Ch. 42 Other buildings of the inner court

The Chapter has three divisions:

First, Ezekiel 42:1-12. The chambers in the inner court.

Secondly, Ezekiel 42:13-14. The uses of these chambers for the priests.

Thirdly, Ezekiel 42:15-20. Measurements of the outer wall and area of the whole temple buildings.

1. the utter court] LXX. the inner court. Something may be said for both. On the one hand the entrance-way to the chambers was from the outer court, and the prophet might have been first brought to the outer court and then by this way to the chambers in the inner court. This, however, is rather a complicated movement, and is not indicated; and perhaps the “inner” of LXX. has most probability. The position of the prophet is pretty clear, it was on the E. of the chambers, to the N. of the longer wing and facing it, Fig. 3, Q. LXX. reads “eastward” for “the way.”

into the chamber] unto the chambers. The word is sing. as collective. The “separate place” is the 20 cubits broad court running round the house on its three sides, Fig. 3, H. The longer wing of the block of cells ran along this “separate” place its whole length of 100 cubits, Fig. 3, G. The “building toward the N.” is the wall of the outer court with its blocks of cells (Ezekiel 40:5), Fig. 3, B, C. As there was nothing between the wing of chambers on the N. wall of the inner court and this “building” or wall of the outer court with its cells, except the mere level of the court, the one is said to be over against the other.

1–3. These verses may read consecutively: “And he brought me forth into the inner court, the way toward the north; and he brought me unto the chambers that were over against the separate place, and that were over against the (wall-) building toward the north, 2 (even) in front of the length of 100 cubits with the doors toward the north; and the breadth was 50 cubits, 3 over against the 20 cubits belonging to the inner court, and over against the pavement belonging to the outer court, gallery (being) over against gallery in the third story.”

1–12. The chambers in the inner court.

In the inner court on the two sides N. and S. of the house or temple proper were erected blocks of cells for the use of the priests, where they ate the holy things and deposited their sacred garments. They are those referred to Ezekiel 41:10. The block on the N. side is fully described (Ezekiel 42:1-9), and that on the S. of the house is said to be similar in all respects (Ezekiel 42:10-12). The block on the N. extended from the “separate place” to the N. wall of the inner court, a breadth of 50 cubits, all the space available. The block of cells had two wings, one 100 cubits long running along the “separate place,” Fig. 3, G, the other 50 cubits long, Fig. 3, G, running along the N. wall of the inner court—both measurements E. to W. Between the two wings of the block ran a walk of 10 cubits broad and 100 cubits long, i.e. the whole length of the longer wing, Fig. 3, O, and on this walk the doors into the chambers opened, i.e. looked to the N. (at least in the longer wing). The chambers were built in three stories, but those of the third story were narrower than those of the other two, because a “gallery” in the uppermost story took up some space. The chambers had no pillars like those in the outer court. There was an entrance-way leading to the chambers from the outer court, through the wall of the inner court, but its precise situation is not indicated.

2. Ezekiel 42:2 states the precise place where the prophet was brought to—it was in front of, or so as to face, the longer wing of chambers, or the walk of 100 cubits before them, i.e. he was slightly to the N. of this longer wing, and to the E. of the whole block. This seems more natural than to suppose the “length of 100 cubits” to be the separate place. Probably, Fig. 3, Q.

was the north door] As above: with the doors toward the north (Ezekiel 42:4). This is rather hard in construction, and for “with the doors” might be read: on the side toward the N. (peath for pethaḥ). So LXX. The breadth N. to S. of the whole block of chambers was 50 cubits (cf. Ezekiel 42:4).

3. The breadth of the block having been mentioned in Ezekiel 42:2, Ezekiel 42:3 adds in what directions this breadth extended or lay on either hand (N. and S.), viz. towards the 20 cubits of the separate place (Fig. 3, H) on the S., and toward the pavement running round the wall of the outer court (Ezekiel 40:17) on the N. (cf. Ezekiel 42:1), Fig. 3, B. The term “gallery” is obscure, but here it seems to mean a passage running round the chambers, in front of them, and so taking away from their area.

in three stories] More naturally: in the third story, lit. in the thirds, i.e. third chambers (Genesis 6:16). What is meant by “gallery over against gallery” is rather obscure. Most naturally the galleries or gangways round the highest story would be supposed to lie towards the interior of both wings, i.e. on the “walk” of so cubits running between the wings (Fig. 3, O), because if they lay toward the outside of the wings respectively it is difficult to see how they could be said to lie “over against” or to face one another, for in that case both wings of the chambers in the third story would lie between them. It is altogether unnatural to suppose that by the second “gallery” any galleries in the chambers of the outer court on the one side, or any galleries in the structure of the house proper on the other, are referred to.

4–6 may be read: “And before the chambers was a walk of 10 cubits breadth inward, with a length of 100 cubits; and their doors were toward the north. 5 Now the upper chambers were shorter; for the galleries took away from them compared with the lower and middle (chambers) in room. 6 For they were in three stories, and they had not pillars like the pillars of those in the outer court; therefore” &c.

4. inward] i. e. between the two wings (Fig. 3, O). Or possibly: (leading) into the inner court.

a way of one cubit] A mere error of transcription for: a length of 100 cubits. So LXX., Syr. In Ezekiel 42:16 “cubit” and “hundred” (both having the same three letters) have again been confused. The doors of the chambers were to the N., i.e. opened upon this passage of 10 cubits, between the wings.

5. The uppermost story was contracted by the gallery, so that its area was smaller than that of the other two stories.

6. the pillars of the courts] LXX. reads: pillars of the outer ones, i.e. the chambers in the outer court. Probably there is a transcriptional error here, cf. Ezekiel 41:15.

was straitened] lit. there was (room) taken away from the lowest … from the ground. The last words seem in apposition with “lowest,” and refer to the ground area. The verse indicates that the chambers in the outer court had pillars, and that the three stories were all of the same dimensions.

7. wall … without] i.e. not forming part of the block of cells, but extending eastward from the end of the shorter wing, and therefore said to be beside the cells that lay towards the outer court. Fig. 3, vw.

on the forepart] in front of or facing—still said of the wall (Fig. 3, vw). The “chambers” seem to be those of the longer wing. The piece of wall would face them; but the words might be (though less likely) a second specification of the position of the piece of wall referred to in regard to the shorter wing (cf. Ezekiel 42:2). The length of this piece of wall was 50 cubits. The reason is stated in Ezekiel 42:8.

7–9. The shorter wing of chambers. Read together the verses run: “And the wall that was without, beside the chambers which were toward the outer court, facing the (other?) chambers, the length thereof was 50 cubits. 8 For the length of the chambers that were toward the outer court was 50 cubits; but those toward the temple were 100 cubits. 9 And below these chambers was the entrance-way on the east when one goeth to them from the outer court, at the beginning of the wall of the court”—the first words of Ezekiel 42:10 being connected with Ezekiel 42:9.

8. The shorter wing of chambers lying toward the outer court was 50 cubits long. Fig. 3, uv.

and lo, … the temple] The exclamation and lo! is rather unnatural, a slight change of punctuation gives, but those. The expression “before the temple” is difficult. Usually “temple” means merely the holy place. The phrase “before” the temple makes no difficulty, “before” means merely “facing,” and does not imply the “front” of the temple in the technical sense. The LXX. (so Ew. Corn.) reads differently: and these (the shorter wing, Fig. 3, G´) faced the others (the longer, Fig. 3, G), together 100 cubits—“together” referring to the shorter wing and wall (Fig. 3, uv + vw).

9. under these chambers] i.e. the shorter wing.

10. thickness of the wall] Probably: at the beginning (or, head) of the wall (cf. Ezekiel 42:12). The “wall” is that piece of wall referred to Ezekiel 42:7, and the “beginning of it” is the point where the way enters from the outer court, Fig. 3, P. In Ezekiel 46:19 this is stated to have been at the shoulder (the long side) of the N. gate. It is said that the doors into the chambers were from the “walk” of 100 cubits long fronting the longer wing (Fig. 3, O), and possibly also that this walk led into the inner court (Ezekiel 42:4), consequently the entrance-way from the outer court must have lain as far east as the end of this “walk,” which it led to and so reached the chambers. The area of 100 × 50 on which the cells stood, though not wholly covered by the cells, must have been in some way marked off from the general level of the court, and the entrance-way from the outer court was on the east front of it; and it was probably in this entrance-way that the prophet had his position (Ezekiel 42:1-9), Fig. 3. Q.

10. For “east” must be read south, according to Ezekiel 42:12-13 and the whole scope; cf. Ezek. 44:44. The “building” as in Ezekiel 42:1 is the wall of the outer court with its stories of cells, Fig. 3, B, C. On the one side the chambers faced the separate place, and on the other side the shorter wing looked towards the buildings in the outer court.

10–12. The corresponding chambers on the south side of the temple-house. The text is undoubtedly in great confusion; and has been amended in various ways. Taken as nearly as possible as it stands it reads: “Towards the south, over against the separate place and over against the (wall-) building, there were chambers, 11 with a way before them, like the appearance of the chambers which were towards the north, as long as they and as broad as they, and according to all their goings out, and according to their fashions. And according to their doors, 12 so were the doors of the chambers that were toward the south; there was a door at the beginning of the way, to wit the way before the corresponding (?) wall, on the east as one entereth into them.”

11. way before them] The term “way” here seems used of the 10 cubits broad walk running between the two wings of the block of chambers (Ezekiel 42:4), Fig. 3, O. LXX. renders “walk” as there. For “appearance” LXX. reads measures. The “they” and “their” refer to the chambers on the north side of the court (Ezekiel 42:1-9); those on the south side were like them in all particulars.

12. As the text reads it is easiest to attach the last words of Ezekiel 42:11 to Ezekiel 42:12. The sense resulting from this change is not very natural. Possibly Ezekiel 42:11 should end as A.V., in which case Ezekiel 42:12 must be amended: and the doors of the chambers were toward the south. In this point they differed from the other chambers, the doors of which were towards the north (Ezekiel 42:4).

The term rendered “corresponding” is quite unknown. In the Targ. and post-biblical Heb. a similar word appears to mean suitable, excellent—the appropriate wall. The word is no doubt corrupt. LXX. “reed.”

13, 14. Uses to which the chambers were put.

These cells serve two purposes: the priests shall eat in them the most holy things; and they shall deposit there the sacred garments when they put them off to go into the outer court among the people. The “most holy things” were the portion of the meal-offering not consumed on the altar (Leviticus 2:3; Leviticus 2:10; Leviticus 7:9-11; Leviticus 10:12), and the flesh of the sin and trespass offerings, except the flesh of the sin-offering for the high-priest and congregation, which was burnt outside the sacred buildings (Leviticus 6:30; Leviticus 7:6).

before the separate place] over against, as Ezekiel 42:1; Ezekiel 42:10, i.e. the longer wing on the N. and on the S. Nothing specially is said as to the uses of the shorter wing.

lay the most holy things] Naturally the meal-offering had to be baked before being eaten, and the flesh of the sacrifices boiled. Being most holy things they must be kept in a holy place.

14. the priests enter therein] Omit therein. The ref. is not to the holy cells, but to the house or more probably the inner court, in which the altar stood.

go out of the holy place] probably the whole inner court is meant, with its contents, house and chambers, seeing it is contrasted with the outer court.

things … for the people] Or, that which is for the people—the outer court.

15. measured it] i.e. whole building, along the outer wall.

15–20. Measurements of the whole complex of the temple buildings on the outside

The measuring angel began by measuring the height and thickness of the outside surrounding wall (Ezekiel 40:5); then he entered the outer gate, passing into the outer court, the measurements of which were made (Ezekiel 40:6-27); then he entered the inner court, containing the house and cells, all of which he measured (Ezekiel 40:28 to Ezekiel 42:14). These measures being completed, the angel now returns to the outside by the way he entered, the eastern gate, and finishes by measuring the compass of the whole temple buildings outside. This building, its surrounding wall being measured, forms a square of 500 cubits.

16. five hundred reeds] Rather: cubits. Five hundred reeds, the reed being 6 cubits, would give a measurement of 3000 cubits. No allusion is made to such a space surrounding the house buildings anywhere else. On the contrary in Ezekiel 45:2 the area of the temple buildings is said to be 500 cubits square, and the free place about it 50 cubits. LXX. omits the word “reeds” everywhere in these verses, expressly giving “cubits” in Ezekiel 42:17. In Ezekiel 42:20 (Heb.) allusion is made to the wall, and “reeds” is omitted. That the outer wall of the temple buildings formed a square of 500 cubits appears from measurements given elsewhere. Taking the direction N. to S. we have 50 (outer gate, Ezekiel 40:21) + 100 (gate to gate, Ezekiel 40:23) + 50 (inner gate, Ezekiel 40:36) + 100 (inner court, Ezekiel 40:47) + 50 (inner gate) + 100 (gate to gate) + 50 (outer gate) = 500. Or going from E. to W. the result is the same: 50 (outer gate) + 100 (gate to gate) + 50 (inner gate) + 100 (inner court) + 100 (house, Ezekiel 41:13) + 100 (building behind house, Ezekiel 41:13) = 500.

round about] The word is wanting in Ezekiel 42:18, and Ezekiel 42:19 reads: he turned about and measured. LXX. reads in the latter way in all the Ezekiel 42:16-18, attaching the word to the beginning of the following verse, no doubt rightly, cf. a similar case 1 Samuel 14:21. In LXX. also Ezekiel 42:18-19 are transposed, the natural order round the wall being followed.

20. sanctuary … profane place] Rather: between that which was holy and that which was profane (common). Holy and profane are used here relatively, just as Ezekiel 42:13 the inner court is relatively holy in contrast with the outer to which the people had access. Cf. Ezekiel 43:12, where the limits of the house are said to be “most holy.” In Ezekiel 45:4 the priests’ land surrounding the temple is called holy, and in Ezekiel 48:12 most holy.