Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 40:17
Then 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.
17 27. Measurements of the outer court and remaining gates
17. outward court ] outer court. The prophet passed out of the pathway, where he had hitherto been, into the outer court. Round about on the inside of the surrounding wall of this court ( Eze 40:5) was a pavement, probably of stone, Fig. 3, B, and on the pavement chambers, thirty in number, Fig 3, C. The chambers ran round the wall on three sides, the W. being occupied with other buildings (Eze 41:12). The chambers were probably used for meetings and feasts; the ancient high places had such a feast chamber (1Sa 9:22), cf. Jer 35:4 (Eze 36:10). It is not stated how the chambers were disposed, whether singly or in blocks They were apparently of several stories (Eze 42:6), but did not occupy the corners of the wall, in which kitchens were situated (Eze 46:11-24).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The outward or outer court (o, Plan II) corresponds to what was in Herods temple the court of Women, into which all Jews, but not Gentiles were admitted.
Eze 40:17
Chambers – (I) See Jer 35:2.
A pavement – (H) Of mosaic work 2Ch 7:3; Est 1:6 which formed a border of forty-four cubits. On each side of the court in which there were gates, i. e., on east, north, and south. It was called the lower pavement to distinguish it from the pavement of the inner court; the outer court being lower than the inner Eze 40:31.
Eze 40:19
There were eastern, northern, and southern gates of entrance from the outer to the inner court (B).
Without – Not as in the margin, but looking outward, i. e., the outward front of the inner gate toward the outer court.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. The outward court] This was the court of the people.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The outward court; so called in regard of the more inward court, between that where he was and the temple itself: this court here, called the outward court, was at least the second about the temple, as you go through the first and greatest court, or floor encompassed with that wall of one reed high, and one thick, through the second, which is the court of the people, and which probably is this in our text.
There were chambers; not only lodging rooms for the priests, but also storehouses for tithes and offerings; these were treasuries, and so rendered by some.
A pavement; a very beautiful floor laid with checker-work, as some say of marble, or of porphyry, which is much richer.
Round about; it was not laid as we see some courts before great houses with us, in a fair walk up from the gate to the door of the house, but the whole floor of this court was thus paved.
Thirty chambers; that is, fifteen on the south side of the gate, and fifteen on the north side, built over the pavement.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. pavementtesselated mosaic(Es 1:6).
chambersserving aslodgings for the priests on duty in the temple, and as receptacles ofthe tithes of salt, wine, and oil.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then brought he me into the outward court,…. The divine and glorious Person in human form, having brought the prophet up to the eastern gate, and through it, and the porch that belonged to it, to the inner gate of it, which lay westward; and having measured that gate, its threshold, the porch, the posts or pillars, and little chambers in it; introduced him into a spacious piece of ground, that lay open to the air, and surrounded the whole building; and answers to the court of the Israelites in the temple, where they worshipped promiscuously, good and bad: and so may design the outward visible state of the Gospel church, consisting of good and bad, of wise and foolish virgins; like a field that has both wheat and tares in it; or a corn floor that has wheat and chaff upon it; which in the latter day will grow worse and worse, and be given to the Gentiles, Re 11:2 but shall be recovered again, and make a considerable part of this fabric; which represents the state of the church, and the outward administration of the word and ordinances in it, and the visible fellowship of the saints together in them.
And, lo, there were chambers; in the outward court, in various parts of it; which signify, as before, visible congregated churches, formed according to the order of the Gospel; in which the word is preached, ordinances administered, and saints have fellowship one with another. It is a different word here used from that in Eze 40:7, and is by some rendered “cells, storehouses, treasuries” f; and here, the unsearchable riches of Christ are preached, and the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid in him are brought forth, and presented to the view of the saints.
And a pavement made for the court round about; as this court went round about the whole building, so there was a pavement upon it all around. The word g used has the signification of a “burning coal”. Probably this pavement appeared as made of stones of various colours, of black, white, and red, like a chequered work of black and white marble; or as made of the porphyry stone, which is variegated with divers colours. This pavement was for those that dwelt in the chambers to walk in, and converse together: and it may denote the walk of the saints, both in the ordinances of the Gospel, and in their outward conversation, as becoming it; in love to them that are within, and in wisdom towards those that are without: and this is walking as on a pavement, on firm ground, in a plain and even way, where there is no occasion of stumbling; it is walking clean, in righteousness and holiness, and not in the mire and dirt of sin; and it is pleasant walking in the courts of the Lord, and in the ways and paths of wisdom; and beautiful it is to see the saints walk harmoniously and comfortably together here, conversing with each other, and building up one another upon their most holy faith.
Thirty chambers were upon a pavement; according to some, fifteen on each side of the eastern gate, as you came out of it into the court; or rather, according to Cocceius’s tables, these were all around the court, eight to the east, eight to the north, eight to the south, and six to the west; or, as Villalpandus, seven to the east and west each, and eight to the north and south apiece. This suggests that there will be visible congregated churches in the latter day in all parts of the world, east, west, north, and south; see Isa 43:5.
f “cellae”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Polanus, Cocceius, Starckius , Sept; “gazophylacia”, V. L. g “pruna ardens”, Isa. vi. 6.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Outer Court Described and Measured
Eze 40:17. And he led me into the outer court, and behold there were cells and pavement made round the court; thirty cells on the pavement. Eze 40:18. And the pavement was by the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates, (namely) the lower pavement. Eze 40:19. And he measured the breadth from the front of the lower gate to the front of the inner court, about a hundred cubits on the east side and on the north side. – Ezekiel having been led through the eastern gate into the outer court, was able to survey it, not on the eastern side only, but also on the northern and southern sides; and there he perceived cells and , pavimentum , mosaic pavement, or a floor paved with stones laid in mosaic form (2Ch 7:3; Est 1:6), made round the court; that is to say, according to the more precise description in v. 18, on both sides of the gate-buildings, of a breadth corresponding to their length, running along the inner side of the wall of the court, and consequently not covering the floor of the court in all its extent, but simply running along the inner side of the surrounding wall as a strip of about fifty cubits broad, and that not uniformly on all four sides, but simply on the eastern, southern, and northern sides, and at the north-west and south-west corners of the western side, so far, namely, as the outer court surrounded the inner court and temple (see Plate I b b b); for on the western side the intervening space from the inner court and temple-house to the surrounding wall of the outer court was filled by a special building of the separate place. It is with this limitation that we have to take . f y may belong either to or merely to , so far as grammatical considerations are concerned; for in either case there would be an irregularity in the gender, and the participle is put in the singular as a neuter. If we look fairly at the fact itself, not one of the reasons assigned by Kliefoth, for taking f y as referring to only, is applicable throughout. If the pavement ran round by the side of the gate-building on three sides of the court, and the cells were by or upon the pavement, they may have stood on three sides of the court without our being forced to assume, or even warranted in assuming, that they must of necessity have filled up the whole length on every side from the shoulder of the gate-building to the corner, or rather to the space that was set apart in every corner, according to Eze 46:21-24, for the cooking of the sacrificial meals of the people. We therefore prefer to take as referring to the cells and the pavement; because this answers better than the other, both to the construction and to the fact. In Eze 40:18 the pavement is said to have been by the shoulder of the gates. is in the plural, because Ezekiel had probably also in his mind the two gates which are not described till afterwards. , the shoulder of the agate-buildings regarded as a body, is the space on either side of the gate-building along the wall, with the two angles formed by the longer side of the gate-buildings and the line of the surrounding wall. This is more precisely defined by ‘ , alongside of the length of the gates, i.e., running parallel with it (cf. 2Sa 16:13), or stretching out on both sides with a breadth corresponding to the length of the gate-buildings. The gates were fifty cubits long, or, deducting the thickness of the outer wall, they projected into the court to the distance of forty-four cubits. Consequently the pavement ran along the inner sides of the surrounding wall with a breadth of forty-four cubits. This pavement is called the lower pavement, in distinction from the pavement or floor of the inner court, which was on a higher elevation.
All that is said concerning the is, that there were thirty of them, and that they were (see Plate I C). The dispute whether signifies by or upon the pavement has no bearing upon the fact itself. As Ezekiel frequently uses for , and vice vers, the rendering upon can be defended; but it cannot be established, as Hitzig supposes, by referring to 2Ki 16:17. If we retain the literal meaning of , at or against, we cannot picture to ourselves the position of the cells as projecting from the inner edge of the pavement into the unpaved portion of the court; for in that case, to a person crossing the court, they would have stood in front of ( ) the pavement rather than against the pavement. The prep. , against, rather suggests the fact that the cells were built near the surrounding wall, so that the pavement ran along the front of them, which faced the inner court in an unbroken line. In this case it made no difference to the view whether the cells were erected upon the pavement, or the space occupied by the cells was left unpaved, and the pavement simply joined the lower edge of the walls of the cells all round. The text contains no account of the manner in which they were distributed on the three sides of the court. But it is obvious from the use of the plural , that the reference is not to thirty entire buildings, but simply to thirty rooms, as does not signify a building consisting of several rooms, but always a single room or cell in a building. Thus in 1Sa 9:22 it stands for a room appointed for holding the sacrificial meals, and that by no means a small room, but one which could accommodate about thirty persons. In Jer 36:12 it is applied to a room in the king’s palace, used as the chancery. Elsewhere is the term constantly employed for the rooms in the court-buildings and side-buildings of the temple, which served partly as a residence for the officiating priests and Levites, and partly for the storing of the temple dues collected in the form of tithes, fruits, and money (vid., 2Ki 23:11; Jer 35:4; Jer 36:10; 1Ch 9:26; Neh 10:38 -40). Consequently we must not think of thirty separate buildings, but have to distribute the thirty cells on the three sides of the court in such a manner that there would be ten on each side, and for the sake of symmetry five in every building, standing both right and left between the gate-building and the corner kitchens. – In Eze 40:19 the size or compass of the outer court is determined. The breadth from the front of the lower gate to the front of the inner court was 100 cubits. , the gate of the lower court, i.e., the outer gate, which was lower than the inner. is not an adjective agreeing with , for apart from Isa 14:31 is never construed as a feminine; but it is used as a substantive for , the lower court, see the comm. on Eze 8:3. denotes the point from which the measuring started, and the direction in which it proceeded, including also the terminus: “to before the inner court,” equivalent to “up to the front of the inner court,” The terminal point is more precisely defined by , from without, which Hitzig proposes to erase as needless and unusual, but without any reason. For, inasmuch as the gateways of the inner court were built into the outer court, as is evident from what follows, simply affirms that the measuring only extended to the point where the inner court commenced within the outer, namely, to the front of the porch of the gate, not to the boundary wall of the inner court, as this wall stood at a greater distance from the porch of the outer court-gate by the whole length of the court-gate, that is to say, as much as fifty cubits. From this more precise definition of the terminal point it follows still further, that the starting-point was not the boundary-wall, but the porch of the gate of the outer court; in other words, that the hundred cubits measured by the man did not include the fifty cubits’ length of the gate-building, but this is expressly excluded. This is placed beyond all doubt by Eze 40:23 and Eze 40:27, where the distance of the inner court-gate from the gate (of the outer court) is said to have been a hundred cubits. – The closing words have been very properly separated by the Masoretes from what precedes, by means of the Athnach, for they are not to be taken in close connection with ; nor are they to be rendered, “he measured…toward the east and toward the north” for this would be at variance with the statement, “to the front of the inner court.” They are rather meant to supply a further appositional definition to the whole of the preceding clause: “he measured from…a hundred cubits,” relating to the east side and the north side of the court, and affirm that the measuring took place from gate to gate both on the eastern and on the northern side; in other words, that the measure given, a hundred cubits, applied to the eastern side as well as the northern; and thus they prepare the way for the description of the north gate, which follows from Eze 40:20 onwards.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
The prophet is now taken across the outer court, which he describes on the way (Eze. 40:17-19), to the north gate (Eze. 40:20), and then to the south gate (Eze. 40:24).
(17) Outward court.The Temple of Ezekiel has two courts, an outer and an inner; but there is no appropriation of these courts to the special use of any classes. It may be assumed that the inner court, from its size and arrangements, was for the priests engaged in the sacrifices, and the outer for the people generally.
A pavement.Comp. 2Ch. 7:3; Est. 1:6. The word is generally understood to mean a tesselated or mosaic pavement.
Thirty chambers.The size and location of these chambers is not given. In accordance with the general symmetry of the arrangements, it may be assumed that there were ten on each of the three sides not occupied by the Temple buildings, and that five were on each side of the gate. They are conjecturally indicated on Plan II. (page 124 [Eze. 40:44-49]) by DD. They are drawn as if joined together; but this is not certain. Such chambers for the use of officiating priests and Levites, and for the storage of the tithes, are mentioned both in connection with Solomons Temple and with that of the restoration (see Jer. 35:4; Jer. 36:10; 1Ch. 9:26; Neh. 10:38-39).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE OUTER COURT AND ITS GATEWAY, Eze 40:17-27.
17. The chambers, or “cells,” around the “outer court” were for the priests who had charge of the house and the altar (Eze 40:45-46). “They were apparently of several stories (Eze 42:6), but did not occupy the corners of the wall in which kitchens were situated (Eze 46:21-24).” Davidson.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Then he brought me to the outer court, and lo there were chambers, fronted by a pavement, erected round about the court. Thirty chambers were fronted by the pavement. And the pavement was beside the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates, even the lower pavement.”
Chambers were built around the outer court. The purpose of the chambers, which were built on the wall, with the pavement in front, is not mentioned, but see Jer 35:2. They were probably used as meeting places, and for the general convenience of worshippers. ‘Thirty’ (three intensified) demonstrates a completeness of provision for worshippers. All that was needed was here. They were built on a ‘lower pavement’ There was a ‘higher pavement’ in the inner court. An increase in height at each stage demonstrated the increasing holiness of the place in question.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Measurement of the Outer Court ( Eze 40:17-19 ).
The outer court surrounded the inner court and the sanctuary on three sides, (the inner court and the sanctuary being surrounded by another wall with three gates in it), the fourth side of the sanctuary along with the building behind it being against the west wall. The outer court was for the use of God’s people generally, the inner court being reserved for the priests.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 40:17 Then 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.
Ver. 17. Then brought he me into the outward court. ] In this temple were more courts and more chambers than ever were in Solomon’s. Heaven is large, and full of mansions. Joh 14:2
And a pavement made.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 40:17-19
17Then he brought me into the outer court, and behold, there were chambers and a pavement made for the court all around; thirty chambers faced the pavement. 18The pavement (that is, the lower pavement) was by the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. 19Then he measured the width from the front of the lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner court, a hundred cubits on the east and on the north.
Eze 40:17 pavement This (BDB 954) refers to some type of stone or mosaic floor covering.
1. Xerxes’ palace (in the court of the garden of the king, Eze 1:5) in Susa, Est 1:6
2. Solomon’s temple, 2Ch 7:3
3. Ezekiel’s temple (i.e., outer court), Eze 40:17-18; Eze 42:3
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
lo. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
chambers = attachments. Always rendered “chambers”, except, 1Sa 9:22, where it is “parlour”. These chambers or storerooms are for the priests and Levites, and for the tithes and offerings. Not the same word as in verses: Eze 40:7, Eze 40:7, Eze 40:10, Eze 7:12, Eze 7:12, Eze 7:13, Eze 7:16, Eze 7:21, Eze 7:29, Eze 7:33, Eze 7:36; but the same as verses: Eze 40:35, Eze 40:44, Eze 40:45, Eze 35:46. See note on Eze 41:5.
pavement. Stones ranged artificially. Probably tesselated. Compare Joh 19:13.
thirty. Probably ten on each of the three sides of the court, in clusters of five on each of the sides of the three gates.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the outward: Eze 10:5, Eze 42:1, Eze 46:21, Rev 11:2
there were: 1Ki 6:5, 1Ch 9:26, 1Ch 23:28, 2Ch 31:11
thirty: Eze 42:4, Eze 45:5
Reciprocal: Eze 40:15 – the face of the gate Eze 41:1 – he brought Eze 42:3 – the pavement Eze 44:1 – the outward
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 40:17. The word court occurs a number of times In the Old Testament and it is from chatser which Strong defines as follows: A yard (as inclosed by a fence); also a hamlet (similarly surrounded with walls). Hence in this verse Ezekiel was taken into the open space surrounding the building which was paved. On this pavement there were 30 chambers which Strong defines as a room In a building (whether for storage, eating or lodging). There would doubtless be frequent calls for just such a service.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 40:17. Then brought he me into the outward court There were two courts belonging to Solomons temple; the outward for the people, the inward for the priests. It is probable that Solomon built only the inner court: see 1Ki 6:36, compared with chap. 1Ki 8:64 : and that the outer court was built after his time, whereupon it is called the new court, (2Ch 20:5,) after which time there is particular mention of the two courts of the house of the Lord, 2Ki 21:5. A third court, called the court of the Gentiles, was afterward added by Herod, when he rebuilt the temple. And lo, there were chambers These chambers were over the cloister, and supported by it: see Eze 40:14, and Eze 42:8. They might be for the use of the priests, and likewise store-houses for tithes and offerings: see 1Ch 28:12. And a pavement made for the court round about A beautiful floor made with checker-work. The whole floor of this court was thus paved. Thirty chambers were upon the pavement That is, fifteen on the south side of the gate, and fifteen on the north side, built over the pavement.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eze 40:17-27. Through this he came into the great outer court, round which ran a pavement, with thirty chambers fronting on the pavementprobably for the use of the people in their celebration of the festal meals. On the northern and southern sides of the court there were gateways and guard-rooms similar to those on the east side.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
The outer court 40:17-27
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
The passageway in the eastern gate complex led into a courtyard. This was the outer court that contained an inner court within it. Around the perimeter of this outer court were 30 rooms. It is not clear if they were on three sides of the courtyard or four, and it is not clear what function they served. Perhaps they were meeting or storage rooms. A pavement, probably mosaic (cf. 2Ch 7:3; Est 1:6), known as the lower pavement, formed a 50-cubit-wide (83 feet 4 inch) border around the outer edge of the outer courtyard (cf. Eze 40:15). Ezekiel’s guide measured the outer courtyard between the outer and inner gates, and this space was 100 cubits wide (about 166 feet 8 inches) on the east and north sides (and evidently on the south side too).