Ezekiel 40-44; Psalms 43 - Prayer Tents

The New Temple Area

40On April 28, during the twenty-fifth year of our captivity—fourteen years after the fall of Jerusalem—the Lord took hold of me.H2568H6242H8141H1546H7218H8141H6218H2320H702H6240H8141H310H5892H5221H6106H3117H3027H3068H935 2In a vision from God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. From there I could see toward the south what appeared to be a city.H4759H430H935H776H3478H5117H3966H1364H2022H4011H5892H5045 3As he brought me nearer, I saw a man whose face shone like bronze standing beside a gateway entrance. He was holding in his hand a linen measuring cord and a measuring rod.H935H376H4758H4758H5178H6616H6593H3027H4060H7070H5975H8179 4He said to me, “Son of man, watch and listen. Pay close attention to everything I show you. You have been brought here so I can show you many things. Then you will return to the people of Israel and tell them everything you have seen.”H376H1696H1121H120H7200H5869H8085H241H7760H3820H7200H4616H7200H935H5046H7200H1004H3478

The East Gateway

5I could see a wall completely surrounding the Temple area. The man took a measuring rod that was 10 1/2 feet long and measured the wall, and the wall was 10 1/2 feet thick and 10 1/2 feet high.H2346H2351H1004H5439H376H3027H4060H7070H8337H520H520H2948H4058H7341H1146H259H7070H6967H259H7070 6Then he went over to the eastern gateway. He climbed the steps and measured the threshold of the gateway; it was 10 1/2 feet front to back.H935H8179H6440H1870H6921H5927H4609H4058H5592H8179H259H7070H7341H259H5592H259H7070H7341 7There were guard alcoves on each side built into the gateway passage. Each of these alcoves was 10 1/2 feet square, with a distance between them of 8 3/4 feet along the passage wall. The gateway’s inner threshold, which led to the entry room at the inner end of the gateway passage, was 10 1/2 feet front to back.H8372H259H7070H753H259H7070H7341H8372H2568H520H5592H8179H681H197H8179H1004H259H7070 8He also measured the entry room of the gateway.H4058H197H8179H1004H259H7070 9It was 14 feet across, with supporting columns 3 1/2 feet thick. This entry room was at the inner end of the gateway structure, facing toward the Temple.H4058H197H8179H8083H520H352H8147H520H197H8179H1004 10There were three guard alcoves on each side of the gateway passage. Each had the same measurements, and the dividing walls separating them were also identical.H8372H8179H1870H6921H7969H6311H7969H6311H7969H259H4060H352H259H4060 11The man measured the gateway entrance, which was 17 1/2 feet wide at the opening and 22 3/4 feet wide in the gateway passage.H4058H7341H6607H8179H6235H520H753H8179H7969H6240H520 12In front of each of the guard alcoves was a 21-inch curb. The alcoves themselves were 10 1/2 feet on each side.H1366H6440H8372H259H520H1366H520H8372H8337H520H8337H520 13Then he measured the entire width of the gateway, measuring the distance between the back walls of facing guard alcoves; this distance was 43 3/4 feet.H4058H8179H1406H8372H1406H7341H2568H6242H520H6607H6607 14He measured the dividing walls all along the inside of the gateway up to the entry room of the gateway; this distance was 105 feet.H6213H352H8346H520H352H2691H5439H8179 15The full length of the gateway passage was 87 1/2 feet from one end to the other.H6440H8179H2978H6440H197H6442H8179H2572H520 16There were recessed windows that narrowed inward through the walls of the guard alcoves and their dividing walls. There were also windows in the entry room. The surfaces of the dividing walls were decorated with carved palm trees.H331H2474H8372H352H6441H8179H5439H361H2474H5439H6441H352H8561

The Outer Courtyard

17Then the man brought me through the gateway into the outer courtyard of the Temple. A stone pavement ran along the walls of the courtyard, and thirty rooms were built against the walls, opening onto the pavement.H935H2435H2691H3957H7531H6213H2691H5439H7970H3957H7531 18This pavement flanked the gates and extended out from the walls into the courtyard the same distance as the gateway entrance. This was the lower pavement.H7531H3802H8179H5980H753H8179H8481H7531 19Then the man measured across the Temple’s outer courtyard between the outer and inner gateways; the distance was 175 feet.H4058H7341H6440H8481H8179H6440H6442H2691H2351H3967H520H6921H6828

The North Gateway

20The man measured the gateway on the north just like the one on the east.H8179H2435H2691H6440H1870H6828H4058H753H7341 21Here, too, there were three guard alcoves on each side, with dividing walls and an entry room. All the measurements matched those of the east gateway. The gateway passage was 87 1/2 feet long and 43 3/4 feet wide between the back walls of facing guard alcoves.H8372H7969H7969H352H361H4060H7223H8179H753H2572H520H7341H2568H6242H520 22The windows, the entry room, and the palm tree decorations were identical to those in the east gateway. There were seven steps leading up to the gateway entrance, and the entry room was at the inner end of the gateway passage.H2474H361H8561H4060H8179H6440H1870H6921H5927H7651H4609H361H6440 23Here on the north side, just as on the east, there was another gateway leading to the Temple’s inner courtyard directly opposite this outer gateway. The distance between the two gateways was 175 feet.H8179H6442H2691H8179H6828H6921H4058H8179H8179H3967H520

The South Gateway

24Then the man took me around to the south gateway and measured its various parts, and they were exactly the same as in the others.H3212H1870H1864H8179H1870H1864H4058H352H361H4060 25It had windows along the walls as the others did, and there was an entry room where the gateway passage opened into the outer courtyard. And like the others, the gateway passage was 87 1/2 feet long and 43 3/4 feet wide between the back walls of facing guard alcoves.H2474H361H5439H2474H753H2572H520H7341H2568H6242H520 26This gateway also had a stairway of seven steps leading up to it, and an entry room at the inner end, and palm tree decorations along the dividing walls.H7651H4609H5930H361H6440H8561H259H259H352 27And here again, directly opposite the outer gateway, was another gateway that led into the inner courtyard. The distance between the two gateways was 175 feet.H8179H6442H2691H1870H1864H4058H8179H8179H1870H1864H3967H520

Gateways to the Inner Courtyard

28Then the man took me to the south gateway leading into the inner courtyard. He measured it, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways.H935H6442H2691H1864H8179H4058H1864H8179H4060 29Its guard alcoves, dividing walls, and entry room were the same size as those in the others. It also had windows along its walls and in the entry room. And like the others, the gateway passage was 87 1/2 feet long and 43 3/4 feet wide.H8372H352H361H4060H2474H361H5439H2572H520H753H2568H6242H520H7341 30(The entry rooms of the gateways leading into the inner courtyard were 14 feet across and 43 3/4 feet wide.)H361H5439H2568H6242H520H753H2568H520H7341 31The entry room to the south gateway faced into the outer courtyard. It had palm tree decorations on its columns, and there were eight steps leading to its entrance.H361H2435H2691H8561H352H4608H8083H4609 32Then he took me to the east gateway leading to the inner courtyard. He measured it, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways.H935H6442H2691H1870H6921H4058H8179H4060 33Its guard alcoves, dividing walls, and entry room were the same size as those of the others, and there were windows along the walls and in the entry room. The gateway passage measured 87 1/2 feet long and 43 3/4 feet wide.H8372H352H361H4060H2474H361H5439H2572H520H753H2568H6242H520H7341 34Its entry room faced into the outer courtyard. It had palm tree decorations on its columns, and there were eight steps leading to its entrance.H361H2435H2691H8561H352H4608H8083H4609 35Then he took me around to the north gateway leading to the inner courtyard. He measured it, and it had the same measurements as the other gateways.H935H6828H8179H4058H4060 36The guard alcoves, dividing walls, and entry room of this gateway had the same measurements as in the others and the same window arrangements. The gateway passage measured 87 1/2 feet long and 43 3/4 feet wide.H8372H352H361H2474H5439H753H2572H520H7341H2568H6242H520 37Its entry room faced into the outer courtyard, and it had palm tree decorations on the columns. There were eight steps leading to its entrance.H352H2435H2691H8561H352H4608H8083H4609

Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices

38A door led from the entry room of one of the inner gateways into a side room, where the meat for sacrifices was washed.H3957H6607H352H8179H1740H5930 39On each side of this entry room were two tables, where the sacrificial animals were slaughtered for the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings.H197H8179H8147H7979H7979H7819H5930H2403H817 40Outside the entry room, on each side of the stairs going up to the north entrance, were two more tables.H3802H2351H5927H6607H6828H8179H8147H7979H312H3802H197H8179H8147H7979 41So there were eight tables in all—four inside and four outside—where the sacrifices were cut up and prepared.H702H7979H702H7979H3802H8179H8083H7979H7819 42There were also four tables of finished stone for preparation of the burnt offerings, each 31 1/2 inches square and 21 inches high. On these tables were placed the butchering knives and other implements for slaughtering the sacrificial animals.H702H7979H1496H68H5930H520H2677H753H520H2677H7341H259H520H1363H3240H3627H7819H5930H2077 43There were hooks, each 3 inches long, fastened to the foyer walls. The sacrificial meat was laid on the tables.H1004H8240H259H2948H3559H5439H7979H1320H7133

Rooms for the Priests

44Inside the inner courtyard were two rooms, one beside the north gateway, facing south, and the other beside the south gateway, facing north.H2351H6442H8179H3957H7891H6442H2691H3802H6828H8179H6440H1870H1864H259H3802H6921H8179H6440H1870H6828 45And the man said to me, “The room beside the north inner gate is for the priests who supervise the Temple maintenance.H1696H2090H3957H6440H1870H1864H3548H8104H4931H1004 46The room beside the south inner gate is for the priests in charge of the altar—the descendants of Zadok—for they alone of all the Levites may approach the Lord to minister to him.”H3957H6440H1870H6828H3548H8104H4931H4196H1121H6659H1121H3878H7131H3068H8334

The Inner Courtyard and Temple

47Then the man measured the inner courtyard, and it was a square, 175 feet wide and 175 feet across. The altar stood in the courtyard in front of the Temple.H4058H2691H3967H520H753H3967H520H7341H7251H4196H6440H1004 48Then he brought me to the entry room of the Temple. He measured the walls on either side of the opening to the entry room, and they were 8 3/4 feet thick. The entrance itself was 24 1/2 feet wide, and the walls on each side of the entrance were an additional 5 1/4 feet long.H935H197H1004H4058H352H197H2568H520H2568H520H7341H8179H7969H520H7969H520 49The entry room was 35 feet wide and 21 feet deep. There were ten steps leading up to it, with a column on each side.H753H197H6242H520H7341H6249H6240H520H4609H5927H5982H352H259H259

41After that, the man brought me into the sanctuary of the Temple. He measured the walls on either side of its doorway, and they were 10 1/2 feet thick.H935H1964H4058H352H8337H520H7341H6311H8337H520H7341H6311H7341H168 2The doorway was 17 1/2 feet wide, and the walls on each side of it were 8 3/4 feet long. The sanctuary itself was 70 feet long and 35 feet wide.H7341H6607H6235H520H3802H6607H2568H520H2568H520H4058H753H705H520H7341H6242H520 3Then he went beyond the sanctuary into the inner room. He measured the walls on either side of its entrance, and they were 3 1/2 feet thick. The entrance was 10 1/2 feet wide, and the walls on each side of the entrance were 12 1/4 feet long.H935H6441H4058H352H6607H8147H520H6607H8337H520H7341H6607H7651H520 4The inner room of the sanctuary was 35 feet long and 35 feet wide. “This,” he told me, “is the Most Holy Place.”H4058H753H6242H520H7341H6242H520H6440H1964H559H6944H6944 5Then he measured the wall of the Temple, and it was 10 1/2 feet thick. There was a row of rooms along the outside wall; each room was 7 feet wide.H4058H7023H1004H8337H520H7341H6763H702H520H5439H1004H5439 6These side rooms were built in three levels, one above the other, with thirty rooms on each level. The supports for these side rooms rested on exterior ledges on the Temple wall; they did not extend into the wall.H6763H6763H7969H6763H7970H6471H935H7023H1004H6763H5439H270H270H7023H1004 7Each level was wider than the one below it, corresponding to the narrowing of the Temple wall as it rose higher. A stairway led up from the bottom level through the middle level to the top level.H7337H5437H4605H6763H4141H1004H4605H5439H1004H7341H1004H4605H5927H8481H5945H8484 8I saw that the Temple was built on a terrace, which provided a foundation for the side rooms. This terrace was 10 1/2 feet high.H7200H1363H1004H5439H4328H6763H4393H7070H8337H679H520 9The outer wall of the Temple’s side rooms was 8 3/4 feet thick. This left an open area between these side roomsH7341H7023H6763H2351H2568H520H3240H1004H6763H1004 10and the row of rooms along the outer wall of the inner courtyard. This open area was 35 feet wide, and it went all the way around the Temple.H3957H7341H6242H520H5439H1004H5439 11Two doors opened from the side rooms into the terrace yard, which was 8 3/4 feet wide. One door faced north and the other south.H6607H6763H3240H259H6607H1870H6828H259H6607H1864H7341H4725H3240H2568H520H5439 12A large building stood on the west, facing the Temple courtyard. It was 122 1/2 feet wide and 157 1/2 feet long, and its walls were 8 3/4 feet thick.H1146H6440H1508H6285H1870H3220H7657H520H7341H7023H1146H2568H520H7341H5439H753H8673H520 13Then the man measured the Temple, and it was 175 feet long. The courtyard around the building, including its walls, was an additional 175 feet in length.H4058H1004H3967H520H753H1508H1140H7023H3967H520H753 14The inner courtyard to the east of the Temple was also 175 feet wide.H7341H6440H1004H1508H6921H3967H520 15The building to the west, including its two walls, was also 175 feet wide. The sanctuary, the inner room, and the entry room of the TempleH4058H753H1146H6440H1508H310H862H3967H520H6442H1964H197H2691 16were all paneled with wood, as were the frames of the recessed windows. The inner walls of the Temple were paneled with wood above and below the windows.H5592H331H2474H862H5439H7969H5048H5592H7824H6086H5439H776H2474H2474H3680 17The space above the door leading into the inner room, and its walls inside and out, were also paneled.H6607H6442H1004H2351H7023H5439H6442H2435H4060 18All the walls were decorated with carvings of cherubim, each with two faces, and there was a carving of a palm tree between each of the cherubim.H6213H3742H8561H8561H3742H3742H3742H8147H6440 19One face—that of a man—looked toward the palm tree on one side. The other face—that of a young lion—looked toward the palm tree on the other side. The figures were carved all along the inside of the Temple,H6440H120H8561H6440H3715H8561H6213H1004H5439 20from the floor to the top of the walls, including the outer wall of the sanctuary.H776H6607H3742H8561H6213H7023H1964 21There were square columns at the entrance to the sanctuary, and the ones at the entrance of the Most Holy Place were similar.H4201H1964H7251H6440H6944H4758H4758 22There was an altar made of wood, 5 1/4 feet high and 3 1/2 feet across. Its corners, base, and sides were all made of wood. “This,” the man told me, “is the table that stands in the Lord’s presence.”H4196H6086H7969H520H1364H753H8147H520H4740H753H7023H6086H1696H7979H6440H3068 23Both the sanctuary and the Most Holy Place had double doorways,H1964H6944H8147H1817 24each with two swinging doors.H1817H8147H1817H8147H4142H1817H8147H259H1817H8147H1817H312 25The doors leading into the sanctuary were decorated with carved cherubim and palm trees, just as on the walls. And there was a wooden roof at the front of the entry room to the Temple.H6213H1817H1964H3742H8561H6213H7023H5646H6086H6440H197H2351 26On both sides of the entry room were recessed windows decorated with carved palm trees. The side rooms along the outside wall also had roofs.H331H2474H8561H3802H197H6763H1004H5646

Rooms for the Priests

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.H3318H2435H2691H1870H6828H935H3957H1508H1146H6828 2This structure, whose entrance opened toward the north, was 175 feet long and 87 1/2 feet wide.H6440H753H3967H520H6828H6607H7341H2572H520 3One 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.H6242H6442H2691H7531H2435H2691H862H6440H862H7992 4Between 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.H6440H3957H4109H6235H520H7341H6442H1870H259H520H6607H6828 5Each 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.H5945H3957H7114H862H398H2007H8481H8484H1146 6Since 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.H8027H5982H5982H2691H680H8481H8484H776 7There was an outer wall that separated the rooms from the outer courtyard; it was 87 1/2 feet long.H1447H2351H5980H3957H1870H2435H2691H6440H3957H753H2572H520 8This 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.H753H3957H2435H2691H2572H520H6440H1964H3967H520 9There was an eastern entrance from the outer courtyard to these rooms.H3957H3996H935H6921H935H2007H2435H2691 10On 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.H3957H7341H1444H2691H1870H6921H6440H1508H6440H1146 11There 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.H1870H6440H4758H3957H1870H6828H753H3651H7341H4161H4941H6607 12So 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.H6607H3957H1870H1864H6607H7218H1870H1870H1903H6440H1448H1870H6921H935 13Then 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.H559H6828H3957H1864H3957H6440H1508H6944H3957H3548H7138H3068H398H6944H6944H3240H6944H6944H4503H2403H817H4725H6918 14When 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.”H3548H935H3318H6944H2435H2691H3240H899H8334H6944H3847H3847H312H899H7126H5971 15When the man had finished measuring the inside of the Temple area, he led me out through the east gateway to measure the entire perimeter.H3615H4060H6442H1004H3318H1870H8179H6440H1870H6921H4058H5439 16He measured the east side with his measuring rod, and it was 875 feet long.H4058H6921H7307H4060H7070H2568H520H3967H7070H4060H7070H5439 17Then he measured the north side, and it was also 875 feet.H4058H6828H7307H2568H3967H7070H4060H7070H5439 18The south side was also 875 feet,H4058H1864H7307H2568H3967H7070H4060H7070 19and the west side was also 875 feet.H5437H3220H7307H4058H2568H3967H7070H4060H7070 20So the area was 875 feet on each side with a wall all around it to separate what was holy from what was common.H4058H702H7307H2346H5439H2568H3967H753H2568H3967H7341H914H6944H2455