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SECT. III. The Closets for the Butchering Instruments. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
YET before we enter into the Porch, and so into the Temple, there is one thing more calls for our observation, and that is, certain Closets or places that were in this pile of the Porch, in which were laid up the Knives and instruments that were used by the Priests, about the killing, and slaying, and cutting up the Beasts to be Sacrificed. The Treatise Middoth giveth intelligence and account of these places in these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a 1.1 The Porch was broader than the Temple, fifteen cubits on the North, and fifteen cubits on the South and that that exceeded was called Beth hachillapoth, where they laid up the knives.
The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth signifie the butchering Knives of the Temple, Ezr. I. 9. from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 saith b 1.2 Aben Ezra, as it betokeneth cutting off, which it doth, Esai. II. 18. Prov. XXXI. 8. And c 1.3 so saith Kimchi on the same place 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 are Knives: And of this sense is Beth hachillapoth, for because they laid up the Knives there; therefore the place was called, The Chamber of the laying up of the Knives 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
There was therefore on either end of the extent of the Porch for that space that it stood out further than the buildings of the Temple, a Chamber, one at the end towards the North, and another at the end towards the South, in which two large Chambers were four and twenty little Closets; wherein the Knives were laid up severally for the four and twenty courses of the Priests: And these and such like little Closets the Jews call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Fenestrae, or Windows; because they were Closets or Boxes joyning to the Wall. And besides these that we are speaking of where the Butchery Instruments were laid up, Maymony reckons fourscore and sixteen more, for the laying up of other things, four for every one of the four and twenty Courses. d 1.4 There were (saith he) ninety six Closets 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Temple, wherein to lay up the Vestments, four Closets for every Course. And the name of every Course was written upon their Closets, and they were all shut: And when the men of any Course came into the service upon the Sabbath, they opened their Closets, and took out the Utensils: and when they went out of the service they restored their Vestments to their Closets again, and shut them up. And why made they four Closets for every Course? Namely, that the Utensils might not be jumbled together, but all the Breeches were in one Closet, and upon it was written, Breeches; Girdles in another Closet, and upon it written, Girdles; All the Bonets in another Closet, and all the Coats in another.
Now he neither telleth where these Closets were; nor speaketh he among them all, of these for the Knives, that are before us: and the reason of this later, is easily given, be∣cause in the place where he hath the words that are produced, he is only speaking of the installing and arraying of the Priests: But where to find these ninety six Closets he hath left us at uncertainty. Were they in the rest of the building of this Porch? It is not like they were, because the Priests usually came ready with their Vestments on, into the Court, and especially so high as the Porch, and came not thither for their Vestments to put them on: there was room enough in the other buildings about the Courts to lodge all these Closets in; but where to point them out we must suspend.
But what became of the other Rooms of the Porch, besides the entrance; and these two at either end of the building; for there were five and twenty cubits betwen the entrance and these Chambers on either side upon the ground, and there were divers Chambers and several Stories over head, the building being so very long, and so very high? There is not express intimation to be had, either in Scripture, or in the Jews An∣tiquities, as far as I can find, how these several parts were disposed of, and therefore we can assert nothing, but leave it to censure.
A renowned monument the Jews speak of, e 1.5 namely, Crowns that were laid up 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 In Closets, for a memorial: as it is said in the Prophet Zachary (for they take that literally) Zach. VI. 14. And the Crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobiah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the Son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the Temple of the Lord. And they say, that the young Men or Candidates of the Priesthood did use to climb up Golden Chains which were fixed to the roof of the entry of the Porch, that they might look up into the Closets to see these Crowns.