en_tw/bible/other/courtyard/01.md

# courtyard, court

## Definition

A courtyard is an enclosed area that is surrounded by a building or walls. It has no roof, but rather is open to the sky. The term "court" is also used to refer to a courtyard.

* The tabernacle was surrounded by one courtyard, enclosed by walls made of thick, cloth curtains. 
* The temple complex in Jerusalem had three inner courtyards: one for the priests, one for Jewish men, and one for Jewish women.
* The inner courtyards were surrounded by a low stone wall that separated them from an outer courtyard where Gentiles were permitted to worship.
* The courtyard of a house was an open area in the middle of the house that could be entered through doors from the house.
* The expression, "courts of Yahweh" is often a figurative way of referring to God's dwelling place or to the place where people go to worship Yahweh.
* A "king's court" can refer to a place in his palace where he makes judgments or to the palace itself. Expressions such as "holding court" or "court is in session" refer to the formal occasion when judgments are being made.
* The term "court" is also used to refer to a place where judges make judgments about legal and criminal matters.


## Translation Suggestions



* The term "courtyard" could be translated as "enclosed space" or "walled-in land" or "temple grounds" or "temple enclosure."
* Sometimes the term "temple" may need to be translated as "temple courtyards" or "temple complex" so that it is clear that the courtyards are being referred to, not the temple building.
* The expression, "courts of Yahweh" could be translated as, "place where Yahweh lives" or "place where Yahweh is worshiped."