TRV
“Measuring the Inner Court Gates”· Ezekiel 40:28–37
Translation
King James Version
And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.
KJV (with Strong's)
And the little chambers H8372 thereof, and the posts H352 thereof, and the arches H361 thereof, according to these measures H4060: and there were windows H2474 in it and in the arches H361 thereof round about H5439: it was fifty H2572 cubits H520 long H753, and five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits H520 broad H7341.
Complete Jewish Bible
its guardrooms, supports and vestibule were the same size; it had windows and a vestibule surrounding it; it was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet long and forty-three-and-three-quarters feet wide.
Berean Standard Bible
Its gate chambers, side pillars, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both the gateway and its portico had windows all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.
American Standard Version
and the lodges thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about; it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.
World English Bible Messianic
and its lodges, and its posts, and its arches, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in its arches all around; it was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits broad.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And the chambers thereof, and the postes thereof, and the arches thereof according to these measures, and there were windowes in it, and in the arches thereof rounde about, it was fiftie cubites long and fiue and twentie cubites broade.
Young's Literal Translation
and its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches are according to these measures, and windows are to it and to its arches all round about; fifty cubits the length, and the breadth twenty and five cubits.
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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ezekiel 40:27–38.
Passage under commentEzekiel 40:27–38
27¶ And there was a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south an hundred cubits.
28And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;
29And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.
30And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.
31And the arches thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it had eight steps.
32And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures.
33And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, were according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.
34And the arches thereof were toward the outward court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.
35And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according to these measures;
36The little chambers thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.
37And the posts thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.
38And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.
In these verses we have a delineation of the inner court. The survey of the outer court ended with the south side of it. This of the inner court begins with the south side (Eze 40:27), proceeds to the east (Eze 40:32), and so to the north (Eze 40:35); for here is no gate either of the outer or inner court towards the west. It should seem that in Solomon's temple there were gates westward, for we find porters towards the west, Ch1 9:24; Ch1 26:8. But Josephus says that in the second temple there was no gate on the west side. Observe, 1. These gates into the inner court were exactly uniform with those into the outer court, the dimensions the same, the chambers adjoining the same, the galleries or rows round the court the same, and the very engravings on the posts the same. The work of grace, and its workings, are the same, for substance, in grown Christians that they are in young beginners, only that the former have got so much nearer their perfection. The faith of all the saints is alike precious, though it be not alike strong. There is a great resemblance between one child of God and another; for all they are brethren and bear the same image. 2. The ascent into the outer court at each gate was by seven steps, but the ascent into the inner court at each gate was by eight steps. This is expressly taken notice of (Eze 40:31, Eze 40:34, Eze 40:37), to signify that the nearer we approach to God the more we should rise above this world and the things of it. The people, who worshipped in the outer court, must rise seven steps above other people, but the priests, who attended in the inner court, must rise eight steps above them, must exceed them at least one step more than they exceed other people.
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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.
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(Versed. 28 seqq.) And he led me into the inner courtyard by the eastern way: and he measured the gate according to the upper measurements; its chamber and its front and its vestibule as before, and its windows and its vestibules all around, with a length of fifty cubits and a width of twenty-five cubits. And its vestibule, that is, the outer courtyard (which the Septuagint and Symmachus have placed as the inner courtyard); and carved palm trees on its front, both here and there, and with eight steps leading up to it. » From the Northern region, into whose courtyard only seven steps were ascended, one passes to the Southern gate and courtyard of the same region, to which not only seven, as mentioned above, but eight steps are ascended: namely, so that we may pass from the Old to the New; and to speak more clearly, through the patriarchs and prophets, we come to the apostles: so that in one week there is an octet in the other. But now it comes to the last, or rather to the highest, and introduces the prophet through the way of the inner gate, or through the courtyard, to which one goes through the Eastern gate. In this place, according to the Septuagint, the way is only mentioned; in the Northern and Southern regions, it is completely silent, so that we can understand that in the Eastern region only is that way to be understood, which says: I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). For through Him we come to the Father, and it is written about Him: Blessed are the undefiled in the way (Psalm 119:1), who think nothing left of Christ, but their faith is pure and not in any way polluted by the stain of heretics. Likewise, the number of rooms, facades, entrances, windows, and the amount of light in them, as well as the same measurement of length and width: fifty by twenty-five cubits, preserving the sacredness, and the vestibule of its gate or inner courtyard, which is placed outside according to the Hebrew, so that everything is enclosed by the Eastern light, according to what is written: 'There is no one who can hide from its heat' (Psalm 19:7). But if we understand the atrium both externally and internally: thus it must be understood that God is both encompassing and indwelling, saying through the prophet: He who holds the heavens in the palm of his hand, and the earth in his fist (Isaiah XL, 12): so that everything may be seen as included in him. And again: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is the footstool of my feet (Isaiah LXVI, 1), so that he is believed to exist within all things: according to that verse from Virgil's Aeneid (Book VI).
In the beginning, the sky and the earth, and the liquid fields, And the shining globe of the moon, and the Astra of Titania, A Spirit nourishes them within: and infused throughout their limbs, The Mind moves the whole mass, and mingles itself with the great body.
And when, through the weapons of justice, on the right and left, through glory and disgrace, through good and bad reputation, through praise and blame, we have obtained victory over this world (2 Cor. 6): then palms are given to us on both sides, which neither joys have changed, nor sorrow, nor prosperity, nor adversity have overcome: and not by seven (or eight) degrees, as in the region of the North, nor by seven and eight, as in the South, are we contained, but by only eight (or seven) degrees do we ascend to the highest: because the number eight is sufficient for us, that is, the sacrament of the Gospel; so that we may say with the Apostle: And though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him no more (2 Cor. 5:16), it is understood, according to the flesh.
"And he measured the gate according to the former measures, its chamber, and its front, and its vestibule with the same measures, and its windows, and its vestibule round about, fifty cubits in length, and twenty-five cubits in width, and the vestibule all around." What, therefore, is signified by the inner court, by the chamber, by the fronts, by the vestibule, by the windows, by the length and width, by the carving of palms, we have already spoken of extensively above, and it is not fitting that we should occupy ourselves again with the same things, but only with those which have not yet been said. Hence their ascent is first described through seven steps, and afterward through eight. For by the eighth step are signified the mysteries of that life which the perfect understand in their secret places, who have already learned to transcend all temporal things in mind, who fully despise the present life which unfolds in the course of seven days, who are nourished by intimate contemplation. Therefore the gates of the spiritual building have seven steps, because they preach to their hearers the fear of the Lord, piety and knowledge, fortitude and counsel, understanding and wisdom. But when they now command all things to be relinquished, when they admonish that nothing in this world be loved, nothing be held by affection, when they urge that one attend to the contemplation of the heavenly fatherland and delight in its mysteries, they add a step and bring them across to interior things.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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Summary
Ezekiel 40:29 meticulously details the architectural specifications of one of the temple's gate structures within the prophet's grand vision. This verse precisely describes the "little chambers" (guardrooms), "posts" (doorjambs), and "arches" (porticoes) of the gate, noting the presence of windows and providing the exact overall dimensions of fifty cubits in length and twenty-five cubits in breadth. The extraordinary level of detail underscores the divine origin and perfect order of this visionary blueprint for God's future dwelling place, emphasizing His meticulous design and the sanctity of His presence.
Context
Literary Context
Ezekiel 40:29 is situated within the expansive and highly detailed prophetic vision of a new temple, which commences in Ezekiel 40:1 and extends through Ezekiel 48. This specific verse contributes to the initial description of the outer court's gates, following a general overview of the entire temple complex. Chapters 40-42 provide an exhaustive architectural tour, systematically moving from the outer court to the inner court and the temple building itself. The preceding verses in Ezekiel 40 have already established a pattern of meticulous measurement for various gate components, and verse 29 continues this pattern by specifying the dimensions and features of another gate's ancillary structures, including its chambers, posts, and arches, along with their windows. The consistent repetition of "according to these measures" throughout the chapter powerfully reinforces the divine precision and the prophet's faithful recording of every minute detail.
Historical & Cultural Context
The vision of the temple was granted to Ezekiel during the traumatic period of the Babylonian exile, a time of profound despair and theological crisis for the Jewish people. Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple had been utterly destroyed, leading to existential questions about God's presence, His covenant faithfulness, and the future of Israel. Against this backdrop of desolation and displacement, Ezekiel's vision offered a potent message of hope, restoration, and the promise of God's renewed presence among His people. The meticulous architectural details, while challenging to fully visualize, served to establish the absolute reality and divine origin of this future temple, contrasting sharply with the ruined state of their homeland. Ancient Near Eastern temples were central to religious and civic life, often constructed with immense precision and rich symbolism. The use of "cubits" was a standard unit of measurement, typically the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger (approximately 18-21 inches), understood by the original audience. The emphasis on specific measurements would have deeply resonated with a culture that valued order and exactitude in sacred architecture, providing a stark contrast to the chaos and destruction they had endured.
Key Themes
The overarching theme permeating Ezekiel 40-48, and particularly evident in the exacting details of verse 29, is Divine Precision and Order. The exhaustive measurements of every component, from the gates to the chambers and posts, underscore God's meticulous planning and His unwavering desire for absolute order in His dwelling place and in the worship conducted there. This precision inherently points to the Holiness of God and the profound sacredness of His presence, demanding a perfectly ordered and consecrated environment. Another crucial theme is the Restoration of God's Presence among His people. After the Shekinah glory departed the first temple in Ezekiel 10, this vision offers the glorious promise of its return, symbolizing a renewed covenant relationship and divine favor. The gates, with their chambers and controlled access, also highlight the theme of Accessibility and Separation, signifying that while God desires to dwell among His people, there remains a necessary distinction between the holy and the common, ensuring reverence and proper approach, a concept foundational to Old Testament temple regulations, as seen in passages like Leviticus 10:10.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term (H8372) refers to a room or cell, specifically a circumscribed space. In the context of the temple gates, these were likely guardrooms or side rooms within the gate complex, designed for various functional purposes such as housing guards, storing implements, or for specific cultic preparations. Their inclusion highlights the functional, administrative, and security aspects of the temple complex, ensuring order and control over access.
The word (H352) primarily denotes strength, and in an architectural context, refers to a pilaster, a strong support, or a doorjamb. These were the sturdy pillars or frames that flanked the entrance of the gate, providing essential structural integrity and clearly marking the passage point into the sacred precincts. Their presence underscores the solidity, permanence, and robust construction of the temple structure.
This word (H4060) signifies extension, height, breadth, or a standard of measurement. Its repeated use throughout Ezekiel 40, including in this verse, profoundly emphasizes the divine precision and exactitude of the temple's blueprint. It indicates that every component, including the chambers, posts, and arches, was to be constructed according to a divinely ordained, unalterable standard, leaving no room for human improvisation, error, or deviation from God's perfect design.
Verse Breakdown
"And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures:"
This initial clause precisely enumerates the specific architectural components of the gate structure currently under description. The "little chambers" (likely guardrooms or side chambers), "posts" (sturdy doorjambs or pillars), and "arches" (grand porticoes or vestibules) are all explicitly stated to conform to the precise, divinely given measurements that have been, and continue to be, detailed throughout this visionary chapter. This opening phrase immediately reinforces the pervasive theme of exactitude and adherence to a divine blueprint.
"and [there were] windows in it and in the arches thereof round about:"
This part of the verse adds another specific and practical feature: the presence of windows. These windows would have provided essential light and ventilation to the gate structure itself, and specifically within the porticoes or arched areas. The phrase "round about" indicates that these windows were strategically placed on all sides of these sections, ensuring ample illumination and visibility within these important transitional spaces, which likely served as waiting or administrative areas.
"[it was] fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad."
This concluding clause provides the overall external dimensions of the specific gate structure being described. It states that the entire gate complex measured fifty cubits (approximately 87.5 feet or 26.7 meters) in length and twenty-five cubits (approximately 43.75 feet or 13.3 meters) in breadth. These precise and substantial measurements are characteristic of the entire vision, highlighting the grand scale, exact proportions, and magnificent design of the future temple.
Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in Ezekiel 40:29, and indeed throughout much of Ezekiel 40-42, is Detailed Description. The prophet meticulously records every dimension, architectural feature, and material specification, creating a vivid, almost technical blueprint of the visionary temple. This exhaustive enumeration serves to emphasize the divine origin and absolute authority of the vision, leaving no doubt as to the exactness of God's design and His meticulous planning. The recurring phrase "according to these measures" functions as a powerful form of Emphasis and a recurring motif, underscoring the theme of divine precision and the unalterable nature of God's blueprint. Furthermore, the entire temple vision can be understood as profound Symbolism, where the physical structure, with its precise dimensions and holy components, represents God's renewed presence, His perfect holiness, and the ordered, righteous nature of His future kingdom, even if the specific dimensions are not always fully understood literally.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Ezekiel 40:29, with its emphasis on meticulous architectural detail, speaks profoundly to God's character as a God of order, precision, and intentionality. This divine blueprint for a future temple signifies God's unwavering commitment to dwelling among His people, even after judgment and exile. The detailed measurements are not merely architectural specifications; they are profound theological statements about the perfect holiness, exact standards, and unblemished purity required for God's presence. This vision anticipates a time of ultimate restoration when God's glory will return to a purified people in a perfectly ordered sanctuary, a testament to His faithfulness. It underscores that God's plans are not haphazard but are executed with absolute precision, reflecting His sovereign control over all things, from the grand cosmic plan for redemption to the minutiae of a gate's dimensions.
Reflection and Application
The overwhelming precision of Ezekiel's temple vision, exemplified by the specific measurements in verse 29, serves as a powerful reminder of God's character. He is a God who pays attention to every detail, whose plans are meticulously laid out, and whose purposes are executed with perfect order and unfailing accuracy. For believers today, this can inspire a profound sense of trust in God's sovereign plan for our lives and for the world. Just as He had a precise blueprint for His dwelling place, He has a perfect design for our redemption, sanctification, and ultimate glorification. This encourages us to approach our own lives, our worship, and our service with intentionality, diligence, and excellence, knowing that God values order, precision, and faithfulness in all things. It challenges us to consider if our spiritual lives reflect the same dedication to detail and adherence to divine standards that God Himself demonstrates. Ultimately, it points us to the glorious future when God's presence will fully dwell among His people, a reality far surpassing any earthly temple.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the detailed measurements in Ezekiel's temple vision?
The detailed measurements, such as the "fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad" in Ezekiel 40:29, are profoundly significant for several reasons. Primarily, they emphasize God's absolute precision, order, and intentionality in His plans. Unlike human designs, which may contain flaws or approximations, this divine blueprint is perfect and exact, underscoring the holiness and sacredness of God's presence. It also serves to authenticate the vision's divine origin, as such intricate detail would be impossible for a human to conjure accurately. Furthermore, the exactitude points to the reality and certainty of the future restoration of God's dwelling among His people, providing immense hope and assurance during the Babylonian exile. The consistent use of "according to these measures" throughout Ezekiel 40 powerfully reinforces this theme of divine exactitude and unchangeable purpose.
Is Ezekiel's temple a literal structure to be built in the future?
The interpretation of Ezekiel's temple—whether it is a literal future structure (often associated with the millennial reign of Christ) or a symbolic representation (of the church, heaven, or a spiritual reality)—is a subject of ongoing theological debate among scholars. Those who hold to a literal interpretation point to the extreme detail of the measurements and features, arguing that such specificity implies a physical reality. They believe it will be a literal temple on earth during a future period of God's kingdom. Others view it as highly symbolic, representing the perfect order, holiness, and presence of God among His people in the new covenant era or in the new heavens and new earth. They emphasize that the New Testament shifts the focus from a physical temple to Christ's body and the community of believers as God's dwelling place (e.g., John 2:19-21 and 1 Corinthians 3:16). Both perspectives agree that the vision ultimately points to a future reality of God's glorious and perfectly ordered presence among His people.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Ezekiel 40:29, with its meticulous description of the gate's chambers, posts, and arches, points forward to the ultimate fulfillment of God's dwelling among humanity, not in a physical edifice, but profoundly and eternally in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament temple was a shadow, a temporary dwelling place for God's presence, Christ is the perfect and eternal reality to which it pointed. He powerfully declared, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," speaking of the temple of His body. Just as the gates in Ezekiel's vision controlled access to God's holy presence, Jesus is the only "gate" or "door" through whom humanity can access the Father. His perfectly righteous life, atoning death, and triumphant resurrection constitute the ultimate "measures" by which humanity can draw near to a holy God, fulfilling every divine requirement. Furthermore, through Christ, believers become the living stones of a spiritual temple, collectively forming the dwelling place of God's Spirit (Ephesians 2:21-22). The divine precision of Ezekiel's vision foreshadows the perfect, unblemished sacrifice of the Lamb of God, which perfectly fulfills all the requirements of God's holiness and establishes an eternal, unshakeable access to His presence, culminating in the New Jerusalem where God's glory is the temple itself, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.