Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 42:3
Over against the twenty [cubits] which [were] for the inner court, and, over against the pavement which [was] for the utter court, [was] gallery against gallery in three [stories].
3. The breadth of the block having been mentioned in Eze 42:2, Eze 42:3 adds in what directions this breadth extended or lay on either hand (N. and S.), viz. towards the 20 cubits of the separate place (Fig. 3, H) on the S., and toward the pavement running round the wall of the outer court (Eze 40:17) on the N. (cf. Eze 42:1), Fig. 3, B. The term “gallery” is obscure, but here it seems to mean a passage running round the chambers, in front of them, and so taking away from their area.
in three stories] More naturally: in the third story, lit. in the thirds, i.e. third chambers (Gen 6:16). What is meant by “gallery over against gallery” is rather obscure. Most naturally the galleries or gangways round the highest story would be supposed to lie towards the interior of both wings, i.e. on the “walk” of so cubits running between the wings (Fig. 3, O), because if they lay toward the outside of the wings respectively it is difficult to see how they could be said to lie “over against” or to face one another, for in that case both wings of the chambers in the third story would lie between them. It is altogether unnatural to suppose that by the second “gallery” any galleries in the chambers of the outer court on the one side, or any galleries in the structure of the house proper on the other, are referred to.
4 6 may be read: “And before the chambers was a walk of 10 cubits breadth inward, with a length of 100 cubits; and their doors were toward the north. 5 Now the upper chambers were shorter; for the galleries took away from them compared with the lower and middle (chambers) in room. 6 For they were in three stories, and they had not pillars like the pillars of those in the outer court; therefore” &c.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
These chambers (compare Eze 46:19) did not reach to the western wall; between it and them lay a court for cooking (M), probably forty cubits by thirty; such court with its approaches filled up the corner of fifty cubits square, as in the case of the kitchen-courts for the people. In these chambers were dining-rooms for the priests (see Eze 42:13), and baths, for no priest could enter upon his daily ministry without having first bathed. The chambers extended beyond the separate place to the wall of the temple-court, on the other side of which wall was the twenty cubits space. The pavement (H) was no doubt continued along the temple-wall, so that these priests chambers, like the thirty chambers, stood upon a pavement, and were, on the east side, over against this pavement.
Translate Eze 42:1-3, Then he brought me forth into the outward court, the way toward the north, and he brought me to the chambers which were over against the separate place, and which were over against the building, toward the north along the front of the length of an hundred cubits, with the door by the north, and the breadth fifty cubits over against the twenty cubits which were in the inner court, and over against the pavement which was in the outward court, gallery upon gallery in three stories.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Eze 42:3-5
And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward.
Provision made in the temple for social intercourse
Before these chambers there were walks of five yards broad, in which those who had lodged in these chambers might meet for conversation, might walk and talk together for their mutual edification, might communicate their knowledge and experiences. For we are not to spend all our time between the church and the chamber, though a great deal of time may be spent to very good purpose in both. But man is made for society, and Christians for communion of saints, and the duties of that communion we must make conscience of. It is promised to Joshua, who was high priest in the second temple, that God will give him places to walk in among those that stand by (Zec 3:7). (M. Henry.)
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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
The twenty cubits space of the inner court, or court of the temple, faced the south front of this row of chambers, their southern lights looked into this space, and to the north of the temple:
The pavement, which was in the priests court, and on the north side of this building, into which pavement the north windows looked.
Gallery against gallery; that is, a gallery on the south part toward the inner court, and a gallery toward the pavement northward, and between the backs of these galleries were chambers.
In three stories; either in height, or else in three ranks, as now placed, two galleries on the sides, and a chamber in the midst; or two rows of chambers, and one long gallery in the middle.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court,…. Starckius thinks that the breadth of the chambers being fifty cubits, is here parted, and disposed of, and accounted for. The chambers were in two rows over against each other; that row which looked to the south, and so to the temple, was twenty cubits broad; and because it led to the temple, its court is called the inner court:
and over against the pavement which was for the utter court: or that row which was over against the pavement of the outward court, to the north, was also twenty cubits broad, which make forty; and the walk of ten cubits between them, Eze 42:4, account for the breadth of the fifty cubits:
was gallery against gallery in three stories; or, there was
post before post in three stories u; each chamber had a post or pillar, so Jarchi; which distinguished or divided one from another, and ran up with the chambers three storey high; and as the chambers, so these posts in both rows answered to one another. These may denote the ministers of the Gospel, who are as pillars in the house of God, and churches of Christ; and every distinct church has its pillar or pastor, Pr 9:1.
u “postis ante postem in triplici”, Starckius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) Over against the twenty.See under Eze. 42:1. This was the space of twenty cubits (I [Eze. 40:44-49]) to the west of the western Temple chambers.
The pavement.There is but one pavement mentioned in the outer court, that which ran along the inside of the wall. The chamber in question was opposite to the pavement on the north side, as it was opposite to the separate place, &c., on the southi.e., its length was parallel to both, or east and west. Utter again means outer.
Gallery against gallery.The expression is a difficult one in the original. Against is literally, unto the face of, or in front of, and stories is altogether wanting. The meaning seems to be that in each chamber building, on the north and on the south, there was a gallery in the third storey, so placed on the south side of the north building and the north side of the south building that they faced each other.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘Over against (‘adjoining’ or ‘opposite’) the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement which belonged to the outer court were gallery upon gallery to the third storey (in three storeys).’
Ezekiel now describes another building, three storeys high, which comes between the temple yard (the ‘inner court which is twenty cubits wide’) and the pavement of the ‘outer court’ (around the outer wall). We are possibly to see this one as definitely in the outer court proper, otherwise it could have been stated as being within the inner wall, and it being in the outer court would explain why the pavement is mentioned. But some see it as within the inner court proper, the phrase ‘over against’ simply meaning ‘in the general direction of’.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 42:3 Over against the twenty [cubits] which [were] for the inner court, and over against the pavement which [was] for the utter court, [was] gallery against gallery in three [stories].
Ver. 3. Which were for the inner court, ] viz., Of the temple. This was a figure of the Church invisible, as the outward court, described in this chapter, was of the visible and external.
The pavement which was for the utter court.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
pavement. See note on Eze 40:17.
gallery. See note on Eze 41:15.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Over: One side of these buildings looked upon the void space about the temple of twenty cubits, and the other toward the pavement belonging to the outer court.
the twenty: Eze 41:10
the pavement: Eze 40:17, Eze 40:18, 2Ch 7:3
gallery against: Eze 41:15, Eze 41:16, Son 1:17, Son 7:5
Reciprocal: Gen 6:16 – with Exo 27:9 – the court 1Ki 6:5 – built 2Ki 21:5 – in the two courts 1Ch 23:28 – for the service Eze 40:16 – arches Eze 41:5 – side chamber
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 42:3, The separate place referred to was over against or near the point of the 20 cubits connected with the inner court, also near the pavement provided for the outer court. At this location was a three-storied unit of galleries or projecting ledges.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
There were colonnades (galleries, covered porches) outside this building facing the inner and outer courts (north and south). These matching colonnades were three stories high, as was the building itself. A 10-cubit-wide (16 feet 8 inches) interior hallway ran the length of this building east to west and provided access to the rooms.