Ezekiel 40

Ezekiel 40:1

IN the five and twentieth yeare of our captivitie] He reckoneth from the captivitie of Jehoiachin, or Jechonias, 2. King. 24. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. as appeareth plainly by Chap. 24. 1, 2. compared with 2 Kings 25:1. And from the same date he counteth, Chap. 8. 1. & 20. 1. & 26. 1. & 29. 1. & 31. 1. & 32. 1. For this was properly the date of the captivitie, Matth. 1. 11, 12.

in the beginning of the year] The Jews counted the beginning of the yeare two wayes: for their feasts they began to count in March, and for their other affaires in September. This was in the moneth Tisri, or September: which was the naturall and genuine beginning of the yeare from the Creation, Joe 2:23.

on the tenth day of the moneth] The day of expiation, Leviticus 16:29. The very same day that the solemne reconciliation used to be made for the people, the Lord chooseth to shew them this comfortable earnest of their returne. And on this very same day of the yeare that Ezekiel is shewed the platforme of the Temple, Moses had come downe from the Mount after his last fourtie dayes fast, and brought the people the injunction and platforme for making the Tabernacle.

in the fourteenth yeare after the citie was smitten] The fourteenth yeare from the eleventh of Zedekiah, when the City was destroyed and the Temple burnt, 2 King. 25. 2, 3. 8, 9. which fourteene added to the eleven of Zedekiah, make up the five and twentie mentioned immediately before.

the hand of the LORD was upon me] That is, the Spirit of Prophecie, as Chap. 1. 3. & 37. 1.

brought me thither] To the citie that had beene smitten.

Ezekiel 40:2

and set me upon a very high mountaine] The mountaine of the Temple, on the South-side of which the Citie it selfe lay. Mount Moriah, where Isaac by Gods command to Abraham was bound to be sacrificed, Genesis 22:2. 9. where David built an Altar in the threshing-floore of Araunah the Jebusite, and there offered to the Lord burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and the Plague was staied, 2 Samuel 24:16. 21. 25. where afterward by Solomon the Temple was built, 2 Chron. 3. 1. This Mount was high, for it was seene farre off, Genesis 22:4. and because it was a figure of the spirituall Temple under Christ, when the Church was to be made Catholike, it is represented in vision like a very high mountaine: see Isaiah 2:3. Mic. 4. 1. Revelation 21:10.

by which] Or, upon which.

Ezekiel 40:3

And he brought me thither] That is, from the mountaine of the Temple, to the Citie it selfe; mentioned immediately before.

a man] An Angel in the appearance of a man, as Genesis 18:1. and 32. 24. Joshua 5:13. Judges 13:11, &c. This most likely was the Angel of the Covenant, Christ, who had shewed the platforme of the Tabernacle to Moses, and the fashion of the first Temple to David. See Chap. 1. 26.

like the appearance of brasse] As fire, Chap. 1. 27. Revelation 1:15.

with a line of flax and a measuring-reed] This line or cord was to measure the compasse of the outer wall, and the floore of the whole building, and then of the Courts; and the reed to measure the height and thicknesse of the wals, and the proportion of the gate, chambers, and other things.

and hee stood in the gate] That is, in the gate of the Citie. For observe the Prophets flittings or removals in this vision. First, he is brought into the land of Israel, there he is set upon the mountaine of the Temple: from it he seeth the City lying on the South: then the Spirit bringeth him thither, or into the Citie, and there he seeth the Angel standing in the gate of the Citie: and from thence the Angel and he ascend the mountaine of the Temple, and the one measureth, and the other observeth the building.

Ezekiel 40:4

behold with thine eyes, &c.] So did the Lord reveale to Moses in vision the fashion of the first Tabernacle, and to John the new Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 40:5

And behold, a wall on the outside of the house round about] This was the bound between the Sanctuarie and the profane place, Chap. 42. 20. And it in compassed the mountaine of the Temple being cast into a perfect equilaterall square round about it, Chap. 42. 16, 17, 18, 19. every side of the square was five hundred reeds long; and so the whole wall it selfe was two thousand reeds about, which being cast into cubits amount to this reckoning: that every side of the square was three thousand two hundred and fifty cubits, or one thousand sixe hundred twentie and five yards long, if the cubit were to be accounted but hafe a yard: and the whole square thirteene thousand cubits, or sixe thousand five hundred yards about: which falleth but little short of foure miles compasse, and was a space bigger then all Jerusalem, Citie, and Temple and all; and sheweth that this is not literally to be understood, but is to set forth the extent, strength and beautie of the New Jerusalem, or the Church under the Gospel.

a measuring-reed of sixe cubits long, by the cubit, and an handbreadth] Sometimes he counteth the measures by the reed, and sometimes by the cubit: the measure of the cubite either upon the reed, or elsewhere was the same: and the length of the cubit is the extraordinarie cubit, or the cubit of the Sanctuary, which was double to the common, and it was a full yard, and here it hath a hand breadth added above. Therefore this being so, the compasse of the outwall mentioned even now, was indeed double to the extent mentioned before: for the reed of sixe cubits and sixe hand breadth amounted to sixe yards and an halfe, and the whole compasse of that wall to about eight mile. Now that this cubit was of this extent, may be conceived by these things. First, otherwise the chambers by the gates would be but three yards and an halfe square. Secondly, the Tables for killing of the burnt-offering, vers. 42. would be but three quarters long, and three quarters broad, and halfe a yard high, which is a proportion exceeding little in it selfe for these things, and unproportionable to the great and large things that were prefigured. Other reasons to prove this will arise to the Readers view or sight out of the dimension of things as we goe along.

so he measured the breadth of the building] That is, of the wall: and it was of an equall height and thicknesse, either of them sixe yards and an halfe: and this sheweth the great strength and defensiblenesse that the Lord setteth about his Church.

Ezekiel 40:6

Then came he to the gate which looketh toward the east] Heb. whose face was the way toward the east. By the staires of the mountaine of the Temple he cometh to the East gate of the outmost wall: and the rising up to it is seven steps: as vers 22. 24.

and measured the threshold of the gate] The threshold or floore of the gate consisted of two halfe paces one rising a step above another, and either of them was in breadth a reed long, or sixe yards and an halfe: so that the ascending was thus: First, they rose the mountaine with steps into this gate, then stepped they up into the threshold, or entrance of the gate and walked on sixe yards and an halfe, and then they stepped up an other threshold, and walked on sixe yards and an halfe upon that also; and this is that which is meant, vers. 11. where it is said, that the length of the gate was thirteene cubits.

Ezekiel 40:7

And a chamber, &c.] On either side of the gate at seven yards distance from it, adjoyning to the wall, stood a chamber of a reed or sixe yards and an halfe square: and these stood out into the Court just as farre as the second threshold of the gate lay into it, for the first tooke up just the thicknesse of the wall, and the second lay into the Court.

and between the chambers five cubits] Not between these two that joyned to the wall side and stood facing one another, for there were twenty five cubits betweene them, vers. 13. but there were two chambers more built on either side, and stood facing each other as those did, along the way further into the Court, and so there were three on the one side, and three on the other, vers. 10. and it was the space of five yards or cubits betwixt that next the wall, and the other that stood next to him, and so much betwixt that other and the third that stood the furthest into the Court.

and between threshold of the gate, by the porch of the gate within was one reed, &c.] The first threshold of the gate lay in the wall, and was as long as the wall was thicke. The second lay inward toward the Court, and was a reed long, or sixe yards and an halfe up into it.

Ezekiel 40:8

the porch of the gate within, one reed] The porch stood crossing as it were, over the way that went forward: for the breadth of it, as you passed it through to goe straight up to the Temple, was but one reed: and thus was the passage hitherto: First, in the gate was the threshold one reed: then in the Court was another threshold one reed, and then the porch one reed also.

Ezekiel 40:9

Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits] In length, from the North toward the South, for in the verse before be had measured the breadth of it one reed from the East toward the West.

and the posts thereof two cubits] Not simply and barely posts, [for in vers 16. [it is said] there were windows into the posts] but Rowes or Cloisters born up with Posts (as the Royall Exchange in London, though something differing in the workmanship betweene the posts or supporters.) Now in this porch of the East gate, the Cloisters were at either end of it, and they were but a cubit broad a piece; and so is the porch now become ten cubits long, just according to the breadth of the gate before which it stood length-waies, onely sixe yards and a halfe betweene them. These Cloisters or rowes at the North and South end of the porch, were two narrow passages like that joyning to one side of Bishopsgate and Aldersgate in London, saving that the outside of either was something open, by reason of the posts standing distant one from another.

Ezekiel 40:10

And the chambers of the gate East ward, three on this side, and three on that side] Or the chambers that stood along the way at this Easterne gate.

and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side] Both the Cloisters that were betweene chamber and chamber, and those that ranne along before these and the chambers, of which hereafter, were exactly of the same size on either side of the way.

Ezekiel 40:11

the breadth of the entry of the gate ten cubits] From North to South, or from the one hand, to the other.

and the length thirteene cubits] From the East to the West, or just before you as you went up.

Ezekiel 40:12

And a space also before the chambers, &c.] Heb. limit, or bound. As soone as ever you were entred within the gate, the chambers stood on either hand, and thus situate. A cubit on either side from the cheeke of the gate, ran a raile or wall, or some such partition from the wall, straight up along toward the Temple, a yard distant from either end of the porch, and so beyond inclosed the way and made it a dozen yards broad all along as it went betweene the chambers.

and the chambers sixe cubits on this side, and sixe on that] Sixe cubits within that raile or partition on either side stood the chambers.

Ezekiel 40:13

the breadth five and twenty cubits] Betwixt the two chambers that stood joyning to the wall, and butted out just as farre toward the Court as the second threshold did, he measured, laying this measure over the gate over that second threshold, and the space betweene chamber and chamber, was five and twenty cubits. This space was taken up with these parcels. First, the breadth of the gate or threshold was ten cubits. Then was there a cubit on either side to this raile or partition. The raile or partition it selfe, was halfe a cubit thick, and then the chambers within that, sixe cubits on either side: and at the very same distance one over against another, stood the other foure chambers, two on either side the way, that stood further into the Court. And now let the Reader in his thoughts march up from the entring of the gate as farre as the chambers stand towards the house.

First, he steppeth from without the wall, into the first threshold or entry of the gate, which is just as broad over as the wall is thick, namely, one reed, and tenne cubits the other way from side to side. Then steppeth he a step higher into the other threshold which lay within the wall, and was of the same length and breadth with the former, and was covered over with some covering, as was the other. Having paced over this, he entreth into the porch which stood joyning to this threshold as a crosse building, and was of the same length and breadth that it was, save that on either hand, the wall was broken into a Cloister of a cubit broad, the farthest or outmost side of which was posts to support it. Being passed through the porch he cometh into a broad way of twelve yards broad railed in on either side: This raile ran behind the porch and the second threshold, a cubit or a yard from them, and so gave a passage betwixt it and them of that space: and sixe yards within the railes on either side stood the chambers facing each other doore against doore. And thus they stood in correspondence to the threshold porch and way beyond them: the threshold was mated with a chamber on either side of it, and it betweene them, and they stood into the Court an equall space of sixe yards and an halfe. Then was there a space of five yards broad, answering to five yards of the porch, and opened just over against so much of it; and this space betweene the chamber next the wall, and the chamber next beyond it toward the Court, was cloistered or set upon posts, and was a passage betweene chamber and chamber to goe into the Court or open place that was behinde these buildings on either side.

Beyond this cloister or opening space, was another chamber on either side, the East ends of them for a yard and an hlfe corresponding, or standing just opposite to a yard and an halfe of the West end of the porch, or so much of the porch standing betweene so much of them: and the other five yards space of them shewing each to other, at five and twenty cubits distance, and the way to the Temple railed in betweene. Beyond this chamber was another cloister, or cloisterlike passage, and beyond that cloister another chamber of the same proportion, and of the same posture with those before; save that no building or piece of building stood, but onely an open place lay between them as they stood facing one another on either side that open way. And thus have you from the wall, or from the East-gate in it, the chambers and the cloisters betweene reaching thirty yards within an halfe up toward the house, or the inner Court.

Ezekiel 40:14

He made also posts, of threescore cubits] That is, a cloister or walkes supported with posts toward the open way that led forward into the Court: and this cloister ranne along from the wall at the East-gate before the chambers and the cloisters that were betweene them, up to the cloister that went off to the right and the left, at the very opening or entrance into the outer Court.

Ezekiel 40:15

fifty cubits] From the first entrance in at the East-gate, or through the wall of separation before you come into the open Court, you walked sixty cubits or so many yards hemmed in with buildings and cloisters on either hand, as vers. 14. Nine and twenty and an halfe of these cubits with buildings and cloisters before them, and the rest of them with cloisters onely without buildings at their back: Now whereas he speaketh here but of fifty cubits [and so vers. 25. 33, &c. at the other gates] it is to be understood thus, that of those sixty cubits mentioned before, which was the space betweene the entry in at the East-gate and the entrance into the Court; the tenne cubits that lay next to the Court were taken up with a porch which faced that at the East-gate, and so from the face of the gate of the entrance, as the Text saith, unto the face of this porch of the inner gate, were onely fiftie cubits, and the porch it selfe tenne cubits; and so you come to the inner gate, or opening into the open Court. This porch stood just thirty seven cubits from the other, and was just square, or ten cubits long, and so much broad, and had a raile or some such partition so at the back of it on either side, as the other porch had, and at the same distance from it that the other was.

Ezekiel 40:16

Narrow windowes to the chambers] Heb. closed. Narrow without to receive the light, and broader within to disperse and dilate it.

and to their posts] Or to their cloisters which were arched from post to post, and windowes made in those arches, partly for beauty, but chiefly to give light the more to the inferiour part of the chambers before which they stood: and in those cloisters which were forward beyond the chambers, which had no chambers at all behind them, there were windowes in their arches to make them the more lightsome and delightsome: and the posts of these cloisters were carved with Palme trees.

and likewise to the arches] Or, galleries, or porches. To those cloisters that were betweene the chambers of five yards or cubits broad, vers. 7. As the chambers had windowes, and the cloisters before them had windowes, so these cloisters that were betweene the chambers had windowes as well as those cloisters that ran along before them.

inward] Or, within.

Ezekiel 40:17

Then brought he me into the outward court] All these buildings that he had passed betweene hitherto stood in the outer Court, and now is he got through them into the open Court it selfe, to see what is behind these buildings, and what space before them betwixt and the next Court, and what compasse on either hand him towards North and South.

lo, chambers, and a pavement, &c.] As was this entrance at the East gate, so was there another at the North, and another at the South, of the very same spaciousnesse and manner of fabricke, ver. 20, 21. 24, 25. And these three running every one sixty cubits into the Court, in their proper places made two Courts on either side of the East entrance one, of a very large compasse: and these two were flagged or paved from the outmost wall to the pointings out of the East, North, and South entrances.

Ezekiel 40:18

And the pavement by the fide of the gates over against the length of the gates] By the side of the gates he meaneth, the East, North and South gates, in the wall, or that the pavement began from the outmost wall: and by over against the length of the gatest, hat it came corresponding or shooting along the entrances up toward the Court threescore cubits.

Ezekiel 40:19

And he measured the breadth, &c.] Above this pavement, which lay within the pointings in of the entrances from the three gates, lay an other pavement or flat, raised a step, or some ascending above the other fourtie cubits broad: from the outgoing of every entrance, to the entry into the inner Court, and so these two made the outmost Court of a hundred cubits broad.

without] Or, from without.

Ezekiel 40:20

And the gate which was toward the North, &c.] Heb. whose face was. This gate, and the gate toward the South, were in all points so very like the East-gate described before, that there needeth no more explanation of these verses, 20, 21, 22. 24, 25, 26.

Ezekiel 40:23

And the gate of the inner court, &c.] Just before these three gates, East, North, and South, an hundred cubits from them within were there three gates into the inner Court: See vers. 27. and these three gates and their entrances up into the inner Court, were of the same dimensions, and of the same fashion that the outer gates and entrances were, vers. 28, 29. 32, 33. 35, 36. save that there were eight steps up into these, vers. 31. 37. whereas there were but seven into the outer, vers. 26. and that the wall on the sides of every gate was broken into a walke or cloister, which opened to the outer Court with arches, vers. 31. 34. 37. And these cloisters were twentie five cubits long on either side the gates, reaching eleven cubits further then the furthest wall of the chambers, and the breadth of this cloister was five cubits, which was the breadth of the little walkes, which were betweene the chambers.

Ezekiel 40:37

Palme trees were upon the posts thereof on this side, and on that] The posts that supported and arched the cloister had Palme trees upon them on the side toward the cloister, and Palme trees also on the other side toward the Court.

Ezekiel 40:38

And the chambers, &c.] Heb. and a chamber. One number being put for another. In the North-gate [viz. on the North-side of the Altar, according to the the Law, Leviticus 1:11. on either side of the gate, by the cloisters which run East and West from the gate, was there a roome or chamber, for the disposing or fitting of the sacrifice when it was slaine, against it should be brought to the Altar. And this was, because that in time of raine, the task would have beene unsufferable for the Priests to stand without any shelter or covert, to flea, wash, and divide the beasts to be offered; therefore roomes were thus provided for them, that in heat or foule weather, they might stand and worke without any annoyance from either of them. And the doores of these roomes opened into the cloisters by the gate side and not into the gate, but a close wall was betwixt the gate and them, which prevented disturbance to the Priests as they were at their worke, and any offence to the people as they entred the gate.

Ezekiel 40:39

And in the porch of the gate two tables] This porch was within the gate, or inward toward the Court, and these two tables on either side stood to the North and South wall of it. Where, if this inner North-gate was fashioned in all points like to the North-gate of the outer Court, it was broken into a kind of a cloister.

and the sin-offering] Leviticus 4:2. & Leviticus 5:12.

and the trespasse-offering] Leviticus 7:1.

Ezekiel 40:40-42

And at the side without, &c.] Or, at the step. As there were these two tables within the porch on either side, as you passed through it into the Court: so on the outside of it also on either side, were two tables more, and on the outside of the gate on either side two tables likewise: so that in all, the tables were twelve, whereon the sacrifices were killed; the foure within the porch for the constant burnt-offering, and for the sinne-offering, and trespasse-offering of the Congregation: and the eight other for the sacrifices and offerings of particular men.

Ezekiel 40:43

And within were hookes] Or, end-irons, or, the two hearth-stones. To hang the slaine beast on while they slayed him: The word in the Originall that signifieth Hookes, is of the duall number, for that two hookes were made upon one stem, an hand breadth one from another, and thse were knocked up in the wall at a convenient distance each from other, that if need were, the two tangs of one hook might hold two severall beasts legs upon them.

Ezekiel 40:44

And without the inner gate &c.] That is, at the backside of these buildings of the North gate within the inner court, joyning to the partition wall or cloister that ran between the court of the people and this inner court, stood these chambers opening toward the South: And so likewise at the backside of the buildings of the East gate, viz. on the North side of these buildings were there other chambers, which stood not with their backs to the wall or partition between the courts as it was with them at the North gate, but with their backs to the porch and buildings of the East gate that ran along into the court, and so their prospect or facing was toward the North.

Ezekiel 40:45

the keepers] Numb. 3. 27 28. 32. 38.

charge of the house] Or, ward, or, ordinance: and so vers. 46.

Ezekiel 40:46

the keepers of the charge of the altar] Levit. 6. 12, 13.

the sonnes of Zadok] 1 Kings 2:35. He is mentioned, because he was the first Priest in the Temple that Salomon built, 1 Kings 2:35. and to him the Priesthood first devolved from the house of Ithamar: as vers. 27. of that Chapter.

Ezekiel 40:48-49

And he measured the porch, &c.] The porch before the Temple was twentie cubits long, and eleven cubits broad: Now the standing of it was that the length of it stood crossing to the house, and was just as long as the house was broad: so that to passe through the porch into the house, you passed the breadth of it and not the length. Now as you go up to the front of it, it stood facing of you in this manner. In the middle of the length of it, was the doore of foure cubits broad, on either side of the doore was a gate or leaves of a gate to open when occasion was, three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side, and on either side of these leaves were cloysters of five cubits long, and so was the whole length or front of the porch taken up. And at the point of these cloysters toward the entrance stood two pillars, as Jachin and Boaz in the Temple of Solomon, 1 Kings 7:21.