He thought everything must be quiet and holy there. But
when they came into the immense outer court, with its porticos
and alcoves, he found the confusion worse than ever. For there the
money-changers and the buyers and sellers of animals for sacrifice
were bargaining and haggling; and the thousands of people were
jostling and pushing one another; and the followers of the Pharisees
and the Sadducees were disputing; and on many faces he saw that
strange look which speaks of a fire in the heart, so that it seemed
like a meeting-place of robbers.
His father had bought a lamb for the Passover sacrifice, at one of
the stalls in the outer court, and was carrying it on his shoulder.
He pressed on through the crowd at the Beautiful Gate, the Boy and
his mother following until they came to the Court of the Women.
Here the mother stayed, for that was the law--a woman must not go
farther. But the Boy was now "a son of the Commandment," and he
followed his father through the Court of Israel to the entrance
of the Court of the Priests. There the little lamb was given to a
priest, who carried it away to the great stone altar in the middle
of the court.
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