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.

VERS. LI.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.

The veil of the Temple was rent in twain, &c.

LET us hear what the Fathers of the Traditions say concerning this Catapetasm, or veil t 1.1. The wall of the Pronaon was five cubits, the Pronaon it self eleven. The wall of the Temple was six, the Temple forty. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 one cubit, and the entrance twenty. What Taraxis means, Maimonides will tell you, u 1.2 In the first Temple there was a wall one cubit thick, separating the Holy from the Holy of Holies: but when they built the se∣cond Temple, it was doubled, whether the thickness of that walt should be accounted to belong to the measure of the Holy, or to the measure of the Holy of Holies; wherefore they made the Holy

of Holies twenty cubits compleat, and the Holy forty cubits compleat, and they left a void cubit between the Holy and the Holy of Holies, but they did not build any wall there in the second Temple; only they made two hangings, one contiguous to the Holy of Holies, and the other to the Holy; between which there was a void cubit, according to the thickness of the wall that was in the first Temple; in which there was but one (Catapetasm, or) veil only.

u 1.3 The High Priest (on the day of attonement) goes forward in the Temple till he comes to the two hangings that divide the Holy from the Holy of Holies; between which there was a cubit. R. Josi saith, There was but one hanging there; as it is said, And the hanging shall se∣parate to, or, between the Holy and the Holy of Holies. On which words thus the Gemara of Babylon x 1.4. R. Josi saith rightly to the Rabbins, and the Rabbins to thee: for he speaks of the Tabernacle, and they of the second Temple; in which since there was not a partition-wall, as there was in the first Temple, there was some doubt made of its holiness, namely, whether it should belong to the outward part of the Temple, or to the inward: whereupon they made two hangings.

While therefore their minds were troubled about this affair, not knowing whether they should hang the veil at the Temple, or at the inmost recess of it, and whether the void space between of a cubit thick should belong to this or that; they called the place it self by the Greek word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, Trouble, (as Aruch plainly affirms) and they hung up two Veils, that they might be sure to offend neither against this part nor that.

You will wonder therefore that Matthew doth not say 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Veils in the Plural; or perhaps you will think that only one of these two Veils was rent, not both: But it was enough for the Evangelists Matthew and Mark, who speak of this miracle, to have shewed that that fence between, which hindred seeing into the Holy of Holies, and going into it was cleft and broken. This is it they mean, not being sollicitous in explaining particulars, but contented to have declar'd the thing it self. Perhaps the Priest, who offered the incense that Evening, was in the Temple at the very moment when this miracle happened; and when he went out amazed to the people, and should tell them, The Veil of the Temple is rent, it would easily be understood of a passage broken into the Holy of Holies, by some astonishing and miraculous rending of the hangings. Compare Heb. X. 19, 20.

When the High Priest went into the inmost recess of the Temple on the day of attone∣ment, he went in by the South-side of the outward hanging, and the North-side of the inner x 1.5. But now both are rent in the very middle, and that from the top to the bottom.

Notes

• t 1.1

  Middoth, cap. 4. hal. 7.
• u 1.2

  In Beth hab∣beckirah, cap. 4.
• u 1.3

  Joma, cap. 5. hal. 1.
• x 1.4

  Fol. 51. 2.
• x 1.5

  Joma in the place before.