Ezekiel Chapter 40 to 41 : Easy-to-Read Version  | SearchSearch | Next Version | Previous Page | Next Page |

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The New Temple

40 In the twenty-fifth year after we were taken away into captivity, at the beginning of the year (October), on the tenth day of the month* the Lord’s power came on me. This was fourteen years after the Babylonians took Jerusalem. On that day, the Lord took me there {in a vision}. 2In a vision,* God carried me to the land of Israel. He put me down near a very high mountain. On that mountain in front of me was a building that looked like a city.* 3The Lord brought me there. There was a man there that looked {shiny} like {polished} bronze. That man had a cloth tape measure and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing by the gate. 4The man said to me, “Son of man,* use your eyes and ears. Look at these things and listen to me. Pay attention to everything that I show you. Why? Because you have been brought here so I can show you these things. You must tell the family of Israel all that you see.” 5I saw a wall that went all the way around the outside of the temple.* In the man’s hand there was a ruler for measuring things. It was 6 cubits* long using the long measurement.* So the man measured the thickness of the wall. It was one ruler* thick. The man measured the height of the wall. It was one ruler tall. 6Then the man went to the east gate. The man walked up its steps and measured the opening for the gate. It was one ruler* wide. 7The rooms for the guards were one ruler long and one ruler wide. The walls between the rooms were 5 cubits* thick. The opening by the porch at the end of the gateway that faced the temple was also one ruler wide. 8Then the man measured the porch. 9It was 8 cubits* long. The man measured the walls on either side of the gate. Each side wall was 2 cubits* wide. The porch was at the end of the gateway that faced the temple. 10There were three little rooms on each side of the gateway. All of these rooms measured the same. And all of their side walls measured the same. 11The man measured the entrance to the gateway. It was 10 cubits* wide and 13 cubits* long. 12There was a low wall in front of each room. That wall was 1 cubit* tall and 1 cubit thick. The rooms were square. Each wall was 6 cubits* long. 13The man measured the gateway from {outside edge of} the roof of one room to the {outside edge of} roof of the opposite room. It was 25 cubits.* Each door was directly opposite the other door. 14* The man measured the faces of all the side walls, including the side walls on either side of the porch at the courtyard. The total was 60 cubits.* 15From the inside edge of the outer gate to the far end of the porch was 50 cubits.* 16There were small windows* above all the guard rooms, the side walls, and the porch. The wide part of the windows faced into the gateway. There were carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway.

The Outside Courtyard

17Then the man led me into the outer courtyard. I saw thirty rooms and a pavement that went all the way around the courtyard. The rooms were along the wall and faced in toward the pavement. 18The pavement was as wide as the gates were long. The pavement reached to the inside end of the gateway. This was the lower pavement. 19The man measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the {inner} courtyard. It was 100 cubits* on the east side as well as on the north side. 20Then the man measured the length and width of the north gate that was in the wall surrounding the outer courtyard. 21This gateway, its three rooms on each side, and its porch all measured the same as the first gate. The gateway was 50 cubits* long and 25 cubits* wide. 22Its windows, its porch, and its carvings of palm trees measured the same as the east gate. {On the outside,} there were seven steps leading up to the gate. And its porch was at the inside end of the gateway. 23Across {the courtyard} from the north gate, there was a gate to the inner courtyard. It was like the gate on the east. The man measured from the gate {on the inner wall} to the gate {on the outer wall}. It was 100 cubits* from gate to gate. 24Then the man led me to the south wall. I saw a gate in the south {wall}. The man measured its side walls and its porch. They measured the same as the other gates. 25The gateway and its porch had windows all around like the other gates. The gateway was 50 cubits* long and 25 cubits* wide. 26There were seven steps going up to this gate. And its porch was at the inside end of the gateway. It had carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway. 27A gate was on the south side of the inner courtyard. The man measured from the gate {on the inner wall} to the gate {on the outer wall}. It was 100 cubits* from gate to gate.

The Inner Courtyard

28Then the man led me through the south gate into the inner courtyard. He measured this gate. This gateway measured the same as the other gates to the inner courtyard. 29Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits* long and 25 cubits* wide. 30The porch was 25 cubits* wide and 5 cubits* long. 31And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls {on either side of the gateway}. There were eight steps leading up to the gate. 32Then the man led me into the inner courtyard on the east side. He measured the gate. It measured the same as the other gates. 33Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits* long and 25 cubits* wide. 34And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate. 35Then the man led me to the north gate. He measured it. It measured the same as the other gates. 36Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits* long and 25 cubits* wide. 37And its porch* was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.

The Rooms For Preparing Sacrifices

38There was a room with a door that opened onto the porch of this gate. This is where the priests wash the animals for the burnt offerings. 39There were two tables on each side {of the door} of this porch. The animals for the burnt offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings were killed on these tables. 40There were also two tables on each side of the door on the outside {wall} of this porch. 41So there were four tables on the inside {wall} and four tables on the outside {wall}—eight tables that the priests used when they killed the animals for sacrifices. 42There were also four tables made from cut stone for the burnt offerings. These tables were 1 1/2 cubits* long, 1 1/2 cubits* wide, and 1 cubit* high. On these tables, the priests put their tools that they used to kill the animals for the burnt offerings and other sacrifices. 43There were meat hooks three inches long* on all the walls in this area. The meat of the offerings was put on the tables.

The Priests’ Rooms

44There were two rooms in the inner courtyard. One was by the north gate facing south. The other room was by the south* gate facing north. 45The man said to me, “The room that looks to the south is for the priests who are on duty and serving in the temple area. 46But the room that looks to the north is for the priests who are on duty and serving at the altar.* The priests are from the family group of Levi. But this second group of priests are the descendants* of Zadok. They are the only people who can carry the sacrifices to the altar to serve the Lord.”* 47The man measured the {inner} courtyard. The courtyard was a perfect square. It was 100 cubits* long and 100 cubits wide. The altar* was in front of the temple.

The Porch of the Temple

48Then the man led me to the porch of the temple and measured the walls on either side of the porch. Each side wall was 5 cubits* thick and 3 cubits* wide. And the opening {between them} was 14 cubits.* 49The porch was 20 cubits* wide and 12 cubits* long.* Ten steps went up to the porch. There were two columns for the walls on either side of the porch—one at each wall.

tenth day of the month This was the Day of Atonement, 573 B.C. See Lev. 25:9 and Lev. 36:24 vision(s) Like a dream that God used to speak to people. On the mountain … city Or, “On the mountain, there was a building that looked like a city with a city south of it.” Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person,” or “a human being.” Here it is a title for the man, Ezekiel. temple The special building in Jerusalem for Jewish worship. long measurement Literally, “a cubit and a handbreadth.” This cubit equals 20.67 inches (52.5cm). one ruler That is, 6 cubits (10’4” or 3.15m). Verse 14 The meaning of this verse is very uncertain. small windows These let the soldiers defending the city shoot arrows out at the enemy. The narrow part of the window was on the enemy’s side of the wall to give the smallest target. porch Hebrew has “side walls.” Meat hooks … long Or, “Double shelves three inches wide …” south This is from the ancient Greek translation. The Hebrew has “east.” altar(s) A stone table or raised area used for offering sacrifices. descendants A person’s children and their future families. carry the sacrifices … to serve the Lord Literally, “approach the Lord to serve him.”  20 … long Literally, “20 cubits long … 12 cubits wide.” Cubit Measurements: 1 cubit 1’ 8 5/8” or 52.5cm.  1 1/2 cubits 2’7” or 78.75cm. 2 cubits 3’5 5/16” or 105cm.  3 cubits 5’2” or 157.5cm.  5 cubits 8’ 7 5/16” or 2.625m.  6 cubits 10’4” or 3.15m.  8 cubits 13’9 5/16” or 4.2m.  10 cubits 17’2 11/16” or 5.25m.  12 cubits 20’8” or 6.3m. 13 cubits 22’4 11/16” or 6.825m.  14 cubits 24’1 3/8” or 7.35m. 20 cubits 34’5 3/8” or 10.5m. 25 cubits 43’ 3/4” or 13.125m.  50 cubits 86’1 1/2” or 26.25m.  60 cubits 103’ 4 3/16” or 31.5m. 100 cubits 172’3” or 52.5m.


The Holy Place of the Temple

41 Then the man led me into the Holy Place. He measured the walls on either side of the room. Those side walls were 6 cubits* thick on each side. 2The door was 10 cubits* wide. The sides of the doorway were 5 cubits* on each side. The man measured that room. It was 40 cubits* long, and 20 cubits* wide.

The Most Holy Place in the Temple

3Then the man went into the last room. He measured the walls on either side of the doorway. Each side wall was 2 cubits* thick and 7 cubits* wide. The doorway was 6 cubits* wide. 4Then the man measured the length of the room. It was 20 cubits* long and 20 cubits* wide. The man said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.”

Other Rooms around the Temple

5Then the man measured the wall of the temple. It was 6 cubits* thick. There were side rooms all around the temple. They were 4 cubits* wide. 6The side rooms were on three different floors, one above the other. There were 30 rooms on each floor. The wall of the temple was built with ledges. The side rooms rested on these ledges but were not attached to the temple wall itself. 7Each floor of the side rooms around the temple was wider than the floor below. The {walls of} the rooms around the temple {became narrower} the higher they went so the rooms on the top floors were wider. A stairway went up from the lowest floor to the highest floor through the middle floor. 8I also saw that the temple had a raised base all the way around it. It was the foundation for the side rooms, and it was a full ruler* high. 9The outer wall of the side rooms was 5 cubits* thick. There was an open area between the side rooms of the temple 10and {the priests’} rooms. It was 20 cubits* wide and went all the way around the temple. 11The doors of the side rooms opened onto the raised base. There was one entrance on the north side and one entrance on the south side. The raised base was 5 cubits* wide all around. 12There was a building in this restricted area west of the temple. The building was 70 cubits* wide and 90 cubits* long. The wall of the building was 5 cubits* thick all around. 13Then the man measured the temple. The temple was 100 cubits* long. The restricted area, including the building and its walls, was also 100 cubits* long. 14The restricted area on the east side, in front of the temple, was 100 cubits* long. 15The man measured the length of the building in the restricted area at the rear of the temple. It was 100 cubits* from one wall to the other wall. The Most Holy Place, the Holy Place, and the Porch {that looked out onto the inner} courtyard 16had wood paneling on all the walls. All the windows and doors had wood trim around them. By the doorway, the Temple had wood paneling from the floor up to the windows, up to the part of the wall 17over the doorway. On all the walls in the inner room and the outer room of the temple were carvings 18of Cherub angels and palm trees. A palm tree was between Cherub angels. Every Cherub angel had two faces. 19One face was a man’s face looking toward the palm tree on one side. The other face was a lion’s face looking toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved all around on the temple. 20From the floor to the area above the door, Cherub angels and palm trees were carved on all walls of the Holy Place. 21The walls on either side of the Holy Place were square. In front of the Most Holy Place, there was something that looked like 22an altar* made from wood. It was 3 cubits* high and 2 cubits* long. Its corners, its base, and its sides were wood. The man said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.” 23Both the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place had a double door. 24Each of the doors was made from two smaller doors. Each door was really two swinging doors. 25Also Cherub angels and palm trees were carved on the doors of the Holy Place. They were like those carved on the walls. There was a wood roof over the front of the porch. 26There were windows with frames around them and palm trees on the walls on both sides of the porch, on the roof over the porch, and on the rooms around the temple.

full ruler That is, 6 cubits (10’4” or 3.15m). altar(s) A stone table or raised area used for offering sacrifices. Cubit Measurements: 2 cubits 3’5 5/16” or 105cm. 3 cubits 5’2” or 157.5cm. 4 cubits 6’10 5/8” or 2.1m. 5 cubits 8’ 7 5/16” or 2.625m. 6 cubits 10’ 4” or 3.15m. 7 cubits 12’ 11/16” or 3.675m. 10 cubits 17’2 11/16” or 5.25m. 20 cubits 34’5 3/8” or 10.5m. 40 cubits 68’10 3/4” or 21m. 50 cubits 86’1 1/2” or 26.25m. 70 cubits 120’6 7/8” or 36.75m. 90 cubits 155’ 1/4” or 47.25m. 100 cubits 172’3” or 52.5m.

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