The Prophet Ezekiel

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- Chapter 40 -

(Zechariah 2:1–5)

Almost twenty-five years after the Babylonians had taken us Israelites to their land, on the tenth day of the month, almost fourteen years after Jerusalem had been destroyed, Yahweh grabbed hold of me with his power, and he took me in a vision to Israel.

He set me on a very high mountain. On the south side of that mountain there were some buildings that looked like part of a city.

When he took me there, I saw a man who looked as if he had been made of bronze. He was standing inside the city gate, and he was holding a linen cord and a measuring stick in his hand.

He said to me, “Son of man, look carefully at everything that I am going to show you, and pay attention to everything that I say and everything that I will show you, because that is why God brought you here. And then later you must tell the Israelite people everything that you have seen here.”

The East Gate

In the vision I saw that there was a wall that completely surrounded the temple area. The measuring stick in the man’s hand was three and one-tenth meters long. He measured the wall and it was three and one-tenth meters thick and three and one-tenth meters high.

Then he went to the gate in the temple wall on the temple’s east side. He climbed the steps and measured the gateway that faced outward; it was three and one-tenth meters deep.

Next, there were alcoves for the temple guards, each being three and one-tenth meters long and deep. The distance of the wall between each alcove was two and three-quarters meters. The gateway that faced inward, which led to the temple portico, was also three and one-tenth meters deep.

Then he measured the portico that was after the gate; it was three and one-tenth meters long.

He also measured the depth, which was three and one-tenth of a meter. The doorposts on either side were one meter thick. This was the portico attached to the temple gate on the gate’s inner side, facing the temple.

Inside the east gate there were three alcoves for guards on each side of the gate. They all had the same length and depth. And the distance of wall between them was the same.

Then he measured the opening of the gate; it was five and two-fifths meters wide, and the entrance from the gate was seven meters long.

Running along in front of the alcoves was a low wall one-half meter high. Each of the alcoves was three and one-tenth meters long on all sides.

Then the man measured the gateway’s width from the roof of the alcove on one side, to the roof of the alcove on the other side. The distance was thirteen and one-half meters, from one alcove’s entrance to that of the other.

Then the man measured along the wall that separated the alcoves from each other; it was thirty-two meters long. He measured them as far as the gate’s portico.

The distance from the entrance of the gate to the far end of its portico was twenty-seven meters.

There were narrow windows in the walls of all the alcoves, and also in the inner walls between the alcoves. The portico also had these same windows on its inner side. The wall that ran between the alcoves was decorated with carvings of palm trees.

The Outer Court

Then the man brought me to the temple’s outer courtyard. There I saw some rooms, and a stone pavement in the courtyard. There were thirty rooms facing the courtyard.

The stone pavement was all around the courtyard, and it extended out from the walls into the courtyard for the same distance as the gate entrances. That was the lower pavement.

Then the man measured the distance across the outer courtyard of the temple, between the outer gate and inner courtyard; it was fifty-four meters on the east side, and the same distance on the north side of the courtyard.

The North Gate

Then he measured how long and how wide was the gateway on the north side, which was an entrance into the outer courtyard of the temple complex.

There were three alcoves for guards on each side of that gateway. From the gateway to the end of its portico was twenty-seven meters, and they were thirteen and one-half meters wide.

It had the same windows, portico, guard alcoves, and palm tree decorations as the east gate had. Like the east gate, there were seven steps leading up to it and its portico.

Across the outer courtyard from the north gate was a gate leading to the inner courtyard, just as there was on the east side. The man measured the distance from the north gate to the gate leading to the inner courtyard; it was fifty-four meters in distance.

The South Gate

Then he brought me through the south gateway into the inner courtyard, and he measured the entrance. It measured the same as the other gateways. Its alcoves, its walls between the alcoves, and its entry room measured the same as the ones on the other sides.

The gateway and its portico had narrow windows along the walls, as on the other sides. The gateway and its portico measured twenty-five meters long and thirteen and one-half wide.

There were seven steps leading up to that gate and its portico. It also had carvings of palm trees on the walls that were between the rooms.

Across the outer courtyard from the south gate was a gate opening onto the inner courtyard. The man measured from that gateway to the entrance on the south side of the outer courtyard; it was also fifty-four meters in distance.

The Gates of the Inner Court

Then the man brought me through the south entrance into the inner courtyard, and he measured the south entrance. It measured the same as the other gates.

He measured its alcoves, its walls, and its portico with the same measuring standards he had been using. The gate and its portico had windows all around. The gate and its portico measured twenty-seven meters long and thirteen and one-half meters wide.

The porticos of the inner gates, which led to the inner courtyard, were about thirteen and one-half meters long and two and three-quarters meters wide.

The portico’s entrance faced the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees decorated the walls, and there were eight steps leading up to it.

Then the man led me to the east side of the inner courtyard, and he measured the gate. It had the same measurements as the other gates.

Its alcoves, walls, and portico measured the same as the others. The gate and its portico had windows all around. The gate and its portico measured twenty-seven meters long and thirteen and one-half wide.

Its portico faced the outer courtyard. It also had carvings of palm trees decorating the walls, and it had eight steps leading up to it.

Then he led me to the entrance on the north side and measured it. It measured the same as the other entrances.

And its alcoves and walls between them and the entry room all had small windows in the walls. It all measured the same as the other gates. The gate and its portico measured twenty-seven meters long and thirteen and one-half meters wide.

Its portico faced the outer courtyard. It also had carvings of palm trees decorating the walls, and it had eight steps leading up to it.

Eight Tables for Sacrifices

In each of the inner entrances there was a room with a door. They were rooms where the carcasses of the animals that were to be completely burned on the altar were washed.

In each portico were four tables, two on each side. On those tables would be slaughtered the animals that were to be completely burned, also the animals for offerings of sins that people had committed, and offerings that acknowledged their guilt for having sinned against other people.

Just outside the inner courtyard, to the left of the steps leading up to its north gate, there were two tables, and to the right of the steps were two more tables.

There were four tables on the outer side of each inner courtyard gate, and there were also four tables on the inner side. The animals to be sacrificed were slaughtered on these tables.

There were also four tables of cut stone for the preparation of the offerings that were to be completely burned, four-fifths of a meter long on each side and one-half meter high. The priests would put on those stone tables the tools for slaughtering all the animals.

The meat for the offerings would be placed on those stone tables. There were hooks on which the meat was hung, each with two prongs, each eight centimeters long, fastened to the walls of the porticos.

Chambers for Ministry

Outside two of the inner gateways, on the inner courtyard side, there were rooms for those who led in singing during the worship, one on the north side and one on the south side.

The man said to me, “The room whose door faces south is for the priests who are working in the temple.

The room whose door faces north is for the priests who are in charge of the work at the altar. They are the descendants of Zadok; they are the only descendants of Levi who are permitted to approach Yahweh while they work for him.”

The Inner Court

Then he measured the courtyard; it was square, fifty-four meters long and fifty-four meters wide. The altar was in front of the sanctuary.

Then he brought me to the portico of the sanctuary and measured the doorposts and their walls on each side of the entrance; they were about two and three-quarters meters thick. The doorway was seven meters wide, and the sides on each side of it were one and three-fifths meters wide.

The portico was eleven meters wide, and its depth was six meters on each side. There were steps leading up to it, and there were columns on each side of the portico.

(Zechariah 2:1–5)

In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck, in the same day, the LORD’s hand was on me, and he brought me there.

In the visions of God he brought me into the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was something like the frame of a city to the south.

He brought me there; and, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax in his hand and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

The man said to me, “Son of man, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart on all that I will show you; for you have been brought here so that I may show them to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.”

The East Gate

Behold, there was a wall on the outside of the house all around, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed six cubits(a) long, of a cubit and a hand width each. So he measured the thickness of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.

Then he came to the gate which looks toward the east, and went up its steps. He measured the threshold of the gate, one reed wide; and the other threshold, one reed wide.

Every lodge was one reed long and one reed wide. Between the lodges was five cubits. The threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate toward the house was one reed.

He measured also the porch of the gate toward the house, one reed.

Then he measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its posts, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was toward the house.

The side rooms of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side. The three of them were of one measure. The posts had one measure on this side and on that side.

He measured the width of the opening of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits;

and a border before the lodges, one cubit on this side, and a border, one cubit on that side; and the side rooms, six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

He measured the gate from the roof of the one side room to the roof of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits, door against door.

He also made posts, sixty cubits; and the court reached to the posts, around the gate.

From the forefront of the gate at the entrance to the forefront of the inner porch of the gate were fifty cubits.

There were closed windows to the side rooms, and to their posts within the gate all around, and likewise to the arches. Windows were around inward. Palm trees were on each post.

The Outer Court

Then he brought me into the outer court. Behold, there were rooms and a pavement made for the court all around. Thirty rooms were on the pavement.

The pavement was by the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates, even the lower pavement.

Then he measured the width from the forefront of the lower gate to the forefront of the inner court outside, one hundred cubits, both on the east and on the north.

The North Gate

He measured the length and width of the gate of the outer court which faces toward the north.

The lodges of it were three on this side and three on that side. Its posts and its arches were the same as the measure of the first gate: its length was fifty cubits, and the width twenty-five cubits.

Its windows, its arches, and its palm trees were the same as the measure of the gate which faces toward the east. They went up to it by seven steps. Its arches were before them.

There was a gate to the inner court facing the other gate, on the north and on the east. He measured one hundred cubits from gate to gate.

The South Gate

He led me toward the south; and behold, there was a gate toward the south. He measured its posts and its arches according to these measurements.

There were windows in it and in its arches all around, like the other windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the width twenty-five cubits.

There were seven steps to go up to it, and its arches were before them. It had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, on its posts.

There was a gate to the inner court toward the south. He measured one hundred cubits from gate to gate toward the south.

The Gates of the Inner Court

Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate. He measured the south gate according to these measurements;

with its lodges, its posts, and its arches, according to these measurements. There were windows in it and in its arches all around. It was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits wide.

There were arches all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide.

Its arches were toward the outer court. Palm trees were on its posts. The ascent to it had eight steps.

He brought me into the inner court toward the east. He measured the gate according to these measurements;

with its lodges, its posts, and its arches, according to these measurements. There were windows in it and in its arches all around. It was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits wide.

Its arches were toward the outer court. Palm trees were on its posts on this side and on that side. The ascent to it had eight steps.

He brought me to the north gate, and he measured it according to these measurements—

its lodges, its posts, and its arches. There were windows in it all around. The length was fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits.

Its posts were toward the outer court. Palm trees were on its posts on this side and on that side. The ascent to it had eight steps.

Eight Tables for Sacrifices

A room with its door was by the posts at the gates. They washed the burnt offering there.

In the porch of the gate were two tables on this side and two tables on that side, on which to kill the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering.

On the one side outside, as one goes up to the entry of the gate toward the north, were two tables; and on the other side, which belonged to the porch of the gate, were two tables.

Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate: eight tables, on which they killed the sacrifices.

There were four cut stone tables for the burnt offering, a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high. They laid the instruments with which they killed the burnt offering and the sacrifice on them.

The hooks, a hand width long, were fastened within all around. The meat of the offering was on the tables.

Chambers for Ministry

Outside of the inner gate were rooms for the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate. They faced toward the south. One at the side of the east gate faced toward the north.

He said to me, “This room, which faces toward the south, is for the priests who perform the duty of the house.

The room which faces toward the north is for the priests who perform the duty of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who from among the sons of Levi come near to the LORD to minister to him.”

The Inner Court

He measured the court, one hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits wide, square. The altar was before the house.

Then he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side. The width of the gate was three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side.

The length of the porch was twenty cubits and the width eleven cubits, even by the steps by which they went up to it. There were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.

Footnotes

(a)40:5 A normal cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters. A handbreadth is about 4.3 inches or 11 centimeters, so the long cubit described here would be about 22.3 inches or 57 centimeters long. Thus, a 6 long cubit measuring reed would have been about 3 yards 26.6 inches or about 3.42 meters long.