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[e] long,[f] 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[g] long. For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet long, while those facing the great hall were 175 feet[h] 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,[i] 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[j] 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 temple yard 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 restitution offerings—for the place is holy.(N) 14 Once the priests have entered, they must not 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. Ezekiel 42:2 Lit 100 cubits
  2. Ezekiel 42:2 Lit 50 cubits
  3. Ezekiel 42:3 Lit 20 [cubits]
  4. Ezekiel 42:4 Lit 10 cubits
  5. Ezekiel 42:4 Lit 100 cubits
  6. Ezekiel 42:4 LXX, Syr; MT reads wide, a way of one cubit
  7. Ezekiel 42:7 Lit 50 cubits
  8. Ezekiel 42:8 Lit 100 cubits
  9. Ezekiel 42:10 LXX; MT reads east
  10. Ezekiel 42:12 Or protective; Hb obscure

The Vision of the Outer Court

42 Then he brought me to the outer, north-facing courtyard into the chamber that stood opposite the structure that was facing north. It stood 100 cubits[a] long and 50 cubits[b] wide, with a door in the middle.[c] Opposite the 20 cubits[d] wide inner court, and opposite the paved area that comprised the outer court, there were three stories of galleries that faced each other. In front of the chambers there was an inner walkway ten cubits wide and 100 cubits[e] wide, the openings to which were on the[f] north. The upper chambers were narrower, since the galleries required more space than did the lower and middle portions of the building. The three part structure had no columns, unlike the courts, which is why the upper chambers were offset from the ground upward, more so than the lower and middle chambers.

The outer wall by the side of the chambers toward the outer court and facing the chambers was 50 cubits[g] long. While the chambers in the outer court were 50 cubits[h] in length, the chambers facing the Temple were 100 cubits[i] long. Below these chambers, as one might enter from the outer court, was the east side entrance. 10 There were chambers built into the thick part of the wall of the court facing the east; that is, facing the separate area toward the front of the building, 11 with a passageway in front of them, similar in appearance to the chambers that were on the north, proportional to their length and width, with all of their exits according to their arrangements and doorways. 12 Corresponding to the chamber doorways facing the south was an opening at the beginning of the passage; that is, the passage in front of the corresponding part of the wall facing east as one might enter.

The Place for Holy Things

13 Then he told me, “The north and south chamber, which are opposite the courtyard, are consecrated areas where the priests who approach the Lord will eat consecrated offerings and lay the consecrated grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings, because the area is holy. 14 When the priest enters, they will not enter the outer court from the sanctuary without having removed their garments worn during their time of ministry, because they are holy. They will put on different clothes, and then they will approach the area reserved for the people.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 42:2 I.e. about 175 feet; the royal cubit was 21 inches
  2. Ezekiel 42:2 I.e. about 87.5 feet; the royal cubit was 21 inches
  3. Ezekiel 42:2 Lit. north
  4. Ezekiel 42:3 I.e. about 35 feet; the royal cubit was 21 inches
  5. Ezekiel 42:4 So with LXX Syr; MT reads and one cubit
  6. Ezekiel 42:4 Or which faced
  7. Ezekiel 42:7 I.e. about 87.5 feet; the royal cubit was 21 inches
  8. Ezekiel 42:8 I.e. about 87.5 feet; the royal cubit was 21 inches
  9. Ezekiel 42:8 I.e. about 175 feet; the royal cubit was 21 inches