them their breeches only, and there were windows there,
and over them was written, "used for vestments."(553)

4. He who gained the lot for the incense, took the spoon; and the spoon
resembled a great measure of gold containing three cabs. And the pan was
heaped full of incense; and it had a covering like a kind of weight upon
it.

5. He who gained the lot for the censer, took the silver censer, and went
up to the top of the altar, and he turned the live coals here and there,
and he put them into the censer. He descended, and poured them into a
censer of gold. There was dispersed from them about a cab of live coals,
and he brushed them into the channel for refuse. On the Sabbath he put
over them a cover. And the cover was a great vessel containing a
letech.(554) And there were two chains to it, one by which the priest drew
it down, and one by which he held it from above, that it should not be
rolled about; and it was useful for three purposes, as a covering over the
live coals, and as a covering over the reptile on the Sabbath, and it was
also used to carry down the ashes from the altar.

6. The priests arrived between the porch and the altar. One of them took
the shovel,(555) and flung it between the porch and the altar. No one
could hear the voice of his neighbor in Jerusalem from the rattling of the
shovel. And it was useful for three purposes: when the priest heard its
rattle, he knew that his brother priests were entering to worship, and he
came running; and the Levite, when he heard its rattle, knew that his
brother Levites were entering to chant, and he came running; and the chief
of the Delegates(556) compelled the defiled men to stand in the eastern
gate of the Temple.

Chapter VI

1. The priests began ascending the steps of the porch. They who gained the
lot for the removal of ashes from the inner altar and from the
candlestick, proceeded in front. He who gained the lot for the removal of
ashes from the inner altar, entered the Holy Place, and took the flagon,
and he bowed down and went out. He who gained the lot for the removal of
snuff from the candlestick, entered the Holy Place, and found the two
eastern lamps burning; he removed the snuff from the eastern one and left
the western one burning, and from it he lighted the candlestick in the
evening. If he found it extinguished, he removed the snuff, and lit it
from the altar of burnt offerings. He took the cup from the second step,
and he bowed do