Ezekiel 41:11

11 The doors of the side-rooms opened toward an empty space, one door facing north and the other facing south; the empty space was eight-and-three-quarters feet [wide] all around.

Ezekiel 41:11 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 41:11

And the doors of the side chambers were towards the place that
was left
These opened to the void space before them; that is, those of the lower storey; the others must open to the winding staircase that led down to it: one door toward the north, and another door toward the south;
which is not to be understood as if each chamber had two doors; but either of the two doors, which opened at the top of the staircase to the north and south; or of the doors of those chambers, which were on the north, and opened towards it; and of those that were on the south, that opened to that: indeed the Misnic doctors say ^F4 that each chamber had three doors; one to the chamber on the right; another to the chamber on the left; and a third to the upper chamber: and in the north east corner were five doors; one to the chamber on the right; and one to the upper chamber; a third to the winding stairs; a fourth to the little gate; and the fifth to the temple; these signify the free entrance of men into the churches of Christ in the latter day, whose gates shall be opened to let in the righteous nation; and shall stand open continually, that the forces of the Gentiles and their kings may be brought, ( Isaiah 26:2 ) ( Isaiah 60:11 Isaiah 60:18 ) and in the New Jerusalem there are gates, east, west, north, and south, even twelve of them, and at them twelve angels; and which gates shall not be shut day nor night, ( Revelation 21:12 Revelation 21:13 Revelation 21:25 ) : and the breadth of the place that was left was five cubits round about;
the void space that was left before the side chambers; see ( Ezekiel 41:9 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Misn. Middot, c. 4. sect. 3.

Ezekiel 41:11 In-Context

9 The outer wall of the side-rooms was eight-and-three-quarters feet thick [at ground level], likewise the empty space left [between] the structure containing the side-rooms [and the house itself also measured eight-and-three quarters feet wide].

10 On all sides around the house itself was a space thirty-five feet wide between it and the [block of] rooms [for the cohanim].

11 The doors of the side-rooms opened toward an empty space, one door facing north and the other facing south; the empty space was eight-and-three-quarters feet [wide] all around.

12 The building on the west facing the separated yard had a[n interior] width of 1221/2 feet, a[n interior] length of 1571/2 feet and exterior walls eight-and-three-quarters feet thick all the way around.

13 He measured the length of the house at 175 feet; then a distance that included [the width of] the separated yard, [the interior width of] the building and [the thickness of] its [front and back exterior] walls, at 175 feet.