Ezekiel 40-42

The Temple Area Restored 1In 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—on that very day the hand of the LORD was on me and he took me there. 2In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. 3He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.

4The man said to me, “Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see.”

The East Gate to the Outer Court 5I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits, 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. each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high. 6Then he went to the east gate. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep.

7The alcoves for the guards were one rod long and one rod wide, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were five cubits That is, about 8 3/4 feet or about 2.7 meters; also in verse 48 thick. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep. 8Then he measured the portico of the gateway;

9it Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts gateway facing the temple; it was one rod deep. 9 Then he measured the portico of the gateway; it was eight cubits That is, about 14 feet or about 4.2 meters deep and its jambs were two cubits That is, about 3 1/2 feet or about 1 meter thick. The portico of the gateway faced the temple. 10Inside 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. 11Then he measured the width of the entrance of the gateway; it was ten cubits and its length was thirteen cubits. That is, about 18 feet wide and 23 feet long or about 5.3 meters wide and 6.9 meters long 12In front of each alcove was a wall one cubit high, and the alcoves were six cubits square. 13Then 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 That is, about 44 feet or about 13 meters; also in verses 21, 25, 29, 30, 33 and 36 from one parapet opening to the opposite one. 14He measured along the faces of the projecting walls all around the inside of the gateway—sixty cubits. That is, about 105 feet or about 32 meters The measurement was up to the portico Septuagint; Hebrew projecting wall facing the courtyard. The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain. 15The distance from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its portico was fifty cubits. That is, about 88 feet or about 27 meters; also in verses 21, 25, 29, 33 and 36

16The 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.

The Outer Court 17Then he brought me into the outer court. There I saw some rooms and a pavement that had been constructed all around the court; there were thirty rooms along the pavement. 18It abutted the sides of the gateways and was as wide as they were long; this was the lower pavement.

19Then he measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner court; it was a hundred cubits That is, about 175 feet or about 53 meters; also in verses 23, 27 and 47 on the east side as well as on the north.

The North Gate 20Then he measured the length and width of the north gate, leading into the outer court. 21Its alcoves—three on each side—its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as those of the first gateway. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 22Its openings, its portico 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.

23There 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.

The South Gate 24Then 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 as the others. 25The 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. 26Seven 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.

27The inner court 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.

The Gates to the Inner Court 28Then he brought me into the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it had the same measurements as the others. 29Its alcoves, 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. 30(The porticoes of the gateways around the inner court were twenty-five cubits wide and five cubits deep.)

31Its portico faced the outer court; palm trees decorated its jambs, and eight steps led up to it. 32Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway; it had the same measurements as the others. 33Its alcoves, 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.

34Its portico faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it. 35Then he brought me to the north gate and measured it. It had the same measurements as the others, 36as did its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico, and it had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

37Its portico Septuagint (see also verses 31 and 34); Hebrew jambs faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.

The Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices 38A room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the burnt offerings were washed. 39In the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings, sin offerings Or purification offerings and guilt offerings were slaughtered. 40By 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. 41So 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. 42There were also four tables of dressed stone for the burnt offerings, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit high. 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 On them were placed the utensils for slaughtering the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices.

43And double-pronged hooks, each a handbreadth That is, about 3 1/2 inches or about 9 centimeters long, were attached to the wall all around. The tables were for the flesh of the offerings.

The Rooms for the Priests 44Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, were two rooms, one Septuagint; Hebrew were rooms for singers, which were at the side of the north gate and facing south, and another at the side of the south Septuagint; Hebrew east gate and facing north. 45He said to me, “The room facing south is for the priests who guard the temple,

46and the room facing north is for the priests who guard the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who are the only Levites who may draw near to the LORD to minister before him.”

47Then 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.

The New Temple 48He brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the jambs of the portico; they were five cubits wide on either side. The width of the entrance was fourteen cubits That is, about 25 feet or about 7.4 meters and its projecting walls were Septuagint; Hebrew entrance was three cubits That is, about 5 1/4 feet or about 1.6 meters wide on either side. 49The portico was twenty cubits That is, about 35 feet or about 11 meters wide, and twelve Septuagint; Hebrew eleven cubits That is, about 21 feet or about 6.4 meters from front to back. It was reached by a flight of stairs, Hebrew; Septuagint Ten steps led up to it and there were pillars on each side of the jambs.

1Then the man brought me to the main hall and measured the jambs; the width of the jambs was six cubits That is, about 11 feet or about 3.2 meters; also in verses 3, 5 and 8 on each side. One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts side, the width of the tent

2The entrance was ten cubits That is, about 18 feet or about 5.3 meters wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were five cubits That is, about 8 3/4 feet or about 2.7 meters; also in verses 9, 11 and 12 wide. He also measured the main hall; it was forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. That is, about 70 feet long and 35 feet wide or about 21 meters long and 11 meters wide 3Then he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance; each was two cubits That is, about 3 1/2 feet or about 1.1 meters; also in verse 22 wide. The entrance was six cubits wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were seven cubits That is, about 12 feet or about 3.7 meters wide.

4And he measured the length of the inner sanctuary; it was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits across the end of the main hall. He said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.” 5Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was six cubits thick, and each side room around the temple was four cubits That is, about 7 feet or about 2.1 meters wide. 6The side rooms were on three levels, one above another, thirty on each level. There were ledges all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports were not inserted into the wall of the temple.

7The side rooms all around the temple were wider at each successive level. The structure surrounding the temple was built in ascending stages, so that the rooms widened as one went upward. A stairway went up from the lowest floor to the top floor through the middle floor. 8I saw that the temple had a raised base all around it, forming the foundation of the side rooms. It was the length of the rod, six long cubits. 9The outer wall of the side rooms was five cubits thick. The open area between the side rooms of the temple 10and the priests’ rooms was twenty cubits wide all around the temple.

11There were entrances to the side rooms from the open area, one on the north and another on the south; and the base adjoining the open area was five cubits wide all around.

12The building facing the temple courtyard on the west side was seventy cubits That is, about 123 feet or about 37 meters wide. The wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length was ninety cubits. That is, about 158 feet or about 48 meters 13Then he measured the temple; it was a hundred cubits That is, about 175 feet or about 53 meters; also in verses 14 and 15 long, and the temple courtyard and the building with its walls were also a hundred cubits long.

14The width of the temple courtyard on the east, including the front of the temple, was a hundred cubits.

15Then he measured the length of the building facing the courtyard at the rear of the temple, including its galleries on each side; it was a hundred cubits. The main hall, the inner sanctuary and the portico facing the court, 16as well as the thresholds and the narrow windows and galleries around the three of them—everything beyond and including the threshold was covered with wood. The floor, the wall up to the windows, and the windows were covered. 17In the space above the outside of the entrance to the inner sanctuary and on the walls at regular intervals all around the inner and outer sanctuary 18were carved cherubim and palm trees. Palm trees alternated with cherubim. Each cherub had two faces: 19the face of a human being toward the palm tree on one side and the face of a lion toward the palm tree on the other. They were carved all around the whole temple.

20From the floor to the area above the entrance, cherubim and palm trees were carved on the wall of the main hall. 21The main hall had a rectangular doorframe, and the one at the front of the Most Holy Place was similar. 22There was a wooden altar three cubits That is, about 5 1/4 feet or about 1.5 meters high and two cubits square Septuagint; Hebrew long ; its corners, its base Septuagint; Hebrew length and its sides were of wood. The man said to me, “This is the table that is before the LORD .” 23Both the main hall and the Most Holy Place had double doors. 24Each door had two leaves—two hinged leaves for each door. 25And on the doors of the main hall were carved cherubim and palm trees like those carved on the walls, and there was a wooden overhang on the front of the portico. 26On the sidewalls of the portico were narrow windows with palm trees carved on each side. The side rooms of the temple also had overhangs.

The Rooms for the Priests 1Then the man led me northward into the outer court and brought me to the rooms opposite the temple courtyard and opposite the outer wall on the north side. 2The building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide. That is, about 175 feet long and 88 feet wide or about 53 meters long and 27 meters wide 3Both in the section twenty cubits That is, about 35 feet or about 11 meters from the inner court and in the section opposite the pavement of the outer court, gallery faced gallery at the three levels. 4In front of the rooms was an inner passageway ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew and one cubit long. That is, about 18 feet wide and 175 feet long or about 5.3 meters wide and 53 meters long Their doors were on the north. 5Now the upper rooms were narrower, for the galleries took more space from them than from the rooms on the lower and middle floors of the building. 6The rooms on the top floor had no pillars, as the courts had; so they were smaller in floor space than those on the lower and middle floors. 7There was an outer wall parallel to the rooms and the outer court; it extended in front of the rooms for fifty cubits. 8While the row of rooms on the side next to the outer court was fifty cubits long, the row on the side nearest the sanctuary was a hundred cubits long.

9The lower rooms had an entrance on the east side as one enters them from the outer court. 10On the south side Septuagint; Hebrew Eastward along the length of the wall of the outer court, adjoining the temple courtyard and opposite the outer wall, were rooms 11with a passageway in front of them. These were like the rooms on the north; they had the same length and width, with similar exits and dimensions. Similar to the doorways on the north

12were the doorways of the rooms on the south. There was a doorway at the beginning of the passageway that was parallel to the corresponding wall extending eastward, by which one enters the rooms. 13Then he said to me, “The north and south rooms facing the temple courtyard are the priests’ rooms, where the priests who approach the LORD will eat the most holy offerings. There they will put the most holy offerings—the grain offerings, the sin offerings Or purification offerings and the guilt offerings—for the place is holy.

14Once the priests enter the holy precincts, they are not to go into the outer court until they leave behind the garments in which they minister, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they go near the places that are for the people.” 15When he had finished measuring what was inside the temple area, he led me out by the east gate and measured the area all around: 16He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was five hundred cubits. See Septuagint of verse 17; Hebrew rods; also in verses 18 and 19. Five hundred cubits equal about 875 feet or about 265 meters; also in verses 17, 18 and 19. 17He measured the north side; it was five hundred cubits Septuagint; Hebrew rods by the measuring rod. 18He measured the south side; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 19Then he turned to the west side and measured; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 20So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall around it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.