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. XXV. The Wood-room 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the room Parhedrin. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (Book 25)

THE Pile of building that we are now about, joined to the Water-gate on the West-side of it, and it carried a double name: for it was called either 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Chamber or room of the wood, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The room of Parhedrin. It was called the room of the wood, because that after the blemished Priests had wormed the wood, in a room of the same name in a corner of the Court of the Women, as we have observed, they brought that that they found fit for the Altar, into this room that it might be near, and ready to be carried to the Altar when there was occasion.

As for the other name that this building carried, it is written two ways, a 1.1 The Babylon Talmud, b 1.2 Maymony and some others read it with r and call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Chamber of Parhedrin. But the Jerusalem Talmud, c 1.3 Mishnaioth in Octavo, &c. read it with l and call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Chamber of Palhedrin: about which difference we shall not controvert: Now though the two Talmuds do thus vary one letter in this matter, of the name, yet they both agree upon another matter, and say, that in old time, it had been called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 d 1.4 The Chamber of the Coun∣sellers. I observe also from Maymony, that it was called the High-Priests Chamber, by a singular propriety: for speaking of putting of the High-Priest apart for seven days before the day of expiation into this room (for so the Talmuds in the place cited in the M••rgin inform us) he expresseth it thus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 e 1.5 They put him apart from his own house into this Chamber in the Sanctuary. And so the Jeru∣salem Talmud doth also call it, though it do not express it by the proper name, when it saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that f 1.6 the High-Priest was put for a certain time into the Chamber of Abhtines which was over the Water-gate, and which joyned to his own Chamber: And here by the way you may observe, that this Wood-room, and room of Parhedrin did joyn to the Water-gate as we have seated it: the one room being over the other, the Wood-room below and Parhedrin above.

Now it was called the High-Priests Chamber, not so much for that he was put apart hi∣ther for a few days in the year, as for that it was ordinarily imployed by the High-Priest to call his Brethren of the Priesthood together in it, to consult about the affairs of the Temple and the Service: so that it was as the Vestry, or as I may so express it, the Dean and Chapter-room, where they met together in consultation about such matters: We have observed * 1.7 elsewhere, that besides the High-Priest, there was the Sagan, two Katholikin, seven Immar••alin, and three Gizbarin, which were principal Officers in the Temple for the receiving, disbursing, and taking care of the stock of it, and providing for the repairs of the buildings and the due administration of the Service: These were the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Counsellors of the Temple, that advised and took care for the welfare of it, and this was the room where they sat constantly in Counsel for that purpose: and hereupon it was called the Chamber of the Counsellors. The reason of the change of its name into the Chamber of Palhedrin, or Parhedrin (read it whether way you will) the Gemara of the Talmud in the place cited above giveth in these words. It was called the Chamber of the Counsellors till the High-Priesthood began to be bought and sold for money, and came to be charged often: these Counsellors were then also changed often, and then it was called the Cham∣ber of Parhedrin. The meaning seemeth to be this, that whilst the High-Priesthood stood

and remained in its beauty and integrity, the High Priest and his Brethren, kept a solemn and grave council Table here for the benefit and advancement of the Temple, but when money and prowling did make and change High Priests, money and silver did also make members of this Council, and they sought themselves rather than the publick; the people therefore could not find in their hearts to call them Counsellors, but called them Parhedrin or Sitters only. Yet were they also called Counsellors even while they were called Parhedrin, to distinguish them from the great Council: Joseph of Arimathea was one of these, Mark XV. 43.

The word Parhedrin is as like the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Sanhedrin is like 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and it may very well be conjectured, that since the great Sanhedrin and Society, were both Counsellors, that this company was called Parhedrin, to distinguish it from the Sanhedrin: especially considering how near they sat together, there being but the Water-gate and the Well-room, between this room and Gazith: There sat the great Council of the Nation, and it was called Sanhedrin, and here sat the Council of the Temple, and it was called Parhedrin: that is, Assessores, or the Council that sat near the Sanhedrin: And thus were there four Councils in the Temple: three of them not only Councils but Ju∣dicatories, namely the great Sanhedrin of seventy one, and the two lesser Sanhedrins of twenty three. And this of Priests which was not so properly a Judicatory as meerly a Council.

The Jerusalem Talmud expoundeth the word Palhedrin 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (for so it readeth it) by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a word of as much obscurity as the other: It is like it is some Greek or Latine word of Priority, but not easily pitched upon particularly: Baal Aruch renders Palhedrin by a word as hard as it self too, namely by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Agardemin: but he facllitates it by this interpretation, namely that it signifies g 1.8 The overseers of the weights, and measures, that were to look to the Ephah and the Hin, that they were right, and sealed them, and they smote those that kept shop in the mountain of the house, if they sold too dear, and they bad them sell cheaper.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Ioma per. 1.
• b 1.2

  Beth habbechir per. 5.
• c 1.3

  In Ioma ubi sup.
• d 1.4

  Talm. uter{que} in Gema.
• e 1.5

  Maym. in Iom. baccipp. per. 1.
• f 1.6

  Tal. Ierus. ubi sup.
• * 1.7

  Temple-Ser∣vice, chap. ••.
• g 1.8

  Aruch in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉