The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

SECT. VI. Their bringing up wood for the Altar.

IT was a singular and a strict command, that the fire of the Altar should never go out, Lev. 6. 13. And as the Jews observe, that Divine Providence did comply with the keeping of it in, for they say, a 1.1 that Rains from Heaven never put the fire out, so did the Nation provide for the continual burning of it, by a b 1.2 penalty of whipping de∣creed, agreed against him that should extinguish it, and by a constant supply of wood brought up to the Temple for the maintaining of it. Josephus speaketh of their Xy∣lophoria,

or certain set and solemn times, on which the People brought up Wood for this purpose: his words are these, c 1.3 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. It was a feast of the wood car∣rying, at which it was the custom for all to bring up wood for the Altar, that it might not want fewel for the fire, which might never go out. The Talmudick Treatise Taanith, reck∣oneth nine special days in the year used for this solemn imployment, and alotteth the work to nine special Families of those that are mentioned to have returned out of cap∣tivity. d 1.4 The wood-carrying times (saith it) for the Priests and the People were nine. On the first of Nisan, the sons of Arah a son of Judah. On the twentieth of Tammuz, the sons of David a son of Judah. On the fifth of Ab, the sons of Parosh a son of Judah. On the seventh of the same, the sons of Jonadab the son of Recab. On the tenth of the same, the sons of Senaah a son of Benjamin. On the fifteenth of the same month, the sons of Zattu a son of Judah, and with them the Priests and Levites, and whosoever knew not their own Tribe, &c. On the twentieth of the same month, the sons of Pahath Moab a son of Ju∣dah. On the twentieth of Elul, the sons of Addin a son of Judah. And on the first of Te∣beth, the sons of Parosh came a second time. And on the first of Tebeth there was no station (made by the stationary men) because on that day the Hallel was sung, and there was an additional offering, and an oblation, or bringing up of wood.

The wood thus brought up to the Temple, it was first laid up in that building in the North-east corner of the Court of the Women, which was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 e 1.5 The wood room, where it was searched by those of the Priests lineage that had blemishes, and so were uncapable of serving at the Altar, whether it had worms or no in it, for any wood that had any worms in it was unclean and unfit for the Altar fire: that that was found free from worms, and so reputed fit for the Altar, was brought up into another room, called f 1.6 also the wood room, and the room Parhedrin, on the South side of the Court of Israel, and there it lay near and ready when there was occasion for its use. That wood that had worms in it, and so might not touch the Altar, was used either for boyling, baking, or frying of the offerings that were boyled, or baked, or fryed, or for keeping fires for the Priests and Levites in their attendance and guards in cold weather.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Talm. in Avoth. per. 5.
• b 1.2

  Maym. in Ta•…•…s▪ per. 2.
• c 1.3

  Ioseph. de Bell. lib. 2. cap. 31.
• d 1.4

  Talm in Taamith per. 4▪
• e 1.5

  Talm. in Middoth. per. 2.
• f 1.6

  Ib. per. 5.