the antiquities of the jews-1-第27章

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precious　stones；　which　those　that　use　costly　ornaments　set　in
ouches　of　gold；　they　brought　also　a　great　quantity　of　spices；　for
of　these　materials　did　Moses　build　the　tabernacle；　which　did　not
at　all　differ　from　a　movable　and　ambulatory　temple。　Now　when
these　things　were　brought　together　with　great　diligence；　（for
every　one　was　ambitious　to　further　the　work　even　beyond　their
ability；）　he　set　architects　over　the　works；　and　this　by　the
command　of　God；　and　indeed　the　very　same　which　the　people
themselves　would　have　chosen；　had　the　election　been　allowed　to
them。　Now　their　names　are　set　down　in　writing　in　the　sacred
books；　and　they　were　these：　Besaleel；　the　son　of　Uri；　of　the
tribe　of　Judah；　the　grandson　of　Miriam；　the　sister　of　their
conductor　and　Aholiab；　file　son　of　Ahisamach；　of　the　tribe　of
Dan。　Now　the　people　went　on　with　what　they　had　undertaken　with　so
great　alacrity；　that　Moses　was　obliged　to　restrain　them；　by
making　proclamation；　that　what　had　been　brought　was　sufficient；
as　the　artificers　had　informed　him；　so　they　fell　to　work　upon　the
building　of　the　tabernacle。　Moses　also　informed　them；　according
to　the　direction　of　God；　both　what　the　measures　were　to　be；　and
its　largeness；　and　how　many　vessels　it　ought　to　contain　for　the
use　of　the　sacrifices。　The　women　also　were　ambitious　to　do　their
parts；　about　the　garments　of　the　priests；　and　about　other　things
that　would　be　wanted　in　this　work；　both　for　ornament　and　for　the
divine　service　itself。

2。　Now　when　all　things　were　prepared；　the　gold；　and　the　silver；
and　the　brass；　and　what　was　woven；　Moses；　when　he　had　appointed
beforehand　that　there　should　be　a　festival；　and　that　sacrifices
should　be　offered　according　to　every　one's　ability；　reared　up　the
tabernacle　（12）　and　when　he　had　measured　the　open　court；　fifty
cubits　broad　and　a　hundred　long；　he　set　up　brazen　pillars；　five
cubits　high；　twenty　on　each　of　the　longer　sides；　and　ten　pillars
for　the　breadth　behind；　every　one　of　the　pillars　also　had　a　ring。
Their　chapiters　were　of　silver；　but　their　bases　were　of　brass：
they　resembled　the　sharp　ends　of　spears；　and　were　of　brass；　fixed
into　the　ground。　Cords　were　also　put　through　the　rings；　and　were
tied　at　their　farther　ends　to　brass　nails　of　a　cubit　long；　which；
at　every　pillar；　were　driven　into　the　floor；　and　would　keep　the
tabernacle　from　being　shaken　by　the　violence　of　winds；　but　a
curtain　of　fine　soft　linen　went　round　all　the　pillars；　and　hung
down　in　a　flowing　and　loose　manner　from　their　chapiters；　and
enclosed　the　whole　space；　and　seemed　not　at　all　unlike　to　a　wall
about　it。　And　this　was　the　structure　of　three　of　the　sides　of
this　enclosure；　but　as　for　the　fourth　side；　which　was　fifty
cubits　in　extent；　and　was　the　front　of　the　whole；　twenty　cubits
of　it　were　for　the　opening　of　the　gates；　wherein　stood　two
pillars　on　each　side；　after　the　resemblance　of　open　gates。　These
were　made　wholly　of　silver；　and　polished；　and　that　all　over；
excepting　the　bases；　which　were　of　brass。　Now　on　each　side　of　the
gates　there　stood　three　pillars；　which　were　inserted　into　the
concave　bases　of　the　gates；　and　were　suited　to　them；　and　round
them　was　drawn　a　curtain　of　fine　linen；　but　to　the　gates
themselves；　which　were　twenty　cubits　in　extent；　and　five　in
height；　the　curtain　was　composed　of　purple；　and　scarlet；　and
blue；　and　fine　linen；　and　embroidered　with　many　and　divers　sorts
of　figures；　excepting　the　figures　of　animals。　Within　these　gates
was　the　brazen　laver　for　purification；　having　a　basin　beneath　of
the　like　matter；　whence　the　priests　might　wash　their　hands　and
sprinkle　their　feet；　and　this　was　the　ornamental　construction　of
the　enclosure　about　the　court　of　the　tabernacle；　which　was
exposed　to　the　open　air。

3。　As　to　the　tabernacle　itself；　Moses　placed　it　in　the　middle　of
that　court；　with　its　front　to　the　east；　that；　when　the　sun　arose；
it　might　send　its　first　rays　upon　it。　Its　length；　when　it　was　set
up；　was　thirty　cubits；　and　its　breadth　was　twelve　＇ten＇　cubits。
The　one　of　its　walls　was　on　the　south；　and　the　other　was　exposed
to　the　north；　and　on　the　back　part　of　it　remained　the　west。　It
was　necessary　that　its　height　should　be　equal　to　its　breadth　＇ten
cubits＇。　There　were　also　pillars　made　of　wood；　twenty　on　each
side；　they　were　wrought　into　a　quadrangular　figure；　in　breadth　a
cubit　and　a　half；　but　the　thickness　was　four　fingers：　they　had
thin　plates　of　gold　affixed　to　them　on　both　sides；　inwardly　and
outwardly：　they　had　each　of　them　two　tenons　belonging　to　them；
inserted　into　their　bases；　and　these　were　of　silver；　in　each　of
which　bases　there　was　a　socket　to　receive　the　tenon；　but　the
pillars　on　the　west　wall　were　six。　Now　all　these　tenons　and
sockets　accurately　fitted　one　another；　insomuch　that　the　joints
were　invisible；　and　both　seemed　to　be　one　entire　and　united　wall。
It　was　also　covered　with　gold；　both　within　and　without。　The
number　of　pillars　was　equal　on　the　opposite　sides；　and　there　were
on　each　part　twenty；　and　every　one　of　them　had　the　third　part　of
a　span　in　thickness；　so　that　the　number　of　thirty　cubits　were
fully　made　up　between　them；　but　as　to　the　wall　behind；　where　the
six　pillars　made　up　together　only　nine　cubits；　they　made　two
other　pillars；　and　cut　them　out　of　one　cubit；　which　they　placed
in　the　corners；　and　made　them　equally　fine　with　the　other。　Now
every　one　of　the　pillars　had　rings　of　gold　affixed　to　their
fronts　outward；　as　if　they　had　taken　root　in　the　pillars；　and
stood　one　row　over　against　another　round　about；　through　which
were　inserted　bars　gilt　over　with　gold；　each　of　them　five　cubits
long；　and　these　bound　together　the　pillars；　the　head　of　one　bar
running　into　another；　after　the　nature　of　one　tenon　inserted　into
another；　but　for　the　wall　behind；　there　was　but　one　row　of　bars
that　went　through　all　the　pillars；　into　which　row　ran　the　ends　of
the　bars　on　each　side　of　the　longer　walls；　the　male　with　its
female　being　so　fastened　in　their　joints；　that　they　held　the
whole　firmly　together；　and　for　this　reason　was　all　this　joined　so
fast　together；　that　the　tabernacle　might　not　be　shaken；　either　by
the　winds；　or　by　any　other　means；　but　that　it　might　preserve
itself　quiet　and　immovable　continually。

4。　As　for　the　inside；　Moses　parted　its　length　into　three
partitions。　At　the　distance　of　ten　cubits　from　the　most　secret
end；　Moses　placed　four　pillars；　the　workmanship　of　which　was　the
very　same　with　that　of　the　rest；　and　they　stood　upon　the　like
bases　with　them；　each　a　small　matter　distant　from　his　fellow。　Now
the　room　within　those　pillars　was　the　most　holy　place；　but　the
rest　of　the　room　was　the　tabernacle；　which　was　open　for　the
priests。　However；　this　proportion　of　the　measures　of　the
tabernacle　proved　to　be　an　imitation　of　the　system　of　the　world；
for　that　third　part　thereof　which　was　within　the　four　pillars；　to
which　the　priests　were　not　admitted；　is；　as　it　were；　a　heaven
peculiar　to　God。　But　the　space　of　the　twenty　cubits；　is；　as　it
were；　sea　and　land；　on　which　men　live；　and　so　this　part　is
peculiar　to　the　priests　only。　But　at　the　front；　where　the
entrance　was　made；　they　placed　pillars　of　gold；　that　stood　on
bases　of　brass；　in　number　seven；　but　then　they　spread　over　the
tabernacle　veils　of　fine　linen　and　purple；　and　blue；　and　scarlet
colors；　embroidered。　The　first　veil　was　ten　cubits　every　way；　and
this　they　spread　over　the　pillars　which　parted　the　temple；　and
kept　the　most　holy　place　concealed　within；　and　this　veil　was　that
which　made　this　part　not　visible　to　any。　Now　the　whole　temple　was
called　The　Holy　Place：　but　that　part　which　was　within　the　four
pillars；　and　to　which　none　were　admitted；　was　called　The　Holy　of
Holies。　This　veil　was　very　ornamental；　and　embroidered　with　all
sorts　of　flowers　which　the　earth　produces；　and　there　were
interwoven　into　it　all　sorts　of　variety　that　might　be　an
ornament；　excepting　the　forms　of　animals。　Another　veil　there　was
which　covered　the　five　pillars　that　were　at　the　entrance。　It　was
like　the　former　in　its　magnitude；　and　texture；　and　color；　and　at
the　corner　of　every　pillar　a　ring　retained　it　from　the　top
downwards　half　the　depth　of　the　pillars；　the　other　half　affording
an　entrance　for　the　priests；　who　crept　under　it。　Over　this　there
was　a　veil　of　linen；　of　the　same　largeness　with　the　former：　it
was　to　be　drawn　this　way　or　that　way　by　cords；　the　rings　of
which；　fixed　to　the　texture　of　the　veil；　and　to　the　cords　also；
were　subservient　to　the　drawing　and　undrawing　of　the　veil；　and　to
the　fastening　it　at　the　corner；　that　then　it　might　be　no
hinderance　to　the　view　of　the　sanctuary；　especially　on　solemn
days；　but　that　on　other　days；　and　especially　when　the　weather　was
inclined　to　snow；　it　might　be　expanded；　and　afford　a　covering　to
the　veil　of　divers　colors。　Whence　that　custom　of　ours　is　derived；
of　having　a　fine　linen　veil；　after　the　temple　has　been　built；　to
be　drawn　over　the　entrances。　But　the　ten　other　curtains　were　four
cubits　in　breadth；　and　twenty…eight　in　length；　and　had　golden
clasps；　in　order　to　join　the　one　curtain　to　the　other；　which　was
done　so　exactly　that　they　seemed　to　be　one　entire　curtain。　These
were　spread　over　the　temple；　and　covered　all　the　top　and　parts　of
the　walls；　on　the　sides　and　behind；　so　far　as　within　one　cubit　of
the　ground。　There　were　other　curtains　of　the　same　breadth　with
these；　but　one　more　in　number；　and　longer；　for　they　were　thirty
cubits　long；　but　these　were　woven　of　hair；　with　the　like　subtilty
as　those　of　wool　were　made；　and　were　extended　loosely　down　to　the
ground；　appearing　like　a　triangular　front　and　elevation　at　the
gates；　the　eleventh　curtain　being　used　for　this　very　purpose。
There　were　also　other　curtains　made　of　skins　above　these；　which
afforded　covering　and　protection　to　those　that　were　woven　both　in
hot　weather　and　when　it　rained。　And　great　was　the　surprise　of
those　who　viewed　these　curtains　at　a　distance；　for　they　seemed
not　at　all　to　differ　from　the　color　of　the　sky。　But　those　that
were　made　of　hair　and　of　skins；　reached　down　in　the　same　manner
as　did　the　veil　at　the　gates；　and　kept　off　the　heat　of　the　sun；
and　what　injury　the　rains　might　do。　And　after　this　manner　was　the
tabernacle　reared。

5。　There　was　also　an　ark　made；　sacred　to　God；　of　wood　that　was
naturally　strong；　and　could　not　be　corrupted。　This　was　called
Eron　in　our　own　language。　Its　construction　was　thus：　its　length
was　five　spans；　but　its　breadth　and　height　was　each　of　them　three
spans。　It　was　covered　all　over　with　gold；　both　within　and
without；　so　that　the　wooden　part　was　not　seen。　It　had　also　a
cover　united　to　it；　by　golden　hinges；　after　a　wonderful　manner；
which　cover　was　every　way　evenly　fitted　to　it；　and　had　no
eminences　to　hinder　its　exact　conjunction。　There　were　also　two
golden　rings　belonging　to　each　of　the　longer　boards；　and　passing
through　the　entire　wood；　and　through　them　gilt　bars　passed　along
each　board；　that　it　might　thereby　be　moved　and　carried　about；　as
occasion　should　require；　for　it　was　not　drawn　in　a　cart　by　beasts
of　burden；　but　borne　on　the　shoulders　of　the　priests。　Upon　this
its　cover　were　two　images；　which　the　Hebrews　call　Cherubims；　they
are　flying　creatures；　but　their　form　is　not　like　to　that　of　any
of　the　creatures　which　men　have　seen；　though　Moses　sa