the antiquities of the jews-1-第87章

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house　was　of　cedar；　and　truly　every　one　of　these　rooms　had　a　roof
of　their　own；　that　was　not　connected　with　the　other　rooms；　but
for　the　other　parts；　there　was　a　covered　roof　common　to　them　all；
and　built　with　very　long　beams；　that　passed　through　the　rest；　and
rough　the　whole　building；　that　so　the　middle　walls；　being
strengthened　by　the　same　beams　of　timber；　might　be　thereby　made
firmer：　but　as　for　that　part　of　the　roof　that　was　under　the
beams；　it　was　made　of　the　same　materials；　and　was　all　made
smooth；　and　had　ornaments　proper　for　roofs；　and　plates　of　gold
nailed　upon　them。　And　as　he　enclosed　the　walls　with　boards　of
cedar；　so　he　fixed　on　them　plates　of　gold；　which　had　sculptures
upon　them；　so　that　the　whole　temple　shined；　and　dazzled　the　eyes
of　such　as　entered；　by　the　splendor　of　the　gold　that　was　on　every
side　of　them；　Now　the　whole　structure　of　the　temple　was　made　with
great　skill　of　polished　stones；　and　those　laid　together　so　very
harmoniously　and　smoothly；　that　there　appeared　to　the　spectators
no　sign　of　any　hammer；　or　other　instrument　of　architecture；　but
as　if；　without　any　use　of　them；　the　entire　materials　had
naturally　united　themselves　together；　that　the　agreement　of　one
part　with　another　seemed　rather　to　have　been　natural；　than　to
have　arisen　from　the　force　of　tools　upon　them。　The　king　also　had
a　fine　contrivance　for　an　ascent　to　the　upper　room　over　the
temple；　and　that　was　by　steps　in　the　thickness　of　its　wall；　for
it　had　no　large　door　on　the　east　end；　as　the　lower　house　had；　but
the　entrances　were　by　the　sides；　through　very　small　doors。　He
also　overlaid　the　temple；　both　within　and　without；　with　boards　of
cedar；　that　were　kept　close　together　by　thick　chains；　so　that
this　contrivance　was　in　the　nature　of　a　support　and　a　strength　to
the　building。

3。　Now　when　the　king　had　divided　the　temple　into　two　parts；　he
made　the　inner　house　of　twenty　cubits　＇every　way＇；　to　be　the　most
secret　chamber；　but　he　appointed　that　of　forty　cubits　to　be　the
sanctuary；　and　when　he　had　cut　a　door…place　out　of　the　wall；　he
put　therein　doors　of　Cedar；　and　overlaid　them　with　a　great　deal
of　gold；　that　had　sculptures　upon　it。　He　also　had　veils　of　blue；
and　purple；　and　scarlet；　and　the　brightest　and　softest　linen；
with　the　most　curious　flowers　wrought　upon　them；　which　were　to　be
drawn　before　those　doors。　He　also　dedicated　for　the　most　secret
place；　whose　breadth　was　twenty　cubits；　and　length　the　same；　two
cherubims　of　solid　gold；　the　height　of　each　of　them　was　five
cubits　（8）　they　had　each　of　them　two　wings　stretched　out　as　far
as　five　cubits；　wherefore　Solomon　set　them　up　not　far　from　each
other；　that　with　one　wing　they　might　touch　the　southern　wall　of
the　secret　place；　and　with　another　the　northern：　their　other
wings；　which　joined　to　each　other；　were　a　covering　to　the　ark；
which　was　set　between　them；　but　nobody　can　tell；　or　even
conjecture；　what　was　the　shape　of　these　cherubims。　He　also　laid
the　floor　of　the　temple　with　plates　of　gold；　and　he　added　doors
to　the　gate　of　the　temple；　agreeable　to　the　measure　of　the　height
of　the　wall；　but　in　breadth　twenty　cubits；　and　on　them　he　glued
gold　plates。　And；　to　say　all　in　one　word；　he　left　no　part　of　the
temple；　neither　internal　nor　external；　but　what　was　covered　with
gold。　He　also　had　curtains　drawn　over　these　doors　in　like　manner
as　they　were　drawn　over　the　inner　doors　of　the　most　holy　place；
but　the　porch　of　the　temple　had　nothing　of　that　sort。

4。　Now　Solomon　sent　for　an　artificer　out　of　Tyre；　whose　name　was
Hiram；　he　was　by　birth　of　the　tribe　of　Naphtali；　on　the　mother's
side；　（for　she　was　of　that　tribe；）　but　his　father　was　Ur；　of　the
stock　of　the　Israelites。　This　man　was　skillful　in　all　sorts　of
work；　but　his　chief　skill　lay　in　working　in　gold；　and　silver；　and
brass；　by　whom　were　made　all　the　mechanical　works　about　the
temple；　according　to　the　will　of　Solomon。　Moreover；　this　Hiram
made　two　＇hollow＇　pillars；　whose　outsides　were　of　brass；　and　the
thickness　of　the　brass　was　four　fingers'　breadth；　and　the　height
of　the　pillars　was　eighteen　cubits　and　their　circumference　twelve
cubits；　but　there　was　cast　with　each　of　their　chapiters　lily…work
that　stood　upon　the　pillar；　and　it　was　elevated　five　cubits；
round　about　which　there　was　net…work　interwoven　with　small　palms；
made　of　brass；　and　covered　the　lily…work。　To　this　also　were　hung
two　hundred　pomegranates；　in　two　rows。　The　one　of　these　pillars
he　set　at　the　entrance　of　the　porch　on　the　right　hand；　and　called
it　Jachin　（9）　and　the　other　at　the　left　hand；　and　called　it　Booz。　

5。　Solomon　also　cast　a　brazen　sea；　whose　figure　was　that　of　a
hemisphere。　This　brazen　vessel　was　called　a　sea　for　its
largeness；　for　the　laver　was　ten　feet　in　diameter；　and　cast　of
the　thickness　of　a　palm。　Its　middle　part　rested　on　a　short　pillar
that　had　ten　spirals　round　it；　and　that　pillar　was　ten　cubits　in
diameter。　There　stood　round　about　it　twelve　oxen；　that　looked　to
the　four　winds　of　heaven；　three　to　each　wind；　having　their　hinder
parts　depressed；　that　so　the　hemispherical　vessel　might　rest　upon
them；　which　itself　was　also　depressed　round　about　inwardly。　Now
this　sea　contained　three　thousand　baths。

6。　He　also　made　ten　brazen　bases　for　so　many　quadrangular　lavers；
the　length　of　every　one　of　these　bases　was　five　cubits；　and　the
breadth　four　cubits；　and　the　height　six　cubits。　This　vessel　was
partly　turned；　and　was　thus　contrived：　There　were　four　small
quadrangular　pillars　that　stood　one　at　each　corner；　these　had　the
sides　of　the　base　fitted　to　them　on　each　quarter；　they　were
parted　into　three　parts；　every　interval　had　a　border　fitted　to
support　＇the　laver＇；　upon　which　was　engraven；　in　one　place　a
lion；　and　in　another　place　a　bull；　and　an　eagle。　The　small
pillars　had　the　same　animals　engraven　that　were　engraven　on　the
sides。　The　whole　work　was　elevated；　and　stood　upon　four　wheels；
which　were　also　cast；　which　had　also　naves　and　felloes；　and　were
a　foot　and　a　half　in　diameter。　Any　one　who　saw　the　spokes　of　the
wheels；　how　exactly　they　were　turned；　and　united　to　the　sides　of
the　bases；　and　with　what　harmony　they　agreed　to　the　felloes；
would　wonder　at　them。　However；　their　structure　was　this：　Certain
shoulders　of　hands　stretched　out　held　the　corners　above；　upon
which　rested　a　short　spiral　pillar；　that　lay　under　the　hollow
part　of　the　laver；　resting　upon　the　fore　part　of　the　eagle　and
the　lion；　which　were　adapted　to　them；　insomuch　that　those　who
viewed　them　would　think　they　were　of　one　piece：　between　these
were　engravings　of　palm　trees。　This　was　the　construction　of　the
ten　bases。　He　also　made　ten　large　round　brass　vessels；　which　were
the　lavers　themselves；　each　of　which　contained　forty　baths；　（10）
for　it　had　its　height　four　cubits；　and　its　edges　were　as　much
distant　from　each　other。　He　also　placed　these　lavers　upon　the　ten
bases　that　were　called　Mechonoth；　and　he　set　five　of　the　lavers
on　the　left　side　of　the　temple　（11）　which　was　that　side　towards
the　north　wind；　and　as　many　on　the　right　side；　towards　the　south；
but　looking　towards　the　east；　the　same　＇eastern＇　way　he　also　set
the　sea　Now　he　appointed　the　sea　to　be　for　washing　the　hands　and
the　feet　of　the　priests；　when　they　entered　into　the　temple　and
were　to　ascend　the　altar；　but　the　lavers　to　cleanse　the　entrails
of　the　beasts　that　were　to　be　burnt…offerings；　with　their　feet
also。

7。　He　also　made　a　brazen　altar；　whose　length　was　twenty　cubits；
and　its　breadth　the　same；　and　its　height　ten；　for　the
burnt…offerings。　He　also　made　all　its　vessels　of　brass；　the　pots；
and　the　shovels；　and　the　basons；　and　besides　these；　the　snuffers
and　the　tongs；　and　all　its　other　vessels；　he　made　of　brass；　and
such　brass　as　was　in　splendor　and　beauty　like　gold。　The　king　also
dedicated　a　great　number　of　tables；　but　one　that　was　large　and
made　of　gold；　upon　which　they　set　the　loaves　of　God；　and　he　made
ten　thousand　more　that　resembled　them；　but　were　done　after
another　manner；　upon　which　lay　the　vials　and　the　cups；　those　of
gold　were　twenty　thousand；　those　of　silver　were　forty　thousand。
He　also　made　ten　thousand　candlesticks；　according　to　the　command
of　Moses；　one　of　which　he　dedicated　for　the　temple；　that　it　might
burn　in　the　day　time；　according　to　the　law；　and　one　table　with
loaves　upon　it；　on　the　north　side　of　the　temple；　over　against　the
candlestick；　for　this　he　set　on　the　south　side；　but　the　golden
altar　stood　between　them。　All　these　vessels　were　contained　in
that　part　of　the　holy　house；　which　was　forty　cubits　long；　and
were　before　the　veil　of　that　most　secret　place　wherein　the　ark
was　to　be　set。

8。　The　king　also　made　pouring　vessels；　in　number　eighty　thousand；
and　a　hundred　thousand　golden　vials；　and　twice　as　many　silver
vials：　of　golden　dishes；　in　order　therein　to　offer　kneaded　fine
flour　at　the　altar；　there　were　eighty　thousand；　and　twice　as　many
of　silver。　Of　large　basons　also；　wherein　they　mixed　fine　flour
with　oil；　sixty　thousand　of　gold；　and　twice　as　many　of　silver。　Of
the　measures　like　those　which　Moses　called　the　Hin　and　the
Assaron；　（a　tenth　deal；）　there　were　twenty　thousand　of　gold；　and
twice　as　many　of　silver。　The　golden　censers；　in　which　they
carried　the　incense　to　the　altar；　were　twenty　thousand；　the　other
censers；　in　which　they　carried　fire　from　the　great　altar　to　the
little　altar；　within　the　temple；　were　fifty　thousand。　The
sacerdotal　garments　which　belonged　to　the　high　priest；　with　the
long　robes；　and　the　oracle；　and　the　precious　stones；　were　a
thousand。　But　the　crown　upon　which　Moses　wrote　＇the　name　of
God＇；＇was　only　one；　and　hath　remained　to　this　very　day。　He　also
made　ten　thousand　sacerdotal　garments　of　fine　linen；　with　purple
girdles　for　every　priest；　and　two　hundred　thousand　trumpets；
according　to　the　command　of　Moses；　also　two　hundred　thousand
garments　of　fine　linen　for　the　singers；　that　were　Levites。　And　he
made　musical　instruments；　and　such　as　were　invented　for　singing
of　hymns；　called　；Nablee　and　Cindree；　＇psalteries　and　harps；＇
which　were　made　of　electrum；　＇the　finest　brass；＇　forty　thousand。

9。　Solomon　made　all　these　things　for　the　honor　of　God；　with　great
variety　and　magnificence；　sparing　no　cost；　but　using　all　possible
liberality　in　adorning　the　temple；　and　these　things　he　dedicated
to　the　treasures　of　God。　He　also　placed　a　partition　round　about
the　temple；　which　in　our　tongue　we　call　Gison；　but　it　is　called
Thrigcos　by　the　Greeks；　and　he　raised　it　up　to　the　height　of
three　cubits；　and　it　was　for　the　exclusion　of　the　multitude　from
coming　into　the　temple；　and　showing　that　it　was　a　place　that　was
free　and　open　only　for　the　priests。　He　also　built　beyond　this
court　a　temple；　whose　figure　was　that　of　a　quadrangle；　and
erected　for　it　great　and　broad　cloisters；　this　was　entered　into
by　very　high　gates；　each　of　which　had　its　front　exposed　to　one　of
the　＇four＇　winds；　and　were　shut　by　golden　doors。　Into　this　temple
all　the　people　entered　that　were　distinguished　from　the　rest　by
being　pure　and　observant　of　the　laws。　But　he　made　that　temple
which　was　beyond　this　a　wonderful　one　indeed；　and　such　as　exceeds
all　description　in　words；　nay；　if　I　may　so　say；　is　hardly
believed　upon　sight；　for　when　he　had　filled　up　great　valleys　with
earth；　which；　on　account　of　their　imm