The Temple in the Days of our Savior Described, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of the Weſt gates Shallecheth or Coponius, Parbar, Aſuppim.
IN the Talmuds Survey of the Temple, there is but one Gate mentioned or ſpoken of upon the Weſt quarter, but Joſephus doth mention foure, and that agreeably to the Scripture. Not but that the Talmudiſts did very well know there were ſo many Gates upon this quarter, but they reckon only thoſe by name,[a]Mid. per. 1. & Tamid. per. 1. that had Guards kept at them, whereas Joſephus reckons all that were in being: His words are theſe; foreign.[b]Ioſeph. Antiq. lib. 15. c. 14. On the Weſt quarter of this outmoſt bound, there were foure gates: The firſt leading to the Kings Palace, the valley betweene being filled up for the paſſage: Two others went into the Suburbs, and the other into the other City, having many ſteps downe into the valley, and many up againe to the pitch or coming up. We will ſurvey theſe Gates particularly, and take them in the order that he had laid down, beginning firſt with that Gate that led to the Kings Palace.
SECT. 1. The Gate of Shallecheth, or Coponius.
THe Gate that led towards the Kings Palace, was that that ſtood moſt North in this Weſt quarter, of all the foure, being ſet directly and diametrically oppoſite to the Gate Shuſhan in the Eaſt. In the time of the firſt Temple, this Gate was called Shallecheth, 1 Chron. 26.16. but in the time of Herods Temple, it was called[a]Midd. per. 1. Maym. in Beth habbechir. per. 5. The Gate of Coponius: The Jewes write it foreign Kiponus; about the derivation of which, word there are various conjectures. Some deduce it from[b]Aruch. in voce. foreign A hole or entrance; Some from[c]L. Lemper. in Mid. pag. 12. foreign A back doore, ſome from foreign A thorough-paſſage; but I ſhould rather derive it from Coponius, the Roman Commander. Joſephus recordeth that when Cyrenius was ſent by Auguſtus to be Governour of Syria, Coponius alſo Generall of the Horſe, was ſent with him for ruler in Judea, [d]Ioſeph. An. lib. 18. cap. 1.foreign. Now this was ſo neere about the time of Herods finiſhing the building of the Temple, that it giveth faire occaſion to thinke that he named this gate in honour of that great Commander Coponius, as he did a building hard by it, Antonia, in memory and honour of his great friend Antony.
The word Shallecheth, by which name this Gate was firſt called, in the time of Solomon, doth ſignfie a caſting up, and ſo ſaith[e]Michol in foreign Kimchi, it is rendred by the Chaldee Paraphraſt in the ſenſe of foreign Now this gate is ſaid in 1 Chron. 26.16. to have been by the Cauſey going up; which going up is that renowned aſcent that Solomon made for his owne paſſage up to the Temple 1 King. 10.5. 2 Chron. 9.4. And the Cauſey is that that Ioſephus meaneth, when hee ſaith, A gate led to the Kings Houſe from the Temple, the valley between being filled up for the paſſage, which was a very great work, for the valley was large and deep: Therefore it may very well be concluded that it was called Shallecheth, or the caſting up, from the Cauſey that was caſt up to lead to it from the Kings Palace, this being his ordinary way to the Temple.
This Cauſey is held by ſome[f]Vid. R. So… in Eſay 6. to have been ſet on either ſide with Okes and Teyle trees, which grew up there, and ſerved for a double benefit, the one to keep up the Cauſey on either ſide, that it ſhould not fall downe; and the other was to make the King a pleaſant walke, and ſhade, with trees on either ſide, as hee came, and went. And ſo they render that verſe in Eſay 6.13. where the word is onelyonly uſed beſides in all the Bible: In it ſhall be a tenth, and it ſhall returne and be …aten, as a Teile tree, or as an Oake by Shallecheth: that is, as the rowes of trees on the ſides of this Cauſey.
SECT. 2. Parbar Gate, 1 Chron: 26.18.
FRom the Gate Shallecheth or Coponius, that lay moſt North on this Weſterne quarter, let us walke toward the South, and the next Gate wee come to, was called Parbar; of this there is mention in the booke of Chronicles in the place alledged; where the Holy Ghoſt relating the diſpoſall of the Porters at the ſeverall gates of the Mountaine of the Houſe, faith, At Parbar Weſtward, two at the Cauſey, and two at Parbar. By which it is apparent ſufficiently, that this Gate was in the Weſt quarter, and reaſonably well apparent that it was the next gate to the Cauſey or Shallecheth becauſe it is ſo named with it, but by that time we have fully ſurveyed the ſituation of it, it will appeare to have beene ſo plaine enough. The word Parbar, admitted of a double conſtruction, for it either ſignifies foreign An outer place, [a]Gloſſ. in Tamid. per. 1. Kimch. in Chron. 26. Aruch. in voce, &c.as many of the Jewes do conſtrue it, or it concurres with the ſignification of the word Parbar, (which differs but one letter from it, and that very neere, and of an eaſie change) which betokeneth Suburbs, both in the Hebrew Text, 2 Kings 23.11. and in the Chaldee tongue, as[b]Kimch. i… 2 Kings 23. David Kimchi averreth there.
And here Joſephus his words which we produced a little before, may be taken up againe, and out of all together we may obſerve the ſituation of the Gate in mention. He ſaith, that of the foure Gates upon this Weſtern quarter, one led towards the Kings Palace, (that is Shallecheth that we have viewed already) and the two next, foreign, into the Suburbs. Theſe Suburbs that he meaneth, were indeed that part of the City which in Scripture is called Millo, which was the valley at the Weſt end of Mount Moriah, in which Jeruſalem and Sion met and ſaluted each other, repleniſhed with buildings by David and Solomon in their times, 2 Sam. 5.9. & 1 Kings 11.27. and taken in as part and Suburbs of Sion, and ſo owned alwayes in after times.
And to this purpoſe is the expreſſion of Joſephus in his words that we have in hand, obſervable, when he ſaith, that two of theſe Weſterne gates were into the Suburbs, foreign, and the other into the other City, that is, into Ieruſalem, which he maketh as another City from the Suburbs of which he ſpake. Take the word Parbar therefore in either of the ſignifications that have been mentioned, either for an outer place, or for the Suburbs; this Gate that we have in ſurvey might very properly be called by that name, becauſe it was a paſſage from the Temple into Millo, which was an outer place, and the Suburbs of Sion diſtinguiſhed and parted from Sion by a wall, yet a member of it, and belonging to it.
Now whereas the other gate that ſtood next to this that we are about, toward the South, did lead alſo into the Suburbs as well as this, as is apparent from Ioſephus, yet is it not called by the ſame name Parbar: the reaſon of this may be given, becauſe it bare a name pecullar and proper, ſutable to that ſingular uſe to which it was deſigned, or to that place where it was ſet, rather then ſutable to that place whither it gave paſſage.
And here becauſe we are in mention of the Suburbs, it may not be amiſſe to looke a little upon that text, that ſpeaketh of the Suburbs, and out of which we have taken that ſignification of the word Parbar, namely 2 Kings 23.11. It is ſaid there, that Joſiah tooke away the Horſes that the Kings of Judah had given to the Sunne, at the entring in of the Houſe of the Lord, by the Chamber of Nathan mel…h the Chamberlaine which was in the Suburbs. Whether theſe Horſes were given to the Sunne, to be ſacrificed to it, or to ride on to meet and ſalute the Sunriſing, as the Jewes ſuppoſe, we ſhall not trouble our ſelves to enquire into, it is the place that we have to looke after at this time, rather then the thing.
Theſe Stables of ſuch Horſes, (and it is like the Kings common Stables were in the ſame place) are ſaid to be in the Suburbs, and at the entring in of the Houſe of the Lord, and we cannot better allot the place, then that whereupon wee are, namely that they ſtood here in Millo, before this gate Parbar, or thereabout, and from thence there was a way to bring the Horſes up to the Kings houſe, when the Kings would uſe either thoſe horſes that they had dedicated to the Sun for their irreligious uſe, or their other Horſes for their common uſe. As they went out of Millo to riſe up into Sion, they paſſed through a gate which was in the wall that parted betweene Millo and Sion, which wall and gate was but a little below the Cauſey that went up to the gate Shallecheth: and this helpeth to underſtand that paſſage about Athaliahs death, 2 Kings 11.11. They layd bands on her, and ſhe went by the way by which the Horſes came into the Kings houſe, and there ſhe was ſlaine. That is, they got her out of the Mountaine of the Temple, brought her downe by the gate Shallecheth and the Cauſey, and when ſhe came neare the horſe gate, through which the horſes went up out of the Stables in Millo, to the Kings houſe, there they ſlew her. There was a Horſe gate indeed in the maine wall of the City, on the Faſt part of it, Neb. 3.28. Jer. 31.39. but that was diſtinct from this, which was peculiar for the Kings horſes, and therefore a diſtinctive character is ſet upon this, namely, that it was the Horſe gate towards the Kings, houſe, 2 Chron. 13.15. It ſhould be rendred towards the Kings houſe rather then by the Kings houſe, for neither of theſe gates, either that on the Eaſt which was a gate of the City, nor this on the Weſt which was a gate into Millo, were neare the Kings houſe, but a good diſtance off; See the LXX there.
SECT. 3. The two Gates and Houſe of Aſuppim.
IN the ſtory of the deſigning of the Porters to their ſeverall places and charges, in 1 Chron. 26.15, 17. it is ſaid thus, To Obed Edem Southward, and to his ſonnes the Houſe of Aſuppim. Eaſtward were ſixe Levites, Northward foure a day, Southward foure a day, and toward Aſuppim two and two.
Now there are two things, that have juſtly moved divers learned men to conceive, that Aſuppim doth betoken the treaſuries of the Temple, or the places where the offered and dedicate things were referved and laid up. The one is the ſignification of the word it ſelfe, for it betokeneth gatherings or collections; and the other is, becauſe Obed Edom, whoſe ſonnes are ſaid here to be at Aſuppim as at their charge, is ſaid in 2 Chron: 25.24. to have had the keeping of the treaſury. For there it is recorded that Joaſh the King of Iſrael tooke all the gold and ſilver and Veſſels that were found in the houſe of God with Obed Edom.
Now if this be granted, that Aſuppim did betoken and mean the treaſuries, yet are we ſtill to ſeeke where Aſuppim was, and indeed there is not a more difficult matter, in all the ſurvey of the Temple, and of the buildings and affaires, belonging to it, then to determine aright and clearely concerning the Porters, treaſuries and treaſures and all their charges; there is ſo much variety of expreſſions about theſe in Scripture, and ſo little explanation and reſolution of this matter in other writers, we ſhall do the beſt we can for their diſcovery as we come to the view of the ſeverall places that refer to any ſuch thing.
The word Aſuppim is uſed againe, in ſpeech concerning the Porters, Neh: 12.25. where fix men there named are ſaid to be Porters keeping the ward foreign at the Aſuppim of the Gates. Aben Ezra and Kimchi ſay it is but the ſame with Sippim the threſholds, and ſo it is rendred in our Engliſh Text. But if it be taken in that ſenſe in this place of the Chronicles that we have in hand, there can be no difference betweene the ſonnes of Obed Edom and the reſt of the Porters in this reſpect, for all of them may be ſaid to be Porters at Aſuppim as well as they, ſince they were all alike Porters at the threſholds.
In the naming of the Porters, and placing them in their ſtations, there are the Eaſt, Weſt, North and South quarters mentioned, and Aſuppim comes in as if it were out at all: At the Eaſt gate were ſix of Shelemiahs younger ſonnes; And his eldeſt ſonne Zechariah and his ſonnes at the North. At the Weſt were ſixe ſonnes of Hoſa and Shuppim, four at Shallecheth, and two at Parbar. And four of Obed Edoms eight ſonnes at the South, and the other four at the houſe of Aſuppim, which ſeems out of ſquare and who can tell where?
For the ſearching out of this place, which lies ſo very covert, and obſcure in the Text, it may not be impertinent to conſider theſe four particulars:
1 That there were four gates on the Weſt ſide as hath been obſerved, namely the gate Coponius, two gates into the Suburbs, and one into the City.
2. That the holy Ghoſt reckoning the Porters as they were diſpoſed after the returne out of captivity, placeth them only upon the four quarters of this outmoſt wall, 1 Chron: 9.23, 24. (for the wall that incompaſſed the Courts had no gate on the Weſt at all, and therefore thoſe verſes cannot be underſtood of that, but of this outmoſt boundary wall) And why ſhould we hold that he goeth in a different ſtyle here?
3 Thoſe Porters lodged round about the houſe of God, and opened the doores every morning, 1 Chron. 9.27. Now neither Prieſts nor Levites had any lodgings in the Gates of the Court, nor did the Levites open thoſe doores, but the Prieſts. And
4 That though there were four and twenty guards, three of Prieſts, and one and twenty of Levites every night about the Temple, yet was there not any ſuch by day at the Court gates, or at thoſe places by the Court wall where they were by night: But here the Text doth expreſly tell that theſe Porters atendance was by day.
Theſe things therefore conſidered, 1. Wee cannot place the Houſe of Aſuppim in any other part, then in ſome place in this outmoſt wall that incompaſſed the Mountaine of the Houſe, even as the reſt of the gates and the Porters ſtood. 2. The expreſſion uſed in the Text doth argue that theſe ſons of Obed Edom that ſtood Porters at Aſuppim artended in two places or at two gates, for he ſaith that at Aſuppim there were two and two. 3 Since the Porters at two of the gates only of the four that were on the Weſt quarter are named, namely, Shallecheth and Parbar, it cannot be otherwiſe conceived in reaſon, but that the other two gates on that quarter goe here under the name of Aſuppim, and had their Porters two and two. For 1. Since there were foure gates there, why ſhould two of them go without Porters, when all the reſt were ſo exactly manned? And 2 why ſhould we goe place theſe foure ſonnes of Obed Edom as Porters we know not where, and where wee never read of any Porters at all, and let theſe two gates ſtand wide and none to attend them?
I make no ſcruple therefore to conclude, that Aſuppim were the two gates in this Weſterne wall, which ſtood moſt South or neereſt to Jeruſalem, and The houſe of Aſuppim, was a large piece of building, that ranne betweene them, which was a treaſury, or divers rooms for treaſuring and laying up ſomething for the uſe of the Temple. The treaſuries of the Temple were divers and in divers places, and committed to divers perſons; but the generall diſtinction of them is into the Treaſures of the Houſe of God, and the Treaſures of the dedicate things, 1 Chron. 26.20.
By the Treaſures of the houſe of God, is meant thoſe things that were in ordinary uſe and imploiment, as the veſſels, veſtments, tithes, wine, oile, and other things which were commonly uſed, and with theſe we may joine whatſoever was offered to the Treaſury either as due, as was the halfe ſhekel, or voluntary as money or veſſels for the repaire of the houſe, and advancement of the Service. But by the Treaſures of dedicate things, is underſtood whatſoever the Kings, Captains or great men had conſecrated and dedicated, which lay as the ſtocke of the Temple, and as the monuments of their devotion. The former Treaſures were ſome of them under the care and charge of the Porters, 1 Chron. 9.26, 27, &c. and the reſt and the latter, under the hand of other Levites, 1 Chron: 26.20, 22, 26, &c. The Porters had their treaſuries at every one of their gates: and ſo ſhould I render foreign The Treaſuries of the Gates in Neh: 12.25. whereas ſome of them kept veſtments, ſome inſtruments, ſome one thing, and ſome another, and theſe ſonnes of Obed Edom kept the ſilver and gold veſſels, which were the richeſt utenſils of the Temple, and therefore their gates and the buildings between are called Aſuppim or Treaſuries, by an Emphaticall dignity above the reſt.
Before wee part with this Weſt quarter, let us take our proſpect outward as wee have done from the two ſides wee have been upon before. As you ſtood on the middle of this wall, Millo lay before you, and there might you ſee, beſides the Kings ſtables and other buildings, the poole of Siloam, and the Kings Gardens: On the left hand was the deſcent of Acra and the buildings of Jeruſulem upon it: on the right hand, the riſing of Sion, and the ſtaires that went up into the City, and by which the King came downe to Shallecheth, and ſo into the Temple. And as you roſe higher was the place of the Sepulchers of Davids family, and another poole, Neb: 3.15, 16.