1In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me to the city.[1] (Eze 1:2; Eze 1:3; Eze 20:1; Eze 26:1; Eze 33:21)2In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. (Eze 1:1; Eze 43:12; Re 21:10)3When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. (Eze 1:7; Eze 9:2; Eze 42:16; Eze 43:6; Eze 47:3; Re 11:1)4And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear 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. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.” (Eze 2:1; Eze 43:10; Eze 44:5)
The East Gate to the Outer Court
5And behold, there was a 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, each being a cubit and a handbreadth[2] in length. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed. (Eze 41:8; Eze 42:20; Eze 43:13)6Then he went into the gateway facing east, going up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed deep.[3] (Eze 40:22; Eze 43:1)7And the 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. (Eze 40:29; Eze 40:33; Eze 40:36)8Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, on the inside, one reed.9Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; and its jambs, two cubits; and the vestibule of the gate was at the inner end. (Eze 41:1)10And there were three side rooms on either side of the east gate. The three were of the same size, and the jambs on either side were of the same size. (Eze 40:7)11Then he measured the width of the opening of the gateway, ten cubits; and the length of the gateway, thirteen cubits.12There was a barrier before the side rooms, one cubit on either side. And the side rooms were six cubits on either side.13Then 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.14He measured also the vestibule, sixty cubits. And around the vestibule of the gateway was the court.[4] (Eze 40:9; Eze 40:16)15From the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the inner vestibule of the gate was fifty cubits.16And the gateway had windows all around, narrowing inwards toward the side rooms and toward their jambs, and likewise the vestibule had windows all around inside, and on the jambs were palm trees. (1Ki 6:4; Eze 40:9; Eze 40:14; Eze 41:16; Eze 41:18; Eze 41:26)
The Outer Court
17Then he brought me into the outer court. And behold, there were chambers and a pavement, all around the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement. (2Ki 23:11; 2Ch 7:3; Eze 40:38; Eze 40:44; Eze 40:46; Eze 41:6; Eze 41:10; Eze 42:1; Eze 45:5; Re 11:2)18And the pavement ran along the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. This was the lower pavement.19Then he measured the distance from the inner front of the lower gate to the outer front of the inner court,[5] a hundred cubits on the east side and on the north side.[6]
The North Gate
20As for the gate that faced toward the north, belonging to the outer court, he measured its length and its breadth. (Eze 40:6; Eze 40:17)21Its side rooms, three on either side, and its jambs and its vestibule were of the same size as those of the first gate. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. (Eze 40:6; Eze 40:7; Eze 40:13; Eze 40:15)22And its windows, its vestibule, and its palm trees were of the same size as those of the gate that faced toward the east. And by seven steps people would go up to it, and find its vestibule before them. (Eze 40:6; Eze 40:16)23And opposite the gate on the north, as on the east, was a gate to the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate, a hundred cubits. (Eze 8:3; Eze 40:27; Eze 40:28)
The South Gate
24And he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a gate on the south. And he measured its jambs and its vestibule; they had the same size as the others. (Eze 40:21)25Both it and its vestibule had windows all around, like the windows of the others. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. (Eze 40:22)26And there were seven steps leading up to it, and its vestibule was before them, and it had palm trees on its jambs, one on either side. (Eze 40:16)27And there was a gate on the south of the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits. (Eze 8:16; Eze 40:23)
The Inner Court
28Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate. It was of the same size as the others. (Eze 40:24; Eze 40:27)29Its 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. (Eze 40:7; Eze 40:25)30And there were vestibules all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits broad.31Its vestibule faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps. (Eze 40:22; Eze 40:26)32Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gate. It was of the same size as the others. (Eze 40:21)33Its 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.34Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps. (Eze 40:31)35Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it. It had the same size as the others. (Eze 40:32; Eze 47:2)36Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others,[7] and it had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.37Its vestibule[8] faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.38There was a chamber with its door in the vestibule of the gate,[9] where the burnt offering was to be washed. (2Ch 4:6; Eze 40:17; Eze 46:2)39And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on either side, on which the burnt offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering were to be slaughtered. (Le 1:3; Le 4:2; Le 5:1; Eze 40:42; Eze 42:13; Eze 46:2; Eze 46:20)40And 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.41Four tables were on either side of the gate, eight tables, on which to slaughter. (Eze 40:38; Eze 40:39)42And there were four tables of 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 burnt offerings and the sacrifices were slaughtered. (Ex 20:25; Eze 40:39)43And hooks,[10] 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
44On the outside of the inner gateway there were two chambers[11] in the inner court, one[12] at the side of the north gate facing south, the other at the side of the south[13] gate facing north. (1Ch 6:31; Eze 40:17; Eze 40:38)45And he said to me, “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple, (Le 8:35; Nu 1:53; 1Ch 9:23; Eze 44:8; Eze 44:14; Eze 44:16; Eze 48:11)46and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who alone[14] among the sons of Levi may come near to the Lord to minister to him.” (Nu 3:31; Nu 18:5; 1Ki 2:35; 1Ch 24:3; 1Ch 24:6; Eze 42:13; Eze 43:19; Eze 44:15; Eze 45:4)47And he measured the court, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits broad, a square. And the altar was in front of the temple. (Ex 40:29; Eze 41:13; Eze 43:13; Mt 23:35)
The Vestibule of the Temple
48Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the jambs of the vestibule, five cubits on either side. And the breadth of the gate was fourteen cubits, and the sidewalls of the gate[15] were three cubits on either side. (Eze 40:9; Eze 41:25)49The length of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the breadth twelve[16] cubits, and people would go up to it by ten steps.[17] And there were pillars beside the jambs, one on either side. (1Ki 6:3)
1In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city – on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me and he took me there.2In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city.3He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.4The man said to me, ‘Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see.’
The east gate to the outer court
5I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits,[1] each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high.6Then he went to the east gate. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep.7The alcoves for the guards were one rod long and one rod wide, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were five cubits[2] thick. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep.8Then he measured the portico of the gateway;9it[3] was eight cubits[4] deep and its jambs were two cubits[5] thick. The portico of the gateway faced the temple.10Inside the east gate were three alcoves on each side; the three had the same measurements, and the faces of the projecting walls on each side had the same measurements.11Then he measured the width of the entrance of the gateway; it was ten cubits and its length was thirteen cubits.[6]12In front of each alcove was a wall one cubit high, and the alcoves were six cubits square.13Then he measured the gateway from the top of the rear wall of one alcove to the top of the opposite one; the distance was twenty-five cubits[7] from one parapet opening to the opposite one.14He measured along the faces of the projecting walls all around the inside of the gateway – sixty cubits.[8] The measurement was up to the portico[9] facing the courtyard.[10]15The distance from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its portico was fifty cubits.[11]16The alcoves and the projecting walls inside the gateway were surmounted by narrow parapet openings all round, as was the portico; the openings all round faced inward. The faces of the projecting walls were decorated with palm trees.
The outer court
17Then he brought me into the outer court. There I saw some rooms and a pavement that had been constructed all round the court; there were thirty rooms along the pavement.18It abutted the sides of the gateways and was as wide as they were long; this was the lower pavement.19Then he measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner court; it was a hundred cubits[12] on the east side as well as on the north.
The north gate
20Then he measured the length and width of the north gate, leading into the outer court.21Its alcoves – three on each side – its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as those of the first gateway. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.22Its openings, its portico and its palm tree decorations had the same measurements as those of the gate facing east. Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them.23There was a gate to the inner court facing the north gate, just as there was on the east. He measured from one gate to the opposite one; it was a hundred cubits.
The south gate
24Then he led me to the south side and I saw the south gate. He measured its jambs and its portico, and they had the same measurements as the others.25The gateway and its portico had narrow openings all round, like the openings of the others. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.26Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them; it had palm tree decorations on the faces of the projecting walls on each side.27The inner court also had a gate facing south, and he measured from this gate to the outer gate on the south side; it was a hundred cubits.
The gates to the inner court
28Then he brought me into the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it had the same measurements as the others.29Its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all round. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.30(The porticoes of the gateways around the inner court were twenty-five cubits wide and five cubits deep.)31Its portico faced the outer court; palm trees decorated its jambs, and eight steps led up to it.32Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway; it had the same measurements as the others.33Its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all round. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.34Its portico faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.35Then he brought me to the north gate and measured it. It had the same measurements as the others,36as did its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico, and it had openings all round. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.37Its portico[13] faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.
The rooms for preparing sacrifices
38A room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the burnt offerings were washed.39In the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings, sin offerings[14] and guilt offerings were slaughtered.40By the outside wall of the portico of the gateway, near the steps at the entrance of the north gateway were two tables, and on the other side of the steps were two tables.41So there were four tables on one side of the gateway and four on the other – eight tables in all – on which the sacrifices were slaughtered.42There were also four tables of dressed stone for the burnt offerings, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit high.[15] On them were placed the utensils for slaughtering the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices.43And double-pronged hooks, each a handbreadth[16] long, were attached to the wall all round. The tables were for the flesh of the offerings.
The rooms for the priests
44Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, were two rooms, one[17] at the side of the north gate and facing south, and another at the side of the south[18] gate and facing north.45He said to me, ‘The room facing south is for the priests who guard the temple,46and the room facing north is for the priests who guard the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who are the only Levites who may draw near to the Lord to minister before him.’47Then he measured the court: it was square – a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide. And the altar was in front of the temple.
The new temple
48He brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the jambs of the portico; they were five cubits wide on either side. The width of the entrance was fourteen cubits[19] and its projecting walls were[20] three cubits[21] wide on either side.49The portico was twenty cubits[22] wide, and twelve[23] cubits[24] from front to back. It was reached by a flight of stairs,[25] and there were pillars on each side of the jambs.
Ezekiel 40
King James Version
1In 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.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.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.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.5And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man' 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.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.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.8He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.9Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward.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.11And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.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.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.14He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate.15And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were 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.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.18And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement.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.20And the gate of the outward court that looked toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.28And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;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.30And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.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.32And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures.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.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.35And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according to these measures;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.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.38And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.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.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.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 .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.43And within were hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.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.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.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.47So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house.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.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.
1It was the 14th year after Jerusalem had been captured. We had been brought to Babylon as prisoners. It was the tenth day of a month near the beginning of the 25th year after that. On that day the power of the LORD came on me. He took me back to my land.2In visions God gave me, he brought me to the land of Israel. He set me on a very high mountain. Some buildings were on the south side of it. They looked like a city.3He took me there. I saw a man who appeared to be made out of bronze. He was standing at the gate of the outer courtyard. He was holding a linen measuring tape and a measuring rod.4The man said to me, ‘Son of man, look carefully and listen closely. Pay attention to everything I show you. That is why the LORD brought you here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see.’
The east gate to the outer courtyard
5I saw a wall that completely surrounded the temple area. The measuring rod in the man’s hand was 3.6 metres long. He measured the wall with it. The wall was as thick and as high as one measuring rod.6Then the man went to the east gate. He climbed its steps. He measured the gateway. It was one rod wide.7The rooms where the guards stood were one rod long and one rod wide. The walls between the rooms were almost 3 metres thick. The gateway next to the porch was one rod wide. The porch faced the front of the temple.8Then the man measured the porch of the gateway.9It was 4.8 metres wide. Each of its doorposts was 1.2 metres thick. The porch of the gateway faced the front of the temple.10Inside the east gate were three rooms on each side. All the rooms were the same size. The walls on each side of the rooms had the same thickness.11Then the man measured the entrance of the gateway. It was 6 metres wide and 7.8 metres long.12In front of each room was a wall. It was 60 centimetres high. The rooms measured 3.6 metres on each side.13Then he measured the gateway from the back wall of one room to the back wall of the room opposite it. It was 15 metres from the top of one wall to the top of the other.14He measured along the front of the side walls all around the inside of the gateway. The total was 36 metres. That didn’t include the porch that faced the courtyard.15It was 30 metres from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its porch.16The rooms and their side walls inside the gateway had narrow openings on top of them. So did the porch. All the openings faced the inside. The front of each side wall was decorated with a palm tree.
The outer courtyard
17Then the man brought me into the outer courtyard. There I saw some rooms and a pavement. They had been built all around the courtyard. Along the pavement were 30 rooms.18The pavement went all the way up to the sides of the gateways. It was as wide as they were long. This was the lower pavement.19Then he measured from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner courtyard. The east side measured 60 metres. So did the north side.
The north gate
20Then the man measured the north gate. He wanted to show me how long and wide it was. The gate led into the outer courtyard.21It had three rooms on each side. Their side walls and porch measured the same as the ones at the first gateway. They measured 30 metres long and 15 metres wide.22Its openings, porch and palm tree decorations measured the same as the ones at the east gate. Seven steps led up to the north gate. Its porch was opposite them.23The inner courtyard had a gate. It faced the gate on the north. It was just like the east gate. He measured from one gate to the one opposite it. The total was 60 metres.
The south gate
24Then the man led me to the south side of the courtyard. There I saw the south gate. He measured its doorposts and porch. They measured the same as the others.25The gateway and its porch had narrow openings all around. The openings were the same as the others had. The side walls and porch measured 30 metres long and 15 metres wide.26Seven steps led up to it. Its porch was opposite them. The front of each side wall was decorated with a palm tree.27The inner courtyard also had a gate that faced south. The man measured from this gate to the outer gate on the south side. The total was 60 metres.
The gates to the inner courtyard
28Then the man brought me into the inner courtyard. We went through the south gate. He measured it. It was the same size as the others.29Its rooms, side walls and porch measured the same as the ones at the other gateways. The gateway and its porch had openings all around. The side walls and porch measured 30 metres long and 15 metres wide.30The porches of the gateways around the inner courtyard were 15 metres wide and 3 metres long.31Its porch faced the outer courtyard. Palm trees decorated its doorposts. Eight steps led up to it.32Then the man brought me to the east side of the inner courtyard. There he measured the gateway. It was the same size as the others.33Its rooms, side walls and porch measured the same as the ones at the other gateways. The gateway and its porch had openings all around. The side walls and porch measured 30 metres long and 15 metres wide.34Its porch faced the outer courtyard. Each doorpost was decorated with a palm tree. Eight steps led up to the porch.35Then the man brought me to the north gate. He measured it. It was the same size as the others.36Its rooms, side walls and porch measured the same as the ones at the other gateways. It had openings all around. The side walls and the porch measured 30 metres long and 15 metres wide.37The porch faced the outer courtyard. Each doorpost was decorated with a palm tree. Eight steps led up to the porch.
The rooms for preparing sacrifices
38A room with a doorway was by the porch of each inner gateway. The burnt offerings were washed there.39On each side of the porch of the gateway were two tables. The burnt offerings were killed on them. So were the sin offerings and guilt offerings.40Two more tables were by the outer wall of the gateway porch. They were near the steps at the entrance of the north gateway. Two more tables were on the other side of the steps.41So there were four tables on each side of the gateway. The total number of tables was eight. Animals for sacrifice were killed on all of them.42There were also four other tables for the burnt offerings. They were made out of blocks of stone. Each table was 90 centimetres long and 90 centimetres wide. And each was almost 60 centimetres high. The tools for killing the burnt offerings and other sacrifices were placed on them.43Large hooks hung on the walls all around. Each was 8 centimetres long. The meat of the offerings was placed on the tables.
The rooms for the priests
44Near the inner gates were two rooms. They were in the inner courtyard. One room was next to the north gate. It faced south. The other one was next to the south gate. It faced north.45The man said to me, ‘The room that faces south is for the priests who guard the temple.46The one that faces north is for the priests who guard the altar. All these priests are the sons of Zadok. They are the only Levites who can approach the LORD to serve him.’47Then the man measured the courtyard. It was square. It measured 60 metres long and 60 metres wide. And the altar was in front of the temple.
The new temple
48The man brought me to the porch of the temple. He measured the doorposts of the porch. Each of them was almost 3 metres wide. The entrance was 8.4 metres wide. Each of the side walls was 1.8 metres wide.49The porch was 12 metres wide. It was 7.2 metres from front to back. It was reached by some stairs. Pillars were on each side of the doorposts.