Ezekiel 40

20-27. The different approaches corresponded in plan. In the case of these two other gates, however, no mention is made of a building with thirty chambers such as was found on the east side. Only one was needed, and it was assigned to the east as being the sacred quarter, and that most conveniently situated for the officiating priests.

23. and toward the east--an elliptical expression for "The gate of the inner court was over against the (outer) gate toward the north (just as the inner gate was over against the outer gate) toward the east."

28-37. The inner court and its gates.
according to these measures--namely, the measures of the outer gate. The figure and proportions of the inner answered to the outer.

30. This verse is omitted in the Septuagint, the Vatican manuscript, and others. The dimensions here of the inner gate do not correspond to the outer, though Ezekiel 40:28 asserts that they do. HAVERNICK, retaining the verse, understands it of another porch looking inwards toward the temple.
arches--the porch [FAIRBAIRN]; the columns on which the arches rest [HENDERSON].

31. eight steps--The outer porch had only seven ( Ezekiel 40:26 ).

37. posts--the Septuagint and Vulgate read, "the porch," which answers better to Ezekiel 40:31-34 . "The arches" or "porch" [MAURER].

38. chambers . . . entries--literally, "a chamber and its door."
by the posts--that is, at or close by the posts or columns.
where they washed the burnt offering--This does not apply to all the gates but only to the north gate. For Leviticus 1:11 directs the sacrifices to be killed north of the altar; and Ezekiel 8:5 calls the north gate, "the gate of the altar." And Ezekiel 40:40 particularly mentions the north gate.

43. hooks--cooking apparatus for cooking the flesh of the sacrifices that fell to the priests. The hooks were "fastened" in the walls within the apartment, to hang the meat from, so as to roast it. The Hebrew comes from a root "fixed" or "placed."

44. the chambers of the singers--two in number, as proved by what follows: "and their prospect (that is, the prospect of one) was toward the south, (and) one toward the north." So the Septuagint.

46. Zadok--lineally descended from Aaron. He had the high priesthood conferred on him by Solomon, who had set aside the family of Ithamar because of the part which Abiathar had taken in the rebellion of Adonijah ( 1 Kings 1:7 , 1 Kings 2:26 1 Kings 2:27 ).

47. court, an hundred cubits . . . foursquare--not to be confounded with the inner court, or court of Israel, which was open to all who had sacrifices to bring, and went round the three sides of the sacred territory, one hundred cubits broad. This court was one hundred cubits square, and had the altar in it, in front of the temple. It was the court of the priests, and hence is connected with those who had charge of the altar and the music. The description here is brief, as the things connected with this portion were from the first divinely regulated.

48, 49. These two verses belong to the forty-first chapter, which treats of the temple itself.

49. twenty . . . eleven cubits--in Solomon's temple ( 1 Kings 6:3 ) "twenty . . . ten cubits." The breadth perhaps was ten and a half; 1 Kings 6:3 designates the number by the lesser next round number, "ten"; Ezekiel here, by the larger number, "eleven" [MENOCHIUS]. The Septuagint reads "twelve."
he brought me by the steps--They were ten in number [Septuagint].