Ezekiel 40:28-47

C. The Inner Court and Its Gateways 40:28-47

TRANSLATION

(28) Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures; (29) and the lodges thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and the arches thereof round about; it was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits broad. (30) And there were arches round about, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits broad. (31) And the arches thereof were toward the outer court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof: and the ascent to it had eight steps. (32) And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures; (33) and the lodges thereof and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in the arches thereof round about; it was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits broad. (34) And the arches thereof were toward the outer court; and palm-trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the ascent to it had eight steps. (35) And he brought me to the north gate: and he measured it according to these measures; (36) the lodges thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof: and there were windows therein round about; the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. (37) And the posts thereof were toward the outer court; and palm-trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the ascent to it had eight steps. (38) And a chamber with the door thereof was by the posts at the gates; there they washed the burnt offering. (39) And 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. (40) And on the one side without, as one goes up to the entry of the gate toward the north, were two tables; and on the other side, which belonged to the porch of the gate, were two tables. (41) Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate: eight tables where upon they slew the sacrifices. (42) And there were four tables for the burnt-offering, of hewn stone, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high; whereupon they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt-offering and the sacrifice. (43) And the hooks, a handbreadth long, were fastened within round about; and upon the tables was the flesh of the oblation. (44) And without the inner gate were chambers for the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the north. (45) And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house; (46) and 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, who from among the sons of Levi come near to the LORD to minister unto Him. (47) And he measured the court, a hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar was before the house.

COMMENTS

1. Although no mention is made of it, one must assume that a wall surrounded the inner court.
2. One entered the inner court through three gateways which were of similar construction to the gates leading to the outer courtyard except in two respects: (1) The vestibule of these interior gateways was on the front rather than the back side as one approached from without; and (2) eight steps led up to the inner court (Ezekiel 40:31; Ezekiel 40:34; Ezekiel 40:37).

3. Inside the north gateway was a special chamber where the burnt offerings were to be washed (Ezekiel 40:38). The intestines and legs of the burnt offering had to be washed before being brought to the altar (Leviticus 1:9).

4. Eight tables on which sacrifices were slaughtered were situated in the northern gateway.[504] Four were within the porch or vestibule (Ezekiel 40:39), and four beyond the porch and within the gateway (Ezekiel 40:40-41).

[504] Fisch (SBB, pp. 275-76) thinks Ezekiel 40:41 refers to eight additional tables for a total of sixteen sacrificial tables.

5. Four smaller tables of hewn stone were also found in the north gateway. These tables held the sacrificial instruments, i.e., knives and receptacles for collecting the blood (Ezekiel 40:42).

6. Within the north gateway slabs or hooks were fixed to pillars to allow the animal carcasses to be suspended while being flayed. The sacrificial meat once cut from the carcass was placed on tables previously mentioned (Ezekiel 40:43).

7. On the north and south sides of the inner court were the chambers of the sharim, singers. Choirs of Levites provided musical accompaniment during sacrificial ceremonies (Ezekiel 40:44). The interpreting angel explains that in this future Temple these chambers would be occupied by the descendants of Zadok. Zadok was high priest in the days of Solomon. He was a descendant of Phinehas the son of Aaron to whom God had given the covenant of an everlasting priesthood (Numbers 25:13). Those priests who ministered within the house (i.e., offering incense) occupied one of the priestly chambers (Ezekiel 40:45); those who served at the altar of sacrifice in the courtyard, lived together in another chamber (Ezekiel 40:46).

8. The inner courtyard was a square of one hundred cubits (Ezekiel 40:47).