23 There was a wall around in them, around the four, and boiling places were made under the walls all around.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
It was made with boiling places - These were uncovered apartments, where they kept fires for dressing those parts of the peace-offerings, which were made in the temple by individuals through a principle of devotion. On these their families and their friends feasted; and portions were sent to the poor, the widows, and the orphans. And thus the spirit of devotion was the means of preserving the spirit of mercy, charity, and benevolence in the land. How true is that word, "Godliness is profitable for all things."
And there was a row of building round about in them,.... Within the courts, not on the outside of them: these were either chambers to eat the sacrifices in when boiled; or they were sheds which covered the cooks, and the meat they were boiling, from the rain, &c.: the Targum renders it,
"and walls were made to them round about;''
to the court: and so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret this row of building of a stone wall:
round about them four; the four courts at the four corners:
and it was made with boiling places under the rows round about; under these rows of building, chambers or sheds; or under these stone walls were furnaces, and coppers, and caldrons, set on them, for the boiling of the sacrifices.
boiling places--boilers.
under the rows--At the foot of the rows, that is, in the lowest part of the walls, were the places for boiling made.
The happy fruit to the earth at large of God's dwelling with Israel in holy fellowship is that the blessing is no longer restricted to the one people and locality, but is to be diffused with comprehensive catholicity through the whole world. So the plant from the cedar of Lebanon is represented as gathering under its shelter "all fowl of every wing" (Ezekiel 17:23). Even the desert places of the earth shall be made fruitful by the healing waters of the Gospel (compare Isaiah 35:1).
A row of building - A range of building on the inside of the walls of the lesser courts. Four - Four courts in the four corners.
*More commentary available at chapter level.