windows

July 5, 2017

The wood paneling (Ezek 41:15-41:17)

“The nave of the temple,

The inner Debir room,

As well as the outer vestibule

Were paneled

All around.

All three

Had windows

With recessed frames.

Facing the threshold,

The temple

Was paneled

With wood

All around,

From the floor

Up to the windows.

Now the windows

Were covered.

They were paneled

With wood

To the space

Above the door,

Even to the inner room,

As well as on the outside.”

Ezekiel explained about the wonderful wood paneling that seemed to be almost everywhere, including the Hekal nave of the temple, the inner Debir room, the holy of holies, and the outer Ulam vestibule. All these places had wood paneling with recessed frames around their windows, although the windows themselves were covered. The wood paneling went from the floor up to the windows. There was even paneling above the door and even in the inner room, as well as on the outside room. They really liked wood paneling.

July 2, 2017

The southern inner court dimensions (Ezek 40:29-40:31)

“Its recesses,

Its pilasters,

Its vestibule

Were of the same size

As the others.

There were windows

All around within it,

As well as in its vestibule.

Its length was

Fifty cubits.

Its breadth was

Twenty-five cubits.

There were vestibules

All around.

They were

Twenty-five cubits deep,

Five cubits wide.

Its vestibule

Faced the outer court.

Palm trees were

On its pilasters.

Its stairway

Had eight steps.”

The inner court is somewhat similar to the outer court, since they were the same size as the others, with windows all around it. The vestibule was 50 cubits or 80 feet long and 25 cubits wide or 40 feet wide. There also was a vestibule that was 25 cubits or 40 feet deep and only 5 cubits or 8 feet wide. These vestibules faced the outer court with palm trees on its pilasters. This stairway had 8 steps, and not 7 like the others that came from the gates. Apparently, this Temple was built on different level terraces.

July 1, 2017

Measuring the gate and its surroundings (Ezek 40:12-40:16)

“There was a barrier

Before the recesses,

One cubit on either side.

The recesses were

Six cubits on either side.

Then he measured the gate

From the back

Of the one recess

To the back of the other.

It was a width

Of twenty-five cubits,

From wall to wall.

He measured also the vestibule,

Twenty cubits.

The gate was

Next to the pilaster

On every side of the court.

From the front of the gate

At the entrance

To the end

Of the inner vestibule

Of the gate was

Fifty cubits.

The recesses

With their pilasters

Had windows

With shutters

On the inside

Of the gateway

All around.

The vestibules also

Had windows on the inside,

All around.

Palm trees were

On the pilasters.”

These recesses, alcoves, or rooms had a barrier on either side of 1 cubit, less than 2 feet. These open-air rooms were 6 cubits on either side of the gate, or about 10 feet. The gate was big and measured 25 cubits wide or about 40 feet wide, while the vestibule was 20 cubits, about 32 feet wide. From the gate to the inner vestibule was about 50 cubits, or 80 feet. These open-air rooms with columns had windows and shutters all around them. The vestibule also had windows on the inside all around. On top of the column pilasters were palm trees. These alcoves may have been some kind of place for guards.

 

November 26, 2016

The unjust king and his house (Jer 22:13-22:14)

“Woe to him

Who builds his house

With unrighteousness!

Woe to him

Who builds his upper rooms

With injustice!

Woe to him

Who makes his neighbors

Work for nothing!

Woe to him

Who does not give them

Their wages!

Woe to him

Who says

‘I will build myself

A spacious house

With large upper rooms.’

He cuts out windows for it.

He panels it with cedar.

He paints it with vermilion.”

This seems to be a swipe at King Jehoiakim or King Eliakim (609-598 BCE) who was put in charge by the Egyptian king. Apparently, he decided to expand the palace using Egyptian styles, like large upper rooms, lots of windows, paneled cedar, and vermilion paint. Jeremiah seems to censure him for building this great palace with injustice and unrighteousness, since he did not correctly pay the people who did the work.

June 4, 2015

The distress of the women of Jerusalem (2 Macc 3:18-3:23)

“People also hurried out of their houses in crowds to make a general supplication because the holy place was about to be brought into dishonor. Women, girded with sackcloth under their breasts, thronged the streets. Some of the young women who were kept indoors ran together to the gates, and some to the walls, while others peered out of the windows. Holding up their hands to heaven, they all made supplication. There was something pitiable in the prostration of the whole populace and the anxiety of the high priest in his great anguish. While they were calling upon the Almighty Lord that he would keep what had been entrusted safe and secure for those who had entrusted it, Heliodorus went on with what had been decided.”

Not only the priests were upset, the whole town was in turmoil. They gathered in small crowds as they worried about the dishonor to their holy Temple. The women wore sackcloth under their breasts. This was the common clothing of those in mourning. Here it seems only the women were wearing these goat hair robes. They young unmarried women were kept indoors. However, they were trying to find out what was going on, as they ran to the gates and walls, and peeked out the windows. They all prayed to heaven. The biblical author called them pitiable, since even the high priest was in anguish. This anxiety was about honor and money. They called upon the Almighty Lord to keep their treasures safe. Nevertheless, Heliodorus was determined to do what he had decided to do, to inspect the Temple finances.