Ezekiel 41:5-15

Outside the Temple

5 Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was 10 and a half feet^[a] [thick]. The width of the side rooms all around the temple was seven feet.^[b][c]

6 The side rooms were arranged one above another in three stories of 30 rooms each.^[d] There were ledges on the wall of the temple all around to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports would not be in the temple wall [itself].^[e]

7 The side rooms surrounding [the temple] widened at each successive story, for the structure surrounding the temple [went up] by stages. This was the reason for the temple's broadness as it rose. And so, one would go up from the lowest story to the highest by means of the middle one.^[f][g]

8 I saw that the temple had a raised platform surrounding [it]; this foundation for the side rooms was 10 and a half feet high.^[h]

9 The thickness of the outer wall of the side rooms was eight and three-quarter feet.^[i] The free space between the side rooms of the temple

10 and the [outer] chambers was 35 feet^[j] wide all around the temple.

11 The side rooms opened into the free space, one entrance toward the north and another to the south. The area of free space was eight and three-quarter feet^[k] wide all around.

12 Now the building that faced the temple yard toward the west was 122 and a half feet^[l] wide. The wall of the building was eight and three-quarter feet^[m] thick on all sides, and the building's length was 157 and a half feet.^[n]

13 Then the man measured the temple; it was 175 feet^[o] long. In addition, the temple yard and the building, including its walls, were 175 feet long.

14 The width of the front of the temple along with the temple yard to the east was 175 feet.

15 Next he measured the length of the building facing the temple yard to the west, with its galleries^[p] on each side; it was 175 feet. The interior of the great hall and the porticoes of the court-

Ezekiel 41:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 41

In this chapter the divine and illustrious Person, the prophet's guide, brings him to the temple itself, and gives the dimensions of the posts and doors, both of the holy and the most holy place, Eze 41:1-4, then of the wall of the house, its side chambers, the winding about to them, and the doors of them, Eze 41:5-11, next of a building before the separate place, its doorposts, narrow windows, and galleries, Eze 41:12-17, after that each of the ornaments of the house are described, Eze 41:18-21, then the altar of incense, Eze 41:22, and the chapter is concluded with observing the decorations and lights on the doors, porch, and side chambers of the temple and sanctuary, Eze 41:23-26.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit six cubits
• [b]. Lit four cubits
• [c]. 1 Kg 6:5-10
• [d]. Lit another three and 30 times
• [e]. 1 Kg 6:6
• [f]. Hb obscure
• [g]. 1 Kg 6:8
• [h]. Lit a full rod of six cubits of a joint; Hb obscure
• [i]. Lit five cubits
• [j]. Lit 20 cubits
• [k]. Lit five cubits
• [l]. Lit 70 cubits
• [m]. Lit five cubits
• [n]. Lit 90 cubits
• [o]. Lit 100 cubits
• [p]. Or ledges