Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 40:31
And the porches thereof [were] toward the utter court; and palm trees [were] upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it [had] eight steps.
31. Render: and the porch thereof was toward the outer court, cf. Eze 40:34 ; Eze 40:37.
palm trees posts ] Cf. Eze 40:16 ; Eze 40:26.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Utter court – Translate outward court Eze 40:37; Eze 42:1, Eze 42:7, Eze 42:14; Eze 44:19; Eze 46:20-21.
Arches toward the outward court – See Eze 40:14 note.
Eight steps – So for the east Eze 40:34 and north gates Eze 40:37. From the precincts to the outer court were seven steps, from the outer to the inner court eight, making together the number of the Psalms Ps. 120134, supposed by some to have been called Psalms of Degrees, because they were sung by the choir of Levites upon the steps (degrees) of the temple-courts. In later times these Psalms were used as pilgrims songs by the Jews who went up from their abodes in foreign countries to Jerusalem on the solemn feasts.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
In this verse two things are mentioned wherein this gate differed from the other; first, in the arches or porch, which stood not inward, but outward towards the outer court, the reason whereof will appear in what follows. The next difference lieth in this, that the ascent was by eight steps (more than the other, say some, and so make them fifteen). Now, if the porch to this gate built outward stood upon such ascent, it would be necessary the pillars should be such as Eze 40:30 expresseth them, five cubits in the breadth of the basis, and twenty-five cubits high.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
31. eight stepsThe outerporch had only seven (Eze40:26).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the arches thereof were toward the outward court,…. And so not within the gate of the inward court, but on the outside of it, towards the outward court, at the front of the gate as you went in:
and palm trees were upon the posts thereof; of the gate, or of these arches or porticos; signifying that none should enter here but righteous persons; this is the gate of the righteous, Ps 118:19,
[See comments on Eze 40:16];
and the going up to it had eight steps; one more than the ascent to the outward gates; some say eight more, and make these to be fifteen, answerable to the fifteen steps by which the Levites went up from the court of the women to the court of Israel n, and sung upon them the fifteen songs of degrees, mentioned in the Psalms: but here are only eight; and denote the gradual progress of believers in faith and holiness; and that the nearer they come to the holy of holies, the greater their proficiency should be, and more advances made in the knowledge of divine things.
n Misna Succa, c. 5. sect. 4. Lipman. Tzurath Beth Hamikdash, sect. 24.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(31) Utter = Outer, and so in Eze. 40:37; Eze. 42:1; Eze. 42:3; Eze. 42:7; Eze. 42:14; Eze. 44:19; Eze. 46:20-21. In old English utter and outer appear to have been often interchanged.
Eight steps.All the gates of the inner court (see Eze. 40:34; Eze. 40:37) had one more step than those of the outer, the inner court being raised so much more above the outer than the outer was above the precincts. The two sets together made up fifteen steps, the same number as led up in the later Temple from the court of the women to the court of Israel, and on which, according to Jewish tradition, the Levites stood to chant the fifteen Psalms (Psalms 120-134) called Songs of Degrees.
Eze. 40:32-34 describe the east gate, and Eze. 40:35-37 the north gate, both exactly like the one already described.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 40:31 And the arches thereof [were] toward the utter court; and palm trees [were] upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it [had] eight steps.
Ver. 31. And palm trees. ] See on Eze 40:16 .
Eight steps.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
utter = outer.
going up = ascent.
eight steps. These were in the inner court. See note on “seven”, Eze 40:22,
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
and palm: Eze 40:26, Eze 40:34
eight: Eze 40:22, Eze 40:26, Eze 40:34, Eze 40:37
Reciprocal: 1Ki 7:36 – graved cherubims Eze 40:49 – The steps
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 40:31. These arches or porches served as an overhead shield or protective covering for the parts where they were erected. One of them extended toward the outer court and the posts of it were ornamented with the like-nesses of palm trees. The elevation of thiB porch was 8 steps above the adjoining area.