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.

CHAP. IX. Tabernae Shops: The great Sanhedrin sitting thereabout. (Book 9)

THERE is very frequent mention in the Talmuds and Talmudical Writers, of a place in the Mountain of the house which was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Hhanoth or Hhani∣joth, which the learned in these Antiquities, do commonly render by the Latine word Tabernae: which though in that Language it be a proper expression of the Hebrew word, yet cannot we so properly in English render it Taverns: because, that, in our usual acceptation, that word is taken for houses where Wine only is sold; whereas these were shops where Wine, Oyl, Salt, Meal and such like things were sold, which were in constant use for Sacrifices and Offerings in the Temple. And Rabbi Nathan relateth that a 1.1 there were Clerks of that Market appoynted to look to the weights and measures of these Shops, and to see the Shopkeepers did not sell too dear.

But the most famous thing concerning these Tabernae that the Jewes speak of, is, that the great Sanhedrin sate here, having removed hither from the room Gazith the place of their common sitting. The story hereof is dispersedly mentioned in the Talmud in several places, particularly it is thus at large in the Gemara of the Treatise Rosh hashana per. 4.

b 1.2 Rabbi Johanan saith, The divine glory had ten flittings: 1. From the Mercy seat to one of the Cherubs. 2. From that Cherub to the other. 3. From the Cherub to the thre∣shold. 4. From the threshold to the Court. 5. From the Court to the Altar side. 6. From thence to the Altar top. 7. From thence to the outmost wall. 8. From that wall to the City. 9. From the City to Mount Olivet, 10. From Mount Olivet to the Wilderness, and from the Widerness it went up. So also the great Sanhedrin had ten flittings: From the Chamber Gazith to Hhanoth (the Tabernae or place of the Shops) From Hhanoth to Jerusalem. From Jerusalem to Jabneh. From Jabneh to Osha 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 From Osha to Shepharaam 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 From Shepharaam to Beth Shaaraim. From Beth Shaaraim to Tsipperis in Galilee. From Tsip∣peris to Tiberias.

Now whereas there are but eight removes here mentioned, yet they speak of ten, it to is be understood, as the Gloss gives us notice, that from two of these places they removed forward and backward and forward again, as from Jabneh to Osha, from Osha back to Jabneh, and from Jabneh to Osha, a second time.

c 1.3 Their first coming to Jabueh was in the days of Rabban Johanan ben Zaccai; from Jabueh to Osha, in the days of Rabban Gamaliel the last; and to Jabueh back again in the days of Rabban Simeon. To Shaaraim and to Tsipperis in the days of Rabbi Judah: And to Tiberias in the days of Antonius.

These their flittings, by their own confession, began forty years before the destruction of the Temple. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 d 1.4 Forty years, say they, before the destruction of the Temple, the Sanhedrin flitted and betook it self to sit in Hanoth, or the Tabernae. And the reason is given e 1.5 Because there were then many Thievs and Murderers, and they judged not of capital matters: which meaneth to this purpose: they held that while they sate in the room Gazith, they were bound to judge and determine of all matters that came before them, and that all their determinations were obliging, but now, when beside the curb of the Roman power that was upon them, by which their power was abridged, villany and insolency was also grown too strong for them, they thought as the Gemara in Avodah Zarah, speaks their mind, f 1.6 It is good for us to rise and flit from this place, of which it is written, And thou shalt do according as the men of that place shall shew thee.

Now in what part of the Mountain of the House Hhanoth or the Tabernae were placed, may be best conceived, by observing the place of the great Sanhedrins sitting, before they came to sit in the room Gazith; and for this purpose a Text of Jeremy doth give us light, which is in Chap. XXXV. 4. where it is said thus, I brought the Rechabites into the House of the Lord, into the Chamber of the Sons of Hanan the Son of Igdaliah a man of God, which was by the Chamber of the Princes, which was above the Chamber of Maaseiah the Son of Shallum the keeper of the door. Now by the Princes we cannot understand the Princes of the blood, for what had Jehojakims Sons to do here? Their residence was in the Palaces of Sion, and their way into the Temple, was at the gate on the West quar∣ter, which was called Shallecheth and Coponius, whereas this gate whereof the Son of Shal∣lum was keeper or Porter, was the East gate, as is apparent from 1 Chron. IX. 17, 18.

By the Princes therefore are to be understood, the great men of the Sanhedrin, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Acts IV. 8. who sate in Council and Judicature in a Chamber near the East gate or the gate Sushan, namely, over the Porters lodge. Here they sate in the time of the first Temple, but under the second Temple, namely, from the times of Simeon Ben Shetah, they removed further inward and sate even by the side of the Court of Israel, in the room called Gazith, which we shall survey in its due place.

Now when they were put to remove and flit out of Gazith, and to sit there no more, whither should they betake themselves, but to some room near to the East gate again, where the place of the Sanhedrins sitting had been of old? It is observable in Jeremy, that in his time, they sate in two East gates of the Temple, sometimes in the one and some∣times in the other, namely, in this East gate of the Mountain of the House, as appeareth by the Text produced: and in the East gate of the Court, which was also called The New Gate, Jer. XXXVI. 10. of which hereafter.

Now in after times when they sate in the room Gazith, there was a Sanhedrin of three and twenty Judges sate in either of these gates, as is copiously testified by the Jewish re∣cords and antiquities. By the East gate therefore of the Mountain of the house may we best conclude, the Hhanoth or Tabernae, to have been seated, namely, that they were as Shops in the lower rooms of the buildings that stood on either side of the gate Sushan, and the rooms over head were imployed for some other use, and among the rest, one for the sitting of the great Sanhedrin, when they were removed from Gazith; and when they sate in Gazith, for a Sanhedrin of twenty three.

And whereas Maimony speaketh of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 g 1.7 A Divinity School in the Mountain of the House, where the Sanhedrin sate upon Holy days, we know not where better to place it than hereabout, where their sitting was in the first and last times of the Temple. All the gates that we have viewed, were beautified with gallant buildings on either side them, but the East most eminent, because the greatest and commonest entrance into the Temple. And whereas there is mention in Scripture of women lodging in the Temple, as 2 Chron. XXII. 11, 12. Jehoshebeath and Joash and his Nurse lodged many years there: and Luke II. 37. Hanah is said not to have departed from the Temple for many years more: their lodgings were in the buildings near some of the gates of this outmost wall (but which undeterminable) for that all within this inclosing was called The Temple in the Scripture, and the common Language, is so apparent, that it needeth no demonstration.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Aruch in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• b 1.2

  Tal. in Rosh. bashan. fol. 31.
• c 1.3

  Gloss. ibid. Rab. Simeon.
• d 1.4

  ••habbath fol▪ 51.
• e 1.5

  ••b. & Aruch. in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• f 1.6

  Avodah Za∣rah, fol. 8.
• g 1.7

  Maym. in Sanhedr. peer. 3.