John 19:13. Pilate came out of his own hall to his judgment seat on the "Pavement" (Chaldee Gabbatha ). Josephus (Ant. 15:8, sec. 5) implies that the temple was near the castle of Antonia, and (Ant. 15:11, sec. 5) that Herod's palace was near the castle. Therefore, Pilate's hall, which was part of the palace, was near the castle. From Ant. 6:1, sec. 8, it appears a pavement was near the castle; therefore it was near Pilate's hall. Thus, Josephus circuitously confirms John that near Pilate's residence there was a pavement. It was outside the judgment hall (Praetorium), for Pilate brought forth Jesus from the hall to it. Pilate's "judgment seat" (beema ) was on it, whereon he sentenced our Lord to crucifixion. Gabbatha is related to gibeah , a bore round hill, implying height and roundness; a rounded elevation with tesselated mosaic.
From the co-author of the classic Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, Fausset's Bible Dictionary stands as one of the best single-volume Bible encyclopedias ever written for general use. The author's writing style is always clear and concise, and he tackles issues important to the average student of the Bible, not just the Biblical scholars. This makes Fausset an excellent tool for both everyday Bible study and in-depth lesson or sermon preparation.Wikipedia
Read More