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[215]
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.
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