Ulam

In the eighteenth year (20-19 B.C.) of his reign Herod rebuilt the Temple on a more magnificent scale. There are many evidences that he shared the passion for building by which many powerful men of that time were moved. He had adorned many cities and had erected many heathen temples; and it was not fitting that the temple of his capital should fall beneath these in magnificence. Probably, also, one of his motives was to placate the more pious of his subjects, whose sentiments he had often outraged.

The Jews were loth to have their Temple pulled down, fearing lest it might not be rebuilt. To demonstrate his good faith, Herod acccumulated the materials for the new building before the old one was taken down. The new Temple was rebuilt as rapidly as possible, being finished in a year and a half, although work was in progress on the out-buildings and courts for eighty years. As it was unlawful for any but priests to enter the Temple, Herod employed 1,000 of them as masons and carpenters.

Dimensions.

The Temple proper as reconstructed by Herod was of the same dimensions as that of Solomon, viz.: 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 40 cubits high. This space was divided into the Holy of Holies and the "Hekal." The former measured 20 x 20 cubits; the latter, 20 x 40 ("B.J." 5:5, § 5). At the entrance to the outer Temple hung a veil embroidered in blue, white (byssus), scarlet, and purple; the outer Temple was separated from the Holy of Holies by a similar curtain. The outer curtain was folded back on the south side, and the inner one on the north side, so that a priest in entering the Holy of Holies traversed the outer Temple diagonally. The Holy of Holies was quite empty. In the Holy Place stood the altar of incense, near the entrance to the Holy of Holies the seven-branched golden CANDLESTICK to the south, and the table of showbread to the north. Above the gate of the Temple were golden vines and grape-clusters as large as a man ("Ant." 15:11, § 3; "B. J." 5:5, § 4). The Temple building had an upper story similar in size to the lower ("B. J." 5:5, § 5). Side-structures, as in Solomon's Temple, afforded space for three stories of chambers on the north, south, and west sides of the Temple. These chambers were connected by doors; and trapdoors afforded communication from those of one story to those of the story immediately above or below. The whole breadth of the structure including the side-buildings was 70 cubits (Mid. 4:7).

Greek Inscription, Found on Site of Temple Area, Forbidding Gentiles to Enter Within the Inner Temple Walls.(In the museum at Constantinople.)

East of Herod's Temple there was, as in Solomon's, a porch, 100 cubits wide, 100 cubits high, and 20 cubits deep, thus extending 15 cubits on either side of the Temple ("B. J." 5:5, § 4). Its gateway, which had no gates, was 20 cubits broad and 70 cubits high. Over this gateway Herod erected a golden eagle, which was afterward pulled downby the Jews ("Ant." 17:6, § 2). The front of the porch was covered with gold ("B. J." 5:5, § 4); and it was most brilliant when the rays of the morning sun fell upon it.

In front of the Temple, 22 cubits distant from the porch, stood the altar of burnt offering, constructed of unhewn stones. Its length and breadth were each 50 cubits, and its height 15 cubits ("B. J." 5:5, § 5). To the north of the altar twenty-four rings were fixed in the ground, to which the sacrificial animals were tied. Near by were eight pillars supporting cedar beams, on which the car-casses of the animals were hung. There were also eight marble tables for preparing sacrificial flesh (Mid. 3:5, 5:2; Tamid 3:5; Sheḳ. 6:4). On the south was a bronze laver for the priestly ablutions (Mid. 3:6; Yoma 3:10).

The Temple Courts.

Substructure of Temple of Herod, Now Called "Solomon's Stables."(From a Photograph by the American Colony at Jerusalem.)

If sacred tradition compelled Herod to conform closely to the ancient plan of the holy house, allowing him to vary little from precedents save in its façade, his Grecized taste and his genius for building found ample scope in the Temple courts and cloisters. First of all, he greatly enlarged the Temple area. Josephus says that before the time of Herod the Temple area was square, each side being a stadium ("Ant." 15:11, § 3—conflicting with the statement of Hecatæus, see Jew. Encyc. 12:97b), and that Herod so enlarged the courts that the perimeter was increased to six stadia ("B. J." 5:5, § 2). If the first part of this account is true, only the length of the Temple area was enlarged, the width remaining the same. It is more probable that Herod enlarged the area in both dimensions, though it is possible that it had been enlarged to the size of a square stadium by one of the Hasmoneans. The size to which Herod increased the area was almost that of the present Ḥaram enclosure. The sacred territory has been increased since the time of Herod only on the north.