the wars of the jews-第130章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　enigmatically　signified　fire；　by　the　fine　flax　the　earth；　by　the　blue　the　air；　and　by　the　purple　the　sea；　two　of　them　having　their　colors　the　　　foundation　of　this　resemblance；　but　the　fine　flax　and　the　purple　have　their　own　origin　for　that　foundation；　the　earth　producing　the　one；　and　the　sea　the　other。　This　curtain　had　also　embroidered　upon　it　all　that　was　mystical　in　the　　　heavens；　excepting　that　of　the　＇twelve＇　signs；　representing　living　creatures。　　　　　　5。　When　any　persons　entered　into　the　temple；　its　floor　　　received　them。　This　part　of　the　temple　therefore　was　in　　　height　sixty　cubits；　and　its　length　the　same；　whereas　its　breadth　was　but　twenty　cubits：　but　still　that　sixty　cubits　in　length　was　divided　again；　and　the　first　part　of　it　was　cut　off　at　forty　cubits；　and　had　in　it　three　things　that　were　very　wonderful　and　famous　among　all　mankind；　the　candlestick；　the　table　＇of　shew…bread＇；　and　the　altar　of　incense。　Now　the　seven　lamps　signified　the　seven　planets；　for　so　many　there　were　springing　out　of　the　candlestick。　Now　the　twelve　　　loaves　that　were　upon　the　table　signified　the　circle　of　the　zodiac　and　the　year；　but　the　altar　of　incense；　by　its　thirteen　kinds　of　sweet…smelling　spices　with　which　the　sea　　　replenished　it；　signified　that　God　is　the　possessor　of　all　things　that　are　both　in　the　uninhabitable　and　habitable　parts　of　the　earth；　and　that　they　are　all　to　be　dedicated　to　his　use。　But　the　inmost　part　of　the　temple　of　all　was　of　twenty　cubits。　This　was　also　separated　from　the　outer　part　by　a　veil。　In　this　there　was　nothing　at　all。　It　was　inaccessible　and　inviolable；　and　not　to　be　seen　by　any；　and　was　called　the　Holy　of　Holies。　Now；　about　the　sides　of　the　lower　part　of　the　temple；　there　were　little　houses；　with　passages　out　of　one　into　another；　there　were　a　great　many　of　them；　and　they　　　were　of　three　stories　high；　there　were　also　entrances　on　each　side　into　them　from　the　gate　of　the　temple。　But　the　superior　part　of　the　temple　had　no　such　little　houses　any　further；　because　the　temple　was　there　narrower；　and　forty　cubits　higher；　and　of　a　smaller　body　than　the　lower　parts　of　it。　Thus　we　collect　that　the　whole　height；　including　the　sixty　cubits　from　the　floor；　amounted　to　a　hundred　cubits。　　　　　　6。　Now　the　outward　face　of　the　temple　in　its　front　wanted　nothing　that　was　likely　to　surprise　either　men's　minds　or　their　eyes；　for　it　was　covered　all　over　with　plates　of　gold　of　great　weight；　and；　at　the　first　rising　of　the　sun；　reflected　back　a　very　fiery　splendor；　and　made　those　who　forced　　　themselves　to　look　upon　it　to　turn　their　eyes　away；　just　as　they　would　have　done　at　the　sun's　own　rays。　But　this　　　temple　appeared　to　strangers；　when　they　were　coming　to　it　at　a　distance；　like　a　mountain　covered　with　snow；　for　as　to　those　parts　of　it　that　were　not　gilt；　they　were　exceeding　white。　On　its　top　it　had　spikes　with　sharp　points；　to　prevent　any　pollution　of　it　by　birds　sitting　upon　it。　Of　its　stones；　some　of　them　were　forty…five　cubits　in　length；　five　in　height；　and　six　in　breadth。　Before　this　temple　stood　the　altar；　fifteen　cubits　high；　and　equal　both　in　length　and　breadth；　each　of　which　dimensions　was　fifty　cubits。　The　figure　it　was　built　in　was　a　square；　and　it　had　corners　like　horns；　and　the　　　passage　up　to　it　was　by　an　insensible　acclivity。　It　was　　　formed　without　any　iron　tool；　nor　did　any　such　iron　tool　so　much　as　touch　it　at　any　time。　There　was　also　a　wall　of　　　partition；　about　a　cubit　in　height；　made　of　fine　stones；　and　so　as　to　be　grateful　to　the　sight；　this　encompassed　the　holy　house　and　the　altar；　and　kept　the　people　that　were　on　the　outside　off　from　the　priests。　Moreover；　those　that　had　the　gonorrhea　and　the　leprosy　were　excluded　out　of　the　city　　　entirely；　women　also；　when　their　courses　were　upon　them；　were　shut　out　of　the　temple；　nor　when　they　were　free　from　that　impurity；　were　they　allowed　to　go　beyond　the　limit　　　before…mentioned；　men　also；　that　were　not　thoroughly　pure；　were　prohibited　to　come　into　the　inner　＇court　of　the＇　temple；　nay；　the　priests　themselves　that　were　not　pure　were　　　prohibited　to　come　into　it　also。　　　　　　7。　Now　all　those　of　the　stock　of　the　priests　that　could　not　minister　by　reason　of　some　defect　in　their　bodies；　came　　　within　the　partition；　together　with　those　that　had　no　such　imperfection；　and　had　their　share　with　them　by　reason　of　their　stock；　but　still　made　use　of　none　except　their　own　private　garments；　for　nobody　but　he　that　officiated　had　on　his　sacred　garments；　but　then　those　priests　that　were　　　without　any　blemish　upon　them　went　up　to　the　altar　clothed　in　fine　linen。　They　abstained　chiefly　from　wine；　out　of　this　fear；　lest　otherwise　they　should　transgress　some　rules　of　their　ministration。　The　high　priest　did　also　go　up　with　them；　not　always　indeed；　but　on　the　seventh　days　and　new　　　moons；　and　if　any　festivals　belonging　to　our　nation；　which　we　celebrate　every　year；　happened。　When　he　officiated；　he　had　on　a　pair　of　breeches　that　reached　beneath　his　privy　parts　to　his　thighs；　and　had　on　an　inner　garment　of　linen；　together　with　a　blue　garment；　round；　without　seam；　with　　　fringe　work；　and　reaching　to　the　feet。　There　were　also　　　golden　bells　that　hung　upon　the　fringes；　and　pomegranates　intermixed　among　them。　The　bells　signified　thunder；　and　　　the　pomegranates　lightning。　But　that　girdle　that　tied　the　garment　to　the　breast　was　embroidered　with　five　rows　of　　　various　colors；　of　gold；　and　purple；　and　scarlet；　as　also　of　fine　linen　and　blue；　with　which　colors　we　told　you　before　the　veils　of　the　temple　were　embroidered　also。　The　like　　　embroidery　was　upon　the　ephod；　but　the　quantity　of　gold　　　therein　was　greater。　Its　figure　was　that　of　a　stomacher　for　the　breast。　There　were　upon　it　two　golden　buttons　like　small　shields；　which　buttoned　the　ephod　to　the　garment；　in　these　buttons　were　enclosed　two　very　large　and　very　excellent　　　sardonyxes；　having　the　names　of　the　tribes　of　that　nation　engraved　upon　them：　on　the　other　part　there　hung　twelve　　　stones；　three　in　a　row　one　way；　and　four　in　the　other；　a　sardius；　a　topaz；　and　an　emerald；　a　carbuncle；　a　jasper；　and　a　sapphire；　an　agate；　an　amethyst；　and　a　ligure；　an　　　onyx；　a　beryl；　and　a　chrysolite；　upon　every　one　of　which　was　again　engraved　one　of　the　forementioned　names　of　the　tribes。　A　mitre　also　of　fine　linen　encompassed　his　head；　which　was　tied　by　a　blue　ribbon；　about　which　there　was　　　another　golden　crown；　in　which　was　engraven　the　sacred　　　name　＇of　God＇：　it　consists　of　four　vowels。　However；　the　high　priest　did　not　wear　these　garments　at　other　times；　but　a　more　plain　habit；　he　only　did　it　when　he　went　into　the　most　sacred　part　of　the　temple；　which　he　did　but　once　in　a　year；　on　that　day　when　our　custom　is　for　all　of　us　to　keep　a　fast　to　God。　And　thus　much　concerning　the　city　and　the　temple；　but　for　the　customs　and　laws　hereto　relating；　we　shall　　　speak　more　accurately　another　time；　for　there　remain　a　　　great　many　things　thereto　relating　which　have　not　been　　　here　touched　upon。　　　　　　8。　Now　as　to　the　tower　of　Antonia；　it　was　situated　at　the　corner　of　two　cloisters　of　the　court　of　the　temple；　of　that　on　the　west；　and　that　on　the　north；　it　was　erected　upon　a　rock　of　fifty　cubits　in　height；　and　was　on　a　great　precipice；　it　was　the　work　of　king　Herod；　wherein　he　demo