An Idealized Temple
The scroll describes a Temple compound arranged in three concentric square courts resembling the Israelites camp in the desert during their exodus from Egypt to the promised land. An idealized "four square" Temple plan is presented in the Temple Scroll. Johann Maier calculated that the scroll dimensions of the three inner courts are:
- Inner Court 280 cubits x 280 cubits (300 x 300 outer square)
- Middle Court 480 cubits x 480 cubits (500 x 500 outer square)
- Outer Court approximately 1600 cubits x 1600 cubits (Contra Yadin whose scheme of the outer court measurements are 294 x 294, 480 x 480, 1590 x 1590 (or 1600 x 1600).)
The sacrificial regulations of Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy are blended and united into one cohesive unit for the ideal Temple. The dimensions of the Temple are much larger than the Solomonic First Temple, probably reflecting the significantly larger population whose needs must be met. This clearly means that the Scroll pre-dates the dramatic expansions of the Second Temple (sometimes referred to as Herod's Temple) which Herod the Great instituted to meet those same needs which had been generated by significant population growth.
The four equal sides to the proposed Temple find an earlier model in Ezekiel's temple (Ezekiel chapters 40-47).
The Temple Scroll describes a Temple, beginning at the centre with the Kadosh Hakadashim, also known as the Holy of Holies. The first court is the area for the priests, the second court is "the area for cultically qualified men" and the third is "the area for ritually pure Israelites." The Scroll begins with the holiest place before working outwards into areas of less and less holiness. There is a strong distinction between the areas.
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