containers in the court. The Temple proper consisted of a porch beyond which was a large chamber, later called the Holy Place, and beyond this a smaller inner shrine, or the Holy of Holies, into which the ark was brought. The porch was a kind of entrance hall, either projecting or flush with the building itself. It was entered through double doors and was 20 cubits wide and 10 cubits in depth. A courtyard surrounded the whole of the Temple proper. In front of the porch stood two bronze pillars, on the south was Jachin and the northern was Boaz. There has been much speculation as to the meaning of the names, but no certainty is attainable. The Sea of Bronze, which stood on 12 bulls of bronze, was in the court. Also in the court of the Temple, were ten smaller lavers of bronze. The lavers were to wash the sacrificial gifts and the sea for the priests to wash in. Some scholars believe that there was an altar of burnt offering which stood in the court outside of the Temple proper. It is not mentioned in the account of the construction of the temple, though there are allusions to it elsewhere. It is believed that it may have been a movable bronze altar which does not conform to Israelite custom and, therefore, may have been added at a later date. From the porch, double doors of cypress-wood gave entrance to the hekal, or the Holy Place. It was a rectangular room, 40 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. In the hekal were various objects : a gold altar, the table of the shewbread, ten candelabra, and various utensils—lamps, goblets, cups knives, basins, and braziers. The hot bread was placed in the sanctuary on the table of shewbread on the Sabbath day and was eaten by the priests when it was removed. There were twelve loaves, and the number is thought to perhaps represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The description of the Temple in the book of Kings says that there was a golden table be...
