to the well-lit subterranean bath for the use of the priests. Besides the Beth-Moked there

were, north and south of the court, rooms for storing the salt for the altar, for salting the

skins of sacrifices, for washing 'their inwards,' for storing the 'clean' wood, for the

machinery by which the laver was supplied with water, and finally the chamber 'Gazith,'

or Hall of Hewn Stones, where the Sanhedrim was wont to meet. Above some of these

chambers were other apartments, such as those in which the high-priest spent the week

before the Day of Atonement in study and meditation.

The account which Jewish tradition gives of these gates and chambers around the Court

of the Priests is somewhat conflicting, perhaps because the same chambers and gates

may have borne different names. It may, however, be thus summarised. Entering the

Great Court by the Nicanor Gate, there was at the right hand the Chamber of Phinehas

with its 96 receptacles for priests' vestments, and at the left the place where the high-

priest's daily meat-offering was prepared, and where every morning before daybreak all

the ministering priests met, after their inspection of the Temple and before being told off

to duty. Along the southern side of the court were the Water-gate, through which at the

Feast of Tabernacles the pitcher with water was brought from the Pool of Siloam, with a

chamber above it, called Abtinas, where the priests kept guard at night; then the Gate of

the Firstlings, through which the firstlings fit to be offered were brought; and the

Wood-gate, through which the altar-wood was carried. Alongside these gates were

Gazith, the hall of square polished stones, where the Sanhedrim sat; the chamber Golah,

for the water apparatus which emptied and filled the laver; and the wood-chamber.

Above and beyond it were the apartments of the high-priest and the council-chamber of

the 'honourable councillors,' or priestly council for affairs strictly connected with the

Temple. On the northern side of the Priests' Court were the gate Nitzutz (Spark Gate),

with a guard -chamber above for the priests, the Gate of Sacrifices, and the Gate of the

Beth-Moked. Alongside these gates were the chamber for salting the sacrifices; that for

salting the skins (named Parvah from its builder), with bathrooms for the high-priest

above it; and finally the Beth-Moked with its apartments. The two largest of these

buildings--the council-chamber of the Sanhedrim at the south-eastern, 13 and the Beth-

Moked at the north-western angle of the court --were partly built into the court and

partly out on 'the terrace.'

This, because none other than a prince of the house of David might sit down within the

sacred enclosure of the Priests' Court. Probably there was a similar arrangement for the

high-priest's apartments and the priests' council-chamber, as well as for the guard -

chambers of the priests, so that at each of the four corners of the court the apartments

would abut upon 'the terrace.' 14

All along the colonnades, both around the Court of the Gentiles and that of the Women,

there were seats and benches for the accommodation of the worshippers.

The most prominent object in the Court of the Priests was the immense altar of unhewn

stones, 15 a square of not less than 48 feet, and, inclusive of 'the horns,' 15 feet high.

All around it a 'circuit' ran for the use of the ministering priests, who, as a rule, always

passed round by the right, and retired by the left. 16

As this 'circuit' was raised 9 feet from the ground, and 1 1/2 feet high, while the 'horns'

measured 1 1/2 feet in height, the priests would have only to reach 3 feet to the top of

the altar, and 4 1/2 feet to that of each 'horn.' An inclined plane, 48 feet long by 24 wide,