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chap. x. 34. See also chap. xiii. 30, 31.* In addition to these fasts and festivals, the modern Jewish calendar is crowded with a multitude of others; but as there is no mention of them in Scripture, it is no part of our business to notice them. There are two festivals, however, which we have not enumerated in those above mentioned, that demand a specific notice, viz., the Feast of the Dedication, and the Feast of Purim.

1. THE FEAST OF THE DEDICATION, which was appointed by Judas Maccabeus, as a new dedication of the temple and altar, after they had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes, on the 25th of the ninth month (Chisleu), B. C. 170,+ lasted for eight days. From the general illumination which took place during the continuance of this festival, it obtained the name of "the Feast of Lights." The greatest religious countenance which was given to it while the temple stood, was the singing the Hallel there every day, as long as the solemnity lasted. It is but once mentioned in Scripture, viz., in John x. 22, where Jesus is said to have been present at it.

2. THE FEAST OF PURIM, OF OF LOTS, which commemorated the deliverance of the Jews from

the plot laid against them by Haman, under the reign of Artaxerxes, was celebrated on the 13th, 14th, and 15th days of the twelfth month Adar. The 13th was held as a fast, being the day on which they were to have been destroyed; and the two following days as a feast, for their glorious and providential deliverance. We know not whether any particular sacrifices were offered at the temple on this occasion; but it is probable that the Book of Esther was read through by some of the priests, in the court of the women. Calmet has collected from Basnage, and Leo of Modena, a number of particulars relative to the manner of observing this Jewish feast, the chief of which follow. On the eve of the feast they give alms liberally to the poor, that these also may enjoy the feast of Lots; and on the feast-day they send a share of what they have at table to those who need. On the evening of the 13th, they assemble in the synagogue, and light the lamps; and as soon as the stars begin to appear, they begin to read the book of Esther, which they go through. There are five places in the text in which the reader raises his voice with all his might, and makes such a dreadful howling as to frighten the women and children. When he comes to the place which

* Jennings' Jewish Antiq., book iii., chap. 11.
Prideaux, Connex. A. A. C. 170.
Lightfoot, Temple Service, chap. xvi., sect. 5

mentions the ten sons of Haman, he repeats them rapidly, without taking breath, to show that these ten persons were destroyed in a moment. Whenever the name of Haman is pronounced, the children furiously strike the benches with mallets, or stones, and make lamentable cries. It is said that they used to bring into the Synagogue a great stone, with HAMAN written on it, and that all the while the book of Esther was reading, they struck it with other stones, till they had beaten it to pieces. After the reading is concluded, they return home, where they make a meal rather of milk-meats than of flesh. Early on the following morning, they again repair to the Synagogue, where, after reading the account of the war of Amalek (Exod. xvii.), they again read the book of Esther, with a repetition of the ceremonies we have noticed. After quitting the Synagogue, they make good cheer at home, and pass the rest of the day in sports and dissolute mirth; the men dressing themselves in women's clothes, and the women in men's, contrary to the express prohibition of Deut. xxii. 5. Their doctors have decided that they may drink wine till they cannot distinguish between "cursed be Haman" and "cursed be Mordecai," because it was by compelling Ahasuerus to drink, that Mordecai obtained the deliverance of the Jews. They compel all-men, women, children, and servants-to be present at the Synagogue; because all shared in the deliverance, as all were exposed to the danger.

SECTION IV.

SACRED PLACES.

The Land of Israel-The Tabernacle--The Temples of Solomon,
Zerubbabel, and Herod-Synagogues.

BEFORE We notice the sacred buildings of the Jewish people, it may be necessary to remark, that the whole land was by them considered as sacred, and was thence termed the Holy Land. They divided the whole world into two general parts, the land of Israel and the land out of Israel, the latter being considered as profane and unclean. The whole land of Israel was holy, not excepting Samaria; nor even Idumea, after its inhabitants had embraced the Jewish religion. As for Syria, they considered it between the two; that is, neither quite holy, nor altogether profane. Besides the holiness ascribed in Scripture to the land of Israel in general, as it was the inheritance of God's people, and the place appointed for His worship, the Jews were pleased to attribute different degrees of holiness to its several parts, according to their different situations. Those parts, for in

stance, which lay beyond Jordan, were reputed less holy than those that were on this side; because the sanctity of a place was in proportion to its contiguity to the temple.* Walled towns were also considered as being more clean and holy than other places, because lepers were excluded from them, and the dead were not buried there. Even the very dust of Israel was esteemed to be pure, while that of other nations was considered as polluted and profane. This will perhaps explain the direction given by our Saviour to his apostles, that when they departed out of any house or city that would not receive them, they should shake off the dust of their feet, as a testimony against the inhabitants, and as an intimation that they were now on a level with heathens and idolaters.t

§ 1.-The Tabernacle.

1. We have an account of three public tabernacles among the Jews, prior to the building of Solomon's temple. The first, which Moses erected for himself, is called "the tabernacle of the congregation." In this he gave audience, heard causes, and inquired of God. Perhaps the public offices of religious worship were also performed in it for some time, and hence its designation. The second tabernacle was that which Moses built for God, by his express command, partly to be the place of his residence as king of Israel (Exod. xl. 34, 35), and partly to be the medium of that solemn worship which the people were to render to him, ver. 26-29. The third public tabernacle was that which David erected in his own city, for the reception of the ark, when he received it from the house of Obed-edom, 2 Sam. vi. 17; 1 Chron. xvi. 1. But it is of the second of these tabernacles that we have to treat, which was called THE Tabernacle, by way of distinction.+

2. Moses, having been instructed by God to rear this structure according to the pattern shown to him in the mount, called the people together, and informed them of his purpose, with a view to afford them an opportunity of contributing towards so noble and honourable a work (Exod. xxv. 2; xxxv. 5). And so liberally did the people bring their offerings, that he was obliged to restrain them in so doing (ver. 21-xxxvi. 7). The building we are now about to describe was constructed with extraordinary magnificence, and at

* See Lightfoot, Temple Service, chap. i. + Reland. Palestina, chap. iv., &c.; Beausobre and L'Enfant, Introd. p. 45, quarto.

Jennings's Jewish Antiq., b. ii., ch. 1.

a prodigious expense, so that it might be in some measure suitable to the dignity of the Great King, for whose palace it was designed; and to the value of those spiritual and eternal blessings, of which it was also designed as a type or emblem.

3. The value of the gold and silver only, used for the work, and of which we have an account in Exod. xxxviii. 24, 25, amounted, according to Bishop Cumberland's reduction of the Jewish talent and shekel to English coin, to upwards of £182,568. If we add to this the vast quantity of brass or copper that was also used; the shittimwood, of which the boards of the tabernacle, as well as the pillars which surrounded the court, and sacred utensils, were made; as also the rich embroidered curtains and canopies that covered the tabernacle, divided the parts of it, and surrounded the court; and if we further add the jewels that were set in the high-priest's ephod and breast-plate, which are to be considered as part of the furniture of the tabernacle; the value of the whole materials, exclusive of workmanship, must have amounted to an immense sum. was raised partly by voluntary contributions and presents, and partly by a poll-tax of half a shekel a-head for every male Israelite above twenty years old (ch. xxx. 11-16), which amounted to 100 talents, and 1775 shekels, that is, £35,359 78. 6d. sterling, ch. xxxviii. 25.

This

4. The learned Spencer|| imagined that Moses borrowed his design of the tabernacle from Egypt. But this notion, as Jennings has shown, is directly at variance with matter of fact, the structure of Moses differing most essentially from those used in the heathen worship, in situation and form, as well as in typical design and use, as pointed out by the apostle in the ninth chapter of the Hebrews.§

5. The building itself was of an oblong rectangular form, thirty cubits long, ten broad, and ten in height (Exod. xxvi. 18-29, xxxvi. 23—34); that is, according to Bishop Cumberland, fifty-five feet long, eighteen broad, and eighteen high. The two sides and the western end were formed of boards of shittim-wood, overlaid with thin plates of gold, and fixed in solid sockets, or vases of silver. Above, they were secured by bars of the same wood, overlaid with gold, passing through rings of gold, which were fixed to the boards. On the east end, which was the entrance, there were no boards, but only five pillars of shittim-wood, whose chapiters and fillets were overlaid with gold, having hooks of gold, standing on five sockets of

Legibus de Hebræorum, lib. iii., dis. 1, c. 3; vi. 1.

Jewish Antiquities, b. ii., ch. 1.

the court, of fine twined white linen yarn (Exod. xxvii. 9, xxxviii. 8, 16); except that at the entrance on the east end, which was of blue, and

with cords to draw it either up or aside, when the priests entered the court, Exod. xxxix. 40.

brass. The tabernacle, thus erected, was covered with four different kinds of curtains. The first and inner curtain was composed of fine linen, magnificently embroidered with figures of cheru-purple, and scarlet, and fine white twined linen, bim, in shades of blue, purple, and scarlet: this formed the beautiful ceiling. The next covering was made of goats' hair; the third, of rams' skins, dyed red; and the fourth and outward covering was made of badgers' skins, as our translators have it, but which is not quite certain; the original denotes only skins of some description, dyed of a particular colour.* We have already said, that the east end of the tabernacle had no boards, but only five pillars of shittim-wood; it was therefore enclosed with a richly embroidered curtain, suspended from these pillars, Exod. xxvii. 16.

8. Within this area stood the altar of burntofferings,† and the laver and its foot. The former was placed in a line between the door of the court and the door of the tabernacle, but nearer the former (Exod. xl. 6, 29); the latter stood between the altar of burnt-offering and the door of the tabernacle, Exod. xxxviii. 8.

9. We now proceed to describe the furniture which the tabernacle contained.

(1) In the holy place were three objects worthy

6. Such was the external appearance of the of notice, viz., the altar of incense, the table for sacred tent, which was divided into two apart-the shew-bread, and the candlestick for the lights. ments, by means of four pillars of shittim-wood, 1. The altar of incense was made of shittim-wood, overlaid with gold, like the pillars before de- and completely covered with plates of gold. It scribed, two cubits and a half distant from each was a cubit square, and two cubits in height; the other; only they stood on sockets of silver, instead horns at its corners being also of the same mateof sockets of brass (Exod. xxvi. 32, xxxvi. 36); rials. The crown or ornamental cornice was of and on these pillars was hung a veil, formed of gold; and under this were placed four rings of the same materials as the one placed at the east the same precious metal, for the purpose of reend, Exod. xxvi. 31–33, xxxvi. 35. We are not ceiving the staves of shittim-wood and gold, by informed in what proportions the interior of the which it was to be carried from place to place, tabernacle was thus divided; but it is generally Exod. xxx. 1—5, xxxvii. 25-28. The position thought to have been divided in the same pro- of this altar was in the middle of the sanctuary, portion as the temple afterwards built according before the veil (Exod. xxx. 6-10, xl. 26, 27), to its model; that is, two thirds of the whole and on it the incense was burned morning and length being allotted to the first room, or the holy evening, Exod. xxx. 34–38. On the north side place, and one third to the second, or most holy of the altar of incense, that is, on the right hand place. Thus the former would be twenty cubits of the priest as he entered, stood, 2. The table for long, ten wide, and ten high; and the latter ten the shew-bread, Exod. xxvi. 35, xl. 22, 23. This cubits every way. It is observable that neither was made of the same materials as the altar, and the holy nor the most holy place had any win- was two cubits in length, a cubit in breadth, and dow. Hence the need of the candlestick in the a cubit and a half in height, having a crown or one, for the service that was performed therein: ornamental cornice round about, and a border and the darkness of the other would create reverence, a second crown above this, Exod. xxv. 23-25, and might, perhaps, have suggested the similar xxxvii. 10-12. The staves and rings belonging contrivance of the Adyta in the heathen temples. to it were of the same description as those be7. The tabernacle, thus described, stood in an longing to the altar; and its dishes, spoons, covers, open space, of an oblong form, 100 cubits in and bowls were all of pure gold, Exod. xxv. 26— length and 50 in breadth, situated due east and 30, xxxvii. 13-17. 3. The golden candlestick west (Exod. xxvii. 18); and surrounded by pillars stood on the south side of the holy place, and was of brass, filleted with silver, at the distance of of beaten gold, consisting of seven branches for five cubits from each other. The sockets of these lights, Exod. xxv. 23-30. These, with their pillars were of brass; and they were fastened to snuffers and snuff-dishes, were made of a talent, the earth by pins of the same metal, Exod. xxxviii. or 125 pounds troy, of pure gold (ver. 31-39, 10, 17, 20. Their height is not stated, but it was xxxvii. 17-24; Numb. viii. 2-4), which, at probably five cubits, that being the length of the curtains that were suspended on them (Exod. xxxviii. 18), and which formed an inclosure round

* See Dr. A. Clarke, Comment. on Exod. xxvi.

The fire on this altar was regarded as sacred, having first descended from heaven: it was therefore to be kept constantly burning, and never to go out, Lev. ix. 24, vi. 23. It was carefully preserved till the time of Solomou, when it was renewed, and the: ce continued till the captivity.

X

four pounds sterling the ounce, would have been | the blessed Trinity, with the human nature taken worth six thousand pounds sterling. The lamps into the divine essence, for the work of human were kept burning with pure beaten olive oil, redemption; making the work of creation and morning and evening, Exod. xxvii. 20, 21; Numb. providence evidently subservient to that end. viii. 1-4. Dr. Doddridge, Mr. Wesley, and Bishop Mant consider them as hieroglyphics of the angelic nature. Dr. Priestley imagines them to have been representatives of all nature. Mr. Scott supposes them to have been emblems of the true ministers of the gospel. Dr. A. Clarke regards them as the representatives of the ALL MIGHTY, and those creatures by whom he produced the great effects of his power, to whatever order of beings they may belong; while Pyle, Hall, and Faber consider them as emblematical representations of the body of true believers, of both dispensations, legal and evangelical.|| It is observable that one leading idea runs through most of the interpretations, which refers them to the plan of redemption, either in its authors, its agents, its subjects, or its general history.

(2) In the most holy place there were also three things claiming attention; viz. the ark, the mercyseat, and the cherubim. 1. The ark was a chest of shittim-wood, overlaid within and without with pure gold. It was two cubits and a half in length, a cubit and a half in breadth, and a cubit and a half in height, having an ornamental cornice of gold round the top, and four rings for the staves, to carry it; which were of shittim-wood, overlaid with gold. These staves always remained, but drawn so far towards the veil, as to allow the ark to stand at the wall of the apartment (Exod. xxv. 10—15, xxxvii. 1-5.) Into the ark were put, by divine appointment, the testimony, or tables of the covenant (Exod. xxv. 16-21; Deut. x. 1-5); a golden pot, containing an omer of the manna with which the Israelites were fed in the wilderness, to be kept as a testimony of that wonderful event (Exod. xvi. 32-34; Heb. ix. 4); and Aaron's rod that budded (Numb. xvii. 6-11; Heb. ix. 4).* In the side of the ark was a place where Moses enjoined that a copy of the law should be kept (Deut. xxxi. 24-26). 2. The mercy-seat was a covering to the ark, made of pure gold (Exod. xxv. 17-21, xxvi. 34, xxxvii. 6); and upon this were placed, 3. The cherubim, two figures of a singular appearance, each having four faces, viz., the face of a lion, the face of a man, the face of a calf, and the face of an eagleall attached to a human body with four wings, and four hands under the wings, and standing on feet resembling those of a calf or an ox (Ezek. i. 5-14). They were of pure beaten gold; two of their wings covered their bodies, and the other two were extended over the mercy-seat, while their faces looked inward and downward upon it. It was from between these that Jehovah promised to meet the Israelites as their lawgiver and covenant God, and to deliver the commandments which he might think proper to give them, Exod. xxv. 18-22, xxxvii. 7-9.† Nothing, perhaps, has afforded a greater scope forthe ingenuity of commentators than these cherubic emblems. Without adverting to the opinions of ancient theologians, we find sufficiently discordant ones among those of the most eminent modern writers. Hutchinson, Bate, and Parkhurst maintain that they were representations of

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10. This remarkable and costly structure was erected in the wilderness of Sinai, on the first day of the first month of the second year, after the Israelites left Egypt (Exod. xl. 17); and when erected, was anointed, together with its furniture, with holy oil (ver. 9-11), and sanctified by blood (Exod. xxiv. 6, 8; Heb. ix. 21). The altar of burnt-offering, especially, was sanctified by sacrifices during seven days (Exod. xxix. 37), while rich donations were given by the princes of the tribes, for the service of the sanctuary, Numb. vii.

11. We must not omit to notice, that the tabernacle was so constructed as to be taken to pieces and put together again, as occasion required. This was indispensable; it being designed to accompany the Israelites during their travels in the wilderness, till their arrival in the promised land. As often as they removed, therefore, the tabernacle was taken down, and borne in regular order by the Levites (Numb. iv.). Whenever they encamped, the tabernacle was pitched in the midst, the tribes taking their stations around in a quadrangular form, under their respective standards, at the distance of two thousand cubits; while Moses and Aaron, with the priests and Levites, occupied a place between the camp and the sacred structure.§

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|| See their respective commentaries; Hales's Analysis; and Faber's Horæ Mos. For a well-written paper in support of the

* The two latter had been removed from the ark before the last-mentioned opinion, see Gentleman's Mag. vol. xciii., pp. time of Solomon. See I Kings viii. 9.

118-122, or Critica Biblica. vol. i., pp. 293-301.

Brown's Antiq, vol. i,p. 22.

S Lamy's App. Bib., b. i, chap. 4.

12. Before we close this section, we may advert to the spiritual reflections which the tabernacle and its furniture might excite in the minds of pious Israelites; for the apostle instructs us, that they were "a shadow of good things to come" (Heb. ix. 9, x. 1). The curtains, then, around the tent, might teach them a holy reverence for divine things; the altar of burnt-offering pointed to the perfection of the Messiah's sacrifice; and the laver taught them the necessity of regeneration, and of daily application to that fountain which was opened in the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. The tabernacle in general, where Jehovah condescended to reside, was a type of the body of Christ, in which, as in a tent, he tabernacled while on earth. The silver sockets, forming the foundation, might remind them of those important doctrines on which all evangelical religion is founded; and, by being made of the half shekels exacted of every male in Israel, they were calculated to show the personal interest that each should take in religion and its worship. The outer covering of goats' hair might point out the unattractive appearance of religion to the men of the world; the beautiful under-covering might indicate its glory as seen by the saints; the covering of rams' skins, dyed red, might remind them of the efficacy of the Messiah's blood, as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; while the covering of badgers' skins, which the Jewish traditions say was blue, might point out to them that true tabernacle which God had pitched, and not man. Nor was spiritual instruction to be less derived from entering the sacred tent. For, in the holy place, the table of shew-bread was a constant acknowledgment of God, as the giver of every temporal blessing; the candlestick, with the lamps, pointed to the seven spirits of God, whence all spiritual illumination proceeded; and the altar of incense taught them the efficacy of prayer, when offered up from a pure heart, and perfumed with the incense of the Messiah's merits. Nor were the instructions which might be derived from the most holy place less important; for the veil, that separated the two apartments, not only indicated the partition wall which divided the Jews from the rest of the world, and was taken away by the death of Christ, but also that veil which still conceals from mortal view the place of God's peculiar residence; the tables of the law were an instance of God's condescension to his chosen people; the rod that budded was emblematical of the unrivalled honour and unfading glory of a greater than Aaron; and the pot of manna, deposited in the ark, typified the hidden manna, of which all the saints are partakers, while travelling

through the wilderness of this world. Nor could they overlook the mercy-seat, as pointing out the divine goodness to offending sinners;* and the cherubim of glory, which, by looking down to that propitiatory, represented the delight of the Trinity in this their work of mercy and love.†

§ 2.-The Temple.

I. HAVING Surveyed the tabernacle, we proceed to the temple at Jerusalem, which was formed upon the model of the former edifice, but built upon a much more extended and magnificent scale. It has been thought that there were three different temples: the first being built by David and Solomon; the second, by Zerubbabel and Joshua the high-priest; and the third, by Herod, a little before the birth of Christ. The Jews, however, acknowledge but two, not allowing the third to be a new temple, but only the second one repaired and beautified. And this is thought best to agree with the prophecy of Haggai (chap. ii. 9), "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former;" which is generally interpreted with reference to the Messiah's honouring it with his personal presence and ministry.‡

The Heb. caphoreth is derived from a word which signifies to cover or overspread, because, by an act of pardon, sins are

represented as being covered, so that they no longer appear in the eye of divine justice, to displease and call for punishment; and the person of the offender is covered, or protected from the stroke of the broken law. In the Septuagint, the word hilasterion is used, which signifies a propitiatory, and is the name used by the apostle, Heb. ix. 5. As the word hilasterion, mercy-seat or propitiatory, is applied to Christ (Rom. iii. 25), "whom God hath set forth to be a PROPITIATION (hilasterion)

through faith in his blood-for the remission of sins that are past," we learn that Christ was the true mercy-seat, the thing signified by the caphoreth, to the ancient believers. And we learn further, that it was by his blood that an atonement was to be made for the sins of the world. And as God showed himself it is said, " God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himbetween the cherubim, over this propitiatory or mercy-seat, so self," 2 Cor. v. 19, &c. See Dr. A. Clarke on Exod. xxv. 17. Brown's Antiq. vol. i., p. 33, &c

Jennings' Jewish Antiq., b. ii., chap. 1. It is difficult to

reconcile this with the fact of Herod's rebuilding the temple of b. xv., c. 11. For if he pulled down the old temple to its Zerubbabel, as he is stated to have done by Josephus, Ant., foundations, and erected a new one, it is plain that this was a building as totally distinct from that of Zerubbabel, as that of Zerubbabel was from the temple of Solomon. How then are Saviour did not appear while the second temple was standing? we to reconcile the prophecy above cited, with the fact that our for we can hardly suppose that the Jewish historian has erred in the statement which he has here made, corroborated as that statement is by the evangelist in John ii. 20. Dr. Blaney has brew," he remarks, "the words will be found to stand precisely attempted to do this by a different rendering. "In the He thus: Great shall be the glory of this house, the latter more

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