Ezekiel 40:20-27

Now follows a brief description of the north and south gates:

Ezekiel 40:20. And the gate of the outer court which looks toward the north he measured in its length and its breadth.

Ezekiel 40:21. And its three chambers were on the one side, and three on the other; and its pillars and its porches were after the measure of the first gate: the length of it fifty cubits, and the breadth of it twenty-five cubits.

Ezekiel 40:22. And its windows, and its porches, and its palm-trees, were after the measure of the gate which looks toward the east; and by seven steps they go up to it, and its porch before them.

Ezekiel 40:23. And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate northward, and eastward (that is, apparently, the gate of the inner court here stood right opposite the outer gate, just as it had done on the east: so that the “and eastward” must be taken elliptically for: and as it was with the eastward; compare Ezekiel 40:27 , where the eastward is left out).

Ezekiel 40:24. And he brought me toward the south, and lo, a gate toward the south; and he measured its pillars and its porches according to these measures.

Ezekiel 40:25. And there were windows to it and to its porches entirely round about, according to those windows: fifty cubits long, and five-and-twenty cubits broad.

Ezekiel 40:26. And its ascent is by seven steps, and its porch before them; and it had palm-trees, one on this side, and one on that side, upon its pillars.

Ezekiel 40:27. And there was a gate for the inner court toward the south; and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits.

These directions regarding the north and south divisions merely intimate a correspondence in the plan between the different approaches, excepting that in the case of these two other gates no mention is made of the building with its thirty chambers, which was found on the eastern side. Probably because only one was needed, and it was assigned to the eastern quarter, as being the more peculiarly sacred; and being intended for the officiating priests, it might be most conveniently situated there.