Ezekiel 40:44

44 And without the inner gate were chambers of chanters, in the inner foreyard, that was in the side of the gate beholding to the north; and the faces of those were against the south way; one of the side of the east gate, that beheld to the way of the north. (And outside the inner gate were two rooms, in the inner courtyard, one at the side of the northern gateway facing south, and one at the side of the southern gateway facing north.)

Ezekiel 40:44 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 40:44

And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers,
&c.] These singers are true believers in Christ, members of Gospel churches; whose duty and privilege it is to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; which is a part of internal, spiritual, and evangelical worship, ( Ephesians 5:19 ) ( Colossians 3:16 ) , these are the spiritual harpers, that have harps in their hands, and make melody in their hearts, and are able to sing the songs of electing, redeeming, calling, pardoning, justifying, and adopting grace; these deservedly have a place in the churches of Christ, in the inward court, being inward court worshippers, even all such who sing with the spirit and the understanding; for these chambers were in the inward court: the prophet being brought through the inner northern gate, into the open space between the inward court, saw these chambers; for it follows, in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate;
in that part of the court which lay near the north gate, where now the prophet and his guide were: and their prospect was toward the south;
that is, some of these chambers, one row of them, were by the side of the north gate, and these faced the south; north and south being opposite to each other: one at the side of the east gate, having the prospect toward the north:
another row of chambers for the singers was in that part of the inner court which was on the side of the east gate, on the north side of it, and so faced the north part of the court. The Septuagint version, if admitted, makes the sense of it more clear, but different,

``and he brought me into the inner court, and behold two chambers in the inner court; one at the back of the gate that looks to the north, bearing to the south; and one at the back of the gate to the south, looking to the north.''

Ezekiel 40:44 In-Context

42 Forsooth four boards to burnt sacrifice were builded of square stones, in the length of one cubit and an half, and in the breadth of one cubit and an half, and in the height of one cubit; on which boards they shall set (the) vessels, in which burnt sacrifice and slain sacrifice is offered. (The four tables for preparing the burnt sacrifice were built of square stones, in the length of one cubit and a half, and in the breadth of one cubit and a half, and in the height of one cubit; on which tables they put the instruments, by which the burnt sacrifice, and the slain sacrifice, were slaughtered.)
43 And the brinks of the boards be of an handbreadth, and be bowed again within by compass; forsooth on the boards were fleshes of offering. (And the ledges of the tables were a hand's breadth, and were turned within all around; and on the tables were the meat for the offerings.)
44 And without the inner gate were chambers of chanters, in the inner foreyard, that was in the side of the gate beholding to the north; and the faces of those were against the south way; one of the side of the east gate, that beheld to the way of the north. (And outside the inner gate were two rooms, in the inner courtyard, one at the side of the northern gateway facing south, and one at the side of the southern gateway facing north.)
45 And he said to me, This chamber, that beholdeth (to) the south way, is of the priests that watch in the keepings of the temple. (And he said to me, This room, that faceth south, is for the priests who serve in, or who be in charge of, the Temple.)
46 Soothly the chamber, that beholdeth to the way of the north, shall be of the priests that watch to the service of the altar; these be the sons of Zadok, which of the sons of Levi nigh to the Lord, for to minister to him. (And the room, that faceth north, is for the priests who serve at, or who be in charge of, the altar; these be the sons of Zadok, who alone among the sons of Levi, may come into the presence of the Lord, to serve him.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.