Ezekiel 41:6

Verse

The side rooms were arranged one above another in three levels of thirty rooms each. There were ledges all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports would not be fastened into the wall of the temple itself.

American Standard Version (1901)

And the side-chambers were in three stories, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which belonged to the house for the side-chambers round about, that they might have hold therein, and not have hold in the wall of the house.

Bible in Basic English

And the side-rooms, room over room, were three times thirty; there were inlets in the wall of the house for the side-rooms round about, for supports in the wall of the house.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And the side chambers one by another, were twice thirty-three: and they bore outwards, that they might enter in through the wall of the house in the sides round about, to hold in, and not to touch the wall of the temple.

Free Bible Version

There were three levels of side rooms above one another, each having thirty rooms. The wall of the Temple had external supports for the side rooms, so that they would not be fixed into the wall of the Temple itself.

King James (Authorized) Version

And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house.

Translation for Translators

There were three levels of rooms, one above the other. There were thirty rooms on each level. There were ledges all around the wall of the temple that were supports for those side rooms; so those supports were not built into the wall of the temple.

Unlocked Literal Bible

There were side rooms on three levels, one room above another, thirty rooms on each level. There were ledges around the wall of the house, to support all of the side rooms, for there was no support put in the wall of the house.

Noah Webster Bible

And the side-chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side-chambers around, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house.

World English Bible

The side rooms were in three stories, one over another, and thirty in each story. They entered into the wall which belonged to the house for the side rooms all around, that they might be supported and not penetrate the wall of the house.

Young's Literal Translation

And the side-chambers [are] side-chamber by side-chamber, three and thirty times; and they are entering into the wall — which the house hath for the side-chambers all round about — to be taken hold of, and they are not taken hold of by the wall of the house.

Context

Outside the Temple

⁵Next he measured the wall of the temple to be six cubits thick, and the width of each side room around the temple was four cubits.⁶The side rooms were arranged one above another in three levels of thirty rooms each. There were ledges all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports would not be fastened into the wall of the temple itself.⁷The side rooms surrounding the temple widened at each successive level, because the structure surrounding the temple ascended by stages corresponding to the narrowing of the temple wall as it rose upward. And so a stairway went up from the lowest story to the highest, through the middle one.

Summary

Ezekiel 41:6 describes the side chambers in the temple, which consisted of three stories with thirty chambers on each floor. These chambers were set back into the wall of the temple, indicating the intricate design and structure of God's dwelling place. The attention to detail in the construction of the temple reflects the importance of honoring God with excellence and reverence. This verse highlights the significance of order, organization, and purpose in the worship of God, emphasizing the sacredness of His sanctuary.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

The side chambers were three - We find by Joseph. Antiq. 8:3, 2, that round Solomon's temple were chambers three stories high, each story consisting of thirty chambers. It is supposed that twelve were placed to the north of the temple, twelve to the south, and six to the east. Entered into the wall - The beams were admitted into the outer wall, but they rested on projections of the inner wall.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order,.... There were three stories of them, and thirty in every storey, in all ninety; there were such chambers round about Solomon's temple, and so many stories of them, though their number is not expressed, Kg1 6:5, but Josephus (z) says they were thirty, and one above another, three stories of them, as here. Some think twelve were on the north side, twelve on the south, and six on the west; or fifteen on the north, and fifteen on the south. The Misnic doctors (a) say there were thirty eight in the second temple, fifteen on the north side, fifteen on the south, and eight on the west. The Targum is, "the chambers were chamber over chamber thirty three, eleven in a row;'' and so some (b) understand it, that they were in all but thirty three, eleven in the first storey, as many in the second, and the same number in the third; and place them four in the north, four in the south, and three in the west, so Starckius; but the first account seems best. This denotes the number of churches in Gospel times, especially in the latter day; when there will be large conversions, and room enough for all the converts: and as there are many mansions in heaven for all the saints; so there will be room enough in the New Jerusalem, the more perfect state of the church on earth, to hold the whole palm bearing company, whose number no man can number; and all the nations of them that are saved, who will walk in the light of it, Rev 7:9, and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house; the beams of the floors of those side chambers rested indeed upon the wall of the house which was built for them; but were not inserted into it, or laid in it, as we see in some buildings; but there were projections or buttresses in the wall, or what are called narrowed rests, Kg1 6:6 or rebatements of the breadth of a cubit, on which they were laid and rested; and so it was in the upper stories, as in the lowermost; there being an abatement of a cubit in the thickness of the wall in each storey, as in the following verse. This shows the firmness of this spiritual building resting upon such a wall and such buttresses as God himself is to it; See Gill on Eze 41:5. (z) Antiqu. l. 8. c. 3. sect. 2. (a) Misn. Middot, c. 4. sect. 3. (b) Lipman. Tzurath Beth Hamikdash, sect. 69. fol. 10. 1.