Ezekiel 40

In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city—on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me and he took me there.

In 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.

In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city.

In 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.

He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.

So 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.

The man said to me, “Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see.”

The East Gate to the Outer Court

The 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

I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits,^[a] each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high.

And 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.

Then he went to the east gate. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep.

Then 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.

The alcoves for the guards were one rod long and one rod wide, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were five cubits^[b] thick. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep.

The 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.

Then he measured the portico of the gateway;

He also measured the porch of the gate facing inward [toward the temple of the Lord], one rod.

it^[c] was eight cubits^[d] deep and its jambs were two cubits^[e] thick. The portico of the gateway faced the temple.

Then 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].

Inside the east gate were three alcoves on each side; the three had the same measurements, and the faces of the projecting walls on each side had the same measurements.

There 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.

Then he measured the width of the entrance of the gateway; it was ten cubits and its length was thirteen cubits.^[f]

And he measured the width of the ^[e]gateway, ten cubits, and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.

In front of each alcove was a wall one cubit high, and the alcoves were six cubits square.

On 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.

Then he measured the gateway from the top of the rear wall of one alcove to the top of the opposite one; the distance was twenty-five cubits^[g] from one parapet opening to the opposite one.

He 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.

He measured along the faces of the projecting walls all around the inside of the gateway—sixty cubits.^[h] The measurement was up to the portico^[i] facing the courtyard.^[j]

He made [the measurement of] the side pillars sixty cubits high; the gate extended all around to the side pillar of the courtyard.

The distance from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its portico was fifty cubits.^[k]

From 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.

The alcoves and the projecting walls inside the gateway were surmounted by narrow parapet openings all around, as was the portico; the openings all around faced inward. The faces of the projecting walls were decorated with palm trees.

The Outer Court

There 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.

Then he brought me into the outer court. There I saw some rooms and a pavement that had been constructed all around the court; there were thirty rooms along the pavement.

Then 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.

It abutted the sides of the gateways and was as wide as they were long; this was the lower pavement.

The pavement (that is, the lower pavement) was by the ^[f]side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates.

Then he measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner court; it was a hundred cubits^[l] on the east side as well as on the north.

The North Gate

Then 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.

Then he measured the length and width of the north gate, leading into the outer court.

And as for the gate of the outer courtyard which faced the north he measured [both] its length and its width.

Its alcoves—three on each side—its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as those of the first gateway. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

Its 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.

Its openings, its portico and its palm tree decorations had the same measurements as those of the gate facing east. Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them.

Its 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.

There was a gate to the inner court facing the north gate, just as there was on the east. He measured from one gate to the opposite one; it was a hundred cubits.

The South Gate

The 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.

Then he led me to the south side and I saw the south gate. He measured its jambs and its portico, and they had the same measurements as the others.

Then 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.

The gateway and its portico had narrow openings all around, like the openings of the others. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

The 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.

Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them; it had palm tree decorations on the faces of the projecting walls on each side.

There 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.

The inner court also had a gate facing south, and he measured from this gate to the outer gate on the south side; it was a hundred cubits.

The Gates to the Inner Court

The inner courtyard had a gate toward the south; and he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits.

Then he brought me into the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it had the same measurements as the others.

Then the man (angel) brought me to the inner courtyard by the south gate; and he measured the south gate according to those same measurements.

Its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

Its 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.

(The porticoes of the gateways around the inner court were twenty-five cubits wide and five cubits deep.)

There were porches all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide.

Its portico faced the outer court; palm trees decorated its jambs, and eight steps led up to it.

Its porches faced the outer courtyard; and palm tree decorations were [carved] on its side pillars, and its stairway had eight steps.

Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway; it had the same measurements as the others.

He brought me into the inner courtyard toward the east, and he measured the gate; it measured the same as the others.

Its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

Its 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.

Its portico faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.

Its porches faced the outer courtyard; and palm tree decorations were [carved] on either side of its side pillars, and its stairway had eight steps.

Then he brought me to the north gate and measured it. It had the same measurements as the others,

Then he brought me to the north gate and he measured it; the measurements were the same as those of the other gates,

as did its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico, and it had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

with 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.

Its portico^[m] faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.

The Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices

Its side pillars faced the outer courtyard, and palm tree decorations were [carved] on them on either side. And its stairway had eight steps.

A room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the burnt offerings were washed.

A chamber with its doorway was by the side pillars of the gates; there the burnt offering was to be washed.

In the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings, sin offerings^[n] and guilt offerings were slaughtered.

In 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.

By the outside wall of the portico of the gateway, near the steps at the entrance of the north gateway were two tables, and on the other side of the steps were two tables.

On 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.

So there were four tables on one side of the gateway and four on the other—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were slaughtered.

Four tables were on each ^[l]side next to the gate; [a total of] eight tables on which they slaughter sacrifices.

There were also four tables of dressed stone for the burnt offerings, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit high.^[o] On them were placed the utensils for slaughtering the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices.

Moreover, 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.

And double-pronged hooks, each a handbreadth^[p] long, were attached to the wall all around. The tables were for the flesh of the offerings.

The Rooms for the Priests

The 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.

Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, were two rooms, one^[q] at the side of the north gate and facing south, and another at the side of the south^[r] gate and facing north.

From 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.

He said to me, “The room facing south is for the priests who guard the temple,

He [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;

and the room facing north is for the priests who guard the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who are the only Levites who may draw near to the Lord to minister before him.”

but 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.”

Then he measured the court: It was square—a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide. And the altar was in front of the temple.

The New Temple

He measured the courtyard, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide, a perfect square; and the altar was in front of the temple.

He brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the jambs of the portico; they were five cubits wide on either side. The width of the entrance was fourteen cubits^[s] and its projecting walls were^[t] three cubits^[u] wide on either side.

Then 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.

The portico was twenty cubits^[v] wide, and twelve^[w] cubits^[x] from front to back. It was reached by a flight of stairs,^[y] and there were pillars on each side of the jambs.

The 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].