the antiquities of the jews-1-第119章

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temple；　there　had　passed　in　all　three　thousand　one　hundred　and
two　years。　Now　that　year　on　which　the　temple　began　to　be　built
was　already　the　eleventh　year　of　the　reign　of　Hiram；　but　from　the
building　of　Tyre　to　the　building　of　the　temple；　there　had　passed
two　hundred　and　forty　years。

2。　Now；　therefore；　the　king　laid　the　foundations　of　the　temple
very　deep　in　the　ground；　and　the　materials　were　strong　stones；
and　such　as　would　resist　the　force　of　time；　these　were　to　unite
themselves　with　the　earth；　and　become　a　basis　and　a　sure
foundation　for　that　superstructure　which　was　to　be　erected　over
it；　they　were　to　be　so　strong；　in　order　to　sustain　with　ease
those　vast　superstructures　and　precious　ornaments；　whose　own
weight　was　to　be　not　less　than　the　weight　of　those　other　high　and
heavy　buildings　which　the　king　designed　to　be　very　ornamental　and
magnificent。　They　erected　its　entire　body；　quite　up　to　the　roof；
of　white　stone；　its　height　was　sixty　cubits；　and　its　length　was
the　same；　and　its　breadth　twenty。　There　was　another　building
erected　over　it；　equal　to　it　in　its　measures；　so　that　the　entire
altitude　of　the　temple　was　a　hundred　and　twenty　cubits。　Its　front
was　to　the　east。　As　to　the　porch；　they　built　it　before　the
temple；　its　length　was　twenty　cubits；　and　it　was　so　ordered　that
it　might　agree　with　the　breadth　of　the　house；　and　it　had　twelve
cubits　in　latitude；　and　its　height　was　raised　as　high　as　a
hundred　and　twenty　cubits。　He　also　built　round　about　the　temple
thirty　small　rooms；　which　might　include　the　whole　temple；　by
their　closeness　one　to　another；　and　by　their　number　and　outward
position　round　it。　He　also　made　passages　through　them；　that　they
might　come　into　on　through　another。　Every　one　of　these　rooms　had
five　cubits　in　breadth；　（7）　and　the　same　in　length；　but　in　height
twenty。　Above　these　there　were　other　rooms；　and　others　above
them；　equal；　both　in　their　measures　and　number；　so　that　these
reached　to　a　height　equal　to　the　lower　part　of　the　house；　for　the
upper　part　had　no　buildings　about　it。　The　roof　that　was　over　the
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