42Then the man led me out of the Temple courtyard by way of the north gateway. We entered the outer courtyard and came to a group of rooms against the north wall of the inner courtyard.H3318H2435H2691H1870H6828H935H3957H1508H1146H68282This structure, whose entrance opened toward the north, was 175 feet long and 87 1/2 feet wide.H6440H753H3967H520H6828H6607H7341H2572H5203One block of rooms overlooked the 35-foot width of the inner courtyard. Another block of rooms looked out onto the pavement of the outer courtyard. The two blocks were built three levels high and stood across from each other.H6242H6442H2691H7531H2435H2691H862H6440H862H79924Between the two blocks of rooms ran a walkway 17 1/2 feet wide. It extended the entire 175 feet of the complex, and all the doors faced north.H6440H3957H4109H6235H520H7341H6442H1870H259H520H6607H68285Each of the two upper levels of rooms was narrower than the one beneath it because the upper levels had to allow space for walkways in front of them.H5945H3957H7114H862H398H2007H8481H8484H11466Since there were three levels and they did not have supporting columns as in the courtyards, each of the upper levels was set back from the level beneath it.H8027H5982H5982H2691H680H8481H8484H7767There was an outer wall that separated the rooms from the outer courtyard; it was 87 1/2 feet long.H1447H2351H5980H3957H1870H2435H2691H6440H3957H753H2572H5208This wall added length to the outer block of rooms, which extended for only 87 1/2 feet, while the inner block—the rooms toward the Temple—extended for 175 feet.H753H3957H2435H2691H2572H520H6440H1964H3967H5209There was an eastern entrance from the outer courtyard to these rooms.H3957H3996H935H6921H935H2007H2435H269110On the south side of the Temple there were two blocks of rooms just south of the inner courtyard between the Temple and the outer courtyard. These rooms were arranged just like the rooms on the north.H3957H7341H1444H2691H1870H6921H6440H1508H6440H114611There was a walkway between the two blocks of rooms just like the complex on the north side of the Temple. This complex of rooms was the same length and width as the other one, and it had the same entrances and doors. The dimensions of each were identical.H1870H6440H4758H3957H1870H6828H753H3651H7341H4161H4941H660712So there was an entrance in the wall facing the doors of the inner block of rooms, and another on the east at the end of the interior walkway.H6607H3957H1870H1864H6607H7218H1870H1870H1903H6440H1448H1870H6921H93513Then the man told me, “These rooms that overlook the Temple from the north and south are holy. Here the priests who offer sacrifices to the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. And because these rooms are holy, they will be used to store the sacred offerings—the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings.H559H6828H3957H1864H3957H6440H1508H6944H3957H3548H7138H3068H398H6944H6944H3240H6944H6944H4503H2403H817H4725H691814When the priests leave the sanctuary, they must not go directly to the outer courtyard. They must first take off the clothes they wore while ministering, because these clothes are holy. They must put on other clothes before entering the parts of the building complex open to the public.”H3548H935H3318H6944H2435H2691H3240H899H8334H6944H3847H3847H312H899H7126H597115When the man had finished measuring the inside of the Temple area, he led me out through the east gateway to measure the entire perimeter.H3615H4060H6442H1004H3318H1870H8179H6440H1870H6921H4058H543916He measured the east side with his measuring rod, and it was 875 feet long.H4058H6921H7307H4060H7070H2568H520H3967H7070H4060H7070H543917Then he measured the north side, and it was also 875 feet.H4058H6828H7307H2568H3967H7070H4060H7070H543918The south side was also 875 feet,H4058H1864H7307H2568H3967H7070H4060H707019and the west side was also 875 feet.H5437H3220H7307H4058H2568H3967H7070H4060H707020So the area was 875 feet on each side with a wall all around it to separate what was holy from what was common.H4058H702H7307H2346H5439H2568H3967H753H2568H3967H7341H914H6944H2455
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