TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM. The central shrine of Judaism after the establishment of the Davidic monarchy, situated on Mount No riall in Jerusalem. The first 'house of God' was the Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting, described in Exodus xNV.-XXVii.; but this was replaced during Solomon's reign (c.977-937 n.c.) by a permanent structure of great magnificence. This is described in great detail in II. Chronicles iii. iv. (more briefly in I, Kings vi.) ; hut, although certain features of the design are clearly set forth, others are wholly passed over, so that efforts to restore it from these descriptions have produced an extraordinary variety of results. It is, however, evident from the descriptions that the Temple followed the general plan of the Tabernacle with its inclosures, but on double the scale. The arrangement of the Tabernacle, with its outer court, inner court, sanctuary or Holy Place, and Holy of Holies, resembled in its general scheme that of the Egyptian temples (see EGYPTIAN ART) ; hut the Tent itself was of modest dimensions, the Holy of Ilolics forming a cube of 10 cubits or about 15 feet, and the sanctuary a double cube 10 by 10 by 20 cubits. The Temple proper of Solomon measured 60 cubits in length, the outer sanctuary or lloly Place being 20 by 40 cubits in size and the Holy of Holies 20 by 20 cubits; both were 20 cubits high. Within the latter was the Ark of Testimony under two cherubim with outspread wings; in the Holy Place were the altar of in cense, the show-bread table, the seven branched candlesticks, and ten smaller tables and candle sticks. Both chambers were wainscoted with cedar and wholly covered with gilding; they were separated by a 'veil' or fixed curtain fitted with an olive wood doorway and doors. It was this veil that was 'rent in twain' at the cruci fixion (Matt. xxviii. 51; Mark xv. 38; Luke xxiii. 44). The golden candlestick carried by Titus to Rome in A.D. 70 is figured in a relief on the Arch of Titus.
In front of the Temple porch were two columns of bronze, ',Main' and 'Boaz,' 23 cubits high; and against its side and end walls were three stories of small chambers for bhe priests. The court immediately surrounding the Temple was reserved for the priests, and contained the brazen altar of burnt offering and the great bronze `Sea,' or tank, borne on twelve bronze oxen; these, with the cherubim in the Holy of Holies, being the only examples of free sculpture in Jewish art. A second court was the place of general assembly for all Jewish worshipers; it preceded or surrounded the first; but whether built by Solomon or encircled at a later date is not certain. Solomon's palace and the 'House of the Cedars of Lebanon' adjoined the Temple court. Dependencies and outbuildings were add ed at various times to the main group. Of the architectural style of the Temple there is little hint in Scripture; but we know that its builders were chiefly Phamicians, and the combination of an Egyptian type of plan with such Assyrian decorative details as palms, cherubim, and 'knops and flowers' is quite in harmony with the mixed style of Phoenician work in general.
Solomon's Temple was destroyed by Nebuchad nezzar B.C. 5S6. Upon the return of the .Jews from the Babylonian captivity by permission of Cyrus a new' edifice was erected under the direc tion of Zerubbabel and finished B.C. 516. The vision of this second temple given by Ezekiel (chapters xl.-xliii) is generally recognized as something more than a mere creation of fancy. Though vague in many points, it is consistent and detailed in others, representing a far more elaborate system of courts, inclosures, gates, and porticoes than the first temple possessed. The temple proper was a reproduction of the original edifice, but far inferior to it in splendor of orna ment and gilding. Both the first and second edifices were, however, surpassed in architectural splendor by the third temple, erected by Herod, B.C. H. The area of the temple terrace was greatly enlarged by new substructures built with masonry of colossal magnitude, a section of which forms the present 'place of wailing' of the Jews. Marble was profusely used for colon nades, gates, and walls, and the magnificence of Roman carved decoration and architectural de tail was blended with the Oriental arrangement of the plan, which reproduced essentially the disposition of the two preceding structures, but with an additional exterior 'Court of the Gen tiles.' A new stow basilica or three-aisled por tico of vast dimensions occupied the south side of the inclosure: 'Solomon's porch' was re erected in the form of a colonnade along the east front, in which was perhaps the `Gate Beau tiful' (Acts iii. 2). This temple was the one from which Christ expelled the money-changers and merchants. It was destroyed during the pillage of the city by Titus, A.D. 70, but con trary to his orders. Under Constantine an effort on the part of the Jews to rebuild it was se verely punished, and a contemporary writer states that a later attempt by the Emperor Julian to rebuild it was frustrated by "flames which burst from the foundations." On the temple area, called by the Arabs Sheri, one of the early caliphs (probably Abd el-Melek, who reigned from 685 to 705) erected a splendid mosque, the com monly known as the 'Mosque of Omar,' and the place has ever since remained in the possession of the Moslems.
All three temples must have presented an aspect of mixed architectural styles, due to the general lack of skill in the plastic arts among the Jews, and their consequent dependence on the arts of neighboring nations. Solomon's achievement was, under these circumstances, amazing in the grandeur of its general conception and the splendor of its gilding, decoration, and furniture. But it was far surpassed in scale and in magnificence of external architecture by Herod's temple.