Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 40:14
He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate.
14. Eze 40:14 is obscure. In the first place “he made” is suspicious, everywhere else it is “he measured.” In the second place the number 60 cubits is incomprehensible. The idea that the “posts” were prolonged into pillars of such a height is altogether improbable. Besides, the “posts” are accurately distinguished from pillars, for which another word is employed ( Eze 40:49). It is to be observed that the measurer first passes in from E. to W. along one side of the gateway, mentioning the different things with their dimensions of which it was composed. Having reached the porch at the inner end he returns, noting that the two sides of the gateway were in all respects alike. Then from Eze 40:11 onwards he gives measurements of the breadth of various parts of the gateway, the entrance ( Eze 40:11), the contraction opposite the guardrooms ( Eze 40:12), and finally the breadth of the whole gate building ( v, 13). While, however, the breadth of all other parts of the gateway has been given, that of the “porch” at the inner end has not been mentioned, though its length from E. to W., Fig. 1, mn, was stated to be 8 cubits ( Eze 40:8-9). It is probable, therefore, that Eze 40:14 supplies this measurement. Render: and he measured the porch, 20 cubits reading porch (ailam), for posts (ailim), and 20 for 60, in both cases with LXX. The 20 are inside measurement, N. to S.; 22 might have been expected, for the back wall of the guardrooms was 1 cubits, but a chamber like the porch used for assemblies and feasts (Eze 44:3) might well have a wall of 2 cubits thick, as in point of fact the wall to the W. was two cubits ( Eze 40:9).
even unto the post gate ] At any rate with present pointing: and unto (touching on) the post was the court gate. It is probable, however, that “post” is either repetition of unto, and should be struck out, or else that it is a consequence of the false reading “posts” in first clause, and should be read “porch” as there (so in Eze 40:37). The latter is more probable: and unto (adjoining) the porch was the court, round about the gate. The omission of prep. before “gate” is difficult, but cf. acc. 1Ki 6:5, and the more remarkable case Eze 43:17. LXX. read differently, and Syr. wants the clause.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He made; measured, and thereby showed what kind of posts they should be.
Posts of threescore cubits: if this might be interpreted by Cyruss edict for building this fabric sixty cubits high, it would be a clear confirmation of the Divine mission of the prophet, and the certainty of a future performance of the good he promised in Gods name, when it appears so evident that he had so long before declared to what height the building should be raised by license from Cyrus. But more like it is that it refers to the height of this gate, built up two stories above the arch, and the posts in their height are only mentioned, but imply all the rest of the building over the east gate. These high columns or posts on the inner front of this gate were so disposed, that the last on each side was very near to the first post, or pillar of the court on either side of the gate; and so the posts, and buildings laid on those posts, joined on each side of this gate.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
He made also posts of threescore cubits,…. Jerom thinks, that between the outward wall which surrounded this building, and the building itself, these posts or pillars were placed for ornament, which took up the space of sixty cubits; but rather these design the posts or columns of the gate, which supported the arch over it, on which were rooms or stories, and these were sixty cubits high; for of their height is this measure to be understood. So the Targum,
“and he made posts, sixty cubits was their height;”
in the Targum, in the Polyglot Bible by Montanus, it is,
“and he made sixty posts, their height a cubit:”
and to this agree Jarchi and Kimchi; these were thirty five yards high, the height of the temple ordered to be built by Cyrus, Ezr 6:3. The man that measured is said to “make” these posts, he being the builder as well as the measurer of this edifice; and might be said to make these as, by measuring, he pointed out the size and proportion of them: these posts may design the true members of Gospel churches, such who are pillars in the house of God; of which see more on Eze 40:16, compare the phrase of “making” these posts or pillars with Re 3:12:
even unto the post of the court round about the gate; that is, there was the same measure to every post or pillar in every court, at every gate round about; at the southern and northern gates, as at this eastern one; they were all exactly of the same measure as the posts in this; so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
14. R.V. reads, “He made also posts, threescore cubits; and the court reached unto the post, the gate being round about.” Davidson and Toy, following LXX., read “porch, or vestibule” ( ailam) for posts ( ailim), and “twenty” for threescore.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘He also made posts of sixty cubits, and the court to the post, the gate round about. And from the forefront of the gate at the entrance to the forefront of the inner porch of the gate were fifty cubits’
The sixty cubits would be the gateposts at the outer end of the gate, forming a deliberately imposing gateway, common in antiquity. It was what those who were without would see. The phrase ‘and the court to the post, the gate round about’ is a little obscure and may mean that the distance between where the court was entered (the inner gate), and the outer gate was filled by the whole gate construction, the distance being fifty cubits, or it may signify that the outer court came up to the gateposts, externally to the gate itself, at each side of the gate, but of course inside the walls, as the gate construction would protrude out into the outer court. Either way the length of the whole of the construction of the gate (from outer gate to inner gate) was fifty cubits.
The whole intention is to give the impression of a magnificent gateway protecting the way into the temple precincts (lest the temple be defiled), and manifesting the glory of God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 40:14. Of threescore cubits, &c. Of twenty cubits [LXX], and at the posts of the courts were gates [or arched passages] round about. The meaning is, that the angel described, or made a delineation of the height of the columns or pillars which were to support the stories or rooms over the arched gate.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 40:14 He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate.
Ver. 14. Even unto the post, ] i.e., The height was the same everywhere. See these things best set forth by pictures at the end of Castalio’s and Lavater’s annotations on the text.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
made: or, measured.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the court: Eze 8:7, Eze 42:1, Exo 27:9, Exo 35:17, Lev 6:16, 1Ch 28:6, Psa 100:4, Isa 62:9
Reciprocal: Eze 41:21 – posts
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 40:14, In this chapter the word post is always from the same original and is defined in the lexicon as any part that is constructed as a prop or support for some other portion of a structure; the posts of this verse were 10 reeds high.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
The height of the doorframes surrounding the main gate was 60 cubits (100 feet). This may seem extraordinarily tall to modern readers, but imposing gates were common in the great cities of antiquity. The gate system’s walls wrapped around from the main wall of the temple enclosure to the doorjambs that framed the doorway into the courtyard (Eze 40:9). The total length of the passageway from the front gate to the doorway into the courtyard was 50 cubits (83 feet 4 inches).