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. XXVII. The Gate 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Hadlak, or of Kindling, or of the burning sire. (Book 27)

IT is easie to justifie and assert the translation of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by kindling, but is not so easie to give a reason why this Gate which stood most West on the South side did bear this name. The common opinion of Glossaries upon it is plausible enough, but only for one objection that may be made against it. a 1.1 They hold that it was called the Gate of kindling or Burning, because through it wood was brought to the Altar to keep the fire continually burning according to the Law, Lev. VI. 12. But why this way? Since they might have gone a nearer way to the Altar by far, either through the Water-gate or the Gate of the Firstlings, seeing the Wood-room was between them two, as hath been shew∣ed: and it is probable enough that the Wood out of the Wood-room was not brought through any of the Court Gates at all to the Altar, but out at a Door which went out of the room it self into the Court.

To find out therefore a reason of the name, I cannot but look over to the other side of the Court, from this Gate that we are about, to that Gate there, that was over against it, and there I observe the Gate to be called Beth Mokadh, or the Gate of the bur∣ning fire, as well as this is called the Gate of kindling. And the reason of that name was, because a fire was kept there continually for the senior Priests, as shall be shewed anon, and so it may be well conjectured, a fire was kept here for the Levites: And though I find not mention either in the Talmud or Josephus of any building that joyned to this Gate, yet since there is mention in the Treatise Middoth of the Levites keeping a guard, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 b 1.2 In the Chamber of the vail, I find not where to allot that place better than to this Gate we are about: For when it speaketh of the Chamber of the vail, it meaneth not either any Chamber joyning to the body of the Temple it self, nor any Chamber in the Court (for the Levites kept not their Guards within the Court but without) but some Chamber without the Court, which was over against the place of the vail, which divided betwixt the Holy and most Holy place. And as there was a long building that ran along from that opposite North Gate up toward the West to the very corner of the Wall of the Court that way: so from this Gate Westward there ran a long building to the corner of the Court on this side, in which large piece of building having partitions within, there were two Guards of Levites almost joyning together: So there were three of those Guards very near together: one joyning to the Gate on the East side, c 1.3 (for at sive of the Gates of the Court the Levites Guarded, and this was one of the five) another joyning to the Gate on the West side, which was called the Guard over against the vail, and the third at the corner of the Court: Now as there was a common fire kept for the Priests on the other side of the Court, in a large building opposite to this, from whence the Gate joyning to it took the name: so is it very likely, there was a common fire kept for the Levites which gave this Gate the denomination of the Gate of kindling.

Thus have we surveyed the Gates and Buildings on the South side of the Court, their order thus, coming up from the East towards the West: First, The room Gazith at the South-West corner: then the room of the Draw-well: joyning to that the Water-gate, and over that the room Abhtines: joyning to that Gate on the other side, the Wood-room, and over that the Council-Chamber: then the Gate of the Firstlings, with a Levites ward joyning to it on one side: then the Gate of kindling, and a Levites ward on either side it, and that building on the West-side of it running up to the West corner of the Court. Now Aba Jose, a Spokes-man in the Talmud, nameth yet one Gate more, and more West than these that we have named, on this same side which he calleth the upper Gate, and over against it on the North-side he nameth a Gate more than the common account and calleth it the Gate of Jechoniah: But he goeth alone in his opinion as to the number of the Gates of the Court: yet thus far do other of his Nation go with him, that they say there were three Gates on the North-side of the Court, and that there was besides them, a passage through Beth Mokadh large building out of the Chel into the Court, which I suppose is that which he calleth the Gate of Jechoniah: and the reason of the name is given, because Jechoniah went out at that Gate into his captivity: And so it may be that in this large building on this side which ran between the Gate of kindling and the West corner, there was a passage through, which he stiles with the title of the upper Gate.

But howsoever it was in his account in the second Temple, the very title of the upper Gate may not undeservedly call upon us, to look after that which is called the upper Gate of Benjamin in the house of the Lord; In the times of the first Temple, Jer. XX. 2. it is

said there that Pashur fmote Jeremy and put him in the stocks that were in the high Gate or upper Gate of Benjamin, which was in the House of the Lord. Our English hath made it shy to render it in the House of the Lord, it may be because they thought it improper to have a pair of stocks in the Temple: and therefore they have Translated it which was by the House of the Lord, as reputing it not a Gate of the Temple but some other: but the words in the Original are so plain, and the consent of Translaters so unanimous, that it meaneth in the House of the Lord, that to swarve from it were but to strain a plain and a facile Text, and to obscure a place which is not obscure of it self. The mountain of the Temple lay in the lot of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin, as hath been observed before, and the line that divided between the lots came along at the South-East corner of the Altar, as we shall observe anon, so that the Temple and Altar were in the Tribe of Ben∣jamin, according to Moses Prophesie, that God should dwell between Benjamins shoulders, and so was the South-wall of the Court till you came down over against that point of the Altar, and then came in the lot of Judah. It appeareth therefore that there were but two Gates on this side of the Court in the times of the first Temple, and they were called the upper and the lower Gate of Benjamin, because they stood in his lot: And there were two Gates on the North-side of the Court, and they were called, The Gate of the Altar, which was Northward, and the Gate of the Lord's House which was Northward, as we shall shew by and by.

And for this place or engine of correction (were it a Dungeon as the LXX seems to hold it, or a Pillory as David Kimchies Father, or a pair of Stocks as our English) it is no Soloecism to hold that it was in the House of the Lord (namely in that part of this Gate that stood out of the Court in the Chel) since there was judging, scourging, maw∣ling, and stoning, even in the Temple it self, as hath been toucht before.

And now to be going over from the South-side to the North, along the Wall of the Court at the West-end, there was no Gate upon that quarter at all, but the Wall was plain without any Gates or openings in it. And so Josephus makes it clear when he saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. d 1.4 That part that was on the West had no Gate at all, but the Wall that way was an intire continued build∣ing: which relation is also agreeable to the general consent of the Hebrew Authors, Aba Jose only excepted, whom we mentioned even now, who speaketh of two Gates here, but neither nameth them, nor telleth for what use they served: and indeed what needed any Gate here at all, so far from the service, and behind the Temple? There was indeed at the back of the Court-wall in the middle betwixt the North and South corners of it, a building standing in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chel, where the Levites kept a Guard, which was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Guard behind the mercy seat: but there is no evidence that there was any door out of it into the Court, and if there had been it was but a door and not a Gate. Of the Guards of the Priests and Levites about the Temple, the Record is thus, e 1.5 In three places the Priests kept Guards in the Temple, in the Chamber of Abhtines, in Beth Nitsots and in Beth Mokadh. And the Levites in one and twenty places: five at five Gates of the mountain of the House: Four at the four corners of it within: Five at five Gates of the Court, and four at the four corners of it without: One in the Chamber of Corban: One in the Chamber over against the Vail, and one behind the place of the Mercy seat.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Bartener. C. Lemp. in Mid. & Gloss. in Shekalim per. 6.
• b 1.2

  Mid. per. 1.
• c 1.3

  Ibid.
• d 1.4

  Ios. de bell. lib. 5. cap. 14.
• e 1.5

  Mid. per. 1.