Ezekiel 40:3

Ezekiel 40:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He took me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. He had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway.

Context of Ezekiel 40:3

1In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month—in the fourteenth year after Jerusalem had been struck down—on that very day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and He took me there. 2In visions of God He took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose southern slope was a structure that resembled a city. So 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. 4“Son of man,” he said to me, “look with your eyes, hear with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Report to the house of Israel everything you see.” 5And I saw a wall surrounding the temple area. Now the length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits (each measuring a cubit and a handbreadth), and he measured the wall to be one rod thick and one rod high.

Ezekiel 40:3 word by word

וַיָּבֵ֨יא אוֹתִ֜י שָׁ֗מָּה וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ֙ מַרְאֵ֙הוּ֙ כְּמַרְאֵ֣ה נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וּפְתִיל־פִּשְׁתִּ֥ים בְּיָד֖וֹ וּקְנֵ֣ה הַמִּדָּ֑ה וְה֥וּא עֹמֵ֖ד בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃Read the interlinear

• So He tookבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• meאֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• thereשָׁםshâm · thereH8033
• and I sawהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• whose appearanceמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
• was like bronzeנְחֹ֫שֶׁתnechôsheth · bronzeH5178
• Heהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• was standingעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• in the gatewayשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• with a linenפֵּ֫שֶׁתpishteh · flaxH6593
• cordפָּתִילpâthîyl · cordH6616
• and a measuringמִדָּהmiddâh · measureH4060
• rodקָנֶהqâneh · branch: stemH7070
• in his handיָדyâd · handH3027

Cross-references for Ezekiel 40:3

• Ezekiel 1:7Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze.
• Daniel 10:5I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
• Revelation 1:15His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.
• Ezekiel 47:3As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and led me through ankle-deep water.
• Isaiah 8:20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
• Isaiah 28:17I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place.
• Zechariah 2:1Then I lifted up my eyes and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.
• Revelation 11:1Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.
• Revelation 21:15The angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 40:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3A man, whose appearance was like - brass - Like bright polished brass, which strongly reflected the rays of light. Probably he had what we would term a nimbus or glory round his head. This was either an angel; or, as some think, a personal appearance of our blessed Lord.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The appearance of brass - Brightly shining. A line of flax - For measuring the ground plan. A measuring reed - For the walls (compare Jeremiah 31:38-39). To measure implied a separation for sacred purposes. The measurements are: (1) exact, to show that the promise is certain; (2) equal, to denote harmony; (3) vast, to mark majesty and grandeur.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3a man whose appearance was like bronze: An angelic guide would lead Ezekiel's tour of the temple. The bronze color reminds us of the heavenly creatures described in the first vision (see Ezekiel 1:7). Unlike the guide for his earlier vision of the earthly temple in Ezekiel 8–11, this guide carried only a linen measuring cord and a measuring rod. These are tools for building, not destroying. Measurement is a key theme in the following chapters. It allows…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. man--The Old Testament manifestations of heavenly beings as men prepared men's minds for the coming incarnation. brass--resplendent. line--used for longer measurements (Zec 2:1). reed--used in measuring houses (Re 21:15). It marked the straightness of the walls.Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 40:3

• Flax
• Reed

In the dictionaries

• Measuring Reed
• Balance
• Building
• Linen
• Prospect
• Architecture
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Desire of All Nations
• Ezekiel

Commentaries on Ezekiel 40

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings