WE GOT IT RIGHT!
It is always gratifying to find new evidence that proves one of our theories to be true. It is especially true when it comes to the design of Solomon’s Temple. After much research, we built a model to illustrate various features of the city of Jerusalem for our book, Jerusalem’s Stones Are Crying Out. The model featured six-chambered gates on the north, east and south sides of the Temple. Biblical Archaeology Review magazine recently printed an article by Yitzhak Magen called Bells, Pendants, Snakes and Stones – A Samaritan Temple to the Lord on Mt. Gerizim. In the composition, the author explains how Sanballat, the builder of the Mt. Gerizim Temple, patterned his building after the Temple in Jerusalem. That means that if we can know the plan of the Mt. Gerizim Temple, we will then also have the plan for the Jerusalem Temple.The article says, "Three of the four walls of the sacred precinct had impressive gates. The best preserved is in the center of the northern wall." All three are six-chambered gates (three chambers on each side of the gate). "The six-chambered gate, still almost complete, in the northern wall of the sacred precinct at Gerizim is also identical to the gates of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, as envisioned by the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 42:1-9), as well as in the temple envisioned in the Temple Scroll among the Dead Sea Scrolls." Not only are the six-chambered gates confirmed here in the Mt. Gerizim Temple but also in the Temple Scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Our greatest satisfaction, however, came when we saw Magen’s reconstructed drawing of the Sacred Precinct. It showed the three six-chambered Temple gates in precisely the same location as shown on our own Temple Mount model.
To order our book, Jerusalem’s Stones Are Crying Out, you may go to the Chrysler Books page.
Section of our model featuring the Temple area (The East Gate is represented at the bottom with the North Gate on the right)
