brought in for the service service of the Temple Temple and accounted accounted for the same. All of them with the HighPriest composed the Supreme Council for managing the affairs of the Temple. The High Priest is not counted among the seventy Elders of the Sanhedrim  which makes the council seventy-one. 3.2.6 3.2.6 Office Officers rs of of the Dai Daily ly Affa Affair irss The Sacrifices were killed on the northern side of the Altar . They were were flayed, flayed, cut in pieces pieces and salted salted in the Norther Northern n gate gate of the Temple. emple. Theref Therefore ore the building or exhedra on the eastern side of this gate was for the Priests who were overseers of the charge of the Altar . Officers Officers receiv received ed money money from the People for purchasing things for Sacrifices and handed out tickets 21 for the same. Another group of Officers delivered wine, flour and oil to those possessing the tickets. tickets. Pigeons Pigeons and Doves Doves were exchanged  for the tickets because this was considered considered purchase. purchase. There There was a Physicia Physician n in attendance attendance to the Priests. Priests. An officer administer administered ed the use of water. There was was an Officer who was charged charged with time-keeping and also cried out to the Priests or Levites to attend in their ministeries. There was an Officer who was charged with overseeing the opening of the gates in the morning to begin service and shut them in the evening when service service was done. He therefore therefore held the keys of the Amarcholim and returned 18 The Lesser Sanhedrin Kohen Gadol 20 lit. treasure stewards 21 bonds or deeds 19 CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  17 them to the High-officers High-officers after service service hours. There was was an Officer Officer of the nightwatch. There was an Officer by a Cymbal who called the Levites to their station for singing. singing. There was an Officer who appointed the Hymns and set the Tune. Tune. Another Another Officer took care of the Showbread Showbread.. There There were Officers who took care of the Perfume, the Veil and the Wardrobe of the Priests. 3.2.7 3.2.7 The The Prie Priest stss Cour Courtt 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 twenty four 22 (24) courses of the Priests, one exhedra for twelve( 12) of the Princes and the other exhedra for the other twelve( twelve(12). Upon the pavement on either side of the Separate Place  were other buildings without cloysters for the twenty four courses of the Priests to partake of the Sacrifices and lay up their garments and the most holy things. Each pavement was a hundred(100) cubits long and fifty(50) broad with rooms 23 on either side which were twenty( 20) cubits broad. There was an alley ten( 10) cubits broad broad betw b etween een them. The building building which bordered the Separate Place  was a hundred cubits( 100) long, that next to the Peoples Court fifty(50) the other fifty(50) cubits westw westward ard for a stair-case stair-case and kitchen within them. These buildings buildings (or rooms) were three stories high with the middle storey narrower narrower in the front than the lower storey and the upper storey narrower than the middle storey. This allowed room for galleries before them. Under these galleries were closet closetss for laying laying up the holy things things and the garment garmentss of the priest priests. s. These These galleries were towards the walk or alley which ran between the buildings. 3.2.8 3.2.8 The The Templ emple e From the Priests Court to the Temple was a staircase of ten( 10) steps which reached reached the Porch Porch of The Temple. Temple. The House of the Temple Temple was twenty( twenty(20) cubits broad and sixty( 60) long within or thirty( 30) broad and seventy70 long including the walls. The treasure-chambers were between the wall of the Temple and the wall outside built of cedar. They were twenty( 20) cubits broad on three sides of the house. house. The breadth of the gallery gallery,, the chambers chambers and both b oth walls was twenty-five(25) cubits. The Treasure chambers were either two or three stories high. A walk-way ran between and through them which was five( 5) cubits broad in the lower storey, six(6) cubits broad in the middle storey and seven( 7) cubits broad in the upper storey storey. Including Including them, the Temple Temple was sevent seventy( y(70) cubits broad and ninety(90) long long.. The The Porc orch itsel itselff was ten(10) cubits long and a hundred-and-twenty( 120) cubits high. Its length from South to North equalled the breadth of the House. House. The House itself was Three Three storeys High which made the height of the Holy Place  ninety(90) cubits24 , and that of the Most Holy  sixty(60) cubits25 . The upper rooms were were treasure-c treasure-chambe hambers. rs. The breadth of  the chambers from wall-to-wall was ten(10) cubits. They went up to the middle chamber by winding staircase in the southern shoulder of the House and from the middle into the upper. 22 Newton: lit. four and twenty Newton: lit. buildings 24 three times thirty cubits 25 three times twenty cubits 23 CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  3.2. 3.2.9 9 18 The The New New Cou Court rt Some time after this Temple was built, the Jews  added a New Court on the eastern side of the Priests Court before the King’s gate  and therein built a covert for the Sabbath. This Court was not measured measured by Ezekiel , but the dimensions may be gathered from those of the Womens Court of the second Temple, built after example of this New Court. 3.2.10 3.2.10 Compar Compariso ison n with the the Secon Second d Temp Temple le When Nebuchadnezzar  destroyed the first Temple, Zerubbabel  by the commissions of Cyrus of Cyrus and Darius? built another upon the same area except the Outward Court which which was left open to the Gentiles Gentiles.. This Temple Temple was sixty( sixty(60) cubits long, sixty(60) broad and only two(2) storie storiess high. high. The Second Second Temp Temple le had only one row of treasure-chambers about it. On either side of the Priests Court were double-buildings for the Priests built upon three rows of Marble pillars in the lower storey with a row of cedar beams or pillars in the stories above. The cloyster in the lower storey looked towards the Priests Court. The Separate  Place , Priests Court with their buildings at the north and south sides and the Womens Court at the east end took up an area three-hundred( 300) cubits long and two-hundred(200) broad. The Altar  stood in the center of the entire structure. ture. The Womens Court was named so because women were also allowed as were were men. There There were galleries galleries for women and the men worshipped worshipped upon the ground below. This was the state of the Temple under the reign of the Persians. Persians. It suffered further alteration in the days of  Herod, the Great . CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  19 Figure 3.4: Gates of the Peoples Court with part of the adjoining Cloyster, Drawing III, Sir Isaac Newton The Legend to this drawing is also taken verbatim as prior. uw. uw. The inner margin of the Pavement compassing three sides of the Peoples Court. CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  20 xxx. xxx. &c. The Pillars of the Cloyster supporting the Buildings for the People. yyyy. yyyy. Double Pillars where two Exhedræ joyned, and whose interstices in the front zz were filled up with a square Column of Marble. 3.2.11 Ackno Acknowledg wledgemen ementt by by Sir Isaac Isaac Newton Newton The description of the Temple is principally taken from Ezekiel ’s ’s Vision and the ancient Hebrew  copy followed by the Seventy  differing in some readings from the copy followed by the editors of the present Hebrew  version. These are sub-joined with the part of the Vision and like the description Outward Court deduced from the present Hebrew  and the version of the Seventy . (refer: Ezekiel Ezekiel 40:5... 40:5...) The Septuagint is referred to as the Version of the Seventy. It is also referred to as LXX or G which which may also be b e written as G in modern times. The Septuagint Septuagint was written in Coptic Greek and is associated with Hellenistic Judaism. 3.3 3.3 The The Vis Visio ion n o off Eze Ezeki kiel el The Biblical description from the Septuagint through the Modern King James Version (MKJV) is included here verbatim. Not all text is included as is. Only text that describes the structure of the Temple as part of the vision have been included. Text that describes the role and function of the priests has not been included completely except in reference to the Kitchens for sacrifices. The reason for including this text is to aid the reader in understanding Sir Isaac Newton’s deduction deduction of the dimensions dimensions and plan of the Temple. Temple. The Second Temple Temple was in several ways different from the First Temple which is also pointed out by Sir Isaac Isaac Newton. Newton. One can deduce deduce from from the Vision Vision that the Temple emple did not exist in the time of Ezekiel in the manner and form of its construction by King Solomon. The name of the City within which the Temple exists is given in this vision to Ezekiel which literally means “City where God is” or literally “Where JHVH is” and does not propose that the New Temple will be constructed on the ruins of the First Temple. 3.3. 3.3.1 1 Ezek Ezekie iell Ch. Ch. 40 (Ezekie (Ezekiell 40:1 40:1.. . . 49) 5 And behold, a wall on the outside of the house all around, and in the man’s hand was a measuring reed, six cubits long, with a cubit and a span. And he measured measured the building’s building’s breadt breadth, h, one reed; and the heigh height, t, one reed. 6 And he came to the gate which faced eastward, and went up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed wide, even the one threshold, one reed wide. 7 And a room was one reed long and one reed wide. wide. And between between the rooms were were five cubits. cubits. And the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate from the house, one reed. 8 He also measured the porch of the gate inside, one reed. 9 And he measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its pillars, two cubits; also the porch of the gate from the CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  house. 10 And the gate rooms eastward were three from here, and three from there; one measure to the three of them; and one measure was to the pillars from here and from there. 11 And he measured measured the breadth breadth of the gate-o gate-openi pening, ng, ten cubits cubits.. The 12 length of the gate was thirteen cubits. And the border in front of the rooms was one cubit from here, and the space was one cubit from there. there. And the room was six cubits from here and six cubits from there. 13 And he measured the gate of the room from the roof to roof, twenty-five cubits wide, door to door. 14 He also made the pillars, sixty cubits, even to the court-pillar, from the gate all around. 15 And on the face of the entrance gate to the face of the porch of the inner gate was fifty cubits; 16 and latticed windows were to the rooms and to their pillars inside the gate all around. And so for the porches; and windows were all around inside; and to each pillar were palm trees. 17 And he brought me into the outer court, and lo, chambers, and a pavement pavement made for the court all around. around. Thirty Thirty rooms were on the pavement. 18 And the pavement by the side of the gates to equal the length of the gates was the lower pavement. 19 And he measured the breadth from the front of the lower gate to the front of the inner court on the outside, a hundred cubits eastward and northward. northward. 20 And the gate which faces the way of the north of the outer court, he measured its length and its breadth. 21 And its rooms were three three from here and three from there. there. And its pillars and its porches were according to the first measure. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth, twenty-five cubits. 22 And their windows, and their porches, and their palm trees, were according according to the measure of the gate facing the east. And they went up to it by seven steps; and its porches were before them. 23 And the gate of the inner court was across from the gate toward the north north and toward toward the east. And he measured measured from gate to 24 gate, a hundred cubits. And he led me southward, and behold a gate southward. southward. And he measured its pillars pillars and its porches porches 25 according to these measures. And there were windows in it and in its porches all around, like those windows. The length was fifty cubits, and the breadth, twenty-five cubits. 26 And seven steps were were going up to it, and its porches porches were before them. them. And it had palm trees, one from here and another from there, on its pillars. 27 And And ther theree was a ga gate te in the the inne innerr cour courtt south southw ward. ard. And And he measured from gate to gate southward, a hundred cubits. 28 And he brought brought me to the inner court by the south gate. And he measured measured the south gate according according to these measures, measures, 29 and its rooms and its pillars and its porches according to these measures. And there there were window windowss in it and in its porches porches all around. around. It 30 was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. And the porches all around were twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide. 31 And its porches were toward the outer court; and palm trees trees on its pillars. pillars. And its stairw stairway ay had eight eight steps. steps. 32 And 21 CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  he brought brought me into the inner court eastwar eastward. d. And he measured measured 33 the gate according to these measures. And its rooms, and its pillar pillars, s, and its porches porches,, were were mea measur sured ed accord according ing to these these measur mea sures. es. And there there were were windows windows in it and in its porches porches all around. around. It was fifty cubits long and twent twenty-fiv y-fivee cubits wide. 34 And its porches porches were were towa toward rd the outer outer court. court. And palm trees were were on its pillars, pillars, from here, and from there. And its stairway stairway 35 had eight steps. And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according to these measures; 36 its rooms, its pillars, and its porches, and its windows all around. The length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. 37 And its pillars were toward the outer court. And palm trees were on its pillars, from here and from there. And its stairway stairway had eight eight steps. 38 And the chamber and its door was by the pillars of the gates; they washed the burnt offering there. 39 3.3.2 3.3.2 And in the porch of the gate were two tables from here and two tables from there, for the slaughtering of the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering. 40 And to the side outside, as one goes up to the door of the gate northward were two tables; and on the other side at the porch of the gate, two tables. 41 Four tables were from here, and four tables were from there, there, by the side of the gate: gate: eight eight tables; tables; they they slaugh slaughter ter on them. 42 And the four tables for burnt offering were of cut stone, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high. They also rested rested on them the instruments instruments with which they slaughtered the burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43 And the double hooks of one span were fastened in the house all around, and on the tables the flesh of the offering. 44 And from the outside to the inner court were the chambers of the singers in the inner court, court, which which was was at the side side of the north north gate. gate. And their their face was southward: one at the side of the east gate looked the way of  the north. 45 And he said to me, This chamber facing southward is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house. 46 And the chamber facing northward is for the priests, the keepers of  the charge charge of the altar. altar. They They are the sons of Zadok Zadok among the sons of Levi, who come near the LORD to minister to Him. 47 And he measured the court, a square, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide; and the altar was before the house. 48 And he brought me to the porch of the house and measured each pillar of the porch, five cubits from here and five cubits from there. there. And the gate was three cubits wide from here and three cubits from there. 49 The porch was twenty cubits long, and eleve eleven n cubits cubits wide. wide. And he brough broughtt me by the steps steps by which which they they went went up to it. And columns columns were were by the pillars, pillars, one from from here and another from there. Ezek Ezekie iell Ch.4 Ch.41 1 (Ezeki (Ezekiel el 41:1. 41:1. . . 26) 22 CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  1 12 And he brought me to the temple and measured the pillars, six cubits wide from here and six cubits wide from there, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. 2 And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door, five cubits from here, and five cubits cubits from from there. there. And he mea measur sured ed its length length,, forty forty cubits, and the breadth, twenty cubits. 3 And he went inside and measured the pillar of the door, two cubits; and the door was six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits. 4 And he measured its length, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple. And he said to me, This is the Holy of  Holies. 5 And he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the width of each side room was four cubits, all around the house on every side. 6 And the side chambers were a side chamber over a side chamber, three stories, and thirty times. And they entered the wall of the house for the side chambers all around, that they might be fastened, for they were not fastened to the wall of the house. 7 And there was was a wideni widening, ng, and a windin windingg upwa upwards rds and upwards upwards to the side chambers. chambers. For the winding around of  the house went went upward and upward, upward, all around the house. house. On account of this the width of the house went upward, and so from the lowest it went up to the highest by the middle story. 8 I also saw the height height of the house all around. The foundations foundations of the side rooms were a full reed, six large cubits by joining. 9 The width of the wall, which was for the side chamber to the outside, was five cubits, and what was left between the side chambers that were of the house. 10 And between the chambers was the width of twenty cubits, circling the house all around. 11 And the door of the side chamber was toward the open space, one door northward and one door southward. And the width of the place of the open space was five cubits all around. And the building that was before the separate place at the end of the way way of the west west was sevent seventy y cubits cubits wide. wide. And the wall of the building was five cubits wide all around, and its length, ninety cubits. 13 And he measured the house, a hundred cubits long. long. And the separate separate place, place, and the building building,, and its wall, wall, were a hundred cubits long. 14 And the width of the front of the house and of the separate place eastward was a hundred cubits. 15 And he measured the length of the building to the front of  the separate place which was behind it; and its gallery from here and from there, a hundred cubits, with the inner temple and the porches of the court, 16 the thresholds, and the latticed narrow windows, and the galleries all around, their three stories across from the threshold, with wood panelings all around, and from the ground up to the windows; and the windows were covered; 17 to that above the door, even to the inner house, and outside, and by all the wall around inside and outside, by measure. 18 And it was made with cherubs and palm trees, and a palm tree was between cherub and cherub. And each cherub had two faces, 19 the face of a man was toward the palm tree from here, and 23 CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  the face of a young lion toward the palm tree from there. It was made through all the house all around. 20 From the ground to above the door were cherubs and palm trees made, and on the wall of the temple. 21 The temple doorposts were squared, and the face of the sanctuary sanctuary.. The looks of the one was like the looks of the other. 22 The altar of wood was three cubits high, and its length two cubits. And its corners, and its length, and its walls, were of wood. And he said to me, This is the table that is before the LORD. 23 And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors. 24 And two doors leaves were to each of the doors, two turning doors, two for the one door, and two for the other door. 25 And on them, on the temple doors, were made cherubs and palm trees like those made on the walls, and thick wood on the face of the porch outside. 26 And latticed windows, and palm trees, were from here and from there, on the sides of the porch, and on the side chambers of the house, and wooden canopies. 3.3.3 3.3.3 Ezek Ezekie iell Ch.4 Ch.42 2 (Ezeki (Ezekiel el 42:1. 42:1. . . 20) 1 And he brought me out into the outer court, the way northward. And he brought me into the chamber that was across from the separate place and which was in front of the building to the north. 2 Before the length of a hundred cubits was the north door, and the width was fifty cubits. 3 Across from the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and across from the pavement which was for the outer court, gallery was on gallery in three stories. 4 And before the chambers chambers was a walk walk of ten cubits cubits width inward, inward, a way way of one cubit. cubit. And their doors doors were were northwa northward. rd. 5 And the upper chambers were shorter; for the galleries used up more space than the lower and middle ones in the building. 6 For they were in three stories, but there were no columns to them like the column columnss of the courts courts.. So the third third story was made narrow narrower er 7 than the lower and the middle stories from the ground. And the wall that was outside near the chambers, toward the outer court on the front of the chambers, its length was fifty cubits. 8 For the length of the chambers that were in the outer court was fifty cubits. And lo, in front of the temple was a hundred cubits. 9 And under these chambers was the entrance on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court, 10 in the width of  the wall of the court eastward, to the front of the separate area, and to the front of the building were chambers. 11 And the way in front of them looked like the chambers which were northward, as their length, length, so their width. width. And all their exits were were as their 12 patterns, and as their doors. And as the doors of the chambers that were southward was a door in the head of the way, even the way directly in front of the wall eastward, as one enters them. 13 And he said to me, The north chambers and the south chambers which which are in front front of the separate separate place, they are holy chambers chambers,, 24 CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  where the priests shall eat, those who approach to the LORD shall shall eat the most most holy holy things things.. There There they shall shall lay lay the most most holy things, and the food offering, and the sin offering, and the guilt offering. offering. For the place is holy. holy. 14 When the priests enter, then they shall not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but they shall lay their clothes there by which they minister in them, for they are holy. holy. And they shall put on other clothes, and shall approach that which is for the people. 15 3.3.4 3.3.4 And he finished measuring the inner house; he brought me out the way of the gate whose view is eastward, and measured all around. 16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds with the measuring reed, all around. 17 He measured the north side, five hundred reeds with the measuring reed all around. 18 He measured the south side, five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. 19 He turned to the west side, measuring five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. 20 He measured it by the four sides. It had a wall all around, five hundred long, and five hundred wide, to make a separation between the holy place and the common place. Ezek Ezekie iell Ch.4 Ch.43 3 (Ezeki (Ezekiel el 43:1 43:13. 3. . . 17) 13 3.3.5 3.3.5 And these are the measures measures of the altar by the cubit. The cubit is a cubit and a span; even the base shall be a cubit, and the width a cubit, and its border by its edge all around shall be a span. span. And this this is the upper upper part of the altar. altar. 14 And from the base on the ground even to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the width width one cubit. cubit. And from from the smalle smallerr ledge even even to the greater ledge shall be four cubits, and the width one cubit. 15 And the altar hearth shall be four cubits, and from the altar hearth and upward shall be four horns. 16 And the altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long, twelve wide, square in its four sides. 17 And the ledge shall be fourteen long and fourteen wide in its four four sides. sides. And the border border around around it shall shall be half half a cubit, cubit, and its base a cubit around. And its steps shall face eastward. Ezek Ezekie iell Ch.4 Ch.45 5 (Eze (Ezeki kiel el 45:1 45:1.. . . 7, 45:19 45:19.. . . 24) 24) 1 And, when you make fall the land by lot for inheritance, you shall offerr an offe offe offerin ringg to the LORD, LORD, a holy holy portion portion of the land. land. The length shall be twenty-five thousand cubits long, and the width ten thousan thousand. d. It shall be holy holy in all its borders borders all around. around. 2 Of this there shall be five hundred by five hundred cubits for the sanctuary sanctuary,, square square all around; and fifty cubits around shall be for its open space. 3 And from this measure you shall measure the length of twenty-five thousand, and the width of ten thousand. 25 CHAPTER CHAPTER 3. DESCRIPTIO DESCRIPTION N OF THE TEMPLE  TEMPLE  26 And in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place. 4 It is the holy portion of the land for the priests, it shall be for the ministers of the sanctuary who come near to minister to the LORD. And it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. 5 And the twenty-five thousand cubits in length, and the ten thousand in width, shall also be for the Levites, the ministers of the house, for themselves for a possession, twenty rooms. 6 And you shall give the possession of the city, five thousand cubits wide, and twenty-five thousand long, beside the offering of  the holy portion. It shall be for the whole house of Israel. 7 And a portion shall be for the ruler from here and from there, for the heave offering of the holy place, and of the possession of the city, in front of the heave offering of the holy place, and to the front of the city’s possession, from the west side westward and from the east side eastward. And the length shall be alongside one of  the portions, from the west border to the east border. 3.3.6 3.3.6 19 Ezek Ezekie iell Ch.4 Ch.46 6 And he brought me through the entry which was at the side of the gate, gate, into into the holy holy cham chambers bers of the priests priests,, facing facing north. north. And behold, there was a place on the two sides westward. 20 And he said to me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the food offering, so that they may not bear them out into the outer court to sanctify the people. 21 And he led me out into the outer court and he made me pass by the four corners corners of the court. court. And behold, in every corner of the court there was a court. 22 In the four corners of the court were enclosed courts, forty cubits long and thirty wide, one measure to the four of them, being made in corners. 23 And a row was all around in them, all around the four four of them. And boiling boiling water water was was made made under under the rows rows all around. 24 And he said to me, These are the places of those who boil, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of  the people. During the revelation of this vision, Ezekiel is referred to by the Heavenly Host as “Ben Adam” or “Son of man” which is later used in Gospel works as a reference to the Jesus Christ Himself. There is no specific connection drawn between between the two except for the use of the same naming convent convention. ion. It seems that that the term “Ben “Ben Adam” Adam” (heb.) (heb.) is used to denote denote Kings Kings and Theocrat Theocratss of  Jewish origin and was therefore used in the Gospels much later. Chapter 4 The Second Temple under Herod the Great 4.0.7 4.0.7 The Hasmon Hasmonean ean Dynast Dynasty y Before Herod the Great, the Kingdom of Judaea was ruled by the Hasmonean dynasty. dynasty. This dynasty dynasty did little to renovate renovate the temple and left it relative relatively ly unkno unknown wn to the rest rest of the world. world. This This is a list list of the kings kings who ruled under under the Hasmonean dynasty. Regent Aristobulus I Alexander Jannaeus Salome Alexan Alexandra dra Hyrcanus II Aristobulus II Antigonus Aristobulus III Herod the Great R ei g n 104 104 BCE BCE - 103 103 BCE BCE 103 103 BCE BCE - 76 BCE BCE 76 BCE - 67 BCE 67 BCE - 66 BCE 66 BCE - 63 BCE 40 BCE - 37 CE 37 BCE BCE 37 BCE - 4 BCE Region Judaea Judaea Judaea Judaea Judaea Judaea Judaea Judaea, Idumaea, Samaria, Gualanitis Table 4.1: The Hasmonean Dynasty Herod the Great is listed to contrast him from the Hasmonean Monarchs for his acknowledged megalopsychia or great-spritedness. He was a client-king to Rome officially but managed his affairs independently with little Roman interference. It was during the reign of his sons that Roman interference in Judaea and the eastern territories increased under Augustus, Germanicus and later Tiberius Caesar. 4.1 4.1 Herod erod the the Grea Greatt Herod’s contributions in renovating the Second Temple during Roman Rule of  Judaea proved crucial in two principal areas. It brought attention to the magnificient construction that had been left unmaintained by the previous Hasmonean 27 CHAPTER CHAPTER 4. THE SECOND SECOND TEMPLE TEMPLE UNDER HEROD HEROD THE GREAT  GREAT  28 kings. kings. It shed light on the some of the methods and technique techniquess used in building the Temple. emple. The latter had been previously previously unknown and undocumented undocumented for a long while until Tom Mueller published “Herod, The Holy Land’s Visionary Builder” in the December Geographic[Mue08]]. This December 2008 issue of National Geographic[Mue08 article was made possibile by the work of Archaeologist Ehud Netzer and His team who unearthed structures previously undiscovered that shed light on the massive architectural feat accomplished by Herod the Great. Great. Herod the Great is innocent of the “massacre “ massacre of the innocents” innocents ” for which he is cited (oft as a villai villain) n) in the Christi Christian an gospel works. works. If such such an event event ever ever occurred it was never documented by early Jewish Historians including Flavius Josephus Josephus.. Such Such an event is historicall historically y unlikely unlikely because of the thin population population in Bethlehem Bethlehem at that time. There are no parallel accounts accounts of such a grievous grievous massacre. massacre. Herod the Great was the father of the Herodian Herodian dynasty which which begat b egat three three more more kings kings Herod Herod Philip Philip,, Herod Herod Archel Archelaus aus and Herod Herod Antip Antipas. as. Herod Herod Antipas is the son of Herod referred to in the trial of Jesus in the Gospel who began his reign in 4 BCE BCE. In this chapter, Herod the Great, the patron of the short-lived Herodian dynasty is referred to in short as Herod or King Herod. His reign is officially recorded from 20 BCE BCE till 4 BCE BCE ending with his death. However there are records which indicate that he assumed leadership in the year 37 BCE BCE during an early conflict with the Parthians who conspired with the Hasmonean Hasmonean theocracy and allegedly murdered murdered Herod’s Father. Father. Herod fought against against them and later built Herodium to commemorate commemorate this victory victory.. He also avenged the death of his father which he blamed on Aristobulus III of the Hasmonean dynasty. dynasty. The short-lived Herodian dynasty is llisted here only for reference. None of  the Kings following Herod are attributed with architectural feats that match their their patriarc patriarch h Herod Herod the Great. Great. They They were were a tetrar tetrarch chy y and did not survive survive beyond one generation terminating the Herodian dynasty in a relatively short period in comparison to other dynasties, regents and governors who presided over Judaea and Palestine. Regent Herod (the Great) Herod Antipas Herod Arc Archelaus helaus Herod Philip II Reig n 37 4 23 4 BCE BCE BCE BCE - 4 BCE 39 CE 18 CE 34 CE Region Judaea, Galilee, Samaria Judaea, later Galilee Galilee Gaulanitis, Batanea Table 4.2: The Herodian Dynasty 4.2 4.2 The The wor works ks of Herod erod The most significant work of Herod which stands even to this day is the Western wall of the Temple in Jerusalem Jerusalem which is constructed constructed with huge stones. It remains a structure of great interest to pilgrims and residents of Jewish and Christian Christian faith. faith. The Dome of Rock  which is one of Islam’s holiest sites rests CHAPTER CHAPTER 4. THE SECOND SECOND TEMPLE TEMPLE UNDER HEROD HEROD THE GREAT  GREAT  29 upon this structure. structure. The foundation foundation stones of the western western wall are considere considered d to weigh no less than 600 tonnes and the stones resting above at least 40 tonnes in weight. weight. It is believed believed that the entire Temple Temple was constructed constructed with the help of such enormous stones with an employment of a work-force of no less than priests. s. Herod Herod is credited credited with a numbe numberr of works works includi including ng the artifiartifi1000 priest cial harbour at Caesarea, a Temple to Augustus Caesar and many more forts, Masada being better-known. It is only right that he is referred to in the annals of history as Herod the Architect for the numerous constructions and building work work attributed to him. He is also partially partially credited credited with restoring restoring the water pumping system which pushes water upward into the hilly city of Jerusalem. 4.3 4.3 Works orks on the the Tem Templ ple e The first startling discovery is a network of arches underneath the Temple mount to provide support to the expanded complex of the second Temple. It is believed that the huge network of arches were entirely constructed during the period of  Herod the Great. There are some who believe that the structures existed earlier but were renovated renovated and reinforced reinforced during during the reign reign of Herod the Great. Many Many archaeologists recognize King Herod’s role in reinforcing the stone foundation of the temple mount which allowed for the increased area of the temple and the city complex of Jerusalem surrounding the temple itself. Bibliography [Jos93] [Jos93] Flavius Flavius Josephus. Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews. Jews. Project Gutenberg, 93. [Mue08] Tom Mueller. Herod, the holy land’s visionary builder. 2008. [New28] [New28] Sir Isaac Newton. Newton. The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms Amended . Project Gutenberg, 1728. [Sto00] [Sto00] W.Bro. W.Bro. Keith Stockley Stockley.. The making of masonic history, 2000. [Str [Str69 69]] Stra Strabo. bo. Geographica. Geographica . 1469. 30