Dung Gate

Yeah

... we know about the Dung Gate, and we know that they really gotta lock those gates, uh, during the day.

Lock 'em up, guys.

And bar the doors.

I heard- I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall, and I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks.

One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right toward the Dung Gate, and Hoshaiah, uh, and half of the leaders of Judah followed them, along with Azariah, uh, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, as well as some of the priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah, son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, [laughs] the son of Zechar, the son of Asaph and his associates, Shemaiah." Okay.

So, uh, let's see here.

So basically what this is saying is, is that he's basically sending out the choirs and everything to go around the wall, so that way they can praise, and so that way they can sing to God, and they're consecrating the wall, okay? Um, so and it says, uh, verse 44, it says, "At that time, men were appointed in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits, and the tithes.

On the other hand, if you wanted to go to Damascus, you'd go through the Damascus Gate, which would take you on the road to Damascus.

In two small funny stories about these gates, there's one that is very regularly known as the dung gate, as in animal feces.

This gate was often used for removing the trash from the city.

So everybody knew that's the one you don't want to go through, which ironically, many people do go through today because it is very close to the Western Wall.

It is really impressive.

you will see the walls like the people who lived in the first century did, the original bottom layers.

And as you leave the Western Wall Plaza, assuming you leave through Dung Gate, to your left, or where the Western Wall meets the Southern Wall, you will notice that they have uncovered a massive amount of rubble from the original destruction in 70 by the Romans.

As we had just mentioned, the top layers of the walls were pushed down by the Romans in the destruction.

But as it is, the aqueducts which Solomon built to Jerusalem have gone to ruin, and there is now only a four-inch iron pipe running from them to the city.

The pipe comes in near the Dung Gate and goes from there to the temple platform.

I stumbled over it the other day.

I am told that the water is used almost altogether for the Mosque of Omar, although it is connected with the fountains of the city, which are only occasionally allowed to play.

Its sale caused great excitement among the Americans at Jerusalem, and the American colony here protested against the removal of their dead, which they said was done after dark.

The bodies were taken up and carried to the English cemetery.

Continuing our walk, we hug the wall, looking down into the valley of Hinnom, until we come to Zion Gate, and a little farther on to the Dung Gate.

Below this in the valley of Jehoshaphat lies the pool of Siloam.

But as it is, the aqueducts which Solomon built to Jerusalem have gone to ruin, and there is now only a four-inch iron pipe running from them to the city.

The pipe comes in near the Dung Gate and goes from there to the temple platform.

I stumbled over it the other day.

I am told that the water is used almost altogether for the Mosque of Omar, although it is connected with the fountains of the city, which are only occasionally allowed to play.

Its sale caused great excitement among the Americans at Jerusalem, and the American colony here protested against the removal of their dead, which they said was done after dark.

The bodies were taken up and carried to the English cemetery.

Continuing our walk, we hug the wall, looking down into the valley of Hinnom, until we come to Zion Gate, and a little farther on to the Dung Gate.

Below this in the valley of Jehoshaphat lies the pool of Siloam.

Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large processions that gave thanks.

One went to the right on the wall toward the Dung Gate.

Hoshea and half the leaders of Judah followed, along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, and some of the priests' sons with trumpets.

And Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zakkur, son of Asaph followed, as well as his relatives.

They got-

'Cause there was the Dung Gate in, uh-

Oh, dang.

[laughs]

Is it just a name? It's like Montague Street?

It does seem a little bit like-

Or is it, or it's just like, "What's th- what's through the Dung Gate?" And like, you don't wanna know.

It seems insane that you-