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.
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.
Ezekiel 41 Bible Commentary
Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown
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.
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.