Ezekiel 42

The Priests' Chambers and Temple Measurements

¹Then he brought me out into the outer court, the way toward the north. Then he brought me into the room that was opposite the separate place, and which was opposite the building toward the north.

²Facing the length of one hundred cubits was the north door, and the width was fifty cubits.

³Opposite the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in the three stories.

⁴Before the rooms was a walk of ten cubits’ width inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors were toward the north.

⁵Now the upper rooms were shorter; for the galleries took away from these more than from the lower and the middle in the building.

⁶For they were in three stories, and they didn’t have pillars as the pillars of the courts. Therefore the uppermost was set back more than the lowest and the middle from the ground.

⁷The wall that was outside by the side of the rooms, toward the outer court before the rooms, was fifty cubits long.

⁸For the length of the rooms that were in the outer court was fifty cubits. Behold, those facing the temple were one hundred cubits.

⁹From under these rooms was the entry on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court.

¹⁰In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, before the separate place, and before the building, there were rooms.

¹¹The way before them was like the appearance of the rooms which were toward the north. Their length and width were the same. All their exits had the same arrangement and doors.

¹²Like the doors of the rooms that were toward the south was a door at the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one enters into them.

¹³Then he said to me, “The north rooms and the south rooms, which are opposite the separate place, are the holy rooms, where the priests who are near to the LORD shall eat the most holy things. There they shall lay the most holy things, with the meal offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.

¹⁴When the priests enter in, then they shall not go out of the holy place into the outer court until they lay their garments in which they minister there; for they are holy. Then they shall put on other garments, and shall approach that which is for the people.”

¹⁵Now when he had finished measuring the inner house, he brought me out by the way of the gate which faces toward the east, and measured it all around.

¹⁶He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed all around.

¹⁷He measured on the north side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed all around.

¹⁸He measured on the south side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.

¹⁹He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.

²⁰He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, the length five hundred cubits, and the width five hundred cubits, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.

Previous Ezekiel 41

Next Ezekiel 43

Ezekiel receives a detailed tour of the priests' chambers located north and south of the temple complex, learning their specific dimensions and sacred functions. These holy rooms serve as places where priests consume the most holy offerings and change their garments before entering public areas, maintaining the separation between sacred and common spaces. The chapter concludes with measurements of the entire temple complex, revealing a perfect square of 500 cubits on each side, surrounded by a wall that separates the holy from the profane.

Context

This chapter completes the detailed temple vision that began in chapter 40, providing the final measurements before Ezekiel witnesses God's glory returning to the temple in chapter 43.

Key Themes

Outline

1-2
Tour of the Northern Chambers The guide leads Ezekiel to examine rooms opposite the temple building, providing specific measurements.
3-6
Architectural Details of the Chambers Description of the three-story gallery structure with walkways and varying room sizes.
7-12
Layout and Access Points Details of walls, entrances, and the symmetrical arrangement of northern and southern chamber complexes.
13-14
Sacred Function of the Priests' Rooms Explanation of how priests use these holy chambers for consuming offerings and changing garments.
15-20
Overall Temple Complex Measurements Final measurements reveal the entire sacred precinct as a perfect square surrounded by a separating wall.

The Priests' Chambers and Temple Measurements

42:1–42:20

prophecy vision contemplative

The vision describes the priests' chambers and their function in temple worship, emphasizing the separation between holy and common. This highlights the proper order and sanctity required for temple service.

person_contrast

Ezekiel, typically associated with divine judgment and exile, here meticulously details sacred architecture where priests transition between holy and common spaces, emphasizing ritual purity over prophetic condemnation.

Insight Character Study

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Ezekiel 42:1 5 references

Lexicals 5

Ezekiel 41:15 Lexical

He measured the length of the building before the separate place which was at its back, and its galleries on the one sid…

Ezekiel 42

The Priests' Chambers and Temple Measurements

The Priests' Chambers and Temple Measurements

Insights

Cross-References

Ezekiel 42:1 5 references

Ezekiel 42:2 5 references

Ezekiel 42:3 4 references

Ezekiel 42:4 5 references

Ezekiel 42:5 2 references

Ezekiel 42:6 2 references

Ezekiel 42:7 5 references

Ezekiel 42:8 5 references

Ezekiel 42:10 5 references

Ezekiel 42:11 5 references

Ezekiel 42:12 1 reference

Ezekiel 42:13 5 references

Ezekiel 42:14 5 references

Ezekiel 42:15 5 references

Ezekiel 42:16 5 references

Ezekiel 42:17 5 references

Ezekiel 42:18 3 references

Ezekiel 42:19 2 references

Ezekiel 42:20 5 references

Interlinear