Ezekiel 40
The New Temple
1In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month in the fourteenth year after Jerusalem had been captured, on that very day the Lord’s hand was on me, and he brought me there.23In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. On its southern slope was a structure resembling a city.45He brought me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing by the city gate.67He spoke to me: “Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Report everything you see to the house of Israel.”8The Wall and Outer Gates
9Now there was a wall surrounding the outside of the temple. The measuring rod in the man’s hand was six units of twenty-one inches; each unit was the standard length plus three inches. He measured the thickness of the wall structure; it was 10½ feet, and its height was the same.1011Then he came to the gate that faced east and climbed its steps. He measured the threshold of the gate; it was 10½ feet deep — one threshold was 10½ feet deep.1213Each recess was 10½ feet long and 10½ feet deep, and there was a space of 8¾ feet between the recesses. The inner threshold of the gate on the temple side next to the gate’s portico was 10½ feet.1415Next he measured the gate’s portico;1617it was 14 feet, and its jambs were 3½ feet. The gate’s portico was on the temple side.1819There were three recesses on each side of the east gate, each with the same measurements, and the jambs on either side also had the same measurements.2021Then he measured the width of the gate’s entrance; it was 17½ feet, while the width of the gate was 22¾ feet.2223There was a barrier of 21 inches in front of the recesses on both sides, and the recesses on each side were 10½ feet square.2425Then he measured the gate from the roof of one recess to the roof of the opposite one; the distance was 43¾ feet. The openings of the recesses faced each other.2627Next, he measured the porch — 105 feet.2829The distance from the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the gate’s portico on the inside was 87½ feet.3031The recesses and their jambs had beveled windows all around the inside of the gate. The porticoes also had windows all around on the inside. Each jamb was decorated with palm trees.32
33Then he brought me into the outer court, and there were chambers and a paved surface laid out all around the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement,3435which flanked the courtyard’s gates and corresponded to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement.3637Then he measured the distance from the front of the lower gate to the exterior front of the inner court; it was 175 feet. This was the east; next the north is described.38
39He measured the gate of the outer court facing north, both its length and width.4041Its three recesses on each side, its jambs, and its portico had the same measurements as the first gate: 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide.4243Its windows, portico, and palm trees had the same measurements as those of the gate that faced east. Seven steps led up to the gate, and its portico was ahead of them.4445The inner court had a gate facing the north gate, like the one on the east. He measured the distance from gate to gate; it was 175 feet.46
47He brought me to the south side, and there was also a gate on the south. He measured its jambs and portico; they had the same measurements as the others.4849Both the gate and its portico had windows all around, like the other windows. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide.5051Its stairway had seven steps, and its portico was ahead of them. It had palm trees on its jambs, one on each side.5253The inner court had a gate on the south. He measured from gate to gate on the south; it was 175 feet.54
The Inner Gates
55Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate. When he measured the south gate, it had the same measurements as the others.5657Its recesses, jambs, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both it and its portico had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide.5859(There were porticoes all around, 43¾ feet long and 8¾ feet wide.)6061Its portico faced the outer court, and its jambs were decorated with palm trees. Its stairway had eight steps.6263Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side. When he measured the gate, it had the same measurements as the others.6465Its recesses, jambs, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both it and its portico had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide.6667Its portico faced the outer court, and its jambs were decorated with palm trees on each side. Its stairway had eight steps.68
69Then he brought me to the north gate. When he measured it, it had the same measurements as the others,7071as did its recesses, jambs, and portico. It also had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide.7273Its portico faced the outer court, and its jambs were decorated with palm trees on each side. Its stairway had eight steps.74
Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices
75There was a chamber whose door opened into the gate’s portico. The burnt offering was to be washed there.7677Inside the gate’s portico there were two tables on each side, on which to slaughter the burnt offering, sin offering, and guilt offering.7879Outside, as one approaches the entrance of the north gate, there were two tables on one side and two more tables on the other side of the gate’s portico.8081So there were four tables inside the gate and four outside, eight tables in all on which the slaughtering was to be done.8283There were also four tables of cut stone for the burnt offering, each 31½ inches long, 31½ inches wide, and 21 inches high. The utensils used to slaughter the burnt offerings and other sacrifices were placed on them.8485There were three-inch hooks fastened all around the inside of the room, and the flesh of the offering was to be laid on the tables.86Rooms for Singers and Priests
87Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, there were chambers for the singers: one beside the north gate, facing south, and another beside the south gate, facing north.8889Then the man said to me, “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple.9091The chamber that faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, the ones from the sons of Levi who may approach the Lord to serve him.”9293Next he measured the court. It was square, 175 feet long and 175 feet wide. The altar was in front of the temple.9495Then he brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the jambs of the portico; they were 8¾ feet thick on each side. The width of the gate was 24½ feet, and the side walls of the gate were 5¼ feet wide on each side.9697The portico was 35 feet across and 21 feet deep, and 10 steps led up to it. There were pillars by the jambs, one on each side.98