Ezekiel 40:47

47 So he measured the court, a hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar [that was] before the house.

Ezekiel 40:47 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 40:47

So he measured the court
The inward court, where the prophet and his guide now were; and the gates leading to which he had been measuring, with the chambers, arches, and tables belonging thereunto: an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare;
the floor, or area of this court, which was a hundred cubits in length and breadth; so that it was a perfect square, equilateral, east, west, north, and south, and above fifty yards each way; such a court as never was in any temple whatever: hence Kimchi observes, there was no such court in the second temple; no, nor in the first neither: in the second temple, the length of the court of Israel, according to Abarbinel, was a hundred and thirty five cubits, and the breadth eleven, but this was a hundred by a hundred; these things, says Lipman F21, are wonderful in my eyes: this denotes the large increase of the church, and of spiritual worshippers, in the latter day; and the foursquare of it signifies the order, perfection, and stability of it; see ( Revelation 21:16 ) : and the altar that was before the house;
the altar of burnt offering, which stood before the house or temple, in the midst of the inward court; so that it might be seen by all in the inward court and chambers; and even by all in the outward court, through the several gates, which directly opened and led to it. This was typical of Christ, the altar, we Christians have a right to eat of; which sanctifies every gift offered upon it, and which every worshipper should by faith look unto for the expiation of their sins. The dimensions of this altar were now taken, and are given in ( Ezekiel 43:13-17 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F21 Tzurath Beth Hamikdash, sect. 27.

Ezekiel 40:47 In-Context

45 And he said to me, This chamber, whose prospect [is] towards the south, [is] for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house.
46 And the chamber whose prospect [is] towards the north [is] for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these [are] the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, who come near to the LORD to minister to him.
47 So he measured the court, a hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar [that was] before the house.
48 And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured [each] post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate [was] three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.
49 The length of the porch [was] twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and [he brought me] by the steps by which they went up to it: and [there were] pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.
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