In reference to the windows, it should be observed that they served chiefly for ventilation, since the light within the Temple was obtained from the sacred can- dlesticks. It seems, from the descriptions of the Tem- ple, to be certain that the "l"'^'!, oracle, or holy of ho- lies, was an adytum without windows. To this fact Sol- omon appears to refer when he spake, " The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness" (1 Kings viii, 12).
The "l''2'7, Oracle, had perhaps no other opening than the entrance, which was, as we may infer from the prophetic visions of Ezekiel (which probably correspond with the historic Temple of Solomon), six cubits wide.
From 1 Kings vii, 10, we learn that the private dwell- ings of Solomon were built of massive stone. We hence infer that the framework of the Temple also consisted of the same material. The Temple was, however, wain- scoted with cedar wood, which was covered with gold. The boards within the Temple were ornamented by beautiful carvings representing cherubim, palms, and flowers. The ceiling of the Temple was supported by beams of cedar wood (comp. Pliny, Hist. Nat. xvi, 69). The wall which separated the holy from the holy of holies probably consisted not of stone, but of beams of cedar. It seems, further, that the partition partly con- sisted of an opus reticulatum, so that the incense could spread from the holy to the most holy. This we infer from 1 Kings vi, 21: "So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold; and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle, and he overlaid it with gold."
The floor of the Temple was throughout of cedar, but boarded over with planks of fir (1 Kings vi, 15). The doors of the oracle were composed of olive-tree; but the doors of the outer temple had posts of olive-tree and leaves of fir (ver. 31 sq.). Both doors, as well that which led into the Temple as that which led from the holy to the holy of holies, had folding-leaves, which, however, seem to have been usually kept open, the aper- ture being closed by a suspended curtain — a contrivance still seen at the church-doors in Italy, where the church- doors usually stand open ; but the doorways can be passed only by moving aside a heavy curtain. From 2 Chron. iii, 5, it appears that the greater house was also ceiled with fir. It is stated in ver. 9 "that the weight of the nails employed in the Temple was fifty shekels of gold ;" and also that Solomon " overlaid the upper chambers with gold."
The lintel and side posts of the oracle seem to have circumscribed a space which contained one fifth of the whole area of the partition; and the posts of the door of the Temple one fourth of the area of the wall in which they were placed. Thus we understand the passage 1 Kings vi, 31-35, which also states that the dour was cov- ered with carved work overlaid with gold.
Within the holy of holies stood only the ark of the covenant; but within the holy were ten golden candle- sticks and the altar of incense. SeeALTAu; Candle- stick.
The Temple was surrounded by an inner court, which in Chronicles is called the court of the priests, and in Jeremiah the upper court. This, again, was surround- ed by a wall consisting of cedar beams placed on a stone foundation (1 Kings vi, 36): "And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of ce-
dar beams." This enclosure, according to Josephus (.4 nt. viii, 3, 9), was three cubits high. Besides this inner court, there is mentioned a great eourt (2 Chron. iv, 9): "Furthermore, he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass." It" seems that this was also called the outward court (comp. Kzek. xiv, 17). This court was also more especially called the court of the Lord's house (Jer. xix, 12 ; xxvi, 2). These courts were surrounded b}' spacious buildings, which, however, ac- cording to Josephus ( War, v, 5, 1), seem to have been partly added at a period later than that of Sfilomon. For instance (2 Kings xv, 35), Jotham is said to have built the higher gate of the house of the Lord. In Jer. xxvi, 10 and xxxvi, 10 there is mentioned a new gate (comp. also Ezek. xl, 5-47; xlii, 1-14). But this pro- phetic vision is not strictly historical, although it maj' serve to illustrate history (comp. also Josephus, Ant. viii, 3, 9). The third entry into the house of the Lord mentioned in Jer. xxxviii, 14 does^not seem to indicate that there were three courts, but appears to mean that the entry into the outer court was called the first, that into tlie inner court the second, and the door of the sanctuary the third. It is likely that these courts were quadrilateral. In the visions of Ezekiel thev form a square of four hundred cubits. The inner court con- tained towards the east the altar of burnt-offering, the brazen sea, and ten brazen lavers; and it seems that the sanctuary did not stand in the centre of the inner court, but more towards the west. From these descrip- tions we learn that the Temple of Solomon was not dis- tinguished by magnitude, but by good architectural proportions, beauty of workmanship, and costliness of materials. Many of our churches have an external form not unlike that of the Temple of Solomon. In fact, this Temple seems to have been the pattern of our church buildings, to which the chief adilition has been the Gothic arch. Among others, the Roman Catholic church at Dresden is suii|iosed to bear much resem- blance to the Temple of Solomon.