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40 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, Yahweh’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.”

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.

10 The lodges 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. 11 He measured the width of the opening of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits; 12 and a border before the lodges, one cubit on this side, and a border, one cubit on that side; and the lodges, six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. 13 He measured the gate from the roof of the one lodge to the roof of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits, door against door. 14 He also made posts, sixty cubits; and the court reached to the posts, around the gate. 15 From the forefront of the gate at the entrance to the forefront of the inner porch of the gate were fifty cubits. 16 There were closed windows to the lodges, and to their posts within the gate all around, and likewise to the arches. Windows were around inward. Palm trees were on each post.

17 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. 18 The pavement was by the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates, even the lower pavement. 19 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.

20 He measured the length and width of the gate of the outer court which faces toward the north. 21 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. 22 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. 23 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.

24 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. 25 There were windows in it and in its arches all around, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the width twenty-five cubits. 26 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. 27 There was a gate to the inner court toward the south. He measured one hundred cubits from gate to gate toward the south.

28 Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate. He measured the south gate according to these measurements; 29 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. 30 There were arches all around, twenty-five cubits long, and five cubits wide. 31 Its arches were toward the outer court. Palm trees were on its posts. The ascent to it had eight steps.

32 He brought me into the inner court toward the east. He measured the gate according to these measurements; 33 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. 34 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.

35 He brought me to the north gate, and he measured it according to these measurements; 36 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. 37 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.

38 A room with its door was by the posts at the gates. They washed the burnt offering there. 39 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. 40 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. 41 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. 42 There were four tables for the burnt offering, of cut stone, a cubit and a half long, and 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. 43 The hooks, a hand width long, were fastened within all around. The meat of the offering was on the tables.

44 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. 45 He said to me, “This room, which faces toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the duty of the house. 46 The room which faces toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the duty of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who from among the sons of Levi come near to Yahweh to minister to him.” 47 He measured the court, one hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits wide, square. The altar was before the house.

48 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. 49 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

  1. 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.

The New Temple

40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month in the fourteenth year after Jerusalem had been captured,(A) on that very day the Lord’s hand was on me,(B) and he brought me there. In visions of God(C) he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain.(D) On its southern slope was a structure resembling a city. He brought me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze,(E) with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.(F) He was standing by the city gate. He spoke to me: “Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears,(G) and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Report everything you see to the house of Israel.”(H)

The Wall and Outer Gates

Now there was a wall surrounding the outside of the temple.(I) The measuring rod in the man’s hand was six units of twenty-one inches;[a] each unit was the standard length plus three inches.[b] He measured the thickness of the wall structure; it was 10½ feet,[c] and its height was the same. Then he came to the gate that faced east and climbed its steps.(J) He measured the threshold of the gate; it was 10½ feet deep—one threshold was 10½ feet deep. Each recess was 10½ feet long and 10½ feet deep, and there was a space of 8¾ feet[d] between the recesses. The inner threshold of the gate on the temple side next to the gate’s portico was 10½ feet. Next he measured the gate’s portico; it[e] was 14 feet,[f] and its jambs were 3½ feet.[g] The gate’s portico was on the temple side.

10 There were three recesses on each side of the east gate, each with the same measurements, and the jambs on either side also had the same measurements. 11 Then he measured the width of the gate’s entrance; it was 17½ feet,[h] while the width[i] of the gate was 22¾ feet.[j] 12 There was a barrier of 21 inches[k] in front of the recesses on both sides, and the recesses on each side were 10½ feet[l] square. 13 Then he measured the gate from the roof of one recess to the roof of the opposite one; the distance was 43¾ feet.[m] The openings of the recesses faced each other. 14 Next, he measured the porch—105 feet.[n][o] 15 The distance from the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the gate’s portico on the inside was 87½ feet.[p] 16 The recesses and their jambs had beveled windows all around the inside of the gate.(K) The porticoes also had windows all around on the inside. Each jamb was decorated with palm trees.(L)

17 Then he brought me into the outer court,(M) and there were chambers and a paved surface laid out all around the court.(N) Thirty chambers faced the pavement, 18 which flanked the courtyard’s gates and corresponded to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the distance from the front of the lower gate to the exterior front of the inner court; it was 175 feet.[q] This was the east; next the north is described.

20 He measured the gate of the outer court facing north, both its length and width. 21 Its three recesses on each side, its jambs, and its portico had the same measurements as the first gate: 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 22 Its windows, portico, and palm trees had the same measurements as those of the gate that faced east. Seven steps led up to the gate, and its portico was ahead of them. 23 The inner court had a gate facing the north gate, like the one on the east. He measured the distance from gate to gate; it was 175 feet.

24 He brought me to the south side, and there was also a gate on the south. He measured its jambs and portico; they had the same measurements as the others. 25 Both the gate and its portico had windows all around, like the other windows. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 26 Its stairway had seven steps, and its portico was ahead of them. It had palm trees on its jambs, one on each side. 27 The inner court had a gate on the south. He measured from gate to gate on the south; it was 175 feet.

The Inner Gates

28 Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate. When he measured the south gate, it had the same measurements as the others. 29 Its recesses, jambs, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both it and its portico had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 30 (There were porticoes all around, 43¾ feet long and 8¾ feet wide.[r]) 31 Its portico faced the outer court, and its jambs were decorated with palm trees. Its stairway had eight steps.

32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side. When he measured the gate, it had the same measurements as the others. 33 Its recesses, jambs, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both it and its portico had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 34 Its portico faced the outer court, and its jambs were decorated with palm trees on each side. Its stairway had eight steps.

35 Then he brought me to the north gate.(O) When he measured it, it had the same measurements as the others, 36 as did its recesses, jambs, and portico. It also had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 37 Its portico[s] faced the outer court, and its jambs were decorated with palm trees on each side. Its stairway had eight steps.

Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices

38 There was a chamber whose door opened into the gate’s portico.[t] The burnt offering was to be washed there.(P) 39 Inside the gate’s portico there were two tables on each side, on which to slaughter the burnt offering, sin offering,(Q) and guilt offering.(R) 40 Outside, as one approaches the entrance of the north gate, there were two tables on one side and two more tables on the other side of the gate’s portico. 41 So there were four tables inside the gate and four outside, eight tables in all on which the slaughtering was to be done. 42 There were also four tables of cut stone for the burnt offering,(S) each 31½ inches[u] long, 31½ inches wide, and 21 inches high. The utensils used to slaughter the burnt offerings and other sacrifices were placed on them. 43 There were three-inch[v] hooks[w] fastened all around the inside of the room, and the flesh of the offering was to be laid on the tables.

Rooms for Singers and Priests

44 Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, there were chambers for the singers:[x](T) one[y] beside the north gate, facing south, and another beside the south[z] gate, facing north. 45 Then the man said to me, “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple.(U) 46 The chamber that faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok,(V) the ones from the sons of Levi who may approach the Lord to serve him.”(W) 47 Next he measured the court. It was square, 175 feet long and 175 feet wide. The altar(X) was in front of the temple.

48 Then he brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the jambs of the portico; they were 8¾ feet thick on each side. The width of the gate was 24½ feet,[aa] and the side walls of the gate were[ab] 5¼ feet[ac] wide on each side. 49 The portico was 35 feet[ad] across and 21[ae] feet[af] deep, and 10 steps led[ag] up to it.(Y) There were pillars by the jambs, one on each side.(Z)

Footnotes

  1. 40:5 = a long cubit
  2. 40:5 Lit six cubits by the cubit and a handbreadth
  3. 40:5 Lit was one rod, also in v. 7
  4. 40:7 Lit five cubits, also in v. 30
  5. 40:8–9 Some Hb mss, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read gate facing the temple side; it was one rod. Then he measured the gate’s portico; it
  6. 40:9 Lit eight cubits
  7. 40:9 Lit two cubits
  8. 40:11 Lit 10 cubits
  9. 40:11 Lit length
  10. 40:11 Lit 13 cubits
  11. 40:12 Lit one cubit, also in v. 42
  12. 40:12 Lit six cubits
  13. 40:13 Lit 25 cubits, also in vv. 21,25,29,33,36
  14. 40:14 MT adds To the jamb of the court, the gate was all around; Hb obscure
  15. 40:14 Lit 60 cubits
  16. 40:15 Lit 50 cubits, also in vv. 21,25,29,33,36
  17. 40:19 Lit 100 cubits, also in vv. 23,27,47
  18. 40:30 Some Hb mss, LXX omit v. 30
  19. 40:37 LXX; MT reads jambs
  20. 40:38 Text emended; MT reads door was by the jambs, at the gates
  21. 40:42 Lit one and a half cubits
  22. 40:43 Lit one handbreadth
  23. 40:43 Or ledges
  24. 40:44 LXX reads were two chambers
  25. 40:44 LXX; MT reads singers, which was
  26. 40:44 LXX; MT reads east
  27. 40:48 Lit 14 cubits
  28. 40:48 LXX; MT omits 24½ feet, and the side walls of the gate were
  29. 40:48 Lit three cubits
  30. 40:49 Lit 20 cubits
  31. 40:49 LXX; MT reads 19¼
  32. 40:49 Lit 12 cubits
  33. 40:49 MT reads and it was on steps that they would go