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

1On April 28, during the twenty-fifth year of our captivity—fourteen years after the fall of Jerusalem—the Lord took hold of me. 2In a vision from God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. From there I could see toward the south what appeared to be a city. 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. 4He said to me, “Son of man, watch and listen. Pay close attention to everything I show you. You have been brought here so I can show you many things. Then you will return to the people of Israel and tell them everything you have seen.” 5I could see a wall completely surrounding the Temple area. The man took a measuring rod that was 10-1/2 feet long and measured the wall, and the wall was 10-1/2 feet thick and 10-1/2 feet high.

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 their feet had hooves like those of a calf and shone like burnished bronze.
• Daniel 10:5I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist.
• Revelation 1:15His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves.
• Ezekiel 47:3Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles.
• Isaiah 8:20Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.
• Isaiah 28:17I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness. Since your refuge is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down. Since it is made of deception, a flood will sweep it away.
• Zechariah 2:1When I looked again, I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.
• Revelation 11:1Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers.
• Revelation 21:15The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick 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