Ezekiel 41:5

Outside the Temple

5 Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was 10 and a half feet^[a] [thick]. The width of the side rooms all around the temple was seven feet.^[b][c]

Ezekiel 41:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 41:5

After he measured the wall of the house six cubits
Or a reed, three yards and a half thick: this was the wall of the holy of holies, or which divided that from the holy place, and was not in the second temple; or rather the wall of the temple, the whole house or building, both of the holy place, and of the most holy, which were contiguous: such a strong wall is the Lord to his church, and especially will be in the latter day, when salvation will be for walls and bulwarks against all enemies, and to preserve from all hurt and danger, ( Isaiah 26:1 ) ( 60:18 ) ( Zechariah 2:5 ) , the New Jerusalem also will have a wall great and high, and made of a precious stone, ( Revelation 21:12 Revelation 21:18 ) : and the breadth of every side chamber four cubits round about the house
on every side;
or, "of every rib" ^F25; as ribs are to the body, so were these side chambers or buildings to the fabric, as Ben Melech observes, who interprets them of beams: adjoining to the above wall were chambers all around the holy place and the most holy on each side, north and south; for there could be none on the east, that being the entrance into the holy, and so into the most holy place; and the floor of these chambers were four cubits, or two yards and a foot broad; that is, those of the lower storey: these were for the priests, where they lodged, and laid up and ate their most holy things, and put their garments in which they ministered; see ( Ezekiel 42:13 Ezekiel 42:14 ) , and design, as the chambers everywhere do, particular congregated churches; where such as are made priests to God by Christ have a place, and communion with God in holy things; and appear in the righteousness of Christ, and in the beauties of holiness.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (eluh) "costae", Piscator, Cocceius, Starckius.

Ezekiel 41:5 In-Context

3 He went inside [the next room] and measured the pilasters at the entrance; they were three and a half feet [wide]. The entrance was 10 and a half feet [wide], and the width of the entrance's sidewalls on each side was 12 and a quarter feet.

4 He then measured the length of the room adjacent to the great hall, 35 feet, and the width, 35 feet. And he said to me, "This is the most holy place."

5 Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was 10 and a half feet [thick]. The width of the side rooms all around the temple was seven feet.

6 The side rooms were arranged one above another in three stories of 30 rooms each. There were ledges on the wall of the temple all around to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports would not be in the temple wall [itself].

7 The side rooms surrounding [the temple] widened at each successive story, for the structure surrounding the temple [went up] by stages. This was the reason for the temple's broadness as it rose. And so, one would go up from the lowest story to the highest by means of the middle one.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit six cubits
• [b]. Lit four cubits
• [c]. 1 Kg 6:5-10