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 captured, on that very day the Lord’s hand was on me, and he brought me there. 2In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. On its southern slope was a structure resembling a city. He brought me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing by the city gate. 4He spoke to me: “Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Report everything you see to the house of Israel.” 5Now there was a wall surrounding the outside of the temple. The measuring rod in the man’s hand was six units of twenty-one inches; each unit was the standard length plus three inches. He measured the thickness of the wall structure; it was 10½ feet, and its height was the same.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• whose appearanceמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
• of brassנְחֹ֫שֶׁתnechôsheth · bronzeH5178
• with a lineפָּתִילpâthîyl · cordH6616
• of flaxפֵּ֫שֶׁתpishteh · flaxH6593
• in his handיָדyâd · handH3027
• and a measuringמִדָּהmiddâh · measureH4060
• reedקָנֶהqâneh · branch: stemH7070
• and he stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• in the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179

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, sparkling like the gleam of polished bronze.
• Daniel 10:5I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist.
• Revelation 1:15His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of cascading waters.
• Ezekiel 47:3As the man went out east with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my ankles.
• Isaiah 8:20Go to God’s instruction and testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there will be no dawn for them.
• Isaiah 28:17And I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the mason’s level.” Hail will sweep away the false refuge, and water will flood your hiding place.
• Zechariah 2:1I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.
• Revelation 11:1Then I was given a measuring reed like a rod, with these words: “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count those who worship there.
• Revelation 21:15The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.

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