Ezekiel 40

1 In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth [day] of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was smitten, in the same day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither.

Almost 25 years after we had been [to Babylonia], on the tenth day of the first month of that year, almost 14years after Jerusalem had been destroyed, in a vision [I felt] the power [MTY] of Yahweh on me, and he took me to Israel.

2 In the visions of God he brought me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which [was] as the frame of a city on the south.

He set me on a very high mountain. On the south side of that mountain there were some buildings that appeared to be [part of] a city.

3 And he brought me thither, and behold, [there was] a man, whose appearance [was] like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

When he took there, I saw a man whose face was like [SIM] bronze. He was standing in the entrance [of a building]. He had a linen cord and a measuring stick in his hand.

4 And the man said to me, Son of man, behold with thy eyes, and hear with thy ears, and set thy heart upon all that I shall show thee; for, to the intent that I might show [them] to thee [art] thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.

He said to me, “You human, look carefully at everything that I am going to show you, and pay attention to everything that I say and everything that I will show you, because that is why you have been brought here. [And then later] you must tell the Israeli people everything that you have seen [here].”

5 And behold a wall on the outside of the house around, and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits [long] by the cubit and a hand-breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed: and the hight, one reed.

[In the vision I saw that] there was a wall that completely surrounded the temple area. The measuring stick in the man’s hand was (10-1/2 feet/3.3 meters) long. He measured the wall: It was (10-1/2 feet/3.3 meters) thick and (10-1/2 feet/3.3 meters) high.

6 Then he came to the gate which looketh towards the east, and ascended its stairs, and measured the threshhold of the gate, [which was] one reed broad; and the other threshhold [of the gate], [which was] one reed broad.

Then he went to the entryway on the east [side of the temple]. He climbed the steps and measured the outer threshold/opening for the entryway: It was (10-1/2 feet/3.3 meters) deep.

7 And [every] little chamber [was] one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the little chambers [were] five cubits; and the threshhold of the gate by the porch of the gate within [was] one reed.

Next, there was an entry hallway with [three] (alcoves/very small rooms) along each side [where the guards stood]. Each of the alcoves was (10-1/2 feet/3.3 meters) on each side. There was a dividing wall between each alcove that was (8-3/4 feet/2.7 meters) wide. At the end of the entry hallway was the inner threshold/opening for the entryway, (10-1/2 feet/3.3 meters) deep. It led to the entry room [to the inner courtyard] and faced the temple.

8 He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.

Then he measured the entry room at the end of the entry hallway.

9 Then he measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its posts, two cubits; and the porch of the gate [was] inward.

It was about (14 feet/4.2 meters) long, and its supporting columns were (3-1/2 feet/1.1 meters) thick. The entry room of the entryway was at the end of the entry hallway that faced the temple [and extended into the courtyard].

10 And the little chambers of the gate eastward [were] three on this side, and three on that side; they three [were] of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side.

Inside the east entryway there were three alcoves on each side of the entry hallway. They each had the same length and width. And the measurements of the walls that divided the alcoves were all identical.

11 And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; [and] the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.

Then he measured the threshold/opening for the entryway: It was (17-1/2 feet/5.3 meters) wide, and the entry hallway [between the alcoves] was (22-3/4 feet/6.9 meters) wide.

12 The space also before the little chambers [was] one cubit [on this side], and the space [was] one cubit on that side: and the little chambers [were] six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

In front of each alcove was a low wall about (21 inches/53 cm.) high, and the alcoves were (10-1/2 feet/3.3 meters) on each side.

13 He measured then the gate from the roof of [one] little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth [was] five and twenty cubits, door against door.

Then he measured the width of the roof of the entrance hallway, the distance between the rear wall of one alcove to the rear wall of the opposite alcove, [including the supporting walls along each side]. It was (43-3/4 feet/13.3 meters).

14 He made also posts of sixty cubits; even to the post of the court around the gate.

Then he measured all along the dividing walls between the alcoves all along the inside of the entry hallway: It was (105 feet/31.8 meters). He measured as far as the entry room of the entryway.

15 And from the face of the gate of the entrance to the face of the porch of the inner gate [were] fifty cubits.

The length from [outer] opening of the entryway to the far end of the entry room was (87-1/2 feet/26.5 meters).

16 And [there were] narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate around, and likewise to the arches: and windows [were] around inward: and upon [each] post [were] palm-trees.

There were [small] windows in the outside walls of all the alcoves, and also in the inner dividing walls between the alcoves. There were also small windows in the entry room. The dividing walls were decorated with [carvings of] palm trees.

17 Then he brought me into the outward court, and lo, [there were] chambers, and a pavement made for the court around: thirty chambers [were] upon the pavement.

Then [in the vision] he brought me to the outer courtyard. There I saw some rooms, and a stone path/pavement along the walls around the courtyard. There were thirty rooms along the path.

18 And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates [was] the lower pavement.

The stone path was all around the courtyard, and it extended out from the walls into the courtyard for the same distance as the entry room [of the entryway]. That was the lower path.

19 Then he measured the breadth from the front of the lower gate to the front of the inner court without, a hundred cubits eastward and northward.

Then the man measured the distance [across the outer courtyard of the temple], between the inner [entrance of] the entryway and [the wall surrounding the] inner courtyard: It was (175 feet/53 meters) [on the east side and on the north side of the courtyard].

20 And the gate of the outward court that looked towards the north, he measured its length, and its breadth.

Then he measured how long and how wide was the entryway that was on the north side, the entrance into the outer courtyard [of the temple].

21 And the little chambers of it [were] three on this side and three on that side; and its posts and its arches were after the measure of the first gate; its length [was] fifty cubits, and its breadth five and twenty cubits.

There were three alcoves on each side of the entryway hall. The measurements of the alcoves, the dividing walls between the alcoves, and the entry room were the same as as those in the first entryway. The length from [outer] opening of the entryway to the far end of the entry room was (87-1/2 feet/26.5 meters). The entryway was (43-3/4 feet/13.3 meters) wide.

22 And their windows, and their arches, and their palm-trees, [were] after the measure of the gate that looketh towards the east; and they went up to it by seven steps; and its arches [were] before them.

Its windows and the entry room and the palm tree [decorations all] measured the same as the ones on the east [side]. There were seven steps up to the outer threshold/opening for the entryway, and an entry room was at the other end of the entryway.

23 And the gate of the inner court [was] over against the gate towards the north, and towards the east; and he measured from gate to gate a hundred cubits.

There was an entryway to the inner courtyard that faces the north entryway, like there was on the east [side]. The man measured [the distance] from [the north] entryway to the entryway [on the other side]; it was (175 feet/53 meters).

24 After that he brought me towards the south, and behold a gate towards the south: and he measured its posts and its arches according to these measures.

Then he brought me through the south entryway [into the outer courtyard], and he measured it. It measured the same as the other entryways. Its alcoves, its dividing walls between the alcoves, and its entry room measured the same as the ones on the other sides.

25 And [there were] windows in it and in its arches around, like those windows: the length [was] fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

The alcoves and the entry room had [narrow] windows along the walls, like on the other [sides]. The length [of the outer opening of the] entryway [to the far end of the entry room was] was (87-1/2 feet/26.5 meters) and the entryway was (43-3/4 feet/13.3 meters) wide.

26 And [there were] seven steps to go up to it, and its arches [were] before them: and it had palm-trees, one on this side, and another on that side, upon its posts.

There were seven steps up to the outer threshold/opening for the entryway, and an entry room was (opposite it/at the end of the entryway facing the courtyard). It [also] had [carvings of] palm trees on the dividing walls that were between the alcoves.

27 And [there was] a gate in the inner court towards the south: and he measured from gate to gate towards the south a hundred cubits.

The inner courtyard also had an entryway on the south [side]. He measured from that entryway to the entrance on the south [side of the outer courtyard; it was also] (175 feet/53 meters).

28 And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate; and he measured the south gate according to these measures;

Then [in the vision] he brought me through the south entryway into the inner courtyard, and he measured the south entryway. It measured the same as the other [entryways].

29 And its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches, according to these measures; and [there were] windows in it and in its arches around: [it was] fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.

Its alcoves [along the entry hallway], its dividing walls [between the alcoves], and its entry room measured the same as [the ones on] the other [sides]. The alcoves and the entry room had windows. The length [of the outer opening of the] entryway [to the far end of the entry room was] was (87-1/2 feet/26.5 meters) and the entryway was (43-3/4 feet/13.3 meters) wide.

30 And the arches around [were] five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.

The entry rooms around [the inner courtyard] were (43-3/4 feet/13.3 meters) wide and (8.7 feet/2.6 meters) long.

31 And its arches [were] towards the outer court; and palm-trees [were] upon its posts: and the ascent to it [had] eight steps.

The entry room faced the outer courtyard. There were [carvings of] palm trees that decorated the columns, and there were eight steps [up] to the entryway.

32 And he brought me into the inner court towards the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures.

Then he led me to the east side of the inner courtyard, and he measured the entrance. It had the same measurements as the other [entrances]

33 And its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches, [were] according to these measures; and [there were] windows in it and in its arches around: [it was] fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.

Its alcoves and dividing walls and entry room measured the same as the others.

34 And its arches [were] towards the outward court; and palm-trees were upon its posts, on this side, and on that side: and the ascent to it [had] eight steps.

Its entry room faced the outer courtyard. It also had carvings of palm trees that decorated the walls, and it had eight steps up to it.

35 And he brought me to the north gate, and measured [it] according to these measures;

Then he led me to the entrance on the north side and measured it. It measured the same as the other entrances.

36 Its little chambers, its posts, and its arches, and the windows to it around: the length [was] fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

And its alcoves and walls between them and the entry room all had [small] windows in the walls. It was (87-1/2 feet/26.5 meters) long and (43.7 feet/13.3 meters) wide.

37 And its posts [were] towards the outer court; and palm-trees [were] upon its posts, on this side, and on that side: and the ascent to it [had] eight steps.

Its entry room faced the outer courtyard. There were [carvings of] palm trees that decorated its walls, and there were eight steps [up] to the entryway.

38 And the chambers and its entries [were] by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt-offering.

[In the vision, I saw that] in the inner entry room of the north entryway there was a door to a side room. That side room was where the [carcasses of the] animals that would be burned completely [on the altar] were washed.

39 And in the porch of the gate [were] two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay upon it the burnt-offering and the sin-offering and the trespass-offering.

In the entry room, there were two tables on each side [of the room]. On those tables would be slaughtered the animals that would be completely burned, and the animals for offerings for sins that people had committed, and offerings to cause people to longer be guilty for having sinned.

40 And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the north gate, [were] two tables; and on the other side, which [was] at the porch of the gate, [were] two tables.

Along the outside wall of the entry room, on each side of the steps at the opening to the entryway on the north side, were two tables.

41 Four tables [were] on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, upon which they slew [their sacrifices].

[So] there were four tables outside the entrance and four tables inside the entry room, on which the [animals to be] sacrificed were slaughtered.

42 And the four tables [were] of hewn stone for the burnt-offering, of a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high: upon which also they laid the instruments with which they slew the burnt-offering and the sacrifice.

There were also four tables of cut stone for the offerings to be completely burned, (31-1/2 in./80 cm.) on each side and (21 in./53 cm.) high. On those stone tables would be placed the tools for slaughtering all the animals for the sacrifices.

43 And within [were] hooks, a hand broad, fastened around: and upon the tables [was] the flesh of the offering.

The meat for the offerings would be placed on [stone] tables. There were hooks [on which the meat was hung], each with two prongs, each (3 in./8 cm.) long, fastened to the walls [of the entry room].

44 And without the inner gate [were] the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which [was] at the side of the north gate; and their prospect [was] towards the south: one at the side of the east gate [having] the prospect towards the north.

Outside the inner entryway, inside the inner courtyard, were two rooms, one on the north side and one on the south side.

45 And he said to me, This chamber, whose prospect [is] towards the south, [is] for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house.

The man said to me, “The room whose door faces south is for the priests who are in charge of the work in the temple.

46 And the chamber whose prospect [is] towards the north [is] for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these [are] the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, who come near to the LORD to minister to him.

The room whose door faces north is for the priests who are in charge of [the work at] the altar. They are the descendants of Zadok; they are the only descendants of Levi who are permitted to approach Yahweh while they work for him.”

47 So he measured the court, a hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar [that was] before the house.

Then he measured the courtyard: It was square, (175 feet/53 meters) long and (175 feet/53 meters) wide. The altar was in front of the temple.

48 And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured [each] post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate [was] three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.

Then [in the vision] he brought me to the entry room of the temple, and measured the walls on each side of the entrance: They were (8-3/4 feet/2.6 meters) thick. The entrance was (24-1/2 feet/7.4 meters) wide, and the walls on each side of the entrance were (5-1/4 feet/1.6 meters) long.

49 The length of the porch [was] twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and [he brought me] by the steps by which they went up to it: and [there were] pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.

The entry room was (35 feet/10.6 meters) wide on each side. There were ten steps up to it, and there were pillars on each side of the entrance.