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  • Ezekiel Chapter 40

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A vision of the temple

40 In the 25th year that we had been prisoners in Babylon, the Lord took hold of me with great power. It happened on the tenth day of the first month of the year. It was 14 years since Babylonian soldiers had destroyed the city of Jerusalem. In a vision, the Lord took me there. 2 In the vision, he took me to the land of Israel. He put me on a very high mountain. When I looked towards the south, I saw a group of buildings that looked like a city. 3 The Lord took me there. Then I saw a man who shone brightly like bronze. He was standing at the entrance of a building. He held a linen rope and a stick in his hand. He used them to measure things. 4 The man said to me, ‘Son of man, watch and listen carefully to me. Remember everything that I will show you. God has brought you here so that I can show these things to you. Tell Israel's people about everything that you see.’

The east gate

5 I saw a wall all the way round the place where the temple was. The stick in the man's hand was 3 metres long. He used it to measure the wall. The wall was 3 metres wide and 3 metres high.

6 Then he went to the gate on the east side. He climbed its steps and he measured the size of the entrance. It was 3 metres deep. 7 Beyond this was a passage with three rooms on each side. They were rooms for the guards. Each of these rooms was 3 metres long and 3 metres wide. The walls between the rooms were 2½ metres thick. Beyond them was a passage that was 3 metres long. This went to an entrance room to the yard of the temple. 8 The man measured the entrance room at the end of the passage. 9 It was 4 metres long. It had pillars that were 1 metre thick. It was the nearest part of the gate to the temple. 10 The three rooms on each side of the passage at the east gate were all the same size. The walls that were between each room were also the same size.

11 Then the man measured the passage that went through the gate's entrance. The passage was 6½ metres wide. The gate's entrance itself was 5 metres wide. 12 There was a low wall in front of the rooms on each side of the passage. It was ½ metre high. The rooms were 3 metres square. 13 The man also measured between the back wall of one room and the back wall of the room opposite. It was 12½ metres from one wall to the other wall, across the passage. 14 The entrance room had pillars on the outside that were 30 metres high. The yard was all around three sides of the room. 15 The passage was 25 metres long, from the gate at the front to the entrance room into the yard. 16 The rooms for the guards all had small windows in their outside walls. The walls between the rooms also had small windows. The entrance room to the yard also had windows of the same kind. Men had cut pictures of palm trees on the inside walls of the passage. [ a ]

The outside yard

17 The man took me through the entrance gate into the outside yard of the temple. I saw 30 rooms there, all along the wall of the yard. A path of flat stones was in front of the rooms. 18 The path went all around the yard and it covered the space between the gates. It was called the lower path.

19 The man measured across the outside yard. He measured from the lower gate to the higher gate that went into the inside yard. The man measured 50 metres between the two gates.

The north gate

20 Then the man measured the gate on the north side of the outside yard. 21 He measured the three rooms on each side of the passage and the walls between them. He also measured the entrance room itself. They all measured the same as those in the east gate. The whole entrance was 25 metres long and it was 12½ metres wide. 22 The entrance room, the windows and the pictures of palm trees were the same as those in the east gate. Seven steps went up to the north gate. The entrance room into the yard was at the end of the passage. 23 Opposite this gate, across the yard, was the gate to the inside yard. It was the same as on the east side. The man measured 50 metres between the two gates.

The south gate

24 Next, the man took me to the south side of the yard. I saw another gate there. The man measured the walls and the rooms in that entrance. They were the same size as the other walls and rooms. 25 The rooms in this entrance had windows that were the same as those in the other entrances. The whole entrance was 25 metres long and it was 12½ metres wide. 26 Seven steps went up to it. The entrance room to the yard was at the end of the passage. There were pictures of palm trees on the inside walls of the passage. 27 The inside yard of the temple also had a gate on the south side. The man measured 50 metres between the two gates.

The south gate of the inside yard

28 The man took me through the south gate into the inside yard. He measured the gate. It was the same size as the gates in the outside wall. 29 The rooms for the guards, the walls between them and theentrance room were the same size as the ones at the other gates. There were windows along its walls and in the entrance room. As at the other gates, the whole entrance was 25 metres long and 12½ metres wide. 30 The entrance rooms around the inside yard were 12½ metres wide and 2½ metres long. 31 The entrance room of this gate opened towards the outside yard. There were pictures of palm trees on the walls of the passage. Eight steps went up to this gate.

The east gate of the inside yard

32 The man took me to the east side the inside yard. He measured the gate. It was the same size as the other gates. 33 The rooms for the guards, the walls between them and theentrance room were the same size as the ones at the other gates. There were windows along its walls and in the entrance room. The whole entrance was 25 metres long and 12½ metres wide. 34 The entrance room of this gate opened towards the outside yard. There were pictures of palm trees on the walls of the passage. Eight steps went up to this gate.

The north gate of the inside yard

35 Then the man took me to the north gate. He measured it. It was the same size as the other gates, 36 with rooms for the guards, their walls and an entrance room with windows. The whole entrance was 25 metres long and 12½ metres wide. 37 The door of the entrance room opened towards the outside yard. There were pictures of palm trees on the walls of the passage, on both sides. Eight steps went up to this gate.

Buildings near the north gate

38 There was a small building joined to the entrance room of the north gate. There was a door between this building and the entrance room. In that building, the priests washed the dead bodies of animals for burnt offerings. 39 In the entrance room there were four tables, two on each side of the room. They killed the animals for sacrifices on these tables. They were animals for burnt offerings and also for sin offerings and for guilt offerings.

40 There were four more tables outside the entrance room of the north gate. Two tables were on each side of the steps at the entrance. 41 So there were eight tables on which they killed animals for sacrifices. Four tables were in the yard outside the entrance. Four tables were inside the entrance room. 42 They had used stone to make four tables for the burnt offerings. These tables were 50 centimetres high. Their tops were 75 centimetres square. They put the knives and the other tools that they used to kill the animals on these tables. 43 They put the meat for the offerings on the stone tables. There were hooks all around the inside walls of the room. Each hook was 7½ centimetres long.

44 There were two rooms for singers that had doors to the inside yard. One was beside the north gate and its door opened towards the south. The other room was beside the south gate and its door opened towards the north. 45 The man said to me, ‘The room beside the north gate is for the priests who take care of the temple. 46 The room beside the south gate is for the priests who serve God at the altar. These priests are descendants of Zadok. [ b ] They are the only descendants of Levi who may come near to the Lord to serve him.’

47 The man measured the inside yard. It was square, 50 metres long and 50 metres wide. There was an altar in front of the temple.

The temple building

48 The man took me into the entrance room of the temple building. He measured the walls on each side of the entrance. They were 2½ metres thick. The entrance was 7 metres wide. The walls on each side of the entrance were 1½ metres wide. 49 The entrance room was 10 metres wide and 6 metres long. Steps went up to the entrance room. There were two pillars, one on each side of the entrance.

Footnotes

  1. 40:16 The plan of these gates was like the gates in Solomon's temple. See 1 Kings 6:29-36 .
  2. 40:46 These priests had to belong to the family of Zadok. See Ezekiel 44 .

The New Temple

40 In the twenty-fifth year after we were taken away into captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, [ a ] the Lord ’s power came on me. This was fourteen years after the Babylonians took Jerusalem. On that day the Lord took me there in a vision.

2 In a vision, God carried me to the land of Israel. He put me down near a very high mountain. On the mountain in front of me was a building that looked like a city. [ b ] 3 He took me to that place. There was a man there who looked like polished bronze. He had a cloth tape measure and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing by the gate. 4 The man said to me, “Son of man, [ c ] use your eyes and ears. Look at these things and listen to me. Pay attention to everything that I show you, because you have been brought here so that I can show you these things. You must tell the family of Israel all that you see.”

5 I saw a wall that went all the way around the outside of the Temple. In the man’s hand there was a ruler for measuring things. It was 6 cubits [ d ] long using the long measurement, [ e ] so the man measured the thickness of the wall. It was one ruler [ f ] thick. He measured the height of the wall. It was one ruler tall.

6 Then the man went to the east gate. He walked up its steps and measured the opening for the gate. It was one ruler wide. 7 The guardrooms were one ruler long and one ruler wide. The walls between the rooms were 5 cubits [ g ] thick. The opening by the porch at the end of the gateway that faced the Temple was also one ruler wide. 8 Then he measured the porch. 9 It was 8 cubits [ h ] long. He measured the walls on either side of the gate. Each side wall was 2 cubits [ i ] wide. The porch was at the end of the gateway that faced the Temple. 10 There were three little guardrooms on each side of the gateway. All these rooms and their side walls measured the same. 11 The man measured the entrance to the gateway. It was 10 cubits [ j ] wide and 13 cubits [ k ] long. 12 There was a low wall in front of each room. That wall was 1 cubit [ l ] tall and 1 cubit thick. The rooms were square. Each wall was 6 cubits long.

13 The man measured the gateway from the outside edge of the roof of one room to the outside edge of the roof of the opposite room. It was 25 cubits. [ m ] Each door was directly opposite the other door. 14 [ n ] He measured the faces of all the side walls, including the side walls on either side of the porch at the courtyard. The total was 60 cubits. [ o ] 15 From the inside edge of the outer gate to the far end of the porch was 50 cubits. [ p ] 16 There were small windows [ q ] above all the guardrooms, the side walls, and the porch. The wide part of the windows faced into the gateway. There were carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway.

The Outer Courtyard

17 Then the man led me into the outer courtyard. I saw thirty rooms and a pavement that went all the way around the courtyard. The rooms were along the wall and faced in toward the pavement. 18 The pavement was as wide as the gates were long. The pavement reached to the inside end of the gateway. This was the lower pavement. 19 The man measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner courtyard. It was 100 cubits [ r ] on the east side as well as on the north side.

20 Then the man measured the length and width of the north gate that was in the wall surrounding the outer courtyard. 21 This gateway, its three rooms on each side, and its porch all measured the same as the first gate. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 22 Its windows, its porch, and its carvings of palm trees measured the same as the east gate. On the outside, there were seven steps leading up to the gate. Its porch was at the inside end of the gateway. 23 Across the courtyard from the north gate, there was a gate to the inner courtyard. It was like the gate on the east. The man measured from the gate on the inner wall to the gate on the outer wall . It was 100 cubits from gate to gate.

24 Then the man led me to the south wall. I saw a gate in the south wall. He measured its side walls and its porch. They measured the same as the other gates. 25 The gateway and its porch had windows all around like the other gates. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 26 There were seven steps going up to this gate. Its porch was at the inside end of the gateway. It had carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway. 27 A gate was on the south side of the inner courtyard. The man measured from the gate on the inner wall to the gate on the outer wall . It was 100 cubits from gate to gate.

The Inner Courtyard

28 Then the man led me through the south gate into the inner courtyard. He measured this gate. This gateway measured the same as the other gates to the inner courtyard. 29 Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 30 The porch was 25 cubits wide and 5 cubits long. 31 And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway . There were eight steps leading up to the gate.

32 Then the man led me into the inner courtyard on the east side. He measured the gate. It measured the same as the other gates. 33 Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 34 And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.

35 Then the man led me to the north gate. He measured it, and it measured the same as the other gates. 36 Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 37 And its porch [ s ] was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.

The Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices

38 There was also a doorway in the side walls of the gates. That doorway led into a room where the priests washed the sacrifices. 39 There were two tables on each side of the door of this porch. The animals for the burnt offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings were killed on these tables. 40 There were also two tables on each side of the door on the outside wall of this porch. 41 So there were four tables on the inside wall and four tables on the outside wall—eight tables that the priests used when they killed the animals for sacrifices. 42 There were also four tables made from cut stone for the burnt offerings. These tables were 1 1/2 cubits [ t ] long, 1 1/2 cubits wide, and 1 cubit high. On these tables, the priests put their tools that they used to kill the animals for the burnt offerings and other sacrifices. 43 There were meat hooks three inches long [ u ] on all the walls in this area. The meat of the offerings was put on the tables.

The Priests’ Rooms

44 There were two rooms [ v ] in the inner courtyard. One was by the north gate facing south. The other room was by the south [ w ] gate facing north. 45 The man said to me, “The room that looks to the south is for the priests who are on duty and serving in the Temple area. 46 But the room that looks to the north is for the priests who are on duty and serving at the altar. The priests are from the tribe of Levi. But the priests in this second group are the descendants of Zadok. They are the only people who can carry the sacrifices to the altar to serve the Lord . [ x ]

47 The man measured the inner courtyard. The courtyard was a perfect square. It was 100 cubits long and 100 cubits wide. The altar was in front of the Temple.

The Porch of the Temple

48 Then the man led me to the porch of the Temple and measured the walls on either side of the porch. Each side wall was 5 cubits thick and 3 cubits [ y ] wide. The opening between them was 14 cubits. [ z ] 49 The porch was 20 cubits [ aa ] wide and 12 cubits [ ab ] long. [ ac ] Ten steps went up to the porch. There were two columns for the walls on either side of the porch—one at each wall.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 40:1 tenth day of the month This was the Day of Atonement, 573 B.C. See Lev. 23:26; 25:9.
  2. Ezekiel 40:2 On the mountain … city Or “On the mountain, there was a building that looked like a city with a city south of it.”
  3. Ezekiel 40:4 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel.
  4. Ezekiel 40:5 6 cubits 10' 2 7/16" (3.11 m). Also in verse 12.
  5. Ezekiel 40:5 long measurement Literally, “a cubit and a handbreadth.” This cubit equals 20 5/8" (51.83 cm).
  6. Ezekiel 40:5 one ruler That is, 6 cubits (10' 2 7/16" or 3.11 m). Also in verses 6, 7.
  7. Ezekiel 40:7 5 cubits 8' 6" (2.6 m). Also in verses 30, 48.
  8. Ezekiel 40:9 8 cubits 13' 7 1/4" (4.2 m).
  9. Ezekiel 40:9 2 cubits 3' 4 13/16" (104 cm).
  10. Ezekiel 40:11 10 cubits 17' 1/16" (5.18 m).
  11. Ezekiel 40:11 13 cubits 22' 1 1/4" (6.74 m).
  12. Ezekiel 40:12 1 cubit 20 3/8" (51.83 cm). Also in verse 42.
  13. Ezekiel 40:13 25 cubits 42' 6 1/8" (12.96 m). Also in verses 21, 25, 29, 33, 36.
  14. Ezekiel 40:14 The meaning of this verse in the Hebrew text is uncertain.
  15. Ezekiel 40:14 60 cubits 102' 3/8" (31.1 m).
  16. Ezekiel 40:15 50 cubits 85' 5/16" (25.92 m). Also in verses 21, 25, 29, 33, 36.
  17. Ezekiel 40:16 small windows These let the soldiers defending the city shoot arrows out at the enemy. The narrow part of the window was on the enemy’s side of the wall to give the smallest target.
  18. Ezekiel 40:19 100 cubits 170' 5/8" (51.83 m). Also in verse 23, 27, 47.
  19. Ezekiel 40:37 porch The Hebrew text has “side walls.”
  20. Ezekiel 40:42 1 1/2 cubits 30 5/8" (77.75 cm).
  21. Ezekiel 40:43 meat hooks … long Or “Double shelves three inches wide ….”
  22. Ezekiel 40:44 two rooms Or “rooms for the singers.”
  23. Ezekiel 40:44 south This is from the ancient Greek version. The Hebrew text has “east.”
  24. Ezekiel 40:46 carry the sacrifices … the Lord Literally, “approach the Lord to serve him.”
  25. Ezekiel 40:48 3 cubits 5' 1 3/16" (1.55 m).
  26. Ezekiel 40:48 14 cubits 23' 9 11/16" (7.26 m).
  27. Ezekiel 40:49 20 cubits 34' 1/8" (10.37 m). Also in 41:2, 4.
  28. Ezekiel 40:49 12 cubits 20' 4 7/8" (6.22 m).
  29. Ezekiel 40:49 20 … long Literally, “20 cubits long … 12 cubits wide.”

40 In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the Lord was upon me, and brought me thither.

2 In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.

3 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

4 And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.

5 And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.

6 Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad.

7 And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reed.

8 He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.

9 Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward.

10 And the little chambers of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side.

11 And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.

12 The space also before the little chambers was one cubit on this side, and the space was one cubit on that side: and the little chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

13 He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door.

14 He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate.

15 And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits.

16 And there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees.

17 Then brought he me into the outward court, and, lo, there were chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty chambers were upon the pavement.

18 And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement.

19 Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate unto the forefront of the inner court without, an hundred cubits eastward and northward.

20 And the gate of the outward court that looked toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof.

21 And the little chambers thereof were three on this side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

22 And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before them.

23 And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits.

24 After that he brought me toward the south, and behold a gate toward the south: and he measured the posts thereof and the arches thereof according to these measures.

25 And there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

26 And there were seven steps to go up to it, and the arches thereof were before them: and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, upon the posts thereof.

27 And there was a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south an hundred cubits.

28 And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;

29 And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.

30 And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.

31 And the arches thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it had eight steps.

32 And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures.

33 And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, were according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.

34 And the arches thereof were toward the outward court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.

35 And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according to these measures;

36 The little chambers thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

37 And the posts thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.

38 And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.

39 And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering.

40 And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate, were two tables.

41 Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices.

42 And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice.

43 And within were hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.

44 And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south: one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north.

45 And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house.

46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the Lord to minister unto him.

47 So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house.

48 And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.

49 The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits, and he brought me by the steps whereby they went up to it: and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.

Vision of the Man with a Measuring Rod

40 In the ( A ) twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the ( B ) city was [ a ] taken, on this very day the ( C ) hand of the Lord was upon me and He brought me there. 2 In the ( D ) visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very ( E ) high mountain, and on it ( F ) to the south there was something like a ( G ) structure of a city. 3 So He brought me there; and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of ( H ) bronze, with a ( I ) thread of flax and a ( J ) measuring [ b ] rod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway. 4 And the man said to me, “ ( K ) Son of man, ( L ) see with your eyes, hear with your ears, and [ c ] pay attention to all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here in order to show it to you. ( M ) Declare to the house of Israel all that you see.”

Measurements Relating to the Temple

5 And behold, there was a ( N ) wall on the outside of the [ d ] temple all around, and in the man’s hand was a measuring rod of six [ e ] cubits, [ f ] each of which was a [ g ] cubit and a hand width. So he measured the thickness of the [ h ] wall, one rod; and the height, one rod. 6 Then he went to the gate which faced ( O ) east, went up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one rod [ i ] in width; and the other threshold was one rod [ j ] in width. 7 The ( P ) guardroom was one rod long and one rod wide; and there were five cubits between the guardrooms. And the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate [ k ] facing inward was one rod. 8 Then he measured the porch of the gate [ l ] facing inward, one rod. 9 And he measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its side pillars, two cubits. And the porch of the gate was [ m ] faced inward. 10 The guardrooms of the gate toward the east numbered three on each side; the three of them had the same measurement. The side pillars also had the same measurement on each side. 11 And he measured the width of the [ n ] gateway, ten cubits, and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 12 There was a [ o ] barrier wall one cubit wide in front of the guardrooms on each side; and the guardrooms were six cubits square on each side. 13 And he measured the gate from the roof of the one guardroom to the roof of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits, from one door to the door opposite. 14 He made the side pillars sixty cubits high ; the gate extended all around to the side pillar of the ( Q ) courtyard. 15 And from the front of the entrance gate to the front of the inner porch of the gate was fifty cubits. 16 And there were [ p ] ( R ) shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms, and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And there were windows all around inside; and on each side pillar were ( S ) palm tree decorations.

17 Then he brought me into the ( T ) outer courtyard, and behold, there were ( U ) chambers and a stone pavement made for the courtyard all around; thirty chambers [ q ] faced the pavement. 18 And the pavement ( that is , the lower pavement) was by the [ r ] side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. 19 Then he measured the width from the front of the ( V ) lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner courtyard, a ( W ) hundred cubits on the east and on the north.

20 And as for the ( X ) gate of the outer courtyard which faced north, he measured its length and its width. 21 [ s ] It had three ( Y ) guardrooms on each side; and its ( Z ) side pillars and its porches [ t ] had the same measurement as the first gate. Its length was ( AA ) fifty cubits, and the width ( AB ) twenty-five cubits. 22 Its ( AC ) windows, its porches, and its palm tree decorations had the same measurements as the ( AD ) gate which faced east; and [ u ] it was reached by seven ( AE ) steps, and its [ v ] porch was in front of them. 23 The inner courtyard had a gate opposite the gate on the north as well as the gate on the east; and he measured a ( AF ) hundred cubits from gate to gate.

24 Then he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a ( AG ) gate toward the south; and he measured its ( AH ) side pillars and its porches according to [ w ] those same measurements. 25 [ x ] The gate and its porches had ( AI ) windows all around like [ y ] those other windows; the length was ( AJ ) fifty cubits and the width, twenty-five cubits. 26 There were seven ( AK ) steps going up to it, and its porches were in front of them; and it had ( AL ) palm tree decorations on its side pillars, one on each side. 27 The inner courtyard had a gate toward the ( AM ) south; and he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a ( AN ) hundred cubits.

28 Then he brought me to the inner courtyard by the south gate; and he measured the south gate ( AO ) according to those same measurements. 29 Its ( AP ) guardrooms also, its side pillars, and its ( AQ ) porches were according to those same measurements. And [ z ] the gate and its porches had ( AR ) windows all around; it was ( AS ) fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 30 There were ( AT ) porches all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide. 31 And its porches were toward the outer courtyard; and ( AU ) palm tree decorations were on its side pillars, and its stairway had eight ( AV ) steps.

32 Then he brought me into the ( AW ) inner courtyard toward the east. And he measured the gate ( AX ) according to those same measurements. 33 Its ( AY ) guardrooms also, its side pillars, and its porches were according to those same measurements. And [ aa ] the gate and its porches had ( AZ ) windows all around; it was ( BA ) fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34 Its ( BB ) porches were toward the outer courtyard; and ( BC ) palm tree decorations were on its side pillars, on each side, and its stairway had eight ( BD ) steps.

35 Then he brought me to the ( BE ) north gate; and he measured it according to those same measurements, 36 with its ( BF ) guardrooms, its side pillars, and its ( BG ) porches. And [ ab ] the gate had ( BH ) windows all around; the length was ( BI ) fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits. 37 And its side pillars were toward the outer courtyard; and ( BJ ) palm tree decorations were on its side pillars, on each side, and its stairway had eight ( BK ) steps.

38 A ( BL ) chamber with its doorway was by the side pillars at the gates; there they ( BM ) rinse the burnt offering. 39 And in the porch of the gate were two ( BN ) tables on each side, on which to slaughter the ( BO ) burnt offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering. 40 On the outer [ ac ] side, [ ad ] as one went up to the [ ae ] gateway toward the north, were two tables; and on the other [ af ] side of the porch of the gate were two tables. 41 Four ( BP ) tables were on each side [ ag ] next to the gate; eight tables on which they slaughter sacrifices . 42 For the burnt offering there were four ( BQ ) tables of ( BR ) cut stone, a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high, on which they set the utensils with which they slaughter the ( BS ) burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43 And the double [ ah ] hooks, [ ai ] one hand width in length , were installed [ aj ] in the house all around; and on the tables was the flesh of the offering.

44 From the outside to the ( BT ) inner gate were [ ak ] ( BU ) chambers for the ( BV ) singers in the inner courtyard, one of which was at the [ al ] side of the north gate, with [ am ] its front toward the south, and one at the [ an ] side of the [ ao ] south gate facing north. 45 Then he said to me, “This is the ( BW ) chamber which faces south, intended for the priests who [ ap ] are ( BX ) responsible for the [ aq ] temple; 46 but the ( BY ) chamber which faces north is for the priests who [ ar ] are ( BZ ) responsible for the altar. They are the ( CA ) sons of Zadok, who from the sons of Levi ( CB ) come near to the Lord to serve Him.” 47 He measured the courtyard, a perfect square, a ( CC ) hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide; and the altar was in front of the [ as ] temple.

48 Then he brought me to the ( CD ) porch of the [ at ] temple and measured each side pillar of the porch, five cubits on each side; and the width of the gate was three cubits on each side. 49 The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the width eleven cubits; and at the ( CE ) stairway by which it was ascended were ( CF ) columns belonging to the side pillars, one on each side.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 40:1 Lit struck
  2. Ezekiel 40:3 Lit reed , and so throughout the ch
  3. Ezekiel 40:4 Lit set your heart
  4. Ezekiel 40:5 Lit house
  5. Ezekiel 40:5 I.e., “long” cubits, see note 4
  6. Ezekiel 40:5 Lit by the cubit and
  7. Ezekiel 40:5 A cubit and hand width equals about 21 in. or 53 cm
  8. Ezekiel 40:5 Lit building
  9. Ezekiel 40:6 Or in depth
  10. Ezekiel 40:6 Or in depth
  11. Ezekiel 40:7 Lit from the house
  12. Ezekiel 40:8 Lit from the house
  13. Ezekiel 40:9 Lit from the house
  14. Ezekiel 40:11 Lit entrance of the gate
  15. Ezekiel 40:12 Lit border
  16. Ezekiel 40:16 Or beveled inwards
  17. Ezekiel 40:17 Lit to
  18. Ezekiel 40:18 Lit shoulder
  19. Ezekiel 40:21 Lit Its guardrooms were three
  20. Ezekiel 40:21 Lit were
  21. Ezekiel 40:22 Lit they were going up into it
  22. Ezekiel 40:22 Another reading is porches
  23. Ezekiel 40:24 Lit these measurements , and so throughout the ch
  24. Ezekiel 40:25 Lit It
  25. Ezekiel 40:25 Lit these windows
  26. Ezekiel 40:29 Lit it
  27. Ezekiel 40:33 Lit it
  28. Ezekiel 40:36 Lit it
  29. Ezekiel 40:40 Lit shoulder
  30. Ezekiel 40:40 Lit to the one going up
  31. Ezekiel 40:40 Lit entrance of the gate
  32. Ezekiel 40:40 Lit shoulder
  33. Ezekiel 40:41 Lit to the shoulder of
  34. Ezekiel 40:43 Or ledges
  35. Ezekiel 40:43 About 3 in. or 7.5 cm
  36. Ezekiel 40:43 Or inside
  37. Ezekiel 40:44 LXX two chambers
  38. Ezekiel 40:44 Lit shoulder
  39. Ezekiel 40:44 Lit their
  40. Ezekiel 40:44 Lit shoulder
  41. Ezekiel 40:44 As in LXX; MT east
  42. Ezekiel 40:45 Lit keep the duty of
  43. Ezekiel 40:45 Lit house
  44. Ezekiel 40:46 Lit keep the duty of
  45. Ezekiel 40:47 Lit house
  46. Ezekiel 40:48 Lit house

The Temple Area Restored

40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city ( A ) —on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me ( B ) and he took me there. 2 In visions ( C ) of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, ( D ) on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. 3 He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; ( E ) he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod ( F ) in his hand. 4 The man said to me, “Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, ( G ) for that is why you have been brought here. Tell ( H ) the people of Israel everything you see. ( I )

The East Gate to the Outer Court

5 I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits, [ a ] each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured ( J ) the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high.

6 Then he went to the east gate. ( K ) He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep. 7 The alcoves ( L ) for the guards were one rod long and one rod wide, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were five cubits [ b ] thick. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep.

8 Then he measured the portico of the gateway; 9 it [ c ] was eight cubits [ d ] deep and its jambs were two cubits [ e ] thick. The portico of the gateway faced the temple.

10 Inside the east gate were three alcoves on each side; the three had the same measurements, and the faces of the projecting walls on each side had the same measurements. 11 Then he measured the width of the entrance of the gateway; it was ten cubits and its length was thirteen cubits. [ f ] 12 In front of each alcove was a wall one cubit high, and the alcoves were six cubits square. 13 Then he measured the gateway from the top of the rear wall of one alcove to the top of the opposite one; the distance was twenty-five cubits [ g ] from one parapet opening to the opposite one. 14 He measured along the faces of the projecting walls all around the inside of the gateway—sixty cubits. [ h ] The measurement was up to the portico [ i ] facing the courtyard. [ j ] ( M ) 15 The distance from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its portico was fifty cubits. [ k ] 16 The alcoves and the projecting walls inside the gateway were surmounted by narrow parapet openings all around, as was the portico; the openings all around faced inward. The faces of the projecting walls were decorated with palm trees. ( N )

The Outer Court

17 Then he brought me into the outer court. ( O ) There I saw some rooms and a pavement that had been constructed all around the court; there were thirty rooms ( P ) along the pavement. ( Q ) 18 It abutted the sides of the gateways and was as wide as they were long; this was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner court; ( R ) it was a hundred cubits [ l ] ( S ) on the east side as well as on the north.

The North Gate

20 Then he measured the length and width of the north gate, leading into the outer court. 21 Its alcoves ( T ) —three on each side—its projecting walls and its portico ( U ) had the same measurements as those of the first gateway. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 22 Its openings, its portico ( V ) and its palm tree decorations had the same measurements as those of the gate facing east. Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them. ( W ) 23 There was a gate to the inner court facing the north gate, just as there was on the east. He measured from one gate to the opposite one; it was a hundred cubits. ( X )

The South Gate

24 Then he led me to the south side and I saw the south gate. He measured its jambs and its portico, and they had the same measurements ( Y ) as the others. 25 The gateway and its portico had narrow openings all around, like the openings of the others. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. ( Z ) 26 Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them; it had palm tree decorations on the faces of the projecting walls on each side. ( AA ) 27 The inner court ( AB ) also had a gate facing south, and he measured from this gate to the outer gate on the south side; it was a hundred cubits. ( AC )

The Gates to the Inner Court

28 Then he brought me into the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it had the same measurements ( AD ) as the others. 29 Its alcoves, ( AE ) its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. ( AF ) 30 (The porticoes ( AG ) of the gateways around the inner court were twenty-five cubits wide and five cubits deep.) 31 Its portico ( AH ) faced the outer court; palm trees decorated its jambs, and eight steps led up to it. ( AI )

32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway; it had the same measurements ( AJ ) as the others. 33 Its alcoves, ( AK ) its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34 Its portico ( AL ) faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.

35 Then he brought me to the north gate ( AM ) and measured it. It had the same measurements ( AN ) as the others, 36 as did its alcoves, ( AO ) its projecting walls and its portico, and it had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 37 Its portico [ m ] ( AP ) faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it. ( AQ )

The Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices

38 A room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the burnt offerings ( AR ) were washed. 39 In the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings, ( AS ) sin offerings [ n ] ( AT ) and guilt offerings ( AU ) were slaughtered. ( AV ) 40 By the outside wall of the portico of the gateway, near the steps at the entrance of the north gateway were two tables, and on the other side of the steps were two tables. 41 So there were four tables on one side of the gateway and four on the other—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were slaughtered. 42 There were also four tables of dressed stone ( AW ) for the burnt offerings, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit high. [ o ] On them were placed the utensils for slaughtering the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices. ( AX ) 43 And double-pronged hooks, each a handbreadth [ p ] long, were attached to the wall all around. The tables were for the flesh of the offerings.

The Rooms for the Priests

44 Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, were two rooms, one [ q ] at the side of the north gate and facing south, and another at the side of the south [ r ] gate and facing north. 45 He said to me, “The room facing south is for the priests who guard the temple, ( AY ) 46 and the room facing north ( AZ ) is for the priests who guard the altar. ( BA ) These are the sons of Zadok, ( BB ) who are the only Levites who may draw near to the Lord to minister before him. ( BC )

47 Then he measured the court: It was square—a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide. And the altar was in front of the temple. ( BD )

The New Temple

48 He brought me to the portico of the temple ( BE ) and measured the jambs of the portico; they were five cubits wide on either side. The width of the entrance was fourteen cubits [ s ] and its projecting walls were [ t ] three cubits [ u ] wide on either side. 49 The portico ( BF ) was twenty cubits [ v ] wide, and twelve [ w ] cubits [ x ] from front to back. It was reached by a flight of stairs, [ y ] and there were pillars ( BG ) on each side of the jambs.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 40:5 That is, about 11 feet or about 3.2 meters; also in verse 12. The long cubit of about 21 inches or about 53 centimeters is the basic unit of measurement of length throughout chapters 40–48.
  2. Ezekiel 40:7 That is, about 8 3/4 feet or about 2.7 meters; also in verse 48
  3. Ezekiel 40:9 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts gateway facing the temple; it was one rod deep. 9 Then he measured the portico of the gateway; it
  4. Ezekiel 40:9 That is, about 14 feet or about 4.2 meters
  5. Ezekiel 40:9 That is, about 3 1/2 feet or about 1 meter
  6. Ezekiel 40:11 That is, about 18 feet wide and 23 feet long or about 5.3 meters wide and 6.9 meters long
  7. Ezekiel 40:13 That is, about 44 feet or about 13 meters; also in verses 21, 25, 29, 30, 33 and 36
  8. Ezekiel 40:14 That is, about 105 feet or about 32 meters
  9. Ezekiel 40:14 Septuagint; Hebrew projecting wall
  10. Ezekiel 40:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
  11. Ezekiel 40:15 That is, about 88 feet or about 27 meters; also in verses 21, 25, 29, 33 and 36
  12. Ezekiel 40:19 That is, about 175 feet or about 53 meters; also in verses 23, 27 and 47
  13. Ezekiel 40:37 Septuagint (see also verses 31 and 34); Hebrew jambs
  14. Ezekiel 40:39 Or purification offerings
  15. Ezekiel 40:42 That is, about 2 2/3 feet long and wide and 21 inches high or about 80 centimeters long and wide and 53 centimeters high
  16. Ezekiel 40:43 That is, about 3 1/2 inches or about 9 centimeters
  17. Ezekiel 40:44 Septuagint; Hebrew were rooms for singers, which were
  18. Ezekiel 40:44 Septuagint; Hebrew east
  19. Ezekiel 40:48 That is, about 25 feet or about 7.4 meters
  20. Ezekiel 40:48 Septuagint; Hebrew entrance was
  21. Ezekiel 40:48 That is, about 5 1/4 feet or about 1.6 meters
  22. Ezekiel 40:49 That is, about 35 feet or about 11 meters
  23. Ezekiel 40:49 Septuagint; Hebrew eleven
  24. Ezekiel 40:49 That is, about 21 feet or about 6.4 meters
  25. Ezekiel 40:49 Hebrew; Septuagint Ten steps led up to it