1 In the five H2568 and twentieth H6242 year H8141 of our captivity, H1546 in the beginning H7218 of the year, H8141 in the tenth H6218 day of the month, H2320 in the fourteenth H702 H6240 year H8141 after H310 that the city H5892 was smitten, H5221 in the selfsame H6106 day H3117 the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 was upon me, and brought H935 me thither.
2 In the visions H4759 of God H430 brought H935 he me into the land H776 of Israel, H3478 and set H5117 me upon a very H3966 high H1364 mountain, H2022 by which was as the frame H4011 of a city H5892 on the south. H5045
3 And he brought H935 me thither, and, behold, there was a man, H376 whose appearance H4758 was like the appearance H4758 of brass, H5178 with a line H6616 of flax H6593 in his hand, H3027 and a measuring H4060 reed; H7070 and he stood H5975 in the gate. H8179
4 And the man H376 said H1696 unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 behold H7200 with thine eyes, H5869 and hear H8085 with thine ears, H241 and set H7760 thine heart H3820 upon all that I shall shew H7200 thee; for to the intent H4616 that I might shew H7200 them unto thee art thou brought H935 hither: declare H5046 all that thou seest H7200 to the house H1004 of Israel. H3478
5 And behold a wall H2346 on the outside H2351 of the house H1004 round about, H5439 and in the man's H376 hand H3027 a measuring H4060 reed H7070 of six H8337 cubits H520 long by the cubit H520 and an hand breadth: H2948 so he measured H4058 the breadth H7341 of the building, H1146 one H259 reed; H7070 and the height, H6967 one H259 reed. H7070
6 Then came H935 he unto the gate H8179 which looketh H6440 toward H1870 the east, H6921 and went up H5927 the stairs H4609 thereof, and measured H4058 the threshold H5592 of the gate, H8179 which was one H259 reed H7070 broad; H7341 and the other H259 threshold H5592 of the gate, which was one H259 reed H7070 broad. H7341
7 And every little chamber H8372 was one H259 reed H7070 long, H753 and one H259 reed H7070 broad; H7341 and between the little chambers H8372 were five H2568 cubits; H520 and the threshold H5592 of the gate H8179 by H681 the porch H197 of the gate H8179 within H1004 was one H259 reed. H7070
8 He measured H4058 also the porch H197 of the gate H8179 within, H1004 one H259 reed. H7070
9 Then measured H4058 he the porch H197 of the gate, H8179 eight H8083 cubits; H520 and the posts H352 thereof, two H8147 cubits; H520 and the porch H197 of the gate H8179 was inward. H1004
10 And the little chambers H8372 of the gate H8179 eastward H1870 H6921 were three H7969 on this side, H6311 and three H7969 on that side; H6311 they three H7969 were of one H259 measure: H4060 and the posts H352 had one H259 measure H4060 on this side and on that side.
11 And he measured H4058 the breadth H7341 of the entry H6607 of the gate, H8179 ten H6235 cubits; H520 and the length H753 of the gate, H8179 thirteen H7969 H6240 cubits. H520
12 The space H1366 also before H6440 the little chambers H8372 was one H259 cubit H520 on this side, and the space H1366 was one cubit H520 on that side: and the little chambers H8372 were six H8337 cubits H520 on this side, and six H8337 cubits H520 on that side.
13 He measured H4058 then the gate H8179 from the roof H1406 of one little chamber H8372 to the roof H1406 of another: the breadth H7341 was five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits, H520 door H6607 against door. H6607
14 He made H6213 also posts H352 of threescore H8346 cubits, H520 even unto the post H352 of the court H2691 round about H5439 the gate. H8179
15 And from the face H6440 of the gate H8179 of the entrance H2978 unto the face H6440 of the porch H197 of the inner H6442 gate H8179 were fifty H2572 cubits. H520
16 And there were narrow H331 windows H2474 to the little chambers, H8372 and to their posts H352 within H6441 the gate H8179 round about, H5439 and likewise to the arches: H361 and windows H2474 were round about H5439 inward: H6441 and upon each post H352 were palm trees. H8561
17 Then brought H935 he me into the outward H2435 court, H2691 and, lo, there were chambers, H3957 and a pavement H7531 made H6213 for the court H2691 round about: H5439 thirty H7970 chambers H3957 were upon the pavement. H7531
18 And the pavement H7531 by the side H3802 of the gates H8179 over against H5980 the length H753 of the gates H8179 was the lower H8481 pavement. H7531
19 Then he measured H4058 the breadth H7341 from the forefront H6440 of the lower H8481 gate H8179 unto the forefront H6440 of the inner H6442 court H2691 without, H2351 an hundred H3967 cubits H520 eastward H6921 and northward. H6828
20 And the gate H8179 of the outward H2435 court H2691 that looked H6440 toward H1870 the north, H6828 he measured H4058 the length H753 thereof, and the breadth H7341 thereof.
21 And the little chambers H8372 thereof were three H7969 on this side and three H7969 on that side; and the posts H352 thereof and the arches H361 thereof were after the measure H4060 of the first H7223 gate: H8179 the length H753 thereof was fifty H2572 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits. H520
22 And their windows, H2474 and their arches, H361 and their palm trees, H8561 were after the measure H4060 of the gate H8179 that looketh H6440 toward H1870 the east; H6921 and they went up H5927 unto it by seven H7651 steps; H4609 and the arches H361 thereof were before H6440 them.
23 And the gate H8179 of the inner H6442 court H2691 was over against the gate H8179 toward the north, H6828 and toward the east; H6921 and he measured H4058 from gate H8179 to gate H8179 an hundred H3967 cubits. H520
24 After that he brought H3212 me toward H1870 the south, H1864 and behold a gate H8179 toward H1870 the south: H1864 and he measured H4058 the posts H352 thereof and the arches H361 thereof according to these measures. H4060
25 And there were windows H2474 in it and in the arches H361 thereof round about, H5439 like those windows: H2474 the length H753 was fifty H2572 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits. H520
26 And there were seven H7651 steps H4609 to go up H5930 to it, and the arches H361 thereof were before H6440 them: and it had palm trees, H8561 one H259 on this side, and another H259 on that side, upon the posts H352 thereof.
27 And there was a gate H8179 in the inner H6442 court H2691 toward H1870 the south: H1864 and he measured H4058 from gate H8179 to gate H8179 toward H1870 the south H1864 an hundred H3967 cubits. H520
28 And he brought H935 me to the inner H6442 court H2691 by the south H1864 gate: H8179 and he measured H4058 the south H1864 gate H8179 according to these measures; H4060
29 And the little chambers H8372 thereof, and the posts H352 thereof, and the arches H361 thereof, according to these measures: H4060 and there were windows H2474 in it and in the arches H361 thereof round about: H5439 it was fifty H2572 cubits H520 long, H753 and five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits H520 broad. H7341
30 And the arches H361 round about H5439 were five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits H520 long, H753 and five H2568 cubits H520 broad. H7341
31 And the arches H361 thereof were toward the utter H2435 court; H2691 and palm trees H8561 were upon the posts H352 thereof: and the going up H4608 to it had eight H8083 steps. H4609
32 And he brought H935 me into the inner H6442 court H2691 toward H1870 the east: H6921 and he measured H4058 the gate H8179 according to these measures. H4060
33 And the little chambers H8372 thereof, and the posts H352 thereof, and the arches H361 thereof, were according to these measures: H4060 and there were windows H2474 therein and in the arches H361 thereof round about: H5439 it was fifty H2572 cubits H520 long, H753 and five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits H520 broad. H7341
34 And the arches H361 thereof were toward the outward H2435 court; H2691 and palm trees H8561 were upon the posts H352 thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up H4608 to it had eight H8083 steps. H4609
35 And he brought H935 me to the north H6828 gate, H8179 and measured H4058 it according to these measures; H4060
36 The little chambers H8372 thereof, the posts H352 thereof, and the arches H361 thereof, and the windows H2474 to it round about: H5439 the length H753 was fifty H2572 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits. H520
37 And the posts H352 thereof were toward the utter H2435 court; H2691 and palm trees H8561 were upon the posts H352 thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up H4608 to it had eight H8083 steps. H4609
38 And the chambers H3957 and the entries H6607 thereof were by the posts H352 of the gates, H8179 where they washed H1740 the burnt offering. H5930
39 And in the porch H197 of the gate H8179 were two H8147 tables H7979 on this side, and two tables H7979 on that side, to slay H7819 thereon the burnt offering H5930 and the sin offering H2403 and the trespass offering. H817
40 And at the side H3802 without, H2351 as one goeth up H5927 to the entry H6607 of the north H6828 gate, H8179 were two H8147 tables; H7979 and on the other H312 side, H3802 which was at the porch H197 of the gate, H8179 were two H8147 tables. H7979
41 Four H702 tables H7979 were on this side, and four H702 tables H7979 on that side, by the side H3802 of the gate; H8179 eight H8083 tables, H7979 whereupon they slew H7819 their sacrifices.
42 And the four H702 tables H7979 were of hewn H1496 stone H68 for the burnt offering, H5930 of a cubit H520 and an half H2677 long, H753 and a cubit H520 and an half H2677 broad, H7341 and one H259 cubit H520 high: H1363 whereupon also they laid H3240 the instruments H3627 wherewith they slew H7819 the burnt offering H5930 and the sacrifice. H2077
43 And within H1004 were hooks, H8240 an H259 hand H2948 broad, fastened H3559 round about: H5439 and upon the tables H7979 was the flesh H1320 of the offering. H7133
44 And without H2351 the inner H6442 gate H8179 were the chambers H3957 of the singers H7891 in the inner H6442 court, H2691 which was at the side H3802 of the north H6828 gate; H8179 and their prospect H6440 was toward H1870 the south: H1864 one H259 at the side H3802 of the east H6921 gate H8179 having the prospect H6440 toward H1870 the north. H6828
45 And he said H1696 unto me, This H2090 chamber, H3957 whose prospect H6440 is toward H1870 the south, H1864 is for the priests, H3548 the keepers H8104 of the charge H4931 of the house. H1004
46 And the chamber H3957 whose prospect H6440 is toward H1870 the north H6828 is for the priests, H3548 the keepers H8104 of the charge H4931 of the altar: H4196 these are the sons H1121 of Zadok H6659 among the sons H1121 of Levi, H3878 which come near H7131 to the LORD H3068 to minister H8334 unto him.
47 So he measured H4058 the court, H2691 an hundred H3967 cubits H520 long, H753 and an hundred H3967 cubits H520 broad, H7341 foursquare; H7251 and the altar H4196 that was before H6440 the house. H1004
48 And he brought H935 me to the porch H197 of the house, H1004 and measured H4058 each post H352 of the porch, H197 five H2568 cubits H520 on this side, and five H2568 cubits H520 on that side: and the breadth H7341 of the gate H8179 was three H7969 cubits H520 on this side, and three H7969 cubits H520 on that side.
49 The length H753 of the porch H197 was twenty H6242 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 eleven H6249 H6240 cubits; H520 and he brought me by the steps H4609 whereby they went up H5927 to it: and there were pillars H5982 by the posts, H352 one H259 on this side, and another H259 on that side.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 40
Commentary on Ezekiel 40 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 40
Eze 40:1-49. The Remaining Chapters, the Fortieth through Forty-eighth, Give an Ideal Picture of the Restored Jewish Temple.
The arrangements as to the land and the temple are, in many particulars, different from those subsisting before the captivity. There are things in it so improbable physically as to preclude a purely literal interpretation. The general truth seems to hold good that, as Israel served the nations for his rejection of Messiah, so shall they serve him in the person of Messiah, when he shall acknowledge Messiah (Isa 60:12; Zec 14:17-19; compare Ps 72:11). The ideal temple exhibits, under Old Testament forms (used as being those then familiar to the men whom Ezekiel, a priest himself, and one who delighted in sacrificial images, addresses), not the precise literal outline, but the essential character of the worship of Messiah as it shall be when He shall exercise sway in Jerusalem among His own people, the Jews, and thence to the ends of the earth. The very fact that the whole is a vision (Eze 40:2), not an oral face-to-face communication such as that granted to Moses (Nu 12:6-8), implies that the directions are not to be understood so precisely literally as those given to the Jewish lawgiver. The description involves things which, taken literally, almost involve natural impossibilities. The square of the temple, in Eze 42:20, is six times as large as the circuit of the wall enclosing the old temple, and larger than all the earthly Jerusalem. Ezekiel gives three and a half miles and one hundred forty yards to his temple square. The boundaries of the ancient city were about two and a half miles. Again, the city in Ezekiel has an area between three or four thousand square miles, including the holy ground set apart for the prince, priests, and Levites. This is nearly as large as the whole of Judea west of the Jordan. As Zion lay in the center of the ideal city, the one-half of the sacred portion extended to nearly thirty miles south of Jerusalem, that is, covered nearly the whole southern territory, which reached only to the Dead Sea (Eze 47:19), and yet five tribes were to have their inheritance on that side of Jerusalem, beyond the sacred portion (Eze 48:23-28). Where was land to be found for them there? A breadth of but four or five miles apiece would be left. As the boundaries of the land are given the same as under Moses, these incongruities cannot be explained away by supposing physical changes about to be effected in the land such as will meet the difficulties of the purely literal interpretation. The distribution of the land is in equal portions among the twelve tribes, without respect to their relative numbers, and the parallel sections running from east to west. There is a difficulty also in the supposed separate existence of the twelve tribes, such separate tribeships no longer existing, and it being hard to imagine how they could be restored as distinct tribes, mingled as they now are. So the stream that issued from the east threshold of the temple and flowed into the Dead Sea, in the rapidity of its increase and the quality of its waters, is unlike anything ever known in Judea or elsewhere in the world. Lastly, the catholicity of the Christian dispensation, and the spirituality of its worship, seem incompatible with a return to the local narrowness and "beggarly elements" of the Jewish ritual and carnal ordinances, disannulled "because of the unprofitableness thereof" [Fairbairn], (Ga 4:3, 9; 5:1; Heb 9:10; 10:18). "A temple with sacrifices now would be a denial of the all-sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ. He who sacrificed before confessed the Messiah. He who should sacrifice now would solemnly deny Him" [Douglas]. These difficulties, however, may be all seeming, not real. Faith accepts God's Word as it is, waits for the event, sure that it will clear up all such difficulties. Perhaps, as some think, the beau ideal of a sacred commonwealth is given according to the then existing pattern of temple services, which would be the imagery most familiar to the prophet and his hearers at the time. The minute particularizing of details is in accordance with Ezekiel's style, even in describing purely ideal scenes. The old temple embodied in visible forms and rites spiritual truths affecting the people even when absent from it. So this ideal temple is made in the absence of the outward temple to serve by description the same purpose of symbolical instruction as the old literal temple did by forms and acts. As in the beginning God promised to be a "sanctuary" (Eze 11:16) to the captives at the Chebar, so now at the close is promised a complete restoration and realization of the theocratic worship and polity under Messiah in its noblest ideal (compare Jer 31:38-40). In Re 21:22 "no temple" is seen, as in the perfection of the new dispensation the accidents of place and form are no longer needed to realize to Christians what Ezekiel imparts to Jewish minds by the imagery familiar to them. In Ezekiel's temple holiness stretches over the entire temple, so that in this there is no longer a distinction between the different parts, as in the old temple: parts left undeterminate in the latter obtain now a divine sanction, so that all arbitrariness is excluded. So that it is be a perfect manifestation of the love of God to His covenant-people (Eze 40:1-43:12); and from it, as from a new center of religious life, there gushes forth the fulness of blessings to them, and so to all people (Eze 47:1-23) [Fairbairn and Havernick]. The temple built at the return from Babylon can only very partially have realized the model here given. The law is seemingly opposed to the gospel (Mt 5:21, 22, 27, 28, 33, 34). It is not really so (compare Mt 5:17, 18; Ro 3:31; Ga 3:21, 22). It is true Christ's sacrifice superseded the law sacrifices (Heb 10:12-18). Israel's province may hereafter be to show the essential identity, even in the minute details of the temple sacrifices, between the law and gospel (Ro 10:8). The ideal of the theocratic temple will then first be realized.
1. beginning of the year—the ecclesiastical year, the first month of which was Nisan.
the city … thither—Jerusalem, the center to which all the prophet's thoughts tended.
2. visions of God—divinely sent visions.
very high mountain—Moriah, very high, as compared with the plains of Babylon, still more so as to its moral elevation (Eze 17:22; 20:40).
by which—Ezekiel coming from the north is set down at (as the Hebrew for "upon" may be translated) Mount Moriah, and sees the city-like frame of the temple stretching southward. In Eze 40:3, "God brings him thither," that is, close up to it, so as to inspect it minutely (compare Re 21:10). In this closing vision, as in the opening one of the book, the divine hand is laid on the prophet, and he is borne away in the visions of God. But the scene there was by the Chebar, Jehovah having forsaken Jerusalem; now it is the mountain of God, Jehovah having returned thither; there, the vision was calculated to inspire terror; here, hope and assurance.
3. man—The Old Testament manifestations of heavenly beings as men prepared men's minds for the coming incarnation.
brass—resplendent.
line—used for longer measurements (Zec 2:1).
reed—used in measuring houses (Re 21:15). It marked the straightness of the walls.
5. Measures were mostly taken from the human body. The greater cubit, the length from the elbow to the end of the middle finger, a little more than two feet: exceeding the ordinary cubit (from the elbow to the wrist) by an hand-breadth, that is, twenty-one inches in all. Compare Eze 43:13, with Eze 40:5. The palm was the full breadth of the hand, three and a half inches.
breadth of the building—that is, the boundary wall. The imperfections in the old temple's boundary wall were to have no place here. The buildings attached to it had been sometimes turned to common uses; for example, Jeremiah was imprisoned in one (Jer 20:2; 29:26). But now all these were to be holy to the Lord. The gates and doorways to the city of God were to be imprinted in their architecture with the idea of the exclusion of everything defiled (Re 21:27). The east gate was to be especially sacred, as it was through it the glory of God had departed (Eze 11:23), and through it the glory was to return (Eze 43:1, 2; 44:2, 3).
6. the stairs—seven in number (Eze 40:26).
threshold—the sill [Fairbairn].
other threshold—Fairbairn considers there is but one threshold, and translates, "even the one threshold, one rod broad." But there is another threshold mentioned in Eze 40:7. The two thresholds here seem to be the upper and the lower.
7. chamber—These chambers were for the use of the Levites who watched at the temple gates; guard-chambers (2Ki 22:4; 1Ch 9:26, 27); also used for storing utensils and musical instruments.
9. posts—projecting column-faced fronts of the sides of the doorway, opposite to one another.
12. space—rather, "the boundary."
16. narrow—latticed [Henderson]. The ancients had no glass, so they had them latticed, narrow in the interior of the walls, and widening at the exterior. "Made fast," or "firmly fixed in the chambers" [Maurer].
arches—rather, "porches."
17. pavement—tesselated mosaic (Es 1:6).
chambers—serving as lodgings for the priests on duty in the temple, and as receptacles of the tithes of salt, wine, and oil.
18. The higher pavement was level with the entrance of the gates, the lower was on either side of the raised pavement thus formed. Whereas Solomon's temple had an outer court open to alterations and even idolatrous innovations (2Ki 23:11, 12; 1Ch 20:5), in this there was to be no room for human corruptions. Its compass was exactly defined, one hundred cubits; and the fine pavement implied it was to be trodden only by clean feet (compare Isa 35:8).
20-27. The different approaches corresponded in plan. In the case of these two other gates, however, no mention is made of a building with thirty chambers such as was found on the east side. Only one was needed, and it was assigned to the east as being the sacred quarter, and that most conveniently situated for the officiating priests.
23. and toward the east—an elliptical expression for "The gate of the inner court was over against the (outer) gate toward the north (just as the inner gate was over against the outer gate) toward the east."
28-37. The inner court and its gates.
according to these measures—namely, the measures of the outer gate. The figure and proportions of the inner answered to the outer.
30. This verse is omitted in the Septuagint, the Vatican manuscript, and others. The dimensions here of the inner gate do not correspond to the outer, though Eze 40:28 asserts that they do. Havernick, retaining the verse, understands it of another porch looking inwards toward the temple.
arches—the porch [Fairbairn]; the columns on which the arches rest [Henderson].
31. eight steps—The outer porch had only seven (Eze 40:26).
37. posts—the Septuagint and Vulgate read, "the porch," which answers better to Eze 40:31-34. "The arches" or "porch" [Maurer].
38. chambers … entries—literally, "a chamber and its door."
by the posts—that is, at or close by the posts or columns.
where they washed the burnt offering—This does not apply to all the gates but only to the north gate. For Le 1:11 directs the sacrifices to be killed north of the altar; and Eze 8:5 calls the north gate, "the gate of the altar." And Eze 40:40 particularly mentions the north gate.
43. hooks—cooking apparatus for cooking the flesh of the sacrifices that fell to the priests. The hooks were "fastened" in the walls within the apartment, to hang the meat from, so as to roast it. The Hebrew comes from a root "fixed" or "placed."
44. the chambers of the singers—two in number, as proved by what follows: "and their prospect (that is, the prospect of one) was toward the south, (and) one toward the north." So the Septuagint.
46. Zadok—lineally descended from Aaron. He had the high priesthood conferred on him by Solomon, who had set aside the family of Ithamar because of the part which Abiathar had taken in the rebellion of Adonijah (1Ki 1:7; 2:26, 27).
47. court, an hundred cubits … foursquare—not to be confounded with the inner court, or court of Israel, which was open to all who had sacrifices to bring, and went round the three sides of the sacred territory, one hundred cubits broad. This court was one hundred cubits square, and had the altar in it, in front of the temple. It was the court of the priests, and hence is connected with those who had charge of the altar and the music. The description here is brief, as the things connected with this portion were from the first divinely regulated.
48, 49. These two verses belong to the forty-first chapter, which treats of the temple itself.
49. twenty … eleven cubits—in Solomon's temple (1Ki 6:3) "twenty … ten cubits." The breadth perhaps was ten and a half; 1Ki 6:3 designates the number by the lesser next round number, "ten"; Ezekiel here, by the larger number, "eleven" [Menochius]. The Septuagint reads "twelve."
he brought me by the steps—They were ten in number [Septuagint].