The Temple's Chambers

42 Then he led me out into (A)the outer court, (B)toward the north, and he brought me to (C)the chambers that were opposite (D)the separate yard and opposite (E)the building on the north. The length of the building whose door faced north was (F)a hundred cubits,[a] and (G)the breadth fifty cubits. Facing (H)the twenty cubits that belonged to the inner court, and facing (I)the pavement that belonged to the outer court, was (J)gallery[b] against gallery in three stories. And (K)before the chambers was a passage inward, ten cubits wide and (L)a hundred cubits long,[c] and (M)their doors were on the north. Now the upper chambers were narrower, for the galleries took more away from them than from the lower and middle chambers of the building. For they were in three stories, and they had no pillars like the pillars of the courts. Thus the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and the middle ones. And (N)there was a wall outside parallel to the chambers, toward the outer court, opposite the chambers, (O)fifty cubits long. For the chambers on the outer court were fifty cubits long, while those opposite (P)the nave[d] were (Q)a hundred cubits long. Below these chambers was (R)an entrance on the east side, as one enters them from the outer court.

10 In the thickness of (S)the wall of the court, on the south[e] also, opposite (T)the yard and opposite (U)the building, there were (V)chambers 11 with (W)a passage in front of them. They were similar to the chambers on the north, of the same length and breadth, with the same exits[f] and arrangements and (X)doors, 12 as were the entrances of the chambers on the south. There was an entrance at the beginning of the passage, the passage before (Y)the corresponding wall on the east as one enters them.[g]

13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers opposite (Z)the yard are the holy chambers, (AA)where the priests who approach the Lord (AB)shall eat the (AC)most holy offerings. There they shall put the most holy offerings—(AD)the grain offering, (AE)the sin offering, and (AF)the guilt offering—for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter the Holy Place, they shall not go out of it into the outer court (AG)without laying there the garments in which they minister, for these are holy. (AH)They shall put on other garments before they go near to that which is for the people.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 42:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  2. Ezekiel 42:3 The meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown; also verse 5
  3. Ezekiel 42:4 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew and a way of one cubit
  4. Ezekiel 42:8 Or temple
  5. Ezekiel 42:10 Septuagint; Hebrew east
  6. Ezekiel 42:11 Hebrew and all their exits
  7. Ezekiel 42:12 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain

The Holy Chambers and the Outer Wall

42 Then he led me out into the inner[a] court, toward the north, and he brought me to the chambers which were opposite the temple yard and opposite the building on the north. The length of the building which was on the north side[b] was[c] a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty cubits. Adjoining the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and facing the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was gallery[d] against gallery[e] in three stories. And before the chambers was a passage inward, ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits long,[f] and their doors were on the north. Now the upper chambers were narrower, for the galleries[g] took more away from them than from the lower and middle chambers in the building. For they were in three stories, and they had no pillars like the pillars of the outer[h] court; hence the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and the middle ones. And there was a wall outside parallel to the chambers, toward the outer court, opposite the chambers, fifty cubits long. For the chambers on the outer court were fifty cubits long, while those opposite the temple were a hundred cubits long. Below these chambers was an entrance on the east side, as one enters them from the outer court, 10 where the outside wall begins.[i]

On the south[j] also, opposite the yard and opposite the building, there were chambers 11 with a passage in front of them; they were similar to the chambers on the north, of the same length and breadth, with the same exits[k] and arrangements and doors. 12 And below the south chambers was an entrance on the east side, where one enters the passage, and opposite them was a dividing wall.[l]

13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers opposite the yard are the holy chambers, where the priests who approach the Lord shall eat the most holy offerings; there they shall put the most holy offerings—the cereal offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter the holy place, they shall not go out of it into the outer court without laying there the garments in which they minister, for these are holy; they shall put on other garments before they go near to that which is for the people.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 42:1 Gk: Heb outer
  2. Ezekiel 42:2 Gk: Heb door
  3. Ezekiel 42:2 Gk: Heb before the length
  4. Ezekiel 42:3 The meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown
  5. Ezekiel 42:3 The meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown
  6. Ezekiel 42:4 Gk Syr: Heb a way of one cubit
  7. Ezekiel 42:5 The meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown
  8. Ezekiel 42:6 Gk: Heb lacks outer
  9. Ezekiel 42:10 Cn Compare Gk: Heb in the breadth of the wall of the court
  10. Ezekiel 42:10 Gk: Heb east
  11. Ezekiel 42:11 Heb and all their exits
  12. Ezekiel 42:12 Cn: Heb And according to the entrances of the chambers that were toward the south was an entrance at the head of the way, the way before the dividing wall toward the east as one enters them