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[122]
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.
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