Ezekiel 42 commentary

In this chapter are described the priests' chambers, their use, and the dimensions of the holy mount on which the temple stood. These chambers were many. Jesus said, In my Father's house are many mansions: in his house on earth there are many; multitudes, by faith, are lodging in his sanctuary, and yet there is room. These chambers, though private, were near the temple. Our religious services in our chambers, must prepare for public devotions, and further us in improving them, as our opportunities are.

CHAPTER 42

Eze 42:1-20. Chambers of the Priests: Measurements of the Temple.

2. Before the length of an hundred cubits--that is, before "the separate place," which was that length (Eze 41:13). He had before spoken of chambers for the officiating priests on the north and south gates of the inner court (Eze 40:44-46). He now returns to take a more exact view of them.

5. shorter--that is, the building became narrower as it rose in height. The chambers were many: so "in My Father's house are many mansions" (Joh 14:2); and besides these there was much "room" still left (compare Lu 14:22). The chambers, though private, were near the temple. Prayer in our chambers is to prepare us for public devotions, and to help us in improving them.

16. five hundred reeds--the Septuagint substitutes "cubits" for "reeds," to escape the immense compass assigned to the whole, namely, a square of five hundred rods or three thousand cubits (two feet each; Eze 40:5), in all a square of one and one-seventh miles, that is, more than all ancient Jerusalem; also, there is much space thus left unappropriated. Fairbairn rightly supports English Version, which agrees with the Hebrew. The vast extent is another feature marking the ideal character of the temple. It symbolizes the great enlargement of the kingdom of God, when Jehovah-Messiah shall reign at Jerusalem, and from thence to the ends of the earth (Is 2:2-4; Jr 3:17; Ro 11:12, 15).

20. wall ... separation between ... sanctuary and ... profane--No longer shall the wall of partition be to separate the Jew and the Gentile (Ep 2:14), but to separate the sacred from the profane. The lowness of it renders it unfit for the purpose of defense (the object of the wall, Re 21:12). But its square form (as in the city, Re 21:16) is the emblem of the kingdom that cannot be shaken (He 12:28), resting on prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone.

He brought me forth into the utter court - He brought him out from the temple into the court of the priests. This, in reference to the temple, was called the outer court; but the court of the people was beyond this.

A walk of ten cubits' breadth inward - This seems to have been a sort of parapet.

They shall lay their garments wherein they minister - The priests were not permitted to wear their roles in the outer court. These vestments were to be used only when they ministered; and when they had done, they were to deposit them in one of the chambers mentioned in the thirteenth verse.

He measured the east - north - south - west side - Each of which was five hundred reeds: and, as the building was square, the area must have been nearly thirteen thousand paces. No wonder this was called a city. See Eze 40:2.

It had a wall round about - to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place - The holy place was that which was consecrated to the Lord; into which no heathen, nor stranger, nor any in a state of impurity, might enter. The profane place was that in which men, women, Gentiles, pure or impure might be admitted. Josephus says War, lib. vi., c. 14, that in his time there was a wall built before the entrance three cubits high, on which there were posts fixed at certain distances, with inscriptions on them in Latin and Greek, containing the laws which enjoined purity on those that entered; and forbidding all strangers to enter, on pain of death. See Calmet.

The length - The temple of one hundred cubits long, and of fifty broad, was on the south prospect of these chambers.

Against gallery - That is, a gallery on the south part toward the inner court, and a gallery toward the pavement north - ward, and between the backs of these galleries were chambers.

A way - Before the galleries probably, was a ledge of one cubit broad, running the whole length from east to west, called here a way, though not designed for any to walk on it.

Shorter - At first view it should seem to refer to the length, but indeed it refers to the height of the chambers, of which the lowest chamber was highest, the second lower pitched than the first, yet of greater height than the uppermost between the floor and ceiling.

As the pillars - So thick and strong as those were.

The wall - A wall at a distance from them, perhaps some wall that might keep up a terrace - walk.

The way - The walk. Was like - Exactly uniform with the fabrick on the north - side. All their goings - Every window and door. Were - Framed in the same manner. In all things exactly alike.

Shall they lay - In some of these chambers the holy things that might be eat, were laid up as in a store - house; and those which were not for present use, were reserved, 'till they were to be used.

Which are - Which common people may meddle with.

Five hundred broad - Each reed was above three yards and an half, so that it was about eight miles round. Thus large were the suburbs of this mystical temple, signifying the great extent of the church in gospel times. It is in part fulfilled already, by the accession of the Gentiles to the church: and will be throughly accomplished, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved. A separation - To distinguish, and accordingly to exclude, or admit persons, for all might not go in.

1 'THen he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the North and he brought me into the chamber that was over-against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the North .

After a particular view of the Temple, and all its parts, with the inmost Court, and all in it, the Prophet is brought forth.

called so, in regard to that more inward, whence the Prophet now cometh; it is likely, if not certain, this was the Priests Court, which had two others more outward, but because the Prophet had been in one more inward, than that of the Priests, he giveth the name of outer to this Court.

Thro' the North Gate by which he descended into the Court, where the stair case was by which he went up into the chambers, built over the Pylasters, and Arches, so that underneath was a Cloyster, or Gallery.

Either the singular number for the plural, or chamber, for the row of chambers, or else, into one of the many, that were there.

Whether you take it for the Temple it self, or for that Building equal to the Temple, on the West part of the Temple, still this row of chambers faced the North part of it.

The South front of this Range of chambers lookt to the North front of the Temple, and its that side buildings, or to the North front of the separate place.

2 Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits.

The Temple of one hundred cubits long, and of fifty broad was on the South prospect of these chambers, or, possibly, this North door did give entrance into buildings, that were one hundred cubits long, and fifty cubits broad.

3 Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories .

The twenty cubits space of the Inner Court, or Court of the Temple faced the South front of this row of chambers their Southern lights look'd into this space, and to the North of the Temple.

Which was in the Priests Court, and on the North side of this building, into which pavement the North windows look'd.

That is a Gallery on the South part toward the Inner Court, and a Gallery toward the Pavement North-ward, and between the backs of these Galleries were chambers.

Either in height, or else in three ranks, as now placed, two Galleries on the sides, and a chamber in midst; or two rowes of chambers, and one long Gallery in the middle.

4 And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the North.

This row of chambers had on the South side, or inward a walk of Ten cubits broad, which lay between the wall, on which these chambers were built, and the twenty cubits space, possibly it might be some Cloister, running along the wall on the inside.

before the Galleries, probably, was a ledge of one cubit broad, running the whole length from East to West, called here a way, though not designed for any to walk on it, such ledges we see in many great Houses.

Every chamber door opened to the North, and so the Entrance into these chambers was thro' the Gallery, which look't to the Pavement of the outer Court.

5 Now the upper chambers were shorter : for the galleries were higher then these, then the lower, and then the middlemost of the building.

At first view it should seem to refer to the length but indeed it refers to the height of the chambers, of which the lowest chamber was highest pitcht, from the floor to the ceiling, the second lower pitcht then the first, yet of greater height, then the uppermost between the floor and ceiling.

Possibly, there might be over the uppermost chambers a flat roof on which as on a gallery, they might walk from one end to another, and therefore, that floor was much lower, then the middle or lowest according to rule of Architecture, which directs, that the upper rooms take not up so much in their height, as the lower, that the weight of the Timber be not too heavy for the walls.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] did eat of [illegible: 1 span]; [illegible: 1 word] and the [illegible: 1 span] of the [illegible: 1 word] the [illegible: 1 word].

6 For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitned more then the lowest and the middlemost from the ground.

Built high one over another.

So thick and strong, as those were, but of the slenderer and weaker make.

The highest room of the building

was laid at nearer distance, then the middlemost from the lowest, or then the roof of the lowest from the ground.

7 And the wall that was without over against the chambers , toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits.

Not of the chambers, but some wall at distance from them; perhaps some wall that might keep up a Terrass walk.

Therefore was Northward from the chambers.

The Court of the men, or of Israel, which is called utter with respect to this, wherein this building stood, as this was called utter, ver. 1. and 3. with respect to the Court, that was more inward.

Which evidently shews, that the wall of fifty cubits stood North from these chambers.

Answerable to the length of this building from East to West.

8 For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and lo , before the temple were an hundred cubits.

See ver. 1. let. b. and ver. 7. let. z.

Some say the Angel, conducting the Prophet from these North chambers to the South, hath occasion given him to take notice of, and to measure a second time this space before the Temple; but what if the Angel, and the Prophet were now on the roof of this fifty cubits building, as they seem to be verse 5. measuring it, and thence the Angel might point to the hundred cubit space before the Temple, and bid the Prophet to mind it? The former most received suits best with the 11th. and 12th. verses.

This Verse gives us a reason, why the wall over against the chambers was but fifty cubits, it might not be more or less, because 'twas to hold exact symmetry with these buildings, which it confronted, possibly this verse may give some light to the second verse latter part.

9 And from under these chambers was the entry on the east-side, as one goeth into them from the utter court.

I suppose this Verse describes the entrance into the South Chambers, that it was on the East point, and that whoso would go into them, must go up the stairs (which probably were winding staires) at the East end of these buildings, whose front was toward the South.

Marginal references: Or, from the place.; Or, he that brought me.; Or, as he came.

10 The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over against the separate place , and over against the building .

Galleries also with them of this South building now measured.

Or the breadth of that wall of the Court, which was Eastward, and as an enclosure of the building.

Which was West from this building, whose length lay North and South, and its breadth East and West, what this separate place may be, vid. ver. 1. let. e.

Vid. ver. 1. let. f.

11 And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they, and as broad as they: and all their goings out were both according to their fashions , and according to their doors .

The walk, as ver. 4.

Exactly uniform with the fabrick on the North-side.

Every window and door.

Framed in the same manner.

According to the number of the doors in the one, was the number of the other, all in all things exactly like.

12 And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door in the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one entreth into them.

This verse is a particular description of the door, and way, that, from the East end of this south building, did lead either under the buildings, or through some part of them toward the West point as before, such a way from the North buildings did lead to the South, no[illegible: 1 letter] do I think necessary to speak more of the words.

13 Then said he unto me, The north-chambers and the south-chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things , and the meat-offering , and the sin-offering , and the trespass-offering , for the place is holy.

The Measurer, Christ, Man in appearance at that time.

Vid. ver. 1. let. [illegible: 1 letter].

Set a part, consecrated to holy services and uses, as Vessels, Garments, and dayes may be holy.

And Levites too.

That were then in waiting, according to their courses for this approach is not only mentioned, as distinguisht from the distance the people were kept at, but as including the present actual approaches of the Priests, in their ministring before the Lord.

Together, as in a publick Refectory.

Things devoted to God, were these most holy, some parts whereof God gave to the Priests to live on.

In some of these chambers, the holy things that might be eat, were laid up as in a store house, and those, which were not for present use, were here to be reserved, till they were to be used; And whether 'twere more or less that was allowed to the Priests out of the Offerings, here it was to be kept, till used.

See what this was, Lev. 2. to ver. 12. and 6.14, 15, 16

See what this, Lev. 6.26, 29, 30.

See Lev. 7.2, 3. &c.

14 When the priests enter therein , then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court , but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy : and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.

At the time of their service.

And Levites also, who assisted.

Come into the Court of the Temple, or inmost Court in their Priestly Garments to offer Sacrifice, or to do any other part of their office.

When they have done their office.

In their Priestly garments.

The Court of the Priests, not of the Temple.

The Court of the people.

In some one of the chambers of South or North Buildings, which is a wardrobe for them.

Lay up, either for other Priests, whose course came next, or for themselves against the next return of their course.

Expresly directed by God, Exod. 28.40, 41, 42, 43.

Consecrated, Ceremonially and Relatively Holy, for they are not capable of inherent Holiness.

When they go out of this Court into the outer, or outmost, they must put on common garments.

And so they may, as they have occasion, and see good.

Which common people may meddle with, which the Priests may in their ordinary garments intermeddle with, and not be guilty, but may not touch, while in the garments of their ministration.

15 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house , he brought me forth toward the gate, whose prospect is toward the east , and measured it round about .

The Holy of Holies, the Temple, and all the buildings, that were in it, and its inner Courts.

Quite out to the outmost Court, and Wall of it, which compassed all the rest of the Courts.

To the East gate of the outside Wall, mention'd chap. 40. verse 5. which see at let. i. and k.

i. e. The four squares of the wall for this, as the other walls, was square, not round, and therefore this round about is to be understood of measuring all four equilateral sides or parallels.

16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed , five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.

The Angel, or Christ in the appearance of a man.

From the two opposite Angles of the inside North and South.

Which was of six cubits, and one hand, or three inches.

As verse 15. let. m. The four square was 500 reed, that is each wall was 125 reeds say some, yet this hath its difficulties, though I think it more likely then the conjecture of L. C. and for ought I see, the guess of Villa[illegible: 2 letters]. may be admitted, that the whole square was four times measured round about, from the East round, from the North round, &c. as this, the 17, 18, and 19 verses repeat it.

Marginal references: Heb. Wind.

19 He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.

Here is nothing new added, but what is in the 16th. verse. I observe that the 16 and 17 verses expresly mention the measuring round about, which why I should doubt was twice done▪ when 'tis related twice, as done from different points, I know not, and then it is easie, and likely enough, that the double relation of this measuring in the 18 and 19 verses, will be the relation of the same way of measuring from other points, which I suppose, is the ground of Villalpa[illegible: 3 letters]s opinion, and is far more agreeable to the Hebrew Text, and context, and account, and more agreeable to Divinity, then that of L. C.

20 He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long , and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

The whole wall.

Repeating the measure of the whole▪ according to the number of the sides.

The whole had such a wall, had each side been five hundred reeds, the Prophet must in propriety of speech have said, They, i. e. the sides, not it, i. e. the whole compass of the wall.

In such an equilateral square there is properly no length, for all sides are equal, but because in the Temple Structure there was length and breadth, therefore that latus, or side, which runs in strait line, parallel with the length of the Temple, is here taken for the length, the other, which was parallel to the breadth of the Temple, is the breadth of this Isopleuron, or equilateral square.

He speaks not here of the thickness, though sometime breadth and thickness are the same.

To distinguish, and accordingly to exclude, or admit persons, for all might not go in.

Not the Temple, this is not here meant, but we must remember here, that the Iewes accounted the whole Earth profane, i. e. common or unclean, compar'd with Canaan, and Canaan common, or less holy then Ierusalem, and every part nearer the Temple, the more Holy, and so here the outward Court was inclosed to distinguish it by its comparative Holiness, 'twas more holy then all without it.

Thus envelopt in clouds and darkness, thou hast good Reader, a conjecture at many things, which I need not blush to confess, are more above mine own comprehension, then above some others; The Mystical sense I refer to thy Thoughts.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]

Eze 42:1-14

The Cell-Building in the Outer Court for Holy Use

Eze 42:1. And he brought me out into the outer court by the way toward the north, and brought me to the cell-building, which was opposite to the separate place, and opposite to the building toward the north, Eze 42:2. Before the long side of a hundred cubits, with the door toward the north, and the breadth fifty cubits, Eze 42:3. Opposite to the twenty of the inner court and opposite to the stone pavement of the outer-court; gallery against gallery was in the third storey. Eze 42:4. And before the cells a walk, ten cubits broad; to the inner a way of a hundred cubits; and their doors went to the north. Eze 42:5. And the upper cells were shortened, because the galleries took away space from them, in comparison with the lower and the central ones in the building. Eze 42:6. For they were three-storied, and had no columns, like the columns of the courts; therefore a deduction was made from the lower and from the central ones from the ground. Eze 42:7. And a wall outside parallel with the cells ran toward the outer court in front of the cells; its length fifty cubits. Eze 42:8. For the length of the cells of the outer court was fifty cubits, and, behold, against the sanctuary it was a hundred cubits. Eze 42:9. And out from underneath it rose up these cells; the entrance was from the east, when one went to them from the outer court. Eze 42:10. In the breadth of the court wall toward the south, before the separate place and before the building, there were cells, Eze 42:11. With a way before them, like the cells, which stood toward the north, as according to their length so according to their breadth, and according to all their exits as according to all their arrangements. And as their doorways, Eze 42:12. So were also the doorways of the cells, which were toward the south, an entrance at the head of the way, of the way opposite to the corresponding wall, of the way from the east when one came to them. Eze 42:13. And he said to me, The cells in the north, the cells in the south, which stood in front of the separate place, are the holy cells where the priests, who draw near to Jehovah, shall eat the most holy thing; there they shall place the most holy thing, both the meat-offering and the sin-offering and the trespass-offering; for the place is holy. Eze 42:14. When they go in, the priests, they shall not go out of the holy place into the outer court; but there shall they place their clothes, in which they perform the service, for they are holy; they shall put on other clothes, and so draw near to what belongs to the people.

It is evident from Eze 42:13 and Eze 42:14, which furnish particulars concerning the cells already described, that the description itself refers to two cell-buildings only, one on the north side and the other on the south side of the separate place (see Plate I L). Of these the one situated on the north is described in a more circumstantial manner (Eze 42:1-9); that on the south, on the contrary, is merely stated in the briefest manner to have resembled the other in the main (Eze 42:10-12). That these two cell-buildings are not identical either with those mentioned in Eze 40:44. or with those of Eze 40:17, as Hävernick supposes, but are distinct from both, is so obvious that it is impossible to understand how they could ever have been identified. The difference in the description is sufficient to show that they are not the same as those in Eze 40:44. The cells mentioned in Eze 40:44 were set apart as dwelling-places for the priests during their administration of the service in the holy place and at the altar; whereas these serve as places for depositing the most holy sacrificial gifts and the official dresses of the priests. To this may be added the difference of situation, which distinguishes those mentioned here both from those of Eze 40:44., and also from those of Eze 40:17. Those in Eze 40:44 were in the inner court, ours in the outer. It is true that those mentioned in Eze 40:17 were also in the latter, but in entirely different situations, as the description of the position of those noticed in the chapter before us indisputably proves. Ezekiel is led out of the inner court into the outer, by the way in the direction toward the north, to הלּשׁכּה, the cell-building (that הלּשׁכּה is used here in a collective sense is evident from the plural לשׁכות in Eze 42:4, Eze 42:5). This stood opposite to the gizrah, i.e., the separate space behind the temple house (Eze 41:12.), and opposite to the בּנין, i.e., neither the outer court wall, which is designated as בּנין in Eze 40:5, but cannot be intended here, where there is no further definition, nor the temple house, as Kliefoth imagines, for this is invariably called הבּית. We have rather to understand by הבּנין the building upon the gizrah described in Eze 41:12., to which no valid objection can be offered on the ground of the repetition of the relative ואשׁר, as it is omitted in Eze 42:10, and in general simply serves to give greater prominence to the second definition in the sense of “and, indeed, opposite to the building (sc., of the separate place) toward the north.”

As אל־הצּפון belongs to אשׁר as a more precise definition of the direction indicated by נגד, the 'אל־פּני א which follows in Eze 42:2 depends upon ויביאני, and is co-ordinate with אל־הלּשׁכּה, defining the side of the cell-building to which Ezekiel was taken: “to the face of the length,” i.e., to the long side of the building, which extended to a hundred cubits. The article in המּאה requires that the words should be connected in this manner, as it could not be used if the words were intended to mean “on the surface of a length of a hundred cubits.” Since, then, the separate place was also a hundred cubits, that is to say, of the same length as the cell-building opposite to it, we might be disposed to assume that as the separate place reached to the outer court wall on the west, the cell-building also extended to the latter with its western narrow side. But this would be at variance with the fact that, according to Eze 46:19-20, the sacrificial kitchens for the priests stood at the western end of this portion of the court, and therefore behind the cell-building. The size of these kitchens is not given; but judging from the size of the sacrificial kitchens for the people (Eze 46:22), we must reserve a space of forty cubits in length; and consequently the cell-building, which was a hundred cubits long, if built close against the kitchens, would reach the line of the back wall of the temple house with its front (or eastern) narrow side, since, according to the calculation given in the comm. on Eze 41:1-11, this wall was forty cubits from the front of the separate place, so that there was no prominent building standing opposite to the true sanctuary on the northern or southern side, by which any portion of it could have been concealed. And not only is there no reason for leaving a vacant space between the sacrificial kitchens and the cell-buildings, but this is precluded by the fact that if the kitchens had been separated from the cell building by an intervening space, it would have been necessary to carry the holy sacrificial flesh from the kitchen to the cell in which it was eaten, after being cooked, across a portion of the outer court. It is not stated here how far this cell-building was from the northern boundary of the gizrah, and the open space (מנּח) surrounding the temple house; but this may be inferred from Eze 41:10, according to which the intervening space between the munnach and the cells was twenty cubits. For the cells mentioned there can only be those of our cell-building, as there were no other cells opposite to the northern and southern sides of the temple house. But if the distance of the southern longer side of the cell-building, so far as it stood opposite to the temple house, was only twenty cubits, the southern wall of the cell-building coincided with the boundary wall of the inner court, so that it could be regarded as a continuation of that wall. - The further definition פּתח , door to the north, is to be taken as subordinate to the preceding clause, in the sense of “with the door to the north,” because it would otherwise come in between the accounts of the length and breadth of the building, so as to disturb the connection. The breadth of the building corresponds to the breadth of the gate-buildings of the inner court.

The meaning of the third verse is a subject of dispute. “האשׂרים,” says Böttcher, “is difficult on account of the article as well as the number, inasmuch as, with the exception of the twenty cubits left open in the temple ground (Eze 41:10), there are no אשׂרים mentioned as belonging to the actual 'חצר הפן, and the numeral does not stand with sufficient appropriateness by the side of the following רצפה.” But there is not sufficient weight in the last objection to render the reference to the twenty cubits a doubtful one, since the “twenty cubits” is simply a contracted form of expression for “the space of twenty cubits,” and this space forms a fitting antithesis to the pavement (רצפה), i.e., the paved portion of the court. Moreover, it is most natural to supply the missing substantive to the “twenty” from the אמּות mentioned just before, - much more natural certainly than to supply לשׁכות, as there is no allusion either before or afterwards to any other cells than those whose situation is intended to be defined according to the twenty. We therefore agree with J. H. Michaelis, Rosenmüller, Hävernick, and Hitzig, that the only admissible course is to supply אמּות; for the description of the priests’ cells in Eze 40:44, to which Kliefoth imagines that האשׂרים refers, is far too distant for us to be able to take the word לשׁכות thence and supply it to העשׂרים. And again, the situation of these priests’ cells to the east of the cell-building referred to here does not harmonize with the נגד, as the second definition introduced by the correlative ונגד points to the stone pavement on the north. East and north do not form such a vis-à-vis as the double נגד requires. - Our view of the העשׂרים eht is also in harmony with the explanatory relative clause, “which were to the inner court,” i.e., belonged to it. For the open space of twenty cubits’ breadth, which ran by the long side of the temple house between the munnach belonging to the temple and the wall of the inner court, formed the continuation of the inner court which surrounded the temple house on the north, west, and south.The statement of Kliefoth, that “this space of twenty cubits in breadth did not belong to the inner court at all,” cannot be established from Eze 40:47, where the size of the inner court is given as a hundred cubits in length and the same in breadth. For this measurement simply refers to the space in front of the temple.

If, therefore, this first definition of the נגד refers to what was opposite to the cell-building on the south, the second נגד defines what stood opposite to it on the northern side. There the portion of the outer court which was paved with stones ran along the inner side of the surrounding wall. This serves to define as clearly as possible the position of the broad side of the cell-building. For Kliefoth and Hitzig are right in connecting these definitions with Eze 42:2, and taking the words from אתּיק onwards as introducing a fresh statement. Even the expression itself אל־פּני אתּיק does not properly harmonize with the combination of the two halves of the third verse as one sentence, as Böttcher proposes, thus: “against the twenty cubits of the inner court and against the pavement of the outer court there ran gallery in front of gallery threefold.” For if the galleries of the building were opposite to the pavement on the north, and to the space in front of the temple on the south of the building, they must of necessity have run along the northern and southern walls of the building in a parallel direction, and אל־פּני is not the correct expression for this. אל־פּני, to the front - that is to say, one gallery to the front of the other, or up to the other. This could only be the case if the galleries surrounded the building on all four sides, or at any rate on three; for with the latter arrangement, the gallery upon the eastern side would terminate against those on the southern and northern sides. Again, the rendering “threefold,” or into the threefold, cannot be defended either from the usage of the language or from the facts. The only other passage in which the plural שׁלשׁים occurs is Gen 6:16, where it signifies chambers, or rooms of the third storey, and the singular שׁלשׁי means the third. Consequently בּשׁלשׁים is “in the third row of chambers or rooms,” i.e., in the third storey. And so far as the fact is concerned, it does not follow from the allusion to upper, central, and lower cells (Eze 42:5 and Eze 42:6), that there were galleries round every one of the three storeys.

Eze 42:4. “Before the cells there was a walk of ten cubits’ breadth” (m). In what sense we are to understand לפני, “before,” whether running along the northern longer side of the building, or in front of the eastern wall, depends upon the explanation of the words which follow, and chiefly of the words דּרך אמּה אחת, by which alone the sense in which אל־הפּנימית is to be understood can also be determined. Hävernick and Kliefoth take דּרך אמּה אחת, “a way of one cubit,” in the sense of “the approaches (entrances into the rooms) were a cubit broad.” But the words cannot possibly have this meaning; not only because the collective use of דּרך after the preceding מהלך, which is not collective, and with the plural פּתחיהם following, is extremely improbable, if not impossible; but principally because דּרך, a way, is not synonymous with מבוא, an entrance, or פּתח, a doorway. Moreover, an entrance, if only a cubit in breadth, to a large building would be much too narrow, and bear no proportion whatever to the walk of ten cubits in breadth. It is impossible to get any suitable meaning from the words as they stand, “a way of one cubit;” and no other course remains than to alter אמה אחת into מאה אמּת, after the ἐπὶ πήχεις ἑκατόν of the Septuagint. There is no question that we have such a change of מאה into אמּה in Eze 42:16, where even the Rabbins acknowledge that it has occurred. And when once מאה had been turned into אמּה, this change would naturally be followed by the alteration of אמת into a numeral - that is to say, into אחת. The statement itself, “a way of a hundred cubits” (in length), might be taken as referring to the length of the walk in front of the cells, as the cell-building was a hundred cubits long. But אל־הפּנימית is hardly reconcilable with this. If, for example, we take these words in connection with the preceding clause, “a walk of ten cubits broad into the interior,” the statement, “a way of a hundred cubits,” does not square with this. For if the walk which ran in front of the cells was a hundred cubits long, it did not lead into the interior of the cell-building, but led past it to the outer western wall. We must therefore take  אל־הפּנימית in connection with what follows, so that it corresponds to לפני הלשׁכות: in front of the cells there was a walk of ten cubits in breadth, and to the inner there led a way of a hundred cubits in length. הפּנימית would then signify, not the interior of the cell-building, but the inner court (החצר הפּנימית, Eze 44:17; Eze 21:27, etc.). This explanation derives its principal support from the circumstance that, according to Eze 42:9 and Eze 42:11, a way ran from the east, i.e., from the steps of the inner court gates, on the northern and southern sides, to the cell-buildings on the north and south of the separate place, the length of which, from the steps of the gate-buildings already mentioned to the north-eastern and south-eastern corners of our cell-buildings, was exactly a hundred cubits, as we may see from the plan in Plate I. This way (l) was continued in the walk in front of the cells (m), and may safely be assumed to have been of the same breadth as the walk. - The last statement of the fourth verse is perfectly clear; the doorways to the cells were turned toward the north, so that one could go from the walk in front of the cells directly into the cells themselves.

In Eze 42:5 and Eze 42:6 there follow certain statements concerning the manner in which the cells were built. The building contained upper, lower, and middle cells; so that it was three-storied. This is expressed in the words כּי משׁלּשׁות , “for the cells were tripled;” three rows stood one above another. But they were not all built alike; the upper ones were shortened in comparison with the lower and the central ones, i.e., were shorter than these (מן before התּחתּנות and התּיכונות is comparative); “for galleries ate away part of them” - that is to say, took away a portion of them (יוכלוּ for יאכלוּ, in an architectural sense, to take away from). How far this took place is shown in the first two clauses of the sixth verse, the first of which explains the reference to upper, lower, and middle cells, while the second gives the reason for the shortening of the upper in comparison with the lower and the central cones. As the three rows of cells built one above another had no columns on which the galleries of the upper row could rest, it was necessary, in order to get a foundation for the gallery of the third storey, that the cells should be thrown back from the outer wall, or built as far inwards as the breadth of the gallery required. This is expressly stated in the last clause, 'על־כּן נאצל וגו. נאצל, with an indefinite subject: there was deducted from the lower and the middle cells from the ground, sc. which these rooms covered. מהארץ is added for the purpose of elucidation. From the allusion to the columns of the courts we may see that the courts had colonnades, like the courts in the Herodian temple, and probably also in that of Solomon, though their character is nowhere described, and no allusion is made to them in the description of the courts.

The further statements concerning this cell-building in Eze 42:7-9 are obscure. גּדר is a wall serving to enclose courtyards, vineyards, and the like. The predicate to וגּדר follows in אל־פּני הלשׁכות: a boundary wall ran along the front of the cells (אל־פּני stands for על־פּני rof sdn, as the corresponding על־פּני ההיכל in Eze 42:8 shows). The course of this wall (n) is more precisely defined by the relative clause, “which ran outwards parallel with the cells in the direction of the outer court,” i.e., toward the outer court. The length of this wall was fifty cubits. It is evident from this that the wall did not run along the north side of the building, - for in that case it must have been a hundred cubits in length, - but along the narrow side, the length of which was fifty cubits. Whether it was on the western or eastern side cannot be determined with certainty from Eze 42:7, although אל פּני favours the eastern, i.e., the front side, rather than the western side, or back. And what follows is decisive in favour of the eastern narrow side. In explanation of the reason why this wall was fifty cubits long, it is stated in Eze 42:8 that “the length of the cells, which were to the outer court, was fifty cubits; but, behold, toward the temple front a hundred cubits.” Consequently “the cells which the outer court had” can only be the cells whose windows were toward the outer court - that is to say, those on the eastern narrow side of the building; for the sacrificial kitchens were on the western narrow side (Eze 46:19-20). The second statement in Eze 42:8, which is introduced by הנּה is an indication of something important, is intended to preclude any misinterpretation of ארך הלשׁ' fo noitat, as though by length we must necessarily understand the extension of the building from east to west, as in Eze 42:2 and most of the other measurements. The use of ארך for the extension of the narrow side of the building is also suggested by the ארכוּ, “length of the wall,” in Eze 42:7, where רחב would have been inadmissible, because רחב, the breadth of a wall, would have been taken to mean its thickness. פּני ההיכל is the outer side of the temple house which faced the north.

A further confirmation of the fact that the boundary wall was situated on the eastern narrow side of the building is given in the first clause of the ninth verse, in which, however, the reading fluctuates. The Chetib gives מתּחתּהּ לשׁכות, the Keri מתּחת הלשׁכות. But as we generally find, the Keri is an alteration for the worse, occasioned by the objection felt by the Masoretes, partly to the unusual circumstance that the singular form of the suffix is attached to תּחת, whereas it usually takes the suffixes in the plural form, and partly to the omission of the article from לשׁכות by the side of the demonstrative האלּה, which is defined by the article. But these two deviations from the ordinary rule do not warrant any alterations, as there are analogies in favour of both. תּחת has a singular suffix not only in תּחתּנּה (Gen 2:21) and תּחתּני (2Sa 22:37, 2Sa 22:40, and 2Sa 22:48), instead of תּחתּי (Psa 18:37, Psa 18:40,Psa 18:48), which may undoubtedly be explained on the ground that the direction whither is thought of (Ges. §103. 1, Anm. 3), but also in תּחתּם, which occurs more frequently than תּחתּיהם, and that without any difference in the meaning (compare, for example, Deu 2:12, Deu 2:21-23; Jos 5:7; Job 34:24, and Job 40:12, with 1Ki 20:24; 1Ch 5:22; 2Ch 12:10). And לשׁכות האלּה is analogous to הר  in Zec 4:7, and many other combinations, in which the force of the definition (by means of the article) is only placed in the middle for the sake of convenience (vid., Ewald, §293 a). If, therefore, the Chetib is to be taken without reserve as the original reading, the suffix in תּחתּהּ can only refer to גּדר, which is of common gender: from underneath the wall were these cells, i.e., the cells turned toward the outer court; and the meaning is the following: toward the bottom these cells were covered by the wall, which ran in front of them, so that, when a person coming toward them from the east fixed his eyes upon these cells, they appeared to rise out of the wall. Kliefoth, therefore, who was the first to perceive the true meaning of this clause, has given expression to the conjecture that the design of the wall was to hide the windows of the lower row of cells which looked toward the east, so that, when the priests were putting on their official clothes, they might not be seen from the outside. - המבוא commences a fresh statement. To connect these words with the preceding clause (“underneath these cells was the entrance from the east”), as Böttcher has done, yields no meaning with which a rational idea can possibly be associated, unless the מן in מתּחתּהּ be altogether ignored. The lxx have therefore changed וּמתּחתּהּ, which was unintelligible to them, into καὶ αἱ θύραι (ופתחי), and Hitzig has followed them in doing so. No such conjecture is necessary if וּמתּחתּהּ be rightly interpreted, for in that case המבוא must be the commencement of a new sentence. המבוא (by the side of which the senseless reading of the Keri המּביא cannot be taken into consideration for a moment) is the approach, or the way which led to the cells. This was from the east, from the outer court, not from the inner court, against the northern boundary of which the building stood. מהחצר החצנה is not to be taken in connection with בּבאו להנּה, but is co-ordinate with מהקּדים, of which it is an explanatory apposition.

In Eze 42:10-12 the cell-building on the south of the separate place is described, though very briefly; all that is said in addition to the notice of its situation being, that it resembled the northern one in its entire construction. But there are several difficulties connected with the explanation of these verses, which are occasioned, partly by an error in the text, partly by the unmeaning way in which the Masoretes have divided the text, and finally, in part by the brevity of the mode of expression. In the first clause of Eze 42:10, הקּדים is a copyist’s error for הדּרום, which has arisen from the fact that it is preceded by מהקּדים (Eze 42:9). For there is an irreconcilable discrepancy between דּרך הקּדים and אל־פּני הגּזרה, which follows. The building stood against, or upon, the broad side (רחב) of the wall of the court, i.e., the wall which separated the inner court from the outer, opposite to the separate place and the building upon it (אל פּני, from the outer side hither, is practically equivalent to נגד in Eze 42:1; and הבּנין is to be taken in the same sense here and there). The relation in which this cell-building stands to the separate place tallies exactly with the description given of the former one in Eze 42:2. If, then, according to Eze 42:2, the other stood to the north of the separate place, this must necessarily have stood to the south of it, - that is to say, upon the broad side of the wall of the court, not in the direction toward the east (דּרך הקּדים), but in that toward the south (דּרך הדּרום), as is expressly stated in Eze 42:12 and Eze 42:13 also. Kliefoth has affirmed, it is true, in opposition to this, that “the breadth of the wall enclosing the inner court must, as a matter of course, have been the eastern side of the inner court;” but on the eastern side of the wall of the inner court there was not room for a cell-building of a hundred cubits in length, as the wall was only thirty-seven cubits and a half long (broad) on each side of the gate-building. If, however, one were disposed so to dilute the meaning of 'בּרחב גּדר הח as to make it affirm nothing more than that the building stood upon, or against, the breadth of the wall of the court to the extent of ten or twenty cubits, and with the other eighty or ninety cubits stood out into the outer court, as Kliefoth has drawn it upon his “ground plan;” it could not possibly be described as standing אל־פּני הגּזרה, because it was not opposite to (in face of) the gizrah, but was so far removed from it, that only the north-west corner would be slightly visible from the south-east corner of the gizrah. And if we consider, in addition to this, that in Eze 42:13 and Eze 42:14, where the intention of the cell-buildings described in Eze 42:1-12 is given, only cells on the north and on the south are mentioned as standing אל־פּני הגּזרה, there can be no doubt that by רחב we are to understand the broad side of the wall which bounded the inner court on the south side from east to west, and that דּרך הקּדים should be altered into דּרך הדּרום.

In Eze 42:11 the true meaning has been obscured by the fact that the Masoretic verses are so divided as to destroy the sense. The words ודּרך לפּניהם belong to לשׁכות in Eze 42:10 : “cells and a way before them,” i.e., cells with a way in front. דּרך corresponds to the מהלך in Eze 42:4. - כּמראה, like the appearance = appearing, or constructed like, does not belong to דּרך in the sense of made to conform to the way in front of the cells, but to לשׁכות, cells with a way in front, conforming to the cells toward the north. The further clauses from כּארכּן to וּכמשׁפּטיהן are connected together, and contain two statements, loosely subordinated to the preceding notices, concerning the points in which the cells upon the southern side were made to conform to those upon the northern; so that they really depend upon כּמראה, and to render them intelligible in German (English tr.) must be attached by means of a preposition: “with regard to,” or “according to” (secundum). Moreover, the four words contain two co-ordinated comparisons; the first expressed by keen כּן...כּ, the second simply indicated by the particle כּ before משׁפּטיהן (cf. Ewald, §360 a). The suffixes of all four words refer to the cells in the north, which those in the south were seen to resemble in the points referred to. The meaning is this: the cells in the south were like the cells in the north to look at, as according to their length so according to their breadth, and according to all their exits as according to their arrangements (משׁפּטים, lit., the design answering to their purpose, i.e., the manner of their arrangement and their general character: for this meaning, compare Exo 26:30; 2Ki 1:7). The last word of the verse, וּכפתחיהן, belongs to Eze 42:12, viz., to וּכפתחי הלשׁ', the comparison being expressed by כ-וּך, as in Jos 14:11; Dan 11:29; 1Sa 30:24 (cf. Ewald, l.c.). Another construction also commences with כפתחיהן. וּכפתחיהן is a nominative: and like their doors (those of the northern cells), so also were the doors of the cells situated toward the south. Consequently there is no necessity either to expunge וּכפתחי arbitrarily as a gloss, for which procedure even the lxx could not be appealed to, or to assent to the far-fetched explanation by which Kliefoth imagines that he has discovered an allusion to a third cell-building in these words. - Light is thrown upon the further statements in Eze 42:12 by the description of the northern cells. “A door was at the head,” i.e., at the beginning of the way. דּרך corresponds to the way of a hundred cubits in Eze 42:4, and ראשׁ דּרך is the point where this way, which ran to the southern gate-building of the inner court, commenced - that is to say, where it met the walk in front of the cells (Eze 42:4). The further statement concerning this way is not quite clear to us, because the meaning of the ἁπ. λεγ. חגינה is uncertain. In the Chaldee and Rabbinical writings the word signifies decens, conveniens. If we take it in this sense, הגּדרת חגינה is the wall corresponding (to these cells), i.e., the wall which ran in front of the eastern narrow side of the building parallel to the cells, the wall of fifty cubits in length described in Eze 42:7 in connection with the northern building (for the omission of the article before חגינה after the substantive which it defines, compare Eze 39:27; Jer 2:21, etc.). בּפּני, in conspectu, which is not perfectly synonymous with לפני, also harmonizes with this. For the way referred to was exactly opposite to this wall at its upper end, inasmuch as the wall joined the way at right angles. The last words of Eze 42:12 are an abbreviated repetition of Eze 42:9; דּרך הקּדים is equivalent to המבוא מהקּדים, the way from the east on coming to them, i.e., as one went to these cells.

According to Eze 42:13 and Eze 42:14, these twoFor no further proof is needed after what has been observed above, that the relative clause, “which were in front of the separate place,” belongs to the two subjects: cells of the north and cells of the south, and does not refer to a third cell-building against the eastern wall, as Kliefoth supposes. cell-buildings were set apart as holy cells, in which the officiating priests were to deposit the most holy sacrifices, and to eat them, and to put on and off the sacred official clothes in which they drew near to the Lord. קדשׁי  were that portion of the meat-offering which was not burned upon the altar (Lev 2:3, Lev 2:10; Lev 6:9-11; Lev 10:12; see my Bibl. Archäologie, I §52), and the flesh of all the sin- and trespass-offerings, with the exception of the sin-offerings offered for the high priest and all the congregation, the flesh of which was to be burned outside the camp (cf. Lev 6:19-23; Lev 7:6). All these portions of the sacrifices were called most holy, because the priests were to eat them as the representatives of Jehovah, to the exclusion not only of all the laity, but also of their own families (women and children; see my Archäol. I §§45 and 47). The depositing (ינּיחוּ) is distinguished from the eating (יאכלוּ) of the most holy portions of the sacrifices; because neither the meal of the meat-offering, which was mixed with oil, nor the flesh of the sin- and trespass-offerings, could be eaten by the priests immediately after the offering of the sacrifice; but the former had first of all to be baked, and the latter to be boiled, and it was not allowable to deposit them wherever they liked previous to their being so prepared. The putting on and off, and also the custody of the sacred official clothes, were to be restricted to a sacred place. בּבאם, on their coming, sc. to the altar, or into the holy place, for the performance of service. There not going out of the holy place into the outer court applies to their going into the court among the people assembled there; for in order to pass from the altar to the sacred cells, they were obliged to pass through the inner gate and go thither by the way which led to these cells (Plate I l).

Eze 42:15-20

Extent of the Holy Domain around the Temple

Eze 42:15. And when he had finished the measurements of the inner house, he brought me out by the way of the gate, which is directed toward the east, and measured there round about. Eze 42:16. He measured the eastern side with the measuring rod five hundred rods by the measuring rod round about; Eze 42:17. He measured the northern side five hundred rods by the measuring rod round about; Eze 42:18. The southern side he measured five hundred rods by the measuring rod; Eze 42:19. He turned round to the western side, measured five hundred rods by the measuring rod. Eze 42:20. To the four winds he measured it. It had a wall round about; the length was five hundred and the breadth five hundred, to divide between the holy and the common. - There has been a division of opinion from time immemorial concerning the area, the measuring of which is related in these verses, and the length and breadth of which are stated in Eze 42:20 to have been five hundred; as the Seventy, and after them J. D. Michaelis, Böttcher, Maurer, Ewald, and Hitzig, understand by this the space occupied by the temple with its two courts. But as that space was five hundred cubits long and five hundred broad, according to the sum of the measurements given in Ezekiel 40-42:15, the lxx have omitted the word קנים in Eze 42:16, Eze 42:18, and Eze 42:19, whilst they have changed it into πήχεις in Eze 42:17, and have also attached this word to the numbers in Eze 42:20. According to this, only the outer circumference of the temple area would be measured in our verses, and the wall which was five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits broad (Eze 42:20) would be the surrounding wall of the outer court mentioned in Eze 40:5. Eze 42:15 could certainly be made to harmonize with this view. For even if we understood by the “inner house” not merely the temple house, which the expression primarily indicates, but the whole of the inner building, i.e., all the buildings found in the inner and outer court, and by the east gate the eastern gate of the outer court; the expression 'מדדו סביב , “he measured it round about,” merely affirms that he measured something round about outside this gate. The suffix in מדדו is indefinite, and cannot be taken as referring to any of the objects mentioned before, either to השּׁער or to הבּית הפּנימי. The inner house he had already measured; and the measurements which follow are not applicable to the gate. Nor can the suffix be taken as referring to הבּית, illam sc.aedem (Ros.); or at any rate, there is nothing in Eze 42:20 to sustain such a reference. Nevertheless, we might think of a measuring of the outer sides of the whole building comprehended under the idea of the inner house, and regard the wall mentioned in Eze 42:20 as that which had been measured round about on the outer side both in length and breadth. But it is difficult to reconcile this view even with Eze 42:20; and with the measurements given in Eze 42:16-19 it is perfectly irreconcilable. Even if we were disposed to expunge קנים as a gloss in Eze 42:16, Eze 42:17, Eze 42:18, and Eze 42:19, the words, “he measured the east side with the measuring rod, five hundred by the measuring rod,” are equivalent to five hundred rods, according to the well-known Hebrew usage; just as indisputably as מאה, a hundred by the cubit, is equivalent to a hundred cubits (see the comm. on Eze 40:21 at the close). The rejection of קנים as an imaginary gloss is therefore not only arbitrary, but also useless; as the appended words בּקנה המּדּה, even without קנים, affirm that the five hundred were not cubits, but rods.The חמשׁ אמות for חמשׁ מאות in Eze 42:16 is utterly useless as a proof that cubits and not rods are intended; as it is obviously a copyist’s error, a fact which even the Masoretes admit. Rabbi ben-Asher’s view of this writing is an interesting one. Prof. Dr. Delitzsch has sent me the following, taken from a fragment in his possession copied from a codex of the Royal Library at Copenhagen. R. ben-Asher reckons אמות among the מוקדם ומאוחר, i.e., words written ὑστερον προτερον, of which there are forty-seven in the whole of the Old Testament, the following being quoted by ben-Asher (l.c.) by way of example: גּלון, Jos 20:8; Jos 21:27; ויּקּלהוּ, 2Sa 20:14; בּעברות, 2Sa 15:28; והימשׁני, Jdg 16:26; ותּראנה, 1Sa 14:27.

The סביב in Eze 42:16 and Eze 42:17 is not to be understood as signifying that on the east and north sides he measured a square on each side of five hundred rods in length and breadth, but simply indicates that he measured on all sides, as is obvious from Eze 42:20. For according to this, the space which was measured toward every quarter at five hundred rods had a boundary wall, which was five hundred rods long on every side. This gives an area of 250,000 square rods; whereas the temple,with the inner and outer courts, covered only a square of five hundred cubits in length and breadth, or 250,000 square cubits. It is evident from this that the measuring related in Eze 42:15-20 does not refer to the space occupied by the temple and its courts, and therefore that the wall which the measured space had around it (Eze 42:20) cannot be the wall of the outer court mentioned in Eze 40:5, the sides of which were not more than five hundred cubits long. The meaning is rather, that around this wall, which enclosed the temple and its courts, a further space of five hundred rods in length and breadth was measured off “to separate between the holy and profane,” i.e., a space which was intended to form a separating domain between the sanctuary and the common land. The purpose thus assigned for the space, which was measured off on all four sides of the “inner house,” leaves no doubt remaining that it was not the length of the surrounding wall of the outer court that was measured, but a space outside this wall. The following clause חומה , “a wall was round about it,” is irreconcilable with the idea that the suffix in מדדו (Eze 40:20 and Eze 40:15) refers to this wall, inasmuch as the לו can only refer to the object indicated by the suffix attached to מדדו. This object, i.e., the space which was five hundred rods long and the same broad round about, i.e., on every one of the four sides, had a wall enclosing it on the outside, and forming the partition between the holy and the common. הקּדשׁ is therefore הבּית הפּנימי, “the inner house;” but this is not the temple house with its side-building, but the sanctuary of the temple with its two courts and their buildings, which was measured in Ezekiel 40:5-42:12.

The arguments which have been adduced in opposition to this explanation of our verses, - the only one in harmony with the words of the text, - and in vindication of the alterations made in the text by the lxx, are without any force. According to Böttcher (p. 355), Hitzig, and others, קנים is likely to be a false gloss, (1) “because בּקנה המּדּה stands close to it; and while this is quite needless after קנים, it may also have occasioned the gloss.” But this tells rather against the suspicion that קנים is a gloss, since, as we have already observed, according to the Hebrew mode of expression, the “five hundred” would be defined as rods by בּקנה המּדּה, even without קנים. Ezekiel, however, had added בּקנה המּדּה for the purpose of expressing in the clearest manner the fact that the reference here is not to cubits, but to a new measurement of an extraordinary kind, to which nothing corresponding could be shown in the earlier temple. And the Seventy, by retaining this clause, ἐν καλάμῳ τοῦ μέτρου, have pronounced sentence upon their own change of the rods into cubits; and it is no answer to this that the Talmud (Midd. c. ii. note 5) also gives only five hundred cubits to the הר הבּ, since this Talmudic description is treating of the historical temple and not of Ezekiel’s prophetic picture of a temple, although the Rabbins have transferred various statements from the latter to the former. The second and third reasons are weaker still - viz. “because there is no other instance in which the measurement is expressed by rods in the plural; and, on the other hand, אמּה is frequently omitted as being the ordinary measurement, and therefore taken for granted.” For the first assertion is proved to be erroneous, not only by our verses, but also by Eze 45:1. and Eze 48:16., whilst there is no force whatever in the second. The last argument employed is a more plausible one - namely, that “the five hundred rods are not in keeping with the sanctuary, because the edifice with the courts and gates would look but a little pile according to the previous measurements in the wide expanse of 20,000 (?) rods.” But although the space measured off around the temple-building for the separation between the holy and the profane was five times as long and five times as broad, according to the Hebrew text, or twenty-five times as large as the whole extent of the temple and its courts, (a) Area of the temple with the two courts, 500 cubits square. (b) Surrounding space, five hundred rods = 3000 cubits square. (c) Circuit of fifty cubits in breadth around the surrounding space. - Eze 45:2 the appearance of the temple with its courts is not diminished in consequence, because the surrounding space was not covered with buildings; on the contrary, the fact that it was separated from the common by so large a surrounding space, would rather add to the importance of the temple with its courts. This broad separation is peculiar to Ezekiel’s temple, and serves, like many other arrangements in the new sanctuary and worship, to symbolize the inviolable holiness of that sanctuary. The earlier sanctuary had nothing answering to this; and Kliefoth is wrong in supposing that the outer court served the same purpose in the tabernacle and Solomon’s temple, whereas in the temple of Ezekiel this had also become part of the sanctuary, and was itself holy. The tabernacle had no outer court at all, and in Solomon’s temple the outer court did form a component part of the sanctuary. The people might enter it, no doubt, when they desired to draw near to the Lord with sacrifices and gifts; but this continued to be the case in Ezekiel’s temple, though with certain restrictions (cf. Eze 46:9 and Eze 46:10). Only, in the case of Solomon’s temple, the outer court bordered directly upon the common soil of the city and the land, so that the defilement of the land produced by the sin of the people could penetrate directly even into the holy space of the courts. In the sanctuary of the future, a safeguard was to be placed against this by the surrounding space which separated the holy from the common. It is true that the surface of Moriah supplied no room for this space of five hundred rods square; but the new temple was not to be built upon the real Moriah, but upon a very high mountain, which the Lord would exalt and make ready for the purpose when the temple was erected. Moreover, the circumstance that Moriah was much too small for the extent of the new temple and its surroundings, cannot furnish any argument against the correctness of our view of the verses in question, for the simple reason that in Ezekiel 45 and 48 there follow still further statements concerning the separation of the sanctuary from the rest of the land, which are in perfect harmony with this, and show most indisputably that the temple seen by Ezekiel was not to have its seat in the ancient Jerusalem.

The Vision of the Temple. (b. c. 574.)

1 Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the north. 2 Before the length of a hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits. 3 Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories. 4 And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north. 5 Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building. 6 For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground. 7 And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits. 8 For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were a hundred cubits. 9 And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the utter court. 10 The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over against the separate place, and over against the building. 11 And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they, and as broad as they: and all their goings out were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors. 12 And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door in the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one entereth into them. 13 Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the Lord shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.

The prophet has taken a very exact view of the temple and the buildings belonging to it, and is now brought again into the outer court, to observe the chambers that were in that square.

I. Here is a description of these chambers, which (as that which went before) seems to us very perplexed and intricate, through our unacquaintedness with the Hebrew language and the rules of architecture at that time. We shall only observe, in general, 1. That about the temple, which was the place of public worship, there were private chambers, to teach us that our attendance upon God in solemn ordinances will not excuse us from the duties of the closet. We must not only worship in the courts of God's house, but must, both before and after our attendance there, enter into our chambers, enter into our closets, and read and meditate, and pray to our Father in secret; and a great deal of comfort the people of God have found in their communion with God in solitude. 2. That these chambers were many; there were three stories of them, and, though the higher stories were not so large as the lower, yet they served as well for retirement, v. 5, 6. There were many, that there might be conveniences for all such devout people as Anna the prophetess, who departed not from the temple night or day, Luke ii. 37. In my Father's house are many mansions. In his house on earth there are so; multitudes by faith have taken lodgings in his sanctuary, and yet there is room. 3. That these chambers, though they were private, yet were near the temple, within view of it, within reach of it, to teach us to prefer public worship before private (the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, and so must we), and to refer our private worship to the public. Our religious performances in our chambers must be to prepare us for the exercises of devotion in public, and to further us in our improvement of them, as our opportunities are. 4. That before these chambers there were walks of five yards broad (v. 4), in which those that had lodgings in these chambers might meet for conversation, might walk and talk together for their mutual edification, might communicate their knowledge and experiences. For we are not to spend all our time between the church and the chamber, though a great deal of time may be spent to very good purpose in both. But man is made for society, and Christians for the communion of saints; and the duties of that communion we must make conscience of, and the privileges and pleasures of that communion we must take the comfort of. It is promised to Joshua, who was high priest in the second temple, that God will give him places to walk in among those that stand by, Zech. iii. 7.

II. Here is the use of these chambers appointed, v. 13, 14. 1. They were for the priests that approach unto the Lord, that they may be always near their business and may not be non-residents. Therefore they are called holy chambers, because they were for use of those that ministered in holy things during their ministration. Those that have public work to do for God and the souls of men have need to be much in private, to fit themselves for it. Ministers should spend much time in their chambers, in reading, meditation, and prayer, that their profiting may appear; and they ought to be provided with conveniences for this purpose. 2. There the priests were to deposit the most holy things, those parts of the offerings which fell to their share; and there they were to eat them, they and their families, in a religious manner, for the place is holy; and thus they must make a difference between those feasts upon the sacrifice and other meals. 3. There (among other uses) they were to lay their vestments, which God had appointed them to wear when they ministered at the altar, their linen ephods, coats, girdles, and bonnets. We read of the providing of priests garments after their return out of captivity, Neh. vii. 70, 72. When they had ended their service at the altar they must lay by those garments, to signify that the use of them should continue only during that dispensation; but they must put on other garments, such as other people wear, when they approached to those things which were for the people, that is, to do that part of their service which related to the people, to teach them the law and to answer their enquiries. Their holy garments must be laid up, that they may be kept clean and decent for the credit of their service.

The Vision of the Temple. (b. c. 574.)

15 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about. 16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. 17 He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. 18 He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed. 19 He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. 20 He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

We have attended the measuring of this mystical temple and are now to see how far the holy ground on which we tread extends; and that also is here measured, and found to take in a great compass. Observe, 1. What the dimensions of it were. It extended each way 500 reeds (v. 16-19), each reed above three yards and a half, so that it reached every way about an English measured mile, which, the ground lying square, was above four miles round. Thus large were the suburbs (as I may call them) of this mystical temple, signifying the great extent of the church in gospel-times, when all nations should be discipled and the kingdoms of the world made Christ's kingdoms. Room should be made in God's courts for the numerous forces of the Gentiles that shall flow into them, as was foretold, Isa. xlix. 18; lx. 4. It is in part fulfilled already in the accession of the Gentiles to the church; and we trust it shall have a more full accomplishment when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in and all Israel shall be saved. 2. Why the dimensions of it were made thus large. It was to make a separation, by putting a very large distance between the sanctuary and the profane place; and therefore there was a wall surrounding it, to keep off those that were unclean and to separate between the precious and the vile. Note, A difference is to be put between common and sacred things, between God's name and other names, between his day and other days, his book and other books, his institutions and other observances; and a distance is to be put between our worldly and religious actions, so as still to go about the worship of God with a solemn pause.

CHAP. XLII.

Ver. 1. THen he brought me forth into the utter Court] ſc. Of the Temple, at both ends and on either ſide whereof there were ſpacious places, in manner of our Church-yards, ſaith One. Sequitur locus valdè confuſus & muliò impeditiſſimus, ſaith Caſtalio: this is a very dark and difficult Chapter, the ſenſe whereof I would fain learn of ſome other: for I know not what to make of it: Thus He. Oecolampadius alſo to like purpoſe, (after R. Solomon) and thus prayeth, Suggerat Dominus conanti quae ad gloriam illius, certè quae non officiant, precor, &c. i. e. The Lord help our honeſt endeavours, that we may do what may be for his glory, and not for the hurt of any Reader. That was an holy prayer of his Colleague Zuinglius in like caſe; and may it be ours alſo, Deum Opt. Max. precor ut vias noſtras dirigat, &c. I beſeech Almighty God to direct our wayes: and if at any time,Zuing. Epiſt. l. 3. (Balaam-like) we ſhall obſtinately reſiſt the truth, let him ſet his Angel againſt us, who with the terrour of his ſword may ſo daſh this aſſe (our ignorance I mean, and preſumptuous boldneſſe) againſt the wall, that we may feel our feet (that is, our carnal ſenſe and reaſon) cruſht and broken; that we no longer diſhonour the name of our Lord God.

Ver. 2. Before the length of an hundred cubits] The meaſure mentioned in this Chapter,The calling of the Jew. by Finch. and whatſoever followeth touching the diviſion of the land, the ſeats of the Tribes, the portions allotted to the Prince, Prieſts and Levites, the manner of their ſacrifices and oblations, are all new; varying from that which is in Moſes (though for their weakneſſe by thoſe outward things he ſhadoweth heavenly) to ſhew both the abrogating of the legal ceremonies, and the eſtabliſhing of a ſpiritual Chriſtian Church: the magnificence whereof is here ſet forth to the Prophet by the Lord Chriſt, qui Myſtagogus noſter eſt, who is our God, and will be our Guide even unto death.

Ver. 3. Which were for the inner Court] Viz. Of the Temple, this was a figure of the Church inviſible; as the outward Court, deſcribed in this Chapter, was of the viſible and external.

The pavement which was for the utter Court] Which might ſignify that thoſe who would enter into heaven, muſt keep themſelves unſpotted of the world, undefiled in the way, Pſal. 15. & 24.

Ver. 4. A way of one cubit] A narrow way, but ſuch as led them into ſpacious walkes of ten cubits bredth inward. Strait is the gate and narrow the way that leadeth unto life eternal, Mat. 7.14. but they that hit it, hold it, ſhall once walk arm in arm with Angels, Zach. 3.7. See the Note there. Through many tribulations we muſt enter into Gods Kingdom, Acts 14.22. but there, God ſhall ſet our feet in a large room, as Pſal. 31.8. we ſhall walk at liberty on the everlaſting mountains. Let it be remembred, that this narrow way is but ſhort: it is but of one cubit, &c.

Ver. 5. Now the upper chambers were ſhorter] As being a kind of cock-lofts, and not ſo fit for habitation.

Ver. 6. Therefore the building was ſtraitned] As the rules of Architecture direct, and as right reaſon required,Ne ſtructura pondere diſſiliret. left the building ſhould ſhrink under its own burden.

Ver. 7, 8, 9, &c.] Here the Rabbines call again for the help of their Elias: See on chap. 40.6.

Ver. 13. They be holy chambers] Or, cells of the Sanctuary, belonging to thoſe that ſerve in the Sanctuary. God appointeth his Miniſters their ſeveral ſtations; together with the bounds of their habitations.

Shall eat the moſt holy things] Miniſters muſt eat as well as others (they are not of the Camelion-kind, cannot live upon air:) and the Lord Chriſt hath ordained that as they which waited at the Altar were partakers of the Altar, ſo alſo ſhould they that preach the Goſpel, live of the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 9.13, 14.

And the meat-offering, and the ſin-offering] i. e. The Prieſts ſhare out of them: For (beſides their tithes, and gl[illegible: 1 letter]be or ſubburbs) the Prieſts had many rich revenues, and were far better provided for then now-adays Goſpel-miniſters are, however begrudged that little that is allowed them.

Ver. 14. Then ſhall they not go out of the holy place] Miniſters may not leave their ſtation, lay aſide their holy calling, entangle themſelves with worldly cares and buſineſſes, but Hoc agere, make their Miniſtry their buſineſſe; giving themſelves wholly to it. Verbi Miniſter es, hoc age: this was Mr. Perkins his Motto. And, ſay to Archippus, Take heed to the Miniſtry which thou haſt received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it, Coloſſ. 4.17.

But there they ſhall lay their garments] And not go amongſt the people in them, leſt they make themſelves over-cheap, or the people ſuperſtitious, by placing holineſſe in their ſeeing or touching thoſe holy veſtments.

And ſhall put on other garments] Miniſters,Oecol. as in doing their office they muſt uſe all becomming gravity and authority, as the Embaſſadours of Chriſt: ſo, at other times, they muſt familiarize themſelves with their people, becoming all things to all men, in Paul's ſenſe, that they may win ſome.

Ver. 15. Now when he had made an end of meaſuring the inner houſe] The inner part of the Church, the Church inviſible is firſt and chiefly to be looked into, rather then the external adjuncts, as multitude, proſperity, clarity, antiquity, &c. the Subſtantials rather then the Accidentals. The Church of Rome borrows her mark from the market, Plenty or cheapneſſe, &c. Viliſſimus pagus, ſaith Luther, the meane ſtvilage ſeems to me to be an ivory Palace, if there be but in it a faithful Paſtour, and a few true believers.

Ver. 16. Five hundred reeds] Loe here the large extent of the holy Catholike Church, the Communion of Saints. See the Note on chap. 40.1.

Ver. 17.18. He meaſured the North-ſide five hundred reeds] To ſhew that many ſhould come from all coaſts and quarters to ſit down with Abraham and Iſaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven, Mat. 8.11. See the Note there.

Ver. 20. He meaſured it by the four ſides] The Church is fair and firm, for it is quadrangular: ſo is every true member thereof homo quadratus, four-ſquare, ſtedfaſt and unmovable, [non-Latin text not transcribed], always abounding in the Work of the Lord, &c. 1 Cor. 15. ult. his heart is fixed truſting in the Lord, Pſal. 112. He quits himſelf well in all eſtates, and comes of a gainer. Gold is purged in the fire, ſhines in the water: as, on t'other ſide, clay is ſcorcht in the fire, diſſolved in the water. The new Jeruſalem is ſaid to lye four-ſquare, Rev. 21.16. See the Note there.