The list of places in Jerusalem mentioned in the book of Jeremiah is quite long. Unfortunately, however, the exact location of most of them is unknown.
The temple
The plan and construction of Solomon’s temple are described in the books of both Kings and Chronicles, and many incidental references are also included. These give us hints as to details that are referred to in Jeremiah.
The temple was similar to the tabernacle constructed by Israel in the wilderness. It was designed to have a place for God to live among his people without his holiness causing widespread death. God said he would appear above the mercy seat which formed a cover over the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:22; 30:6). In both the tabernacle and the temple, this was placed in the inner sanctuary, also called the Most Holy Place.[1] Only the High Priest was allowed to enter this
room, and he only once per year.
Outside the separating veil or doors, there was an area called the Holy Place.[2] This room was twice as large as the Most Holy Place and contained items that were used by the priests every day.
These two rooms were in a special tent in the tabernacle and formed the inner rooms of the central building in the temple.
Chambers and the vestibule
Jeremiah mentions several chambers in the temple, and these are probably the chambers referred to in 1 Kings 6:5:
He [Solomon] also built a structure against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around.
1 Kings 6:5
The chambers were in three stories, increasing in width from 5 cubits (2.3 metres / 7 feet 6 inches) on the ground floor to 7 cubits (3.2 metres / 10 feet 6 inches) on the top level. Some of the chambers seem to have been used as offices or meeting places, while others may have been used for the storage of tithes (2 Chronicles 31:11-12) or other objects – possibly including the Book of the Law found by Hilkiah in the time of Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:14).
An entrance hall or vestibule was also built in front of the entrance to the Holy Place. This may be what is called the “Court of the Priests” in the description of Solomon’s construction (1 Chronicles 4:9).
The chambers and vestibule have no equivalent in the original tabernacle.
At some time, other buildings must have been built within the temple precinct, as they are mentioned as being present in the time of Josiah. These are also included in the list of locations in the temple below.
Courts and gates
When Solomon built the temple, two open courts appear to have surrounded the central building: an inner court and an outer (or great) court.
We are also told that King Jehoshaphat stood before the new court of the temple,[3] so at some time, a new courtyard was added to the temple.
When King Joash became king, an upper gate to the palace is mentioned[4] (also called the gate of the guard[5]) which appears to be the palace’s closest gate to the temple. We are also told that a later king, Jotham, built the upper gate of the temple,[6] which appears to provide a direct connection between the palace and the temple.
Maybe it led into the new courtyard, but if so, something had changed by the time Manasseh built altars to idols in “both courts” of the temple. The new court of the temple seems to have been removed or the configuration had changed so that there were only two courts again. Possibly Manasseh had claimed the extra court as part of his palace. We don’t know, but an upper court is mentioned in Jeremiah which is linked with the New Gate of the temple and entrance from the
palace.
Jeremiah also writes of a New Gate of the temple,[7] which may refer to a gate that led from the palace directly into the temple courts.
Unfortunately, all we can find are hints and possibilities, which makes it hard to draw a map where uncertainty is hard to show.
From the hints there are, I conclude that at the time of Josiah the extra, third, court was again included in the temple. Called the “new” or “upper” court, it could be entered directly from the king’s palace through a gate called the “new” gate of the temple. The court probably contained more chambers that were used by the king’s staff.[8]
Gates of the city
Several of Jerusalem’s gates are mentioned in Jeremiah – see article “The city gates of Jerusalem” (https://www.bibletales.online/jerusalems-gates/).
Locations
The locations listed below are grouped in the same way as they have been in earlier lists. If you look carefully, you will find that a few extra items have been added.
Jerusalem
- Zion (mostly appears almost interchangeable with Jerusalem) (17 times: eg. Jeremiah 50:5, 28; 51:10, 24,35)
- The temple (11 times) / the Lord’s house (9 times: eg. Jeremiah 7:2; 19:14; 26:2; 36:6) / house of the Lord (23 times: eg. Jeremiah 20:2; 26:10; 36:10):
- court (Jeremiah 19:14; 26:2)
- upper court (Jeremiah 36:10)
- both courts (2 Kings 21:5; 2 Chronicles 33:5)
- Entry of New Gate (Jeremiah 26:10; 36:10)
- 3rd entrance to/from (entrance from palace to temple?) (Jeremiah 38:14)
- Upper Benjamin Gate (Jeremiah 20:2)
- Chamber of sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah (Jeremiah 35:4)
- Chamber of officials (Jeremiah 35:4)
- Chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum (doorkeeper) (Jeremiah 35:4)
- Chamber of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan (scribe) (Jeremiah 36:10)
- Chamber of Nathan-melech (chamberlain) at the entrance of the temple (2 Kings 23:11)
- Houses of the male cult prostitutes (2 Kings 23:7)
- King’s palace(s) (Jeremiah 6:5; 9:21; 17:27; 30:18; 32:2):
- Court of the guard (located in the palace, Jeremiah 32:2) (Jeremiah 32:8, 12; 33:1; 37:21; 38:13, 28; 39:14-15)
- Cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son (Jeremiah 38:6-13) (located in the court of the guard, Jeremiah 38:6)
- Scribe’s (the secretary’s) chamber in palace (Jeremiah 36:12)
- Winter house in court of the king in the palace (Jeremiah 36:20-22)
- Chamber of Elishama the scribe (Jeremiah 36:20-21 – located in the palace (Jeremiah 36:12))
- King’s garden (against wall with a gate leading into the area between the walls) (Jeremiah 39:4; 52:7). Probably the same as the Garden of Uzza where King Manasseh and King Amon were buried (2 Kings 21:18, 26).
- Tower of Hananel (Jeremiah 31:38)
- Benjamin Gate (Jeremiah 37:12-13; 38:7)
- Corner Gate (Jeremiah 31:38)
- Horse Gate (Jeremiah 31:40)
- Middle Gate or middle of the gate (Jeremiah 39:3)
- People’s Gate? (Jeremiah 17:19)
- Potsherd Gate (Jeremiah 19:2)
- 2nd Quarter (home of Huldah) (2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34:22; Zephaniah 1:10)
- Bakers’ street (Jeremiah 37:21)
- House of Jonathan the secretary/scribe (prison/dungeon) (Jeremiah 37:15-16, 20; 38:26)
- Valley of Ben Hinnom (Slaughter) / Topheth (Jeremiah 7:31-32; 19:2, 6; 32:35)
- Valley of the dead bodies (cemetery) (Jeremiah 31:40; 26:23? 2 Kings 23:6; 2 Chronicles 34:4)
- Brook Kidron (Jeremiah 31:40)
- Line to Hill Gareb and turn to Goah (Jeremiah 31:39)
- Outer wall built by Manasseh on the west of side of Gihon, in the valley (2 Chronicles 33:14)
Judah/Israel
- Anathoth (Jeremiah 1:1; 11:21, 23; 29:27; 32:7-9)
Notes
[1] Exodus 26:33-34;40:3, 20-21; 1 Kings 6:16, 19; 8:6; 2 Chronicles 5:7
[2] Exodus 26:33; 1 Kings 8:8; 2 Chronicles 5:9
[3] 2 Chronicles 20:5
[4] 2 Chronicles 23:20
[5] 2 Kings 11:19
[6] 2 Chronicles 27:3
[7] Jeremiah 26:10; 36:10
[8] Jeremiah 36:10
