pilasters

July 4, 2017

Measuring the holy of holies (Ezek 41:3-41:4)

“Then he went into

The inner room.

He measured the pilasters

Of the entrance,

Two cubits.

The width

Of the entrance was

Six cubits.

The sidewalls

Of the entrance were

Seven cubits.

He measured

The depth

Of the room,

Twenty cubits.

It width was

Twenty cubits,

Beyond the nave.

He said to me.

‘This is the most holy place.’”

The bronze man brought Ezekiel into the sanctuary, the holy of holies in the Temple, called the Debir. As usual, the bronze man began to measure everything. The pilasters were only 2 cubits or 3 feet on each side. The entrance was also relatively small, about 6 cubits or 9 feet wide. However, the sidewalls were large, bout 7 cubits or 10 feet on each side. This holy of holies was square, 20 cubits by 20 cubits, about 35 feet by 35 feet, a small square room. However, this room was completely different, since the bronze man said that this room was the most holy place.

July 3, 2017

Measuring the nave (Ezek 41:1-41:2)

“Then he brought me

To the nave.

He measured

The pilasters,

On each side.

Six cubits was

The width

Of the pilasters.

The width

Of the entrance was

Ten cubits.

The sidewalls

Of the entrance were

Five cubits

On either side.

He measured

The length of the nave,

Forty cubits.

Its width was

Twenty cubits.”

This bronze man brought Ezekiel into the hall, the Temple properly speaking. This nave of the inner court was called the Hekal, the place of saints for the Temple. As usual, the bronze man began to measure everything. The pilasters were 6 cubits or 10 feet wide on each side. The entrance gate was 10 cubits, about 16 feet wide. The sidewalls of the gate were 5 cubits or 8 feet on each side. The nave itself was 40 cubits by 20 cubits, about 64 feet by 32 feet rectangular, relatively small.

July 3, 2017

The Ulam vestibule of the inner Temple (Ezek 40:48-40:49)

“Then he brought me

To the vestibule

Of the temple.

He measured

The pilasters

Of the vestibule,

Five cubits

On either side.

The width

Of the gate

Was fourteen cubits.

The sidewalls

Of the gate were

Three cubits

On either side.

The depth

Of the vestibule was

Twenty cubits

Its width was

Twelve cubits.

Ten steps

Led up to it.

There were pillars

Beside the pilasters

On either side.”

The bronze man brought Ezekiel into inner court, the Temple properly speaking. This vestibule of the inner court was called Ulam. As usual, the bronze man began to measure everything. The pilasters were 5 cubits or 8 feet on each side. The gate was 14 cubits, about 23 feet wide. The sidewalls of the gate were 3 cubits or 5 feet on each side. The vestibule itself was 20 cubits by 12 cubits, about 32 feet by 20 feet rectangular, relatively small. There were 10 steps leading up to it, not just 7 or 8. Besides the pilasters, there were also pillars on either side.

July 2, 2017

The southern inner court dimensions (Ezek 40:29-40:31)

“Its recesses,

Its pilasters,

Its vestibule

Were of the same size

As the others.

There were windows

All around within it,

As well as in its vestibule.

Its length was

Fifty cubits.

Its breadth was

Twenty-five cubits.

There were vestibules

All around.

They were

Twenty-five cubits deep,

Five cubits wide.

Its vestibule

Faced the outer court.

Palm trees were

On its pilasters.

Its stairway

Had eight steps.”

The inner court is somewhat similar to the outer court, since they were the same size as the others, with windows all around it. The vestibule was 50 cubits or 80 feet long and 25 cubits wide or 40 feet wide. There also was a vestibule that was 25 cubits or 40 feet deep and only 5 cubits or 8 feet wide. These vestibules faced the outer court with palm trees on its pilasters. This stairway had 8 steps, and not 7 like the others that came from the gates. Apparently, this Temple was built on different level terraces.

July 1, 2017

Measuring the gate and its surroundings (Ezek 40:12-40:16)

“There was a barrier

Before the recesses,

One cubit on either side.

The recesses were

Six cubits on either side.

Then he measured the gate

From the back

Of the one recess

To the back of the other.

It was a width

Of twenty-five cubits,

From wall to wall.

He measured also the vestibule,

Twenty cubits.

The gate was

Next to the pilaster

On every side of the court.

From the front of the gate

At the entrance

To the end

Of the inner vestibule

Of the gate was

Fifty cubits.

The recesses

With their pilasters

Had windows

With shutters

On the inside

Of the gateway

All around.

The vestibules also

Had windows on the inside,

All around.

Palm trees were

On the pilasters.”

These recesses, alcoves, or rooms had a barrier on either side of 1 cubit, less than 2 feet. These open-air rooms were 6 cubits on either side of the gate, or about 10 feet. The gate was big and measured 25 cubits wide or about 40 feet wide, while the vestibule was 20 cubits, about 32 feet wide. From the gate to the inner vestibule was about 50 cubits, or 80 feet. These open-air rooms with columns had windows and shutters all around them. The vestibule also had windows on the inside all around. On top of the column pilasters were palm trees. These alcoves may have been some kind of place for guards.

 

July 1, 2017

The vestibule gateway measurements (Ezek 40:8-40:11)

“Then he measured

The inner vestibule

Of the gateway,

One cubit.

Then he measured

The vestibule

Of the gateway,

Eight cubits.

It pilasters were

Two cubits.

The vestibule

Of the gate

Was at the inner end.

There were

Three recesses

On either side

Of the east gate.

The three were

The same size.

The pilasters

On either side were

The same size.

Then he measured

The width

Of the opening

Of the gateway,

Ten cubits.

The width

Of the gateway was

Thirteen cubits.”

Once again, the bronze man continued with his symmetrical measurements. Somehow the inner vestibule was only 1 cubit or less than 2 feet. However, the whole vestibule of this gateway was 8 cubits or about 13 feet. The pilasters or supporting posts at the inner end were only 2 cubits or about 5 feet. There were 3 recesses or alcoves, all the same size, on either side of the east gate, with the supporting posts the same size also. Now the opening width was 10 cubits or about 16 feet, while the gateway was wider about 13 cubits, about 21 feet wide.