The holy of holies was entirely empty, gram) oeuWv acos EP airrLP (Jose1/13. De Bell. Yttcl. v. 5. 5) ; however, there was a stone in the place of the ark of the covenant, called row I1N, on which the high-priest placed the censer. Before the entrance of the holy of holies was suspended a curtain, which was torn by the earthquake that followed after the crucifixion. The rabbis talk of two cur tains, between which was a space of one cubit, sus pended before the holy of holies. The folding doors between the porch and the holy were twenty cubits high and ten cubits wide ; but the entrance itself, with its mouldings, was fifty-five cubits high and sixteen cubits wide. These doors stood open ; there were, however, behind them some other doors which were shut, and before which a splendid 13abylonian byssus curtain was suspended, in co lours and workmanship similar to that of the Solomonic temple. The entrance to the porch was externally seventy cubits high and twenty-five cubits wide, with folding doors of forty cubits high and twenty cubits wide. These doors were usually kept open. This entrance to the porch was adorned by a colossal golden vine, :rit v.).1,m, whose grapes were as big as men (Jani, De vite aurea templi Ilierosolymitani, in Ugolino, tom. ix.) This vine was a symbolical representation of the 'noble vine' (Jer. ii. 21 ; Ezek. xix. to ; Joel i. 7), and of the vineyard (Is. v.), under which the prophets repre sent their nation. It is very likely that this vine also gave an opportunity to the parable of the vine (John xv.), and to the strange misconception of pagan scribblers that the Jews worshipped Bacchus. (Comp. Lakemacheri Observed. Philolog. 17, seg. ; Rosenmiiller's .Exegetisches Repertoriunz, 166, siv.) Within the porch were a golden and a inarble table, on which the priest who entered the sanctu ary daily deposited the old and the new shewbread. Before the porch, towards the south, were the 1)+Z„ brazier or fire-pan, and the altar for burnt-offerings ; towards the north were six rows of rings attached to the pavement, to which the sacrifices to be killed were fastened ; also eight low columns over laid with cedar beams, from which the beasts that had been killed were suspended in order to be skinned. Between these columns stood nl:ntyr marble nobles, on which the flesh and en trails were deposited. On the western side of the altar stood 3. marble table, on which the fat was deposited, and a silver table, on which the various utensils were placed.
The temple was situated upon the south-eastern corner of Mount Moriah, which is separated to the east by a precipitous ravine and the Kidron orn the Mount of Olives : the Mount of Olives is much higher than Moriah. On the south, the temple was bounded by the ravine which separates Moriah from Zion, or the lower city from the upper city. Opposite to the temple, at the foot of Zion, were formerly the king's gardens, and higher up, in a south-westerly direction, the stronghold of Zion or the city of David, on a higher level than the temple. The temple was in ancient warfare almost impreg nable, from the ravines at the precipitous edge of which it stood ; but it required more artificial forti fications on its western and northern sides, which were surrounded by the city of Jerusalem ; for this :-eason there was erected at its north-western corner the tower of Antonia, which although standing on a lower level than the temple itself, vvas so high as to overlook the sacred buildings with which it was connected, partly by a large staircase, partly by a subterraneous communication. This tower pro
tected the temple from sudden incursions from the city of Jerusalem, and from dangerous commotions among the thousands who were frequently assem bled within the precincts of the courts ; which also were sometimes used for popular meetings. Under the sons of Herod, the temple remained apparently in good order, and Herod Agrippa, who was ap pointed by the emperor Claudius its guardian, even planned the repair of the eastern part, which had probably been destroyed during one of the con flicts between the Jews and Romans, of which the temple was repeatedly the scene (Antig. xvii. to). Many savants have adopted a style as if they pos sessed much information about the archives of the temple ; there are a few indications from which we learn that important documents were deposited in the tabernacle and temple. Even in Deut. xxxi. 26 we find that the book of the law was deposited In the ark of the covenant. 2 Kings xxii. 8, Hil kiah rediscovered the book of the law in the house of Jehovah. In Maccab. 13, we find a f4Xto th5Kn mentioned, apparently consisting chiefly of tbe canonical books, and probably deposited in the temple. In Josephus (De Bell. yud. v. 5) it is mentioned that a book of the law was found in the temple. It appears that the sacred writings were kept in the temple (Antiq. v. 1. 17). Copies of political documents seem to have been deposited in the treasury of the temple (r Maccab. xiv. 49).
This treasury, 6 lepas Ono-aupds, was managed by an inspector, -yat'ogStiXaE, 1211, and it contained the great sums which were annually paid in by the Israelites, each of whom paid a half shekel, and many of whom sent donations in money, and pre cious vessels, dvaOly.tara. Such costly presents were especially transmitted by rich proselytes, and even sometimes by pagan princes (2 Maccah. 3 ; Joseph. Ant4. xiv. 16. 4 ; xviii. 3. 5 ; xix. 6. ; De Bell. Yucl. ii. 17. 3 ; v. 13. 6 ; c. Apian. 5 ; Philo, Opp. ii. 59, seq.; 569). lt is said especi ally that Ptol. Philadelphus was very liberal to the temple, in order to prove his gratitude for having been permitted to procure the Septuagint transla tion (Aristeas, De Translat. L.X.X. to9, seg.) The gifts exhibited in the temple are mentioned in Luke xxi. 5 ; we find even that the rents of the whole town of Ptolemais were given to the temple (t Maccab. X. 39). There were also preserved his, torical curiosities (2 Kings xi. 10), especially the arms of celebrated heroes (Joseph. Antiq. xix. 6. 1) : this was also the case in the tabernacle.
The temple was of so much political importance that it had its own guards rtt.D lepoli), which were commanded by a o-rparny6s.
Twenty men were required for opening and shut ting the eastern gate (Joseph. De Bell. Yud. vi. 5, 3 ; c. Apion. ii. 9 ; Antiq. vi. 5. 3 ; xvii. 2. 2), The arparny6s had his own secretary (Antig. xx. 6. 2 ; 9. 3), and had to maintain the police in the courts (comp. Acts iv. and v. 24). He appears to have been of sufficient dignity to be mentioned together with the chief priests. It seems that his Hebrew title was ITZil 71 V14, Me man of the mountain of the house.