Ezekiel 40

Ezekiel 40:1

IN the beginning] In the first moneth The City] namely, Jerusalem Smitten] Taken, sacked, and destroyed Thither] To Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 40:2

Very high mountaine] This was mount Moriah, upon which the Temple was built. Now though it was but an indifferent high hill, yet because it was the figure of the height of the spirituall Temple of the Church; it is represented in vision, like unto an exceeding high hill, see Isaiah 2:3. Micah 4:1. Revelation 21:10 As the frame] namely, the Temple of God, which for greatnesse, number of buildings, strong walls and towers, shewed more like a city then a Temple The South] Moriah did stand on the North side of Jerusalem, Psal. 48. 2. but in respect of Babylon, which lay Northward from Judea, from whence the Prophet is here transported in vision to Jerusalem, the Temple appeares Southward to him.

Ezekiel 40:3

A man] The Sonne of God himselfe in humane shape, who is the soveraigne Architect of his Church, Zechariah 6:12. Hebrews 3:3; Hebrews 4:6. Revelation 21:15 Brasse] Bright and sparkling, see Ezekiel 1:4. Revelation 1:15 In the gate] It is likely that he means the North gate of the Temple, seeing the Prophet was come from the North.

Ezekiel 40:5

A wall] This was the outward wall which went round about the whole building. Now the Lord sheweth the Prophet the frame of Salomons-Temple, which had been destroyed by the Chaldeans, that the memory of that incomparable magnficence might be preserved in the Church, for a figure and assurance of her spirituall Temple in this world, but especially of it in the celestiall glory, See Ephesians 3:18. Rev. 21. 2. 10 The breadth] namely, The thicknesse of the wall, whose forme is not here specified whether it were with pillars or no.

Ezekiel 40:6

Then came he] Passing through the Gentiles Court, which was within side of that wall, and did wind from the North towards the East The gate] Which was the East gate, by which they went into the court of the people of Israel, separated from the Gentiles court by a great bulding, framed of arches below, and two stories of chambers above. Now, by the word gate, hee meanes the bodie of a building which had two gates, at the two ends, with a gallery of fifty cubits in length, v. 15. at the end of which gallery were three little chambers on the one side, and three on the other side, parted with pilasters and arches The staires] which were in number seven, as may be gathered by v. 22. and 26. And this sheweth that they went up from the court of the Gentiles to the court of the people, and likewise from thence to the Priests court by eight steps, v 31. 34. 7. and from the Priests court to the porch of the Temple by eight more, v. 49. So that whole masse of building did rise everyway The threshold] which was answerable to the breadth and thicknesse of the wall Of the gate] namely, the first gate, which looked towards the Gentiles court.

Ezekiel 40:7

Little chamber] they were the Chambers belonging to the doore-keepers of the Temple, within side of the portall, which were at the end of the said gallery Five Cubits] this space was taken up by the posts which bore up the vaults, under which the chambers were. And besides those five cubits of massie pillars there were the out jettings in the bases, and the cornices, which with the pillars made seven Cubits and a palme The threshold] in the gate there were two voide spaces, and the gallery from the one to the other, in the porch of the first space comming from without, there were steps which were within side of that space of v. 9. In the other space towards the inward Court, there was a threshold a little raised from the ground, which was a reed in breadth, equall with the post threshold, v. 6 The porch] by the porch he meanes all the whole gate, with the pillars and the vault above, neere or under which vault was the threshold which the Angell measured.

Ezekiel 40:8

The Porch] namely the breadth of the pillars from East to West.

Ezekiel 40:9

Measured he] from the South to the North The Porch] from one of the fronts opposite to the other. Now the fronts were the halfe columnes set to the whole columnes without the gate, and those whole columnes being of two Cubits of diameter; these halfe columnes were of one Cubit on the one side, and another Cubit on the other side: and these two Cubits joyned to the eight Cubits of this verse, make up the tenne Cubits of verse 11 The Porch] that Gallery or open Entry, which led to the gate of this Court, was not out of the building, but within it.

Ezekiel 40:10

The Posts] the Italian, The Fronts] by which are also meant the whole columnes, before which were these fronts or halfe columns.

Ezekiel 40:11

Ten] see upon v. 9 The length] that is to say, the height. Now because there is no proportion in thirteene Cubits of height, upon eight Cubits of breadth, these thirteene Cubits must be taken either from the Pedestall upward, or from the ground to the arch of the gate.

Ezekiel 40:12

The space] the Italian, the inclosure,] he seemes to meane the walls which inclosed the chambers before and behinde; for on the two sides the pillars of the vaults served for walls.One Cubit] namely, in thicknesse Were six Cubits] that is to say, it was as long as it was broad. Now v. 7. it is said, that it was a reed long, and a reed broad: but in this description which is made but grossely, the palme, which the reed was more then six Cubits, may be left out and neglected.

Ezekiel 40:13

The Gate] namely, all that building a crosse, which contained the two rowes of Chambers with the entry betweene them From the roofe] drawing a direct line from the cornice of the hindermost wall of the Chambers: which cornice going round about made as it were an out-jetting of the roofe:

Ezekiel 40:14

Posts] the Italian, Pilasters] namely, measuring the whole height of the building which went about the Court, divided into three stories, whereof the lowermost was vaulted, the other two seeled, and distinguished or divided on the out-side with rowes of pilasters, which jetted out of the wall. So he found therein threescore Cubits, the lower story being of thirty Cubits, the middle one of twenty, and the uppermost of tenne Even unto] that is to say, the height was the same every where The Gate] by the word gate here is meant, as well the gate it selfe, as also all those buildings of the Court, to which they went thorow that gate.

Ezekiel 40:15

The face] the whole body of the gate in length from the one face where they went in, to the other at which they went out into the Court.

Ezekiel 40:16

The little Chambers] in the lower part of their walls Their posts] the Italian, In their arches] namely, in the upper part of the wall, which filled the space of the arches from pillar to pillar Within the] within side of the entry of the dooe Vpon each po] the Italian, Vpon the fronts] namely, upon the capitels of those halfe columnes which were set upon the whole columnes, and these palmes were instead of the enrichments of leaves and beares clawes which have beene used since.

Ezekiel 40:17

Outward Court] the peoples Court opposite to the inward Court, into which none went but the Priests. Now this Court was encompassed round with a portico, made with pilasters and arches below; over which there were two rowes of chambers, thirty in each row, of which see 1 Chron. 28. 11. 12, 13 A pavement] which was the floore of this portico wrought with Mosaick work Thirty] eight towards the South, and eight towards the North, and seven on the East side, and seven on the West: the reason of the difference is, because that on the East and West side were the ates, whose columnes were much thicker then the pilasters of the other arches, and did take up the space betweene the two columnes. Now the thicknesse of the pilasters was also the same in the other stories where the chambers were over the gate, even to the top. As well for the Symmetrie as for the soundnesse of the building to beare up those great square Towers which were over those gates.

Ezekiel 40:18

By the side] in breadth was fifty Cubits, as much as the length of the gates was, v. 15.

Ezekiel 40:19

The breadth] the Italian, A space] which was the floore of the peoples Court From the forefront] the whole building was square, and was divided into diverse Courts, encompassed with porticoes; of which Courts there were seven for the people, which by the gates heretofore described, went all into the Priests Court, which is called the inner Court, as the rest are called outward Courts; now they went up from one Court to the other by steps, so that the lower gate was that, by which they went into the peoples Court. The outward front of the inner Court was the front of the portico which enclosed the Priests Court, which front was towards the peoples Court; whereupon, in respect of the inner Court it was outward, as who should say, the back part of this portico Eastward] namely, from East to West, and from South to North, the meaning is, that it was one hundred Cubits square.

Ezekiel 40:20

Measured] after he had measured the gate, the court, and the portico, on the East side, he turned to the North side in all measures proportionable to the East side.

Ezekiel 40:21

Th first gate] namely, the East gate, which was first measured.

Ezekiel 40:22

The arches] being gone up those steps they went directly into the entry which had arches on both sides, and in the middle spaces of them were the doore-keepers Chambers.

Ezekiel 40:23

Over against] the gates of the Priests court and the peoples court, were directly one against the other on that side, as well as on all the other sides From gate] from that gate which went into the peoples court, to that as went out of it, to go into the Priests Court, there was the plain of this peoples court, which was one hundred Cubits square.

Ezekiel 40:26

The arches thereof,] see upon v. 22 One on this side] these fronts or halfe columnes had palms, upon their capitels in stead of leaves, and there was a branch of palme on each side, which cast out its sprigs or tops to make the volutes on both sides.

Ezekiel 40:30

Long] that is to say, high Broad] that is to say, thick.

Ezekiel 40:31

The arches thereof] the portico which was distinguished with arches, was enclosed with an inclosure towards the Priests Court, and was open towards the peoples court. The use of this inclosure was to exclude the people out of that place which was forbidden them, that no man might go in there but at the gates: the height of this inclosure is not specified; but it should seem that it was such that it did hinder the passage, but not the sight of what was done there, especially upon the Altar: And contrariwise, the Court of the people had a wall, which went betwixt them and the Gentiles Court, that they could not see any thing that was done in the Temple. See Ezekiel 42:20.

Ezekiel 40:37

The posts thereof] the Italian, the fronts thereof] under which words are comprehended the pilasters and arches, that is to say, the whole portico which was composed of them, as v. 31.

Ezekiel 40:38

By the posts] the Italian, Betweene the pilasters] within the Priests Court, neere unto, and by the side of the Southerne and Northerne gate: betweene the pilasters were the ten basons or lavers which Solomon made, five on the one side, and five on the other side, for to wash the holocausts, in 1 Kings 7:39. 2 Chronicles 4:6.

Ezekiel 40:39

In the porch] the Italian, neer the porch] it is likely that these tables stood without in the open court Of the gate] namely, the South gate.

Ezekiel 40:41

On this side] namely, on the South gate side On that side] on the North gate side.

Ezekiel 40:42

The foure tables] which stood at each one of these doores.

Ezekiel 40:43

Hooks] which it should seeme were driven into that stone inclosure which inclosed the Priests Court, v. 31. upon which they hanged the beasts for the offerings whilest they were slaying them, and their flesh when they were cut to peeces Was the flesh] that part which was to be offered to God was presently laid upon these tables, the other portions belonging to the Priests, or to the offerers, remained hanging upon the hookes, untill they were shared out.

Ezekiel 40:44

And without] being come forth of the porch which led into the Priests court In the inner court] on the East side of the portico, which butted one way towards the North, and another way towards the South, and these chambers it seemes were upon the second and third floore At the side] at that side of the porch, where the East side met with the North side.

Ezekiel 40:45

This chamber] the Angell shewes the Prophet another chamber on the side of the same porch, where the East side met with the South side, being opposite to the former.

Ezekiel 40:46

And the chambers] whereof was spoken, verse 44.

Ezekiel 40:47

The court] namely, the Priests court The Altar] of burnt offerings described, Ezekiel 43:1-27 Before the house] namely, the body or basilick of the Church consisting of the portico, the holy and most holy place.

Ezekiel 40:48

To the porch] which stood in the forefront of the Temple, 1 Kings 6:3 Of the porch] namely, of the gates thereof Five cubits] in the broadest place within side of the gate Of the gate] namely, of the posts thereof in the outward front.

Ezekiel 40:49

The length] correspondent to the breadth of the Temple, before which this porch was By the steps] the Italian, Besides the space of the steps whereby they went up to it] that is to say, not comprehending within this breadth the space which the steps took up, they being on the outside of the portico Pillars] made by Solomon, 1 Kings 7:21. 2 Chronicles 3:15.