“Then he brought me
Through the entrance,
That was at the side
Of the gate,
To the north row
Of the holy chambers
For the priests.
There I saw
A place
At the extreme western end
Of them.”
This passage seems to belong earlier when the bronze man was leading Ezekiel all over the place. Here, this bronze man brought Ezekiel to the northern gate, facing west to the holy chambers for the priests. He could see all the priest chambers on the west side.
“The glory of Yahweh
Entered the temple
By the gate facing east.
Then the Spirit
Lifted me up.
He brought me
Into the inner court.
The glory of Yahweh
Filled the temple.”
Just as the glory of Yahweh had exited the Temple via the east gate, he also returned through the east gate, where Ezekiel and the bronze man were standing. Furthermore, the Spirit of Yahweh lifted up Ezekiel. This Holy Spirit brought him into the inner court of the Temple. This time, he saw the glory of Yahweh fill the whole Temple.
“When the priests enter
The holy place,
They shall not go out of it
Into the outer court
Without laying there
The garments
In which they minister.
These are holy garments.
They shall put on
Other garments
Before they go near
To the area
Open to the people.”
The bronze man further explained to Ezekiel that these chambers also held the holy garments that the priests wore when they entered the holy of holies. These priests were not to go out into the outer court, without changing their clothes. The garments or vestments themselves were holy, so that they had to be left in these holy chambers. The priests had to put on other clothes before they could go near the area where all the other people were.
“Then he said to me.
‘The north chambers
As well as the south chambers,
Opposite the vacant area,
Are the holy chambers.
There the priests,
Who approach Yahweh,
Shall eat
The most holy offerings.
There they shall deposit
The most holy offerings,
The cereal offering,
The sin offering,
The guilt offering.
This place is holy.’”
Once again, the bronze man appeared on the scene to explain to Ezekiel the purpose for these rooms or chambers on the north and the south side. These rooms or chambers were for the priests to eat the various offerings that took place in the Debir, the Holy of holies, the place of Yahweh. There in these chambers, the priests would put the holy offerings, that is the cereal offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings. Thus, these rooms became holy.
“Then he led me out
Into the outer court,
Toward the north.
He brought me
To the chambers
That were opposite
The temple yard,
Opposite the building
On the north.”
Next the bronze man led Ezekiel to the north side outer court. He brought him to the chambers or rooms that were opposite the Temple yard and opposite the building on the north side.
“The doorposts
Of the nave
Were square.
In front of the holy place
Was something resembling
An altar of wood.
It was
Three cubits high,
Two cubits long,
Two cubits wide.
Its corners,
Its base,
Its walls were
Of wood.
He said to me.
‘This is the table
That stands
Before Yahweh.’”
Next Ezekiel explained the wooden altar. There were square doorposts in the nave in front of the holy place. Ezekiel seemed vague as he said that he saw something resembling an altar of wood that was 3 cubits high or 5 feet high. However, the top was a small square, 2 cubits long and wide, about 3 feet square. All its corners, base, and walls were made of wood. Then the bronze man explicitly told Ezekiel that this was the table that stood before Yahweh.
“Then he measured
The temple.
It was
A hundred cubits long.
The yard
With the building,
Including its walls,
Was one hundred cubits deep.
The width
Of the east front
Of the temple
With the yard,
Was one hundred cubits.
Then he measured
The depth of the building
Facing the yard,
Together with its galleries
On either side,
A hundred cubits.”
Now the bronze man was back measuring the Temple. However, he included the yard and its building, as well as its galleries. This turned out to be a square building, 100 cubits long and wide, about a 160 feet square building with the front facing east and the back facing west.
“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.
“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.
“He measured the court,
One hundred cubits deep,
One hundred cubits wide,
A square.
The altar was
In front of the temple.”
Then the bronze man measured this inner court. Sure enough, it was square, 100 cubits or 160 feet on every side. The altar was in front of the temple.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 