Ezekiel 40:28-47

28Then the man took me to the south gateway leading into the inner courtyard. He measured it, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways.

29Its guard alcoves, dividing walls, and entry room were the same size as those in the others. It also had windows along its walls and in the entry room. And like the others, the gateway passage was 87-1/2 feet long and 43-3/4 feet wide.

30(The entry rooms of the gateways leading into the inner courtyard were 14 feet across and 43-3/4 feet wide.)

31The entry room to the south gateway faced into the outer courtyard. It had palm tree decorations on its columns, and there were eight steps leading to its entrance.

32Then he took me to the east gateway leading to the inner courtyard. He measured it, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways.

33Its guard alcoves, dividing walls, and entry room were the same size as those of the others, and there were windows along the walls and in the entry room. The gateway passage measured 87-1/2 feet long and 43-3/4 feet wide.

34Its entry room faced into the outer courtyard. It had palm tree decorations on its columns, and there were eight steps leading to its entrance.

35Then he took me around to the north gateway leading to the inner courtyard. He measured it, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways.

36The guard alcoves, dividing walls, and entry room of this gateway had the same measurements as in the others and the same window arrangements. The gateway passage measured 87-1/2 feet long and 43-3/4 feet wide.

37Its entry room faced into the outer courtyard, and it had palm tree decorations on the columns. There were eight steps leading to its entrance.

38A door led from the entry room of one of the inner gateways into a side room, where the meat for sacrifices was washed.

39On each side of this entry room were two tables, where the sacrificial animals were slaughtered for the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings.

40Outside the entry room, on each side of the stairs going up to the north entrance, were two more tables.

41So there were eight tables in all—four inside and four outside—where the sacrifices were cut up and prepared.

42There were also four tables of finished stone for preparation of the burnt offerings, each 31-1/2 inches square and 21 inches high. On these tables were placed the butchering knives and other implements for slaughtering the sacrificial animals.

43There were hooks, each 3 inches long, fastened all around the foyer walls. The sacrificial meat was laid on the tables.

44Inside the inner courtyard were two rooms, one beside the north gateway, facing south, and the other beside the south gateway, facing north.

45And the man said to me, “The room beside the north inner gate is for the priests who supervise the Temple maintenance.

46The room beside the south inner gate is for the priests in charge of the altar—the descendants of Zadok—for they alone of all the Levites may approach the Lord to minister to him.”

47Then the man measured the inner courtyard, and it was a square, 175 feet wide and 175 feet across. The altar stood in the courtyard in front of the Temple.