English Standard Version
Ezekiel 40:3
3When 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)As 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.
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 the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me to the city. 2In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. 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. 4And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel." 5And behold, there was a wall all around the outside of the temple area, and the length of the measuring reed in the man's hand was six long cubits, each being a cubit and a handbreadth in length. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed.
Read all of Ezekiel 40Ezekiel 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 sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze.
- Daniel 10:5I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
- Revelation 1:15his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.
- Ezekiel 47:3Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep.
- Isaiah 8:20To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
- Isaiah 28:17And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter."
- Zechariah 2:1And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand!
- Revelation 11:1Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, "Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there,
- Revelation 21:15And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold 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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries