New Living Translation
Ezekiel 42:5
5Each of the two upper levels of rooms was narrower than the one beneath it because the upper levels had to allow space for walkways in front of them.
Ezekiel 42:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building.
- New International Version (NIV)Now the upper rooms were narrower, for the galleries took more space from them than from the rooms on the lower and middle floors of the building.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now the upper chambers were narrower, for the galleries took more away from them than from the lower and middle chambers of the building.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now the upper chambers were shorter, because the galleries took away space from them more than from the lower and middle stories of the building.
Context of Ezekiel 42:5
3One block of rooms overlooked the 35-foot width of the inner courtyard. Another block of rooms looked out onto the pavement of the outer courtyard. The two blocks were built three levels high and stood across from each other. 4Between the two blocks of rooms ran a walkway 17-1/2 feet wide. It extended the entire 175 feet of the complex, and all the doors faced north. Each of the two upper levels of rooms was narrower than the one beneath it because the upper levels had to allow space for walkways in front of them. 6Since there were three levels and they did not have supporting columns as in the courtyards, each of the upper levels was set back from the level beneath it. 7There was an outer wall that separated the rooms from the outer courtyard; it was 87-1/2 feet long.
Read all of Ezekiel 42Ezekiel 42:5 word by word
וְהַלְּשָׁכ֥וֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנֹ֖ת קְצֻר֑וֹת כִּֽי־יוֹכְל֨וּ אַתִּיקִ֜ים מֵהֵ֗נָה מֵֽהַתַּחְתֹּנ֛וֹת וּמֵהַתִּֽכֹנ֖וֹת בִּנְיָֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now the upperעֶלְיוֹן‛elyôn · highH5945
- chambersלִשְׁכָּהlishkâh · chamberH3957
- shorterקָצֵרqâtsar · be shortH7114
- for the galleriesאַתִּיק'attûq 'attîyq · galleryH862
- were higherאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- than theseהֵנָּהhênnâh · they(fem.)H2007
- than the lowerתַּחְתּוֹןtachtôn tachtôn · lowerH8481
- and than the middlemostתִּיכוֹןtîykôn tîykôn · middleH8484
- of the buildingבִּנְיָןbinyân · buildingH1146
Commentaries on Ezekiel 42:5
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Render: “And the upper chambers were” shortened, for galleries took off from them, from “the lower” and from “the middle-most, chambers, of the building.” The building rose in terraces, as was usual in Babylonian architecture, and so each of the two upper stories receded from the one below it.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-12The priests' rooms were on three levels at the back of the sanctuary. Priests entered from the top level in the inner court (Ezekiel 42:12) and exited at the bottom in the outer court (42:9). These rooms served as transition spaces for the priests' duties as they moved between the inner and outer courts.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. shorter--that is, the building became narrower as it rose in height. The chambers were many: so "in My Father's house are many mansions" (Joh 14:2); and besides these there was much "room" still left (compare Lu 14:22). The chambers, though private, were near the temple. Prayer in our chambers is to prepare us for public devotions, and to help us in improving them.Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 42
- 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
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries