Ezekiel 40:31

31 And the porch thereof was to the outermore foreyard, and the palm trees thereof in the post(s); and eight degrees were, by which men ascended through it. (And its porch faced the outer courtyard, and palm trees were carved on its posts; and there were eight steps, by which people went 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 the (little) chamber[s] thereof, and the post(s) thereof, and the porch thereof by the same measures; and he meted the windows thereof, and the porch thereof in compass; fifty cubits of length, and five and twenty cubits of breadth. (its little chambers, and its posts, and its porch, had the same measurements as the others; and he measured its windows, and its porch all around; fifty cubits in length, and twenty-five cubits in breadth.)

30 And he meted the porch by compass, the length of five and twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof of five cubits. (And he measured the porch all around, its length was twenty-five cubits, and its breadth was five cubits.)

31 And the porch thereof was to the outermore foreyard, and the palm trees thereof in the post(s); and eight degrees were, by which men ascended through it. (And its porch faced the outer courtyard, and palm trees were carved on its posts; and there were eight steps, by which people went up to it.)

32 And he led me into the inner foreyard, by the east way; and he meted the gate by the former measures; (And he led me into the inner courtyard, facing east; and he measured the gateway, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways;)

33 the (little) chamber(s) thereof, and the post(s) thereof, and the porches thereof, as above; and he meted the windows thereof, and the porches thereof in compass; the length of fifty cubits, and the breadth of five and twenty cubits; (its little chambers, and its posts, and its porch, were as above; and he measured its windows, and its porch all around; the length of fifty cubits, and the breadth of twenty-five cubits;)