KING JAMES BIBLE DICTIONARY

the knoll; gabbatha a vernacular term for the Roman tribunal in Jerusalem

Gabbatha = "elevated or a platform"

1. a raised place, elevation In the Greek was called Lithostrotos, or the pavement of stones,as the Syrian version renders it: it is thought to be the roomGazith, in which the sanhedrin sat in the temple when they triedcapital causes; and it was so called, because it was paved withsmooth, square hewn stones: "it was in the north part; half of itwas holy, and half of it was common: and it had two doors, one forthat part which was holy, and another for that part that was common;and in that half that was common the sanhedrin sat." So that intothis part of it, and by this door, Pilate, though a Gentile, mightenter. This place, in the language of the Jews, who at that timespoke Syrian, was Gabbatha, from its height, as it should seem;though the Syrian and Persian versions read Gaphiphtha, whichsignifies a fence or enclosure. Mention is made in the Talmud of theupper Gab in the mountain of the house; but whether the same withthis Gabbatha, and whether this is the same with the chamber Gazith,is not certain. The Septuagint uses the same word as John here does,and calls by the same name the pavement of the temple on whichIsraelites fell and worshipped God. (2 Chr. 7:

\'95 (Gill)