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Herod's Temple - Court of the Women

Bible overview
3D scenes of the Temple Court of the women.
Contributed by Bible Scenes
Story also available on our translated websites: Spanish, German
1
Jews entering the temple into the Court of Gentiles passed through the Soreg to enter the Court of the Woman (also known as the ‘Middle Court’. The Court of the Women was so named as it was the furthest women were allowed to enter the Temple precincts. – Slide 1
2
According to Josephus the Court of the Women had three gates, one from the east, the south and north. This is the entrance on the east side. – Slide 2
3
Jews went through the outer door and then an inner door to reach the Court of the Women. The Court of the Women was considered more holy than the surface of the terrace that surrounded it. – Slide 3
4
At the west end of the Court stood the magnificent large Nicanor gate. Only men were permitted to go through this gate to enter the Courtyard of Israel. – Slide 4
5
There were entrances into the Court of the Woman on both the south and north side too. – Slide 5
6
This is the entrance on the north side with the south gate opposite. – Slide 6
7
The view of the Court of the Women and Nicanor Gate from the north gate entrance. – Slide 7
8
At the western end of the Court of the Woman in front of the Nicanor Gate were semi-circular steps leading to a platform on which the Levites stood to sing and play musical instruments. – Slide 8
9
According to Jewish tradition in the Mishnah, the 15 Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120–134) were sung by the Levites on these fifteen steps. – Slide 9
10
This is the view of Court of the Woman looking east from in front the Nicanor Gate. The Court of the Women was 71m (232ft) square making an area of 5,023 square meters (52,900 square feet). <br/>It could hold 6,000 worshippers at any one time. – Slide 10
11
In the porticoes around the Court of Women were 13 collection boxes for money. – Slide 11
12
The collection boxes were called ‘shopharot’ or ‘Shofar-chests’. According to one of the Mishnaic tractates each of the 13 collection chests had an inscription indicating the offering to be made. There were receptacles for money for ‘New Shekel Dues’, ‘Old Shekel Dues’, ‘Bird Offerings’, ‘Young birds for the whole-offering’, ‘Wood’, ‘Frankincense’, and ‘Gold for the Mercy Seat’. The remaining six were for ‘Freewill-offerings’. – Slide 12
13
Shofar means a trumpet and this probably refers to the funnel like bronze opening which guided the coins into the wooden box. – Slide 13
14
It was in this part of the temple that Jesus observed a poor widow putting two small coins into a collection box. – Slide 14
15
In the Court of the Women were four massive lampstands. – Slide 15
16
These lampstands were 26.25m (86ft) high which was half the full height of the Temple. – Slide 16
17
At the top of each lampstand was a golden bowl. Four youths of priestly descent climbed the ladders of these lampstands to place 9 litres (2.5 gallons) of oil. Wicks made from the worn-out garments of the priests were used to set the wood alight. – Slide 17
18
These lampstands were lit on each day of the seven day Feast of Sukkot. It was a joyous occasion with music and dancing each evening after the first day of the feast. Jesus refers to this feast in John 7:27-39. – Slide 18
19
There was an upper gallery around the Court of the Woman for the women. A Jewish ruling, in the interest of complete separation, stated that ‘the women would sit above and the men below’ (Sukkah 51b). – Slide 19
20
Slide 20