Ezekiel 40

1 In the five and twentieth year of our passing over, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in this same day the hand of the Lord was made on me, and he brought me thither (In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, or of our captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was struck, on this same day the hand of the Lord was made upon me, and he brought me there)

2 in the revelations of God. And he brought me into the land of Israel, and he let me down on a full high hill, on which was as the building of a city going to the south; (in a vision from God. And he brought me into the land of Israel, and he let me down on a very high hill, on which were like the buildings of a city going towards the south/on which were like the buildings of a city in front of me;)

3 and he led me in thither. And lo! a man, whose likeness was as the likeness of brass, and a cord of flax was in his hand, and a reed of measure in his hand; forsooth he stood in the gate. (and he led me in there. And lo! a man, whose form was like bronze, and a cord of flax was in his hand, and a measuring reed, or a measuring rod, was in his hand; and he stood by the gate.)

4 And the same man spake to me, (saying,) Thou, son of man, see with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart on all things which I shall show to thee, for thou art brought hither that those be showed to thee (for thou hast been brought there so that they could be shown to thee); tell thou all things which thou seest to the house of Israel.

5 And lo! a wall withoutforth, in the compass of the house (of the Lord) on each side; and in the hand of the man was a reed of measure of six cubits and a span, that is, an handbreadth; and he meted the breadth of the building with one reed, and the highness by one reed. (And lo! a wall outside, all around the House of the Lord, or the Temple, on every side; and in the man's hand was a measuring rod of six cubits, reckoning by the long cubit, that is, a cubit and a hand's breadth; and he measured the breadth of the wall, one rod, and its height, one rod.)

6 And he came to the gate that beheld the way of the east, and he ascended by [the] degrees of it; and he meted the lintel of the gate, by one reed the breadth, that is, one lintel by one reed in breadth; (And he came to the gate that faced east, and he went up by its steps; and he measured the lintel of the gateway, one rod in breadth, that is, one lintel was one rod in breadth;)

7 and he meted one (little) chamber by one reed in length, and by one reed in breadth, and five cubits betwixt (the little) chambers; and he meted the lintel of the gate beside the porch of the gate within, by one reed. (and he measured one little chamber, one rod in length, and one rod in breadth, and five cubits between the little chambers; and he measured the lintel of the gateway beside the porch of the gateway within, one rod.)

8 (This verse omitted in the original text.)

9 And he meted the porch of the gate of eight cubits, and the post(s) thereof by two cubits; soothly the porch of the gate was within. (And he measured the porch of the gateway, eight cubits, and its posts, two cubits; and the porch of the gateway was within.)

10 Certainly the (little) chambers of the gate at the way of the east were three on this side, and three on that side; one measure of three, and one measure of the posts on ever either side. (And the little chambers of the gateway, facing east, were three on this side, and three on that side; one measurement was of the three, and one measurement was of the posts on both sides.)

11 And he meted the breadth of the lintel of the gate of ten cubits, and the length of the gate of thirteen cubits. (And he measured the breadth of the lintel of the gateway, ten cubits, and the length of the gateway, thirteen cubits.)

12 And he meted a margin of one cubit before the (little) chambers, and one cubit was the end on each side; forsooth the (little) chambers were of six cubits on this side and on that side. (And he measured a low wall, or a curb, in front of the little chambers, and the curb was one cubit on each side; and the little chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.)

13 And he meted the gate from the roof of the (little) chamber till to the roof thereof, the breadth of five and twenty cubits, a door against a door. (And he measured the gateway from the roof of one little chamber unto the roof of another, and the breadth was twenty-five cubits, with a door opposite a door.)

14 And he made posts by sixty cubits, and at the post a foreyard of the gate on each side by compass; (And he made posts of sixty cubits, and at the post a courtyard of the gateway on each side all around;)

15 and before the face of the gate that stretcheth forth till to the face of the porch of the inner gate, he meted fifty cubits. (and he measured the gateway from the front of the gate unto the front of the porch of the inner gate, fifty cubits.)

16 And he meted windows narrow without and large within, in the (little) chambers, and posts of those, that were within the gate on each side by compass. Soothly in like manner also windows were in the porches by compass within; and the painture of palm trees was graven before the posts. (And he measured the windows that were narrow outside and large within, in the little chambers, and their posts, that were within the gate on each side all around. And in like manner windows were also in the porch all around within; and images of palm trees were carved on the posts.)

17 And he led me out to the outermore foreyard, and lo! treasuries , and (a) pavement arrayed with stone in the foreyard by compass; thirty treasuries (were) in the compass of the pavement; (And he led me out to the outer courtyard, and lo! chambers, or rooms, and a pavement arrayed with stone all around the courtyard; and there were thirty rooms all around the pavement;)

18 and the pavement was beneath in the front of the gates, by the length of the gates. (and the lower pavement was by the side of the gateways, by the length of the gateways.)

19 And he meted the breadth from the face of the lower gate till to the front of the inner foreyard withoutforth, an hundred cubits at the east, and at the north. (And he measured the breadth from the front of the lower gateway unto the front of the inner courtyard outside, a hundred cubits.)

20 And he meted, both in length and in breadth, the gate that beheld (to) the way of the north, of the outermore foreyard. (And he measured, both in length and in breadth, the gateway that faced north, of the outer courtyard.)

21 And he meted the (little) chambers thereof, three on this side, and three on that side, and the post(s) thereof, and the porch thereof, by the measure of the former gate; the length thereof of fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof of five and twenty cubits. (And he measured its little chambers, three on this side, and three on that side, and its posts, and its porch, and they had the same measurements as those of the first gateway; and its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth was twenty-five cubits.)

22 Soothly the windows thereof, and the porch, and the engravings, were by the measure of the gate that beheld to the east; and the ascending thereof was of seven degrees, and a porch was before it. (And its windows, and the porch, and the carvings of the palm trees, had the same measurements as the gateway that faced east; and the stairway up to it had seven steps, and its porch was facing them.)

23 And the gate of the inner foreyard was against the gate of the north, and against the east side; and he meted from the gate till to the gate, an hundred cubits. (And the gate of the inner courtyard was facing the northern gateway, like the one on the east side; and he measured from gateway unto gateway, a hundred cubits.)

24 And he led me out to the way of the south, and lo! the gate that beheld to the south; and he meted the post(s) thereof, and the porch thereof, by the former measures; (And he led me out to the way of the south, and lo! the gateway that faced south; and he measured its posts, and its porch, and they had the same measurements as the others;)

25 and the windows thereof, and the porch in compass, as [the] other windows (and its windows, and the porch all around, like the other windows); the length of fifty cubits, and the breadth of five and twenty cubits.

26 And by seven degrees men ascended to it, and a porch was before the gates thereof; and palm trees were graven, one in this side, and another in that side, in the post(s) thereof. (And by seven steps people went up to it, and its porch was facing them; and palm trees were carved, one on this side, and another on that side, on its posts.)

27 And the gate of the inner foreyard was in the way of the south; and he meted from the gate till to the gate in the way of the south, an hundred cubits. (And the gateway of the inner courtyard faced south; and he measured from gateway unto gateway facing south, a hundred cubits.)

28 And he led me into the inner foreyard, to the south gate; and he meted the gate by the former measures; (And he led me into the inner courtyard, to the southern gateway; and the gateway had the same measurements as the other gateways;)

29 the (little) chamber[s] thereof, and the post(s) thereof, and the porch thereof by the same measures; and he meted the windows thereof, and the porch thereof in compass; fifty cubits of length, and five and twenty cubits of breadth. (its little chambers, and its posts, and its porch, had the same measurements as the others; and he measured its windows, and its porch all around; fifty cubits in length, and twenty-five cubits in breadth.)

30 And he meted the porch by compass, the length of five and twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof of five cubits. (And he measured the porch all around, its length was twenty-five cubits, and its breadth was five cubits.)

31 And the porch thereof was to the outermore foreyard, and the palm trees thereof in the post(s); and eight degrees were, by which men ascended through it. (And its porch faced the outer courtyard, and palm trees were carved on its posts; and there were eight steps, by which people went up to it.)

32 And he led me into the inner foreyard, by the east way; and he meted the gate by the former measures; (And he led me into the inner courtyard, facing east; and he measured the gateway, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways;)

33 the (little) chamber(s) thereof, and the post(s) thereof, and the porches thereof, as above; and he meted the windows thereof, and the porches thereof in compass; the length of fifty cubits, and the breadth of five and twenty cubits; (its little chambers, and its posts, and its porch, were as above; and he measured its windows, and its porch all around; the length of fifty cubits, and the breadth of twenty-five cubits;)

34 and the porch thereof, that is, of the outermore foreyard; and palm trees graven in the post(s) thereof, on this side and on that side; and in eight degrees was the ascending thereof. (and its porch, that is, of the outer courtyard; and palm trees were carved on its posts, on this side and on that side; and the stairway that went up to it had eight steps.)

35 And he led me in to the gate that beheld to the north; and he meted by the former measures; (And he led me to the gateway that faced north; and he measured it, and it had the same measurements as the others;)

36 the (little) chamber[s] thereof, and the post(s) thereof, and the porch thereof, and the windows thereof by compass; the length of fifty cubits, and the breadth of five and twenty cubits. (its little chambers, and its posts, and its porch, and its windows all around; the length of fifty cubits, and the breadth of twenty-five cubits.)

37 The porch thereof beheld to the outermore foreyard; and the engraving of palm trees was in the post(s) thereof, on this side and on that side; and in eight degrees was the ascending thereof. (Its porch faced the outer courtyard; and palm trees were carved on its posts, on this side and on that side; and the stairway that went up to it had eight steps.)

38 And by all chambers a door was in the posts of gates; and there they washed burnt sacrifice. (And the chambers, or the rooms, and their doors, were by the gateposts; and they washed the burnt sacrifice there.)

39 And in the porch of the gate were two boards on this side, and two boards on that side, that burnt sacrifice be offered on those, both for sin and for trespass. (And on the porch of the gateway were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, so that the burnt sacrifice could be slaughtered on them, and also the sin offering, and the trespass offering.)

40 And at the outermore side, which ascendeth to the door of the gate that goeth to the north, were two boards; and at the tother side, before the porch of the gate, were two boards. (And on the outside, as one goeth up to the opening of the northern gateway, were two tables; and on the other side, in front of the porch of the gateway, were two more tables.)

41 Four boards on this side, and four boards on that side; by the sides of the gate were eight boards, on which they offered (the sacrifices). (So, four tables on this side, and four tables on that side, by the sides of the gateway; altogether eight tables on which they offered the sacrifices.)

42 Forsooth four boards to burnt sacrifice were builded of square stones, in the length of one cubit and an half, and in the breadth of one cubit and an half, and in the height of one cubit; on which boards they shall set (the) vessels, in which burnt sacrifice and slain sacrifice is offered. (The four tables for preparing the burnt sacrifice were built of square stones, in the length of one cubit and a half, and in the breadth of one cubit and a half, and in the height of one cubit; on which tables they put the instruments, by which the burnt sacrifice, and the slain sacrifice, were slaughtered.)

43 And the brinks of the boards be of an handbreadth, and be bowed again within by compass; forsooth on the boards were fleshes of offering. (And the ledges of the tables were a hand's breadth, and were turned within all around; and on the tables were the meat for the offerings.)

44 And without the inner gate were chambers of chanters, in the inner foreyard, that was in the side of the gate beholding to the north; and the faces of those were against the south way; one of the side of the east gate, that beheld to the way of the north. (And outside the inner gate were two rooms, in the inner courtyard, one at the side of the northern gateway facing south, and one at the side of the southern gateway facing north.)

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.)

Ezekiel 40 Commentary

Chapter 40

The Vision of the Temple.

- Here is a vision, beginning at ch. 40, and continued to the end of the book, ch. 48, which is justly looked upon to be one of the most difficult portions in all the book of God. When we despair to be satisfied as to any difficulty we meet with, let us bless God that our salvation does not depend upon it, but that things necessary are plain enough; and let us wait till God shall reveal even this unto us. This chapter describes two outward courts of the temple. Whether the personage here mentioned was the Son of God, or a created angel, is not clear. But Christ is both our Altar and our Sacrifice, to whom we must look with faith in all approaches to God; and he is Salvation in the midst of the earth, ( Psalms 74:12 ) , to be looked unto from all quarters.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 40

This and the eight following chapters contain a vision of a city and temple herein described, and are thought to be the most difficult part of the whole Bible. The Jews forbid the reading of it till a man is arrived to thirty years of age; and then he must expect to meet with things in it he does not understand, and which must be left until Elijah comes to explain them. Many Christian commentators have omitted the exposition of these chapters; and all acknowledge the difficulties in them. Something however may be got out of them, relating to the Gospel, and Gospel church state, which I am fully persuaded is intended by the city and temple; for that no material building can be designed is clear from this one observation; that not only the whole land of Israel would not be capable of having such a city as is here described built upon it, but even all Europe would not be sufficient; nor the whole world, according to the account of the dimensions which some give of it. The circumference of the city is said to be about eighteen thousand measures, Eze 48:35; but what they are is not certain. Luther makes them to be thirty six thousand German miles; and a German mile being three of ours, the circuit of this city must be above a hundred thousand English miles; and this is sufficient to set aside all hypotheses of a material building, either of city or temple, the one being in proportion to the other. The Jews dream of a third temple to be built, by their vainly expected Messiah; but nothing is more clear than that the true Messiah was to come into the second temple, and by that give it a greater glory than the former ever had; as is evident from Hag 2:6-9 and, according to Malachi, he was to come suddenly into his temple, which could be no other than the then present one, Mal 3:1, and into which Jesus came, and where he often appeared and taught, as well as entered into it with power and authority, as the Lord and proprietor of it; by which he appeared to be the true Messiah, as by many other characters; see \Lu 2:22,46 21:37 Mt 21:12,13\. There are some who think that Solomon's temple, as it was before it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and as it was rebuilt by Zerubbabel, is here described; and that partly to let the Jews know what a glory to their nation they lost by their sins; and partly that they might have a complete pattern for the rebuilding of it, as well as to comfort them under its present ruins; but there is no agreement between them. This temple was to be built at a distance from the city, several miles; according to some ten, others twenty, and by the best account twenty seven miles; see Eze 45:1-5, whereas Solomon's temple, and that built by Zerubbabel, were in the city of Jerusalem: nor from either of these flowed waters, which rose up to a river, on the bank of which were many trees for food and medicine, and whose waters were healing, and quickened wherever they came, as from this, Eze 47:1-12, nor do we ever read of the east gate of these temples always shut, as this, Eze 44:2, and besides, both these temples were profaned and destroyed; whereas this shall never be, but God will dwell in it forever, Eze 43:7, neither place, structure, nor worship, agree. Nor is this city here the same with the New Jerusalem John had a vision of; for though he borrows some of his expressions to describe it from hence; and in some things there is an appearance of agreement, as of the river of water of life, and the tree of life on both sides of the river, Re 22:1,2, yet the description agrees not, either with respect to its gates, or its compass; and though there was no temple in that John saw, as there was none in this, it being without the city; yet here is a temple in this vision, and the greatest part of it is taken up in the description of it. It remains that this must be understood mystically and figuratively of the Gospel church, which is often spoken of as a city and temple, Heb 12:22, Re 3:12 and which began to have its accomplishment in the first times of the Gospel, immediately after the death and resurrection of Christ; when his disciples had a commission to preach the Gospel to all nations; and who accordingly did, even before the destruction of Jerusalem, and of the material temple, so that Gospel churches were planted in all parts of the world; and especially this was the case, when the Roman empire, called the whole world, became Christian: though the further and greater accomplishment of this vision will be in the latter day; when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea; when Jews and Gentiles will be converted, and Gospel churches be set up everywhere; so that the Gospel church state, or kingdom of Christ, signified by the great mountain in Da 2:35, and by this large city here, will fill the whole earth: and the rather this may be thought to be the design of this vision to represent it, as it follows the prophecies of the Jews' settlement in their own land; and of the destruction of Gog, or the Turk, attempting to dispossess them; of which in chapters 37-39. In this chapter are first an account of the vision in general, the time, manner, and place of it, Eze 40:1,2, a description of the person, the builder and owner of the house; and by whom the prophet is shown each of the parts and dimensions of it, whom he calls to him for that purpose, Eze 40:3,4, and then a particular account is given, which begins with the outward wall around the house, Eze 40:5, then the east gate, with its posts, porch, and chambers, and the outward court with its chambers, Eze 40:6-19, then the gate of the outward court to the north, with its chambers, and the gate of the inner court over against that, Eze 40:20-23, then the gate to the south, with its posts, arches, and chambers, Eze 40:24-31, then the inner court to the east, its gate, chambers, and arches, Eze 40:32-34, then the north gate, with its posts, chambers, and arches, Eze 40:35-38, in the porch of which are the tables, on which the sacrifices are slain, Eze 40:39-43, after which are described the chambers for the singers and the priests, Eze 40:44-46, then the inner court and altar in it; and the chapter is concluded with the dimensions of the porch of the house, Eze 40:48,49.