Amos 1

Amos 1:1

Pavement and Thirty Chambers

After measuring the east gate and all that is with it and in it, the Man brings Ezekiel into the outer court (Ezekiel 40:17). The phrase “then he brought me” occurs seven times (Ezekiel 40:17; Ezekiel 40:28; Ezekiel 40:32; Ezekiel 40:35; Ezekiel 41:1; Ezekiel 44:4; Ezekiel 46:19). This outer court is entered after passing through the entire gate from the first porch, along the guardrooms and the second porch. The outer court is the area that surrounds the actual temple building. As we see in Ezekiel 40:28-47, the temple building has its own much smaller court, the inner court, to which the three inner gates give access.

When Ezekiel stands in the outer court, he sees thirty chambers. The chambers lie on a pavement that surrounds the court. This pavement is next to the three gates and is as wide as the gates are long (Ezekiel 40:18), that is, fifty cubits (Ezekiel 40:15). It is further noted that this is “the lower pavement”, because the inner court, which is higher, also has a pavement.

It is not mentioned, how these chambers are allocated over the pavement. It is obvious that they are equally allocated over the whole pavement on the three sides with the three gates. There will be ten chambers on the south side, ten on the east side and ten on the north side, thirty in total. As a further allocation, we can imagine that there will be five chambers to the left and five to the right of each of the three gates.

Nor is there any mention of the purpose of these chambers. It can be assumed that sacrificial meals were held there by the people or that they were used as repositories of revenue for the temple. In the temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel after the return from exile, such a chamber was given to an enemy of God’s people. Nehemiah is outraged by this and throws that enemy out (Nehemiah 13:4-9).

The Man also takes the measure of the outer court (Ezekiel 40:19). In doing so, he starts from the “lower gate”, that is the outer gate, which is lower than the inner gate. He calculates from the gate side that is directly adjacent to the outer court to the outer side of the inner court. Its width is exactly a hundred cubits. The same is true of the east gate and the north gate (Ezekiel 40:23).

Amos 1:2

Pavement and Thirty Chambers

After measuring the east gate and all that is with it and in it, the Man brings Ezekiel into the outer court (Ezekiel 40:17). The phrase “then he brought me” occurs seven times (Ezekiel 40:17; Ezekiel 40:28; Ezekiel 40:32; Ezekiel 40:35; Ezekiel 41:1; Ezekiel 44:4; Ezekiel 46:19). This outer court is entered after passing through the entire gate from the first porch, along the guardrooms and the second porch. The outer court is the area that surrounds the actual temple building. As we see in Ezekiel 40:28-47, the temple building has its own much smaller court, the inner court, to which the three inner gates give access.

When Ezekiel stands in the outer court, he sees thirty chambers. The chambers lie on a pavement that surrounds the court. This pavement is next to the three gates and is as wide as the gates are long (Ezekiel 40:18), that is, fifty cubits (Ezekiel 40:15). It is further noted that this is “the lower pavement”, because the inner court, which is higher, also has a pavement.

It is not mentioned, how these chambers are allocated over the pavement. It is obvious that they are equally allocated over the whole pavement on the three sides with the three gates. There will be ten chambers on the south side, ten on the east side and ten on the north side, thirty in total. As a further allocation, we can imagine that there will be five chambers to the left and five to the right of each of the three gates.

Nor is there any mention of the purpose of these chambers. It can be assumed that sacrificial meals were held there by the people or that they were used as repositories of revenue for the temple. In the temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel after the return from exile, such a chamber was given to an enemy of God’s people. Nehemiah is outraged by this and throws that enemy out (Nehemiah 13:4-9).

The Man also takes the measure of the outer court (Ezekiel 40:19). In doing so, he starts from the “lower gate”, that is the outer gate, which is lower than the inner gate. He calculates from the gate side that is directly adjacent to the outer court to the outer side of the inner court. Its width is exactly a hundred cubits. The same is true of the east gate and the north gate (Ezekiel 40:23).

Amos 1:3

The Outer North Gate

After the east gate, it is the north gate’s turn to be measured (Ezekiel 40:20). The description here is done globally, because this gate is exactly the same as the east gate in dimensions and layout (Ezekiel 40:21-22). A new detail is that the stairs to this gate have “seven steps”.

The description concludes with the measure of the outer court, but counting from the gate of the inner court (Ezekiel 40:23). As already indicated in Ezekiel 40:19, the distance from gate to gate is a hundred cubits.

Amos 1:4

The Outer North Gate

After the east gate, it is the north gate’s turn to be measured (Ezekiel 40:20). The description here is done globally, because this gate is exactly the same as the east gate in dimensions and layout (Ezekiel 40:21-22). A new detail is that the stairs to this gate have “seven steps”.

The description concludes with the measure of the outer court, but counting from the gate of the inner court (Ezekiel 40:23). As already indicated in Ezekiel 40:19, the distance from gate to gate is a hundred cubits.

Amos 1:5

The Outer North Gate

After the east gate, it is the north gate’s turn to be measured (Ezekiel 40:20). The description here is done globally, because this gate is exactly the same as the east gate in dimensions and layout (Ezekiel 40:21-22). A new detail is that the stairs to this gate have “seven steps”.

The description concludes with the measure of the outer court, but counting from the gate of the inner court (Ezekiel 40:23). As already indicated in Ezekiel 40:19, the distance from gate to gate is a hundred cubits.

Amos 1:6

The Outer North Gate

After the east gate, it is the north gate’s turn to be measured (Ezekiel 40:20). The description here is done globally, because this gate is exactly the same as the east gate in dimensions and layout (Ezekiel 40:21-22). A new detail is that the stairs to this gate have “seven steps”.

The description concludes with the measure of the outer court, but counting from the gate of the inner court (Ezekiel 40:23). As already indicated in Ezekiel 40:19, the distance from gate to gate is a hundred cubits.

Amos 1:7

The Outer South Gate

The Man leads Ezekiel toward the south (Ezekiel 40:24). There he sees a gate toward the south. The measurements taken by the Man give the same results as the measurements of the two previous gates. The structure of the south gate is also the same as that of the other gates, as is the length of the outer court that lies between the outer and inner south gate (Ezekiel 40:25-27).

Amos 1:8

The Outer South Gate

The Man leads Ezekiel toward the south (Ezekiel 40:24). There he sees a gate toward the south. The measurements taken by the Man give the same results as the measurements of the two previous gates. The structure of the south gate is also the same as that of the other gates, as is the length of the outer court that lies between the outer and inner south gate (Ezekiel 40:25-27).

Amos 1:9

The Outer South Gate

The Man leads Ezekiel toward the south (Ezekiel 40:24). There he sees a gate toward the south. The measurements taken by the Man give the same results as the measurements of the two previous gates. The structure of the south gate is also the same as that of the other gates, as is the length of the outer court that lies between the outer and inner south gate (Ezekiel 40:25-27).

Amos 1:10

The Outer South Gate

The Man leads Ezekiel toward the south (Ezekiel 40:24). There he sees a gate toward the south. The measurements taken by the Man give the same results as the measurements of the two previous gates. The structure of the south gate is also the same as that of the other gates, as is the length of the outer court that lies between the outer and inner south gate (Ezekiel 40:25-27).

Amos 1:11

The Inner South Gate

From the outer south gate, the Man together with Ezekiel crosses the outer court to the inner south gate directly opposite, which gives access to the inner court (Ezekiel 40:28). This gate forms the connection between the outer and inner court. That inner south gate has the same dimensions as the outer south gate. The layout is also the same (Ezekiel 40:29-30).

Yet there are also some differences between the two gates. A first difference is the location of the porch of the gate (Ezekiel 40:31). The porch of the inner gate is not adjacent to the inner court, but to the outer court. Thus, the inner gate is a mirror image of the outer gate, because at the outer gate the porch is on the side of the outer court and not on the side where one enters the gate. In other words, the porch of the outer gate (the lower gate) and the porch of the inner gate are both adjacent to the same space, namely the outer court.

Another difference with the outer gate is that the staircase to the inner gate has eight steps, while the staircase to the outer gate has seven steps. Thus, because of the staircase, the temple building is even higher than the outer court, and the outer court is again higher than what borders it on the outside. That a staircase with eight steps leads up to the temple indicates that a new area is being entered. The number eight speaks of a new beginning without end, after the finishing of something that is complete, of which the number seven speaks. That fits in with where we are now: in the direct presence of God, so at the highest level.

Amos 1:12

The Inner South Gate

From the outer south gate, the Man together with Ezekiel crosses the outer court to the inner south gate directly opposite, which gives access to the inner court (Ezekiel 40:28). This gate forms the connection between the outer and inner court. That inner south gate has the same dimensions as the outer south gate. The layout is also the same (Ezekiel 40:29-30).

Yet there are also some differences between the two gates. A first difference is the location of the porch of the gate (Ezekiel 40:31). The porch of the inner gate is not adjacent to the inner court, but to the outer court. Thus, the inner gate is a mirror image of the outer gate, because at the outer gate the porch is on the side of the outer court and not on the side where one enters the gate. In other words, the porch of the outer gate (the lower gate) and the porch of the inner gate are both adjacent to the same space, namely the outer court.

Another difference with the outer gate is that the staircase to the inner gate has eight steps, while the staircase to the outer gate has seven steps. Thus, because of the staircase, the temple building is even higher than the outer court, and the outer court is again higher than what borders it on the outside. That a staircase with eight steps leads up to the temple indicates that a new area is being entered. The number eight speaks of a new beginning without end, after the finishing of something that is complete, of which the number seven speaks. That fits in with where we are now: in the direct presence of God, so at the highest level.

Amos 1:13

The Inner South Gate

From the outer south gate, the Man together with Ezekiel crosses the outer court to the inner south gate directly opposite, which gives access to the inner court (Ezekiel 40:28). This gate forms the connection between the outer and inner court. That inner south gate has the same dimensions as the outer south gate. The layout is also the same (Ezekiel 40:29-30).

Yet there are also some differences between the two gates. A first difference is the location of the porch of the gate (Ezekiel 40:31). The porch of the inner gate is not adjacent to the inner court, but to the outer court. Thus, the inner gate is a mirror image of the outer gate, because at the outer gate the porch is on the side of the outer court and not on the side where one enters the gate. In other words, the porch of the outer gate (the lower gate) and the porch of the inner gate are both adjacent to the same space, namely the outer court.

Another difference with the outer gate is that the staircase to the inner gate has eight steps, while the staircase to the outer gate has seven steps. Thus, because of the staircase, the temple building is even higher than the outer court, and the outer court is again higher than what borders it on the outside. That a staircase with eight steps leads up to the temple indicates that a new area is being entered. The number eight speaks of a new beginning without end, after the finishing of something that is complete, of which the number seven speaks. That fits in with where we are now: in the direct presence of God, so at the highest level.

Amos 1:14

The Inner South Gate

From the outer south gate, the Man together with Ezekiel crosses the outer court to the inner south gate directly opposite, which gives access to the inner court (Ezekiel 40:28). This gate forms the connection between the outer and inner court. That inner south gate has the same dimensions as the outer south gate. The layout is also the same (Ezekiel 40:29-30).

Yet there are also some differences between the two gates. A first difference is the location of the porch of the gate (Ezekiel 40:31). The porch of the inner gate is not adjacent to the inner court, but to the outer court. Thus, the inner gate is a mirror image of the outer gate, because at the outer gate the porch is on the side of the outer court and not on the side where one enters the gate. In other words, the porch of the outer gate (the lower gate) and the porch of the inner gate are both adjacent to the same space, namely the outer court.

Another difference with the outer gate is that the staircase to the inner gate has eight steps, while the staircase to the outer gate has seven steps. Thus, because of the staircase, the temple building is even higher than the outer court, and the outer court is again higher than what borders it on the outside. That a staircase with eight steps leads up to the temple indicates that a new area is being entered. The number eight speaks of a new beginning without end, after the finishing of something that is complete, of which the number seven speaks. That fits in with where we are now: in the direct presence of God, so at the highest level.

Amos 1:15

The Inner East Gate

After the south gate, Ezekiel is taken by the Man to the east gate. As with the outer gates, the east gate is also here the main entrance. The measurement of that gate shows that it has exactly the same dimensions and layout as the south gate just measured.