40
The New Temple
1 In the twenty-fifth year after we were taken away into captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month,* tenth day of the month This was the Day of Atonement, 573 B.C. See Leviticus 23:26; 25:9. the LORD’S power came on me. This was fourteen years after the Babylonians took Jerusalem. On that day the Lord took me there in a vision.
2 In a vision, God carried me to the land of Israel. He put me down near a very high mountain. On the mountain in front of me was a building that looked like a city.† On the mountain … city Or “On the mountain, there was a building that looked like a city with a city south of it.” 3 He took me to that place. There was a man there who looked like polished bronze. He had a cloth tape measure and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing by the gate. 4 The man said to me, “Son of man,‡ Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. use your eyes and ears. Look at these things and listen to me. Pay attention to everything that I show you, because you have been brought here so that I can show you these things. You must tell the family of Israel all that you see.”
5 I saw a wall that went all the way around the outside of the Temple. In the man’s hand there was a ruler for measuring things. It was 6 cubits§ 6 cubits 10' 2 7/16” (3.11 m). Also in verse 12. long using the long measurement,* long measurement Literally, “a cubit and a handbreadth.” This cubit equals 20 5/8” (51.83 cm). so the man measured the thickness of the wall. It was one ruler† one ruler That is, 6 cubits (10' 2 7/16” or 3.11 m). Also in verses 6, 7. thick. He measured the height of the wall. It was one ruler tall.
6 Then the man went to the east gate. He walked up its steps and measured the opening for the gate. It was one ruler wide. 7 The guardrooms were one ruler long and one ruler wide. The walls between the rooms were 5 cubits‡ 5 cubits 8' 6” (2.6 m). Also in verses 30, 48. thick. The opening by the porch at the end of the gateway that faced the Temple was also one ruler wide. 8 Then he measured the porch. 9 It was 8 cubits§ 8 cubits 13' 7 1/4” (4.2 m). long. He measured the walls on either side of the gate. Each side wall was 2 cubits* 2 cubits 3' 4 13/16” (104 cm). wide. The porch was at the end of the gateway that faced the Temple. 10 There were three little guardrooms on each side of the gateway. All these rooms and their side walls measured the same. 11 The man measured the entrance to the gateway. It was 10 cubits† 10 cubits 17' 1/16” (5.18 m). wide and 13 cubits‡ 13 cubits 22' 1 1/4” (6.74 m). long. 12 There was a low wall in front of each room. That wall was 1 cubit§ 1 cubit 20 3/8” (51.83 cm). Also in verse 42. tall and 1 cubit thick. The rooms were square. Each wall was 6 cubits long.
13 The man measured the gateway from the outside edge of the roof of one room to the outside edge of the roof of the opposite room. It was 25 cubits.* 25 cubits 42' 6 1/8” (12.96 m). Also in verses 21, 25, 29, 33, 36. Each door was directly opposite the other door. 14 † The meaning of this verse in the Hebrew text is uncertain. He measured the faces of all the side walls, including the side walls on either side of the porch at the courtyard. The total was 60 cubits.‡ 60 cubits 102' 3/8” (31.1 m). 15 From the inside edge of the outer gate to the far end of the porch was 50 cubits.§ 50 cubits 85' 5/16” (25.92 m). Also in verses 21, 25, 29. 33, 36. 16 There were small windows* small windows These let the soldiers defending the city shoot arrows out at the enemy. The narrow part of the window was on the enemy’s side of the wall to give the smallest target. above all the guardrooms, the side walls, and the porch. The wide part of the windows faced into the gateway. There were carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway.
The Outer Courtyard
17 Then the man led me into the outer courtyard. I saw thirty rooms and a pavement that went all the way around the courtyard. The rooms were along the wall and faced in toward the pavement. 18 The pavement was as wide as the gates were long. The pavement reached to the inside end of the gateway. This was the lower pavement. 19 The man measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner courtyard. It was 100 cubits† 100 cubits 170' 5/8” (51.83 m). Also in verse 23, 27, 47. on the east side as well as on the north side.
20 Then the man measured the length and width of the north gate that was in the wall surrounding the outer courtyard. 21 This gateway, its three rooms on each side, and its porch all measured the same as the first gate. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 22 Its windows, its porch, and its carvings of palm trees measured the same as the east gate. On the outside, there were seven steps leading up to the gate. Its porch was at the inside end of the gateway. 23 Across the courtyard from the north gate, there was a gate to the inner courtyard. It was like the gate on the east. The man measured from the gate on the inner wall to the gate on the outer wall. It was 100 cubits from gate to gate.
24 Then the man led me to the south wall. I saw a gate in the south wall. He measured its side walls and its porch. They measured the same as the other gates. 25 The gateway and its porch had windows all around like the other gates. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 26 There were seven steps going up to this gate. Its porch was at the inside end of the gateway. It had carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway. 27 A gate was on the south side of the inner courtyard. The man measured from the gate on the inner wall to the gate on the outer wall. It was 100 cubits from gate to gate.
The Inner Courtyard
28 Then the man led me through the south gate into the inner courtyard. He measured this gate. This gateway measured the same as the other gates to the inner courtyard. 29 Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 30 The porch was 25 cubits wide and 5 cubits long. 31 And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.
32 Then the man led me into the inner courtyard on the east side. He measured the gate. It measured the same as the other gates. 33 Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 34 And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.
35 Then the man led me to the north gate. He measured it, and it measured the same as the other gates. 36 Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 37 And its porch‡ porch The Hebrew text has “side walls.” was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.
The Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices
38 There was also a doorway in the side walls of the gates. That doorway led into a room where the priests washed the sacrifices. 39 There were two tables on each side of the door of this porch. The animals for the burnt offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings were killed on these tables. 40 There were also two tables on each side of the door on the outside wall of this porch. 41 So there were four tables on the inside wall and four tables on the outside wall—eight tables that the priests used when they killed the animals for sacrifices. 42 There were also four tables made from cut stone for the burnt offerings. These tables were 1 1/2 cubits§ 1 1/2 cubits 30 5/8” (77.75 cm). long, 1 1/2 cubits wide, and 1 cubit high. On these tables, the priests put their tools that they used to kill the animals for the burnt offerings and other sacrifices. 43 There were meat hooks three inches long* meat hooks … long Or “Double shelves three inches wide ….” on all the walls in this area. The meat of the offerings was put on the tables.
The Priests’ Rooms
44 There were two rooms† two rooms Or “rooms for the singers.” in the inner courtyard. One was by the north gate facing south. The other room was by the south‡ south This is from the ancient Greek version. The Hebrew text has “east.” gate facing north. 45 The man said to me, “The room that looks to the south is for the priests who are on duty and serving in the Temple area. 46 But the room that looks to the north is for the priests who are on duty and serving at the altar. The priests are from the tribe of Levi. But the priests in this second group are the descendants of Zadok. They are the only people who can carry the sacrifices to the altar to serve the LORD.§ carry the sacrifices … the LORD Literally, “approach the LORD to serve him.””
47 The man measured the inner courtyard. The courtyard was a perfect square. It was 100 cubits long and 100 cubits wide. The altar was in front of the Temple.
The Porch of the Temple
48 Then the man led me to the porch of the Temple and measured the walls on either side of the porch. Each side wall was 5 cubits thick and 3 cubits* 3 cubits 5' 1 3/16” (1.55 m). wide. The opening between them was 14 cubits.† 14 cubits 23' 9 11/16” (7.26 m). 49 The porch was 20 cubits‡ 20 cubits 34' 1/8” (10.37 m). Also in 41:2, 4. wide and 12 cubits§ 12 cubits 20' 4 7/8” (6.22 m). long.* 20 … long Literally, “20 cubits long … 12 cubits wide.” Ten steps went up to the porch. There were two columns for the walls on either side of the porch—one at each wall.
*40:1 tenth day of the month This was the Day of Atonement, 573 B.C. See Leviticus 23:26; 25:9.
†40:2 On the mountain … city Or “On the mountain, there was a building that looked like a city with a city south of it.”
‡40:4 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel.
§40:5 6 cubits 10' 2 7/16” (3.11 m). Also in verse 12.
*40:5 long measurement Literally, “a cubit and a handbreadth.” This cubit equals 20 5/8” (51.83 cm).
†40:5 one ruler That is, 6 cubits (10' 2 7/16” or 3.11 m). Also in verses 6, 7.
‡40:7 5 cubits 8' 6” (2.6 m). Also in verses 30, 48.
§40:9 8 cubits 13' 7 1/4” (4.2 m).
*40:9 2 cubits 3' 4 13/16” (104 cm).
†40:11 10 cubits 17' 1/16” (5.18 m).
‡40:11 13 cubits 22' 1 1/4” (6.74 m).
§40:12 1 cubit 20 3/8” (51.83 cm). Also in verse 42.
*40:13 25 cubits 42' 6 1/8” (12.96 m). Also in verses 21, 25, 29, 33, 36.
†40:14 The meaning of this verse in the Hebrew text is uncertain.
‡40:14 60 cubits 102' 3/8” (31.1 m).
§40:15 50 cubits 85' 5/16” (25.92 m). Also in verses 21, 25, 29. 33, 36.
*40:16 small windows These let the soldiers defending the city shoot arrows out at the enemy. The narrow part of the window was on the enemy’s side of the wall to give the smallest target.
†40:19 100 cubits 170' 5/8” (51.83 m). Also in verse 23, 27, 47.
‡40:37 porch The Hebrew text has “side walls.”
§40:42 1 1/2 cubits 30 5/8” (77.75 cm).
*40:43 meat hooks … long Or “Double shelves three inches wide ….”
†40:44 two rooms Or “rooms for the singers.”
‡40:44 south This is from the ancient Greek version. The Hebrew text has “east.”
§40:46 carry the sacrifices … the LORD Literally, “approach the LORD to serve him.”
*40:48 3 cubits 5' 1 3/16” (1.55 m).
†40:48 14 cubits 23' 9 11/16” (7.26 m).
‡40:49 20 cubits 34' 1/8” (10.37 m). Also in 41:2, 4.
§40:49 12 cubits 20' 4 7/8” (6.22 m).
*40:49 20 … long Literally, “20 cubits long … 12 cubits wide.”