The Inner Temple

41 Then he (A)brought me to the (B)sanctuary, and he measured the (C)side pillars: six [a]cubits wide on each side was the width of the [b]side pillar. The width of the entrance was ten cubits and the [c]sides of the entrance were five cubits on each side. He also measured [d]the length of the sanctuary, (D)forty cubits, and the width, (E)twenty cubits. Then he went [e](F)inside and measured each (G)side pillar of the doorway, two cubits, and the doorway, six cubits high; and the width of the doorway, seven cubits. And he measured its length, (H)twenty cubits, and the width, twenty cubits, before the (I)sanctuary; and he said to me, “This is the (J)Most Holy Place.”

Then he measured the wall of the [f]temple, six cubits; and the width of the (K)side chambers, four cubits, all around the house on every side. (L)The side chambers were in three stories, [g]one above another, and [h]thirty in each story; and [i]the side chambers (M)extended to the wall which stood on [j]their inward side all around, so that they could be attached, but not be attached to the wall of the temple itself. And the side chambers surrounding the temple were wider at each successive story. Because the (N)structure surrounding the temple went upward by stages on all sides of the temple, for that reason the width of the temple increased as it went higher; and so one went up from the lowest story to the highest by way of the [k]second story. I saw also that the house had a raised [l]platform all around; the foundations of the side chambers were a full [m]rod of (O)six [n]long cubits in height. The [o]thickness of the outer wall of the side chambers was five cubits. But the (P)free space between the side chambers belonging to the temple 10 and the outer (Q)chambers was twenty cubits in width around the temple on every side. 11 The [p]doorways of the side [q]chambers toward the (R)free space consisted of one doorway toward the north, and another doorway toward the south; and the width of the (S)free space was five cubits all around.

12 The (T)building that was in front of the (U)separate area at the side toward the west was seventy cubits wide; and the wall of the building was five cubits [r]thick all around, and its length was ninety cubits.

13 Then he measured the temple, a (V)hundred cubits long; the (W)separate area with the (X)building and its walls were also a (Y)hundred cubits long. 14 Also the width of the front of the temple and that of the separate [s]areas along the east side totaled a hundred cubits.

15 And he measured the length of the (Z)building [t]along the front of the (AA)separate area behind it, with a [u](AB)gallery on each side, a hundred cubits; he also measured the inner sanctuary and the porches of the courtyard. 16 The (AC)thresholds, the [v](AD)latticed windows, and the [w](AE)galleries all around their (AF)three stories, opposite the threshold, were (AG)paneled with wood all around, and from the ground to the windows (but the windows were covered), 17 over the entrance, and to the inner house, and on the outside, and on all the wall all around inside and outside, by measurement. 18 It was [x]carved with (AH)cherubim and (AI)palm trees; and a palm tree was between cherub and cherub, and every cherub had two faces: 19 a (AJ)human face toward the palm tree on one side and a young (AK)lion’s face toward the palm tree on the other side; they were [y]carved on all the house all around. 20 From the ground to above the entrance (AL)cherubim and (AM)palm trees were [z]carved, as well as on the wall of the sanctuary.

21 The (AN)doorposts of the (AO)sanctuary were square; as for the front of the inner [aa]sanctuary, the appearance of one doorpost was like that of the other. 22 The (AP)altar was of wood, three cubits high, and its length two cubits; its corners, its [ab]base, and its [ac]sides were of wood. And he said to me, “This is the (AQ)table that is before the Lord.” 23 The (AR)sanctuary and the inner [ad](AS)sanctuary each had a double (AT)door. 24 Each of the doors had two leaves, two [ae](AU)swinging leaves; two leaves for one door and two leaves for the other. 25 Also there were [af]carved on them, on the doors of the main room, (AV)cherubim and (AW)palm trees like those [ag]carved on the walls; and there was a [ah](AX)threshold of wood on the front of the porch outside. 26 And there were [ai](AY)latticed windows and (AZ)palm trees on one side and on the other, on the sides of the (BA)porch; the same were on the (BB)side chambers of the house and the [aj]thresholds.

Chambers of the Temple

42 Then he (BC)brought me out into the (BD)outer courtyard, the way (BE)toward the north; and he brought me to the (BF)chamber which was opposite the (BG)separate area and opposite the (BH)building toward the north. Along the length, which was a (BI)hundred [ak]cubits, was the north door; the width was fifty cubits. Opposite the (BJ)twenty cubits which belonged to the inner courtyard, and opposite the (BK)stone pavement which belonged to the outer courtyard, was [al](BL)gallery corresponding to [am]gallery in three stories. In front of the (BM)chambers was an inner passage ten cubits wide, a way of one hundred cubits; and their openings were on the north. Now the upper chambers were [an]smaller because the [ao](BN)galleries took more space away from them than from the lower and middle ones in the building. For they were in (BO)three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courtyards; for that reason the upper chambers were [ap]set back from the ground upward, more than the lower and middle ones. As for the (BP)outer wall by the side of the chambers, toward the outer courtyard facing the chambers, its length was fifty cubits. For the length of the chambers which were in the outer courtyard was fifty cubits; and behold, the length of those facing the main room was a (BQ)hundred cubits. And below these chambers was the (BR)entrance on the east side, as one enters them from the outer courtyard.

10 In the [aq]thickness of the (BS)wall of the courtyard toward the east, facing the (BT)separate area and facing the building, there were (BU)chambers. 11 And the (BV)way in front of them was like the appearance of the chambers which were on the north; according to their length, so was their width, and all their exits were according to their building plans and openings. 12 Corresponding to the openings of the chambers which were toward the south was an opening at the head of the way, the way in front of the (BW)wall toward the east, as one enters them.

13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the (BX)separate area, they are the (BY)holy chambers where the priests who are (BZ)near to the Lord shall eat the (CA)most holy things. There they shall set the most holy things, the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering; for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter, they shall not go out into the outer courtyard from the sanctuary [ar]without (CB)laying their (CC)garments there in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other garments; then they shall approach that which is for the people.”

15 Now when he had finished measuring the inner house, he brought me out by way of the (CD)gate which faced east, and measured it all around. 16 He measured on the east side with the measuring [as]rod: five hundred rods by the (CE)measuring rod. 17 He measured on the north side: five hundred rods by the measuring rod. 18 On the south side he measured five hundred rods with the measuring rod. 19 He turned to the west side and measured five hundred rods with the measuring rod. 20 He measured it [at]on the four sides; it had a (CF)wall all around, the (CG)length five hundred rods and the (CH)width five hundred, to (CI)divide between the holy and the [au]common.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 41:1 Each of these cubits equals about 21 in. or 53 cm
  2. Ezekiel 41:1 As in LXX; MT tent
  3. Ezekiel 41:2 Lit shoulders
  4. Ezekiel 41:2 Lit its length,
  5. Ezekiel 41:3 I.e., of the inner sanctuary
  6. Ezekiel 41:5 Lit house, and so throughout the ch
  7. Ezekiel 41:6 Lit chamber upon chamber
  8. Ezekiel 41:6 Lit thirty times
  9. Ezekiel 41:6 Lit they were coming
  10. Ezekiel 41:6 Lit the inside of the side chambers
  11. Ezekiel 41:7 Lit middle
  12. Ezekiel 41:8 Lit height
  13. Ezekiel 41:8 Lit reed
  14. Ezekiel 41:8 Or to the joint
  15. Ezekiel 41:9 Lit width
  16. Ezekiel 41:11 Lit doorway
  17. Ezekiel 41:11 Lit chamber
  18. Ezekiel 41:12 Lit wide
  19. Ezekiel 41:14 Lit area
  20. Ezekiel 41:15 Lit to
  21. Ezekiel 41:15 Or passageway
  22. Ezekiel 41:16 Or framed
  23. Ezekiel 41:16 Or passageways
  24. Ezekiel 41:18 Lit made
  25. Ezekiel 41:19 Lit made
  26. Ezekiel 41:20 Lit made
  27. Ezekiel 41:21 Lit holy place
  28. Ezekiel 41:22 Lit length
  29. Ezekiel 41:22 Lit walls
  30. Ezekiel 41:23 Lit holy place
  31. Ezekiel 41:24 Or turning
  32. Ezekiel 41:25 Lit made
  33. Ezekiel 41:25 Lit made
  34. Ezekiel 41:25 Or canopy of wood over
  35. Ezekiel 41:26 Or framed
  36. Ezekiel 41:26 Or canopies
  37. Ezekiel 42:2 Each of these cubits equals about 21 in. or 53 cm
  38. Ezekiel 42:3 Or passageway
  39. Ezekiel 42:3 Or passageway
  40. Ezekiel 42:5 Lit shorter
  41. Ezekiel 42:5 Or passageways
  42. Ezekiel 42:6 Or reduced
  43. Ezekiel 42:10 Lit width
  44. Ezekiel 42:14 Lit but there they shall lay
  45. Ezekiel 42:16 Lit reed, and so throughout the ch
  46. Ezekiel 42:20 Lit toward the four winds
  47. Ezekiel 42:20 Lit profane

41 Then the man brought me to the main hall(A) and measured the jambs; the width of the jambs was six cubits[a] on each side.[b] The entrance was ten cubits[c] wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were five cubits[d] wide. He also measured the main hall; it was forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide.[e](B)

Then he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance; each was two cubits[f] wide. The entrance was six cubits wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were seven cubits[g] wide. And 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.(C) He said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.(D)

Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was six cubits thick, and each side room around the temple was four cubits[h] wide. The side rooms were on three levels, one above another, thirty(E) 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.(F) The 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(G) went up from the lowest floor to the top floor through the middle floor.

I 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. The outer wall of the side rooms was five cubits thick. The open area between the side rooms of the temple 10 and the priests’ rooms was twenty cubits wide all around the temple. 11 There 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.

12 The building facing the temple courtyard on the west side was seventy cubits[i] wide. The wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length was ninety cubits.[j]

13 Then he measured the temple; it was a hundred cubits[k] long, and the temple courtyard and the building with its walls were also a hundred cubits long. 14 The width of the temple courtyard on the east, including the front of the temple, was a hundred cubits.(H)

15 Then he measured the length of the building facing the courtyard at the rear of the temple, including its galleries(I) on each side; it was a hundred cubits.

The main hall, the inner sanctuary and the portico facing the court, 16 as well as the thresholds and the narrow windows(J) 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.(K) 17 In 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 18 were carved(L) cherubim(M) and palm trees.(N) Palm trees alternated with cherubim. Each cherub had two faces:(O) 19 the 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.(P) 20 From the floor to the area above the entrance, cherubim and palm trees were carved on the wall of the main hall.

21 The main hall(Q) had a rectangular doorframe, and the one at the front of the Most Holy Place was similar. 22 There was a wooden altar(R) three cubits[l] high and two cubits square[m]; its corners, its base[n] and its sides were of wood. The man said to me, “This is the table(S) that is before the Lord.” 23 Both the main hall(T) and the Most Holy Place had double doors.(U) 24 Each door had two leaves—two hinged leaves(V) for each door. 25 And 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. 26 On the sidewalls of the portico were narrow windows with palm trees carved on each side. The side rooms of the temple also had overhangs.(W)

The Rooms for the Priests

42 Then the man led me northward into the outer court and brought me to the rooms(X) opposite the temple courtyard(Y) and opposite the outer wall on the north side.(Z) The building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide.[o] Both in the section twenty cubits[p] from the inner court and in the section opposite the pavement of the outer court, gallery(AA) faced gallery at the three levels.(AB) In front of the rooms was an inner passageway ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits[q] long.[r] Their doors were on the north.(AC) Now 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. The 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. There was an outer wall parallel to the rooms and the outer court; it extended in front of the rooms for fifty cubits. While 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. The lower rooms had an entrance(AD) on the east side as one enters them from the outer court.

10 On the south side[s] along the length of the wall of the outer court, adjoining the temple courtyard(AE) and opposite the outer wall, were rooms(AF) 11 with 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 12 were 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.

13 Then he said to me, “The north(AG) and south rooms(AH) facing the temple courtyard(AI) 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,(AJ) the sin offerings[t](AK) and the guilt offerings(AL)—for the place is holy.(AM) 14 Once the priests enter the holy precincts, they are not to go into the outer court until they leave behind the garments(AN) 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.(AO)

15 When he had finished measuring what was inside the temple area, he led me out by the east gate(AP) and measured the area all around: 16 He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was five hundred cubits.[u][v] 17 He measured the north side; it was five hundred cubits[w] by the measuring rod. 18 He measured the south side; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 19 Then he turned to the west side and measured; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 20 So he measured(AQ) the area(AR) on all four sides. It had a wall around it,(AS) five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide,(AT) to separate the holy from the common.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 41:1 That is, about 11 feet or about 3.2 meters; also in verses 3, 5 and 8
  2. Ezekiel 41:1 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts side, the width of the tent
  3. Ezekiel 41:2 That is, about 18 feet or about 5.3 meters
  4. Ezekiel 41:2 That is, about 8 3/4 feet or about 2.7 meters; also in verses 9, 11 and 12
  5. Ezekiel 41:2 That is, about 70 feet long and 35 feet wide or about 21 meters long and 11 meters wide
  6. Ezekiel 41:3 That is, about 3 1/2 feet or about 1.1 meters; also in verse 22
  7. Ezekiel 41:3 That is, about 12 feet or about 3.7 meters
  8. Ezekiel 41:5 That is, about 7 feet or about 2.1 meters
  9. Ezekiel 41:12 That is, about 123 feet or about 37 meters
  10. Ezekiel 41:12 That is, about 158 feet or about 48 meters
  11. Ezekiel 41:13 That is, about 175 feet or about 53 meters; also in verses 14 and 15
  12. Ezekiel 41:22 That is, about 5 1/4 feet or about 1.5 meters
  13. Ezekiel 41:22 Septuagint; Hebrew long
  14. Ezekiel 41:22 Septuagint; Hebrew length
  15. Ezekiel 42:2 That is, about 175 feet long and 88 feet wide or about 53 meters long and 27 meters wide
  16. Ezekiel 42:3 That is, about 35 feet or about 11 meters
  17. Ezekiel 42:4 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew and one cubit
  18. Ezekiel 42:4 That is, about 18 feet wide and 175 feet long or about 5.3 meters wide and 53 meters long
  19. Ezekiel 42:10 Septuagint; Hebrew Eastward
  20. Ezekiel 42:13 Or purification offerings
  21. Ezekiel 42:16 See Septuagint of verse 17; Hebrew rods; also in verses 18 and 19.
  22. Ezekiel 42:16 Five hundred cubits equal about 875 feet or about 265 meters; also in verses 17, 18 and 19.
  23. Ezekiel 42:17 Septuagint; Hebrew rods