Vision of the Man with a Measuring Rod

1In the twenty-fifth year of our exile [in Babylon], in the beginning of the year, on the tenth [day] of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city [of Jerusalem] was taken, on that [very] same day the hand of the LORD was upon me and He brought me there. 2In the visions of God He brought me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain, on the south side of which there was what seemed to be a structure of a city. 3So He brought me there; and behold, there was a man [an angel] whose appearance was like bronze, with a line of flax and a measuring [a]rod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway. 4The man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears and set your heart on all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here that I may show it to you. Declare to the house of Israel all that you see.”

Measurements Relating to the Temple

5And behold, there was a wall all around the outside [area] of the temple (house) [of the LORD], and in the man’s hand a measuring rod six cubits long (10.2 ft.), [b]each [c]cubit being longer than the [d]standard one by a hand width. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one rod; and the height, one rod. 6Then he went to the gate which faced the east and went up its [seven] steps and measured the threshold of the gate, one rod in width; and the other threshold [of the gate inside the thick wall] was one rod in width. 7The guardroom was one rod long and one rod wide, and [the space] between the guardrooms was five cubits. And the threshold of the gate by the porch (portico) of the gate facing inward was one rod. 8He also measured the porch of the gate facing inward [toward the temple of the LORD], one rod. 9Then he measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits, and its side pillars, two cubits. The porch of the gate faced inward [toward the temple of the LORD]. 10There were three guardrooms on each side of the gate toward the east; the three were the same size, and the side pillars on each side measured the same. 11And he measured the width of the [e]gateway, ten cubits, and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 12On each side a border (barrier wall) one cubit wide stood in front of the guardrooms on each side; and the guardrooms were six cubits square on each side. 13He measured the gate from the roof of one guardroom to the roof of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits from one door to the opposite door. 14He made [the measurement of] the side pillars sixty cubits high; the gate extended all around to the side pillar of the courtyard. 15From the front of the entrance gate [on the outside] to the front of the inner porch (portico) of the gate [the distance] was fifty cubits. 16There were shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms, and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And windows were all around inside; and palm tree decorations were on each side pillar.

17Then he brought me into the outer courtyard, and behold, there were chambers and a pavement made for the courtyard all around; thirty chambers faced the pavement. 18The pavement (that is, the lower pavement) was by the [f]side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. 19Then he measured the width from the front of the lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner court, a hundred cubits [both] on the east and on the north.

20And as for the gate of the outer courtyard which faced the north he measured [both] its length and its width. 21Its guardrooms, three on each side, and its side pillars and its porches had the same measurement as the first gate. Its length was fifty cubits and the width was twenty-five cubits. 22Its windows and its porches and its palm tree decorations had the same measurements as the gate that faced toward the east. It was reached by going up seven steps, and its porch was in front of them. 23The inner courtyard had a gate opposite the gate on the north as well as the gate on the east; and he measured a hundred cubits from gate to gate.

24Then he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a gate toward the south; and he measured its side pillars and its porches, [g]and they measured the same as the others. 25The gate and its porches had windows all around like those windows [in the other gateways]; the length was fifty cubits and the width was twenty-five cubits. 26There were seven steps going up to the gate, and its porches were in front of them; and it had palm tree decorations [carved] on its side pillars, one on each side. 27The inner courtyard had a gate toward the south; and he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits.

28Then the man (angel) brought me to the inner courtyard by the south gate; and he measured the south gate according to those same measurements. 29Its guardrooms also, its side pillars and its porches [h]measured the same as the others. And the gate and its porches had windows all around; the length was fifty cubits and the width was twenty-five cubits. 30There were porches all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide. 31Its porches faced the outer courtyard; and palm tree decorations were [carved] on its side pillars, and its stairway had eight steps.

32He brought me into the inner courtyard toward the east, and he measured the gate; it measured the same as the others. 33Its guardrooms also, its side pillars and its porches measured the same as the others. The gate and its porches had windows all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34Its porches faced the outer courtyard; and palm tree decorations were [carved] on either side of its side pillars, and its stairway had eight steps.

35Then he brought me to the north gate and he measured it; the measurements were the same as those of the other gates, 36with its guardrooms, its side pillars, its porches; and the gate had windows all around. The length was fifty cubits and the width was twenty-five cubits. 37Its side pillars faced the outer courtyard, and palm tree decorations were [carved] on them on either side. And its stairway had eight steps.

38A chamber with its doorway was by the side pillars of the gates; there the burnt offering was to be washed. 39In the porch (portico) of the gate were two tables on each side, on which to slaughter the burnt offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering. 40On the outer [i]side, as one went up to the [j]gateway toward the north, were two tables; and on the other [k]side of the porch of the gate were two tables. 41Four tables were on each [l]side next to the gate; [a total of] eight tables on which they slaughter sacrifices. 42Moreover, there were four tables of hewn stone (ashlar) for the burnt offering, a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high, on which they lay the instruments with which they slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43The double hooks, one hand width in length were installed in the [m]house all around. The meat of the offering was [to be placed] on the tables.

44From the outside to the inner gate were chambers for the singers in the inner courtyard, one of which was [n]beside the north gate, with its front toward the south, and one [o]beside the [p]south gate facing toward the north. 45He [who was guiding me] said to me, “This is the chamber which faces toward the south; it is for the priests who have the responsibility and take care of the temple; 46but the chamber which faces toward the north is for the priests who have the responsibility and take care of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who [alone] from the sons of Levi come near to the LORD to minister to Him.” 47He measured the courtyard, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide, a perfect square; and the altar was in front of the temple.

48Then he brought me to the porch of the temple, and he measured each side pillar of the porch, five cubits on each side; and the width of the gate was three cubits on each side. 49The length of the porch was twenty cubits and the width eleven cubits; and at the stairway by which it was ascended, there were [two] columns beside the side pillars, one on each side [of the entrance].

[a] 3 Lit reed, and so throughout the chapter.
[b] 5 Lit by a cubit and a handbreadth.
[c] 5 20.4 inches in length or longer.
[d] 5 The “standard” Hebrew cubit was about 18 inches in length.
[e] 11 Lit entrance of the gate.
[f] 18 Lit shoulder.
[g] 24 Lit according to these measurements.
[h] 29 Lit were according to these measurements, and so throughout.
[i] 40 Lit shoulder.
[j] 40 Lit the entrance of the gate.
[k] 40 Lit shoulder.
[l] 41 Lit shoulder.
[m] 43 Possibly the kitchen area.
[n] 44 Lit at the shoulder of.
[o] 44 Lit at the shoulder of.
[p] 44 So Greek; Hebrew reads east.