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The Rooms for the Priests

42 Then the man led me northward into the outer court and brought me to the rooms(A) opposite the temple courtyard(B) and opposite the outer wall on the north side.(C) The building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide.[a] Both in the section twenty cubits[b] from the inner court and in the section opposite the pavement of the outer court, gallery(D) faced gallery at the three levels.(E) In front of the rooms was an inner passageway ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits[c] long.[d] Their doors were on the north.(F) 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(G) on the east side as one enters them from the outer court.

10 On the south side[e] along the length of the wall of the outer court, adjoining the temple courtyard(H) and opposite the outer wall, were rooms(I) 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(J) and south rooms(K) facing the temple courtyard(L) 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,(M) the sin offerings[f](N) and the guilt offerings(O)—for the place is holy.(P) 14 Once the priests enter the holy precincts, they are not to go into the outer court until they leave behind the garments(Q) 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.(R)

15 When he had finished measuring what was inside the temple area, he led me out by the east gate(S) and measured the area all around: 16 He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was five hundred cubits.[g][h] 17 He measured the north side; it was five hundred cubits[i] 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(T) the area(U) on all four sides. It had a wall around it,(V) five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide,(W) to separate the holy from the common.(X)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 42:2 That is, about 175 feet long and 88 feet wide or about 53 meters long and 27 meters wide
  2. Ezekiel 42:3 That is, about 35 feet or about 11 meters
  3. Ezekiel 42:4 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew and one cubit
  4. Ezekiel 42:4 That is, about 18 feet wide and 175 feet long or about 5.3 meters wide and 53 meters long
  5. Ezekiel 42:10 Septuagint; Hebrew Eastward
  6. Ezekiel 42:13 Or purification offerings
  7. Ezekiel 42:16 See Septuagint of verse 17; Hebrew rods; also in verses 18 and 19.
  8. Ezekiel 42:16 Five hundred cubits equal about 875 feet or about 265 meters; also in verses 17, 18 and 19.
  9. Ezekiel 42:17 Septuagint; Hebrew rods

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. Its length was 175 feet[a] on the north side,[b] and its width 87½ feet.[c] 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. 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. 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. 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. As for the outer wall by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court facing the chambers, it was 87½ feet[i] long. For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet[j] long, while those facing the temple were 175 feet[k] long. 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

  1. Ezekiel 42:2 tn Heb “100 cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
  2. Ezekiel 42:2 tn Heb “the door of the north.”
  3. Ezekiel 42:2 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  4. Ezekiel 42:3 tn Heb “20 cubits” (i.e., 10.5 meters).
  5. Ezekiel 42:4 tn Heb “10 cubits” (i.e., 5.25 meters).
  6. 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).
  7. 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.
  8. Ezekiel 42:6 tn The phrase “upper chambers” is not in the Hebrew text but is supplied from the context.
  9. Ezekiel 42:7 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  10. Ezekiel 42:8 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  11. Ezekiel 42:8 tn Heb “100 cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
  12. Ezekiel 42:10 tc The reading is supported by the LXX.
  13. Ezekiel 42:10 tc This reading is supported by the LXX; the MT reads: “east.”
  14. Ezekiel 42:13 sn The priests are from the Zadokite family (Ezek 40:6; 44:15).
  15. Ezekiel 42:16 tn Heb “reed” (also in the following verses).
  16. Ezekiel 42:16 tn Heb “500 cubits” (i.e., 262.5 meters).

Los cuartos de los sacerdotes

42 Después aquel hombre me llevó al patio, y me hizo entrar en el edificio de cuartos que estaba hacia el norte, en la parte posterior del templo, frente al patio. Por el lado norte, el edificio medía cincuenta metros de largo y veinticinco metros de ancho. Tenía tres pisos. Por un lado daba al espacio abierto que medía diez metros de ancho, y por el otro daba al piso empedrado del patio exterior. Frente a los cuartos había un pasillo de cinco metros de ancho y cincuenta de largo. Las puertas de los cuartos daban al norte.

Los cuartos del piso superior eran más pequeños que los del piso intermedio, y éstos eran menores que los de la planta baja, porque el piso de arriba no tenía columnas como el piso de abajo. Por eso se iban haciendo más angostos.

7-8 Los cuartos que daban al patio medían, todos juntos, veinticinco metros de largo, lo mismo que el muro que tenían enfrente. Los cuartos que daban hacia el templo medían, todos juntos, cincuenta metros de largo. A la planta baja de esos cuartos se podía entrar sólo por el lado este del patio.

10 Por el lado sur había otro edificio de cuartos. Esos cuartos estaban detrás del templo, y también a lo largo del muro del patio. 11 En todo eran iguales a los del lado norte. 12 A estos cuartos del lado sur se podía entrar sólo por el lado este, por donde comenzaba el pasillo frente al muro. 13 Aquel hombre me explicó lo siguiente:

«Los cuartos del lado norte están destinados a un uso especial, lo mismo que los del lado sur, que están frente al patio. Los sacerdotes comen allí las ofrendas que se presentan a Dios. Como son lugares muy especiales, allí también se llevan todas las ofrendas que se presentan a Dios. 14 Cuando los sacerdotes salen de esos cuartos, después de haber cumplido con sus servicios, deben dejar allí sus vestiduras especiales de sacerdotes. No se les permite salir con esas vestiduras al patio donde está el pueblo, sino que tienen que cambiarse de ropa».

15 En cuanto el hombre terminó de medir el templo, me sacó por la puerta que da al este, y empezó a medir la muralla. 16-20 Luego midió los cuatro lados de la muralla, y cada lado medía doscientos cincuenta metros de largo. Esta muralla servía para separar el templo del resto de la ciudad.

42 Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the north.

Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits.

Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories.

And before the chambers was a walk to 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 building was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground.

And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits.

For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were an hundred cubits.

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

10 The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over against the separate place, and over against the building.

11 And the way 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 goings out 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 way, even the way 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 before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that 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 utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to 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 by 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.

The Chambers for the Priests

42 Then he (A)brought me out into the outer court, by the way toward the (B)north; and he brought me into (C)the chamber which was opposite the separating courtyard, and which was opposite the building toward the north. Facing the length, which was one hundred cubits (the width was fifty cubits), was the north door. Opposite the inner court of twenty cubits, and opposite the (D)pavement of the outer court, was (E)gallery against gallery in three stories. In front of the chambers, toward the inside, was a walk ten cubits wide, at a distance of one cubit; and their doors faced north. Now the upper chambers were shorter, because the galleries took away space from them more than from the lower and middle stories of the building. For they were in three stories and did not have pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper level was [a]shortened more than the lower and middle levels from the ground up. And a wall which was outside ran parallel to the chambers, at the front of the chambers, toward the outer court; its length was fifty cubits. The length of the chambers toward the outer court was fifty cubits, whereas that facing the temple was one (F)hundred cubits. At the lower chambers was the entrance on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court.

10 Also there were chambers in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, opposite the separating courtyard and opposite the building. 11 (G)There was a walk in front of them also, and their appearance was like the chambers which were toward the north; they were as long and as wide as the others, and all their exits and entrances were according to plan. 12 And corresponding to the doors of the chambers that were facing south, as one enters them, there was a door in front of the walk, the 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 opposite the separating courtyard, are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord (H)shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall lay the most holy offerings—(I)the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering—for the place is holy. 14 (J)When the priests enter them, they shall not go out of the holy chamber into the outer court; but there they shall leave their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other garments; then they may approach that which is for the people.”

Outer Dimensions of the Temple

15 Now when he had finished measuring the inner [b]temple, he brought me out through the gateway that faces toward the (K)east, and measured it all around. 16 He measured the east side with the [c]measuring rod, five hundred rods by the measuring rod all around. 17 He measured the north side, five hundred rods by the measuring rod all around. 18 He measured the south side, five hundred rods by the measuring rod. 19 He came around to the west side and measured five hundred rods by the measuring rod. 20 He measured it on the four sides; (L)it had a wall all around, (M)five hundred cubits long and five hundred wide, to separate the holy areas from the [d]common.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 42:6 Or narrowed
  2. Ezekiel 42:15 Lit. house
  3. Ezekiel 42:16 About 10.5 feet, Ezek. 40:5
  4. Ezekiel 42:20 Or profane