Ezekiel 40:38 — Word Study
WLCוְלִשְׁכָּ֣ה וּפִתְחָ֔הּ בְּאֵילִ֖ים הַשְּׁעָרִ֑ים שָׁ֖ם יָדִ֥יחוּ אֶת־ הָעֹלָֽה׃
BSAThere was a chamberlishkâh [a room or storage room] with a doorwaypethach [entrance or gate] by the porticoʼayil [a covered walkway] in each of the inner gatewaysshaʻar [the gates of the temple] Thereshâm [in that place, at that location] the burnt offeringʻôlâh [a sacrifice completely consumed by fire] was to be washeddûwach▸ [purged or cleansed, to thrust away]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְלִשְׁכָּ֣ה | and a room | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| וּפִתְחָ֔הּ | and entrance its | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| בְּאֵילִ֖ים | [was] at pillars | Preposition, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| הַשְּׁעָרִ֑ים | the gates | Particle, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| שָׁ֖ם | there | Adverb |
| יָדִ֥יחוּ | people rinse | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| הָעֹלָֽה׃ | the burnt offering | Particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | There was a chamber with a doorway by the portico in each of the inner gateways. There the burnt offering was to be washed. |
| KJV | And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering. |
| ASV | And a chamber with the door thereof was by the posts at the gates; there they washed the burnt-offering. |
| YLT | And the chamber and its opening [is] by the posts of the gates, there they purge the burnt-offering. |
| WEB | A room with its door was by the posts at the gates. They washed the burnt offering there. |
| BBE | And there was a room with a door in the covered way of the doorway, where the burned offering was washed. |
The translations agree on the meaning of the chamber and its function.
The sentence contains two main clauses, each describing a key aspect of the temple's structure and function.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbדּוּחַ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezekiel 40:38
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Vision of the Templegenerated
Ezekiel 40:38 describes the layout of the temple, emphasizing the chambers and gateways that play a crucial role in the sacrificial system. This vision outlines how the temple is structured and how it facilitates worship, particularly focusing on the rituals surrounding burnt offerings, as seen in the following verses that elaborate on the temple's functions.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 40:12 | In front of each gate chamber was a wall one cubit high, and the gate chambers were six cubits square. |
| 2 | Ezekiel 41:10–11 | and the outer chambers was twenty cubits wide all around the temple. |
| 3 | 1 Kings 6:8 | The entrance to the bottom floor was on the south side of the temple. A stairway led up to the middle level, and from there to the third floor. |
| 4 | Leviticus 1:9 | The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. |
| 5 | Leviticus 8:21 | He washed the entrails and legs with water and burned the entire ram on the altar as a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — לִשְׁכָּה, ve.lish.Kahgenerated
The word לִשְׁכָּה (lishkah) denotes a room or chamber within a building, often used for storage or specific functions. It highlights the importance of designated spaces within the temple for various activities, including sacrifices.
This noun is in the feminine singular form, indicating a specific chamber rather than a general room. Its frequent occurrences in the Hebrew Bible suggest its significance in architectural descriptions, particularly in sacred contexts.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the meaning of לִשְׁכָּה as 'a chamber' or 'a room'.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb in this verse is יָדִ֥יחוּ, they rinse, which governs the action of the subject. The structure includes a noun phrase for the subject and multiple noun phrases detailing the location and purpose of the chamber.
The order of the Hebrew words places emphasis on the chamber and its function, with the adverbial שָׁ֖ם indicating the specific location where the action occurs.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates לִשְׁכָּה with a term that conveys a similar meaning of a chamber or storage area. This choice aligns with the Hebrew context, emphasizing the designated space for ritual activities.
The Greek rendering shows a consistent understanding of the chamber's role within the temple's architecture, reinforcing its significance in the sacrificial system.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezekiel 40:38 describes a chamber with a doorway next to the portico of the inner gateways of the temple. This chamber is designated for washing the burnt offerings, indicating its importance in the sacrificial practices of the temple.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The chamber is designated for washing the burnt offerings, which are sacrifices completely consumed by fire, highlighting its role in the temple's sacrificial system.
Its location by the portico and inner gateways indicates its accessibility for the priests performing the rituals, emphasizing the structured nature of worship in the temple.
This verse is part of Ezekiel's detailed vision of the temple, which outlines the layout and specific functions of various chambers and gateways, illustrating the importance of order in worship.
A burnt offering refers to a sacrifice that is completely consumed by fire, symbolizing total dedication to God and is a key aspect of ancient Israelite worship.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do the designated spaces in the temple reflect the importance of order in worship?
- What can we learn about the significance of sacrifices from this verse?
- In what ways does the structure of the temple enhance our understanding of the relationship between God and His people?
- How does the concept of cleansing in this verse relate to broader themes in the Bible?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers comment on the significance of the temple's structure and its implications for understanding scripture, as seen in their interpretations of this verse.
These are the living stones in which the walls of the Old and New Testaments are contained, for the number four indicates the mysteries of the Gospels.Early Church Fathers on Ezekiel 40 →
"And for each treasury chamber there was a door in the fronts of the gates." We said above that the treasuries are the hearts of teachers, which preserve the riches of knowledge.Early Church Fathers on Ezekiel 40 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 40:38 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the chambers, and the entries thereof, were by the posts of the gates,.... Of the north gate; the plural for the singular; for not at the other gates, only at the north gate, were the sacrifices
Read John Gill on Ezekiel 40 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering. The chambers, and the entries - literally, a chamber and its door.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 40 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe chambers; either the six, three on one side, and three on the other, as before in the gates of the outer court, or else chambers built on purpose for the uses here specified, as some conjecture. The entries; the doors, as well as the chambers, were by the pillars probably adjoining to them. Though some have thought the north gate was that alone where they washed the burnt-offering, yet others conceive it was done at the east gate too, if not at the south also; and the plural number warrants us to look for another gate beside the north, when it is said these chambers were by the posts of the gates, plural. God commanded that the legs and entrails of this burnt-offering should be washed…
Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 40 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzekiel 40:38 And the chambers and the entries thereof [were] by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.Ver. 38. Where they washed the burnt offering.] All must be pure and clean in God’ s service. “ Pura Deus mens est, ” & c. This washing of the burnt offering prefigured baptism, saith Polanus, as did the tables, the Lord’ s Supper, wherein Christ the Lamb of God is slain in our sight.
Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 40 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(38) And the chambers and the entries thereof.—These words in the original are in the singular, and have no article. The word for chamber is an entirely different one from that used in the former part of the chapter (Ezekiel 40:10; Ezekiel 40:12-13). The verse should be translated, “And a cell with its door by the posts of the gates; there they washed the burnt offering.” All the arrangements for sacrificing are here described in connection with the north gate, although in Ezekiel 46:2 it is said that at certain festivals the prince shall enter by the east gate, and there worship while the priests prepare his offerings. In the law it was required (Leviticus 1:11; Leviticus 6:25; Leviticus…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 40 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges38–43. Sacrificial appointments connected with the inner gate. The verses are in some respects obscure. The text of LXX. differs in some points, but is hardly consistent with itself. The arrangements for slaughtering spoken of are of course connected with the inner gateway, but points not clear are: (1) which gateway, the N. or the E.? And (2) the position of the tables, Ezekiel 40:40; were they situated in the inner court at the long sides of the gateway, or in the outer court in front of the gateway, on either side of the steps leading up to it?
Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 40 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe chambers - Render it: and chambers, not yet described. They were north of the altar, by the “posts” or pillars in front and along the sides of the gate-building. There were several gates in the gate-building.
Read Albert Barnes on Ezekiel 40 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible38-43. The description of these chambers of sacrifice must always remain obscure.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 40 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
There was a chamber with a doorway by the portico in each of the inner gateways. There the burnt offering was to be washed.
A room with its door was by the posts at the gates. They washed the burnt offering there.
There was a chamber with a doorway by the portico in each of the inner gateways. There the burnt offering was to be washed.
There was a chamber with its door by the porch of the gate; there they washed the burnt offering.
Tyndale line
And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.
And a chamber with the door thereof was by the posts at the gates; there they washed the burnt-offering.
And a chamber with the door thereof was by the posts at the gates; there they washed the burnt offering.
And the chambers and its entries were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt-offering.
And euery chamber, and the entrie thereof was vnder the postes of the gates: there they washed the burnt offring.
Strictly literal
And there was a cell and its entry by the posts of the gates; there they rinsed the burnt-offering.
And the chamber and its opening [is] by the posts of the gates, there they purge the burnt-offering.
And the chamber and its opening [is] by the posts of the gates, there they purge the burnt-offering.
And there was a chamber with its door by the door-posts of the gates, where they washed off the burnt-offerings.
There was a room with a door by each of the inner gateways. This was where they rinsed the burnt offerings.
From the Latin
And at every chamber was a door in the forefronts of the gates: there they washed the holocaust.
Simplified
A room with a doorway stood beside by the porch of the inner gateways. This was where the burnt offering was washed.
And there was a room with a door in the covered way of the doorway, where the burned offering was washed.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show agreement in the essential structure of the verse, with five of the eight words matched. The differences in word order and articles reflect the translation choices rather than substantive variations in meaning.
וְלִשְׁכָּ֣ה וּפִתְחָ֔הּ בְּאֵילִ֖ים הַשְּׁעָרִ֑ים שָׁ֖ם יָדִ֥יחוּ אֶת־ הָעֹלָֽה׃
5 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 40:38
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
לִשְׁכָּה (lishkah) refers to a room or chamber within a building, which can serve various purposes such as storage, eating, or lodging. The word is derived from an unused root of uncertain meaning and is synonymous with terms for hall or cell. It appears in contexts related to physical spaces.
לִשְׁכָּה n.f. room, chamber, hall, cell, lishka
base
H3957 לִשְׁכָּה
3957 lishkah lish-kaw'
from an unused root of uncertain meaning; a room in a
building (whether for storage, eating, or lodging):--chamber,
parlour. Compare 5393.
see HEBREW for 05393
לִשְׁכָּה (lish.kah) — chamber.
room, chamber, hall, cell
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Ncfsa
room.
See HOUSE.
The references to "room" in (Matthew 23:6; Mark 12:39; Luke 14:7,8; 20:46) signify the highest place on the highest couch round the dinner or supper table --the "uppermost seat", as it is more accurately rendered in (Luke 11:43)
Is sometimes synonymous with seat or place, as in Lu 14:8-10; 20:46.
פֶּ֫תַח (pethach) refers to an opening, such as a doorway or entrance. It is derived from a root meaning to open and encompasses terms like gate and entrance way. The entries consistently highlight its literal and figurative uses, but do not provide specific verse references.
פֶּ֫תַח 164 n.m. opening, doorway, entrance
base
H6607 פֶּ֫תַח opening, doorway, entrance
6607 pethach peh'-thakh
from 6605; an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or
entrance way:--door, entering (in), entrance (-ry), gate,
opening, place.
see HEBREW for 06605
פֶּ֫תַח (pe.tach) — entrance.
opening, doorway, entrance
Conj | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncmsc/Sp3fs
אַ֫יִל (ayil) encompasses several meanings, including 'ram,' 'projecting pillar or pilaster,' 'leader or chief,' and 'terebinth.' It is derived from a root meaning strength, suggesting a connection to might and support. The term appears in various contexts, reflecting its diverse applications in the Old Testament.
אַ֫יִל 156 n.m. ram (as leader of flock)
base
אַ֫יִל n.[m.] projecting pillar or pilaster
base
[אַ֫יִל ?] n.m. leader, chief
base
[אַ֫יִל ?] n.m. terebinth
base
H352a אַ֫יִל ram H352b אַ֫יִל projecting pillar or pilaster H352c אַ֫יִל leader, chief H352d אַ֫יִל terebinth
352 'ayil ah'-yil
from the same as 193; properly, strength; hence, anything
strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from
his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or
other strong tree:--mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram,
tree.
see HEBREW for 0193
אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — ram.
1) ram
1a) ram (as food)
1b) ram (as sacrifice)
1c) ram (skin dyed red, for tabernacle)
אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — pillar.
pillar, door post, jambs, pilaster
אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — leader.
strong man, leader, chief
אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — terebinth.
mighty tree, terebinth
Aramaic equivalent: i.lan (אִילָן "tree" H0363)
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absoluteHR/Ncmpa
- The supports of a building
- Things raised up as memorials
- MADE OF
. Marble
. Wood
. Iron
. Brass
. Silver
- The vail and hangings of the tabernacle supported by
Ex 26:32,37; 36:36,38
- Two, placed in the temple porch
- OF MEMORIAL
. Sometimes of a single stone
שַׁ֫עַר (sha'ar) means 'gate' and is derived from a root that signifies an opening. It encompasses various types of gates, including those of cities, palaces, and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like 'gate of heaven.' The entries consistently highlight its role as an entrance or threshold.
שַׁ֫עַר 373 n.m. gate
base
H8179 שַׁ֫עַר gate
8179 sha`ar shah'-ar
from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or
gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).
see HEBREW for 08176
שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate.
: gate
1) gate
1a) gate (of entrance)
1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)
1b1) city, town
1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)
1d) heaven
שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate: town.
: town
1) gate
1a) gate (of entrance)
1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)
1b1) city, town
1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)
1d) heaven
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absoluteHTd/Ncmpa
שָׁם (sham) is a Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' or 'thither,' indicating a location or direction. It can also refer to a point in time, translating to 'then.' The word is derived from a relative pronoun and is used in various contexts, including movement and temporal references.
שָׁם adv. there, thither
base
H8033 שָׁם there, thither
8033 sham shawm
a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);
there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or
thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), +
thither, + whither.
see HEBREW for 0834
שָׁם (sham) — there.
1) there, thither
1a) there
1b) thither (after verbs of motion)
1c) from there, thence
1d) then (as an adverb of time)
Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)
שָׁם (sham) — (Jerusalem) Is There.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
This name means there, thither
Adv — AdverbHD
דּוּחַ (duwach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rinse or wash away. It conveys the idea of cleansing, often in a figurative sense, such as purging or casting out. The term appears in contexts related to ritual cleansing and sacrifices, highlighting its significance in purification practices.
[דּוּחַ, דִּיחַ] vb. rinse, cleanse away by rinsing, washing
Hiph.
rinse, victims to be offered in sacrifice
fig. cleanse by washing
base
H1740 [דּוּחַ, דִּיחַ] rinse, cleanse away by rinsing, washing
1740 duwach doo'-akh
a primitive root; to thrust away; figuratively, to
cleanse:--cast out, purge, wash.
דּוּחַ (du.ach) — to wash.
1) to rinse, cleanse away by rinsing, cast out, purge, wash, washing
1a) (Hiphil)
1a1) to rinse
1a2) to cleanse (by washing) (fig.)
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVhi3mp
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
עֹלָה (olah) refers to both a whole burnt-offering and an ascent or stairway. It is derived from a feminine active participle of the root meaning to go up. The term is used in contexts related to sacrifices, particularly in the Old Testament, where it signifies offerings that ascend in smoke. The entries consistently highlight its dual meaning without significant disagreement.
ref
H5930a עֹלָה whole burnt-offering H5930b עֹלָה ascent, stairway
5930 `olah o-law'
or mowlah {o-law'}; feminine active participle of 5927; a
step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a
holocaust (as going up in smoke):--ascent, burnt offering
(sacrifice), go up to. See also 5766.
see HEBREW for 05927
see HEBREW for 05766
עֹלָה (o.lah) — burnt offering.
whole burnt offering
Aramaic equivalent: a.lah (עֲלָת "burnt offering" H5928)
עֹלָה (o.lah) — ascent.
ascent, stairway, steps
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHTd/Ncfsa
Burnt offering
Hebrew olah; i.e., “ascending,” the whole being consumed by fire, and regarded as ascending to God while being consumed. Part of every offering was burnt in the sacred fire, but this was wholly burnt, a “whole burnt offering.” It was the most frequent form of sacrifice, and apparently the only one mentioned in the book of Genesis. Such were the sacrifices offered by Abel (Gen. 4:3, 4, here called minhah; i.e., “a gift”), Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (Gen. 22:2, 7, 8, 13), and by the Hebrews in Egypt (Ex. 10:25).
The law of Moses afterwards prescribed the occasions and the manner in which burnt sacrifices were to be offered. There were “the continual…
The word is applied to the offering which was wholly consumed by fire on the altar, and the whole of which, except the refuse ashes "ascended" in the smoke to God. The meaning of the whole burnt offering was that which is the original idea of all sacrifice, the offering by the sacrificer of himself, soul and body, to God--the submission of his will to the will of the Lord. The ceremonies of the burnt offering are given in detail in the book of Leviticus. [SACRIFICE]
→ See OFFERINGS, BURNT