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Visions of the House of Yahweh

40 In the (A)twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the (B)city was struck down, on that same day the (C)hand of Yahweh was upon me, and He brought me there. In the (D)visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and caused me to rest on a very (E)high mountain, and on it (F)to the south there was a (G)structure like a city. So He brought me there; and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of (H)bronze, with a (I)line of flax and a (J)measuring [a]rod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway. And the man spoke to me, “(K)Son of man, (L)see with your eyes, hear with your ears, and set your heart on all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here in order to show it to you. (M)Declare to the house of Israel all that you are seeing.”

The East Gate

And behold, there was a (N)wall on the outside of the house of Yahweh all around, and in the man’s hand was a measuring rod of six cubits, each of which was a [b]cubit and a [c]handbreadth. So he measured the thickness of the [d]wall, one rod; and the height, one rod. Then he went to the gate which faced (O)east, went up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one rod [e]in width; and the other threshold was one rod [f]in width. The (P)guardroom was one rod long and one rod wide; and there were five cubits between the guardrooms. And the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate [g]facing inward was one rod. Then he measured the porch of the gate [h]facing inward, one rod. He measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its side pillars, two cubits. And the porch of the gate was [i]faced inward. 10 The guardrooms of the gate toward the east numbered three on each side; the three of them had the same measurement. The side pillars also had the same measurement on each side. 11 And he measured the width of the entrance of the gate, ten cubits, and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 12 There was a [j]barrier wall one cubit wide in front of the guardrooms on each side; and the guardrooms were six cubits square on each side. 13 He measured the gate from the roof of the one guardroom to the roof of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits from one door to the door opposite. 14 He made the side pillars sixty cubits high; the gate extended round about to the side pillar of the (Q)courtyard. 15 From the front of the entrance gate to the front of the inner porch of the gate was fifty cubits. 16 There were [k](R)shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And there were windows all around inside; and on each side pillar were (S)palm tree ornaments.

The Outer Court Chambers

17 Then he brought me into the (T)outer court, and behold, there were (U)chambers and a pavement made for the court all around; thirty chambers [l]faced the pavement. 18 The pavement (that is, the lower pavement) was by the [m]side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. 19 Then he measured the width from the front of the (V)lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner court, [n]one (W)hundred cubits on the east and on the north.

The North Gate

20 As for the (X)gate of the outer court which faced the north, he measured its length and its width. 21 [o]It had three (Y)guardrooms on each side; and its (Z)side pillars and its porches [p]had the same measurement as the first gate. Its length was [q](AA)fifty cubits and the width (AB)twenty-five cubits. 22 Its (AC)windows and its porches and its palm tree ornaments had the same measurements as the (AD)gate which faced toward the east; and [r]it was reached by seven (AE)steps, and its [s]porch was in front of them. 23 The inner court had a gate opposite the gate on the north as well as the gate on the east; and he measured one (AF)hundred cubits from gate to gate.

The South Gate

24 Then he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a (AG)gate toward the south; and he measured its (AH)side pillars and its porches according to [t]those same measurements. 25 [u]The gate and its porches had (AI)windows all around like [v]those other windows; the length was (AJ)fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits. 26 There were seven (AK)steps going up to it, and its porches were in front of them; and it had (AL)palm tree ornaments on its side pillars, one on each side. 27 The inner court had a gate toward the (AM)south; and he measured from gate to gate toward the south, one (AN)hundred cubits.

The Inner Court Gates

28 Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate; and he measured the south gate (AO)according to those same measurements. 29 Its (AP)guardrooms also, its side pillars, and its (AQ)porches were according to those same measurements. And [w]the gate and its porches had (AR)windows all around; it was (AS)fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 30 There were (AT)porches all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide. 31 Its porches were toward the outer court; and (AU)palm tree ornaments were on its side pillars, and its stairway had eight (AV)steps.

32 Then he brought me into the (AW)inner court toward the east. And he measured the gate (AX)according to those same measurements. 33 Its (AY)guardrooms also, its side pillars, and its porches were according to those same measurements. And [x]the gate and its porches had (AZ)windows all around; it was (BA)fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34 Its (BB)porches were toward the outer court; and (BC)palm tree ornaments were on its side pillars, on each side, and its stairway had eight (BD)steps.

35 Then he brought me to the (BE)north gate; and he measured it according to those same measurements, 36 with its (BF)guardrooms, its side pillars, and its (BG)porches. And [y]the gate had (BH)windows all around; the length was (BI)fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits. 37 Its side pillars were toward the outer court; and (BJ)palm tree ornaments were on its side pillars on each side, and its stairway had eight (BK)steps.

38 A (BL)chamber with its doorway was by the side pillars at the gates; there they (BM)rinse the burnt offering. 39 In the porch of the gate were two (BN)tables on each side, on which to slaughter the (BO)burnt offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering. 40 On the outer [z]side, [aa]as one went up to the entrance of the gate toward the north, were two tables; and on the other [ab]side of the porch of the gate were two tables. 41 Four (BP)tables were on each side [ac]next to the gate; or, eight tables on which they slaughter sacrifices. 42 For the burnt offering there were four (BQ)tables of (BR)cut stone, a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high, on which they lay the instruments with which they slaughter the (BS)burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43 The double [ad]hooks, one handbreadth in length, were installed [ae]in the house all around; and on the tables was the flesh of the offering.

The Chambers for the Priests

44 From the outside to the (BT)inner gate were [af](BU)chambers for the (BV)singers in the inner court, one of which was at the [ag]side of the north gate, with [ah]its front toward the south, and one at the [ai]side of the [aj]south gate facing toward the north. 45 Then he said to me, “This is the (BW)chamber which faces toward the south, intended for the priests who (BX)keep the responsibility of the house; 46 but the (BY)chamber which faces toward the north is for the priests who (BZ)keep the responsibility of the altar. These are the (CA)sons of Zadok, who from the sons of Levi (CB)come near to Yahweh to minister to Him.” 47 He measured the court, a perfect square, one (CC)hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits wide; and the altar was in front of the house.

The Porch

48 Then he brought me to the (CD)porch of the house and measured each side pillar of the porch, five cubits on each side; and the width of the gate was three cubits on each side. 49 The length of the porch was twenty cubits and the width eleven cubits; and at the (CE)stairway by which it was ascended were (CF)columns belonging to the side pillars, one on each side.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 40:3 Lit reed, so in ch
  2. Ezekiel 40:5 A cubit was approx. 18 in. or 45 cm
  3. Ezekiel 40:5 A handbreadth was approx. 3 in. or 7.5 cm
  4. Ezekiel 40:5 Lit building
  5. Ezekiel 40:6 Or in depth
  6. Ezekiel 40:6 Or in depth
  7. Ezekiel 40:7 Lit from the house
  8. Ezekiel 40:8 Lit from the house
  9. Ezekiel 40:9 Lit from the house
  10. Ezekiel 40:12 Lit border
  11. Ezekiel 40:16 Or beveled inwards
  12. Ezekiel 40:17 Lit to
  13. Ezekiel 40:18 Lit shoulder
  14. Ezekiel 40:19 Approx. 150 ft. or 45 m
  15. Ezekiel 40:21 Lit Its guardrooms were 3
  16. Ezekiel 40:21 Lit were
  17. Ezekiel 40:21 Approx. 75 ft. long and 37.5 ft. wide or 22.5 m and 11.25 m
  18. Ezekiel 40:22 Lit they were going up into it
  19. Ezekiel 40:22 Or porches
  20. Ezekiel 40:24 Lit these measurements, so in ch
  21. Ezekiel 40:25 Lit It
  22. Ezekiel 40:25 Lit these windows
  23. Ezekiel 40:29 Lit it
  24. Ezekiel 40:33 Lit it
  25. Ezekiel 40:36 Lit it
  26. Ezekiel 40:40 Lit shoulder
  27. Ezekiel 40:40 Lit to the one going up
  28. Ezekiel 40:40 Lit shoulder
  29. Ezekiel 40:41 Lit by the shoulder of
  30. Ezekiel 40:43 Or ledges
  31. Ezekiel 40:43 Or inside
  32. Ezekiel 40:44 Gr in two chambers
  33. Ezekiel 40:44 Lit shoulder
  34. Ezekiel 40:44 Lit their
  35. Ezekiel 40:44 Lit shoulder
  36. Ezekiel 40:44 As in Gr; Heb east

The Temple Area Restored

40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city(A)—on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me(B) and he took me there. In visions(C) of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain,(D) on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze;(E) he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod(F) in his hand. The man said to me, “Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you,(G) for that is why you have been brought here. Tell(H) the people of Israel everything you see.(I)

The East Gate to the Outer Court

I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits,[a] each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured(J) the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high.

Then he went to the east gate.(K) He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep. The alcoves(L) for the guards were one rod long and one rod wide, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were five cubits[b] thick. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep.

Then he measured the portico of the gateway; it[c] was eight cubits[d] deep and its jambs were two cubits[e] thick. The portico of the gateway faced the temple.

10 Inside the east gate were three alcoves on each side; the three had the same measurements, and the faces of the projecting walls on each side had the same measurements. 11 Then he measured the width of the entrance of the gateway; it was ten cubits and its length was thirteen cubits.[f] 12 In front of each alcove was a wall one cubit high, and the alcoves were six cubits square. 13 Then he measured the gateway from the top of the rear wall of one alcove to the top of the opposite one; the distance was twenty-five cubits[g] from one parapet opening to the opposite one. 14 He measured along the faces of the projecting walls all around the inside of the gateway—sixty cubits.[h] The measurement was up to the portico[i] facing the courtyard.[j](M) 15 The distance from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its portico was fifty cubits.[k] 16 The alcoves and the projecting walls inside the gateway were surmounted by narrow parapet openings all around, as was the portico; the openings all around faced inward. The faces of the projecting walls were decorated with palm trees.(N)

The Outer Court

17 Then he brought me into the outer court.(O) There I saw some rooms and a pavement that had been constructed all around the court; there were thirty rooms(P) along the pavement.(Q) 18 It abutted the sides of the gateways and was as wide as they were long; this was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner court;(R) it was a hundred cubits[l](S) on the east side as well as on the north.

The North Gate

20 Then he measured the length and width of the north gate, leading into the outer court. 21 Its alcoves(T)—three on each side—its projecting walls and its portico(U) had the same measurements as those of the first gateway. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 22 Its openings, its portico(V) and its palm tree decorations had the same measurements as those of the gate facing east. Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them.(W) 23 There was a gate to the inner court facing the north gate, just as there was on the east. He measured from one gate to the opposite one; it was a hundred cubits.(X)

The South Gate

24 Then he led me to the south side and I saw the south gate. He measured its jambs and its portico, and they had the same measurements(Y) as the others. 25 The gateway and its portico had narrow openings all around, like the openings of the others. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.(Z) 26 Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them; it had palm tree decorations on the faces of the projecting walls on each side.(AA) 27 The inner court(AB) also had a gate facing south, and he measured from this gate to the outer gate on the south side; it was a hundred cubits.(AC)

The Gates to the Inner Court

28 Then he brought me into the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it had the same measurements(AD) as the others. 29 Its alcoves,(AE) its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.(AF) 30 (The porticoes(AG) of the gateways around the inner court were twenty-five cubits wide and five cubits deep.) 31 Its portico(AH) faced the outer court; palm trees decorated its jambs, and eight steps led up to it.(AI)

32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway; it had the same measurements(AJ) as the others. 33 Its alcoves,(AK) its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34 Its portico(AL) faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.

35 Then he brought me to the north gate(AM) and measured it. It had the same measurements(AN) as the others, 36 as did its alcoves,(AO) its projecting walls and its portico, and it had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 37 Its portico[m](AP) faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.(AQ)

The Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices

38 A room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the burnt offerings(AR) were washed. 39 In the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings,(AS) sin offerings[n](AT) and guilt offerings(AU) were slaughtered.(AV) 40 By the outside wall of the portico of the gateway, near the steps at the entrance of the north gateway were two tables, and on the other side of the steps were two tables. 41 So there were four tables on one side of the gateway and four on the other—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were slaughtered. 42 There were also four tables of dressed stone(AW) for the burnt offerings, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit high.[o] On them were placed the utensils for slaughtering the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices.(AX) 43 And double-pronged hooks, each a handbreadth[p] long, were attached to the wall all around. The tables were for the flesh of the offerings.

The Rooms for the Priests

44 Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, were two rooms, one[q] at the side of the north gate and facing south, and another at the side of the south[r] gate and facing north. 45 He said to me, “The room facing south is for the priests who guard the temple,(AY) 46 and the room facing north(AZ) is for the priests who guard the altar.(BA) These are the sons of Zadok,(BB) who are the only Levites who may draw near to the Lord to minister before him.(BC)

47 Then he measured the court: It was square—a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide. And the altar was in front of the temple.(BD)

The New Temple

48 He brought me to the portico of the temple(BE) and measured the jambs of the portico; they were five cubits wide on either side. The width of the entrance was fourteen cubits[s] and its projecting walls were[t] three cubits[u] wide on either side. 49 The portico(BF) was twenty cubits[v] wide, and twelve[w] cubits[x] from front to back. It was reached by a flight of stairs,[y] and there were pillars(BG) on each side of the jambs.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 40:5 That is, about 11 feet or about 3.2 meters; also in verse 12. The long cubit of about 21 inches or about 53 centimeters is the basic unit of measurement of length throughout chapters 40–48.
  2. Ezekiel 40:7 That is, about 8 3/4 feet or about 2.7 meters; also in verse 48
  3. Ezekiel 40:9 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts gateway facing the temple; it was one rod deep. Then he measured the portico of the gateway; it
  4. Ezekiel 40:9 That is, about 14 feet or about 4.2 meters
  5. Ezekiel 40:9 That is, about 3 1/2 feet or about 1 meter
  6. Ezekiel 40:11 That is, about 18 feet wide and 23 feet long or about 5.3 meters wide and 6.9 meters long
  7. Ezekiel 40:13 That is, about 44 feet or about 13 meters; also in verses 21, 25, 29, 30, 33 and 36
  8. Ezekiel 40:14 That is, about 105 feet or about 32 meters
  9. Ezekiel 40:14 Septuagint; Hebrew projecting wall
  10. Ezekiel 40:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
  11. Ezekiel 40:15 That is, about 88 feet or about 27 meters; also in verses 21, 25, 29, 33 and 36
  12. Ezekiel 40:19 That is, about 175 feet or about 53 meters; also in verses 23, 27 and 47
  13. Ezekiel 40:37 Septuagint (see also verses 31 and 34); Hebrew jambs
  14. Ezekiel 40:39 Or purification offerings
  15. Ezekiel 40:42 That is, about 2 2/3 feet long and wide and 21 inches high or about 80 centimeters long and wide and 53 centimeters high
  16. Ezekiel 40:43 That is, about 3 1/2 inches or about 9 centimeters
  17. Ezekiel 40:44 Septuagint; Hebrew were rooms for singers, which were
  18. Ezekiel 40:44 Septuagint; Hebrew east
  19. Ezekiel 40:48 That is, about 25 feet or about 7.4 meters
  20. Ezekiel 40:48 Septuagint; Hebrew entrance was
  21. Ezekiel 40:48 That is, about 5 1/4 feet or about 1.6 meters
  22. Ezekiel 40:49 That is, about 35 feet or about 11 meters
  23. Ezekiel 40:49 Septuagint; Hebrew eleven
  24. Ezekiel 40:49 That is, about 21 feet or about 6.4 meters
  25. Ezekiel 40:49 Hebrew; Septuagint Ten steps led up to it