the red and golden light of dawn spread along the edge of the horizon. From the roof,

also, it was easy to protect oneself against enemies, or to carry on dangerous fight with

those beneath; and assuredly, if anywhere , it was "on the housetops" where secrets

might be whispered, or, on the other hand, the most public "proclamation" of them be

made (Matt 10:27; Luke 12:3). The stranger's room was generally built on the roof, in

order that, undisturbed by the household, the guest might go out and come in; and here,

at the feast of Tabernacles, for coolness and convenience, the leafy "booths" were

often reared, in which Israel dwelt in memory of their pilgrimage. Close by was "the

upper chamber." On the roof the family would gather for converse, or else in the court

beneath--with its trees spreading grateful shade, and the music of its plashing fountain

falling soothingly on the ear, as you stood in the covered gallery that ran all around, and

opened on the apartments of the household.

If the guest-chamber on the roof, which could be reached from the outside, without

passing through the house, reminds us of Elisha and the Shunammite, and of the last

Passover-supper, to which the Lord and His disciples could go, and which they could

leave, without coming in contact with any in the house, the gallery that ran round the

court under the roof recalls yet another most solemn scene. We remember how they who

bore the man "sick of the palsy," when unable to "come nigh unto Jesus for the press,"

"uncovered the roof where He was," "and let him down through the tiling with his

couch into the midst before Jesus" (Mark 2:4; Luke 5:19). We know, from many

Talmudical passages, that the Rabbis resorted in preference to "the upper room" when

discussing religious questions. It may have been so in this instance; and, unable to gain

access through the door which led into the upper room, the bearers of the sick may have

broken down the ceiling from the roof. Or, judging it more likely that the attendant

multitude thronged the court beneath, while Jesus stood in the gallery that ran round

the court and opened into the various apartments, they might have broken down the

roof above Him, and so slowly let down their burden at His feet, and in sight of them all.

There is a significant parallelism, or rather contrast, to this in a Rabbinical story (Moed

K. 25 a), which relates how, when the bier on which a celebrated teacher was laid could

not be passed out at the door, they carried up their burden and let it down from the

roof--on its way, not to a new life, but to burial. Otherwise, there was also a stair which

led from the roof into the court and house. Approaching a house, as visitors ordinarily

would do, from the street, you would either pass through a large outer court, or else

come straight to the vestibule or porch. Here the door opened into the inner court,

which sometimes was shared by several families. A porter opened to callers on

mentioning their names, as did Rhoda to Peter on the eventful night of his miraculous

deliverance from prison (Acts 12:13,14). Our Lord also applies this well-known fact of

domestic life, when He says (Rev 3:20), "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any

man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and

he with Me." Passing through this inner court, and through the gallery, you would reach

the various rooms --the family room, the reception room, and the sleeping apartments --

the most retired being occupied by the ladies, and the inner rooms used chiefly in

winter. The furniture was much the same as that now in use, consisting of tables,

couches, chairs, candlesticks, and lamps, varying in costliness according to the rank

and wealth of the family. Among articles of luxury we mention rich cushions for the head

and arms, ornaments, and sometimes even pictures. The doors, which moved on hinges

fastened with wooden pins, were barred by wooden bolts, which could be withdrawn by

check keys from the outside. The dining apartment was generally spacious, and

sometimes employed for meetings.

We have been describing the arrangements and the appearance of towns and dwellings

in Palestine. But it is not any of these outward things which gives a real picture of a

Jewish home. Within, everything was quite peculiar. At the outset, the rite of

circumcision separated the Jew from the nations around, and dedicated him to God.

Private prayer, morning and evening, hallowed daily life, and family religions pervaded

the home. Before every meal they washed and prayed: after it they "gave thanks."

Besides, there were what may be designated as special family feasts. The return of the