Ezekiel 42
DortA description of the outermost court wherein the hinder part of the Temple stood, with the chambers thereof; verse 1 c. the use of those chambers, 13. The measuring of the whole outer wall, 15.
1. Afterwards he, [The man mentioned above chapter 40.3.] brought me forth to the outermost court, in the west, wherein the hinder part of the Temple flood, and whereof a part was cut off. Compare above chapter 41.12 with the Annotat.] the way toward the way of the north: and he brought me to the chambers, [Hebrews chambers, that is, chambers chamber-building, row of chambers, as below verse 4,5. compare above chapter40.45,46. where also the singular number is used, but is not there expounded by the plural number, as is indeed done here in the sequel, and therefore it seemeth it ought to be so expounded in the fortieth chapter from this place: though some do here also retain the singular number in the text, as well as in the fortieth chapter] which were over against the place that was cut off, and which (were) over against the building towards the north.
2. Before [Hebrews towards the face] the length of the hundred ells (towards) [Others, (was)] the door of the north; and the breadth was fifty ells:
3. Over against twenty ells which the innermost court had, and over against the payment which the outermost court had, (was) gallery against [Hebrews against the face of] gallery in there (rows).
4. And before [Hebrews before the face] the chamber was the walk of ten ells the breadth inward, (and) a way of one ell: and the doors of them [to wit, of the walks or galleries] were towards the north.
5. Now the uppermost chambers were narrower: [Or straiter] Hebrew shorter] (because the galleries were higher than they) [or excelled them. Hebrews prevailed more than they overpowered them. Others, did eat of them, that is, by their height they took away from the uppermost chambers a great part of their room, as also the prospect into the Temple, and made them so narrow that they were unfit for dwelling, according to the opinion of some] then the lowermost and then the middlemost of the building. [Others, of the lowermost and of the middlemost were the building, that is, the lowermost and the middlemost were onely fit for dwelling.
6. For they were indeed in three (stories), but had not pillars of the courts: therefore they were [Hebrews it] straightened more than the lowermost and the middlemost from the ground.
7. Now the wall, [Meaning a partition-wall, making a partition. See of the Hebrews word, Psalms 62 on verse 4. So verse 10.12.] That was without over against the chambers the way to the outermost courts before [Hebrews towards the face] the chambers; the length thereof was fifty ells.
8. For the length of the chambers which the outermost court had was fifty ells: and lo, before [Hebrews at or before the face] the temple was a hundred ells.
9. Now form under [Or from the place] these chambers was the entry of the east, as one goeth into them from the outermost court. [Others, when he that had brought me in from the east from the place of these chambers, went into the other {chambers) out of the outermost court (and then so on in the next verse) then there were in the breadth, c.]
10. In the breadth, [Or in, upon the thickness] of the wall of the courts, the way towards the east, before [Hebrews towards the face; and so straightway again] the place that was cut off, and before the building were chambers. [Meaning other chambers, or (as some) these chambers aforesaid]
11. And the way [Or manner, situation] before [Hebrews before the face] then was like the shape of the chambers which were the way towards the north, according to their length, so (according to) their breadth: and their entire goings out were according to their fashions, and according to their doors. [That is, they were like unto them, in length, breadth, goings out, fashion and doors]
12. And according to the doors of the chambers that were that way towards the south; there was a door in the head of the way, the way before the straight wall, [Hebrews in the face of the straight (Or immediately ascending, fair) wall. Others, the way directly, or immediately before the wall] the way towards the east, as one entreth into them.
13. Then said he [That man above chapter 40.2] unto me; the north-chambers, and the south-chambers, which are before [Hebrews towards the face] the place that is cut off, they are holy chambers, [Hebrews chambers of holiness] wherein in priest that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: [Hebrews the holiness of holiness. So in the sequel. See Leviticus 2 on verse 3.] There shall they lay the most holy things, and [or namely] the meat-offering, [see Leviticus chapter 2] and the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering; [see above chapter 40. on verse 39.] for the place is holy.
14. When the priests shall have entered in, [Into the sanctuary] then shall they not go forth (again) out of the sanctuary, [to wit, in, or with their holy garments, wherein they ministered] into the outermost court, but there [in the holy chambers] (they shall) lay their garments where they ministered, [Our high priest Christ Jesus is arrayed with sweet smelling garments of salvation, with the robe of righteousness wherewith he clotheth and covereth his church, Psalms 45:9. Isaiah 61:10 and 63.1. his ministries that approach unto the Lord must be arrayed with such virtues in particular as are required unto their office. See 1 Timothy 4:12. Titus 2:7 of the spiritual garments of the whole church see Psalms 45:14. Song of Solomon 4:11. Romans 13:14. 2 Corithians 5.3. Galatians 3:27. Ephesians 4:24. Colossians 3:10. Revelations 3.4,5,18 and 19,8, c.] For there is holiness: [that it, exceeding holy. Meaning the garments, or the chambers, which were both holy: therefore they: therefore they were to put off the holy garments of their ministry and to leave them there] and they shall put other garments, and approach to that which is for the people. [That is, they must come into those places in the outer court, (as was said in the former words of this verse) which is for the common people, with other garments]
15. Now when he had finished the measures of the innermost house, then he brought me forth the way towards the gate that looked the way toward the east: {Hebrews whose face (was) c.] and he measured it round about [the meaning is, he measured the east gate with the wall in its four-square, which compassed about the whole place of this whole new building, in the east, north, south and west. That is, he measured the whole circumference from the east unto the west. See above chapter 40 on verse 5.]
16. He measure the east-side [Hebrews wind, (so in the sequel) that is, the side that lay towards the east-wind] with the measuring reed: five hundred rods, with [or after, from: and so in the sequel] the measuring, round about. [All along the whole side. So in the sequel]
17. He measured in the north-side, five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about.
18. He measured the south-side, five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
19. He went about to the west-side, [Hebrews the sea] (and) he measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
20. He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall round about it, the length was five hundred (reeds) and the breadth five hundred: to make a difference between the holy and profane. [Hebrews, holiness, c. Meaning between the spiritual and ecclesiastical, temporal or civic, that is, between this holy circumference, 9see below chapter 43.12) and the city with her appurtenances, see below chapter 48.15. As there was also still some differences between the sanctuary and the places of the people. See above verse 14.]