1 Then he brought me forth into the outer court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the room that was over against the separate place, and which was over against the building toward the north. 2 Before the length of one hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits. 3 Over against the twenty (cubits) which belonged to the inner court, and over against the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in the third story. 4 Before the rooms was a walk of ten cubits' breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors were toward the north. 5 Now the upper rooms were shorter; for the galleries took away from these, more than from the lower and the middle, in the building. 6 For they were in three stories, and they didn't have pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore (the uppermost) was straitened more than the lowest and the middle from the ground. 7 The wall that was outside by the side of the rooms, toward the outer court before the rooms, its length was fifty cubits. 8 For the length of the rooms that were in the outer court was fifty cubits: and behold, before the temple were one hundred cubits. 9 From under these rooms was the entry on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court. 10 In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, before the separate place, and before the building, there were rooms. 11 The way before them was like the appearance of (the way of) the rooms which were toward the north; according to their length so was their breadth: and all their exits were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors. 12 According to the doors of the rooms that were toward the south was a door at the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one enters into them. 13 Then he said to me, The north rooms and the south rooms, which are before the separate place, they are the holy rooms, where the priests who are near to Yahweh shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meal offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter in, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but there they shall lay their garments in which they minister; for they are holy: and they shall put on other garments, and shall approach to that which pertains to the people. 15 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it all around. 16 He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed all around. 17 He measured on the north side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed all around. 18 He measured on the south side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. 19 He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. 20 He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall around it, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.
This chapter gives us a description of the priests' chambers and their use, with the dimensions of the holy mount on which the temple stood, vv. 1-20.
INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 42
In this chapter are a description of some chambers in the northern part of the outward court, Ezekiel 42:1, an account of the use made of them by the priests, Ezekiel 42:13, the measuring of the area, or whole compass of ground, on which the whole building before measured stood, with the wall that surrounded it, Ezekiel 41:15.
In this chapter are described the priests' chambers, their use, and the dimensions of the holy mount on which the temple stood. These chambers were many. Jesus said, In my Father's house are many mansions: in his house on earth there are many; multitudes, by faith, are lodging in his sanctuary, and yet there is room. These chambers, though private, were near the temple. Our religious services in our chambers, must prepare for public devotions, and further us in improving them, as our opportunities are.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.