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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 42:1-14

The prophet has taken a very exact view of the temple and the buildings belonging to it, and is now brought again into the outer court, to observe the chambers that were in that square. I. Here is a description of these chambers, which (as that which went before) seems to us very perplexed and intricate, through our unacquaintedness with the Hebrew language and the rules of architecture at that time. We shall only observe, in general, 1. That about the temple, which was the place of public... read more

Matthew Henry

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 42:1

Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north ,.... After the dimensions of the gates and courts of this building had been shown, and that of itself, the holy and most holy place, with the ornaments thereof; the prophet is brought by his guide into the outward court, which encompassed the building to the north part of it; probably he came out of the north gate of the house into it. So the Targum renders it, "by the way of the gate which is open to the way of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 42:2

Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door ,.... That is, the north door of the house opened to a space that lay between that and the chambers, which was a hundred cubits long: and the breadth was fifty cubits ; or the sense is, that the prophet was brought, as Noldius renders the words F20 Concord. Ebr. Partic. p. 82. , to a place whose length was an hundred cubits towards the north door ; so that they describe the length and breadth of these chambers, the whole... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 42:3

Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court ,.... Starckius thinks that the breadth of the chambers being fifty cubits, is here parted, and disposed of, and accounted for. The chambers were in two rows over against each other; that row which looked to the south, and so to the temple, was twenty cubits broad; and because it led to the temple, its court is called the inner court: and over against the pavement which was for the utter court : or that row which was over... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 42:4

And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits' breadth inward ,.... That is, within side, or between the two rows of chambers, there was a walk of this breadth, for those that lodged in the chambers to walk in for their pleasure and profit, and to converse with one another. Such who by these "chambers" understand places of retirement for private devotion, or the duties of the closet, which fit and prepare for public worship, as these chambers were near and in sight of the temple, so by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 42:5

Now the upper chambers were shorter ,.... The chambers were in three stories, as in the following verse, one above another; the middlemost were shorter than the lowermost, and the upper shorter than either; just the reverse of the chambers in Ezekiel 41:7 , they were not so high from the floor to the ceiling, nor so broad from side to side. The reason follows: for the galleries were higher than these ; or, "ate out of these" F23 יוכלו מהנה Keri, יאכלו "comedebant ex ipsis",... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 42:6

For they were in three stories ,.... Not only the galleries or posts, but the chambers; they were one over another; there were the lowermost, middlemost, and uppermost; which, as before, may denote the difference in churches, and the different states, conditions, and characters of those that are in them; some being fathers, others young men, and others little children: or their different offices and relations; some being pastors, others deacons, and others private members: or their knowledge... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 42:7

And the wall that was without over against the chambers ,.... This wall separated and distinguished the chambers from the outward court, as well as was a protection of them; and signifies the grace and power of God, which separates his true churches from the world, and is the security of them; See Gill on Ezekiel 11:5 . this was towards the utter court, on the fore part of the chambers ; or front of them, which seems to be to the north of them; since their doors were towards the north,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 42:8

For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits ,.... Which was the reason why the wall was of the same length, that it might be answerable to them; here length is put for breadth; see Ezekiel 42:2 , this measure was from the north to south, as Lipman F24 Tzurath Beth Hamikdash, sect. 71. observes: and lo, before the temple were an hundred cubits ; as the breadth of the wall and chambers was fifty, so in length, as they were over against the temple,... read more

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