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 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 captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was captured, on the very same day the hand of the Lord was upon me; and He took me there. 2In the visions of God He took me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain; on it toward the south was something like the structure of a city. 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. 4And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.” 5Now there was a wall all around the outside of the temple. In the man’s hand was a measuring rod six cubits long, each being a cubit and a handbreadth; and he measured the width of the wall structure, one rod; and the height, one rod.

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 soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze.
• Daniel 10:5I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz!
• Revelation 1:15His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
• Ezekiel 47:3And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles.
• Isaiah 8:20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
• Isaiah 28:17Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place.
• Zechariah 2:1Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand.
• Revelation 11:1Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.
• Revelation 21:15And he who talked with me had a gold reed 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