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Translation
King James Version
And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And the wall H1447 that was without H2351 over against H5980 the chambers H3957, toward H1870 the utter H2435 court H2691 on the forepart H6440 of the chambers H3957, the length H753 thereof was fifty H2572 cubits H520.
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Complete Jewish Bible
The length of the wall outside, next to the rooms, toward the outer courtyard in front of the rooms, was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet.
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Berean Standard Bible
An outer wall in front of the chambers was fifty cubits long and ran parallel to the chambers and the outer court.
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American Standard Version
And the wall that was without by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court before the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits.
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World English Bible Messianic
The wall that was outside by the side of the rooms, toward the outer court before the rooms, its length was fifty cubits.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And the wall that was without ouer against the chambers, toward the vtter court on the forefront of the chambers, was fiftie cubites long.
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Young's Literal Translation
As to the wall that is at the outside, over-against the chambers, the way of the outer-court at the front of the chambers, its length is fifty cubits;
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In the KJVVerse 21,560 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 42:7 offers a precise architectural detail within the prophet Ezekiel's grand visionary temple complex, meticulously specifying the exact dimensions of an outer wall adjacent to the chambers. This verse, though seemingly technical in its focus on measurements, is a crucial component of the comprehensive blueprint for a future sanctuary. It profoundly underscores the divine intentionality, meticulous order, and unwavering certainty behind God's plan for the restoration of His people and the re-establishment of His holy dwelling place in the aftermath of the Babylonian exile, contributing to the pervasive sense of divine precision that characterizes the entire temple vision.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 42:7 is situated within the highly detailed architectural vision of the new temple, which forms a significant portion of the book, spanning Ezekiel 40 through Ezekiel 48. Specifically, chapters 40-42 meticulously describe the outer court, its gates, the various chambers designated for the priests, and the intricate network of walls and structures surrounding the main temple building. This particular verse zeroes in on a specific wall located "without" (outside) the chambers, providing its precise length. The preceding verses in Ezekiel 42 detail the arrangement and dimensions of these priestly chambers, making the wall described in verse 7 an integral part of the overall layout, designed to ensure proper separation, access, and the maintenance of holiness. The meticulous nature of these descriptions emphasizes the divine origin and perfect order of the vision, contrasting sharply with the chaotic destruction of the first temple and the desolation of Jerusalem.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The profound vision of the new temple was granted to Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile, a period roughly from 593-571 BC. This era was marked by immense despair and a severe theological crisis for the Jewish people, as the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC had shattered their understanding of God's tangible presence and the enduring nature of His covenant. In this context of national trauma and spiritual disorientation, Ezekiel's vision served as a powerful, tangible message of hope, restoration, and the absolute certainty of God's future dwelling among His people. The detailed architectural plans, including specific measurements like the "fifty cubits" in this verse, would have been understood by the exiles not as a mere abstract dream, but as a concrete promise—a divine blueprint for a future reality. The use of cubits as a unit of measurement reflects the standard ancient Near Eastern system of building and engineering, making the vision relatable and concrete to its original audience, grounding a spiritual promise in familiar, measurable terms.
  • Key Themes: The meticulous description in Ezekiel 42:7 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Ezekiel. First, it powerfully highlights Divine Precision and Order, demonstrating God's absolute control and intentionality in His plans, where every detail, down to the length of a wall, is profoundly significant. This precision underscores the inherent holiness and sacredness of the space where God's glory will reside. Second, it speaks to Future Glory and Restoration, providing a tangible promise of Israel's renewal and the re-establishment of proper worship. The grand scale and precise measurements of the temple vision offer a stark contrast to the current state of desolation, pointing to a glorious, divinely orchestrated future. Finally, the entire temple vision, including these specific dimensions, ultimately points to the Return of God's Presence (or Shekinah glory), which is explicitly described in Ezekiel 43:4. The detailed preparation of the sanctuary, including the specific wall in this verse, is presented as essential for the re-indwelling of God's holiness and glory among His people, signaling a renewed covenant relationship.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • wall (Hebrew, gâdêr', H1447): From the root meaning "to circumvallate" or "to enclose," this term refers to a structural barrier, such as a fence, hedge, or wall. In the context of the temple vision, it denotes a precisely constructed boundary designed to define sacred space, provide security, and establish separation between different areas of the complex. Its presence emphasizes the defined and holy nature of the temple, setting it apart from the profane world.
  • without (Hebrew, chûwts', H2351): Derived from a root meaning "to sever" or "to separate," this word properly means "outside" or "outdoors." It delineates the position of the wall as being on the exterior, distinguishing it from inner structures. This spatial distinction is crucial in the temple's design, which often involves concentric layers of holiness, moving from the outer courts to the most holy place, ensuring that access and proximity are carefully regulated.
  • cubits (Hebrew, ʼammâh', H520): This is a standard ancient unit of linear measurement, typically derived from the length of a forearm (from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger). While its precise length varied across cultures and periods, it was generally approximately 18-21 inches (45-53 cm). The mention of "fifty cubits" provides a concrete, measurable dimension, emphasizing the literal and tangible nature of the architectural blueprint, rather than a purely symbolic or abstract vision, grounding the prophetic promise in specific, verifiable details.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And the wall that [was] without over against the chambers,": This initial phrase introduces the specific architectural element being described: a wall prominently located on the exterior side, positioned directly opposite or adjacent to the chambers. These chambers, detailed earlier in Ezekiel 42:1-6, were likely designated for the priests, for storage, or for ritual purposes, making this outer wall a critical boundary for that specific section of the complex. The phrase "without over against" precisely situates the wall in relation to other key structures, indicating its external and opposing position.
  • "toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers,": This clause further refines the wall's precise location and orientation. "Toward the utter court" indicates its alignment facing the outermost court of the temple complex, suggesting it functions as a boundary or partition for this expansive area, perhaps defining its perimeter. "On the forepart of the chambers" specifies that it is on the front side or entrance area of these chambers, implying it defines the approach or facade of this particular section. This extraordinary level of detail highlights the functional and aesthetic precision inherent in the divine blueprint, leaving no ambiguity regarding its placement.
  • "the length thereof [was] fifty cubits.": This final, definitive clause provides the exact linear dimension of the described wall. Fifty cubits (approximately 75-87.5 feet or 22.5-26.25 meters) is a significant and precise measurement, characteristic of the meticulous architectural specifications found throughout Ezekiel's vision. This numerical exactitude reinforces the divine origin of the blueprint and the certainty of its future fulfillment, demonstrating God's perfect design and His unwavering commitment to His promises, down to the smallest detail.

Literary Devices

The primary literary device at play in Ezekiel 42:7, and indeed throughout the extensive temple vision in Ezekiel 40-48, is Detailed Description and Architectural Blueprint. The verse functions as a precise, almost technical, specification of a physical structure, akin to an engineering drawing. This meticulous detailing serves several profound purposes: it lends Verisimilitude to the vision, making it feel remarkably concrete and real to the exiles who desperately longed for a tangible restoration of God's presence. It also functions as a powerful form of Symbolism, where the exactness of the measurements and the intricate design represent God's perfect order, His absolute holiness, and His unwavering commitment to His covenant promises. The sheer volume of such minute details throughout these chapters creates an overwhelming sense of Divine Intentionality, emphasizing that nothing in God's plan is arbitrary or accidental; every element is purposeful and contributes to the grand design of His redemptive work.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 42:7, with its precise measurement of a temple wall, speaks profoundly to the theological concept of God's meticulous design and sovereign control. The emphasis on exact dimensions within the visionary temple complex underscores that God's plans are not vague or arbitrary but are executed with perfect order and intentionality. This divine precision serves as a theological anchor, assuring Israel of the certainty of God's promises—His commitment to restore His people and dwell among them once more. It reflects the truth that God is a God of order, not chaos, and that His holiness demands specific boundaries and structures, both physical and spiritual, for His presence. This detailed blueprint foreshadows the ultimate, perfect dwelling place of God, not made with human hands, but established by His divine will, demonstrating His faithfulness to His covenant people.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

While Ezekiel 42:7 describes a specific wall in a visionary temple, its underlying message resonates deeply with contemporary believers, offering profound insights for faith and practice. This verse reminds us that God is a God of intricate detail and perfect purpose. Just as He had a precise blueprint for His dwelling place, He has a meticulous plan for our lives and for the unfolding of His redemptive history. This should instill in us a profound sense of trust, knowing that even in seemingly insignificant details, God is actively at work, orchestrating all things according to His wise and sovereign will. For those feeling lost, uncertain, or overwhelmed by life's complexities, the divine precision of this verse offers immense comfort: God's promises are as concrete and measurable as the "fifty cubits" of this wall, assuring us that His word will be fulfilled with unwavering certainty. Furthermore, the order and boundaries inherent in the temple's design call us to cultivate lives of intentionality and discipline, reflecting God's holy character in our worship, our relationships, and our daily conduct. Our lives, like the temple, are meant to be sacred spaces where God's presence is honored and His purposes are faithfully fulfilled.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the meticulous detail of God's architectural plans in Ezekiel's vision impact your understanding of His character and His involvement in your own life?
  • In what areas of your life might you need to embrace more "divine precision" or intentionality, rather than living haphazardly or without clear purpose?
  • How does the promise of God's future dwelling, symbolized by this detailed temple, offer you hope and stability in times of uncertainty or spiritual desolation?

FAQ

What is the significance of the "fifty cubits" measurement in Ezekiel 42:7?

Answer: The "fifty cubits" (approximately 75-87.5 feet or 22.5-26.25 meters) is highly significant because it emphasizes the meticulous precision and concrete reality of God's visionary temple blueprint. Rather than a vague or abstract dream, this exact measurement underscores God's intentionality, perfect order, and unwavering faithfulness in His plans. For the exiled Israelites, it would have served as a tangible, measurable promise of future restoration and the certainty of God's presence returning to a perfectly prepared sanctuary, reinforcing the divine origin and reliability of the entire vision described from Ezekiel 40 onwards. It speaks to a God who cares about every detail of His creation and His covenant.

Is the temple described in Ezekiel 40-48 a literal temple to be built, or is it symbolic?

Answer: The interpretation of Ezekiel's temple vision (chapters Ezekiel 40-48) is one of the most debated topics among biblical scholars. Some interpret it as a literal temple to be built in the future, often in a millennial kingdom, primarily due to its extreme architectural detail and the specific measurements provided, such as the "fifty cubits" in Ezekiel 42:7. They argue that the level of detail precludes a purely symbolic interpretation. Others view it primarily as a symbolic representation of God's ideal dwelling among His people, emphasizing themes of holiness, divine order, and the restoration of worship, which finds its ultimate fulfillment not in a physical structure but in the Church or in the New Jerusalem (as seen in Revelation 21). A third view suggests it's a conditional blueprint, showing what could have been if Israel had fully obeyed, or a prophetic vision that blends literal and symbolic elements, pointing to both spiritual realities and future physical manifestations. Regardless of the exact interpretation, its primary purpose was to offer profound hope and a vivid vision of God's renewed presence to the exiled Israelites, assuring them of His faithfulness and future restoration.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Ezekiel 42:7 describes a physical wall in a visionary temple, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment lies not in a literal building but profoundly in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the true and ultimate temple of God. The meticulous measurements and divine precision of Ezekiel's vision foreshadow the perfect and intentional plan of God for redemption, culminating in Christ. Just as the temple was the dwelling place of God's glory, John 1:14 declares that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us," literally "tabernacled" among us, revealing God's glory in a way no physical structure ever could. Jesus Himself boldly proclaimed, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," referring prophetically to His own body (John 2:19-21). Through His perfect life, His sacrificial death on the cross, and His glorious resurrection, Christ established a new and living way to God, perfectly fulfilling the temple's purpose of mediating God's presence and providing atonement for sin. Furthermore, believers are now called "temples of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19), and the Church, the body of Christ, is described as a spiritual house built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-22). Thus, the precise boundaries and dimensions of Ezekiel's temple ultimately point to the perfectly ordered and holy reality of God's dwelling among His people, fully realized in Christ and His redeemed community, culminating in the New Jerusalem where God's presence is direct, unmediated, and eternal (Revelation 21:22).

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Commentary on Ezekiel 42 verses 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 worship, there were private chambers, to teach us that our attendance upon God in solemn ordinances will not excuse us from the duties of the closet. We must not only worship in the courts of God's house, but must, both before and after our attendance there, enter into our chambers, enter into our closets, and read and meditate, and pray to our Father in secret; and a great deal of comfort the people of God have found in their communion with God in solitude. 2. That these chambers were many; there were three stories of them, and, though the higher stories were not so large as the lower, yet they served as well for retirement, Eze 42:5, Eze 42:6. There were many, that there might be conveniences for all such devout people as Anna the prophetess, who departed not from the temple night or day, Luk 2:37. In my Father's house are many mansions. In his house on earth there are so; multitudes by faith have taken lodgings in his sanctuary, and yet there is room. 3. That these chambers, though they were private, yet were near the temple, within view of it, within reach of it, to teach us to prefer public worship before private (the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, and so must we), and to refer our private worship to the public. Our religious performances in our chambers must be to prepare us for the exercises of devotion in public, and to further us in our improvement of them, as our opportunities are. 4. That before these chambers there were walks of five yards broad (Eze 42:4), in which those that had lodgings in these chambers might meet for conversation, might walk and talk together for their mutual edification, might communicate their knowledge and experiences. For we are not to spend all our time between the church and the chamber, though a great deal of time may be spent to very good purpose in both. But man is made for society, and Christians for the communion of saints; and the duties of that communion we must make conscience of, and the privileges and pleasures of that communion we must take the comfort of. It is promised to Joshua, who was high priest in the second temple, that God will give him places to walk in among those that stand by, Zac 3:7.

II. Here is the use of these chambers appointed, Eze 42:13, Eze 42:14. 1. They were for the priests that approach unto the Lord, that they may be always near their business and may not be non-residents. Therefore they are called holy chambers, because they were for use of those that ministered in holy things during their ministration. Those that have public work to do for God and the souls of men have need to be much in private, to fit themselves for it. Ministers should spend much time in their chambers, in reading, meditation, and prayer, that their profiting may appear; and they ought to be provided with conveniences for this purpose. 2. There the priests were to deposit the most holy things, those parts of the offerings which fell to their share; and there they were to eat them, they and their families, in a religious manner, for the place is holy; and thus they must make a difference between those feasts upon the sacrifice and other meals. 3. There (among other uses) they were to lay their vestments, which God had appointed them to wear when they ministered at the altar, their linen ephods, coats, girdles, and bonnets. We read of the providing of priests garments after their return out of captivity, Neh 7:70, Neh 7:72. When they had ended their service at the altar they must lay by those garments, to signify that the use of them should continue only during that dispensation; but they must put on other garments, such as other people wear, when they approached to those things which were for the people, that is, to do that part of their service which related to the people, to teach them the law and to answer their enquiries. Their holy garments must be laid up, that they may be kept clean and decent for the credit of their service.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–14. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
Chapter XLII, verses 1 and following: 'And he brought me to the outer court by the way leading to the north, and he brought me to the treasury which was opposite the separated building and opposite the temple facing the north. On the face of the length of one hundred cubits of the north gate, and the breadth of fifty cubits, opposite the twenty cubits of the inner court, and opposite the pavement laid with stone of the outer court, where the porch was joined to the triple porch.' And before the treasury, there was a walkway ten cubits wide, looking inward, with the doors facing north, where the treasuries were lower on the upper levels because the porticoes that protruded from the lower and middle parts of the building supported them. These porticoes were narrow and did not have columns like the columns of the courtyards, so they protruded from the lower and middle parts of the building by fifty cubits. And there was an outer courtyard by the treasury, which was in the way of the outer court before the treasury: the length of it was fifty cubits. Because the length of the treasuries of the outer court was fifty cubits and the length before the face of the temple was one hundred cubits. And there was an entrance under these treasuries from the east for those who entered from the outer court: in the width of the courtyard of the eastern way before the separate building. And there were before the building treasuries, and a road in front of their face like the treasuries, which were on the northern side, according to their length, and thus their width. And every entrance of them, and their similarities, and their doors, according to the doors of the treasuries, which were on the road facing the South (Known), a door at the head of the road, which was in front of the separate vestibule through the Eastern road for those entering. LXX: And he brought me into the outer court towards the east, opposite the north gate; and he led me to the inner court, and behold, there were five chambers on the north side of the building, and a separate building adjoining the north side, one hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with the same measurements as the gates of the inner court, and like the pillars of the outer court, according to the arrangement of the gateways of the three-sided portico, and opposite the chambers was a walkway ten cubits wide, one hundred cubits long, along the inner way of one cubit, with its entrance facing north. And the walkways of the upper rooms were similar, as the columns of the upper rooms stood out from the lower columns, and the space was similar. And there were triple porticoes, and they did not have columns like the columns on the outer side; therefore, they stood out from those that were lower, and in the middle of the ground fifty cubits, and the outer light was like the outer courtyard porticoes, which faced the porticoes of the north, with a length of fifty cubits. The length of the porticos facing the outer courtyard was fifty cubits. And these are opposite their own facade, all one hundred cubits, and the entrance of these porticos is towards the Eastern entrance, so one may enter through them into the outer courtyard, according to the light that was at the beginning of the walkway to the South, opposite the Southern side of the building, and separate. And the porticos and walkway are opposite their own facade, according to the measurements of the porticos and the way to the North, and their length, and their width, and all their exits, and entrances, and lights, and the entrance to the porticos towards the South, and the entrance from the beginning of the walkway to the light, the space of the reed pen: and so one may go towards the East through them. That which is translated into the East in the LXX is not found in the Hebrew, and it is clear that it is superfluous. For how is it brought out to the outer gate toward the East, when it follows against the gate of the North? That which we have also put above, and in this place: He brought me into the treasury, which will be opposite the separate building, and opposite the temple facing the North, for which it is held in the LXX: And he brought me: and behold, there are five chambers from the remaining building and next to the separate building toward the North: for separate, which Aquila and Symmachus translated, the second edition of Aquila, and Theodotion placed this word itself, Gazera (), expressing it similarly in all places: and many other things which are placed in the present passage between the Hebrew and the LXX not only differ in order, but also in number, and in the interpretation of words, so that if we wished to linger on each one, and seek and explain their reason for the diversity, we would depart greatly from the proposed subject. And I had wanted to pass over in silence my present testimony of final despair and greatness, but I thought it better to say anything than to say nothing at all, adopting that Socratic principle: I know that I do not know. For it is a part of knowledge to know that you do not know. Therefore, after the prophet had carefully observed the things that were inside, the man, whose rope and reed were in his hand, led him out to the outer courtyard, along the path leading to the North, which he had already seen from above before he entered the inner chambers. But we see things differently when it comes to perfect knowledge, compared to the beginning of discipline. And it is necessary for one who has looked into the inner workings, according to the same form and measures and hidden sacraments, to also see the external things. However, he was led into the treasury, or as the Septuagint translated it, the hall, or as Theodotion, the παστοφόριον, which is turned into a chamber: which was located opposite the separate building. But what the Seventy added for the treasury, five exedras, is not found in Hebrew. The treasury was a separate building, as we have already said. Gazera. And it was separate, receiving those who came from the North, and it was against the temple facing the North, that is, looking towards the parts of the North, but not located in the North, so that there would be an easier passage for those who were leaving the cold of the North, from which evils arise upon the earth (Jer. 1). We read in the book of Numbers that the tribes of Dan and Naphtali, and the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, the maidservants of Rachel and Leah, held their camps in the northern regions. Moreover, the width of the entrance to the north was one hundred cubits, and the length was fifty cubits: a square number and perfect from ten decades, and from seven weeks, which is the number of remission, and at the beginning of unity, that is, the octave, it bursts forth, so that the spaces of the priestly duties in the temple of God may be shown. And that which is joined next to the Hebrew, opposite the twenty cubits of the inner court, which the Seventy have translated, was described like the gates of the inner court, has this meaning: that the number of a hundred and fifty in the outer court should have the same force as the number of twenty in the inner court. For if you reckon four times five times, in the number twenty, you will find both Testaments: so that both the Law may be held in the Gospel and the Gospel may be born from the root of the Law. For the number seventy, the likeness of the inner court, may have been interpreted, perhaps fearing the number twenty, in which offerings of Esau are made, to place in the inner court. It follows: And against the pavement, the floor of the outer court, where there was a porch, joined to the triple porch; for which seventy were transferred: And as the columns of the outer court were placed in order, opposite the face of the triple porches. However, it signifies that the pavement of the outer court was laid with living stone, so that the feet of the priests are not defiled by the dust of summer or the mud of winter. And so, the Lord, about to ascend to the Father, washes the feet of the Apostles (John 13), so that with purified and cleansed feet they may ascend to the kingdoms of heaven; and he commands the apostles that in whichever city they enter and are not received, they should shake off the dust from their feet (Matthew 10; and Mark 6): so that nothing of earthly possessions may remain with them. And not only was the pavement covered with stones, but there was also a portico joined to a triple portico. A portico protecting priests from rain and heat, and joined to the triple portico, showing the mystery of the Trinity, which, while being divided in names among the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, is yet joined in one divinity to itself. There was also before the treasury, or the halls, or the chambers, a walkway of ten cubits in width, looking towards the interior of the road of one cubit. And what was added by the Seventy: It is extra to have a length of one hundred cubits: for in the Hebrew it is not held, what they set forth, they took what is held in Hebrew, looking towards the interior of the road of one cubit, which we translated from the truth of Hebrew. But it signifies that before the doors of all the treasuries, or exedrae, and chambers, there was a walkway, having a width of ten cubits, which is a perfect number, either because of the Decalogue or because of the mystery of the Gospel. For if you come from one to four by twos and threes, the number ten is made, the number of the Gospels: in the width of which the priests walk, going before each treasury. But in such a way that they always look towards the interior of the path which leads to one cubit, that is, to the worship of one divinity, as the Son says to the Father: I have revealed thy name to men (John 17:6). For she is the way, looking inward, which is said in the Gospel: I am the way, and the truth, and the life (John XIV, 6): because no one comes to the knowledge of the Father, except through the Son. It follows: And their doors to the north, where the treasuries were in the lower and middle parts: because the porticoes which stood out from the lower and middle parts of the building supported them. For they were narrow, and did not have columns like the columns of the courts: therefore they stood out from the lower and middle parts by fifty cubits from the ground. What is joined: the doors of these, it is understood, (belong to) the exedrae or treasury rooms, about which there was discussion above. The treasuries were on the upper floors, that is, in the lower rooms. The upper rooms were ascended by Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings 17; 2 Kings 4); and the Lord, with the disciples, celebrated the Passover (Mark 14), and Tabitha, who was raised by the Apostle's faith and the merit of her virtues (Acts 9). These are the upper rooms, about which it is written in the psalm: He waters the mountains from his upper rooms (Psalm 104, 13). For unless a mountain is made, and rises to higher things, it will not be irrigated by the rains of the Lord, which for the diversity of merits are irrigated in the first, second, and third coenaculum. Even the storerooms themselves, that is, the treasuries of the Lord's treasures, are lower in the higher places. (Ephesians 3). However, the higher one is, the more one is humbled with the Apostle, saying: I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. (1 Corinthians 1:9). However, the treasure rooms themselves were located in the lower rooms, because they supported the porticoes that projected from the lower and middle parts of the building. And the reason why the treasure rooms were placed in the lower rooms and were lower was this: because the porticoes, which enjoyed the freedom of the air, supported and projected from the lower and middle parts of the building. In this way, the second floor of the building would be higher than the first floor, and the third floor would be higher than the second, so that as one ascended to higher levels, they would use a higher treasure room, which increased in humility, as the Lord says: 'If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.' (Mark 9:35). For they were not carried by other columns, as we read in the columns of the atrium; but they protruded from the lower and middle parts of the ground by fifty cubits, as a sign of the remission of all debts. These, however, are the sad things of which it is commanded: Describe them in triple form, with counsel and knowledge, so that you may answer with words of truth those things that are proposed to you (Prov. 22:20-21). Therefore, the lower and outer parts need columns, but the higher and inner parts do not need the support of columns, that is, of external help. After this it is said: And the outer court was surrounded by a wall, with treasuries along the outside walls. The length of this outer court was fifty cubits, because the length of the treasuries of the outer court was fifty cubits, and the length before the front of the temple was one hundred cubits. The surrounding wall, called the peribolus, enclosed the treasuries along the outside walls of the outer court, and it was fifty cubits in length, as we have frequently mentioned. Moreover, the length in front of the face of the temple was not fifty cubits, as it was before the treasury, but one hundred cubits: so that after the remission of all sins, we may await perfect rewards in the number one hundred (Lev. XII). Regarding the barrier, or wall, which in Hebrew is called Gader (), the Seventy have interpreted it as light, which comes from outside and illuminates the eyes of our hearts: our natural light, which operates in the senses, is not sufficient to have the perfect brightness of knowledge, unless it enters from outside through the grace of God. What first illuminates the eyes of our heart, and the outer atrium, which extends to a width of fifty cubits, makes it shine. Then, when we come before the face of the temple, we shall receive perfect rewards in the number of one hundred. And below, there was an entrance to the treasury from the East for those entering from the outer atrium. For it is necessary for us to possess the riches of God, and to find the entrance below the treasury from the outer atrium, under the treasury of the East, and to come through the width of the vestibule, which faces the way of the East, to the building that is separated for the holy ones, before which are the treasuries, and in that very way, a likeness to the treasuries that were in the way of the North. For although we may reach the entrance to the East, the resemblance of the ancestors is found in the smaller things, and we cannot reach the light of the East except by way of the North, that is, by progressing from the smaller and lower things to the greater and higher things. In the very entrance itself, the length was similar to the width, that is, the same measurement throughout: every entrance and likeness, and doors had the same measurement and likeness as the treasure chambers that were on the road facing the South. For indeed, by the East the cold of the North is resisted, we reach the South, in which the bridegroom reclines at midday, and moves in full light. At the head, however, of the same road, that is, the Eastern one, which is open to those who enter, there is a door, which unless it is opened by Him who says: I am the door (John 10:9) and who has the key of David, to the vestibule separated by holy virtues, and which receives those coming from the North, we cannot reach. It is unnecessary to discuss each individual word of this passage in detail: both what has been said does not lack clarity, and what we keep silent about is almost similar to what we have said.
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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