Ezekiel 42
New English Translation
Chambers for the Temple
42 Then he led me out to the outer court, toward the north, and brought me to the chamber that was opposite the courtyard and opposite the building on the north. 2 Its length was 175 feet[a] on the north side,[b] and its width 87½ feet.[c] 3 Opposite the 35 feet[d] that belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement that belonged to the outer court, gallery faced gallery in the three stories. 4 In front of the chambers was a walkway on the inner side, 17½ feet[e] wide at a distance of 1¾ feet,[f] and their entrances were on the north. 5 Now the upper chambers were narrower, because the galleries took more space[g] from them than from the lower and middle chambers of the building. 6 For they were in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore, the upper chambers[h] were set back from the ground more than the lower and middle ones. 7 As for the outer wall by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court facing the chambers, it was 87½ feet[i] long. 8 For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet[j] long, while those facing the temple were 175 feet[k] long. 9 Below these chambers was a passage on the east side as one enters from the outer court.
10 At the beginning[l] of the wall of the court toward the south,[m] facing the courtyard and the building, were chambers 11 like those on the north with a passage in front of them. The chambers that were toward the south were the same length and width as those on the north, and had matching exits and entrances and arrangements. 12 There was an opening at the head of the passage, the passage in front of the corresponding wall toward the east when one enters.
13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers that face the courtyard are holy chambers where the priests[n] who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will place the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, because the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter, then they will not go out from the sanctuary to the outer court without taking off their garments in which they minister, for these are holy; they will put on other garments, then they will go near the places where the people are.”
15 Now when he had finished measuring the interior of the temple, he led me out by the gate that faces east and measured all around. 16 He measured the east side with the measuring stick[o] as 875 feet[p] by the measuring stick. 17 He measured the north side as 875 feet by the measuring stick. 18 He measured the south side as 875 feet by the measuring stick. 19 He turned to the west side and measured 875 feet by the measuring stick. 20 He measured it on all four sides. It had a wall around it, 875 feet long and 875 feet wide, to separate the holy and common places.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 42:2 tn Heb “100 cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
- Ezekiel 42:2 tn Heb “the door of the north.”
- Ezekiel 42:2 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
- Ezekiel 42:3 tn Heb “20 cubits” (i.e., 10.5 meters).
- Ezekiel 42:4 tn Heb “10 cubits” (i.e., 5.25 meters).
- Ezekiel 42:4 tc Heb “one cubit” (i.e., 52.5 cm). The LXX and the Syriac read: “100 cubits” (= 175 feet or about 53m).
- Ezekiel 42:5 tn The verb יוֹכְלוּ (yokhelu) “took space” is listed by BDB 37 as אָכַל (’akhal, “eat, consume”), though it prefers to emend the text. HALOT also lists this verb as אכל (1:46) while also listing it under יכל,“prevail” (2:410-11). If אָכַל is correct, then the א (’alef) has dropped out. See the note at Ezek 21:28. BHS refers to a few medieval manuscripts and a Qumran manuscript including the א, יֹאכְלוּ instead of יוֹכְלוּ; both are pronounced the same.
- Ezekiel 42:6 tn The phrase “upper chambers” is not in the Hebrew text but is supplied from the context.
- Ezekiel 42:7 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
- Ezekiel 42:8 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
- Ezekiel 42:8 tn Heb “100 cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
- Ezekiel 42:10 tc The reading is supported by the LXX.
- Ezekiel 42:10 tc This reading is supported by the LXX; the MT reads: “east.”
- Ezekiel 42:13 sn The priests are from the Zadokite family (Ezek 40:6; 44:15).
- Ezekiel 42:16 tn Heb “reed” (also in the following verses).
- Ezekiel 42:16 tn Heb “500 cubits” (i.e., 262.5 meters).
Ezekiel 42
Christian Standard Bible
The Priests’ Chambers
42 Then the man led me out by way of the north gate into the outer court.(A) He brought me to the group of chambers opposite the temple yard and opposite the building(B) to the north. 2 Along the length of the chambers, which was 175 feet,[a](C) there was an entrance on the north; the width was 87½ feet.[b] 3 Opposite the 35 foot space[c] belonging to the inner court and opposite the paved surface(D) belonging to the outer court, the structure rose gallery by gallery(E) in three tiers. 4 In front of the chambers was a walkway toward the inside,(F) 17½ feet[d] wide and 175 feet long,[e] and their entrances were on the north. 5 The upper chambers were narrower because the galleries took away more space from them than from the lower and middle stories of the building. 6 For they were arranged in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courts;(G) therefore the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and middle stories. 7 A wall on the outside ran in front of the chambers, parallel to them, toward the outer court; it was 87½ feet long. 8 For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet long, while those facing the great hall were 175 feet long.(H) 9 At the base of these chambers there was an entryway on the east side as one enters them from the outer court.(I)
10 In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the south,[f] there were chambers facing the temple yard(J) and the western building, 11 with a passageway in front of them, just like the chambers that faced north.(K) Their length and width, as well as all their exits, measurements, and entrances, were identical. 12 The entrance at the beginning of the passageway, the way in front of the corresponding[g] wall as one enters on the east side, was similar to the entrances of the chambers that were on the south side.
13 Then the man said to me, “The northern and southern chambers that face the courtyard are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord will eat(L) the most holy offerings.(M) There they will deposit the most holy offerings—the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings—for the place is holy.(N) 14 Once the priests have entered, they are not to go out from the holy area to the outer court until they have removed the clothes they minister in, for these are holy.(O) They are to put on other clothes before they approach the public area.”(P)
Outside Dimensions of the Temple Complex
15 When he finished measuring inside the temple complex, he led me out by way of the gate that faced east and measured all around the complex.(Q)
16 He measured the east side with a measuring rod;
it was 875 feet[h] by the measuring rod.[i]
17 He[j] measured the north side;
it was 875 feet by the measuring rod.
18 He[k] measured the south side;
it was 875 feet by the measuring rod.
19 Then he turned to the west side
and measured 875 feet by the measuring rod.
20 He measured the temple complex on all four sides. It had a wall all around it,(R) 875 feet long and 875 feet(S) wide, to separate the holy from the common.(T)
Footnotes
- 42:2 Lit 100 cubits, also in vv. 4,8
- 42:2 Lit 50 cubits, also in v. 7
- 42:3 Lit 20 cubits
- 42:4 Lit 10 cubits
- 42:4 LXX, Syr; MT reads wide, a way of one cubit
- 42:10 LXX; MT reads east
- 42:12 Or protective; Hb obscure
- 42:16 Lit 500 in rods, also in vv. 17,18,19
- 42:16 Lit rod all around, also in vv. 17,18,19
- 42:17 LXX reads Then he turned to the north and
- 42:18 LXX reads Then he turned to the south and
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.