the antiquities of the jews-1-第120章

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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　immense　depth；　could　not　be
looked　on；　when　you　bended　down　to　see　them；　without　pain；　and
had　elevated　the　ground　four　hundred　cubits；　he　made　it　to　be　on
a　level　with　the　top　of　the　mountain；　on　which　the　temple　was
built；　and　by　this　means　the　outmost　temple；　which　was　exposed　to
the　air；　was　even　with　the　temple　itself。　He　encompassed　this
also　with　a　building　of　a　double　row　of　cloisters；　which　stood　on
high　upon　pillars　of　native　stone；　while　the　roofs　were　of　cedar；
and　were　polished　in　a　manner　proper　for　such　high　roofs；　but　he
made　all　the　doors　of　this　temple　of　silver。

CHAPTER　4。

How　Solomon　Removed　The　Ark　Into　The　Temple　How　He　Made
Supplication　To　God；　And　Offered　Public　Sacrifices　To　Him。

1。　When　king　Solomon　had　finished　these　works；　these　large　and
beautiful　buildings；　and　had　laid　up　his　donations　in　the　temple；
and　all　this　in　the　interval　of　seven　years；　and　had　given　a
demonstration　of　his　riches　and　alacrity　therein；　insomuch　that
any　one　who　saw　it　would　have　thought　it　must　have　been　an
immense　time　ere　it　could　have　been　finished；　and　would　be
surprised　that　so　much　should　be　finished　in　so　short　a　time；
short；　I　mean；　if　compared　with　the　greatness　of　the　work：　he
also　wrote　to　the　rulers　and　elders　of　the　Hebrews；　and　ordered
all　the　people　to　gather　themselves　together　to　Jerusalem；　both
to　see　the　temple　which　he　had　built；　and　to　remove　the　ark　of
God　into　it；　and　when　this　invitation　of　the　whole　body　of　the
people　to　come　to　Jerusalem　was　every　where　carried　abroad；　it
was　the　seventh　month　before　they　came　together；　which　month　is
by　our　countrymen　called　Thisri；　but　by　the　Macedonians
Hyperberetoets。　The　feast　of　tabernacles　happened　to　fall　at　the
same　time；　which　was　celebrated　by　the　Hebrews　as　a　most　holy　and
most　eminent　feast。　So　they　carried　the　ark　and　the　tabernacle
which　Moses　had　pitched；　and　all　the　vessels　that　were　for
ministration；　to　the　sacrifices　of　God；　and　removed　them　to　the
temple。　（13）　The　king　himself；　and　all　the　people　and　the
Levites；　went　before；　rendering　the　ground　moist　with　sacrifices；
and　drink…offerings；　and　the　blood　of　a　great　number　of
oblations；　and　burning　an　immense　quantity　of　incense；　and　this
till　the　very　air　itself　every　where　round　about　was　so　full　of
these　odors；　that　it　met；　in　a　most　agreeable　manner；　persons　at
a　great　distance；　and　was　an　indication　of　God's　presence；　and；
as　men's　opinion　was；　of　his　habitation　with　them　in　this　newly
built　and　consecrated　place；　for　they　did　not　grow　weary；　either
of　singing　hymns　or　of　dancing；　until　they　came　to　the　temple；
and　in　this　manner　did　they　carry　the　ark。　But　when　they　should
transfer　it　into　the　most　secret　place；　the　rest　of　the　multitude
went　away；　and　only　those　priests　that　carried　it　set　it　between
the　two　cherubims；　which　embracing　it　with　their　wings；　（for　so
were　they　framed　by　the　artificer；）　they　covered　it；　as　under　a
tent；　or　a　cupola。　Now　the　ark　contained　nothing　else　but　those
two　tables　of　stone　that　preserved　t