The Courtyard

THE ORIENTAL COURTYARD Open to the sky. It is important for the Westerner to realize that at the center of the Oriental house of several rooms is a courtyard that is open to the sky. The courtyard is an important part of the house. A person can be in the court and thus in the house, and yet he would be outdoors from the point of view of the Westerner. As an example, Matthew 26:69 says: "Now Peter sat without in the palace." Now this simply means that Peter was outside the rooms of the palace, and yet he was in the open courtyard, located in the central portion of the building. Although the court is open to the air above, at times an awning is drawn over a portion of it. And some houses have a gallery around the sides of the court. Often planted with trees, shrubs, or flowers. These Oriental courtyards are often made beautiful by the presence of trees, shrubs, or various flowers.7 The Psalmist refers to such a practice with the familiar words: "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God" (Psalm 52:8). And again he said: "Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God" (Psalm 92:13). He is illustrating divine truth by referring to trees so often planted in courtyards of houses. Actually trees were never planted in the Temple courts. Cisterns often built in courts. The interesting story of two men in the days of David who hid from Absalom is told in II Samuel 17:18, 19. "But they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down. And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon: and the thing was not known." The "well" mentioned here was actually a "cistern" which is often dug in Oriental courtyards in order to catch the rain water. When these cisterns are dry, they make good places for fugitives to hide. Because the mouth of these cisterns is at the level of the ground, it makes it easy to cover it over with some article, and then spread grain over that, and thus the place of hiding can be kept secret. Fires often kindled in courts in cold weather. This practice is illustrated in Simon Peter's experience of denying Jesus. A fire was built in the courtyard of the high priest's house where JESUS was being tried. John 18:18 says: "And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself." Courtyard as a bathing-place. When the Scripture says that David from his palace roof saw the beautiful Bathsheba bathing (II Samuel 11:2), it needs to be understood, that she was in the courtyard on the inside of her house, not visible to ordinary observation, yet the king from his palace roof saw her and was tempted to sin. Meals often eaten in the courtyard. Today, as in the days of JESUS, meals are often eaten in the interior court of the Oriental house. No doubt JESUS was entertained at meals which were served in the open court of His host's house. [Manners And Customs of Bible Lands]

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