Ezekiel 40:1-4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Vision of 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 the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me there.(A) 2 He brought me, in visions of God, to the land of Israel and set me down upon a very high mountain on which was a structure like a city to the south.(B) 3 When he brought me there, a man was there whose appearance shone like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand, and he was standing in the gateway.(C) 4 The man said to me, “Mortal, look closely and listen attentively, and set your mind on all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you; declare all that you see to the house of Israel.”(D)
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Ezekiel 40:1-4
Evangelical Heritage Version
A Vision of the New Temple[a]
40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year,[b] on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me there. 2 In visions of God, he brought me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. On the south side there was a structure that resembled a city. 3 When he brought me there, I saw a man who looked as if he were made of bronze. In his hand he had a linen cord and a measuring rod. He was standing by the gatehouse.
4 The man said to me, “Son of man, watch carefully, listen carefully, and pay attention to[c] everything that I am about to show you, because you were brought here so that I could show it to you. Report everything you see to the house of Israel.”
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- Ezekiel 40:1 The translation of many of the architectural features of the temple is very difficult. The footnotes will not attempt to list all the many options that have been suggested for some of the difficult words and phrases.
There are also numerous textual variants in this section of Ezekiel. Not all of them will be reported in the footnotes.
This temple plan was never implemented, even though the temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt within the same century in which Ezekiel received this plan. This description was not written to provide an architectural blueprint. Instead, it was designed for its symbolic meaning and emotional impact. The descriptions in Ezekiel 38–48 are parallel to the visions in Revelation 19–22. - Ezekiel 40:1 Spring 573 bc
- Ezekiel 40:4 Literally look with your eyes, hear with your ears, and set your heart on
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The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.