Ezekiel 40:31

31 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.

Ezekiel 40:31 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 40:31

And the arches thereof were toward the outward court
And so not within the gate of the inward court, but on the outside of it, towards the outward court, at the front of the gate as you went in: and palm trees were upon the posts thereof;
of the gate, or of these arches or porticos; signifying that none should enter here but righteous persons; this is the gate of the righteous, ( Psalms 118:19 Psalms 118:20 ) ( Isaiah 26:2 ) , (See Gill on Ezekiel 40:16); and the going up to it had eight steps;
one more than the ascent to the outward gates; some say eight more, and make these to be fifteen, answerable to the fifteen steps by which the Levites went up from the court of the women to the court of Israel ^F14, and sung upon them the fifteen songs of degrees, mentioned in the Psalms: but here are only eight; and denote the gradual progress of believers in faith and holiness; and that the nearer they come to the holy of holies, the greater their proficiency should be, and more advances made in the knowledge of divine things.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Misna Succa, c. 5. sect. 4. Lipman. Tzurath Beth Hamikdash, sect. 24.

Ezekiel 40:31 In-Context

29 Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others; and there were windows round about in it and in its vestibule; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.

30 And there were vestibules round about, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits broad.

31 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.

32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gate; it was of the same size as the others.

33 Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others; and there were windows round about in it and in its vestibule; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.