the way, a column, or pillar of a cloud, was all that was requisite. 2. At night it became a pillar of fire, not only to direct their journeyings, if they did travel sometimes by night, but to give light to every part of the camp. 3. In such a scorching, barren, and thirsty desert, something further was necessary than a light and a guide. Women and children exposed to the rays of such a burning sun, must have been destroyed, if without a covering: hence we find that a cloud over2. From what St. Paul shadowed them. 1 Cor. x, 1, observes, we may infer that this cloud was composed of aqueous particles for the cooling of that scorching atmosphere, for the refreshment of the people and their cattle; for the apostle represents the whole camp as being sprinkled or immersed in the humidity of its vapours, and expressly calls it as being under the cloud, and being baptized in the cloud. In allusion to the cloud covering the Israelites, there are several references in Scripture; see Ps. cv, 39; Isa. iv, 5, &c.

This daily and nightly appearance, was both a merciful providence to the Israelites, and a demonstrative proof of the truth of their religion. Jewish and Christian writers are not agreed how long this pillar of a cloud continued with the Israelites. It is very probable that it first visited them at Succoth, if it did not accompany them from Ramases, and that it continued with them till they came to the river Jordan to pass over opposite to Jericho; for after that, the ark alone was their guide, as it always marched at their

head. See Josh. iii, 10, &c.

When the Israelites in their travels in the wilderness went to sleep in the evening, they did not know but they might be called

IV. The Temple at Jerusalem.

THE temple of Solomon was built on the model of the tabernacle in some measure, but every way in a more magnificent manner, and its dimensions were by far more extensive. Solomon laid the foundation of the temple in the year of the world 2992, before Christ 1008, and it was finished A.M. 3000, and dedicated in 3001. This magnificent structure was built on the side of Mount Sion, called Moriah, on a very hard limestone rock, encompassed by a very frightful precipice; and the foundation was laid with enormous expense and labour. The entrance stood towards the east, and the holy of holies towards the west. The temple itself, strictly so called, which comprised the portico, the sanctuary, and the holy of holies, formed only a small part of the sacred edifice, being sur rounded by spacious courts, chambers, and other apartments, which were far more extensive than the temple itself; so that the whole made a square of about half a mile in circumference. The temple, considered in itself, was never intended to hold a vast concourse of people; it was only for the service of the

upon to leave that place before morning. They knew not if they should lie down on that spot in the evening for when the pillar of cloud, or the pillar of fire, rose above the tabernacle, it was a signal from God to Israel to strike their tents and move forwards; and when it descended, then they were to halt: and so long as it remained in that resting position were they to remain in the same place. The same temper of mind should be in us now respecting eternity we know not how soon we may be called upon to exchange worlds, whether by night or by day; wherefore we are exhorted" to be always ready." J. Campbell's Remarkable Particulars in the Life of Moses, pp. 122, 123.

Lord, and the priests were the only persons employed in it. So that it was never designed to be a place for the people to worship in, but a place to worship at. There Jehovah was known to have a peculiar residence, and before Him the tribes came; and the priests were, in a manner, mediators between Him and the people. In short, the temple in the promised land was like the tabernacle in the wilderness, the place where God's honour dwelt, and whither the people flocked to pay their adoration.

cubits, or twenty five

The prophet Ezekiel, who was himself a priest, and had seen the temple of Solomon, is supposed to give us a description of it in chapters xl, xli, xlii, &c. The ground-plot upon which the temple was built was a square of six hundred thousand royal feet. Ezek. xlv. This space was encompassed with a wall of the height of six cubits, and of the same breadth. Beyond this wall was the court of the Gentiles, being fifty cubits wide. After this was a great wall, which encompassed the whole court of Israel. This wall was a square of five hundred cubits. The court of Israel was an hundred cubits in square, and was encompassed all around with magnificent galleries, supported by two or three rows of columns. It had four gates, one on each side; and each had an ascent of seven or eight steps. The court was paved with marble of divers colours. The apartments on each side of the court were for the priests to lodge in, and to lay up things necessary for the use of the temple. Before the gate of the court of the priests in the court of Israel was erected a throne for the king, being a magnificent alcove, where the king seated himself when he came into the temple. Within the court

of the priests, and opposite the same eastern gate, was the altar of burnt offerings, of twelve cubits square, according to Ezek. xliii, 12, 13; or of ten cubits high, and twenty broad, according to 2 Chron. iv, 1. They went up to it by a gentle ascent on the eastern side. To the west of the altar of burnt offering, was the temple, properly so called; that is, the Holy of Holies, the holy place, and the porch of entrance. The porch was twenty cubits long, and ten cubits broad. Its gate was fourteen cubits wide. The holy place was forty cubits long, and twenty broad. There stood the golden candlestick, the table of shew bread, and the golden altar, upon which the incense was offered. The Holy of Holies was a square of twenty cubits.* There was nothing in the Holy of Holies, but the ark of the covenant, which contained the tables of the law, and the mercy-seat. The high priest entered here but once a year, on the great day of atonement, and none but himself was allowed to enter. Solomon embellished the interior of this most holy place with palm-trees in relief, and cherubim of wood, overlaid with plates of gold; and, in general, the whole interior was almost all overlaid with plates of gold.

Round the holy place and the Holy of Holies there were three stories of chambers, to the number of thirtythree. Ezekiel makes them but four cubits wide; but in 1 Kings vi, 5, 6, it is said, that the chambers of the first story were five cubits broad, the second six cubits, and the third seven cubits broad.

Since the consecration or dedication of the temple by Solomon to the worship of the Most High, who

* 1 Kings vi, 2, 3, &c; 2 Chron. iii, 8.

し

then vouchsafed to honour it with the Shekinah, or visible manifestation of his glory, this superb and magnificent edifice retained its pristine splendour only for thirty-three or thirty-four years, when Shishak king of Egypt took Jerusalem, and carried away the treasures of the temple, in the year of the world 3033, before Christ 967, (1 Kings xiv; 2 Chron, xii.) and after undergoing various subsequent profanations and pillages, this fine edifice was finally plundered and burnt by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar, A.M. 3416; A.C. 584. 2 Kings xxv; 2 Chron. xxxvi.

The temple continued buried in its ruins for the space of fifty-two years, till the first year of Cyrus, at Babylon, A.M. 3468; A.C. 532. Then Cyrus gave permission to the Jews to return to Jerusalem, and there to rebuild the temple of the Lord. Ezra i. The following year they laid the foundation of the second temple; but they had hardly been at work upon it one year, but they were prohibited to go on with the work, and were not permitted to carry on the building till 5; the reign of Darius, son of Hystaspes, A.M. 3485 A.C. 515; Ezra v, vi; Hag.i. The temple was finished and dedicated four years after, twenty years after the return from the captivity. This second temple was vastly inferior in glory to the first, as it appears from the tears of the aged men who had beheld the former structure in all its grandeur. Ezra

iii, 12.*

*The Jews say that the five following things were wanting this second temple, viz. 1. The Ark and Mercy-seat. 2. The Shekinah, or manifestation of the Divine Presence in the holy of 3. The Sacred Fire on the Altar, which had been first kindled from heaven. 4. The Urim and Thummim. Aud, 5. The

holies,

Spirit of Prophecy.