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Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ezekiel 40:5–26. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The measuring-reed which was in the hand of the surveyor-general was mentioned before, Eze 40:3. Here we are told (Eze 40:5) what was the exact length of it, which must be observed, because the house was measured by it. It was six cubits long, reckoning, not by the common cubit, but the cubit of the sanctuary, the sacred cubit, by which it was fit that this holy house should be measured, and that was a hand-breadth (that it, four inches) longer than the common cubit: the common cubit was eighteen inches, this twenty-two, see Eze 43:13. Yet some of the critics contend that this measuring-reed was but six common cubits in length, and one handbreadth added to the whole. The former seems more probable. Here is an account,
I.Of the outer wall of the house, which encompassed it round, which was three yards thick and three yards high, which denotes the separation between the church and the world on every side and the divine protection which the church is under. If a wall of this vast thickness will not secure it, God himself will be a wall of fire round about it; whoever attack it will do so at their peril.
II.Of the several gates with the chambers adjoining to them.
Here is no mention of the outer court of all, which was called the court of the Gentiles, some think because in gospel-times there should be such a vast confluence of Gentiles to the church that their court should be left unmeasured, to signify that the worshippers in that court should be unnumbered, Rev 7:9, Rev 7:11, Rev 7:12.
1.He begins with the east gate, because that was the usual way of entering into the lower end of the temple, the holy of holies being at the west end, in opposition to the idolatrous heathen that worshipped towards the east. Now, in the account of this gate, observe,
(1.)That he went up to it by stairs (Eze 40:6), for the gospel-church was exalted above that of the Old Testament, and when we go to worship God we must ascend; so is the call, Rev 4:1. Come up hither. Sursum corda - Up with your hearts.
(2.)That the chambers adjoining to the gates were but little chambers, about ten feet square, Eze 40:7. These were for those to lodge in who attended the service of the house. And it becomes such as are made spiritual priests to God to content themselves with little chambers and not to seek great things to themselves; so that we may but have a place within the verge of God's court we have reason to be thankful though it be in a little chamber, a mean apartment, though we be but door-keepers there.
(3.)The chambers, as they were each of them four-square, denoting their stability and due proportion and their exact agreement with the rule (for they were each of them one reed long and one reed broad), so they were all of one measure, that there might be an equality among the attendants on the service of the house.
(4.)The chambers were very many; for in our Father's house there are many mansions (Joh 14:2), in his house above, and in that here on earth. In the secret of his tabernacle shall those be hid, and in a safe pavilion, whose desire is to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of their life, Psa 27:4, Psa 27:5. Some make these chambers to represent the particular congregations of believers, which are parts of the great temple, the universal church, which are, and must be, framed by the scripture-line and rule, and which Jesus Christ takes the measure of, that is, takes cognizance of, for he walks in the midst of the seven golden candle-sticks.
(5.)It is said (Eze 40:14), He made also the posts. He that now measured them was the same that made them; for Christ is the builder of his church and therefore is best able to give us the knowledge of it. And his reducing them to the rule and standard is called his making them, for no account is made of them further than they agree with that. To the law and to the testimony.
(6.)Here are posts of sixty cubits, which, some think, was literally fulfilled when Cyrus, in his edict for rebuilding the temple at Jerusalem, ordered that the height thereof should be sixty cubits, that is, thirty yards and more, Ezr 6:3.
(7.)Here were windows to the little chambers, and windows to the posts and arches (that is, to the cloisters below), and windows round about (Eze 40:16), to signify the light from heaven with which the church is illuminated; divine revelation is let into it for instruction, direction, and comfort, to those that dwell in God's house, light to work by, light to walk by, light to see themselves and one another by. There were lights to the little chambers; even the least, and least considerable, parts and members of the church, shall have light afforded them. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord. But they are narrow windows, as those in the temple, Kg1 6:4. The discoveries made to the church on earth are but narrow and scanty compared with what shall be in the future state, when we shall no longer see through a glass darkly.
(8.)Divers courts are here spoken of, an outermost of all, then an outer court, then an inner, and then the innermost of all, into which the priests only entered, which (some think) may put us in mind "of the diversities of gifts, and graces, and offices, in the several members of Christ's mystical body here, as also of the several degrees of glory in the courts and mansions of heaven, as there are stars in several spheres and stars of several magnitudes in the fixed firmament." English Annotations. Some draw nearer to God than others and have a more intimate acquaintance with divine things; but to a child of God a day in any of his courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. These courts had porches, or piazzas, round them, for the shelter of those that attended in them from wind and weather; for when we are in the way of our duty to God we may believe ourselves to be under his special protection, that he will graciously provide for us, nay, that he will himself be to us a covert from the storm and tempest, Isa 4:5, Isa 4:6.
(9.)On the posts were palm-trees engraven (Eze 40:16), to signify that the righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree in the courts of God's house, Psa 92:12. The more they are depressed with the burden of affliction the more strongly do they grow, as they say of the palm-trees. It likewise intimates the saints' victory and triumph over their spiritual enemies; they have palms in their hands (Rev 7:9); but lest they should drop these, or have them snatched out of their hands, they are here engraven upon the posts of the temple as perpetual monuments of their honour. Thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph. Nay, believers shall themselves be made pillars in the temple of our God, and shall go no more out, and shall have his name engraven on them, which will be their brightest ornament and honour, Rev 3:12.
(10.)Notice is here taken of the pavement of the court, Eze 40:17, Eze 40:18. The word intimates that the pavement was made of porphyry-stone, which was of the colour of burning coals; for the brightest and most sparkling glories of this world should be put and kept under our feet when we draw near to God and are attending upon him. The stars are, as it were, the burning coals, or stones of a fiery colour, with which the pavement of God's celestial temple is laid; and, if the pavement of the court be so bright and glittering, how glorious must we conclude the mansions of that house to be!
2.The gates that looked towards the north (Eze 40:20) and towards the south (Eze 40:24), with their appurtenances, are much the same with that towards the east, after the measure of the first gate, Eze 40:21. But the description is repeated very particularly. And thus largely was the structure of the tabernacle related in Exodus, and of the temple in the books of Kings and Chronicles, to signify the special notice God does take, and his ministers should take, of all that belong to his church. His delight is in them; his eye is upon them. He knows all that are his, all his living temples and all that belongs to them. Observe,
(1.)This temple had not only a gate towards the east, to let into it the children of the east, that were famous for their wealth and wisdom, but it had a gate to the north, and another to the south, for the admission of the poorer and less civilized nations. The new Jerusalem has twelve gates, three towards each quarter of the world (Rev 21:13); for many shall come from all parts to sit down there, Mat 8:11.
(2.)To those gates they went up by steps, seven steps (Eze 40:22-26), which, as some observe, may remind us of the necessity of advancing in grace and holiness, adding one grace to another, going from step to step, from strength to strength, still pressing forward towards perfection - upward, upward, towards heaven, the temple above.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
(Verse 5 and following) And behold, there was a wall surrounding the house on all sides, and in the hand of the man was a measuring reed of six cubits and a handbreadth, and he measured the width of the building with the reed, one reed wide, and the height with the reed, one reed high. And he came to the gate that faced the eastern road, and he went up its steps, and he measured the threshold of the gate with the reed, one reed wide, that is, one reed wide, and the vestibule one reed long, and one reed wide, and between the vestibules five cubits, and the threshold of the gate next to the entrance of the gate inside, one reed wide. And the vestibule of the gate was eight cubits, and the front of it two cubits: but the gate itself was inward. And the chambers of the gate towards the east, three on this side, and three on that side; they measured one against another: and the fronts of the gate on both sides were of one measure. And he measured the length of the porch of the gate, ten cubits: and the breadth of the gate, thirteen cubits. And there was also a space before the chambers, one cubit on this side, and one cubit on that side: and the chambers six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. And he measured the gate from the roof of the chamber to its roof, a width of twenty-five cubits, door against door. Seventy: And behold, a wall on the outside of the house all around, and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits and a handbreadth. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed. Then he went inside the gateway which faced toward the east, went up its stairs and measured the threshold of the gateway, which was one reed wide, and the other threshold was one reed wide. Each gate chamber was one reed long and one reed wide; between the gate chambers were five cubits. The threshold of the gateway by the vestibule of the inside gate was one reed. And three equal in width for the stem, and equal in length for the stem, and one gate next to the gate of eight cubits, and one of two cubits, and one gate on the inside, and three gates on each side, and one measurement: one measurement for the gate on both sides. The width of the entrance of the gate was ten cubits, and the width of the gate was thirteen cubits, and one cubit was equivalent to the sight of one finger, and the end of one cubit on both sides, and three cubits here, and three cubits there. And the gate was measured from wall to wall, a width of twenty-five cubits. This gate is opposite the gate.» When I was a boy in Rome, and was being educated in the liberal arts, I used to go with others of the same age and purpose, on Sundays, to visit the tombs of the apostles and martyrs; and I would often enter the crypts, which are dug deep in the earth, and on both sides of those who enter, the bodies of the buried are held in the walls, and everything is so dark that almost the prophetic saying is fulfilled: 'Let the living descend into hell' (Psalm 55:16): and rarely is light admitted from above to temper the horror of the darkness, so that you would think it is not a window, but a hole of light descending: and again, one approaches slowly, and in the blind night that Virgilian phrase is set forth (Aeneid, Book II):
Everywhere horror seizes the souls, and the very silence terrifies. Let this statement be for me, so that the wise reader may understand the sentiment I have concerning the explanation of the temple of God in Ezekiel, about which it is written: Clouds and darkness are under His feet (Ps. 96:2). And again: Darkness is His hiding place (Ps. 18:12): Hence Moses also entered into a cloud and darkness, so that he could contemplate the mysteries of the Lord, which the people, being far away and remaining below, could not see (Exod. 24 and 34). After forty days, the common people were unable to see the face of Moses because it was glorified, or as it is written in Hebrew, Moses had horns on his face. Similarly, while reading the description of the mystical temple (which the Jews believe should be built literally upon the coming of their own Christ, whom we believe to be the Antichrist, but we refer to the Church of Christ, which we see being built daily in his saints), whenever the eye of the heart opens, it happens to me that I think I see and possess the bridegroom and joyfully say: 'I have found him whom my soul loves; I will hold him, and not let him go.' (Song of Solomon 3:4). Then again, the divine word deserts me, the bridegroom flees from my hands, and my eyes are blinded by darkness, so that I am compelled to say: 'O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!' How inscrutable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! (Rom. 11:33) And what is written elsewhere: The judgments of the Lord are a great abyss. (Ps. 36:7) And: Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice. (Ps. 129:1) And that of Elisha, who followed with his eyes his master being taken up, saying: My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen! (2 Kings 2:12) Therefore, it must be simply confessed that the temple of the blessed Ezekiel, which all ages have been silent about, I do not wish to discuss rashly, but to demonstrate the conjecture of my mind to the readers with faith and fear of God; so that if I should offer in the tabernacle of God the skins of goats and hairs, by which the thorns and thistles of sins may be protected, and rains and storms may be kept out: let another, who is rich, according to the quality of his merits, offer iron, or bronze, or silver, and gold and precious stones, and not despise our offerings, because they are lesser, but rejoice in his own wealth. For if the lower parts are not present, the upper parts cannot exist. And in order for the greater things to be praised, they increase in comparison to the smaller things. Let us therefore see what Ezekiel, upon entering the building of the city facing south, first saw and then heard: 'And behold,' he says, 'there was a wall on the outside surrounding the house on all sides.' Regarding the wall, which Aquila and Theodotion interpreted as 'περίβολον', Symmachus and the Seventy translated it as 'περίβολος'. Therefore, the wall, or 'περίβολος', surrounded the house, that is, the temple of the Lord on all sides, and it had a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, who not only held a geometric string and a mason's trowel, but also held a measuring rod in his hand, the measurement of which is not explicitly stated, but is now given as six cubits and a palm, which is more accurately called 'παλαιστή' in Greek and is the sixth part of a cubit. Moreover, the word 'spithamen' is used to mean 'palm,' as some use 'palm' to distinguish it. Furthermore, they are accustomed to call a wrestler a 'palm'. Therefore, with a measuring rod, he measured the width and height of the wall, and both, that is, the width and height, were six cubits and one palm. And since there were many gates, he did not want to enter through the other gates, but through the one that faced the eastern region. And because the place was not level, and the wall went around, and the house of God itself was built on higher ground, therefore he entered, or rather, ascended through steps. These are referred to as 'LXX seven' alone, when in Hebrew and in other translations we read only the word 'steps' without a number. Having entered the gate, he immediately measured the threshold of the gate, which the Greeks call LXX θεὸς: for which it is written in Hebrew Seph. And I think the diligent and studious reader should be reminded: if, however, he is led by the knowledge of the Scriptures and not by the empty declamations of orators, so that he knows nearly all the Hebrew words and names, which have been greatly corrupted by age in the Greek and Latin translations, distorted by the fault of the scribes, and while they are written about in their uncorrected form, made even more uncorrected, having turned into Sarmatian instead of Hebrew, nay of no nation at all, since they have ceased to be Hebrew and have not yet begun to be foreign. The LXX also translated the word aelam (αἰλὰμ) as itself, which Symmachus interpreted as anteliminare in the following passages. There were two bedchambers, or cubicles, and παραστάδαs which were five cubits long, and another threshold of the gate next to the vestibule on the inside with a single reed. The third vestibule of the gate also had eight cubits, and in front of it, or on its borders, two cubits. In order to prevent anyone from confusing this vestibule with the previous one, he added: This vestibule is the inner vestibule of the gate, for which the LXX translated first, second, and third vestibule. But the chambers, that is, the bedrooms, which were built after the Eastern gate in the vestibules, faced the Eastern road. And so that we may know how many chambers there were, it is joined, three on this side and three on that: namely, facing North and South, and facing the Eastern road: and the measurements of the fronts were the same on both sides. Also, the measurement of the width of the gate threshold was taken, and it was found to be ten cubits, and in length thirteen cubits, and the ends of the chambers were narrowed down to one cubit, or as Symmachus translated, "παραστάδων", and each front had one cubit. But the chambers, or παραστάδες, and as the LXX have rendered it θεηλὰθ, had on each side six cubits. And he measured the door of the chamber, or παραστάδος, from the roof of the one chamber to the roof of the other, and it was twenty-five cubits wide. So there was only space from the door to the door, or from the gate to the gate. This we have briefly spoken to suggest more the divine presence than to explain, desiring to outline the picture according to the obscure and almost unseen letter. Furthermore, we will set down a few things that we can suspect narrowly and with doubts. The Apostle Paul, desiring the Ephesians to understand more sacred things, prays that they may be filled with the wisdom and love of the Lord, so that rooted and founded, they may be able to know and comprehend the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and the profound riches of Him. And he speaks to them: Therefore, you are by no means strangers but fellow citizens of the saints and domestics of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ Himself as the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure grows together to form a holy temple in the Lord. In Him, you also are built together to be a dwelling place of God in the Holy Spirit. Peter the Apostle also speaks in almost the same words, because of the same spirit, in his Epistle: For if you have believed that the Lord is good, approaching him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men but chosen, and honorable before God, and be yourselves built up as living stones into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2, 3-5). From this it is clear that the Lord and Savior, who is the true architect, tests the stones that can be placed in the foundations of the temple, both in the middle and in the higher places, and whether they are of a less solid strength in the wall and whether they can be placed outside the temple in the circuit of the enclosure. For it is not of little strength or of minimal firmness to support the stones placed on top. Hence the Apostle writes to the believers: Bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2). And in another place it is written: we should not take on a burden that we cannot bear. But the reed of measurement, which had six cubits and one palm, signifies our conversation with God, which is contained in the six days in which the world was made, and signifies the reason for each work, so that one thing belongs to the work, another to the mind. Hence, the width is equal to the height: the width refers to the works, as we said; the height refers to the soul, which hastens to lofty things. But let it suffice to have warned once: to know me by name, and to be called by a neutral gender, but for the sake of simplicity and ease of understanding, and the common usage, to use the masculine gender. For our concern is not to avoid grammatical errors, but to explain the obscurity of the Holy Scripture with whatever words. Therefore, a man enters, whose name is East, through the Eastern gate, to enlighten those whom he finds in the first part of the entrance hall, whether in the entrance itself: not through one, but through several steps, whose number is kept silent, so that the difficulty of ascent may be apparent, and for whatever number of steps you propose, you may know that it is less than the doubt that is left behind. I consider this to be the gate, of which it is sung in the Psalms: This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter through it (Ps. 118:20). And the threshold of the gate is measured, so that we may know that all the knowledge of God is open. This threshold is said to be one reed in width, and it is silent about height and length. For it is both the way and the entrance, and through it one must proceed to the inner parts (although in this place the Septuagint unnecessarily speaks of length, or, as is contained in most manuscripts, height); but the chambers, that is, the bedrooms and alcoves, have individual reeds in both length and width, but there are five cubits between each chamber, so that the inner chambers have the full measure of a reed, that is, six cubits and one palm, as the works and calculations agree. Those things which are external, that is, between chamber and chamber, are five cubits; for the secrets of Christ have not yet been penetrated, and they cannot say: The king has brought me into his chamber (Song of Songs 1:3). And elsewhere: All the glory of the king's daughter is within (Psalm 44:14). But while the disciples were staying at home with Christ, they could not hear his mysteries, and they desired to go outside to hear the word of God; and therefore a measurement of five cubits is placed in them, so that they may be taught to refer everything to the five senses. The threshold of the other gate, as it is contained in the Septuagint, of the second vestibule and third, is of the same size as one reed. After this vestibule, that is, the threshold of the gate, eight cubits are placed at the entrance, so that the inner parts of the vestibule do not hold a number of seven, but of eight, which pertain to the sacrament of the resurrection and the Lord's Day. And in front, he says, of the same vestibule, there were two cubits, which pertain either to both Testaments, or to the letter and the spirit, or to the mystery of the pair of tongs, which is included in Isaiah about the altar of coal, and is brought to cleanse the lips of the prophet. And so that we may know what this vestibule is, which is terminated by eight and two cubits, he explains it more clearly: The vestibule of the gate was inside, through which we came to the temple of God. There were also chambers and rooms which were on the way to the eastern gate, for which the Septuagint write 'Elau', there were three on one side and three on the other, each measuring one, that is, a reed which had six cubits and one palm, as mentioned above: And one reed for length, and one reed for width, and between the chambers five cubits. Therefore, we should not think that there are only two bedchambers, but rather six on each side, to indicate the number six, which is also shown in the water pots of the Gospel (John 2), in which water was turned into wine, and the Jewish water is daily turned into wine, which gladdens the heart of man, and becomes sweeter with the blood of Christ. He also measured the width of the threshold of the ten-cubit gate, which is a perfect number and is contained either in the Decalogue or in the sacraments of the four Gospels. Whoever begins with one, reaches four in such a way as to fill the number ten. Its length was thirteen cubits: for which the width is again placed at seventy, which seems to me to have been corrupted by the carelessness of scribes. For the Scripture would not have said the width in one place and again the width of ten or thirteen cubits. However, it can be understood as the gate of the threshold, in which the number of the Old and New Testament is consecrated, or the Lord himself, who says: I am the gate (John 10:9); or certainly all the saints through whom we enter into the knowledge of God, to whom the Apostle Paul spoke: My mouth is open to you, Corinthians; and: Enlarge yourselves also (2 Corinthians 6:11). But thirteen cubits after the number eighteen, they contain the sacrament of the books of Moses, which are also shown in the five loaves (Matthew 14), and in the Samaritan woman of the Gospel (John 4), who is accused of having had five husbands, and the sixth one she thought she had, she did not have: and yet the number eight, and the number five, is completed by one cubit, that is, the fourteenth ((or thirteenth)): because in Christ all things are recapitulated. It is said: 'And one cubit at each end: for the old and new Testaments together make up one measurement of Christ, and one cubit contains the height of the ark of Noah, which is thirty cubits. However, the rooms, as the Septuagint has it, either as 'thau' or 'thee', changing and altering the names in each place as they wished, were six cubits on either side, which is called 'here and there', and they did not have a span or additional measure placed on top, which would have signified the present life leading to future blessedness, but only six cubits.' And it is measured from the roof of the chamber to the roof or wall of it, and it is found to be twenty-five cubits in width; which number, though multiplied four times, still relates to sense. For if you arrange five cubits against it five times, you will produce the number twenty-five, which is between the roof of the chambers and the roof; and yet both, when placed opposite each other, have a doorway facing the doorway. Let these things not seem frivolous to the reader, although they may displease even myself who speak, feeling like I am knocking on a closed door; but they are to be read with permission: otherwise, I could simply confess my ignorance and remove every desire of the students. For just as we are far from perfect knowledge, we consider a minor fault at least somewhat lighter than saying absolutely nothing.
And he measured the width of the threshold of the gate as ten cubits, and the length of the gate as thirteen cubits.
We have already said much above about the meaning of the gate, but we ought to hold to one thing through which the prudence of the reader can also penetrate the rest. Indeed it was said that Sacred Scripture can be figured through the gate. But we must now laboriously discuss why the width of the threshold of the gate is measured at ten cubits, and the length of the gate at thirteen. Moreover in this place the length of the gate is called height, just as we call someone of tall stature whom we see to be lofty. For the length of the gate cannot be said to run crosswise, whose width is shown by ten cubits. What then was the width of the threshold of the gate, except the law of the old testament, and the length of the gate, except the grace of the new testament? Because clearly Sacred Scripture, while it restrained crimes of works through the old testament, commanded tithes to be given, as if through humble commands it lay in the width of the threshold. But while through the new testament it restrained wicked thoughts, it commanded all things to be relinquished, and life of the body to be despised along with the present age for the sake of God, as if our gate rose up to the height of length. For lesser precepts were given to the Israelite people through the law: whence also Moses spoke to that same people on the plain. The Lord gave higher things to the holy apostles, whence also he taught them about the commandments of life on the mountain. When indeed our Redeemer says through the Gospel: Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets; I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For he had come to fulfill the law who added grace to the righteousness of the law, so that what it commanded in the least things, he himself would help to be perfected in the greatest, and what it restrained from the work, he himself would cut away from the heart. Therefore the law understood, which lay in width, rose up into height. For that very knowledge of God which was among the spiritual fathers in it was not known to the entire Hebrew people. For while the prophets proclaimed almighty God, namely the holy Trinity, the people were ignorant; they held only the Decalogue in the law, not knowing the faith of the Trinity. Therefore the width of the threshold of the gate is measured at ten cubits, because that hardened people, ignorant of the subtlety of faith, served the commandments of the Decalogue. But the length of the gate is measured at thirteen cubits, because through the new testament in the heart of the faithful people, above the commandments of the Decalogue which it more truly keeps, the knowledge of the Trinity grew. And it fulfills the commandments of the law by believing the Trinity to be the almighty Lord.
Here one may also reasonably ask why this width of the threshold of the gate, which he said above was measured by one reed, he added below was measured by ten cubits, and then it is added that the length of the gate was measured at thirteen cubits. For one reed, as has already often been said, has six cubits and a palm, but ten cubits already hold their measure above a reed, and thirteen more than ten. What then does it mean that first the threshold of the gate is measured by one reed, afterward its width by ten cubits, and finally the length of the gate by thirteen, except that the holy fathers, whom we know through Sacred Scripture to have existed before the law, indeed knew that there is one almighty God, namely the Holy Trinity, but they did not openly preach that same Trinity which they knew? They, obeying His commands and preserving purity of life, had as it were the perfection of work in the six cubits of the reed, and often seeing angels they had the palm of contemplation. But when the law was given, that unlearned people of the Hebrews strove to keep the commandments of the Decalogue, but nevertheless was not instructed concerning the knowledge of the Holy Trinity. And although the spiritual fathers had known this perfectly, nevertheless the great multitude of the Synagogue could neither discover the mystery of the Trinity nor knew how to seek it.
Through the coming of grace by the new testament, all the faithful people came to know that the one God is a Trinity, and fulfilled the power of the Decalogue in the knowledge of Him. Therefore the threshold of the gate is first measured by one reed, afterwards its breadth by ten cubits, and finally the length of the gate by thirteen cubits, because both active and contemplative life were not lacking to the holy fathers before the law, and under the Decalogue of the law the people, not knowing the mystery of the divine substance, served in the breadth of the commandments. And now under grace, with the precepts of the Decalogue more truly kept, everyone who has come to the faith knows the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
In which matter this also must be known by us: that the knowledge of the spiritual fathers grew through the advances of times. For Moses was instructed more than Abraham, the prophets more than Moses, the apostles more than the prophets in the knowledge of almighty God. I am mistaken if Scripture itself does not say this: "Many shall pass through," it says, "and knowledge shall be manifold." But let us show these same things which we have said about Abraham, Moses, the prophets and the apostles from the words of the same Scripture, if we can. For who does not know that Abraham spoke with God? And yet the Lord says to Moses: "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and my name Adonai I did not reveal to them." Behold, more was made known to Moses than to Abraham, since he reveals to Moses that about himself which he was recounting that he had not revealed to Abraham. But let us see if the prophets were able to apprehend divine knowledge more than Moses. Certainly the Psalmist says: "How I have loved your law, O Lord! It is my meditation all day long." And he added: "I have understood above all who teach me, because your testimonies are my meditation." And again: "I have understood above the elders." He who recalls that he meditates on the law, and testifies that he has understood above all who teach him and above the elders, makes clear that he received divine knowledge more than Moses. But how shall we show that the holy apostles were taught more than the prophets? Certainly the Truth says: "Many kings and prophets wished to see what you see and to hear what you hear, but they did not see." Therefore they knew more of divine knowledge than the prophets, because what those saw by spirit alone, these also saw bodily. Therefore that sentence of Daniel which we mentioned above is fulfilled: "Many shall pass through, and knowledge shall be manifold." Therefore let the measure of the reed, which is six cubits and a palm, be extended to ten cubits; and let the measure of ten cubits rise at the end to thirteen, because the more the world is led toward its end, the more broadly the entrance to eternal knowledge is opened to us.
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Summary
Ezekiel 40:11 precisely details the architectural measurements for the entry of one of the gates within the visionary temple complex revealed to the prophet. Specifically, it states the breadth of the gate entry as ten cubits and its length as thirteen cubits. This verse is an integral part of a larger, divinely revealed blueprint for a future sanctuary, underscoring God's meticulous order, comprehensive planning, and the inherent sacredness of His dwelling place, thereby offering a profound message of hope and restoration to the exiled people of Israel.
Context
Literary Context
Ezekiel 40:11 is deeply embedded within the monumental temple vision that spans chapters 40-48 of the book of Ezekiel. This elaborate vision commences in Ezekiel 40:1 with Ezekiel's supernatural transportation to a very high mountain in the land of Israel, where he encounters a divine figure "with the appearance of bronze," equipped with a linen cord and a measuring rod. This celestial architect then systematically proceeds to measure the various components of a new, glorious temple complex. The preceding verses (Ezekiel 40:6-10) meticulously describe the specific dimensions of the eastern gate, detailing its guardrooms, posts, and porch. Verse 11 continues this precise architectural description, shifting focus to the internal dimensions of the gate's entry itself. This extraordinary level of detail and precision serves to emphatically underscore the divine origin and authoritative nature of the entire vision, leaving no room for human conjecture or error in the blueprint of God's future dwelling.
Historical & Cultural Context
The temple vision in Ezekiel 40-48 was granted to the prophet during the Babylonian exile, a period of profound national despair and spiritual disorientation for the Jewish people. Jerusalem and its first temple had been utterly destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC, leaving the people far from their homeland and their spiritual center. In this context of desolation, a vision of a new, magnificent temple served as an immensely powerful message of hope, restoration, and the unwavering promise of God's renewed presence among His people. Ancient Near Eastern temples were not merely buildings; they were meticulously designed cosmic models, often reflecting divine order and serving as the earthly dwelling places of deities. Gates, in particular, held immense significance as architectural features, controlling access, delineating sacred boundaries, and frequently serving as locations for legal judgments or public assembly. The detailed measurements, expressed in cubits—a common unit of measurement in the ancient world—would have been immediately comprehensible to Ezekiel's audience, grounding the visionary hope in tangible, albeit divinely revealed, specifics. This vision presented a stark and glorious contrast to the ruined temple, offering a clear and certain promise of a future where God's glory would return to a purified and perfectly ordered sanctuary.
Key Themes
The meticulous measurements presented in Ezekiel 40:11 contribute significantly to several overarching themes woven throughout the book of Ezekiel. Firstly, the theme of Divine Precision and Order is paramount; the exactness of every dimension, from the outer wall to the intricate gate entries, powerfully underscores God's absolute sovereignty and His meticulous planning. Nothing in His divine blueprint is arbitrary, emphasizing His complete control over all things, including the restoration of His people and their worship. Secondly, the theme of Holiness and Access is central. Gates in ancient temples regulated who could enter and how far they could proceed, symbolizing the sanctity of the inner courts and the holiness required to approach God. The specific dimensions of this gate entry suggest a divinely ordained, controlled, and intentional pathway to God's presence, reinforcing the idea that God's dwelling is sacred and demands reverence. Finally, this verse, as an integral part of the broader temple vision, contributes profoundly to the theme of Future Restoration and God's Dwelling Presence. For the exiled Israelites, this detailed vision was a tangible and living promise that God had not abandoned them and that His glory would one day return to dwell among them in a purified and perfectly ordered sanctuary, a promise that finds its ultimate resonance in the description of God's dwelling with humanity in Revelation 21:3.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies "to stretch" and, by implication, "to measure (as if by stretching a line)." In Ezekiel 40:11, it highlights the precise, intentional action of the divine guide in quantifying the temple's dimensions. This verb emphasizes the exactness and non-negotiable nature of the divine blueprint, indicating that every detail is purposeful and not left to human estimation or improvisation.
Prolonged from a word meaning "mother" or "fore-arm," this term refers to the standard ancient unit of linear measurement, typically the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. Its consistent use throughout Ezekiel's temple vision underscores the tangible and concrete nature of the divine instructions, making the visionary temple seem real and constructible, despite its profound symbolic depth. The repetition of "cubits" reinforces the overarching theme of divine precision and the practicality of God's design.
From a root meaning "an opening," this word denotes a door or gate, often referring to a city gate or, as here, a temple entrance. In the context of Ezekiel's temple, the "gate" is far more than a mere entrance; it is a controlled point of access, a critical boundary marker between the profane and the sacred. Its specific measurements indicate a divinely regulated passage into the holy precincts, emphasizing the sanctity of the temple and the ordered, reverent approach required to enter God's presence.
Verse Breakdown
"And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits;"
This initial clause introduces the specific dimension of the gate's width. The pronoun "he" refers to the angelic guide (the "man" with the measuring rod) who is meticulously showing Ezekiel the temple and quantifying its various components. The "breadth" (or width) of the "entry" (the opening or passage) of the "gate" is precisely stated as "ten cubits." This exact numerical value immediately conveys a profound sense of divine order and intentionality, emphasizing that every aspect of this future sanctuary is divinely ordained and perfectly proportioned, leaving no room for human error or arbitrary design.
"and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits."
This second clause continues the detailed description of the gate's internal dimensions, specifying its "length" (or depth) as "十三 cubits." The transition from "breadth" to "length" indicates a comprehensive measurement of the entry passage itself, ensuring that the entire gateway is fully defined. The continuation of precise numerical values reinforces the overarching theme of divine precision and the non-negotiable nature of the temple's design. These specific measurements are not arbitrary architectural notes but contribute significantly to the overall symbolic and theological significance of the visionary temple as a place of perfect order, divine holiness, and regulated access.
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 40:11, like the entirety of the temple vision, is characterized by its pervasive use of Precision and Detail. The meticulous enumeration of measurements, specified down to the exact cubit, is the primary literary technique employed. This extreme specificity serves to powerfully convey the divine origin and absolute authority of the vision, implying that the blueprint is not a human invention but a divinely revealed design—perfect, unalterable, and purposeful. The numbers themselves, "ten" and "thirteen," while seemingly mundane, contribute significantly to the sense of Verisimilitude, making the visionary temple feel tangible, real, and potentially constructible, despite its profound prophetic and symbolic nature. Furthermore, the gate itself functions as a potent Symbol, representing controlled access, the critical boundaries between the sacred and the profane, and the divinely ordered approach to God's holy presence. The very act of measuring, performed by a divine figure, can be interpreted as a Ritualistic Act, underscoring the profound sacredness of the space being defined and the divine authority behind its design.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Ezekiel 40:11, with its precise measurements of the temple gate, profoundly underscores the theological truth that God is a God of absolute order, meticulous precision, and unapproachable holiness. The extraordinary detail of the visionary temple speaks volumes about the divine architect's comprehensive and perfect plan for restoration and the re-establishment of His glorious presence among His people. This divine attention to every minute detail implies that God's dwelling place, whether a physical sanctuary in the past or a spiritual reality in the present, is not haphazard or chaotic but perfectly designed to facilitate worship and communion in a manner that fully honors His absolute sanctity. The gate's dimensions, therefore, transcend mere architectural notes; they are profound theological statements about the nature of access to God and the sacredness inherent in His presence.
Reflection and Application
Ezekiel 40:11, despite its seemingly technical and architectural nature, offers profound spiritual insights and practical applications for contemporary believers. The meticulous measurements of the gate serve as a powerful reminder that God is a God of intentionality and perfect order, caring deeply about every detail of His creation and His grand redemptive plan. This truth encourages us to approach our faith, our worship, and our daily lives with a similar level of care, diligence, and intentionality, recognizing that even the seemingly small details matter profoundly to God. The gate, functioning as a point of controlled access, also prompts deep reflection on the reverence and holiness required to approach God. While we no longer worship in a physical temple, the underlying principle remains: our spiritual lives and corporate worship should reflect a profound awe and respect for God's holy presence, acknowledging that access to Him is an undeserved and sacred privilege. This verse ultimately reinforces our trust in God's comprehensive blueprint for our individual lives and for the unfolding of history, assuring us that His promises of restoration and His desire to dwell with His people will be perfectly fulfilled, even when our present circumstances may seem chaotic or uncertain.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the specific measurements (ten and thirteen cubits) in Ezekiel 40:11?
The exact numbers, "ten cubits" for the breadth and "thirteen cubits" for the length, are significant primarily for their contribution to the overarching theme of divine precision and order that permeates Ezekiel's entire temple vision. While specific symbolic meanings for these particular numbers in this precise context are not explicitly stated within the text, their very presence emphasizes that this is not a vague, metaphorical, or impressionistic description, but rather a divinely revealed and highly detailed blueprint. The exactness underscores God's meticulousness in planning and His desire for perfection in His dwelling place. It also serves to ground the visionary hope in tangible, concrete details, assuring the exiled Israelites that God's plan for restoration is real and substantial, not merely an abstract idea. The consistent repetition of precise measurements throughout Ezekiel 40 highlights the divine authority and the unchangeable nature of the temple's design, signifying a future reality that is both certain and perfectly ordered by God.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Ezekiel 40:11, with its depiction of a precisely measured gate, finds its ultimate and profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The meticulously designed gate of the visionary temple symbolizes the ordered, holy, and divinely appointed access to God's sacred presence, a spiritual reality that is perfectly embodied and fully realized in Christ. Jesus Himself declared, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved" and profoundly stated, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me". He is, therefore, the divinely appointed and perfectly "measured" gate through whom humanity gains true and holy access to God the Father. Furthermore, the temple itself, with its precise dimensions and sacred boundaries, foreshadows Christ as the ultimate dwelling place of God among humanity. As John 1:14 beautifully states, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory." Jesus is the new and living temple, a concept He powerfully alluded to when He spoke of destroying and raising the temple in three days, referring specifically to His own body. Through His perfect life, sacrificial death on the cross, and glorious resurrection, Christ opened a new and living way into the holiest place, making direct, unhindered access to God possible for all believers, as richly described in Hebrews 10:19-20. Thus, the precise, divinely ordained gate of Ezekiel's prophetic vision finds its spiritual, redemptive, and ultimate reality in the perfectly ordered and holy person of Jesus Christ, our sole and sufficient access to the Father.