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The Chambers for the Priests

42 Then he brought me out into the outer court, toward the north; and he brought me into the chamber that was opposite the separate yard and which was opposite the building on the north. Before the length of a hundred cubits was the north door, and the width was fifty cubits.[a] Opposite the twenty cubits[b] that belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement that belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in three stories. In front of the chambers was a passage on the inner side, ten cubits wide and one hundred cubits[c] deep; and their doors faced north. Now the upper chambers were shorter. For the galleries were higher than these, than the lower and the middle ones of the building. For they were in three stories, but had no pillars as the pillars of the courts. Therefore the building was set back more than the lowest and the middle ones from the ground. And a wall that was outside was parallel to the chambers, toward the outer court, opposite the chambers; its length was fifty cubits. For the length of the chambers that were in the outer court was fifty cubits. And the length of those before the temple was a hundred cubits. From under these chambers was the entrance on the east side as one goes into them from the outer court.

10 The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, opposite the separate yard and opposite the building, 11 with a passage in front of them; they were like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, of the same length and width. And all their exits and arrangements were according to plan. 12 Corresponding to the doors of the chambers that were facing south was a door at the head of the passage way, the passage way directly in front of the wall toward the east.

13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall lay the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering—for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter it, then they shall not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but there they shall lay their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. And they shall put on other garments, and shall approach those things which are for the people.”

15 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner temple, he brought me out by the gate that faces east, and measured it all around. 16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred cubits[d] with the measuring reed all around. 17 He measured the north side with the measuring reed round about, five hundred reeds. 18 He measured the south side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds. 19 He turned about to the west side and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. 20 He measured it by the four sides. It had a wall all around, five hundred reeds long and five hundred wide,[e] to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 42:2 About 175 feet long and 88 feet wide, or 53 meters long and 27 meters wide.
  2. Ezekiel 42:3 About 35 feet, or 11 meters.
  3. Ezekiel 42:4 About 18 feet wide and 175 feet long, or 5.3 meters wide and 53 meters long.
  4. Ezekiel 42:16 Five hundred cubits equal about 875 feet, or 265 meters; and in vv. 17, 18, and 19.
  5. Ezekiel 42:20 Five hundred cubits equal about 875 feet, or 265 meters.

42 Then he brought me forth into the outer court, the way toward the north; and he brought me into the chamber that was opposite the separate place and which was before the building toward the north.

Along the length of a hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits.

Opposite the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and opposite the pavement which was for the outer court, was gallery upon gallery in three stories.

And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit, and their doors toward the north.

Now the upper chambers were shorter; for the galleries were higher than these — than the lower and than the middlemost of the building.

For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper building was narrowed more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground.

And the wall that was outside opposite the chambers, toward the outer court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits.

For the length of the chambers that were in the outer court was fifty cubits; and lo, those before the temple were a hundred cubits.

And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the outer court.

10 The chambers were within the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, opposite the separate place and opposite the building.

11 And the walk before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they and as broad as they; and all their exits were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors.

12 And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door in the head of the walk, the passage directly before the wall toward the east as one entereth into them.

13 Then said he unto me, “The north chambers and the south chambers, which are in front of the separate place, they are holy chambers where the priests who approach unto the Lord shall eat the most holy things. There shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.

14 When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court; but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister, for they are holy; and they shall put on other garments and shall approach those things which are for the people.”

15 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about.

16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about.

17 He measured the north side, five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about.

18 He measured the south side, five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.

19 He turned about to the west side and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.

20 He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.