Jerusalem temple

Model of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in the CenturyIa. C.

Priestly Indumentary, Menorah (seven-armed candlestick), Ark of the Covenant and other utensils of the Temple of Jerusalem.

The temple of Jerusalem (Hebrew: בית המקדש, Beit Hamikdash) was the most important sanctuary of the kingdom of Judah, and of Judaism, until its destruction in the year 70.

According to the Bible, it was the only legitimate sanctuary of the Israelite people and contained inside the Ark of the Covenant, a gold altar, candlesticks of the same metal, a table with sacred bread and other utensils used to carry out the cult of the god Yahweh. It was located on the esplanade of Mount Moriah, in the city of Jerusalem, possibly where the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque are located.

Two successive temples are usually distinguished: the so-called First Temple or Temple of Solomon was built, according to the Bible, by King Solomon to replace the Tabernacle as the only center of worship for the twelve tribes of Israel. Its construction marked a break with the Hebrew tradition according to which the god Yahweh lived in a tent, the tabernacle, and not in a house. C., desecrated by some of the kings of Judah and destroyed by the Babylonians during the third siege of Nebuchadnezzar II against Jerusalem in 587 BC. C. There are no archaeological remains of it.

The Second Temple was completed by Zerubbabel in 515 B.C. C., when Judea was under Persian sovereignty, during the reign of Darius I and subsequently consecrated by the high priest Esdras. It became the most important building in the city of Jerusalem and Judea, to the point that some authors called the latter a "temple-state". Place of deposit of great treasures, the Seleucid kings, to whom Judea was subject, tried to plunder it. In the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes it was desecrated, becoming a Hellenistic temple possibly consecrated to the god Zeus. After the Maccabean revolt, he was purified and rededicated to the cult of Yahveh by Judas Maccabee in 165 BC. C. At the end of the century I a. C., was expanded and rebuilt by King Herod, becoming the focal point of Judaism. In the first Jewish war, it was besieged by the Romans and destroyed by the legions under the command of Titus in the year 70. Its main vestige is the Wailing Wall, also known as Kotel or Western Wall. After a short-lived restoration of Jewish worship during the Bar Kochba revolt in the II century, the area was occupied by a vast complex of Hellenic sanctuaries built by order of Hadrian, in the city of Aelia Capitolina, which replaced Jerusalem. During the rule of Julian, known as the Apostate by Christians, there was a failed attempt to rebuild the Temple. In the 7th century, finally and with the city in the hands of the Muslims, the Dome of the Rock was built in the area and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

According to some currents of Jewish eschatology, a Third Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt with the arrival of the Messiah.

The First Temple

Computer reconstruction of the Temple of Solomon (2010).

Reconstruction of the premises of the Temple of Solomon. From right to left: Vestub (white), Santo (green clear), Santo de los Santos (red). Encyclopaedia Biblica1903.

Longitudinal section of the Temple of Solomon.

Fragment of glass with the Temple of Solomon, centuryIII. Note the two free pillars. Encyclopaedia Biblica1903.

Evidence

The available data on the so-called First Temple derive from the Bible and were written down between the VIII century and the IV century BC. C. As there are no archaeological remains, partly due to the presence of Muslim religious buildings in the area, very little can be verified about its history. Archaeologists and historians consider that a large part of the stories referring to the Temple project the characteristics of the author's time into the past, which is evident in the description of him that follows models after the time of Solomon. On the other hand, there is a consensus about the small size of Jerusalem between the 10th and 8th centuries BC. C., since its growth, and that of the kingdom of Judah, date from the reigns of Ahaz and Hezekiah, when refugees from the destroyed Kingdom of Israel settled in the southern kingdom.

According to the Bible, this temple was built by King Solomon the son of King David around 960 B.C. C. and functioned as the main sanctuary of the Israelites, to replace the Tabernacle that, since the Exodus, was used as a center of worship to the god Yahweh. The Tabernacle contained, according to some traditions, the Ark, which was taken to Jerusalem by King David and deposited under a tent on an esplanade near the royal palace, known as Mount Moriah. This area was a threshing floor, perhaps sacred to the Jebusites, belonging to one Ornan (or Arauna, according to another transliteration), in which some researchers see the Jebusite king of Jerusalem. David bought the land from Ornan to build the Temple, but such work was prevented by the prophet Nathan, who said he had received a revelation, according to which Solomon, son of David, would be in charge of such a task. The Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles agree on this point, but the second highlights that David was the one who conceived the Temple and its cult in its smallest details.

Construction

The Bible recounts the construction of the Temple in the First Book of Kings, chapter 6 and in parallel, with some variations, in the Second Book of Chronicles, chapters 3 and 4. According to the narrative, David reigned Over the Hebrew kingdoms of Israel and Judah, from the city of Jerusalem, his successor, Solomon was a peaceful (which is what his name means) and prosperous monarch, who used his enormous wealth to erect numerous buildings throughout the kingdom. As part of the construction of his palace, on a large esplanade to the north of his capital, he decided (following the mandate of his father) to build a temple in honor of the national god. It was attached to the royal residence, which is why it is currently considered a kind of sovereign's private chapel, but since later theology introduced the idea of a single sanctuary, the Bible presents it as the only legitimate temple in the kingdom.

The Temple was built in the style of the Canaanite sanctuaries, the description corresponds to the forms of the VIII century B.C. C., while Solomon would have reigned in the X century B.C. C., and was executed by means of levies under the direction of a certain Hiram, son of an Israelite from the tribe of Naphtali and a Phoenician bronzer, and with the support of King Hiram of Tire (not to confuse both), who provided architects, specialized workers and cedar wood for the work.

The First Book of Kings indicates that construction began during the fourth year of Solomon, in the month of Ziv, the second of the religious year. This is equivalent, if conventional chronology is accepted, to the year 966 BC. The Temple itself took seven years to complete, but the complete work on the palace took twenty. In the seventh month, during the Feast of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), the Ark of the Covenant was carried by the Levites from its tent in the City of David to the Holy of Holies in the Temple.

Dedication

Artistic representation, of the Dedication of the Temple by Solomon. (Acuarela by James Tissot v. 1896-1902)

Chapters 8 of I Kings and 6 of 2 Chronicles recount the events of the consecration of the Temple. When the priests emerged from the Most Holy after placing the Ark, the Temple was filled with a luminous cloud that was the expression of the Glory of Yahweh, which was interpreted by Solomon as a sign of divine approval. Later, Solomon on behalf of the The people of Israel delivered a prayer, in which they pointed out that the construction of the temple represented the fulfillment of God's promise to David, dedicated it as a place of prayer and reconciliation for the people of Israel and for resident foreigners, and stressed that God who lives in Heaven cannot be contained within a single building. The dedication concluded with music, singing, and sacrifices so great that they had to be offered outside the temple grounds, because the altar inside the temple was not large enough. The entire festivity lasted eight days and was attended by Israelites who came from all over the kingdom, described as from "the entrance of Hamat to the stream of Egypt". The after party of Tabernacles extended the entire celebration to 14 days.

After the dedication, the divinity revealed to Solomon in a dream that God would listen to his people as long as they fulfilled their pact not to worship other gods and respect the Torah. Otherwise, God would abandon the Temple.

Description

The Temple itself, according to the description in the Bible, was a building oriented on a longitudinal axis in an east-west direction. The building must have had an interior length of approximately 27 meters, a width of 9 meters and a height of also 13.5 meters (60×20×30 cubits). Its dimensions, therefore, were comparable to those of a chapel, but worship was generally carried out from outside. On both sides of the entrance to the temple were erected two columns, called Jachin and Boaz. The priests and the king entered the Temple through a large gold-plated gate, approximately 10 meters high and 4 meters wide. Behind that door were three enclosures.

A vestibule was followed by two other rooms. The first of these enclosures was called Hejal or Holy (that is, Holy Place or Sanctuary), which was illuminated through high windows. The width and length of this room kept a ratio of 1:2, which means that the plan of the Hejal was composed of a double square. The stone forging was covered by a cedar wood flooring. The walls and beams of the Hejal slab were covered with sheets of Lebanese cedar.

The third chamber, called Dvir or Kodesh Ha-Kodashím, was the holiest place in Solomon's Temple. In Latin it is known as Sancta Sanctorum and in Spanish as "Santo de los Santos". The latter enclosure was at a higher level than the Hejal and could only be accessed by climbing a ladder. The Dvir was in the shape of a cube approximately 10×10×10 meters (20×20×20 cubits). In its center was the Ark of the Covenant (a large chest made of acacia wood, covered with gold plates and with four rings at the corners in which poles were sometimes placed to transport it; inside the Ark the Tablets of the Law, given by God to Moses, and the Tablets in turn carried the Ten Commandments engraved, serving as a connection between God and Israel).

The inner courtyard of the Temple was surrounded by a wall formed by three layers of stone blocks covered by cedar wood beams. Pilgrims and masses of faithful could enter this inner courtyard, but the Temple Sanctuary was only accessible to priests and the monarch on duty.

The construction of the Temple of Jerusalem was the most important event of Solomon's reign, thanks to which his name has been remembered until 30 centuries after his death. Already in the Bible the Temple monopolizes most of the writings where King Solomon appears. Its fame has transcended time and, as an ideal building conceived by God, it constitutes to this day an important reference and source of inspiration in terms of design and architecture.

After Solomon's death, the temple suffered desecration due to foreign invasions and also the introduction of Syro-Phoenician deities. However, it was rededicated in its original condition during the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah.

Temple Implements

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  Table of proposed breads.

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  Menorah.

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  Incense Altar.

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  Dating Altar.

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  Metal source.

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  High priest of Israel with the temple utensils, among which stands out minor. Regensburg Pentateuch, Bavaria, 1300.

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  Temple Utensils, including the minor. Bible Kennicott, Sephardic manuscript, 1476.

Destruction of the First Temple

Incisive registration in the only vestige that survived.

The troops of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed it in 586 BC. C., also taking a large part of the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Judah captive to Mesopotamia, which led to the exile and captivity of the Hebrews in Babylon.

No vestige of Solomon's Temple has been preserved. Until 2011 it was believed that a very small ivory pomegranate with an inscription in paleo-Hebrew characters that reads: "[Belonging] to the Temple of [Yahweh]h, consecrated to the priests", was a remains of the Temple utensils, but today it is known that although the pomegranate is an ancient object, the inscription is a recent forgery. It was exhibited at the Israel Museum, which withdrew it in 2011. [1]

The Second Temple

General plan of the Temple of Jerusalem.

Reconstruction of Zerubbabel

After the return from captivity and under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the necessary arrangements were made to reorganize the devastated Kingdom of Judah and rebuild its Temple, which had disappeared by then for seven decades. The newly arrived group consisted of 42,360 Jewish people., including children, along with his 7,337 servants and 200 musicians (Ezra 2:65). He had completed the long and dreary return home from the banks of the Euphrates to Jerusalem. These people were animated by a strong religious impulse and one of their first concerns was to restore their ancient house of worship, rebuilding the Temple and restoring its rituals.

Along with Zerubbabel's invitation, the governor displayed a noble gesture by contributing 1,000 gold darics and as many gifts. The people also contributed their share to the sacred treasury and did so with great enthusiasm (Ezra 2). He first got up and dedicated the altar to God at the exact spot where his predecessor stood. The charred rubble found at what had been the site of the First Temple was then cleared away. Finally, in the second month of the second year (535 BC), and to the excitement and jubilation of the public gathered there (Book of Psalms 116-118), the foundations of the Second Temple were laid. This act was important for the Hebrew people, also giving rise to not a few memories (Zechariah 4:10).

From the Samaritan offer to the completion of the works

The Samaritans made a proposal to collaborate in the work. But Zerubbabel along with the council of elders declined the offer since they understood that Judea should build the Temple without outside help. As a consequence, malicious reports were spread about the Jews; according to Ezra 4:5, the Samaritans sought to frustrate the purpose of building the Temple and sent messengers to Ecbatana and Susa, which caused the reconstruction works to be delayed and finally suspended.

Seven years after this episode, Cyrus the Great, who had allowed and ordered the rebuilding of the Temple, died and was succeeded by his son Cambyses. Then Esmerdis occupied the throne for about seven or eight months. Finally, Darius I (521 BC) ascended and, in the second year of his reign, the reconstruction work of the Temple was resumed until its completion. It developed from the encouragement, advice, and premonitions of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. In the spring of 516 B.C., twenty years after the return from captivity in Mesopotamia, the Temple was ready for its consecration. According to the Book of Ezra (6:15), the Temple was completely finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius I.

Herod's Renewal

Stone of the Second Temple of Jerusalem with Hebrew inscription: "To the place where trumpets sound."

The chandelier of the seven arms is among the spolies of the Temple of Jerusalem. Relieve of the Arch of Titus, Rome.

The Kotel is one of the few architectural remains of the Temple of Jerusalem. The large blocks visible in this photograph go back to Antiquity.

Muro de las Lamentaciones, part of the wall of containment of the explanade of the venerated Temple due to its relationship with the divine presence (Shejiná).

Around 19 B.C. C., King Herod the Great began a massive renovation and expansion of the Temple. This one was practically demolished and a new one was built in its place. The new structure is sometimes referred to as Herod's Temple, but generally it continued to be called the Second Temple. Sacrificial rituals were resumed in it. The surface occupied by the new building occupied an esplanade 500 meters long by 300 meters wide.

On September 25, 2007, archaeologist Yuval Baruch, together with the Israel Antiquities Authority, announced the discovery of one of the quarries that provided Herod with the stones for the Temple. In said quarry, coins, pottery pieces and iron posts were found, which are dated around 19 a. C. Another archaeologist, Ehud Nesher, confirmed that the long outlines of the rocks show that it was a massive public project in which hundreds of slaves probably worked.

Features of the Second Temple

In the Second Temple were not the Ark of the Covenant, nor its content, which included the Tables of the Law and the measure of manna, the Urim and the Thumim, the bronze serpent (destroyed by Hezekiah already in the First Temple) and Aaron's rod. These sacred objects disappeared after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.

As in the Tabernacle, the Kodesh Hakodashim (Holy of Holies) was separated by curtains, there was a single Menorah on the Hejal (Holy), as well as a table for showbread and an altar of incenses; Gold vessels that belonged to the Temple of Solomon were also preserved and, although they had been taken to Babylon, they were later returned to the Temple of Jerusalem by Cyrus.

The Second Temple differed from its predecessor because it featured trees in its courtyard and also had an area reserved for Gentiles.

Destruction of the Second Temple

In 66 AD. C., the Jewish population rebelled against the Roman Empire. Four years later, in 70, Roman legions under Titus recaptured and then destroyed most of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. The Arch of Titus, erected in Rome to commemorate Titus' victory in Judea, depicts Roman soldiers carrying the Menorah from the Temple. Jerusalem was razed to the ground by the Emperor Hadrian again in 135.

Christian tradition and the Temple

The Temple of Jerusalem is, according to a Christian tradition, the preparatory expression for the new Temple: Christ. She maintains that as God's dwelling among men, the Jerusalem Temple prefigures the definitive dwelling that is incarnated in the figure of the Redeemer. The basis of this notion has its main reference in the Gospel: & # 34; the verb became flesh, and put his dwelling among us & # 34; (Saint John 1, 14).

To this is added the supposed prophecy of Jesus about the destruction of the Temple before his disciples, admiring the beauty of Herod's Temple. It should be noted that most scholars date the book of Matthew between 10 and 20 years after the destruction of the temple, so it is inferred that the supposed prophecy was a later addition based on the already known fact

When Jesus came out of the Temple, and went away, his disciples approached him to show him the buildings of the Temple. But he answered and said unto them, See all this? In truth, I say to you, there shall be no stone here on stone that is not torn down.

Matthew 24:1-2.

The only remains are remains of the esplanade wall, not the temple itself. In any case, it has remained since then a "symbol monument" and the holiest reference site for Judaism.

Islamic tradition and the Temple

Although not a mosque in the strict sense of the term, the Dome of the Rock is undoubtedly a place of worship for Muslims. The Islamic building houses the so-called "Foundation Rock," whose significance is of paramount importance to the Muslim faith.

The so-called "Roca Fundacional" (Hebreo: מה ה, Even Hashetiá; Arabic: أعرة, Sajrah), preserved inside the Domo de la Roca.

The Foundational Rock is revered by numerous monotheists as the place where Abraham was going to sacrifice his son; on this rock formation was located the most sacred precinct of the Temple of Solomon; And in that same place, centuries after the destruction of the Temple and according to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven, being carried by buraq, a winged horse with a human head that led him there on a "night journey" #34;.

The Foundation Rock also presents an important imprint that, according to Islamic tradition, was made by Buraq when he ascended to heaven or, according to another Islamic version, the archangel Gabriel engraved the aforementioned imprint on the Rock. A hole under the rock, Muslim tradition holds, is reminiscent of Muhammad's turban, who, rising, rejoining himself after praying, would have struck his head on the stone had it not instantly softened.

Considered also holy by the Hebrews, the site in question is no less revered by Muslims, who built the Dome of the Rock to preserve the site and what it involves, since it is extremely significant from a point of view monotheistic view.

Due to its historical and symbolic value, the Dome of the Rock figures as a constant and dominant image in many representations of Islamic culture.

For Muslims even the steps of the Dome of the Rock have important symbolic value. Eight steps ending under arches lead from four sides to the top of the Dome of the Rock; Muslims call these arcades 'mavazin', the scales. According to an Islamic legend, on Judgment Day a horse sow will be stretched out from the 'scales' of the church. to the Mount of Olives and all those resurrected must pass over it: whoever has committed injustices will fall into eternal perdition.

The Temple of Jerusalem in the collective imagination

Images organized in a logical sequence of the biblical events they represent (and not according to when they were taken).

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  King Solomon observes the plans of what will be the First Temple of Jerusalem. Andreas Brugger Fresco, 1777.

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  King Solomon with the model for the Temple of Jerusalem. Gothic sculpture of the Cathedral of Laon, thirteenth century.

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  King Solomon bears the model of the Temple of Jerusalem. Russian Icon, 18th century.

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  Solomon oversees the building of the Temple of Jerusalem. Miniature of the Limburg Brothers, 1412-16.

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  Construction of the Temple of Solomon. Frater Rufillus, Bodmer Codex, 1170-1200.

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  Execution of works for the Temple of Solomon. Bible History, 1450.

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  King Solomon dedicates the Temple of Jerusalem. Gouache by Tissot, 1896-1902.

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  The Ark of the Covenant is introduced into the Temple of Jerusalem. Miniature of the Limburg Brothers, 1412-1416.

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  Dedication of the Temple of Solomon. Oil by Biacciarelli, 1788-1791.

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  High priest with the Temple implements. Regensburg Pentateuch, Bavaria, Germany, 1300.

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  The Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. Xilography of Hatmann Schedel, 1493.

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  Kennicott Bible, Sephardic manuscript, 1476: Temple implementations, including Menorah.

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  The Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. Hagadá de Pésaj, Amsterdam, 1695.

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  Temple of Solomon on Mount Moria. Recorded of the Sephardic Rabbi Jacob Judah Leon, 1665.

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  General Plant of the Temple of Solomon, showing its courtyards. Isaac Newton's plan, 1728.

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  Temple of Solomon. Recorded by Francois Vatable, 1546.

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  Hiram, architect of the Temple of Solomon, portrayed among his famous pillars. Vitral, 1900.

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  The queen of Saba visits the interior of the Temple of Solomon. Oil for De Bray, 1657.

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  The Temple of Solomon in the Old City of Jerusalem. Charles O'Donnell's print, 1871.

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  The First Temple of Jerusalem burned by Nebuchadnezzar. Bible History, 1372.

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  The Temple of Jerusalem provided by Ezekiel. Charles Chipiez, 1887.

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  Less than the vision of the prophet Zechariah. Beer Bible, 1299-1300. Manuscript sefardí illustrated.

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  The Temple of Jerusalem conceived by Zorobabel, governor of Judea under the Aquemenida Empire. Nineteenth Perspective.

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  Zorobabel reconstructs the Temple of Jerusalem. French miniature, 15th century.

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  Herod before the Temple of Jerusalem, 36 B.C. Miniature by Jean Fouquet, 1470-1475.

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  The Second Temple of Jerusalem and its surroundings. Christian van Adrichom, 1584.

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  Model of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, rebuilt by Herod and in times of Jesus, century I a.C.

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  Presentation of Mary in the Temple of Jerusalem. Giotto, 1304-1313

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  Presentation of Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem. Rembrandt, 1631.

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  Jesus and the doctors in the Temple of Jerusalem. Veronese, 1560.

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  Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem. William Hunt, 1860.

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  Sacheus and destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. Nicolas Poussin, 1626.

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  The Western Wall, the only vestige of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. Jean-Léon Gérôme, 1867.

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  Facade for the Third Temple of Jerusalem, to be built by the Messiah, 17th-XVIIIth century. synagogue Istanbuli, Jewish Quarter, Old City of Jerusalem.

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  Contemporary project for the Third Temple of Jerusalem based on the vision of Ezekiel. Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michal, 2010.

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  Menorah inspired by the ancient Temple of Jerusalem, just to be employed in the Third Temple of Jerusalem. Initially exhibited at the Jerusalem Cardo (2007). The Temple Institute, Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Reconstruction plans in the 21st century

In Judaism, there is a belief that the Temple in Jerusalem will be restored at the advent of the Messiah. This new sanctuary is called the Third Temple of Jerusalem. The characteristics and functions of this Temple differ between the different tendencies. In the 21st century, organizations have sprung up in Israel that have drawn detailed plans for this building and even built furnishings for it, among them a menorah.^{[citation needed]}