University of Virginia Library

Psalm cxviii. 2, 3, 4. “Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth forever. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth forever. Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth forever.”

“This pouring out of water was used every day of the feast; and their rejoicing upon it was so great, that in all this feast, nay, in all their feasts throughout all the year, they had not the like. One of the priests, with a golden tankard, went to the fountain or pool of Siloam, and filled it there with water. He returned back again into the court through that which was called the water gate, and when he came there the trumpets sounded. He goeth up the side of the altar, where stood two basins, one with wine in it, and into the other he put the water, and he pours either the wine into the water or the water into the wine, and then pours them out by way of libation.”—

Lightfoot.

The people, during this ceremony, repeated Isaiah xii. 3: “With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” It is supposed to have been at this period in the solemnity, that our Lord, on the last day, the great day of the feast, stood and cried, saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink,” &c. John vii. 37, 38.

With a reverent hand. It is said that, at the moment of pouring out the water, the people cried out to the priest, “Hold up your hand;” the reason of which was, that on a certain time there was one who poured it upon his feet; upon which the people pelted him with the pomecitrons which they carried in their hands during this festival, and in the disturbance a horn of the altar was broken.

“Dancing, music, and feasting were the accompaniments of this festival, together with such brilliant illuminations as lighted the whole city of Jerusalem.”—Horne.—It was a proverb among the Jews, “He that never saw the rejoicing of the pouring out of water, never saw rejoicing in his life.” It has not seemed necessary, however, to adhere strictly to the accounts we have received of the manner in which the festival was closed. Those who would make the comparison may be pleased to see the following passage from Lightfoot, the latter portion of which is translated from a rabbinical author.

“Towards night, they began the rejoicing for the pouring out or drawing of the water, which mirth they continued far in the night, every night of the feast. . . . . .

“The manner was thus:—

“They went into the court of the women, and there the women placed themselves upon balconies round about the court, and the men stood upon the ground. There were four candlesticks (or beacons, rather, I might call them) of an exceeding great bigness, and mounted on an exceeding great height, overtopping and overlooking the walls of the court and of the mountain of the house, at a great elevation; by every candlestick were four ladders set, by which four of the younger priests went up, having bottles in their hands, that contained a hundred and twenty logs, which they emptied into every cup. Of the rags of the garments and girdles of the priests they made wicks to light those lamps; and there was not a street throughout all Jerusalem that did not shine with that light.

“The religious and devout danced before them, having lighted torches in their hands, and sang songs and doxologies. The Levites, with harps, psalteries, cymbals, and other instruments of music without number, and stood upon those fifteen steps, by which they went down from the court of the women, according to the fifteen psalms of degrees, and sang. Two priests also stood in the upper gate, which goes down from the Court of Israel to the Court of the Women, with two trumpets in their hands.

When the cock crew, [or the president gave his signal,] the trumpets sounded; when they came to the tenth step, they sounded again; when they came to the court, they sounded; when they came to the pavement, they sounded; and so went on sounding the trumpets, till they came to the east gate of the court. When they came thither, they turned their faces from the east to west, and said, Our fathers in this place, turning their backs upon the Temple, and their faces toward the east, worshipped the sun; but we turn our faces to God,” &c.

“The rabbins have a tradition. Some of them, while they were dancing, said, Blessed be our youth, for that they have not made our old men ashamed.

These were the religious, and men of good works. And some said, Blessed be our old men, that have made atonement for our youth. And both one and the other said, Blessed be he who hath not sinned; and he who hath, let it be forgiven him.”—

Lightfoot's Works, IX. 105; XII. 300.

Psalm cxxi. 5–8. “The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, from this time forth, and even forevermore.”

Numbers vi. 23–26. “Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”