2. The Captain said to them, “go and see if the time for slaughter approaches?” If it approached, the watchman said, “it brightens.” Matthia, son of Samuel, said, “is it light in the whole east, even to Hebron?” and he said, “yes.”
3. He said to them, “go and bring the lamb from the lamb-chamber.” The lamb-chamber was in the northwest corner of the court, and there were four chambers there, one the lamb-chamber, one the seal-chamber,(540) and one chamber for the burning materials, and one chamber where they made showbread.
4. The priests entered the chamber for the vessels, and they brought out ninety-three vessels of silver and gold. They made the daily sacrifice drink in a golden cup. Even though he was examined the night before, they examined him again by torch-light.
5. He who gained the lot for the daily sacrifice, led the lamb to the slaughter-house, and those who gained the lots for the members, went after him. The slaughter-house was to the north of the altar, and in it were eight dwarf pillars, and beams of cedar-wood were fastened upon them, and iron hooks were fastened in them. And there were three rows of hooks to each of them. Upon them the priests hung the sacrifices, and skinned them, near the marble tables between the pillars.
6. Those who gained the lot for the removal of the ashes from the inner altar, and the ashes from the candlestick, advanced with four vessels in their hands, a flagon(541) and a cup(542) and two keys. The flagon resembled a great golden measure containing two cabs and a half. And the cup resembled a great golden jug. And the two keys to the sanctuary. One key entered the lock up to the shoulder of the priest, and one opened quickly.
7. The priest came to the wicket on the north, and there were two wickets in the great gate, one in the north and one in the south. Through that in the south man never entered, and Ezekiel explains it. “Then said the Lord unto me: This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.”(543) He took the key and opened the wicket; he entered the chamber, and he went from the chamber into the sanctuary, until he came to the great gate. When he came to the great gate, he took down the bar and the bolts and opened it. The slaughterer did not slaughter till he heard the noise of the opening of the great gate.