Ezekiel 42:20

Verse

So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.

American Standard Version (1901)

He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.

Bible in Basic English

He took its measure on the four sides: and it had a wall all round, five hundred long and five hundred wide, separating what was holy from what was common.

Douay-Rheims 1899

By the four winds he measured the wall thereof on every side round about, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits broad, making a separation between the sanctuary and the place of the people.

Free Bible Version

So he measured all four sides. There was a wall surrounding it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, separating the holy from the common.

King James (Authorized) Version

He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

Translation for Translators

That wall separated the area which was sacred/holy from the areas that were not sacred.

Unlocked Literal Bible

He measured it on four sides. It had a wall around it that was five hundred cubits in length, and five hundred cubits in width, to separate the holy from that which is common.

Noah Webster Bible

He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall around, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

World English Bible

He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, the length five hundred cubits, and the width five hundred cubits, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.

Young's Literal Translation

At the four sides he hath measured it, a wall [is] to it all round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to separate between the holy and the profane place.

Context

The Outer Measurements

¹⁹And he came around and measured the west side to be five hundred cubits long.²⁰So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.

Sermons

Ezekiel 42:20

Chuck Smith

Summary

In this verse, Ezekiel describes the outer court of the temple as having a measurement of five hundred cubits by five hundred cubits, forming a perfect square. This meticulous detail reflects the importance of order and precision in the design of God's sanctuary. The symmetry and exact measurements symbolize the divine perfection and holiness of the temple, emphasizing the reverence and awe that should be associated with worship. It serves as a reminder of the sacredness of God's dwelling place and the need for His people to approach Him with humility and respect.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

It had a wall round about - to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place - The holy place was that which was consecrated to the Lord; into which no heathen, nor stranger, nor any in a state of impurity, might enter. The profane place was that in which men, women, Gentiles, pure or impure might be admitted. Josephus says War, lib. vi., c. 14, that in his time there was a wall built before the entrance three cubits high, on which there were posts fixed at certain distances, with inscriptions on them in Latin and Greek, containing the laws which enjoined purity on those that entered; and forbidding all strangers to enter, on pain of death. See Calmet.

John Gill Bible Commentary

He measured it by the four sides,.... Which were equilateral, parallel to each other, each measuring five hundred reeds; which in all made up two thousand reeds, or seven thousand yards: this shows that no material building can be designed; never was an edifice of such dimensions; this seems rather to describe a city than a temple; and denotes the largeness of the Gospel church state in the latter day, when the Jews will be converted, and the fulness of the Gentiles brought in: it had a wall round about: the same with that in Eze 40:5, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad; it was foursquare, as the building was, and exactly answered to that in its dimensions. The Jews say (l) the mountain of the house was five hundred cubits by five hundred; that is, a perfect square of five hundred cubits on every side, two thousand cubits in the whole compass about. Josephus (m) says the whole circuit was half a mile, every side containing the length of a two hundred and twenty yards. Now, says Doctor Lightfoot (n), if any will take up the full circuit of the wall that encompassed the holy ground, according to our English measure, it will amount to half a mile and about one hundred and sixty six yards; and whosoever will likewise measure the square of Ezekiel, Eze 42:20, will find it six times as large as this, Eze 40:5, the whole amounting to three miles and a half, and about one hundred and forty yards, a compass incomparably larger than Mount Moriah divers times over; and by this very thing is showed that that is spiritually and mystically to be understood; wherefore these measures no doubt did, as Mr. Lee (o) observes, signify the great fulness of the Gentiles, and that compass of the church in Gospel days should be marvellously extended. The use of it was, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place: the church and the world; the world is profane, and lies in wickedness, and the men of it ought not to be admitted into the church of God, and partake of holy things in it; a difference must be made between the precious and the vile; and greater care will be taken in the latter day of the admission of members into Gospel churches, Isa 52:1; see Gill on Eze 40:5. (l) Misn. Middot, c. 2. sect. 1. (m) Antiqu. l. 15. c. 11. sect. 3. Ed. Hudson. (n) Prospect of the Temple, c. 2. p. 1051. (o) Temple of Solomon portrayed, &c. p. 241. Next: Ezekiel Chapter 43

Ezekiel 42:20

The Outer Measurements

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.

American Standard Version (1901)

He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.

Bible in Basic English

He took its measure on the four sides: and it had a wall all round, five hundred long and five hundred wide, separating what was holy from what was common.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Free Bible Version

So he measured all four sides. There was a wall surrounding it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, separating the holy from the common.

King James (Authorized) Version

He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

Translation for Translators

That wall separated the area which was sacred/holy from the areas that were not sacred.

Unlocked Literal Bible

He measured it on four sides. It had a wall around it that was five hundred cubits in length, and five hundred cubits in width, to separate the holy from that which is common.

Noah Webster Bible

He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall around, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

World English Bible

Young's Literal Translation

At the four sides he hath measured it, a wall [is] to it all round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to separate between the holy and the profane place.

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Ezekiel 42:20

Verse

Context

The Outer Measurements

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Ezekiel 42:20

The Outer Measurements

Ezekiel 42:20

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary