meal at the wealthy Pharisee’s home (Luke 7:36–50), evidences a larger city dwelling. The Jewish city houses seem to have been made primarily of stone, rock, or brick.1 As far as can be determined the wealthier Jewish homes were built around an open court,2 usually in a rectangular fashion.3 The close connection of a courtyard with the rest of the house is seen from several passages in Jewish literature. In the Mishnah, for example, In discussing a bill of divorce it