Vision of the New Temple
1
1In the twenty-fifth year 2of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, 3in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, 4the hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me to the city.a
2
In 5visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on 6a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south.
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When he brought me there, behold, there was 7a man whose appearance was 8like bronze, with 9a linen cord and 10a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway.
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And the man said to me, 11"Son of man, 12look with your eyes, and 13hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. 14Declare all that you see to the house of Israel."
The East Gate to the Outer Court
5
And behold, there was 15a wall all around the outside of the temple area, and the length of the measuring reed in the man's hand was six long cubits, 16each being a cubit and a handbreadthb in length. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed.
6
Then he went into 17the gateway facing east, 18going up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed deep.c
7
And 19the side rooms, one reed long and one reed broad; and the space between the side rooms, five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the vestibule of the gate at the inner end, one reed.
8
Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, on the inside, one reed.
9
Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; 20and its jambs, two cubits; and the vestibule of the gate was at the inner end.
10
And there were three side rooms on either side of the east gate. 21The three were of the same size, and the jambs on either side were of the same size.
11
Then he measured the width of the opening of the gateway, ten cubits; and the length of the gateway, thirteen cubits.
12
There was a barrier before the side rooms, one cubit on either side. And the side rooms were six cubits on either side.
13
Then he measured the gate from the ceiling of the one side room to the ceiling of the other, a breadth of twenty-five cubits; the openings faced each other.
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He measured also 22the vestibule, twenty cubits. And around the vestibule of the gateway was the court.d
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From the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the inner vestibule of the gate was fifty cubits.
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And the gateway had 23windows all around, narrowing inwards toward the side rooms and toward their 24jambs, and likewise the vestibule had windows all around inside, and on the jambs were 25palm trees.
The Outer Court
17
Then he brought me into 26the outer court. And behold, there were 27chambers and a 28pavement, all around the court. 29Thirty chambers faced the pavement.
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And the pavement ran along the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. This was the lower pavement.
19
Then he measured the distance from the inner front of the lower gate to the outer front of the inner court,e a hundred cubits on the east side and on the north side.f
The North Gate
20
As for 30the gate that faced toward the north, belonging to 31the outer court, he measured its length and its breadth.
21
Its 32side rooms, three on either side, and its jambs and its vestibule were of the same size as those of 33the first gate. Its length was 34fifty cubits, and its breadth 35twenty-five cubits.
22
And 36its windows, its vestibule, and 37its palm trees were of the same size as those of the gate that faced toward the east. And by seven steps 38people would go up to it, and find its vestibule before them.
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And opposite the gate on the north, as on the east, was a gate to 39the inner court. And 40he measured from gate to gate, a hundred cubits.
The South Gate
24
And he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a gate on the south. And 41he measured its jambs and its vestibule; they had the same size as the others.
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Both it and its vestibule 42had windows all around, like the windows of the others. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.
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And there were seven steps leading up to it, and its vestibule was before them, and it had 43palm trees on its jambs, one on either side.
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And there was a gate on the south of 44the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits.
The Inner Court
28
Then he brought me to 45the inner court through the south gate, and 46he measured the south gate. It was of the same size as the others.
29
Its 47side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule 48had windows all around. 49Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.
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And there were vestibules all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits broad.
31
Its vestibule faced the outer court, and 50palm trees were on its jambs, and 51its stairway had eight steps.
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Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and 52he measured the gate. It was of the same size as the others.
33
Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.
34
53Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.
35
Then he brought me to 54the north gate, and 55he measured it. It had the same size as the others.
36
Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others,g and it had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.
37
Its vestibuleh faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.
38
There was 56a chamber with its door in the vestibule of the gate,i57where the burnt offering was to be washed.
39
And in the vestibule of the gate were two 58tables on either side, on which the 59burnt offering and the 60sin offering and the 61guilt offering were to be slaughtered.
40
And off to the side, on the outside as one goes up to the entrance of the north gate, were two tables; and off to the other side of the vestibule of the gate were two tables.
42
And there were four tables 64of hewn stone for the burnt offering, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high, on which the instruments were to be laid with which the 65burnt offerings and the sacrifices were slaughtered.
43
And hooks,j a handbreadth long, were fastened all around within. And on the tables the flesh of the offering was to be laid.
Chambers for the Priests
44
On the outside of the inner gateway there were two 66chambersk in the 67inner court, onel at the side of the north gate facing south, the other at the side of the southm gate facing north.
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And he said to me, This chamber that faces south is for the priests 68who have charge of the temple,
46
and the chamber that faces north is for the priests 69who have charge of the altar. These are 70the sons of Zadok, who alonen among the sons of Levi may come 71near to the LORD to minister to him.
47
And he measured the court, 72a hundred cubits long and 73a hundred cubits broad, a square. And 74the altar was in front of the temple.
The Vestibule of the Temple
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)