A briefe description of Hierusalem and of the suburbs therof, as it florished in the time of Christ Whereto is annexed a short commentarie concerning those places which were made famous by the Passion of Christ, and by the actes of holye men, confirmed by certeine principall histories of antiquity. Verie profitable for Christians to read, for the understanding of the Sacred Scriptures and Iosephus his Historie. Hereunto also is appertaining a liuely and beawtifull mappe of Hierusalem, with arithmeticall directions, correspondent to the numbers of this booke. Translated out of Latin into English by Thomas Tymme minister.

THE PARTES OF THE MOST HOLY PLACEs.

76. THE ARKE OF THE COVENANT,

* 1.1 the which by the commaundement of God was made of Se∣thim wood,* 1.2 which corrupteth not,* 1.3 by Moses in the deserte, couered within and without with plate of pure goulde, being sette in the middest of the holy of

holiest,* 1.4 shining like the sun with the glittering bright∣nesse of golde.* 1.5 Whose surpassing bewtie is rather to be wondred at, then with words to be expressed. In this Arke the two tables of stone, containing the ten commaundements written with the finger of God, were kept with a singular care and holinesse: also the Pot wherein was Manna: and Aarons florishing rod, and the booke of Deuteronomy. The Arke abode in this place about foure hundred and thirty yeares.* 1.6 It is written in the book of the Machabees, y^t in the time of the captiuity of Babilon, the Prophet Ieremy by the commandement of God, hid the same priuily together with the Alter of Incense, and the perpetuall fier, in a caue of the mount Nebo.* 1.7

But the Hebrues coniecture,* 1.8 that it was caried by Nabuchodonozer into Babilon:* 1.9 & that it was neuer re∣turned againe,* 1.10 but another made by the Iewes in steade thereof after the returne from the captiuitie.* 1.11 Other some thinke that Nabuchodonozer carried away the same with fiue thousand and foure hundred ves∣sels of siluer and golde,* 1.12 which belonged to the temple of Ierusalem,* 1.13 and put them into the temple of Bell his god,* 1.14 but preserued by Gods prouidence (as it was sometime in Philistaea) after threescore and ten yeares of the captiuitie, they thinke (I say) that it was resto∣red againe to the Iewes, at their returne by Cyrus, together with the said vessels. But after the beseeging of Ierusalem Titus and Vespasian, cariyng out of the temple to Rome, the Arke of the couenant, the two tables of the Lawe, with both the rods of Moses and Aaron: also the goulden table, and some of the shew bread: the goulden Candlestick also, and the foure pil∣lers; made these to be caried among other spoiles, by the Iewes themselues round about the cittie in an o∣pen triumph, wherein with greate pompe they trium∣phed

ouer that nation: Simon Giora Captaine of the seditious, and seuen hundred Iewes captiues (which were selected from among the rest for youth and com¦lynesse) going before the triumpher halfe naked, with their hands bound. This triumph being ended Vespa∣sian, layed vp all the vessels of Ierusalem, in the Tem∣ple of Peace at Rome, which hee in moste sumptuous manner had builded: But the lawe of the Iewes, and the purple vailes of the most secret places, he com∣manded to be safely layde vp in his pallace.

77. THE TWO CHERVBIMS,

* 1.15 of glory, the which, as it appeareth by the Hebrue text of Paralippome∣non,* 1.16 are like vnto young boyes,* 1.17 made of the wood of the oliue tree,* 1.18 ten cubits high, and couered with plates of gold, and shining with angelicall brightnesse, stood at each ende of the Arke with wings spred, one cou∣ple couering the propitiatorie, and with the other couple touching the gate on both sides: Whose fa∣ces were directed toward the vttermost house: and looking one towardes the other, they behelde both themselues, and also the propitiatorie.

78. THE PROPITIATORIE,

otherwise also called the oracle, the which being aboue the Arke, betwene the wings of the two Cherubims, and shining with most pure golde in brightnesse aboue the sunne, re∣presenting the diuine maiesty, was as it were the seate of God speaking: from whence he gaue oracles and answeres.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exo, 25. 27 et 40
• * 1.2

  Num. 17.
• * 1.3

  Deut. 31.
• * 1.4

  Heb. 9.
• * 1.5

  Ios. 3, ant, 8
• * 1.6

  2. Mac. 5, 2.
• * 1.7

  2 Chro, 36.
• * 1.8

  Dan. 1.
• * 1.9

  1. Esd. 1.
• * 1.10

  3. Esd. 1.
• * 1.11

  Hier. in Ioel cap. 3.
• * 1.12

  Iose. 10, ant 13.
• * 1.13

  Sucton. in vit. vespasi.
• * 1.14

  Rodolph. lan gius de vr∣bis Hirosol templique origine et excidio. lib. ••. cap. 15.
• * 1.15

  Ex. 25, 37.
• * 1.16

  2. King. 6.
• * 1.17

  Heb. 9.
• * 1.18

  Ios. 8, ant, 3.