Ezekiel's Vision: New City, New Temple
Ezekiel 40, verse 1. Again in the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, in the first month, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was captured, on the very same day, the hand of the Lord was upon me. Ezekiel 40, verse 2. He took me in a vision of God into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain. On it, but opposite from me, was something like the structure of a city. Ezekiel 40, verse 3. He took me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of gleaming bronze. He had a builder's cord and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood at the gate. Ezekiel 40, verse 4. Then the man said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this? Look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your heart on everything I show you; for you were brought here that I might show them to you. For you shall reveal to the house of Israel everything you see.”
The East Gate of the Temple
Ezekiel 40, verse 5. Now there was a wall around the entire outside of the house. In the man's hand was a measuring stick, six cubits long, each consisting of a cubit and a handbreadth, and he measured the width of the wall structure, one measuring stick, and the height, one measuring stick. Ezekiel 40, verse 6. Then he went to the gate which faced east, up seven stairs, and measured across the entrance of the gate, one measuring stick wide. Ezekiel 40, verse 7. Each gate chamber was one measuring stick long and one measuring stick wide. Between the gate chambers was a space of six cubits, and the second gate chamber was one measuring stick wide, one measuring stick long; and the entrance was five cubits. Ezekiel 40, verse 8. The third gate chamber was one measuring stick wide and one measuring stick long. Ezekiel 40, verse 9. The neighboring entrance was eight cubits, and the gatepost was two cubits, also the outer entrance of the gate. Ezekiel 40, verse 10. The gate chambers were three on one side and three on the other. There was one measurement to all three and one measurement to the entrances on this side and the other. Ezekiel 40, verse 11. He measured the width of the entrance to the gate, ten cubits, and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. Ezekiel 40, verse 12. The dimensions of the front of the gate chambers were equal, and the gate chambers were six cubits on this side and six cubits on that side. Ezekiel 40, verse 13. Then he measured the gate from the roof of one gate chamber to the roof of the other, and the width was twenty-five cubits, from one gate to the other. Ezekiel 40, verse 14. He measured the open inner court of the gate chamber, sixty cubits high, and there were twenty gate chambers all around. Ezekiel 40, verse 15. From the open court of the gate outside into the open inner court of the gate chamber within was fifty cubits. Ezekiel 40, verse 16. There were hidden windows in the gate chambers and in their entrances on the inside of the gate all around, and likewise the entrances had hidden windows all around. There were windows all around on the inside, and on each entrance chamber were ornamental palm trees, equally displayed on one side and the other. Ezekiel 40, verse 17. Then he brought me into the inner court; and behold, there were temple chambers and pillars all around the court; thirty chambers among the pillars. Ezekiel 40, verse 18. The porches were behind the gates; corresponding to the same length of the gates was the underlying pillar. Ezekiel 40, verse 19. Then he measured the width of the court, from the open air court of the gate which was to the outside to the open air court of the gate which faces out, a hundred cubits to the court which faces east. Then he led me to the north side,
The North Gate
Ezekiel 40, verse 20. and behold, there was the gate facing north to the outer court, and he measured its length and its width. Ezekiel 40, verse 21. Its gate chambers, three on this side and three on that side, its gateposts and its porches, and palm trees, and they were the same measurement of the gate which faces to the east: its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. Ezekiel 40, verse 22. Its windows, its doorposts, and also its palm trees were just like the gate facing east, and it was ascended by seven steps, and the doorpost within. Ezekiel 40, verse 23. A gate of the inner court was opposite the northern gate, in the same manner as the eastern gate, and he measured from gate to gate, one hundred cubits.
The South Gate
Ezekiel 40, verse 24. Then he brought me toward the south, and behold, a gate was facing south; and he measured its gate chambers, gateposts, and archways according to these same measurements. Ezekiel 40, verse 25. There were windows in it and in its archways all around like those windows. Its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. Ezekiel 40, verse 26. Seven steps led up to it, and its gateposts were within; and it had palm trees on its gateposts, one on this side and one on that side. Ezekiel 40, verse 27. There was also a gate on the inner court, facing south, and he measured from gate to gate toward the south, one hundred cubits, in the southerly direction.
The Inner Court
Ezekiel 40, verse 28. Then he brought me to the inner court through the southern gate, and he measured the southern gate according to these same measurements. Ezekiel 40, verse 29. Also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways were according to these same measurements, and there were windows in it and in its archways all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. Ezekiel 40, verse 30. There was the porch into the outer court, and palm trees were on its gatepost, and going up to it were eight steps. Ezekiel 40, verse 31. Then he brought me to the gate facing east, and he measured it according to these same measurements. Ezekiel 40, verse 32. Its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways were according to these same measurements. There were windows in it and in its archways all around, and it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. Ezekiel 40, verse 33. There were porches opening into the inner court, and palm trees were on its gateposts, on this side and on that side; and going up to it were eight steps. Ezekiel 40, verse 34. Then he brought me to the north gate and measured it according to these same measurements— Ezekiel 40, verse 35. also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways. It had windows all around, and its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. Ezekiel 40, verse 36. Its porches were toward the outer court, and there were palm trees on its gateposts, on this side and on that side, and going up to it were eight steps.
A Place for the Sacrifices and the Priests
Ezekiel 40, verse 37. There were its chambers and its gateposts at its gate, Ezekiel 40, verse 38. and a drain for the second gate, so they might slay in it the sin offerings and trespass offerings. Ezekiel 40, verse 39. Behind the drain line for the whole burnt offerings of the gate which faces north, there were two tables placed toward the east, and behind the second gate and its gate chamber, there were two tables toward the east. Ezekiel 40, verse 40. Four tables were on this side and four tables on that side, and behind the gate, there were eight tables on which they slaughtered the sacrifices. Ezekiel 40, verse 41. There were also four tables of hewn stone for the whole burnt offerings, two cubits long, one cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high. On these they laid the instruments with which they slaughtered the whole burnt offerings and the sacrifices. Ezekiel 40, verse 42. Inside were projections hewn out, a handbreadth wide, all around, and over the tables above, there were little roofs to cover from the rain and the drying wind. Ezekiel 40, verse 43. Then he led me into the inner court, and behold, there were two halls in the inner court, one behind the gate which faces north and bearing to the south, and the other behind the gate which faces to the south and bearing to the north. Ezekiel 40, verse 44. So he said to me, “This hall which faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple. Ezekiel 40, verse 45. The hall which faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, from the sons of Levi, who come near the Lord to minister liturgically to Him.” Ezekiel 40, verse 46. Then he measured the court, one hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits wide, foursquare. The altar of sacrifice was in front of the house. Ezekiel 40, verse 47. Then he brought me to the entrance chamber of the house and measured the doorpost of the entrance chamber, five cubits on this side and five cubits on that side; and the width of the doorway was fourteen cubits; and the sills of the door to the entrance chamber were three by three on each side. Ezekiel 40, verse 48. The length of the entrance chamber was twenty cubits, and the width twelve cubits, and one would ascend it by ten steps; and there were pillars by the entrance chamber, one on this side and another on that side.