the Hekal

July 6, 2017

The doors (Ezek 41:23-41:26)

“The nave

With the holy place

Had each

A double door.

The doors had

Two leaves apiece.

There were

Two swinging leaves

For each door.

On the doors

Of the nave

Were carved

Cherubim

With palm trees,

Just like those carved

On the walls.

There was a canopy

Of wood

In front

Of the vestibule,

Outside.

There were recessed windows

With palm trees

On either side,

On the sidewalls

Of the vestibule.”

Ezekiel continued with his descriptions of the double doors leading to the Hekal, the nave, and the Debir, the holy place. These 2 doors had 2 swinging leaves for each door. On the double door to the nave were the carvings of the cherubim and the palm trees just like as in wall of the holy of holies. There was a canopy of wood outside in front of the vestibule, the Ulam. There were recessed windows with palm trees on either side of the sidewalls of this vestibule or Ulam.

July 5, 2017

The wood paneling (Ezek 41:15-41:17)

“The nave of the temple,

The inner Debir room,

As well as the outer vestibule

Were paneled

All around.

All three

Had windows

With recessed frames.

Facing the threshold,

The temple

Was paneled

With wood

All around,

From the floor

Up to the windows.

Now the windows

Were covered.

They were paneled

With wood

To the space

Above the door,

Even to the inner room,

As well as on the outside.”

Ezekiel explained about the wonderful wood paneling that seemed to be almost everywhere, including the Hekal nave of the temple, the inner Debir room, the holy of holies, and the outer Ulam vestibule. All these places had wood paneling with recessed frames around their windows, although the windows themselves were covered. The wood paneling went from the floor up to the windows. There was even paneling above the door and even in the inner room, as well as on the outside room. They really liked wood paneling.

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.