Ezekiel 40

God denounces his judgments upon those wicked men who remained in the city, and made a mock of the judgment The general Argument to the following chapter. God; having forsaken the city and temple of Jerusalem, and given them up to destruction, for the idolatries and other sins committed there: in this and the following chapters, he sheweth to the prophet, in vision, the model or plan of another temple, of the same dimensions with that built by Solomon; as Villalpandus, and other learned men, with great probability, suppose. David had the pattern of that temple, which Solomon was to build, revealed to him by God: (see 1 Chron. xxviii. 11. 19.) as Moses had the model of the tabernacle represented to him by a vision, while he was in the mount, (Exod. xxv. 40.) And here the plan of Solomon’s temple is again discovered to Ezekiel, who, foretelling the destruction of this temple by the Chaldeans, shews how highly it was valued by the Jews, when he calls it, The excellency of their, strength, andf/ie desire of their eyes, (xxiv. 21.) They looked upon, it as the honour, glory, and safeguard of their nation. This lying in ruins at the time of this vision, the Jews had need of being comforted, instructed, and humbled, upon that occasion; tliey would not have cared for the thoughts of returning home, were there no promise made of restoring the temple, as well as their commonwealth; the temple being the pledge of God’s presence among them. Moses’s ritual law would soon have been adapted to the manners of the gentiles, where they lived, if the expectations of a new temple, to which most of its rites were fitted, had not restrained their propensity to idolatry; and they would have been dispirited beyond measure, as they were afterward, upon sight of their second temple, if the prophet had plainly foretold, that their new temple should fall short of the glory of the old one: they were thereforo to be encouraged to the observation of their law, with the hopes of returning to rebuild their temple, which should be finished after the plan of that of Solomon. We cannot suppose any exact model of Solomon’s temple remaining, which might be transmitted to those that returned from the captivity; for it was above seventy years from the destruction of the first temple to the finishing of the second, in the sixth year uf Darius, (Ezra vi. 15.) During which interval, the ancient priests must be all dead; and those that were younger could have but confused and very imperfect ideas of it. To direct them, therefore, in the dimensions, parts, order, and rules of their new temple, is one reason why Ezekiel is so particular in the description of the old. And, no doubt, but Zcrubbabel’s temple was accordingly conformable to that of Solomon, in figure, disposition of parts, and order of the whole fabric and service. If in state or magnificence there was some variety, that is to be imputed to the necessity of their circumstances, and doth not imply any essential alteration. However, the building being found inferior to the model here prescribed, the’first discovery of which was a sensible mortification to the ancient men that had seen tho first temple, (Ezra iii. 12.) it was natural for the Jews of former ages, that studied the style of prophecy, to conclude, as many of the Jewish writers of later times have done, that Ezekiel’s temple had a farther view, and the chief intent and design of it was that to be fulfilled under the Messias. Whatever was august and illustrious in the prophetic figures, and not literally fulfilled in or near their own times, those things were justly thought to belong to the days of the Messias; but as for minuter circumstances, there is.no more necessity of giving them a place in the spiritual application of a prophecy, than in the explication of a parable. The temple, and the temple-worship, was a proper figure of Christ’s church, and of the. spiritual worship to be instituted by him: and the notions of the Jews were to be raised by degrees to a farther and higher, meaning, hereafter to be completed, witjiout destroying, their obligations to the statutes and ordinances God enjoined for the present. There was the more reason for Ezekiel’s keeping to the figure of Solomon’s temple, in speaking of the times of the Messias, because Solomon was a type of the Messias chiefly in this respect, that he was to build a house for the name and worship of God, according to Nathan’s prophecy concerning him, (2 Sam. vii. 13, 14.) several pfirts of w.hich prophecy are applied to Christ in the New Testament: (see Heb. i. 5. Luke i. 32.) this exposition of that place receives a farther confirmation from hence, that other prophets foretell the same thing concerning the Messias. Beside those passages in Ezekiel, which are under our present consideration, Zechary after him prophesied that the man whose name is the Branch shall build the temple of the Lord; and bear the glory, and sit and rule upon his throne, and shall be a priest upon his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both; i. e. between the kingdom and the priesthood; tho same person shall be both king and priest, and his offices shall not interfere with, or obstruct each other. (Zech. yi. 12, 13.) The New Testament copies the style of tho old: St. Paul, in his Epistles, calls the Christian church by the name of the house or temjjle of God, (see 1 Cor. iii. 10. 2 Cor. vi. 16. Eph. ii. 20, &c. 1 Tim. iii. 15. Heb. iii. (>.) In pursuance of the same metaphor he tells us, that antichrist shall sit in the temple of God, meaning the Christian church, (2 Thess. ii. 4.) Arid St. John in the Revelation not only describes the heavenly sanctuary by representations taken from the Jewish temple, (Rev. xi. 19. iLiv. 17. xv. 5. 8.) but likewise transcribes several of Ezekiel’s expressions, (Rev. iv. 2, 3. 6. xi. 1, 2. xxi/12, &c. xxii. 1, 2.) and borrows his allusions from the state of the temple, as it was built by Solomon, not as it stood in our Saviour’s time; as if the former had a more immediate reference to the times of the gospel. Thus, Rev. iv. 1, &c. the throne of God is represented like that ovet the ark, where the Schechinah or Divine Glory sat, encompassed with four cherubims [see the note upon ver. 6. of the first chapter], and with the seats of four-and-twenty elders, alluding to the heads of so many priestly courses. All these ornaments were proper to the first temple, as it was finished by Solomon; whereas in the second temple there’ was no proper aTk, no throne encompassed by chefubftris, no visible glory; and but four of the four-andtwenty courses of the priests returned from Babylon. (SeeEfcmii.3G.39.) Upon the whole we may conclude, that th6 general sddpfc of Ezekiel’s temple is, bf giving a promise of restoring Solomon’s, to preserve the Jews from defiling themselves with idolatry during their captivity; and when the time of that should be expired, to encourage them to go home, and rebuild their temple, and observe the laws and ordinances prescribed by Moses, for performing God’s Worship there, which yet was never to be equal to Solomon’s in every respect, before the Messias should come, who should supply its deficiencies, and whose church should resemble Solomon’s temple in symmetry and beauty, in firmness and duration, in a regular, orderly, and decent worship of the true God, and in the manifestation of the Divine presence, at first by the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, and ever since by the inward assistances, comforts, and protection of the same Spirit. The fortieth chapter contains a description of the two outward courts, with the chatnbers thereto belonging, together with the porch of the temple. Ver,l. J. N the fitie-and-twentieth year of our captivity J] See the note upon i. 2.* In the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month.’] i. e. The first month, called here the beginning of the year, which in the ecclesiastical computation was the month Nisan. The word month likewise taken indefinitely signifies the first month, xxvi. 1. In the fourteenth year after that the city iv’as smitten.’] Zedekiah’s reign commenced from Jehoiachin’s captivity, in the eleventh year of whose reign the city was destroyed, (Jer. lii. 5, 6.) So the fourteenth year after the destruction of the city must be coincident with the twenty-fifth of Jehoiachin’s captivity. The hand of the Lord was upon me.] See i. 3. [chap. XL. measure of a Scripture cubit, generally agreed to bo equivalent to eighteen inches, or a foot and a half of pur measure. (See Bishop Cumberland, of Scripture Weights and Measures, p. 3G, &c.) So he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.] The breadth or thickness of the wall was equal to tho height of it. Ver. G. Then he came unto the gate which looketh towards the east.] The temple being placed towards the west part of the holy mountain, as the sanctuary was at the west end of the temple, (see the note upon viii. 1G.) this was the first gate that led to it. This gate opened into the first court, or tho court of the people; (see ver. 19.) and is called the king’s gate, 1 Chron. ix. 18. as being built by king Solomon. And went up the stairs thereof.] Which consisted of seven steps, as the Septuagint expressly mentioned. (Compare ver. 22. 2G.) And measured the [one] threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad, and the other threshold, &c] He went up the stairs, that he might more easily measure the upper lintel, as well as the lower threshold. The word saph, translated threshold, signifies the lintel, or upper part of the door-case, as well as the threshold properly so called, or lower part of it. The plural sippim comprehends both; see xli. 1G. Isa. vi. 4. and the Septuagint translate it there WipSvpov, the UntcL Some understand the word here of the two side-posts, in which senso it is used, Amos ix. 1. And the arches thereof were before them.] Or, at the entrance of them. The Septuagint render the word liphni, before them, as if it meant tho samo with el penemith within, or inward, (xlii. 4.) This sense is followed by most expositors, todenoto that the arches wcro within, or at the top of the stairs; but the phrase may probably mean the same with nal penehem, suitable to them; i. e. to those of the cast gate. (See the following note.) an injury done to another, as well as a breach of God’s law. Dr. Lightfoot hath accurately related the sense of the Jewish writers upon this subject, in his Temple Service, chap. 8. sect. 2, 3.

Ezekiel 40:2

In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel. See the note upon viii. 3. And set vie vpon a very high mountain.] The expression points out Mount Moriah, whereon the temple was built, which is here called a very high mountain; because it represents the seat of the Christian church, foretold by the prophets that it should be established upoii the top of the mountains. (See Isa. ii, 1. Micah iv. 1. compared with Rev. xxi. 10.) By which Mas a frame of a city oh the south.] Mount Moriah lay southward of the hill of Zion, or the city of David, though both of them lay northward in respect of the lower part of the city, which from the times of Solomon was most commonly called by the name of Jerusalem. (See Psal. xlviii. 2. Isa. xiv. 13. and Dr. Lightfoot’s Geographical Description of Jerusalem, chap. 22.) So the word£ describe the situation of the temple on the south side of Mount Zion; which with all its courts, buildings, and walls encompassing the courts, and the whole area, or holy mountain, (see xlii. 20.) resembled a city for bigness. So Tacitus (lib. v. Hist.) describes the temple as r built like a citadel for strength and largeness. Or we may suppose that the prophet being brought by the Spirit from Chaldea into the land of Israel, which lay southward of Babylon, (see i. 4.) might see placed just before his eyes a representation of the city and temple, standing upon an eminence, both in respect of their natural situation, and that the prophet might take a better view of them: for it appears from xlviii. 15, &c. that he had a view of the holy city which was to be restored, as well as of the temple.

Ezekiel 40:3

Behold, there ivas a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass. Or burnished or polished brass, as we read i. 7. Dan. x. 6. that is, of a bright or flaming colour. This seems to be an inferior angel, because he is distinguished from the Divine Glory, or the Logos’ appearing in the Schechinah, xliii. 6. (Compare ix. 3.). With a line of flax in Jus hand, and a measuring-reed.] The use of the line was to measure the land of Israel, and * of the reed, to take the dimensions of the buildings in and about the temple; as also to set out several portions of land belonging to the sanctuary and city, to the prince and people. (See xlv. l,&c. xlvii. 3, &c.) Arid he stood in the gate.’] Probably the nor(h gate, be^ ing the first entrance the prophet may be supposed to have arrived to, as he came from Chaldea, which lay northward of Judea. (See the note upon ver. 2.)

Ezekiel 40:4

Son of man. See the note upon ii, 1. Behold with thine eyes — declare all thou seest to thehouse of Israel.] Compare xliii. 10. xliv. 5. The temple now represented, was partly designed to assure the people that their temple should be restored, and to serve them partly as a model, by which they should rebuild it at their return from captivity. The Jewish writers do confirm this opinion, when they tell us, •’ That the children of the captivity, who returned from Babylon, followed the platform of that temple, which Ezekiel described, as far as their circumstances would allow." (See Dr. Lightfoot’s Description of the Temple, chap. 10.)

Ezekiel 40:5

And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about. A wall went round the whole compass or’ square of the holy mountain whereon the temple was situate, to separate the holy ground from that which was profane. (See xlii. 20.) And in the man’s hand a measurihg-reedof six cubilslong t by the cubit and a hand-breadth.] The prophet explains what sort of cubit he means in the following delineation of the temple; viz. such a one as consists of six hand-breadths, or one hand-breadth over the cubit used in ChaJdee, where he now lived.- (Compare xli. 8. xliii. 13.) This is the

Ezekiel 40:7

And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad, &c. Along the wall of the porch were chambers, three on each side, ver. 10. These the angel measured, and they were of equal dimensions, each one reed square, with a passage of five cubits’ breadth between them. And the threshold of tJie gate, by the porch of the gate within, teas one reed.] The inward threshold at the farther end of the porch looking into the first court, was of the same size with the outward one, ver.G. (Compare ver. 15.)

Ezekiel 40:8

He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed. Or, He even measured, &c. for the words seem to be a.repetition of wbatwas said in the latter part of the seventh verse; so the Vulgar Latin understood it, and therefore omits the whole verse: and the Septuagint in the Alexandrian copy, published by Dr. Grabe, join the two versesin sense together. (Seethe like repetitions, ver. 11, 12. 1G. xli. 11.)

Ezekiel 40:9

Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits, &c. This was a portico beyond the little chambers, which looked inward, t e. into the first court: it was eight cubits wide, and the two side-posts were two cubits thick, which made up the ten cubits mentioned ver. 11. The word ael, translated post, is the same in senso with mezuzah, (xlv. 19.) which properly signifies the side-post that supports the lintel. (See Exod. xii. 22.)

Ezekiel 40:10

And the little chambers of the gate eastward, &c. Or, Tfie little chambers of the eastern gate, which he has been hitherto describing; and the form of which is here repeated. These rooms were for the use of the porters that took care of the several gates that led to the temple. (See 1 Chron. ix. 18. 23, 24. xxvi. 12, 13. 18.) And the posts Jiad one measure on this side and on that side.] The side-posts, or fronts of the doors, belonging to each row of chambers, wore of the same size.

Ezekiel 40:11

And lie measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits. See ver. 9. And the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.] By the length of the gate, Villalpandus understands the height, which he supposes to have been two reeds, or twelve cubits and a half high; for he reckons every reed to consist of six ordinary cubits, and a fourth part over, which, in the common computation of full numbers for fractions, may be called thirteen cubits. Bern. L’Amy, in his book De Tabernaculo Foederis, explains the expression of the breadth of the walls on each side of the gate, which he supposes to be six cubits and a half: and so the LXX. interpreters may be thought to understand the words, who translate the Hebrew oreb by Evpoc, breadth.

Ezekiel 40:12

The place also before the chambers was one cubit on this side, and — on that side. There was a border, or a rail, which enclosed a cubit’s space before each chamber.. And the little chambers were six cubits on this side, &c] See ver. 7.

Ezekiel 40:13

He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and-twenty cubits. Measuring the arch of the gate from north to south, it was in breadth five-and-twenty cubits; which L’Amy thus computes, — the breadth of the gate ten cubits, the breadth of both the side-walls thirteen cubits, and two cubits for the space or border on each of the sidechambers; ver. 12. Door against door.] The door to each chamber exactly answered the door on the opposite side.

Ezekiel 40:14

He made also posts of threescore cubits. The angel described or made a delineation of the height of the columns or pillars, which" were to support the rooms or stories over the arch of the gate, and these were in height sixty cubits: the whole building being divided into three stories, like those described xliii. G. The height of each story is thus computed by Villalpandus: (par. ii. lib. v. cap. 1G.) That the pillars of the lower story were twenty cubits high; those of the second fifteen; and the uppermost twelve; the remainder being allowed for floors and the roof. The word posts in this verse signifies pillars. (Compare xlii. 6.) Even unto the posts of the court round about the gate.] Villalpandus, and several interpreters, suppose there is an ellipsis in the words, which they thus supply: And there was one measure to the pillars of the court, and of the gate round about; which makes the sense run plain and easy: compare xli. 9. where there is the same ellipsis.

Ezekiel 40:15

And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto thefaceofthe inner gate were fifty cubits. The whole length of the porch, from the outward front (compare xli. 21. 25.) unto the inner side, which looks into the first court, (ver. 17.) was fifty cubits; which may be thus computed: twelve cubits for the thickness of the wall at each end, (ver. 6.) eighteen for the three chambers on each side, (ver. 7.) and ten cubits for the spaces between the chambers: allowing the same space between the chambers on each side, and the two walls, (ibid.) Villalpandus observes the just proportion between the breadth and length of the gate; the length being double to the breadth, (ver. 13.) The same he tells us was observed between the breadth of the cloisters of the outward court, which was fifty cubits; and the contents of the whole area, which was a hundred. (See the note on ver. 18.) •

Ezekiel 40:16

And there were narroto windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about. Every one of these little chambers (ver. 7.) had a narrow window to it, towards the inside of the gate, where the passage was; and so there was over the side-posts or fronts, placed at the entrance of every chamber. By narroto or closed windows, some understand windows with latticework, to let in the light: but the phrase seems equivalent to that which is more fully expressed, 1 Kings vi. 4. by open and narrow windows; L e. as the margin of our Bibles doth very well explain it, broad within [to disperse the light] and narrow without. And likewise to the arches.] By windows to the arches, Villalpandus understands the stone itself wrought into figures of net-work, and made in the shape of a lattice. The w r ord translated arches, doth likewise signify a porch, or entrance, and so the Vulgar Latin here translates it; and then the sense is, that there were windows over every door: compare ver. 31. 34. with ver. 37. where the same sense is expressed in the two former verses, by arches, aelamo in the Hebrew; and in the latter, by posts, or fronts, aelau. And the windows were round about inward.] A repetition of what was said in the formerpart of the verse. (See ver.10.) And upon each post were palm-trees.’] A palm-tree was carved upon the chapiter of each side-post, or front. (See ver. 26.)

Ezekiel 40:17

Then brought he me into the outward court. There were two courts belonging to Solomon’s temple; the outward for the people, the inward for the priests. It is probable, that Solomon built only the inner court; (sec 1 Kings vi. 36. compared with viii. 64.) and that the outer court was built after his time, whereupon it is called the new court, 2 Chron. xx. 5. After which time, there is particular mention of the two courts of the house of the Lord, 2Kingsxxi. 5. A third court, called the court of the gentiles, was afterward added by Herod, when he rebuilt the temple. The great court, mentioned 2 Chron. iv. 9. as distinct from the court of the priests, Dr. I^ightfoot explains of the holy mountain, or area, where the temple stood, which Solomon enclosed with a wall, and separated it from common ground; so that text, 1 Kings vii. 12. Hie great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, &c. is to be understood only of this enclosure, according to his opinion. (Sec his Description of the Temple, chap. 10. 18.) And, lo, there were chambers, and a pavement made for the court roundabout.] These chambers were over the cloister, and supported by it. (See ver. 14. and xlii. 8.) They might be for the use of the priests; and likewise to be storehouses for tithes and offerings. (See 1 Chron. xxviii. 12.) Thirty chambers were upon the pavement.] The number of them Villalpandus thus divides: — towards the east and west, seven on a side, answering one another; bn the north and south sides, eight a-piecc, abating one chamber, both on the east and west side, for the thickness of the walls or arches which supported those two gates, which he supposes to be higher than the north and south gates.

Ezekiel 40:18

And the pavement by the sides of the gates, over against [or equal to. the length of the gates, was the lower pavement.] The breadth of this pavement, that lay on the side of the gate, was equal to the length of the whole porch or gate, which was fifty cubits, ver. 15. This will plainly appear, if we consider, that the area of the outward court contained a hundred cubits, ver. 19. So the porticoes, or cloisters, cutting the area in right angles, by the gate placed in the middle of the court, the pavement belonging to each side of the gate, or cloister, must be just half that dimension, viz. fifty cubits. The word gates, in the plural number, seems to be used for the singular, as it implies the whole building, consisting of upper rooms, as well as the lower passage. (See the note upon ver. 14!) The word leummah, which bur translation renders over against, often signifies equal, answerable, or the same proportion; (see Noldius, p. 525.) and so it is used i. 20. iiii 8. xlv. 7. xlviii. 13, &c. This was called the lower pavement, in respect of the several ascents which were still to go up, the nearer you came to the temple. (See Dr. Lightfoot’s Description of the Temple, chap. 20.) Villalpandus explains the lower pavement by way of distinction to the upper rooms, or chambers> placed over them, for the use of the priests, or as store-rooms for the service of the temple.

Ezekiel 40:19

Then he measured the breadth, from the foi efront of the lower gate unto the foYe-front of the inner gate without, a hundred cubits eastward. That is, unto the hither side of the gate which faced the inner court. He measured the whole space of ground between the west front of the lower gate to the front of the upper gate, which leads into the eastern inner court, and found it a hundred cubits; the same was the space between the south front and north front: so the court was exactly square. (See ver. 23. 27. 47.) The expression is elliptical; as if, he had said, there were a hundred cubits from west to east, and from north to south. There were two g£tes belonging to the porch, or passage, that led to the inner court; the first was eastward looking towards the outer court, which is here meant; the other looked westward into the inner court." The gate at the east end of the outer court is called the lower gate, for the same reason as the pavement is called the lower pavement, ver. 18. because there was still an ascent, as you went from one court to the other. The expression of the inner gate without, is explained in the note upon xlvi. 2. Northward.] The Septuagint join this word to the fol-, lowing verse, and render the sentence thus; And he brought me to the north,-and behold the gate looking to the north in the outer court. Villalpandus explains the nineteenth verse to this sense; That the outward court. consisted of seven squares, a hundred cubits each; the first placed directly before the court of the priests, and of the same dimensions with it; the others extended on the north and south sides ofthe, outer court, and likewise commensurate with the sides both of the inner court and of the temple, each of which contained one hundred cubits. By which description it must contain a~ square of three hundred cubits on the east part, and two hundred cubits both on the north and south side. (Consult Villalpandus’s Delineation of the Temple.) ■

Ezekiel 40:20

And the gate of the outward court that looketh towards the north — and the little chambers thereof, &c. The whole model was the same with that of tho east gate. (See ver. 9, 10. 13. 15, 1G.)

Ezekiel 40:22

And tltey went up into it by seven steps. See ver. 0.

Ezekiel 40:23

And the gate of the inner court was over against tlie gate towards the north, and towards the east. The words might be translated more plainly thus; And the gate of the inner court was proportionable, or answerable, to the gate that was towards the north and towards the east. Tho expression is elliptical, as that of ver. 19. and the full import of it is, that tho north gate of the inner court did exactly answer this north gate of the outer court, described ver. 20. 22. And in like manner the east gate of the inner court answered the east gate of the outward court. The word neged, translated over against, signifies here suitable, or proportionable; in which sense it is used xli. 16. Gen. ii. 18. I will make him a help, kenegdho, suitable to him: so an equivalent expression, nalpenehem, before them, is used in describing tho house which Solomon built, 1 Kings vii. 6. where our margin expresses the sense very properly The porch was according to them; i e. answerable to them, or of the same proportion with them. (See the note upon xli. 4.) So the Greek preposition Karivavrt may most properly be understood, Rom. iv. 17. Karivavrt ov eirlartvae 0£ov, not before, but like unto him whom. he believed, even God; to this sense, That Abraham is a father of many nations, in like manner as the God in whom he believed, is the Father of gentiles as well as Jews; as it is said in the foregoing chapter, ver. 29.

Ezekiel 40:24

After that he brought me towards the south, &c. The twenty-third verse is to be read in a parenthesis, where the prophet having shewed the exact correspondence between the gates of both courts, he proceeds in the three following verses to describe the south gate of the outer court, by the same dimensions he had before given of the east and north gate. He takes no notice of the western gate of the outer court, because it joined to the eastern gate of the inner court, which he describes ver. 32.

Ezekiel 40:26

After that they have borne their shame, qnd all their trespasses, &c. The shame and reproach duo to their sins. (See Dan. ix. 16.) When they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.’] By their sins abusing thosp gracious promises of peace and safety which I had given them. (Seo Lev. xxvi. 5, 6.)

Ezekiel 40:27

And am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations. Seexxxvi.23. And there was a gate in the inner court towards the south.’] The south gate in the inner court was exactly parallel to the south gate in the outer. (Sec ver. 23.) And he measured from gate to gate a hundred cubits.] See ver. 19. 23. 47. And there was a gate in the inner court towards the south. — And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate.] Villalpandus, and those of his opinion, who maintain, that the outer court enclosed the inner on the east, north, and south sides, explain these words to this sense; That the prophet was conducted from the south gate of the outer court (ver. 24.) to the south gate of the inner, court, which was over against it, and so into the inner court itself.

Ezekiel 40:28

Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God. See ver. 22. and xxxiv. 30. And he brought me to the inner court towards the south, &c] After he had measured the inner court, ho took the dimensions of the south gate itself, and the chambers thereto belonging, and found them of the same dimensions with the former.

Ezekiel 40:29

Neither will I hide my face any more from them. I will never withdraw my favour or protection from them. (See Isa. liv. 8.) For I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel.] There will be a new effusion of God’s Spirit upon the Jews, in order to their conversion: see Isa. lix. 20, 21. a place applied by St. Paul to this very purpose, Rom. xi. 26, 27. (Compare likewise Zech. xii. 10. and xi. 19. xxxvi. 27. of this prophecy.)

Ezekiel 40:30

And the arches round about werefwe-and-twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad. Length is here taken for height, as before, ver. 11. Tho words express tho dimensions of those arches, which vsre between the several littlo chambers, between each of which there was the space of five cubits, (ver. 7.)

Ezekiel 40:31

And the arches thereof were towards the outer court. Ox, were like [those of] the outer court; for tho preposition el is sometimes taken in this sense. (See Noldius, p. G3.) If we understand it according to the common interpretation, that the arches or fronts (see the note on ver. 16.) of the inner court looked towards the outer, it is a confirma-^ tion of Villalpandus s opinion, that the outer court surrounded the inner. (Sec the note upon ver. 19.) And the going up to it had eight steps.] Whereas in the cutcT court the ascent had but seven. (Ver. 22. 26.) The fifteen Psalms, from the hundred and twentieth forward, called Songs of Degrees, or Ascents, arc supposed to have been sung upon some of these steps, or ascents.

Ezekiel 40:32

And he brought me into the inner court /owards the east, &c. — And he brought me to the north gate, &c. The east aud north gate had the same dimensions with the south gate, described ver. 28, 29. 31.

Ezekiel 40:34

And tlie arches thereof. What is expressed here by arches, is signified by posts, or fronts, ver. 37. (See tho notes upon ver. 10. 1G.)

Ezekiel 40:38

And the chambers, and the entries thereof, were by the posts of the gate, where they washed the burnt-offer ing.* The chambers mentioned ver. 36. were near the entrance of the north gate, where they washed the legs and entrails of the burnt-offering, and marble tables were placed there for that purpose. See Dr. Lightfoot of the Temple, chap. 35. According to this exposition, the word gates stands for the singular number, as ver. 18. But that learned author observes in the same chapter, that they washed the sacrifices on the south side of the court of the priests, as well as on the north side, when the sacrifices were more numerous than tlie north side could well contain; so he understands the word gates as comprehending both north and south gate; and confirms this interpretation from the placing of the lavcrs, which were designed for that use, and were set five on the right side of the house, and five on the left, (1 Kings vii. 39.)

Ezekiel 40:39

In the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, &c. Those expositors, who by the word gates in the foregoing verse understand both the north and south gates, render the sense of these two verses perspicuously thus: In the porch of one gate (viz. that on the south) were two tables on this side, andtwo tables on that side, &c. And. at the outer side of the step of the entry of the north gate were two tables: which interpretation agrees very well with what follows, ver. 41. Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side. But they that understand these verses to be only a description of the north gate (on which side of the altar the sacrifices were commonly killed), suppose that two tables were on each side, as you came into the porch of that gate, and two on each side of the inner part of the gate that looked towards the altar. Tlie sin-offering, and the trespass-offering.] It is no easy matter to ascertain the difference between a sinoffering and a trespass-offering. Dr.Outram(lib. i. cap. 13. dc Sacrifices) is of opinion, that a trespass-offering implied

Ezekiel 40:43

Within were hooks, a hand broad, fastened round about. Within the gate or entrance on the north side of the inner court, were iron hooks, for the hanging up the beasts that were to be sacrificed, in order to the flaying off their skins. (See Dr. Lightfoofs Description of the Temple, chap. 35.) And upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.’] Or, they laid the flesh of the offering. Upon those marble tables the priests laid the flesh of the slain beasts, and there cut it in pieces, and fitted it for laying upon the altar. (See Lev.

Ezekiel 40:44

And irithout the inner gate were the chambers of the singers of the inner court. On the farther side of the inner gate, as you come into the inner court, (compare ver. 40.) were the chambers of the singers, who constantly attended upon the service of the temple. (See 1 Chron. vi. Which was on the side of the north gate; and their prospect teas towards the south.] These chambers were placed at the north-east corner of the inner court, and so had their prospect towards the south. One at the side of the east gate, having the prospect, to* wards the south.] They had likewise chambers on the southeast corner of that court, which had thc^prospect towards the north. The copies which the Septuagint followed, read this verse to a clearer and better sense thus: And he brought me into the inner court, and, behold, there were two chambers; one on the side of the north gate, looking towards the south; and the other on the side of the south gate, looking towards the north.

Ezekiel 40:45

TJiis chamber, whose prospect is towards the south, is for the priests, &c. The word chamber may stand for chambers in the plural, (as side-chamber doth, x\i. 5. 9.) and signify a row of buildings on the north side of the inner court, distinct from the chambers of the singers, (ver; 44.) and designed for the use of the priests, who were in constant attendance, according to their courses, upon the service of the temple. (See Numb, xviii. 5. 1 Chron. vi. 49. 2 Chron. xiii. 11.) The keepers of the charge of the house.] They took care of the holy vessels, and kept constant watch and ward (as the word mishmereth properly signifies) about the temple. (See 1 Chron. ix. 23. Psal. exxxiv. 1.) The word priests may include Levites under it, as Levites elsewhere comprehends priests. (See xliv. 10. xlviii. 11.)

Ezekiel 40:46

And the chamber whose prospect is towards the north is for the priests and keepers of the charge of the altar. Another row of chambers on the south side of the inner court is for the descendants of the family of Aaron, whose ofHce it is to attend upon the service of the altar, and keep the fire burning thereon perpetually, (Lev. vi. These are the sons ofZadok, among the sons ofLevi.]To the eldest house of the sons of Aaron the high-priesthood belonged; so that office of right belonged to Zadok, though the family of Ithamar usurped it for some time, from Eli, who was high-priest in Samuel’s time, to Abiathar, whom - Solomon dispossessed, and restored the high-priesthood to the right line, by placing Zadok in his room, (1 Kings ii. 27. 35.) The family of Zadok is only taken notice of in this vision, it may be for this reason, because they kept close to the worship of God, when the priest of Ithamar’s line forsook it, and fell into idolatry. (See xliv. 15.) And the eldest Son of Zadok’s family having an unquestionable title to the high-priesthood, (see Numb. xxv. 13.) upon that account was an eminent type of the Messias, the eternal High-priest. (See Numb, xxxv.25. 28.) -

Ezekiel 40:47

And he measured the court, a hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, four-square. The inner court was of the same dimensions with the outer. (See ver. 19. And the altar that was before the house.] Or rather, and tlte altar was before the house; i. e. stood in the inner court just before the porch that opened into the temple. The altar was now measured; the measure of it being described afterward, xliii. 13, &c.

Ezekiel 40:48

And measured eaclipost oftKe porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side. By the posts are meant the side-posts or columns on each side of the door of entrance. (See ver. 9.) These were measured to be five cubits thick, both on the north and south sides. And the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.] By the breadth of the gate, Villalpandus understands the space of the wall on each side, from the entrance itself to the two corners: (compare xli. 3.) which, supposing with the text here to take up six cubits, and the entrance of the porch to be fourteen cubits, both those dimensions make up the length ofthe porch to be twenty cubits, from north to south, according to the measure set down in the following verse. This interpretation is countenanced by the Septuagint, who translate the latter part of the verse thus: And the breadth of the gate fourteen cubits; and the sides of the gate of the porch three cubits 07i this side, and three cubits on that side.

Ezekiel 40:49

The length of the porch was twenty cubits. The same length with the porch of Solomon’s temple, 1 Kings vi. 3. which being there said to-be of the same measure with the breadth of the house, must be understood of its dimensions from north to south. And the breadth eleven cubits.] The porch in Solomon’s temple was but ten cubits in breadth: (1 Kings vi. 3*) (he length of such buildings being commonly double to the breadth. (See ver. 13. 15. 21. 25. 33. and 36. of this chapter, and xli. 2.) Some copies of the LXX. read ten cubits; and I/Amy conjectures that was the ancient reading in the Hebrew. St. Jerome, upon the place, suspects there might bo a mistake in the Hebrew copy, though the emendation he offers doth not at all render the sense clearer. Villalpandus supposes the breadth of the porch to bo ten cubits anda half; (see the note ou ver. 11.) which, putting an entire number in the room of a fraction, may be accounted eleven. And he brought me by the steps whereby they went up to it.] The ascent was by eight steps, according to the Vulgar Latin; the same number which belonged to the several entrances into the inner court. (Sec ver. 31. 34; 37,) The copies of the LXX. read ten steps. And there were pillars by the postsJ] By the sidoposts of the door, or entrance; (see ver. 48.) like those erected