Ezekiel 40:14

He made also posts of threescore cubits,.... Jerom thinks, that between the outward wall which surrounded this building, and the building itself, these posts or pillars were placed for ornament,

He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door. No JFB commentary on these verses.

He made; measured, and thereby showed what kind of posts they should be. Posts of threescore cubits: if this might be interpreted by Cyrus’ s edict for building this fabric sixty cubits high, it would be a clear confirmation of the Divine mission of the prophet, and the certainty of a future performance of the good he promised in God’ s name, when it appears so evident that he had so long before declared to what height the building should be raised by license from Cyrus. But more like it is that it refers to the height of this gate, built up two stories above the arch, and the posts in their height are only mentioned, but imply all the rest of the building over the east gate. These high columns or posts on the inner front of this gate were so disposed, that the last on each side was very near to the first post, or pillar of the court on either side of the gate; and so the posts, and buildings laid on those posts, joined on each side of this gate.

Ezekiel 40:14 He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate.Ver. 14. Even unto the post,] i.e., The height was the same everywhere. See these things best set forth by pictures at the end of Castalio’ s and Lavater’ s annotations on the text.

Ezekiel 40:6-16 contain a description of the eastern gate, or rather, gate-building of the Temple, by which one entered from the precincts into the outer court. The other gates were like it, but this is described first, because it had the pre-eminence. It looked straight to the door of the Temple itself; it was by this that the glory of the Lord was afterwards seen to enter His house (Ezekiel 43:1); and in consequence this gate was to be kept shut, except for the prince (Ezekiel 44:2-3). The accompanying plan may be a help in understanding the description. Notwithstanding the minuteness of detail in the text, a few points remain undetermined; but the plan represents the main features correctly, and gives the most probable view of the parts that are not entirely settled.

14. Ezekiel 40:14 is obscure. In the first place “he made” is suspicious, everywhere else it is “he measured.” In the second place the number 60 cubits is incomprehensible. The idea that the “posts” were prolonged into pillars of such a height is altogether improbable. Besides, the “posts” are accurately distinguished from pillars, for which another word is employed (Ezekiel 40:49). It is to be observed that the measurer first passes in from E. to W. along one side of the gateway, mentioning the different things with their dimensions of which it was composed. Having reached the porch at the inner end he returns, noting that the two sides of the gateway were in all respects alike. Then from Ezekiel 40:11 onwards he gives measurements of the breadth of various parts of the gateway, the entrance (Ezekiel 40:11), the contraction opposite the guardrooms (Ezekiel 40:12), and finally the breadth of the whole gate building (v, 13). While, however, the breadth of all other parts of the gateway has been given, that of the “porch” at the inner end has not been mentioned, though its length from E. to W., Fig. 1, mn, was stated to be 8 cubits (Ezekiel 40:8-9). It is probable, therefore, that Ezekiel 40:14 supplies this measurement. Render: and he measured the porch, 20 cubits—reading porch (ailam), for posts (ailim), and 20 for 60, in both cases with LXX. The 20 are inside measurement, N. to S.; 22 might have been expected, for the back wall of the guardrooms was 1½ cubits, but a chamber like the porch used for assemblies and feasts (Ezekiel 44:3) might well have a wall of 2½ cubits thick, as in point of fact the wall to the W. was two cubits (Ezekiel 40:9). even unto the post … gate] At any rate with present pointing: and unto (touching on) the post was the court … gate. It is probable, however, that “post” is either repetition of unto, and should be struck out, or else that it is a consequence of the false reading “posts” in first clause, and should be read “porch” as there (so in Ezekiel 40:37). The latter is more probable: and unto (adjoining) the porch was the court, round about the gate. The omission of prep. before “gate” is difficult, but cf. acc. 1 Kings 6:5, and the more remarkable case Ezekiel 43:17. LXX. read differently, and Syr. wants the clause.

14. R.V. reads, “He made also posts, threescore cubits; and the court reached unto the post, the gate being round about.” Davidson and Toy, following LXX., read “porch, or vestibule” (ailam) for