The Babylonian Exile

And there was under these chambers, an entrance from the east, for them that went into them out of the outward court.

In the breadth of the outward wall of the court that was toward the east, over against the separate building, and there were chambers before the building.

And the way before them was like the chambers which were toward the north: they were as long as they, and as broad as they: and all the going in to them, and their fashions, and their doors were alike.

According to the doors of the chambers that were towards the south: there was a door in the head of the way, which way was before the porch, separated towards the east as one entereth in.

And he said to me: The chambers of the north, and the chambers of the south, which are before the separate building: they are holy chambers, in which the priests shall eat, that approach to the Lord into the holy of holies: there they shall lay the most holy things, and the offering for sin, and for trespass: for it is a holy place.

And when the priests shall have entered in, they shall not go out of the holy places into the outward court: but there they shall lay their vestments, wherein they minister, for they are holy: and they shall put on other garments, and so they shall go forth to the people.

Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me out by the way of the gate that looked toward the east: and he measured it on every side round about.

And he measured toward the east with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about.

And he measured toward the north five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about.

And towards the south he measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about.

And toward the west he measured five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed.

By the four winds he measured the wall thereof on every side round about, five hundred cubits and five hundred cubits broad, making a separation between the sanctuary and the place of the people.

And he brought me to the gate that looked towards the east.

And behold the glory of the God of Israel came in by the way of the east: and his voice was like the noise of many waters, and the earth shone with his majesty.

And I saw the vision according to the appearance which I had seen when he came to destroy the city: and the appearance was according to the vision which I had seen by the river Chobar: and I fell upon my face.

And the majesty of the Lord went into the temple by the way of the gate that looked to the east.

And the spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court: and behold the house was filled with the glory of the Lord.

And I heard one speaking to me out of the house, and the man that stood by me,

Said to me: Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever: and the house of Israel shall no more profane my holy name, they and their kings by their fornications, and by the carcasses of their kings, and by the high places.

They who have set their threshold by my threshold, and their posts by my posts: and there was but a wall between me, and them: and they profaned my holy name by the abominations which they committed: for which reason I consumed them in my wrath.

Now therefore let them put away their fornications, and the carcasses of their kings far from me: and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

But thou, son of man, shew to the house of Israel the temple, and let them be ashamed of their iniquities, and let them measure the building:

And be ashamed of all that they have done. Shew them the form of the house, and of the fashion thereof, the goings out and the comings in, and the whole plan thereof, and all its ordinances, and all its order, and all its laws, and thou shalt write it in their sight: that they may keep the whole form thereof, and its ordinances, and do them.

This is the law of the house upon the top of the mountain: All its border round about; most holy: this then is the law of the house.

And these are the measures of the altar by the truest cubit, which is a cubit and a handbreadth: the bottom thereof was a cubit, and the breadth a cubit: and the border thereof unto its edge, and round about, one handbreadth: and this was the trench of the altar.