A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine, Book 5 · Part 1 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVIII. Objections against the Courts of Solomons Temple answered.
Objections against Solomons Temple are whollyomitted, because the draught thereof is intirely taken out of Arias Montanus, and chargeable on his account.Philol.
IN your description of the Courts of Solomons Temple, I finde onelyonly four gates to the cardinall windes, but neither Parbar nor Asuppim Gate, though both of them eminently mentioneda1 Chr. 26. 17. in the Bible.
Aleth.
I must confess my self utterly unsatisfied in the position of these places, whether or no they were in the first two Courts, as built by Solomon, or added in after ages, when the new b2 Chr. 20. 5.or third Court was added to Solomons foundation: which latter I am most inclined to beleeve. For perusing the date of the first book of Chronicles, I finde it written long after the Iews return from the captivity of Babylon, as appears by reckoning up the grand-children ofc1 Chr. 4. 21. Zorobabel, and therefore I suspend the describing of them till further information.
Philol.
At the entrance of the House of the Lord, youoPag. 385. §. 3. make horses, but omit the Chariots of the Sun, both equally mentioned inP2 King. 23. 11. Scripture, and destroyed by Iosiah. Besides, you make them artificiall statues, which (no doubt) were naturall horses, sent out with riders every morning in a superstitious frolick, to give a welcome, or visit to the dawning-day, and to salute the Sun in the first arising thereof.
Aleth.
Chariots must be supposed there, though not expressed for lack of room. Sure they were no reall horses, which the [idolatrous] Kings of Israel had given to theqIbidem. Sun. For (except thereby be meant a successive breed, or race) such horses must be extremely old at this reformation, after therCompare the foresaid place with 2 King. 22. 3. eighteenth year of Iosia…, probably set up by Ahaz sixty years since. Besides, it is improbable, that living horses were kept so close to the Temple, and that noisome stables should be so near Gods house, generally set at some distance from mens dwellings. However, I had rather subscribe, then ingage in a controversie not worth the contending for.
Philol.
YousPag. 391. §. 2. mention onelyonly one Table of shew-bread, whereas David made preparation for thet1 Chr. 28. 16. Tables thereof. And lest so plain a place of Scripture should be avoided, by the frequent figure of Enallage, Solomon is expresly said to have madeu2 Chr. 5. 8. ten Tables and placed them in the Temple, and it is added not long after, whereon the wIbid. ver. 19.shew-bread was set.
Aleth.
I am confident, there was but one principall Table for the presentation of shew-bread, whereon, by Gods appointment, the twelve xLevit. 24. 5, 6.Cakes were set in two rowes, according to the number of the twelve Tribes of Israel. Now, if there were ten Tables provided for that purpose, the twelve Cakes could not be equally set upon them without a fraction. I conceive therefore the other nine, onelyonly as side-cupboards, or Livery tables ministeriall to that principall one, as whereupon the shew-bread elect was set before the consecration thereof, and whereon the old shew-bread removed for some time, might be placed, when new was substituted in the room thereof.
Philol.
To proceed to the Altar. I approve youryPag. 394. §. 3. answer taken from the Celestiall fire thereupon, as satisfactory in relation to the Tabernacle, and Solomons Temple, that so many sacrifices were so suddenly consumed without any noisomeness. But, the difficulty still remains as touching the second Temple: where, by generall confession (in default of heavenly) the Priests were fain to make use of common, and ordinary fire.
Aleth.
Although I beleeve not in full latitude, what the Iewish Rabbins doe affirme; That the Pillar of smoak which ascended from the sacrifice, curled onelyonly upwards in direct wreaths to heaven, without any scattering, or shedding if self abroad; yet for the main, we may be confident, it was no whit offensive to the Priests, or people thereabouts. This we impute to the providence of God, passing an Act of indemnity, that none should be impaired, either in health or wealth, by the performance of any service according to his appointment. And, as the land of the Iews was secured from forein invasionzExod. 34. 24. during the appearing of all the males thrice a year at Ierusalem: so the same goodness of God ordered, that his people should sustain no damage or detriment, either in their purses, or persons, whilest busied in his worship: the main reason that no infection did arise, no smoak, nor ill savor sented from the fat, offall, and excrements of so many sacrifices offered in so short a time, and small a compass.
Philol.
You say something for the avoiding of noisomeness, but nothing in answer, that that common fire should so quickly devour so many sacrifices, though, I confess the offerings in the second Temple, nothing so numerous as those in Solomons.
Aleth.
We must totally ascribe this to the work of the Lord, who though not granting this second Temple the honour and use of Celestiall fire (allowed to the former) yet, in approbation of his own ordinance, indued common fire with more then common activity. As, often in extremities, when miracles are denied, ordinary means are blessed with extraordinary efficacy in their operation.