Ezekiel Chapter 42
1 Then he brought me out into the outer court, the way towards the north. Then he brought me into the room that was opposite the separate place, and which was opposite the building towards the north.
2 Before the length of one hundred cubits was the north door, and the width was fifty cubits.
3 Opposite the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in the third floor.
4 Before the rooms was a walk of ten cubits' width inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors were towards the north.
5 Now the upper rooms were shorter; for the galleries took away from these, more than from the lower and the middle, in the building.
6 For they were in three storeys, and they didn't have pillars as the pillars of the courts. Therefore the uppermost was set back more than the lowest and the middle from the ground.
7 The wall that was outside by the side of the rooms, towards the outer court before the rooms, its length was fifty cubits.
8 For the length of the rooms that were in the outer court was fifty cubits. Behold, before the temple were one hundred cubits.
9 From under these rooms was the entry on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court.
10 In the thickness of the wall of the court towards the east, before the separate place, and before the building, there were rooms.
11 The way before them was like the appearance of the rooms which were towards the north; according to their length so was their width: and all their exits were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors.
12 According to the doors of the rooms that were towards the south was a door at the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall towards the east, as one enters into them.
13 Then he said to me, "The north rooms and the south rooms, which are before the separate place, are the holy rooms, where the priests who are near to the LORD shall eat the most holy things. There they shall lay the most holy things, with the meal offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.
14 When the priests enter in, then they shall not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but they shall lay their garments in which they minister there; for they are holy. Then they shall put on other garments, and shall approach that which is for the people."
15 Now when he had finished measuring the inner house, he brought me out by the way of the gate which faces towards the east, and measured it all around.
16 He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed all around.
17 He measured on the north side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed all around.
18 He measured on the south side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
19 He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
20 He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, the length five hundred, and the width five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.
Footnotes
- Verse 2 (Cubit)
- A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man's arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimetres.
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Ezekiel Chapter 42 Guide
The next section of description deals with the general scheme of buildings surrounding the Temple proper. On the north and south sides were chambers, which are described. These were the holy chambers for the use of the priests, in which they ate the holy things, kept all the materials for the offerings, and changed their garments for the work of their sacred office.
Finally, the outside measurements of the whole Temple buildings were given. Passing through the east gate, the angel accompanying Ezekiel measured the east side, the north side, the south side, and the west side, each of which was 500 reeds. In all probability, in harmony with other measurements given, the word "cubits" should be substituted for "reeds."
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Ezekiel Chapter 42 Commentary
Verses 1-20
In this chapter are described the priests' chambers, their use, and the dimensions of the holy mount on which the temple stood. These chambers were many. Jesus said, In my Father's house are many mansions: in his house on earth there are many; multitudes, by faith, are lodging in his sanctuary, and yet there is room. These chambers, though private, were near the temple. Our religious services in our chambers, must prepare for public devotions, and further us in improving them, as our opportunities are.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.