Ezekiel 40:1-49, NLT

Ezekiel 40

The New Temple Area

1On April 28,*40:1 Hebrew At the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on April 28, 573 b.c.; also see note on 1:1. during the twenty-fifth year of our captivity—fourteen years after the fall of Jerusalem—the Lord took hold of me.

2In a vision from God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. From there I could see toward the south what appeared to be a city. 3As he brought me nearer, I saw a man whose face shone like bronze standing beside a gateway entrance. He was holding in his hand a linen measuring cord and a measuring rod.

4He said to me, “Son of man, watch and listen. Pay close attention to everything I show you. You have been brought here so I can show you many things. Then you will return to the people of Israel and tell them everything you have seen.”

The East Gateway

5I could see a wall completely surrounding the Temple area. The man took a measuring rod that was 10¹/2 feet*40:5a Hebrew 6 long cubits [3.2 meters], each being a cubit [18 inches or 45 centimeters] and a handbreadth [3 inches or 8 centimeters] in length. long and measured the wall, and the wall was 10¹/2 feet*40:5b Hebrew 1 rod [3.2 meters]; also in 40:5c, 7. thick and 10¹/2 feet high.

6Then he went over to the eastern gateway. He climbed the steps and measured the threshold of the gateway; it was 10¹/2 feet front to back.*40:6 As in Greek version, which reads 1 rod [3.2 meters] deep; Hebrew reads 1 rod deep, and 1 threshold, 1 rod deep.

7There were guard alcoves on each side built into the gateway passage. Each of these alcoves was 10¹/2 feet square, with a distance between them of 8³/4 feet*40:7 Hebrew 5 cubits [2.7 meters]; also in 40:48. along the passage wall. The gateway’s inner threshold, which led to the entry room at the inner end of the gateway passage, was 10¹/2 feet front to back. 8He also measured the entry room of the gateway.*40:8 As in many Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac version; other Hebrew manuscripts add which faced inward toward the Temple; it was 1 rod [10.5 feet or 3.2 meters] deep. ⁹Then he measured the entry room of the gateway. 9It was 14 feet*40:9a Hebrew 8 cubits [4.2 meters]. across, with supporting columns 3¹/2 feet*40:9b Hebrew 2 cubits [1.1 meters]. thick. This entry room was at the inner end of the gateway structure, facing toward the Temple.

10There were three guard alcoves on each side of the gateway passage. Each had the same measurements, and the dividing walls separating them were also identical.

11The man measured the gateway entrance, which was 17¹/2 feet*40:11a Hebrew 10 cubits [5.3 meters]. wide at the opening and 22³/4 feet*40:11b Hebrew 13 cubits [6.9 meters]. wide in the gateway passage. 12In front of each of the guard alcoves was a 21-inch*40:12a Hebrew 1 cubit [53 centimeters]. curb. The alcoves themselves were 10¹/2 feet*40:12b Hebrew 6 cubits [3.2 meters]. on each side.

13Then he measured the entire width of the gateway, measuring the distance between the back walls of facing guard alcoves; this distance was 43³/4 feet.*40:13 Hebrew 25 cubits [13.3 meters]; also in 40:21, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36.

14He measured the dividing walls all along the inside of the gateway up to the entry room of the gateway; this distance was 105 feet.*40:14 Hebrew 60 cubits [31.8 meters]. Greek version reads 20 cubits [35 feet or 10.6 meters]. The meaning of the Hebrew in this verse is uncertain. 15The full length of the gateway passage was 87¹/2 feet*40:15 Hebrew 50 cubits [26.5 meters]; also in 40:21, 25, 29, 33, 36. from one end to the other. 16There were recessed windows that narrowed inward through the walls of the guard alcoves and their dividing walls. There were also windows in the entry room. The surfaces of the dividing walls were decorated with carved palm trees.

The Outer Courtyard

17Then the man brought me through the gateway into the outer courtyard of the Temple. A stone pavement ran along the walls of the courtyard, and thirty rooms were built against the walls, opening onto the pavement.

18This pavement flanked the gates and extended out from the walls into the courtyard the same distance as the gateway entrance. This was the lower pavement. 19Then the man measured across the Temple’s outer courtyard between the outer and inner gateways; the distance was 175 feet.*40:19 Hebrew 100 cubits [53 meters]; also in 40:23, 27, 47.

The North Gateway

20The man measured the gateway on the north just like the one on the east.

21Here, too, there were three guard alcoves on each side, with dividing walls and an entry room. All the measurements matched those of the east gateway. The gateway passage was 87¹/2 feet long and 43³/4 feet wide between the back walls of facing guard alcoves. 22The windows, the entry room, and the palm tree decorations were identical to those in the east gateway. There were seven steps leading up to the gateway entrance, and the entry room was at the inner end of the gateway passage. 23Here on the north side, just as on the east, there was another gateway leading to the Temple’s inner courtyard directly opposite this outer gateway. The distance between the two gateways was 175 feet.

The South Gateway

24Then the man took me around to the south gateway and measured its various parts, and they were exactly the same as in the others.

25It had windows along the walls as the others did, and there was an entry room where the gateway passage opened into the outer courtyard. And like the others, the gateway passage was 87¹/2 feet long and 43³/4 feet wide between the back walls of facing guard alcoves. 26This gateway also had a stairway of seven steps leading up to it, and an entry room at the inner end, and palm tree decorations along the dividing walls. 27And here again, directly opposite the outer gateway, was another gateway that led into the inner courtyard. The distance between the two gateways was 175 feet.

Gateways to the Inner Courtyard

28Then the man took me to the south gateway leading into the inner courtyard. He measured it, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways.

29Its guard alcoves, dividing walls, and entry room were the same size as those in the others. It also had windows along its walls and in the entry room. And like the others, the gateway passage was 87¹/2 feet long and 43³/4 feet wide. 30(The entry rooms of the gateways leading into the inner courtyard were 14 feet*40:30 As in 40:9, which reads 8 cubits [14 feet or 4.2 meters]; here the Hebrew reads 5 cubits [8³/4 feet or 2.7 meters]. Some Hebrew manuscripts and the Greek version lack this entire verse. across and 43³/4 feet wide.) 31The entry room to the south gateway faced into the outer courtyard. It had palm tree decorations on its columns, and there were eight steps leading to its entrance.

32Then he took me to the east gateway leading to the inner courtyard. He measured it, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways.

33Its guard alcoves, dividing walls, and entry room were the same size as those of the others, and there were windows along the walls and in the entry room. The gateway passage measured 87¹/2 feet long and 43³/4 feet wide. 34Its entry room faced into the outer courtyard. It had palm tree decorations on its columns, and there were eight steps leading to its entrance.

35Then he took me around to the north gateway leading to the inner courtyard. He measured it, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways.

36The guard alcoves, dividing walls, and entry room of this gateway had the same measurements as in the others and the same window arrangements. The gateway passage measured 87¹/2 feet long and 43³/4 feet wide. 37Its entry room*40:37 As in Greek version (compare parallels at 40:26, 31, 34); Hebrew reads Its dividing wall. faced into the outer courtyard, and it had palm tree decorations on the columns. There were eight steps leading to its entrance.

Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices

38A door led from the entry room of one of the inner gateways into a side room, where the meat for sacrifices was washed.

39On each side of this entry room were two tables, where the sacrificial animals were slaughtered for the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. 40Outside the entry room, on each side of the stairs going up to the north entrance, were two more tables. 41So there were eight tables in all—four inside and four outside—where the sacrifices were cut up and prepared. 42There were also four tables of finished stone for preparation of the burnt offerings, each 31¹/2 inches square and 21 inches high.*40:42 Hebrew 1¹/2 cubits [80 centimeters] long and 1¹/2 cubits wide and 1 cubit [53 centimeters] high. On these tables were placed the butchering knives and other implements for slaughtering the sacrificial animals. 43There were hooks, each 3 inches*40:43 Hebrew a handbreadth [8 centimeters]. long, fastened all around the foyer walls. The sacrificial meat was laid on the tables.

Rooms for the Priests

44Inside the inner courtyard were two rooms,*40:44a As in Greek version; Hebrew reads rooms for singers. one beside the north gateway, facing south, and the other beside the south*40:44b As in Greek version; Hebrew reads east. gateway, facing north.

45And the man said to me, “The room beside the north inner gate is for the priests who supervise the Temple maintenance. 46The room beside the south inner gate is for the priests in charge of the altar—the descendants of Zadok—for they alone of all the Levites may approach the Lord to minister to him.”

The Inner Courtyard and Temple

47Then the man measured the inner courtyard, and it was a square, 175 feet wide and 175 feet across. The altar stood in the courtyard in front of the Temple.

48Then he brought me to the entry room of the Temple. He measured the walls on either side of the opening to the entry room, and they were 8³/4 feet thick. The entrance itself was 24¹/2 feet wide, and the walls on each side of the entrance were an additional 5¹/4 feet long.*40:48 As in Greek version, which reads The entrance was 14 cubits [7.4 meters] wide, and the walls of the entrance were 3 cubits [1.6 meters] on each side; Hebrew lacks 14 cubits wide, and the walls of the entrance were. 49The entry room was 35 feet*40:49a Hebrew 20 cubits [10.6 meters]. wide and 21 feet*40:49b As in Greek version, which reads 12 cubits [21 feet or 6.4 meters]; Hebrew reads 11 cubits [19¹/4 feet or 5.8 meters]. deep. There were ten steps*40:49c As in Greek version; Hebrew reads There were steps that were. leading up to it, with a column on each side.