Ezekiel 40

Vision of the Man with a Measuring Rod

1In the 1twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the 2city was 3taken, on that same day the 4hand of the Lord was upon me and He brought me there. 2In the 5visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very 6high mountain, and on it 7to the south there was a 8structure like a city. 3So He brought me there; and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of 9bronze, with a 10line of flax and a 11measuring 12rod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway. 4The man said to me, “13Son of man, 14see with your eyes, hear with your ears, and give attention to all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here in order to show it to you. 15Declare to the house of Israel all that you see.”

Measurements Relating to the Temple

5And behold, there was a 16wall on the outside of the 17temple all around, and in the man’s hand was a measuring rod of six cubits, each of which was a cubit and a 18handbreadth. So he measured the thickness of the 19wall, one rod; and the height, one rod. 6Then he went to the gate which faced 20east, went up its steps and measured the threshold of the gate, one rod 21in width; and the other threshold was one rod 22in width. 7The 23guardroom was one rod long and one rod wide; and there were five cubits between the guardrooms. And the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate 24facing inward was one rod. 8Then he measured the porch of the gate 25facing inward, one rod. 9He measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its side pillars, two cubits. And the porch of the gate was 26faced inward. 10The guardrooms of the gate toward the east numbered three on each side; the three of them had the same measurement. The side pillars also had the same measurement on each side. 11And he measured the width of the 27gateway, ten cubits, and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 12There was a 28barrier wall one cubit wide in front of the guardrooms on each side; and the guardrooms were six cubits square on each side. 13He measured the gate from the roof of the one guardroom to the roof of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits from one door to the door opposite. 14He made the side pillars sixty cubits high; the gate extended round about to the side pillar of the 29courtyard. 15From the front of the entrance gate to the front of the inner porch of the gate was fifty cubits. 16There were 3031shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms, and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And there were windows all around inside; and on each side pillar were 32palm tree ornaments.

17Then he brought me into the 33outer court, and behold, there were 34chambers and a pavement made for the court all around; thirty chambers 35faced the pavement. 18The pavement (that is, the lower pavement) was by the 36side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. 19Then he measured the width from the front of the 37lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner court, a 38hundred cubits on the east and on the north.

20As for the 39gate of the outer court which faced the north, he measured its length and its width. 2140It had three 41guardrooms on each side; and its 42side pillars and its porches 43had the same measurement as the first gate. Its length was 44fifty cubits and the width 45twenty-five cubits. 22Its 46windows and its porches and its palm tree ornaments had the same measurements as the 47gate which faced toward the east; and 48it was reached by seven 49steps, and its 50porch was in front of them. 23The inner court had a gate opposite the gate on the north as well as the gate on the east; and he measured a 51hundred cubits from gate to gate.

24Then he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a 52gate toward the south; and he measured its 53side pillars and its porches according to 54those same measurements. 2555The gate and its porches had 56windows all around like 57those other windows; the length was 58fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits. 26There were seven 59steps going up to it, and its porches were in front of them; and it had 60palm tree ornaments on its side pillars, one on each side. 27The inner court had a gate toward the 61south; and he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a 62hundred cubits.

28Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate; and he measured the south gate 63according to those same measurements. 29Its 64guardrooms also, its side pillars and its 65porches were according to those same measurements. And 66the gate and its porches had 67windows all around; it was 68fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 30There were 69porches all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide. 31Its porches were toward the outer court; and 70palm tree ornaments were on its side pillars, and its stairway had eight 71steps.

32He brought me into the 72inner court toward the east. And he measured the gate 73according to those same measurements. 33Its 74guardrooms also, its side pillars and its porches were according to those same measurements. And 75the gate and its porches had 76windows all around; it was 77fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34Its 78porches were toward the outer court; and 79palm tree ornaments were on its side pillars, on each side, and its stairway had eight 80steps.

35Then he brought me to the 81north gate; and he measured it according to those same measurements, 36with its 82guardrooms, its side pillars and its 83porches. And 84the gate had 85windows all around; the length was 86fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits. 37Its side pillars were toward the outer court; and 87palm tree ornaments were on its side pillars on each side, and its stairway had eight 88steps.

38A 89chamber with its doorway was by the side pillars at the gates; there they 90rinse the burnt offering. 39In the porch of the gate were two 91tables on each side, on which to slaughter the 92burnt offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering. 40On the outer 93side, 94as one went up to the 95gateway toward the north, were two tables; and on the other 96side of the porch of the gate were two tables. 41Four 97tables were on each side 98next to the gate; or, eight tables on which they slaughter sacrifices. 42For the burnt offering there were four 99tables of 100hewn stone, 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 101burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43The double 102hooks, one handbreadth in length, were installed 103in the house all around; and on the tables was the flesh of the offering.

44From the outside to the 104inner gate were 105106chambers for the 107singers in the inner court, one of which was at the 108side of the north gate, with 109its front toward the south, and one at the 110side of the 111south gate facing toward the north. 45He said to me, “This is the 112chamber which faces toward the south, intended for the priests who 113keep charge of the 114temple; 46but the 115chamber which faces toward the north is for the priests who 116keep charge of the altar. These are the 117sons of Zadok, who from the sons of Levi 118come near to the Lord to minister to Him.” 47He measured the court, a perfect square, a 119hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide; and the altar was in front of the 120temple.

48Then he brought me to the 121porch of the 122temple and measured each side pillar of the porch, five cubits on each side; and the width of the gate was three cubits on each side. 49The length of the porch was twenty cubits and the width eleven cubits; and at the 123stairway by which it was ascended were 124columns belonging to the side pillars, one on each side.