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. 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] 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. 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. The upper chambers were narrower because the galleries took away more space from them than from the lower and middle stories of the building. 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. A wall on the outside ran in front of the chambers, parallel to them, toward the outer court; it was 87½ feet long. For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet long, while those facing the great hall were 175 feet long.(H) 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)

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Footnotes

  1. 42:2 Lit 100 cubits, also in vv. 4,8
  2. 42:2 Lit 50 cubits, also in v. 7
  3. 42:3 Lit 20 cubits
  4. 42:4 Lit 10 cubits
  5. 42:4 LXX, Syr; MT reads wide, a way of one cubit
  6. 42:10 LXX; MT reads east
  7. 42:12 Or protective; Hb obscure

Chambers of the Temple

42 Then he (A)brought me out into the (B)outer courtyard, the way (C)toward the north; and he brought me to the (D)chamber which was opposite the (E)separate area and opposite the (F)building toward the north. Along the length, which was a (G)hundred [a]cubits, was the north door; the width was fifty cubits. Opposite the (H)twenty cubits which belonged to the inner courtyard, and opposite the (I)stone pavement which belonged to the outer courtyard, was [b](J)gallery corresponding to [c]gallery in three stories. In front of the (K)chambers was an inner passage ten cubits wide, a way of one hundred cubits; and their openings were on the north. Now the upper chambers were [d]smaller because the [e](L)galleries took more space away from them than from the lower and middle ones in the building. For they were in (M)three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courtyards; for that reason the upper chambers were [f]set back from the ground upward, more than the lower and middle ones. As for the (N)outer wall by the side of the chambers, toward the outer courtyard facing the chambers, its length was fifty cubits. For the length of the chambers which were in the outer courtyard was fifty cubits; and behold, the length of those facing the main room was a (O)hundred cubits. And below these chambers was the (P)entrance on the east side, as one enters them from the outer courtyard.

10 In the [g]thickness of the (Q)wall of the courtyard toward the east, facing the (R)separate area and facing the building, there were (S)chambers. 11 And the (T)way in front of them was like the appearance of the chambers which were on the north; according to their length, so was their width, and all their exits were according to their building plans and openings. 12 Corresponding to the openings of the chambers which were toward the south was an opening at the head of the way, the way in front of the (U)wall toward the east, as one enters them.

13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the (V)separate area, they are the (W)holy chambers where the priests who are (X)near to the Lord shall eat the (Y)most holy things. There they shall set the most holy things, the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering; for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter, they shall not go out into the outer courtyard from the sanctuary [h]without (Z)laying their (AA)garments there in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other garments; then they shall approach that which is for the people.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 42:2 Each of these cubits equals about 21 in. or 53 cm
  2. Ezekiel 42:3 Or passageway
  3. Ezekiel 42:3 Or passageway
  4. Ezekiel 42:5 Lit shorter
  5. Ezekiel 42:5 Or passageways
  6. Ezekiel 42:6 Or reduced
  7. Ezekiel 42:10 Lit width
  8. Ezekiel 42:14 Lit but there they shall lay