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Ezekiel 41

Ezekiel 41:3

Inside the Temple · Ezekiel 41:1–4
Read Ezekiel 41

Translations

Modern
And he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the side pillars at the entrance to be two cubits wide. The entrance was six cubits wide, and the walls on each side were seven cubits wide.
Traditional
Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits.
Literal
And he went inside and measured the post for the door, two cubits; and the entrance, was six cubits; and the width of the entrance was seven cubits.
Latin
Et introgressus intrinsecus, mensus est in fronte portæ duos cubitos: et portam, sex cubitorum: et latitudinem portæ septem cubitorum.

Original

Hebrew
English
And he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the side pillars at the entrance to be two cubits wide. The entrance was six cubits wide, and the walls on each side were seven cubits wide.

Notes

Ezekiel 41:3–4

The inner room was the Most Holy Place. It was the only square room in the temple. This room was the most sacred space in the building.

A person reached it by passing through three openings. Each opening was narrower than the one before it. Access became more limited as a person moved closer to God.

The entrance to the entry room was about 7.5 meters wide (24.5 feet; Ezekiel 40:48). The doorway into the sanctuary was about 5.3 meters wide (17.5 feet; 41:2). The entrance to the Most Holy Place was only about 3.2 meters wide (10.5 feet).

Ezekiel did not enter the Most Holy Place. He stood outside and waited while the angel went in alone and measured the room.

Ezekiel 40:48–41:3

The temple stood at the protected center of the temple complex. It was next to the inner court. This location showed its importance.

The temple also stood at the highest point in the complex. It was ten steps higher than the inner court. The inner court itself was eight steps higher than the outer court. This rising height showed increasing holiness as a person moved inward.

Like Solomon’s temple before it, this temple had three main areas. These were:

  • the entry room,

  • the sanctuary (the main holy room), and

  • the Most Holy Place (the most sacred room).

Ezekiel 40:1–46:24

The prophet’s tour of the new temple began outside the building. He then moved step by step toward its center.

After reaching the inside, he walked outward again. The tour ended at the kitchens located in the corners of the outer courtyard (Ezekiel 46:19–24).

Events

Measurements

  • two cubits wide: About 3.5 ft (1.1 m)
  • seven cubits wide: About 12.25 ft (3.7 m)

Glossary

Book of Revelation Ezekiel (Person) Ezekiel, Book of Judaism Laver New Jerusalem Sadducees Son of Man Temple Theocracy