Ezekiel 42WEB
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Ezekiel42

World English Bible · Public Domain

1Then he brought me out into the outer court, the way toward the north. Then he brought me into the room that was opposite the separate place, and which was opposite the building toward the north.

2Facing the length of one hundred cubits was the north door, and the width was fifty cubits.

3Opposite 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 three stories.

4Before the rooms was a walk of ten cubits’ width inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors were toward the north.

5Now the upper rooms were shorter; for the galleries took away from these more than from the lower and the middle in the building.

6For they were in three stories, 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.

7The wall that was outside by the side of the rooms, toward the outer court before the rooms, was fifty cubits long.

8For the length of the rooms that were in the outer court was fifty cubits. Behold, those facing the temple were one hundred cubits.

9From under these rooms was the entry on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court.

10In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, before the separate place, and before the building, there were rooms.

11The way before them was like the appearance of the rooms which were toward the north. Their length and width were the same. All their exits had the same arrangement and doors.

12Like the doors of the rooms that were toward the south was a door at the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one enters into them.

13Then he said to me, “The north rooms and the south rooms, which are opposite the separate place, are the holy rooms, where the priests who are near to Yahweh 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.

14When the priests enter in, then they shall not go out of the holy place into the outer court until they 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.”

15Now when he had finished measuring the inner house, he brought me out by the way of the gate which faces toward the east, and measured it all around.

16He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed all around.

17He measured on the north side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed all around.

18He measured on the south side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.

19He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.

20He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, the length five hundred cubits, and the width five hundred cubits, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 42.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The Vision of the Temple. (1-20).

vv1-20

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.

Cross References

Ezekiel 42
v14Ezekiel 44:19thematic

Parallels the law of changing ministerial garments before going out to the outer court.

The square measurements and wall parallel the measurement and security of the New Jerusalem.

Supported by JFB

v14Leviticus 16:23thematic

The high priest must leave his holy linen garments in the tabernacle after service.

v20Ezekiel 22:26thematic

Highlights the wall's function to make a separation between the holy and the profane.

v20Ezekiel 44:23thematic

Reiterates the priestly duty to teach the difference between the holy and the profane.

v6Ezekiel 41:6thematic

Parallels the three-story construction and narrowing structure of the side chambers.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v61 Kings 6:8thematic

Solomon's temple similarly featured three stories of side chambers.

Prescribes where the priests must eat the most holy grain offerings.

Mandates eating the sin offering in the holy place of the court.

v13Leviticus 7:1-6thematic

Details the consumption of the trespass offering in a holy place.

v13Ezekiel 40:46thematic

Refers back to the chambers of the sons of Zadok who approach the Lord.

Supported by JFB

v20Ezekiel 40:5thematic

Directly links to the original measuring reed used for the outer wall.

Supported by JFB

v20Leviticus 10:10thematic

Connects the physical wall to the moral duty to distinguish clean from unclean.

Identifies the 'separate place' and the building toward the west.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v5Ezekiel 41:7thematic

Explains the narrowing of the upper chambers due to the architectural ledge design.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v20Ezekiel 45:2thematic

Provides the overall square dimension of five hundred reeds square for the sanctuary.