Ezekiel 40:47

47 And he meted the foreyard, the length of an hundred cubits, and the breadth of an hundred cubits, by square, and the altar (was) before the face of the temple. (And he measured the courtyard, the length of a hundred cubits, and the breadth of a hundred cubits, that is, square, and the altar was in front of the Temple.)

Ezekiel 40:47 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 40:47

So he measured the court
The inward court, where the prophet and his guide now were; and the gates leading to which he had been measuring, with the chambers, arches, and tables belonging thereunto: an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare;
the floor, or area of this court, which was a hundred cubits in length and breadth; so that it was a perfect square, equilateral, east, west, north, and south, and above fifty yards each way; such a court as never was in any temple whatever: hence Kimchi observes, there was no such court in the second temple; no, nor in the first neither: in the second temple, the length of the court of Israel, according to Abarbinel, was a hundred and thirty five cubits, and the breadth eleven, but this was a hundred by a hundred; these things, says Lipman ^F21, are wonderful in my eyes: this denotes the large increase of the church, and of spiritual worshippers, in the latter day; and the foursquare of it signifies the order, perfection, and stability of it; see ( Revelation 21:16 ) : and the altar that was before the house;
the altar of burnt offering, which stood before the house or temple, in the midst of the inward court; so that it might be seen by all in the inward court and chambers; and even by all in the outward court, through the several gates, which directly opened and led to it. This was typical of Christ, the altar, we Christians have a right to eat of; which sanctifies every gift offered upon it, and which every worshipper should by faith look unto for the expiation of their sins. The dimensions of this altar were now taken, and are given in ( Ezekiel 43:13-17 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 Tzurath Beth Hamikdash, sect. 27.

Ezekiel 40:47 In-Context

45 And he said to me, This chamber, that beholdeth (to) the south way, is of the priests that watch in the keepings of the temple. (And he said to me, This room, that faceth south, is for the priests who serve in, or who be in charge of, the Temple.)

46 Soothly the chamber, that beholdeth to the way of the north, shall be of the priests that watch to the service of the altar; these be the sons of Zadok, which of the sons of Levi nigh to the Lord, for to minister to him. (And the room, that faceth north, is for the priests who serve at, or who be in charge of, the altar; these be the sons of Zadok, who alone among the sons of Levi, may come into the presence of the Lord, to serve him.)

47 And he meted the foreyard, the length of an hundred cubits, and the breadth of an hundred cubits, by square, and the altar (was) before the face of the temple. (And he measured the courtyard, the length of a hundred cubits, and the breadth of a hundred cubits, that is, square, and the altar was in front of the Temple.)

48 And he led me into the porch of the temple; and he meted the porch by five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side; and he meted the breadth of the gate, of three cubits on this side, and of three cubits on that side. (And he led me onto the porch of the Temple; and he measured the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side; and he measured the breadth of the gateway, three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.)

49 But he meted the length of the porch of twenty cubits, and the breadth of eleven cubits, and by eight degrees men ascended to it; and pillars were in the posts, one on this side, and another on that side. (And he measured the length of the porch, twenty cubits, and the breadth, eleven cubits, and by eight steps people went up to it; and pillars were by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.)