Ezekiel 40

1 In the twenty-fifth year of our removal, in the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after which the city was struck, on this very same day a hand of YHWH has been on me, and He brings me in there;

At the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month of the twenty-fifth year of our exile, (fourteenth years after Jerusalem had been captured), was the exact day that the Lord's power came over me and he took me there to the city.

2 in visions of God He has brought me into the land of Israel, and causes me to rest on a very high mountain, and on it [is] as the frame of a city from the south.

God took me to the country of Israel in vision and set me down on a very high mountain. On the south side of the mountain there were buildings that seemed to be a city.

3 And He brings me in there, and behold, a man, his appearance as the appearance of bronze, and a thread of flax in his hand, and a measuring-reed, and he is standing at the gate,

When he took me there I saw a man who looked like shining bronze. He was holding a linen cord and a measuring rod as he stood in the entrance way.

4 and the man speaks to me: “Son of man, see with your eyes, And hear with your ears, And set your heart to all that I am showing you, For in order to show [it] you, You have been brought in here, Declare all that you are seeing to the house of Israel.”

“Son of man,” he told me, “watch with your eyes, listen with your ears. Concentrate on everything I'm about to show you, because that's the reason you were brought here. You are to explain to the people of Israel what you've been shown, everything you see.”

5 And behold, a wall all around on the outside of the house, and a measuring-reed in the hand of the man, six cubits by a cubit and a handbreadth, and he measures the breadth of the building—one reed, and the height—one reed.

I could see a wall that surrounded the Temple. The measuring rod the man was holding was six long cubits in length (a long cubit is a cubit plus a handbreadth). He measured the wall as six cubits thick and six cubits high.

6 And he comes to the gate whose front [is] eastward, and he goes up by its steps, and he measures the threshold of the gate—one reed broad, even one threshold—one reed broad,

Then he went up the steps of the east-facing gate. He measured the gate's threshold as six cubits deep.

7 and the little chamber—one reed long and one reed broad, and between the little chambers—five cubits, and the threshold of the gate, from the side of the porch of the gate from within—one reed.

Beyond that were alcoves that measured six cubits by six cubits, with five cubits between the alcoves. The threshold of the inside entrance facing the porch measured six cubits.

8 And he measures the porch of the gate from within—one reed,

Then he measured the entrance porch.

9 and he measures the porch of the gate—eight cubits, and its posts—two cubits, and the porch of the gates from within,

It was eight cubits deep, and its posts were two cubits thick. The entrance porch faced the Temple.

10 and the little chambers of the gate eastward, three on this side and three on that side; the three of them—one measure, and the posts—one measure, on this side and on that side.

There were three alcoves on each side of the east gate entrance that all measured the same. The posts on each side also measured the same.

11 And he measures the breadth of the opening of the gate—ten cubits, the length of the gate—thirteen cubits;

He measured the width of the entrance gateway as ten cubits. It was thirteen cubits long.

12 and a border before the little chambers—one cubit, and one cubit [is] the border on this side, and the little chamber—six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

A wall one cubit high was in front of alcove, and the alcoves measured six cubits by six cubits.

13 And he measures the gate from the roof of the [one] little chamber to the roof of another; the breadth—twenty-five cubits, opening opposite opening.

Then he measured the entrance gateway from the roof of one alcove to the roof of the one opposite. It was twenty-five cubits from one doorway to the opposite doorway.

14 And he makes the posts of sixty cubits, even to the post of the court, the gate all around;

Then he measured the distance between the posts as sixty cubits. The gateway led all the way around to the courtyard.

15 and by the front of the gate of the entrance, by the front of the porch of the inner gate—fifty cubits;

It was fifty cubits from the gateway entrance to the far side of the inside porch.

16 and narrow windows [are] in the little chambers, and in their posts on the inside of the gate all around—and so to the arches—and windows all around on the inside, and palm-trees [are] on the post.

The alcoves and their pillars had narrow windows on all of the inside of the gateway. The porches also had windows on all of the inside. All the posts were decorated with palm tree designs.

17 And he brings me into the outer court, and behold, chambers and a pavement made for the court all around—thirty chambers on the pavement—

He took me into the outer courtyard. I saw rooms and a pavement had been constructed around the courtyard. There were thirty rooms facing the pavement.

18 and the pavement to the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates, [is] the lower pavement;

This was termed the lower pavement and it extended along the sides of the gateways and was the same length as them.

19 and he measures the breadth from before the lower gate, to the front of the inner court, on the outside—one hundred cubits, eastward and northward.

He measured the distance from the front of the lower gateway to the far side of the inner courtyard as one hundred cubits, both to the east side and the north.

20 As for the gate of the outer court whose front [is] northward, he has measured its length and its breadth;

He also measured the length and width of the gateway of the outer courtyard that faced north.

21 and its little chambers, three on this side and three on that side, and its posts and its arches have been according to the measure of the first gate, its length [is] fifty cubits, and breadth [is] twenty-five by the cubit;

Its three alcoves on both sides, its posts, and its porch all measured the same as the first gateway and was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

22 and its windows, and its arches, and its palm-trees [are] according to the measure of the gate whose face [is] eastward, and they go up on it by seven steps, and its arches [are] before them.

Its windows, porch, and palm tree decorations were the same as those of the east-facing gate. It had seven steps leading up to it, with its porch facing them.

23 And the gate of the inner court [is] opposite the gate at the north and at the east; and he measures from gate to gate—one hundred cubits.

There was an entrance to the inner courtyard facing the north gate, just like the east gate. He measured the distance from the entrance to the gate as a hundred cubits.

24 And he causes me to go southward, and behold, a gate southward, and he has measured its posts and its arches according to these measurements;

He took me to the south side, and I saw a gateway that faced south. He measured its posts and its porch, and they measured the same as those previously.

25 and windows [are] in it and in its arches all around, like these windows, the length—fifty cubits, and the breadth—twenty-five cubits;

Both the gateway and its porch had windows all around it that were like the other windows. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

26 and seven steps [are] its ascent, and its arches [are] before them, and palm-trees [are] in it, one on this side and one on that side, on its posts;

It had seven steps leading up to it, and its porch faced them. It had one post on each side with palm tree designs on them.

27 and the gate of the inner court [is] southward, and he measures from gate to gate southward, one hundred cubits.

The inner courtyard also had an entrance facing south, and he measured the distance from the entrance to the south gate as a hundred cubits.

28 And he brings me into the inner court by the south gate, and he measures the south gate according to these measurements;

He took me into the inner courtyard through the south gate, and he measured the south gate. It measured the same as those previously.

29 and its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches [are] according to these measurements, and windows [are] in it and in its arches all around; the length—fifty cubits, and the breadth—twenty-five cubits.

Its alcoves, posts, and porch had the same measurements as those previously. The gateway and its porch had windows all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

30 As for the arches all around, the length—twenty-five cubits, and the breadth—five cubits;

(The other surrounding porches measured twenty-five cubits long and five cubits deep.)

31 and its arches [are] toward the outer court, and palm-trees [are] on its posts, and eight steps [are] its ascent.

Its porch faced the outer courtyard, and its pillars were decorated with palm tree designs. It had eight steps leading up to it.

32 And he brings me into the inner court eastward, and he measures the gate according to these measurements;

He took me to the inner courtyard on the east side. He measured the gateway and it measured the same as those previously.

33 and its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches [are] according to these measurements: and windows [are] in it and in its arches all around, the length—fifty cubits, and the breadth—twenty-five cubits;

Its alcoves, posts, and porch measured the same as those previously. The gateway and its porch had windows all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

34 and its arches [are] toward the outer court, and palm-trees [are] toward its posts, on this side and on that side, and eight steps [are] its ascent.

Its porch faced the outer courtyard, and its posts were decorated with palm tree designs. It had eight steps leading up to it.

35 And he brings me into the north gate, and has measured according to these measurements;

He took me to the north gate and measured it. It measured the same as those previously,

36 its little chambers, its posts, and its arches; and windows [are] in it all around: the length—fifty cubits, and the breadth—twenty-five cubits;

including its alcoves, posts, and porch. The gateway and its porch had windows all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

37 and its posts [are] toward the outer court, and palm-trees [are] on its posts, on this side and on that side, and eight steps [are] its ascent.

Its porch faced the outer courtyard, and its posts were decorated with palm tree designs on all sides. It had eight steps leading up to it.

38 And the chamber and its opening [is] by the posts of the gates, there they purge the burnt-offering.

A room with a doorway stood beside by the porch of the inner gateways. This was where the burnt offering was washed.

39 And in the porch of the gate [are] two tables on this side and two tables on that side, to slaughter on them the burnt-offering, and the sin-offering, and the guilt-offering;

Inside the gateway porch were two tables on both sides, where the sacrificial animals were slaughtered for burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings.

40 and at the side without, at the going up to the opening of the north gate, [are] two tables; and at the other side that [is] at the porch of the gate, [are] two tables;

Outside, on the way up to the entrance of the north gateway, were two tables on one side of the gate's porch and two tables on the other side.

41 four tables [are] on this side and four tables on that side, at the side of the gate, eight tables on which they slaughter.

So there were four tables on the inside the of gateway and another four outside, making a total of eight tables. This is where the sacrifices were slaughtered.

42 And the four tables for burnt-offering [are] of hewn stone: the length—one cubit and a half, and the breadth—one cubit and a half, and the height—one cubit; they place on them the instruments with which they slaughter the burnt-offering and the sacrifice.

There were also four tables of cut stone for the burnt offering. They each measured one and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and a cubit high. The tools used to slaughter the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices were placed on these tables.

43 And the boundaries [are] one handbreadth, prepared within all around: and the flesh of the offering [is] on the tables.

Hooks measuring the width of a hand were attached to the walls inside the room. The meat of the offering was to be placed on the tables.

44 And on the outside of the inner gate [are] chambers of the singers, in the inner court, that [are] at the side of the north gate, and their fronts [are] southward, one at the side of the east gate [with] front northward.

Outside the inner gate but inside the inner courtyard were two rooms. One was beside the north gate and faced south; the other beside the south gate and faced north.

45 And he speaks to me: “This chamber, whose front [is] southward, [is] for priests keeping charge of the house;

The man told me: “The room that faces south is for the priests in charge of the Temple,

46 and the chamber, whose front [is] northward, [is] for priests keeping charge of the altar: they [are] sons of Zadok, who are drawing near of the sons of Levi to YHWH, to serve Him.”

and the room that faces north is for the priests in charge of the altar. These priests are the descendants of Zadok and are the only Levites who are allowed to come near to the Lord and minister before him.”

47 And he measures the court: the length—one hundred cubits, and the breadth—one hundred cubits, square, and the altar [is] before the house.

He measured the square courtyard: a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide. The altar stood in the courtyard in front of the Temple.

48 And he brings me to the porch of the house, and he measures the post of the porch—five cubits on this side and five cubits on that side, and the breadth of the gate—three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side;

He took me to the Temple porch and measured the pillars of the porch as five cubits on each side. The gateway was fourteen cubits wide and its sides measured three cubits.

49 the length of the porch—twenty cubits, and the breadth—eleven [[or twelve]] cubits; and they go up to it by the [[ten]] steps. And pillars [are] by the posts, one on this side and one on that side.

The porch was twenty cubits wide and twelve cubits deep, and had ten steps leading up to it. There were columns by the posts, one on both sides.