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The Vision of the New Temple

40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me there. He brought me, in visions of God, to the land of Israel, and set me down upon a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. When he brought me there, a man was there, whose appearance shone like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway. The man said to me, ‘Mortal, look closely and listen attentively, and set your mind upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you; declare all that you see to the house of Israel.’

Now there was a wall all round the outside of the temple area. The length of the measuring reed in the man’s hand was six long cubits, each being a cubit and a handbreadth in length; so he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed. Then he went into the gateway facing east, going up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed deep.[a] There were recesses, and each recess was one reed wide and one reed deep; and the space between the recesses, five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the vestibule of the gate at the inner end was one reed deep. Then he measured the inner vestibule of the gateway, one cubit. Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; and its pilasters, two cubits; and the vestibule of the gate was at the inner end. 10 There were three recesses on either side of the east gate; the three were of the same size; and the pilasters on either side were of the same size. 11 Then he measured the width of the opening of the gateway, ten cubits; and the width of the gateway, thirteen cubits. 12 There was a barrier before the recesses, one cubit on either side; and the recesses were six cubits on either side. 13 Then he measured the gate from the back[b] of one recess to the back[c] of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits, from wall to wall.[d] 14 He measured[e] also the vestibule, twenty cubits; and the gate next to the pilaster on every side of the court.[f] 15 From the front of the gate at the entrance to the end of the inner vestibule of the gate was fifty cubits. 16 The recesses and their pilasters had windows, with shutters[g] on the inside of the gateway all round, and the vestibules also had windows on the inside all round; and on the pilasters were palm trees.

17 Then he brought me into the outer court; there were chambers there, and a pavement, all round the court; thirty chambers fronted on the pavement. 18 The pavement ran along the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the distance from the inner front of[h] the lower gate to the outer front of the inner court, one hundred cubits.[i]

20 Then he measured the gate of the outer court that faced north—its depth and width. 21 Its recesses, three on either side, and its pilasters and its vestibule were of the same size as those of the first gate; its depth was fifty cubits, and its width twenty-five cubits. 22 Its windows, its vestibule, and its palm trees were of the same size as those of the gate that faced towards the east. Seven steps led up to it; and its vestibule was on the inside.[j] 23 Opposite the gate on the north, as on the east, was a gate to the inner court; he measured from gate to gate, one hundred cubits.

24 Then he led me towards the south, and there was a gate on the south; and he measured its pilasters and its vestibule; they had the same dimensions as the others. 25 There were windows all round in it and in its vestibule, like the windows of the others; its depth was fifty cubits, and its width twenty-five cubits. 26 There were seven steps leading up to it; its vestibule was on the inside.[k] It had palm trees on its pilasters, one on either side. 27 There was a gate on the south of the inner court; and he measured from gate to gate towards the south, one hundred cubits.

28 Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it was of the same dimensions as the others. 29 Its recesses, its pilasters, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others; and there were windows all round in it and in its vestibule; its depth was fifty cubits, and its width twenty-five cubits. 30 There were vestibules all round, twenty-five cubits deep and five cubits wide. 31 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its pilasters, and its stairway had eight steps.

32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gate; it was of the same size as the others. 33 Its recesses, its pilasters, and its vestibule were of the same dimensions as the others; and there were windows all round in it and in its vestibule; its depth was fifty cubits, and its width twenty-five cubits. 34 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its pilasters, on either side; and its stairway had eight steps.

35 Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it; it had the same dimensions as the others. 36 Its recesses, its pilasters, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others;[l] and it had windows all round. Its depth was fifty cubits, and its width twenty-five cubits. 37 Its vestibule[m] faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its pilasters, on either side; and its stairway had eight steps.

38 There was a chamber with its door in the vestibule of the gate,[n] where the burnt-offering was to be washed. 39 And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on either side, on which the burnt-offering and the sin-offering and the guilt-offering were to be slaughtered. 40 On the outside of the vestibule[o] at the entrance of the north gate were two tables; and on the other side of the vestibule of the gate were two tables. 41 Four tables were on the inside, and four tables on the outside of the side of the gate, eight tables, on which the sacrifices were to be slaughtered. 42 There were also four tables of hewn stone for the burnt-offering, a cubit and a half long, and one cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high, on which the instruments were to be laid with which the burnt-offerings and the sacrifices were slaughtered. 43 There were pegs, one handbreadth long, fastened all round the inside. And on the tables the flesh of the offering was to be laid.

44 On the outside of the inner gateway there were chambers for the singers in the inner court, one[p] at the side of the north gate facing south, the other at the side of the east gate facing north. 45 He said to me, ‘This chamber that faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple, 46 and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar; these are the descendants of Zadok, who alone among the descendants of Levi may come near to the Lord to minister to him.’ 47 He measured the court, one hundred cubits deep, and one hundred cubits wide, a square; and the altar was in front of the temple.

The Temple

48 Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the pilasters of the vestibule, five cubits on either side; and the width of the gate was fourteen cubits; and the side walls of the gate were three cubits[q] on either side. 49 The depth of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the width twelve[r] cubits; ten steps led up[s] to it; and there were pillars beside the pilasters on either side.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 40:6 Heb deep, and one threshold, one reed deep
  2. Ezekiel 40:13 Gk: Heb roof
  3. Ezekiel 40:13 Gk: Heb roof
  4. Ezekiel 40:13 Heb opening facing opening
  5. Ezekiel 40:14 Heb made
  6. Ezekiel 40:14 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  7. Ezekiel 40:16 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  8. Ezekiel 40:19 Compare Gk: Heb from before
  9. Ezekiel 40:19 Heb adds the east and the north
  10. Ezekiel 40:22 Gk: Heb before them
  11. Ezekiel 40:26 Gk: Heb before them
  12. Ezekiel 40:36 One Ms: Compare verses 29 and 33: MT lacks were of the same size as the others
  13. Ezekiel 40:37 Gk Vg Compare verses 26, 31, 34: Heb pilasters
  14. Ezekiel 40:38 Cn: Heb at the pilasters of the gates
  15. Ezekiel 40:40 Cn: Heb to him who goes up
  16. Ezekiel 40:44 Heb lacks one
  17. Ezekiel 40:48 Gk: Heb and the width of the gate was three cubits
  18. Ezekiel 40:49 Gk: Heb eleven
  19. Ezekiel 40:49 Gk: Heb and by steps that went up

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