Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 1.djvu/229

Plan. 209 The opening of the Eastern Gate in the wall of enclosure, is necessarily six cubits thick ; the remaining five cubits which the text apparently places between the niches, we propose ' — following the Alexandrians — to reserve for the vestibule in the doorway ; for it is absurd to suppose, as all translators have done, a wall of five cubits interposing between cells, that at best would be occupied by doorkeepers, to keep strangers from the sacred area, and enforce decorous demeanour among the Israelites. 2 A thin wall of one cubit sufficed in such a position ; which might be doubled for the more important vestibule and the first niche. If we admit this increase in the thickness of the wall at this point, we shall get the 13 cubits specified in the text for the "length of the gate- way" (Ezek. xl. 11). The gate for Ezekiel, is the whole after part of the structure which frames the door properly so-called. Our illustration (Fig. 134) shows a building in unity with the principal mass both in plan and height ; albeit somewhat in front of it. It comprises the vestibule with its two exits; one leading outside into the court, and the other into the passage along the niches. These are square, measuring six cubits each way, with a barrier to keep the people off. It is from this point that Ezekiel took the width of the structure : " From the roof of one little chamber to the other roof, the breadth of 25 cubits, from doorway to doorway opposite one to the other ; " 3 i.e. ten cubits for the central passage, six for the cells, three for the thickness of the wall, including perhaps, the projection of the terraced roof. 4 That the after part, beyond the small chambers, was in the estimation of the prophet the more important section of the building may be inferred by the noble position towards the temple he assigns to it ; as well as its ampler size of eight cubits, with pillars 60 cubits high, and "a court round about" {Ezek. xl. 14). These words tend to prove that the pillars were towards the court — for on the outside the gate did not project beyond the wall ; nor was there a court right and left. The notion that pillars 30 cubits high could have Ezek. xl. 7. Kai to alâ/x Trrjx ewv irêvre. The Hebrew transcript alkdy. is generally understood to mean irp66vpov. 2 These doorkeepers were soldiers or lévites (2 Kings xi. 5, 6 ; Ezek. xliv. 1 1 ; 1 Chron. xxvi.). 8 We must suppose Ezekiel standing in the passage with outstretched arms to reach the end wall of the twin cells on one side of the doorway, seems suddenly to become aware how exactly opposite they are to the other set. 4 Ezek. xl. 9, n, 12. vol. 1. p