piety":" the dispute still remains in its place" (makom), i.e., in statu quo [ante]. In the verse," Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place" (mekomo) (Ezek. iii. 12), makom has this figurative meaning, and the verse may be paraphrased" Blessed be the Lord according to the exalted nature of His existence," and wherever makom is applied to God, it expresses the same idea, namely, the distinguished position of His existence, to which nothing is equal or comparable, as will be shown below (chap. Ivi.).
It should be observed that when we treat in this work of any homonym, we do not desire you to confine yourself to that which is stated in that particular chapter: but we open for you a portal and direct your attention to those significations of the word which are suited to our purpose, though they may not be complete from a philological point of view. You should examine the prophetical books and other works composed by men of science, notice the meaning of every word which occurs in them, and take homonyms in that sense which is in harmony with the context. What 1 say in a particular passage is a key for the comprehension of all similar passages. For example, we have explained here makom in the sentence" Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place" (mekomo): but you must understand that the word makom has the same signification in the passage" Behold, a place (makom) is with me" (Exod. xxxiii. 26), viz., a certain degree of contemplation and intellectual intuition (not of ocular inspection), in addition to its literal meanling" a place," viz., the mountain which was pointed out to Moses for seclusion and for the attainment of perfection.
CHAPTER IX
THE original meaning of the word kisse," throne," requires no comment. Since men of greatness and authority, as, e.g., kings, use the throne as a seat, and" the throne" thus indicates the rank, dignity, and position of the person for whom it is made, the Sanctuary has been styled" the throne," inasmuch as it likewise indicates the superiority of Him who manifests Himself, and causes His light and glory to dwell therein. Comp." A glorious throne on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary" (Jer. xvii.12). For the same reason the heavens are called" throne," for to the mind of him who observes them with intelligence they suggest the Omnipotence of the Being which has called them into existence, regulates their motions, and governs the sublunary world by their beneficial influence: as we read," Thus saith the Lord, The heavens are my throne and the earth my footstool" (Isa. 1xvi. 1); i.e., they testify to my Existence, my Essence, and my Omnipotence, as the throne testifies to the greatness of him who is worthy to occupy it.
This is the idea which true believers should entertain; not, however, that the Omnipotent, Supreme God is supported by any material object; for God is incorporeal, as we shall prove further on; how, then, can He be said to occupy any space, or rest on a body? The fact which I wish to point out is this: every place distinguished by the Almighty, and chosen to receive His light and splendour, as, for instance, the Sanctuary or the Heavens, is termed" throne": and, taken in a wider sense, as in the passage" For my hand is upon the throne of God" (Exod. xvii. 16)," the throne" denotes here
