The ground-plan of the temple had been familiar to him from his youth. The mountain Moriah had an average length and breadth of five hundred cubits; its lowest part was towards the east. As it could not contain all the buildings of the temple, Solomon had carried up a wall of great height and strength from the valley of the Kedron, and filled the intermediate space with earth, thus extending the mountain into the valley. After the return from the captivity, the people are said to have erected huge masses of masonry, composed of squared stones, from the valley, on the eastern, southern, and northern sides, between three hundred and four hundred cubits high. Iddo led his friend through the Water-gate into the valley of Kedron, that they might receive an impression of the magnificent exterior of this wonderful work, before they explored the interior. They ascended a flight of steps in the outer wall, and by the Beautiful-gate, called also the gate Susan, entered the court of the Gentiles. This court, a square of five hundred paces, had porticoes on all four sides, three on the south and two on the others. The double row of pillars on the eastern side was called the porch of Solomon. At its western end, but more to the north, stood the sanctuary or temple, properly so called, with its courts. Strangers from heathen countries and uncircumcised persons were admitted into the court of the Gentiles, but were warned by an inscription, in Hebrew and Greek, on the railing at the north-western end, not to proceed any further. Behind this railing you ascended fourteen steps and reached a level court, called _Chel_, ten cubits in breadth, in which was the house of the exposition of the law. It ended with five steps, leading to a second wall, which on the outside was forty and on the inside twenty-five cubits high. In it was the Lower-gate. Here began a court, called the court of the Women, or the Outer court, one hundred and thirty-five cubits long and of equal breadth. It was divided by a wall from the next court, the court of Israel, which had also one hundred and thirty-five cubits of length from north to south, and eleven of breadth from east to west. To go from the court of the Women to the court of Israel, you ascended fifteen steps, and passed through the gate of Nicanor. Next was the court of the Priests, of the same dimensions as the court of Israel. At its termination stood the altar of burnt-offering, fifteen cubits high and fifty in length and breadth. Beside it was the bath which supplied the place of the brazen sea in Solomon’s temple.[111] At the distance of twenty-two cubits the sanctuary with its triple division arose; being besides twenty-two cubits higher than the court of the Gentiles. Along the sides of these courts were porticoes, and a multitude of considerable buildings; the floor was throughout of marble. Footnote 111: 1 Kings vii. 23.