Bible Dictionary
COVERED WAY
The covered way was a gallery or passage associated with the temple in Jerusalem, mentioned in connection with King Ahaz. Its precise purpose is uncertain; it may have served the king, teachers, or priests during Sabbath observances.
Definition
The covered way was a covered gallery or walk associated with the temple in Jerusalem. Its exact purpose is uncertain; it may have been a place for the king during Sabbath services, a public teaching area, or the route by which a priest entered the sanctuary.
Biblical Usage
It is mentioned in the account of Ahaz’s alterations connected with the temple.
Historical Background
The different proposed explanations show that the precise function of this temple gallery is not known.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>kuv'-erd wa (mecakh, "a covered walk"): Mentioned in 2Ki 16:18 (the King James Version "covert") as a gallery belonging to the temple, concerning the purpose of which opinions differ. Some consider it to have been the place where the king stood or sat during the Sabbath services; others, a public place for teaching; others, the way by which the priest entered the sanctuary on the Sabbath.</p>