The Prophet Ezekiel

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 40 -

(Zechariah 2:1–5)

In the fiue and twentieth yeere of our being in captiuitie, in the beginning of the yeere, in the tenth day of the moneth, in the fourteenth yeere after that the citie was smitten, in the selfe same day, the hande of the Lord was vpon mee, and brought me thither.

Into the lande of Israel brought he me by a diuine vision, and set me vpon a very hie mountaine, whereupon was as the building of a citie, toward the South.

And he brought me thither, and beholde, there was a man, whose similitude was to looke to, like brasse, with a linnen thread in his hand, and a reede to measure with: and he stoode at the gate.

And the man said vnto me, Sonne of man, beholde with thine eyes, and heare with thine eares, and set thine heart vpon all that I shall shew thee: for to the intent, that they might be shewed thee, art thou brought hither: declare al that thou seest, vnto the house of Israel.

The East Gate

And beholde, I sawe a wall on the outside of the house round about: and in the mans hand was a reede to measure with, of sixe cubites long, by the cubite, and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the buylding with one reede, and the height with one reede.

Then came he vnto the gate, which looketh towarde the East, and went vp the stayres thereof, and measured the poste of the gate, which was one reede broade, and the other poste of the gate, which was one reede broade.

And euery chamber was one reede long, and one reede broad, and betweene the chambers were fiue cubites: and the post of the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reede.

He measured also the porche of the gate within with one reede.

Then measured he the porch of the gate of eight cubites, and the postes thereof, of two cubites, and the porch of the gate was inward.

And the chambers of the gate Eastwarde, were three on this side, and three on that side: they three were of one measure, and the postes had one measure on this side, and one on that side.

And he measured the breadth of the entrie of the gate ten cubites, and the height of the gate thirteene cubites.

The space also before the chambers was one cubite on this side, and the space was one cubite on that side, and the chambers were sixe cubites on this side and sixe cubites on that side.

He measured then the gate from the roufe of a chamber to the toppe of the gate: the breadth was fiue and twentie cubites, doore against doore.

He made also postes of threescore cubites, and the postes of the court, and of the gate had one measure round about.

And vpon the forefront of the entry of the gate vnto the forefront of the porch of the gate within were fiftie cubites.

And there were narrowe windowes in the chambers, and in their postes within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and the windowes went rounde about within: and vpon the postes were palme trees.

The Outer Court

Then brought he me into the outwarde court, and lo, there were chambers, and a pauement made for the court round about, and thirtie chambers were vpon the pauement.

And the pauement was by the side of the gates ouer against the length of the gates, and the pauement was beneath.

Then hee measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate without, vnto the forefront of the court within, an hundreth cubits Eastward and Northward.

The North Gate

And the gate of the outwarde court, that looked toward the North, measured he after the length and breadth thereof.

And the chambers thereof were, three on this side, and three on that side, and the postes thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fiftie cubites, and the breadth fiue and twentie cubites.

And their windowes, and their arches with their palme trees, were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the East, and the going vp vnto it had seuen steppes, and the arches therof were before them.

And the gate of the inner court stoode ouer against the gate towarde the North, and towarde the East, and hee measured from gate to gate an hundreth cubites.

The South Gate

After that, he brought mee towarde the South, and loe, there was a gate towarde the South, and hee measured the postes thereof, and the arches thereof according to these measures.

And there were windowes in it, and in the arches thereof round about, like those windowes: the height was fiftie cubites, and the breadth fiue and twentie cubites.

And there were seuen steps to go vp to it, and the arches thereof were before them: and it had palme trees, one on this side, and another on that side vpon the post thereof.

And there was a gate in the inner court towarde the South, and he measured from gate to gate towarde the South an hundreth cubites.

The Gates of the Inner Court

And he brought me into the inner court by the South gate, and he measured the South gate according to these measures,

And the chambers thereof, and the postes thereof, and the arches thereof according to these measures, and there were windowes in it, and in the arches thereof rounde about, it was fiftie cubites long and fiue and twentie cubites broade.

And the arches round about were fiue and twenty cubites long, and fiue cubites broad.

And the arches thereof were towarde the vtter court, and palme trees were vpon the postes thereof, and the going vp to it had eight steppes.

Againe he brought me into ye inner court toward the East, and he measured the gate according to these measures.

And the chambers thereof, and the postes thereof, and the arches thereof were according to these measures, and there were windowes therein, and in the arches thereof round about, it was fiftie cubites long, and fiue and twentie cubites broade.

And the arches thereof were towarde the vtter court, and palme trees were vpon the postes thereof, on this side and on that side, and the going vp to it had eight steppes.

After he brought mee to the North gate, and measured it, according to these measures,

The chambers thereof, the postes thereof, and the arches thereof, and there were windowes therein round about: the height was fiftie cubits, and the breadth fiue and twentie cubites.

And the postes thereof were towarde the vtter court, and palme trees were vpon the postes thereof on this side, and on that side, and the going vp to it had eight steps.

Eight Tables for Sacrifices

And euery chamber, and the entrie thereof was vnder the postes of the gates: there they washed the burnt offring.

And in the porch of the gate stoode two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, vpon the which they slew the burnt offring, and the sinne offring, and the trespas offring.

And at the side beyond the steppes, at the entry of the North gate stoode two tables, and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate were two tables.

Foure tables were on this side, and foure tables on that side by the side of the gate, euen eight tables whereupon they slew their sacrifice.

And the foure tables were of hewen stone for the burnt offering, of a cubite and an halfe long, and a cubite and an halfe broade, and one cubite hie: whereupon also they layde the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offring and the sacrifice.

And within were borders an hand broade, fastened round about, and vpon the tables lay the flesh of the offring.

Chambers for Ministry

And without the inner gate were ye chambers of the singers in the inner Court, which was at the side of the North gate: and their prospect was towarde the South, and one was at the side of the East gate, hauing the prospect towarde the North.

And he said vnto me, This chamber whose prospect is towarde the South, is for the Priestes that haue the charge to keepe the house.

And the chamber whose prospect is toward the North, is for the Priestes that haue the charge to keepe the altar: these are the sonnes of Zadok among ye sonnes of Leui which may come neere to the Lord to minister vnto him.

The Inner Court

So he measured the court, an hundreth cubites long, and an hundreth cubits broad, eue foure square: likewise the altar that was before ye house.

And hee brought mee to the porch of the house, and measured the postes of the porch, fiue cubites on this side, and fiue cubites on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubites on this side, and three cubites on that side.

The length of the porch was twentie cubites, and ye breadth eleuen cubites, and he brought me by the steps whereby they went vp to it, and there were pillars by the postes, one on this side, and another on that side.

(Zechariah 2:1–5)

In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck, in the same day, the LORD’s hand was on me, and he brought me there.

In the visions of God he brought me into the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was something like the frame of a city to the south.

He brought me there; and, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax in his hand and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

The man said to me, “Son of man, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart on all that I will show you; for you have been brought here so that I may show them to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.”

The East Gate

Behold, there was a wall on the outside of the house all around, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed six cubits(a) long, of a cubit and a hand width each. So he measured the thickness of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.

Then he came to the gate which looks toward the east, and went up its steps. He measured the threshold of the gate, one reed wide; and the other threshold, one reed wide.

Every lodge was one reed long and one reed wide. Between the lodges was five cubits. The threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate toward the house was one reed.

He measured also the porch of the gate toward the house, one reed.

Then he measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its posts, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was toward the house.

The side rooms of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side. The three of them were of one measure. The posts had one measure on this side and on that side.

He measured the width of the opening of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits;

and a border before the lodges, one cubit on this side, and a border, one cubit on that side; and the side rooms, six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

He measured the gate from the roof of the one side room to the roof of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits, door against door.

He also made posts, sixty cubits; and the court reached to the posts, around the gate.

From the forefront of the gate at the entrance to the forefront of the inner porch of the gate were fifty cubits.

There were closed windows to the side rooms, and to their posts within the gate all around, and likewise to the arches. Windows were around inward. Palm trees were on each post.

The Outer Court

Then he brought me into the outer court. Behold, there were rooms and a pavement made for the court all around. Thirty rooms were on the pavement.

The pavement was by the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates, even the lower pavement.

Then he measured the width from the forefront of the lower gate to the forefront of the inner court outside, one hundred cubits, both on the east and on the north.

The North Gate

He measured the length and width of the gate of the outer court which faces toward the north.

The lodges of it were three on this side and three on that side. Its posts and its arches were the same as the measure of the first gate: its length was fifty cubits, and the width twenty-five cubits.

Its windows, its arches, and its palm trees were the same as the measure of the gate which faces toward the east. They went up to it by seven steps. Its arches were before them.

There was a gate to the inner court facing the other gate, on the north and on the east. He measured one hundred cubits from gate to gate.

The South Gate

He led me toward the south; and behold, there was a gate toward the south. He measured its posts and its arches according to these measurements.

There were windows in it and in its arches all around, like the other windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the width twenty-five cubits.

There were seven steps to go up to it, and its arches were before them. It had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, on its posts.

There was a gate to the inner court toward the south. He measured one hundred cubits from gate to gate toward the south.

The Gates of the Inner Court

Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate. He measured the south gate according to these measurements;

with its lodges, its posts, and its arches, according to these measurements. There were windows in it and in its arches all around. It was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits wide.

There were arches all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide.

Its arches were toward the outer court. Palm trees were on its posts. The ascent to it had eight steps.

He brought me into the inner court toward the east. He measured the gate according to these measurements;

with its lodges, its posts, and its arches, according to these measurements. There were windows in it and in its arches all around. It was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits wide.

Its arches were toward the outer court. Palm trees were on its posts on this side and on that side. The ascent to it had eight steps.

He brought me to the north gate, and he measured it according to these measurements—

its lodges, its posts, and its arches. There were windows in it all around. The length was fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits.

Its posts were toward the outer court. Palm trees were on its posts on this side and on that side. The ascent to it had eight steps.

Eight Tables for Sacrifices

A room with its door was by the posts at the gates. They washed the burnt offering there.

In the porch of the gate were two tables on this side and two tables on that side, on which to kill the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering.

On the one side outside, as one goes up to the entry of the gate toward the north, were two tables; and on the other side, which belonged to the porch of the gate, were two tables.

Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate: eight tables, on which they killed the sacrifices.

There were four cut stone tables for the burnt offering, a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high. They laid the instruments with which they killed the burnt offering and the sacrifice on them.

The hooks, a hand width long, were fastened within all around. The meat of the offering was on the tables.

Chambers for Ministry

Outside of the inner gate were rooms for the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate. They faced toward the south. One at the side of the east gate faced toward the north.

He said to me, “This room, which faces toward the south, is for the priests who perform the duty of the house.

The room which faces toward the north is for the priests who perform the duty of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who from among the sons of Levi come near to the LORD to minister to him.”

The Inner Court

He measured the court, one hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits wide, square. The altar was before the house.

Then he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side. The width of the gate was three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side.

The length of the porch was twenty cubits and the width eleven cubits, even by the steps by which they went up to it. There were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.

Footnotes

(a)40:5 A normal cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters. A handbreadth is about 4.3 inches or 11 centimeters, so the long cubit described here would be about 22.3 inches or 57 centimeters long. Thus, a 6 long cubit measuring reed would have been about 3 yards 26.6 inches or about 3.42 meters long.