Ezekiel 42

REVIEW QUESTIONS

In what way are Chapter s 40-48 to be regarded as the climax of all which Ezekiel had been saying?

Who conducted Ezekiel through his visionary tour of the Zion-to-be?

What three basic approaches to Ezekiel’s Temple have been taken? What are the strong points and weak points of each approach?

What basic lessons can be gleaned from these Chapter s re gardless of the system of interpretation which is followed?

How long after the destruction of Jerusalem did Ezekiel receive this final vision?

Who were the Zadokites? Why is the priesthood restricted to the sons of Zadok in the new Temple?

If the Temple is to be interpreted symbolically, why does Ezekiel go into such tedious detail about its structure and operation?

What were the outer dimensions of the new Temple?

What did Ezekiel see returning to Jerusalem in this vision? What explanation did Ezekiel hear the divine voice make concerning that visionary Temple?

How does God describe the people who live in the new Temple age?

What was Ezekiel told to do with the information which he received in the Temple vision?

Ezekiel 42:1-14

E. The Priest’s Chambers in the Temple Yard 42:1-14

TRANSLATION

(1) Then be brought me forth into the outer court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was over against the building toward the north. (2) Before the length of a hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits. (3) Over against the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and over against the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in the third story. (4) And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits-’ breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors were toward the north. (5) Now the upper chambers were shorter; for the galleries took away from these, more than from the lower and the middlemost, in the building. (6) For they were in three stories, and they had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the uppermost was straitened more than the lowest and the middle most from the ground. (7) And the wall that was without by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court before the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits. (8) For the length of the chambers that were in the outer court was fifty cubits: and, 10, before the temple were a hundred cubits. (9) And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court. (10) In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, before the separate place, and before the building, there were chambers. (11) And the way before them was like the appearance of the way of the chambers which were toward the north; according to their length so was their breadth: and all their egresses were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors. (12) And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door at the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one enters into them. (13) Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they are the holy chambers, where the priests that are near unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things, and the meal-offering, and the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering; for the place is holy. (14) When the priests enter in, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy: and they shall put on other garments, and shall approach to that which pertains to the people.

COMMENTS

Across the Temple yard directly opposite the side-chambers of the Temple were the priests-’ chambers. These chambers were briefly mentioned in Ezekiel 41:10. The priests-’ chambers consisted of two blocks or complexes of chambers separated from one another by a passageway ten cubits wide. Closest to the Temple was a rather large one-story building (100 by 50 cubits) which was divided into smaller chambers. These chambers were used for dining rooms and for storing the offerings given to the priests. They also served as a vestry (Ezekiel 42:13-14). Across the passageway was a three-storied complex of chambers fifty cubits long. For aesthetic reasons a dividing wall extended another fifty cubits so that this second complex of chambers would balance in appearance the first block of priestly chambers. Apparently these priestly chambers could be entered from the outer court and from the passage between the two complexes of chambers.

Ezekiel 42:15-20

F. Total Dimensions of the Temple Area 42:15-20

TRANSLATION

(15) Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about. (16) He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. (17) He measured on the north side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about. (18) He measured on the south side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. (19) He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. (20) 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.

COMMENTS

The measurements of the inner house including its courts and associated buildings is now complete. The angel returned to the eastern gate, the point at which the measuring had begun. He now measures the entire area surrounding the wall (Ezekiel 42:15). Apparently another wall surrounded the entire Temple complex as it has previously been described. This third wall formed a square of five hundred reeds. Since a reed is thought to have been about six cubits, this outer area would have been a three thousand cubit square. The size of Solomon’s Temple was only five hundred cubits square.