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. | Early English Books Online | University of Michigan Library Digital Collections

VERS. XIII.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

In a place that is called the Pavement.

WHAT is it could be objected against it, should we say that the Evangelist by this title of the Pavement, should mean the room Gazith where the Sanhedrin sate? And that when the Jews would not go into Pilate's Judgment-Hall, he would himself go into theirs?

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Aristeas tells us concerning the Temple, that it looked toward the East, the back parts of it towards the West, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but the floor was all paved with stone. To this the Talmudists all witness, and to the pavement, especially, Josephus by a memorable story: l 1.1 One Julian a Centurion in Titus his Army, pursuing and killing the Jews, with infinite hardness and strength, in the very Court of the Temple, having many and very sharp nails fastned to the bottom of his shooes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as every other Souldier had; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and running along upon the pavement his heels tripped up and he fell backward, &c.

But had not the room Gazith a Pavement laid in a more than ordinary manner? whence else had it its name? It is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the room Gazith, saith Aruch, because it was paved with smooth square stone. Were not all the other places so too?

m 1.2 They distinguish between 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, Bricks, and half Bricks, squared hewn stones, and rough or unhewn. Now therefore when there were so many apartments about the Courts, were those all paved with rough Stone or Bricks, and this only of square and hewn Stone? without doubt, the whole building was much more uniform; And then we shall hardly find out any more probable reason why this place was particularly and above all other Rooms, called Gazith, but, that it was laid with a more noble and rich pavement than all the rest. And therefore what should for∣bid, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the pavement in this place should not be meant of the room Gazith?

Object. But Gazith was in the Holy place, and it was not lawful for Pilate being a Gentile, to enter there.

Sol. I. If he would do it per fas & nefas, who could hinder him?

II. It is a question whether he could not sit in that Room, and yet be within the bounds of the Court of the Gentiles, into which it was lawful for a Gentile to enter. Half of that Room indeed was within the Court of Israel, but there, the Fathers of the Council themselves did not sit, because it was lawful for none to sit in that Court but the King only: The other half part in which they sate, was in Chel, and extended it self, as it should seem, into the Court of the Gentiles. For if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was but ten cubits breadth within the Walls n 1.3 it would be much too narrow a room, for seventy men to sit in, if the Gazith did not extend it self a little within the Court of the Gentiles.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

But in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

The Syriack renders it by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a mound, or fence: which may fall in with what we have said. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chel, in which was part of this Room, was the fence to all the Courts, excepting the Court of the Gentiles.

But let us see whether 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is Hebrew for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or no. That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Gab, amongst other things signifies a surface, doth not stand in need of much proof: and so the pave∣ment and surface of the floor are convertible. And as that Room might be peculiarly called Gazith in the antient Jewish language, upon the account of its pavement; so might it in their more modern language be called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for the same reason. What if that in Jerusalem Sanhedrin o 1.4 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 should be rendred, the Elders that sit in the upper Gab in the mount of the Temple? But we will not contend.