two cubits wide, the middle twenty-eight, and the top, where the fire was laid (of course,

not including the horns of the altar nor the space where the priests moved), only

twenty-four cubits. With the exception of some parts of the altar, in which the cubit was

calculated at five hand-breadths, the sacred cubit of the Temple was always reckoned at

six hand-breadths. Lastly, as readers of the New Testament know, whatever touched the

altar, or, indeed, any sacred vessel, was regarded as 'sanctified' (Matt 23:19), but no

vessel could be dedicated to the use of the Temple which had not been originally

destined for it.

But to return. While the assistant priests were waiting, the first priest had taken the

silver chafing-dish, and scraped the fire on the altar, removing the burnt coals, and

depositing them at a little distance north of the altar. As he descended, the other priests

quickly washed hands and feet, and took shovels and prongs, with which they moved

aside what of the sacrifices had been left unburned from the previous evening, then

cleaned out the ashes, laying part on the great heap in the middle of the altar, and the

rest in a place whence it was afterwards carried out of the Temple. The next duty was to

lay on the altar fresh wood, which, however, might be neither from the olive nor the vine.

For the fire destined to feed the altar of incense the wood of the fig -tree was exclusively

used, so as to secure good and sufficient charcoal. The hitherto unconsumed pieces of

the sacrifice were now again laid upon the fire.

These preliminaries finished, the priests gathered once more for the second lot. The

priest on whom it fell was designated, along with the twelve who stood nearest to him,

for offering the sacrifice and cleansing the candlestick and the altar of incense.

Immediately after casting this second lot, the president directed one to ascend some

'pinnacle,' and see whether it was time to kill the daily sacrifice. If the priest reported,

'The morning shineth already,' he was again asked, 'Is the sky lit up as far as Hebron?' If

so, the president ordered the lamb to be brought from the chamber by the Beth-Moked,

where it had been kept in readiness for four days. Others fetched the gold and silver

vessels of service, of which the Rabbis enumerate ninety-three. The sacrificial lamb was

now watered out of a golden bowl, and anew examined by torch-light, though its

Levitical fitness had been already ascertained the evening before. Then the sacrificing

priest, surrounded by his assistants, fastened the lamb to the second of the rings on the

north side of the altar--in the morning in the western, in the evening in the eastern

corner. 86

The sacrifice was held together by its feet, the fore and hind feet of each side being tied

together; its head was laid towards the south and fastened through a ring, and its face

turned to the west, while the sacrificing priest stood on the east side. The elders who

carried the keys now gave the order for opening the Temple gates. As the last great gate

slowly moved on its hinges, the priests, on a signal given, blew three blasts on their

silver trumpets, summoning the Levites and the 'representatives' of the people (the so-

called 'stationary men') to their duties, and announcing to the city that the morning

sacrifice was about to be offered. Immediately upon this the great gates which led into

the Holy Place itself were opened to admit the priests who were to cleanse the

candlestick and the altar of incense.