Ezekiel 40:31

31 The covered way was on the side nearest the outer square; and there were palm-trees on the uprights: and there were eight steps going up to it.

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 And the rooms in it and the uprights and the covered ways, by these measures:

30 And there were windows in it and in the covered way all round: it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

31 The covered way was on the side nearest the outer square; and there were palm-trees on the uprights: and there were eight steps going up to it.

32 And he took me into the inner square facing the east: and he took the measure of the doorway by these measures;

33 And of the rooms in it and its uprights and its covered ways, by these measures: and there were windows in it and in the covered way round about: it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.