3 Over against the twenty H6242 cubits which were for the inner H6442 court, H2691 and over against the pavement H7531 which was for the utter H2435 court, H2691 was gallery H862 against H6440 gallery H862 in three H7992 stories.
4 And before H6440 the chambers H3957 was a walk H4109 of ten H6235 cubits H520 breadth H7341 inward, H6442 a way H1870 of one H259 cubit; H520 and their doors H6607 toward the north. H6828
5 Now the upper H5945 chambers H3957 were shorter: H7114 for the galleries H862 were higher H398 than these, H2007 than the lower, H8481 and than the middlemost H8484 of the building. H1146
6 For they were in three H8027 stories, but had not pillars H5982 as the pillars H5982 of the courts: H2691 therefore the building was straitened H680 more than the lowest H8481 and the middlemost H8484 from the ground. H776
7 And the wall H1447 that was without H2351 over against H5980 the chambers, H3957 toward H1870 the utter H2435 court H2691 on the forepart H6440 of the chambers, H3957 the length H753 thereof was fifty H2572 cubits. H520
8 For the length H753 of the chambers H3957 that were in the utter H2435 court H2691 was fifty H2572 cubits: H520 and, lo, before H6440 the temple H1964 were an hundred H3967 cubits. H520
9 And from under these chambers H3957 was the entry H3996 H935 on the east side, H6921 as one goeth H935 into them H2007 from the utter H2435 court. H2691
10 The chambers H3957 were in the thickness H7341 of the wall H1444 of the court H2691 toward H1870 the east, H6921 over against H6440 the separate place, H1508 and over against H6440 the building. H1146
11 And the way H1870 before H6440 them was like the appearance H4758 of the chambers H3957 which were toward H1870 the north, H6828 as long as H753 they, and as broad as H3651 H7341 they: and all their goings out H4161 were both according to their fashions, H4941 and according to their doors. H6607
12 And according to the doors H6607 of the chambers H3957 that were toward H1870 the south H1864 was a door H6607 in the head H7218 of the way, H1870 even the way H1870 directly H1903 before H6440 the wall H1448 toward H1870 the east, H6921 as one entereth H935 into them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 42
Commentary on Ezekiel 42 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 42
Eze 42:1-20. Chambers of the Priests: Measurements of the Temple.
2. Before the length of an hundred cubits—that is, before "the separate place," which was that length (Eze 41:13). He had before spoken of chambers for the officiating priests on the north and south gates of the inner court (Eze 40:44-46). He now returns to take a more exact view of them.
5. shorter—that is, the building became narrower as it rose in height. The chambers were many: so "in My Father's house are many mansions" (Joh 14:2); and besides these there was much "room" still left (compare Lu 14:22). The chambers, though private, were near the temple. Prayer in our chambers is to prepare us for public devotions, and to help us in improving them.
16. five hundred reeds—the Septuagint substitutes "cubits" for "reeds," to escape the immense compass assigned to the whole, namely, a square of five hundred rods or three thousand cubits (two feet each; Eze 40:5), in all a square of one and one-seventh miles, that is, more than all ancient Jerusalem; also, there is much space thus left unappropriated. Fairbairn rightly supports English Version, which agrees with the Hebrew. The vast extent is another feature marking the ideal character of the temple. It symbolizes the great enlargement of the kingdom of God, when Jehovah-Messiah shall reign at Jerusalem, and from thence to the ends of the earth (Isa 2:2-4; Jer 3:17; Ro 11:12, 15).
20. wall … separation between … sanctuary and … profane—No longer shall the wall of partition be to separate the Jew and the Gentile (Eph 2:14), but to separate the sacred from the profane. The lowness of it renders it unfit for the purpose of defense (the object of the wall, Re 21:12). But its square form (as in the city, Re 21:16) is the emblem of the kingdom that cannot be shaken (Heb 12:28), resting on prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone.