Ezekiel 40

In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither.

1It was the twenty-fifth year since we were taken away from home. It was the start of the year, the tenth day of the month. It was fourteen years after the city was knocked down. On that very day God's power took hold of me. He brought me there.

Note"The hand of the LORD was upon me" is an old way of saying that God's power took hold of Ezekiel.

2In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.

2In visions from God he brought me to the land of Israel. He set me on a very high mountain. On its south side was something built that looked like a city.

3And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

3He brought me there, and I saw a man. He shone like bronze. He stood in the gateway. He held a linen cord and a measuring rod.

NoteThe KJV says the man looked like "brass." The metal meant here is bronze.

4And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.

4The man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes." That name means a human being, and God used it for me. He said, "Listen with your ears. Pay careful attention to all I show you. That is why you were brought here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see."

5And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.

5I saw a wall all around the temple, which is God's house. The rod in the man's hand was six long cubits. A long cubit is a cubit plus the width of a hand. He measured the wall. It was one rod thick and one rod high.

NoteA cubit was about 18 inches, the length of a grown-up's forearm. The rod used here was six long cubits, about 10 feet.

6Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad.

6Then he came to the gate that faces east. He climbed its steps. He measured the doorstep of the gate. It was one rod deep. The next doorstep was one rod deep too.

7And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reed.

7Each little room in the gate was one rod long and one rod wide. Between the little rooms was a space of five cubits. The doorstep by the porch inside the gate was one rod deep.

8He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.

8He also measured the porch of the gateway inside. It was one rod.

9Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward.

9Then he measured the porch of the gateway. It was eight cubits deep. Its side posts were two cubits thick. The porch faced the temple.

10And the little chambers of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side.

10The east gate had three little rooms on each side. All of them were the same size. The posts on each side were the same size too.

11And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.

11He measured the opening of the gate. It was ten cubits wide. The gateway was thirteen cubits long.

12The space also before the little chambers was one cubit on this side, and the space was one cubit on that side: and the little chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

12In front of each little room was a low wall, one cubit high. There was one on each side. Each little room was six cubits on every side.

13He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door.

13Then he measured the gateway. He measured from the roof of one little room to the roof of the room across from it. It was twenty-five cubits, from one door to the door facing it.

14He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate.

14He also measured the gateposts. They were sixty cubits high. The gateway reached around to the post of the courtyard.

15And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits.

15From the front of the gate opening to the far end of the inner porch was fifty cubits.

16And there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees.

16The little rooms and their posts had narrow windows all around inside the gateway. The porches had windows all around inside too. Palm trees were carved on each post.

17Then brought he me into the outward court, and, lo, there were chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty chambers were upon the pavement.

17Then he brought me into the outer court. There were rooms there, and a stone floor all around the court. Thirty rooms faced the stone floor.

18And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement.

18The stone floor ran beside the gates. It was as long as the gates were. This was called the lower floor.

19Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate unto the forefront of the inner court without, an hundred cubits eastward and northward.

19Then he measured from the front of the lower gate to the outside of the inner court. It was one hundred cubits on the east side and on the north side.

20And the gate of the outward court that looked toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof.

20He also measured the gate of the outer court that faces north. He measured how long and how wide it was.

21And the little chambers thereof were three on this side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

21It had three little rooms on each side. Its posts and its porch matched the first gate. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

22And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before them.

22Its windows, its porch, and its palm trees matched the gate that faces east. Seven steps led up to it. Its porch was across from the steps.

23And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits.

23There was a gate to the inner court facing the north gate, just as there was on the east. He measured from gate to gate. It was one hundred cubits.

24After that he brought me toward the south, and behold a gate toward the south: and he measured the posts thereof and the arches thereof according to these measures.

24Then he led me to the south side. I saw a gate facing south. He measured its posts and its porch. They matched the others.

25And there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

25The gateway and its porch had windows all around, like the other windows. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

26And there were seven steps to go up to it, and the arches thereof were before them: and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, upon the posts thereof.

26Seven steps led up to it. Its porch was across from the steps. Palm trees were carved on its posts, one on each side.

27And there was a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south an hundred cubits.

27The inner court also had a gate facing south. He measured from gate to gate toward the south. It was one hundred cubits.

28And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;

28Then he brought me into the inner court through the south gate. He measured the south gate. It matched the others.

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.

29Its little rooms, its posts, and its porch matched the others. The gateway and its porch had windows all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

30And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.

30The porches around the inner court were twenty-five cubits long and five cubits deep.

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.

31Its porch faced the outer court. Palm trees were carved on its posts. Eight steps led up to it.

32And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures.

32Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side. He measured the gateway. It matched the others.

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.

33Its little rooms, its posts, and its porch matched the others. The gateway and its porch had windows all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

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.

34Its porch faced the outer court. Palm trees were carved on its posts, on each side. Eight steps led up to it.

35And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according to these measures;

35Then he brought me to the north gate. He measured it, and it matched the others.

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.

36Its little rooms, its posts, and its porch matched too. It had windows all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

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.

37Its posts faced the outer court. Palm trees were carved on its posts, on each side. Eight steps led up to it.

38And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.

38By the posts of the gateways were rooms with doors. There they washed the burnt offering. That is an animal given to God and burned as a gift.

39And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering.

39Inside the porch of the gateway were two tables on each side. On these tables the animals were killed. They were killed for the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering. The last two were given when someone had done wrong.

40And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate, were two tables.

40Outside, as you go up to the opening of the north gate, were two tables. On the other side of the gate porch were two more tables.

41Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices.

41So there were four tables on one side and four on the other. That made eight tables in all. On them the animals for the offerings were killed.

42And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice.

42There were also four tables made of cut stone for the burnt offering. Each was a cubit and a half long and a cubit and a half wide. Each one was a cubit high. The tools for killing the animals were laid on them.

43And within were hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.

43Hooks as wide as a hand were fastened all around inside. The meat of the offering was placed on the tables.

44And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south: one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north.

44Outside the inner gate, in the inner court, were rooms for the singers. One was beside the north gate and faced south. Another was beside the east gate and faced north.

45And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house.

45The man said to me, "This room that faces south is for the priests. Priests are the men who serve God here. These priests take care of the temple."

46And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.

46"The room that faces north is for the priests who take care of the altar. The altar is where gifts were burned for God. These priests are the sons of Zadok, from the family of Levi. They are the ones who may come near the LORD to serve him."

47So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house.

47So he measured the court. It was one hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits wide. It was a perfect square. The altar stood in front of the temple.

48And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.

48Then he brought me to the porch of the temple. He measured each post of the porch. It was five cubits on each side. The gate opening was three cubits on each side.

49The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and he brought me by the steps whereby they went up to it: and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.

49The porch was twenty cubits long and eleven cubits wide. He brought me up the steps that led to it. There were pillars by the posts, one on each side.