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Ezekiel Chapter 42

Old Testament Major Prophet 20 Verses

What is Ezekiel 42 about?

Dramatic visions of God's glory, Israel's corporate restoration, and the eschatological Temple given to the exiled priest-prophet. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1Then he 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.
2Before the length of a hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits.
3Over 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.
4And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits` breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors were toward the north.
5Now the upper chambers were shorter; for the galleries took away from these, more than from the lower and the middlemost, in the building.
6For 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 middlemost from the ground.
7And the wall that was without by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court before the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits.
8For the length of the chambers that were in the outer court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were a hundred cubits.
9And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the outer court.
10In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, before the separate place, and before the building, there were chambers.
11And 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.
12And 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 entereth into them.
13Then 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 Jehovah shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meal-offering, and the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering; for the place is holy.
14When 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 pertaineth to the people.
15Now 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.
16He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
17He measured on the north side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about.
18He measured on the south side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
19He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
20He 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.
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What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north, &c.] After the dimensions of the gates and courts of this building had been shown, and that of itself, the holy and most holy place, with the ornaments thereof; the prophet is brought by his guide into the outward court, which encompassed the building to the north part of it; probably he came out of the north gate of the house into it. So the Targum renders it, “by the way of the gate which is open to the way of the north:” and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place; or holy of holies; (see <264112>Ezekiel…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“CHAMBERS OF THE PRIESTS: MEASUREMENTS OF THE TEMPLE. (Eze. 42:1-20) Before the length of an hundred cubits--that is before "the separate place," which was that length (Eze 41:13). He had before spoken of chambers for the officiating priests on the north and south gates of the inner court (Eze 40:44-46). He now returns to take a more exact view of them.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“Utter court - Outward court, so Ezekiel 42:3. Into the chamber ... before the building - to the chambers (See L, Plan II)... over against etc. “The building” is the temple-building, for this row of chambers was built against eighty cubits of the wall bounding “the separate place” and twenty cubits of the wall of the temple-court. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 2
“The length - The temple of one hundred cubits long, and of fifty broad, was on the south prospect of these chambers. Ezekiel 42:3”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“42:1 Having reached the center of the Temple complex, Ezekiel began traveling outward again.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“he brought: Eze 40:2, Eze 40:3, Eze 40:24, Eze 41:1 the utter court: Eze 40:20; Rev 11:2 chamber: This seems to denote a row of chambers in three stories; which appear to have been situated in the inner court (here called the outer court in reference to the temple, Eze 42:13, Eze 42:14), just before the separate place, at the entrance from the north. Eze 42:4, Eze 41:9, Eze 41:12-15 Ezekiel 42:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“The Cell-Building in the Outer Court for Holy Use Eze 42:1. And he brought me out into the outer court by the way toward the north, and brought me to the cell-building, which was opposite to the separate place, and opposite to the building toward the north, Eze 42:2. Before the long side of a hundred cubits, with the door toward the north, and the breadth fifty cubits, Eze 42:3. Opposite to the twenty of the inner court and opposite to the stone pavement of the outer-court; gallery against gallery was in the third storey. Eze 42:4. And before the cells a walk, ten cubits broad; to the inner a way of a hundred…”
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