Ezekiel 42:20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 42:15-20

We have attended the measuring of this mystical temple and are now to see how far the holy ground on which we tread extends; and that also is here measured, and found to take in a great compass. Observe, 1. What the dimensions of it were. It extended each way 500 reeds (Ezek. 42:16-19), each reed above three yards and a half, so that it reached every way about an English measured mile, which, the ground lying square, was above four miles round. Thus large were the suburbs (as I may call them)... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 42:20

He measured it by the four sides ,.... Which were equilateral, parallel to each other, each measuring five hundred reeds; which in all made up two thousand reeds, or seven thousand yards: this shows that no material building can be designed; never was an edifice of such dimensions; this seems rather to describe a city than a temple; and denotes the largeness of the Gospel church state in the latter day, when the Jews will be converted, and the fulness of the Gentiles brought in: it had a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 42:20

It had a wall round about - to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place - The holy place was that which was consecrated to the Lord; into which no heathen, nor stranger, nor any in a state of impurity, might enter. The profane place was that in which men, women, Gentiles, pure or impure might be admitted. Josephus says War, lib. vi., c. 14, that in his time there was a wall built before the entrance three cubits high, on which there were posts fixed at certain distances,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 42:1-20

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 42:15-20

The temple precincts . The seer's guide, having completed his measurement of the house with its courts, proceeds to measure its encompassing wall, for this purpose conducting the prophet out by the east gate, and measuring, first the east, next the north, thirdly the south, and lastly the west wall, each five hundred reeds in length, or three thousand cubits, so that the entire area of the quadrangle amounted to 3000 x 3000 = 9,000,000 square cubits, equivalent to 2,250,000 square yards. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 42:15-20

The size and strength of the kingdom. "The particularity with which these measurements are given shows the importance attached by the prophet to the external dimensions … The compass assigned to the sacred buildings exceeded the limits of all ancient Jerusalem … Here is another of those traits intended to render manifest the ideal character of the whole description" (Fairbairn). The fulfillment is found in the glorious magnitude of the Church of Christ, of which the temple was designed to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 42:20

To make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane. In these words the prophet indicates the purpose designed to be served by this particular wall; and although it may be said the outer court divided between the "sanctuary," or that which was holy , and the "profane," or that which was common, yet a more decided separation would assuredly be made by extending in the way described the precincts of the house. The objections usually offered to the view which regards the present... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 42:20

Separation between the holy and the common. The walls described by the prophet served another purpose than the most obvious one of enclosing a space and supporting a roof. They had a symbolical meaning. They were walls of separation. The several portions of the temple were invested with varying degrees of holiness, and in this arrangement there was no doubt a Divine significance and intention. There were parts reserved for Israelites, parts reserved for the priests, and one part into which... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezekiel 42:20

The “sanctuary” proper is probably here the most holy place as distinguished from the rest of the temple Ezekiel 41:23; Ezekiel 45:3; but the term was capable of extension first to the whole temple, then to all the ground that was separated to “holy” as distinguished from “profane,” i. e., common uses.In the vision the courts rose on successive platforms, the outer court being raised seven steps above the precincts, the inner court eight steps above the outer, and the temple itself ten steps... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 42:20

Ezekiel 42:20 . It had a wall round about To defend it from being invaded or profaned. Such a square wall as is here described, seems only capable of a mystical sense and interpretation. To make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place Between that compass of ground which was included in the precincts of the temple, and was considered as consecrated to the Lord, and where it was not permitted either the heathen, strangers, or impure persons, to present themselves; and that... read more

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