Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 42:4
And before the chambers [was] a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north.
4. inward ] i. e. between the two wings (Fig. 3, O). Or possibly: (leading) into the inner court.
a way of one cubit ] A mere error of transcription for: a length of 100 cubits. So LXX., Syr. In Eze 42:16 “cubit” and “hundred” (both having the same three letters) have again been confused. The doors of the chambers were to the N., i.e. opened upon this passage of 10 cubits, between the wings.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Or, In the front of the chambers was a gangway of ten cubits breadth (leading) inward, a path of one cubit, and their doors toward the north. The gangway had stairs to the upper stories, while along the north front of the building there was a kerb of one cubit, as before the guard-chambers Eze 40:12, on which kerb the north doors (leading to the basement) opened. Others follow the Septuagint And opposite the chambers a walk 10 cubits in width to 100 cubits in length.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. A walk of ten cubits’ breadth inward] This seems to have been a sort of parapet.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This row of chambers had on the south side, or inward, a walk of ten cubits broad, which my between the wall on which these chambers were built, and the twenty cubits space; possibly it might be some cloister, running along the wall on the inside. Before the galleries, probably, was a ledge of one cubit broad, running the whole length from east to west, called here a way, though not designed for any to walk on it: such ledges we see in many great houses. Every chamber door opened to the north; and so the entrance into these chambers was through the gallery, which looked to the pavement of the outer court.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits’ breadth inward,…. That is, within side, or between the two rows of chambers, there was a walk of this breadth, for those that lodged in the chambers to walk in for their pleasure and profit, and to converse with one another. Such who by these “chambers” understand places of retirement for private devotion, or the duties of the closet, which fit and prepare for public worship, as these chambers were near and in sight of the temple, so by this walk then Christian conference and conversation is intended; and shows, that the whole of religious time is not to be spent between the church and the chamber; but some part of it should be allotted for spiritual discourse, about gracious experiences, the truths of the Gospel, and the duties of religion; but as chambers design churches, this walk denotes the outward walk and conversation of the saints; which should be according to the rule of God’s word, as becomes the Gospel, and worthy of the calling wherewith they are called. Starckius applies this to the decalogue or ten commandments, which is a broad way, Ps 119:32 and the moral law, as in the hands of Christ, is a rule of walk and conversation to believers under the Gospel: and besides, there “was a way of one cubit”; which led into the chambers, and out of them into the broad walk: this is a narrow way, as Christ is said to be, Mt 7:14 and whoever profess faith in him, and in this way enter into a Gospel church state, and into the kingdom of heaven, must be attended with much affliction and persecution, and pass through many tribulations; and there being both a broad walk and a narrow way, and these lying near one another, and a passage from the one to the other, may denote that the churches and people of God are sometimes in prosperity, and sometimes in adversity; one while they walk at liberty, as in a large place; and at other times in great straits and difficulties:
and their doors toward the north; that is, the doors of that row of chambers nearest the temple; these opened to the north into the walk of ten cubits; though one would think that the row opposite to them, their doors must be to the south, into the broad walk between them; unless this is to be understood of the doors that opened into the way of one cubit, and were to the north in both rows; but then the way of one cubit could not in both lead into the broad walk.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) A walk of ten cubits breadth inward.The meaning of this clause depends upon that of the next, a way of one cubit. There is every reason to suppose here an error of the text, and that one cubit should be one hundred, as it reads in the Greek. The change requires only a transposition of the first letters in one word, and a consequent alteration of one letter in the other. Exactly the same transposition has occurred in Eze. 42:16, where it is corrected in the margin of the Hebrew, and properly translated five hundred instead of five cubits. One cannot conceive of a walk or an entrance of one cubit (twenty inches) serving any useful purpose. Assuming this change, the meaning will be that a walk (see Plan II., K [Eze. 40:44-49]) of 10 cubits wide and 100 long led to the entrance of the chambers. That this was on the north is plain from its being expressly said that the door was on the north. It may seem surprising that this should have been in the outer court, but a glance at the plan in connection with what is said below will explain the reason of the arrangement. The length of the walk, 100 cubits, just reaches to the steps of the north gate of the inner court. It will be remembered that in Eze. 40:39-43 this was described as the place for killing and preparing the sacrifices. Now, only the fat and kidneys of the sin and trespass and peace offerings were burnt upon the altar; the whole of the former (ordinarily) and the priests portion of the latter were to be carried to this chamber (Eze. 42:13). The walk was therefore placed in the best possible situation.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4-12. Toy renders: “In front of the chamber was a passageway ten cubits wide and one hundred cubits long. (See O, chart facing page 209.) Their doors were on the north. The upper chambers were smaller than the others, the galleries diminishing their size in comparison with the lower and middle. They were built in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the outer halls; hence the upper stories were smaller than the lower and middle. The outer wall bounding the chambers on the side of the outer court in front of the chambers was fifty cubits long that is, the length of the chamber building on the outer court was fifty cubits while in front of the temple it was one hundred cubits. Below these chambers was the entrance way on the east, when they were approached from the outer court at the beginning of the outer wall.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And in front of the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit, and their doors were towards the north.’
This may mean that the walkway was one cubit high and a breadth of ten cubits, so that the doors had to be reached by the walkway. Compare the pavements in the inner and outer courts. Their doors seemingly looked away from the sanctuary.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 42:4. And before the chambers Before the chambers was a walk ten cubits broad in the inner part, and one hundred cubits long; but the gates were to the north. Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 42:4 And before the chambers [was] a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north.
Ver. 4. A way of one cubit. ] A narrow way, but such as led them into spacious walks of ten cubits’ breadth inward. “Strait is the gate, and narrow the way, that leadeth unto life eternal”; Mat 7:14 but they that hit it, hold it, shall once walk arm in arm with angels. Zec 3:7 ; see the note there “Through many tribulations we must enter into God’s kingdom”; Act 14:22 but there God shall set our feet in a large room. as Psa 31:8 We shall walk at liberty on the everlasting mountains. Let it be remembered that this narrow way is but short, it is but of one cubit, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
before: These seems to have been two rows of these chambers, and a walk between of ten cubits in width; with an entrance into it from the chambers, of one cubit in width.
a walk: Eze 42:11
a way: Mat 7:14, Luk 13:24
Reciprocal: Jer 35:2 – into one Eze 40:17 – thirty Eze 41:9 – that which Eze 41:11 – and the breadth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 42:4. Running along the rows of chambers there was a passage that was 10 cubits wide, and the doors of the chambers opened out upon this walk.