Ezekiel 41

Eze 41:1-26.

THE

CHAMBERS AND

ORNAMENTS OF THE

TEMPLE.

1. tabernacle--As in the measurement of the outer porch he had pointed

to Solomon's temple, so here in the edifice itself, he points to the

old tabernacle, which being eight boards in breadth (each one and a

half cubits broad) would make in all twelve cubits, as here. On the

interior it was only ten cubits.

2. length thereof--namely, of the holy place

[FAIRBAIRN].

3. inward--towards the most holy place.

4. thereof--of the holy of holies.

before the temple--that is, before, or in front of the most holy place

(so "temple" is used in

1Ki 6:3).

The angel went in and measured it, while Ezekiel stood in front, in the

only part of the temple accessible to him. The dimensions of the two

apartments are the same as in Solomon's temple, since being fixed

originally by God, they are regarded as finally determined.

5. side chamber--the singular used collectively for the plural.

These chambers were appendages attached to the outside of the temple,

on the west, north, and south; for on the east side, the principal

entrance, there were no chambers. The narrowness of the chambers was in

order that the beams could be supported without needing pillars. The

plan is similar to that of the hall at Koyunjik, a large central hall,

called the oracle, with smaller rooms built round it.

6. might . . . hold, but . . . not hold in

. . . wall of the house--

1Ki 6:6

tells us there were rests made in the walls of the temple for supports

to the side chambers; but the temple walls did not thereby become part

of this side building; they stood separate from it. "They entered,"

namely, the beams of the chambers, which were three-storied and thirty

in consecutive order, entered into the wall, that is, were made to lean

on rests projecting from the wall.

7. the breadth . . . so increased from the lowest . . . to the

highest--that is, the breadth of the interior space above was greater

than that below.

8. foundations . . . six . . . cubits--the substructure, on which the

foundations rested, was a full reed of six cubits.

great--literally, "to the extremity" or root, namely, of the hand

[HENDERSON]. "To the joining," or point, where the foundation of one

chamber ceased and another began [FAIRBAIRN].

9. that which was left--There was an unoccupied place within

chambers that belonged to the house. The buildings in this unoccupied

place, west of the temple, and so much resembling it in size, imply

that no place was to be left which was to be held, as of old, not

sacred. Manasseh

(2Ki 23:11)

had abused these "suburbs of the temple" to keeping horses sacred to

the sun. All excuse for such abominations was henceforth to be taken

away, the Lord claiming every space, and filling up this also with

sacred erections [FAIRBAIRN].

10. the chambers--that is, of the priests in the court: between

these and the side chambers was the wideness, &c. While long details

are given as to the chambers, &c., no mention is made of the ark of the

covenant. FAIRBAIRN thus interprets this: In

future there was to be a perfect conformity to the divine idea, such as

there had not been before. The dwellings of His people should all

become true sanctuaries of piety. Jehovah Himself, in the full display

of the divine Shekinah, shall come in the room of the ark of the

covenant

(Jer 3:16, 17).

The interior of the temple stands empty, waiting for His entrance to

fill it with His glory

(Eze 43:1-12).

It is the same temple, but the courts of it have become different to

accommodate a more numerous people. The entire compass of the temple

mount has become a holy of holies

(Eze 43:12).

12-15. Sum of the measures of the temple, and of the buildings behind

and on the side of it.

15. galleries--terrace buildings. On the west or back of the temple,

there was a separate place occupied by buildings of the same external

dimensions as the temple, that is, one hundred cubits square in the

entire compass [FAIRBAIRN].

16. covered--being the highest windows they were "covered" from the

view below. Or else "covered with lattice-work."

17. by measure--Measurements were taken

[FAIRBAIRN].

21. appearance of the one as the appearance of the other--The

appearance of the sanctuary or holy of holies was similar to that of the

temple. They differed only in magnitude.

22. table . . . before the Lord--the altar of incense

(Eze 44:16).

At it, not at the table of showbread, the priests daily ministered. It

stood in front of the veil, and is therefore said to be "before the

Lord." It is called a table, as being that at which the Lord will take

delight in His people, as at a feast. Hence its dimensions are larger

than that of old--three cubits high, two broad, instead of two and

one.

25. thick planks--a thick-plank work at the threshold.