Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 40:44
And without the inner gate [were] the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which [was] at the side of the north gate; and their prospect [was] toward the south: one at the side of the east gate [having] the prospect toward the north.
44. This v. must be corrected according to Eze 40:45-46 as follows: and without the inner gate were two chambers in the inner court, one at the side of the N. gate, and its prospect was toward the S.; and one at the side of the S. gate, having its prospect towards the N. So LXX. The phrase “without the inner gate” means that the chambers were in the inner court, not in the gateway itself.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
44 46. Chambers for the priests who keep the house and serve the altar. Fig. 3, D.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Without – Outside of the gate in the inner court. See N, Plan II.
Singers – These were Levites of particular families, those of Heman, Asaph, and Merari, whose genealogy is carefully traced up to Levi (see marginal reference). These chambers (N, Plan II) may have been for the singers and priests who were for the time being engaged in the services of the temple. Other chambers (Eze 42:1 ff) were for the use of the priests at other times; and the Levites and singers, when not on duty, would find accommodation in the thirty chambers of the outer court. If there is a departure here from the symmetry elsewhere observed, it may be accounted for by the fact that as the sacrifices were to be made on the north side of the altar, and therefore the tables for the sacrifices were on that side only, so those who had charge of the house and its singers might have rooms near. Others correct the Hebrew text by the Septuagint, and read the passage thus: And without the inner gate two chambers (i. e., rows of chambers) in the inner court, one at the side of the north gate, and their prospect toward the south, one at the side of the south gate, and the prospect toward the north.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Without; when he was got though the gate of the inner court.
Were the chambers, several in a row, of the singers; where they lodged both their instruments and themselves during the time of their attendance. In the inner court; next to the temple. The back parts of these lodgings were toward the north wall of the inner court, and their lights and prospects to the south, and stood both on the north-east side and on the north-west side.
One; one row of chambers. This row in length was from east to west, and however this row butted, it is certain the position of their lights was to the north; so these chambers must have their back parts on some building that run out from the east gate into the body of the court westward.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
44. the chambers of the singerstwoin number, as proved by what follows: “and their prospect (thatis, the prospect of one) was toward the south, (and) onetoward the north.” So the Septuagint.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers,…. These singers are true believers in Christ, members of Gospel churches; whose duty and privilege it is to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; which is a part of internal, spiritual, and evangelical worship, Eph 5:19, these are the spiritual harpers, that have harps in their hands, and make melody in their hearts, and are able to sing the songs of electing, redeeming, calling, pardoning, justifying, and adopting grace; these deservedly have a place in the churches of Christ, in the inward court, being inward court worshippers, even all such who sing with the spirit and the understanding; for these chambers were in the inward court: the prophet being brought through the inner northern gate, into the open space between the inward court, saw these chambers; for it follows,
in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; in that part of the court which lay near the north gate, where now the prophet and his guide were:
and their prospect was toward the south; that is, some of these chambers, one row of them, were by the side of the north gate, and these faced the south; north and south being opposite to each other:
one at the side of the east gate, having the prospect toward the north: another row of chambers for the singers was in that part of the inner court which was on the side of the east gate, on the north side of it, and so faced the north part of the court. The Septuagint version, if admitted, makes the sense of it more clear, but different,
“and he brought me into the inner court, and behold two chambers in the inner court; one at the back of the gate that looks to the north, bearing to the south; and one at the back of the gate to the south, looking to the north.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
CHAMBERS OF THE SINGERS AND PRIESTS
Verses 44-47:
Verse 44 describes the residence chambers of the Levite singers of the temple as being in the inner court, at the side of the north gate, with their prospect toward the south and one at the side of the east gate, with their prospect toward the north. These were two primary residences facing each other, between the north and east gates of the temple. They were for Levites of the particular families of Heman, Asaph, and Merari, sweet singers of Israel whose genealogy is carefully set forth up to Levi, 1Ch 6:31; Col 3:16; Eph 5:19.
Verses 45, 46 state that one particular chamber, whose prospect was toward the south, was for the priests who were keepers of the charge of house, as set forth Lev 8:35; Num 3:27-28; Num 3:32; Num 3:38; Num 18:5; 1Ch 6:49; 1Ch 9:23; 2Ch 13:11; Psa 134:1. They were keepers of the ordinance of the house of God from within. Then, second, the chamber with a prospect toward the north, was for the priests who were keepers of the charge of the altar of sacrifice. These priests were sons or heirs of Zadok, of the family lineage of Levi, who approached near to the Lord to minister unto Him, as prescribed Num 18:5; 1Ki 2:35; Eze 43:19; Eze 44:15-16; See also Eph 2;17; Col 4:12.
Verse 47 concludes that the man measuring in the vision laid out the dimension as one hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits broad, foursquare in construction and dimensions, with the altar in it, in front of the temple toward the east. It was the court of the priests who had charge of the music and altar sacrifices.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(44) Without the inner gate.Without must here be understood in a different sense from the without of Eze. 40:40, because this is expressly said to be in the inner court; it means, therefore, only outside the gateway.
Chambers of the singers.The description of the chambers in Eze. 40:44-46 is not very clear, and has caused very great difference of opinion, and even a disposition to modify the text. But the text as it stands is supported by the ancient versions, Greek, Chaldee, and Syriac, as well as by the Masoretic punctuation. There seem to have been three or more chambers altogether, two at least at the side of the north gate opening to the south, i.e., towards the altar, and one at the east gate opening toward the north. The purpose of the chamber at the east gate is perfectly clear; it was for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar, i.e., for those priests who were on duty at the time in connection with the sacrifices. It is not mentioned on which side of the gate it was placed, nor how large it was, but it is drawn on the plan on the north (Plan II., O). The chambers at the north gate (N), however, are called (Eze. 40:44) chambers of the singers, and yet in Eze. 40:45 one of them is said to be for the priests in charge of the house. The difficulty arises simply from the very common use of the plural in connection with only one of several persons or things, the other being separately specified. To make it entirely clear, we should say, the chambers, one for the singers, and one for the priests. The singers were particular families of the Levites (1Ch. 6:31-37; 1Ch. 9:33; 1 Chronicles 25; 2Ch. 5:12), and were not of the priestly order. The general arrangement appears to have been as follows: the offerer brings his victim into the outer court (C) near to the north gate leading into the inner court; there the Levites slay it (at x) and prepare it for the altar upon the tables provided, and then hang its flesh upon the hooks within the porch of the gate; the priests in charge of the house in the chamber near the inner end of the gate (N) now notify the singers in the other chamber and also the priests on duty at the altar in the chamber at the east gate (O), that both may enter upon their functions.
A, Altar.
B B B, Outer gate.
B B B Inner gates.
C C, Outer court.
C, Inner court.
D D, Chambers in outer court.
E E, Peoples cooking-places.
F F, Priests cooking-places.
G, Building in separate place.
H H, Priests chambers.
I, Space in separate place.
J, Chambers adjoining Temple.
K K, Walk.
L L, Screen walls.
M M, Wall of outer court.
N, Chambers in inner court for priests and singers.
O, Chamber for officiating priests.
P P, Pavement.
R R, Wall of inner court.
S S, Steps.
T, Temple.
T, Holy of Holies.
V V, Columns.
W W, Winding staircases.
X X, Places for killing sacrifices.
Y Y, Platform around chambers.
Z, Porch of Temple.
(46) The sons of Zadok.By the law all sons of Aaron were entitled to become priests, but in Ezekiel the offering of sacrifice appears to be confined to the sons of Zadok (comp. Eze. 43:19; Eze. 44:15; Eze. 48:11). The reason for this is obscure. According to 1Sa. 2:30-36 the high-priesthood was to be transferred from the house of Eli, and this was accomplished by Solomon in deposing Abiathar and putting Zadok into his place (1Ki. 2:26-27); but there must have been many other priests descended from Ithamar and Eleazar besides the families of Eli and Zadok, and it is hardly possible that all these could have perished in the slaughter of the eighty-five priests by Saul at Nob (1Sa. 22:17-19). But the body of the priests must have been thereby much reduced, and it is very possible that in the subsequent disorders of the times so few were left who, outside of the family of Zadok, had not fallen into idolatry, that all who were allowed to officiate at the altar came to be called by his name.
(47) He measured the court.This is the inner court (C), in front of the Temple building itself, and was just 100 cubits square. In this stood the brazen altar (A), the measurements of which are given in Eze. 43:13-17.
(48) The porch of the house.Eze. 40:48-49 describe the porch of the Temple itself (Z) and may be considered as belonging more properly to the next chapter; still, as this porch projected into the inner court, they are not inappropriate here. The first point to be determined in regard to the construction of this porch is the direction in which its length is measured. The porch in front of Solomons Temple equalled in length the interior breadth of the house (1Ki. 6:3; 2Ch. 3:4), the thickness of the walls and the chambers at the sides projecting beyond the ends of the porch. The same thing is true here, even if the length should be measured from north to south; the exterior front of the house (independently of the side chambers) was thirty-two cubits, each of the side walls being six cubits thick (Eze. 41:5). But writers who adopt this supposition find it necessary to alter the text in order to harmonise the measurements of both verses. It is better to understand the measurements as taken the other way, like those of all the gates of both the outer and inner court. The exterior width of the porch will then be sixteen cubits or just half the exterior width of the house; and the projection into the court will be twenty cubits added to the thickness of the exterior wall and diminished by the thickness of the wall of the house, i.e., 16 cubits (20 + 2 6), the exterior being thus almost exactly square.
Each post of the porch.The front wall, on which the gates were hung, was five cubits on each side, and each leaf of the gate was three cubits, giving sixteen cubits (5 2 + 3 2) for the whole exterior breadth of the porch.
(49) The breadth eleven cubits.This interior measure subtracted from the exterior gives 2 cubits for each walla fair proportion between the thickness of the wall and the size of the porch.
The steps.The number is not stated, but is given in the Greek as ten. It shows that the house itself stood upon a still higher elevation than the inner court.
Pillars by the posts.On either side of the steps, and near the front wall of the porch, was a pillar corresponding to those in front of the porches of the gates. They answered to the pillars Jachin and Boaz of Solomons Temple (1Ki. 7:15-22), and appear to have been placed there for the same general purposes as the obelisks in front of the Egyptian temples.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
44-46. In Eze 40:44 the LXX. seems to have followed a better text in rendering, “And he led me into the inner court, and behold, two chambers in the inner court, one at the side of the gate that looketh toward the north, having its prospect toward the south, and out of the side of the gate toward the south, but looking toward the north.” According to this change all of these verses refer to the chambers of the priests. (For a discussion of “sons of Zadok” see our Introduction, “Book of Ezekiel and the Levitical Law,” and notes Eze 44:15.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Chambers for the Priests ( Eze 40:44-46 ).
‘And outside the inner gate were chambers for the singers in the inner court, which were at the side of the north gate. And their prospect was towards the south, and one at the east gate having the prospect towards the north. And he said to me, “This chamber, whose prospect is towards the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house. And the chamber whose prospect is towards the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who, from among the sons of Levi, come near to Yahweh to minister to him.”
There were a number of chambers outside the inner gate, all but two of which were for the singers who sang in the inner court. The two were set aside for the priests, the one facing south (‘this chamber’ – being no doubt indicated by the hand of the speaker) for those who had charge of the house (see Eze 44:10-14), the one facing north for those who had charge of the altar (see Eze 44:15-21).
Singers are described elsewhere in 1Ch 6:31-32 where they were Levites, but it may be that the point being made here is that the singers here were priests, (and therefore more holy and allowed into the inner court), the Levites being no longer worthy due to past failure, and that all the chambers facing south were thus for the priests who had the lesser privilege of ‘charge of the house’ and of ‘singing’. But only ‘the sons of Zadok’ (compare Eze 44:15; 1Sa 2:31-33; 2Sa 15:24-29; 1Ki 1:5-26; 1Ki 1:32-35 ; 1Ki 2:26-27; 1Ki 2:35; 1Ch 6:3-8; 1Ch 24:3) were from now on to be allowed to enter the sanctuary and offer the fat and blood of the sacrifices before Yahweh (Eze 44:15). They were the keepers of ‘the charge of the altar’. Thus a distinction was now to be made between differing ‘families’ of priests with ‘the sons of Zadok’ now stated to be especially favoured because they had shown particular loyalty to Yahweh in the period of the kings (Eze 44:15). There was thus to be a limiting of the priestly function for the majority. See further on Eze 44:10-21.
‘Sons of Zadok’ were seen as descended from Zadok of the house of Aaron (1Ch 6:8; 1Ch 6:53), who had loyally supported David, and had ensured the accession of Solomon thereby obtaining the high priesthood (1Ki 2:35), which remained Zadokite (1Ch 6:10; 1Ch 6:15 with Hag 1:1) into the future. But loyal Yahwist priests from other parts of the family who sided with their loyal stance may well have joined with them, and been adopted as ‘sons of Zadok’, while some of their own who chose the way of idolatry may well have united with others and distanced themselves from the sons of Zadok. For ‘sons of’ primarily came to mean ‘those who behaved like’ (compare ‘the sons of Belial’). And ‘the sons of Zadok’ were probably seen as a narrow-minded clique by other priests.
This enunciation of detail would have been particularly impressive to Ezekiel’s hearers, and have helped to convince them that he really had seen the invisible temple of Yahweh already established in the land. The fact that chambers had been so set aside confirmed that God would in the future restore Israel’s way of worship. The heavenly temple was conveying a message rather than being for practical utilisation.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 40:44. And without the inner gate, &c. And he brought me to the inner gate, where there were two chambers in the inner court; one at the northern side of the gate, which looked to the south; the other at the southern side of the gate, which looked to the north. Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 40:44 And without the inner gate [were] the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which [was] at the side of the north gate; and their prospect [was] toward the south: one at the side of the east gate [having] the prospect toward the north.
Ver. 44. Were the chambers of the singers. ] These were to set forth that pastors should have all necessary help in their places by the other church officers. The Levites were singers and porters. 1Ch 23:2 ; 1Ch 23:5
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 40:44-47
44From the outside to the inner gate were chambers for the singers in the inner court, one of which was at the side of the north gate, with its front toward the south, and one at the side of the south gate facing toward the north. 45He said to me, This is the chamber which faces toward the south, intended for the priests who keep charge of the temple; 46but the chamber which faces toward the north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who from the sons of Levi come near to the LORD to minister to Him. 47He measured the court, a perfect square, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide; and the altar was in front of the temple.
Eze 40:44 NASB, NKJV, NRSV, JPSOA chambers for the singers in the inner court The MT has chambers for the singers. The Septuagint has two chambers (RSV, TEV, NJB, REB) and says these rooms were for the sacrificing priests in Eze 40:46. We can see the different functions of the Levite priests in Eze 40:45-46, therefore, chambers fits the immediate context better.
Eze 40:46 These are the sons of Zadok This was the lineage of Ezekiel. Zadok served Solomon in his temple. Jeremiah was from the line of Abiathar, who rebelled against David and was exiled from the temple service. Eze 40:45-46 may reflect the forgiveness of the line of Abiathar. As Israel and Judah are reunited, so too, the two families of priests. However, the sons of Zadok still exclusively attend the altar (cf. Eze 43:19; Eze 44:15-16).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
the inner: Eze 40:23, Eze 40:27
chambers: Eze 40:7, Eze 40:10, Eze 40:29, 1Ch 6:31, 1Ch 6:32, 1Ch 16:41-43, 1Ch 25:1-31, Eph 5:19, Col 3:16
Reciprocal: Exo 27:9 – the court 1Ki 6:5 – built Eze 46:19 – the entry
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 40:44. These singers were the persons who conducted the services that had been started by David. This group was provided with some of the chambers or resting places on the inside of the court. These booths were located by the side of the north gate and they faced toward the south. Then another was at the side of the east gate, and it faced toward the north.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 40:44-47. And without the inner gate, &c. Houbigant, following the LXX., translates this verse thus: And he brought me to the inner gate, where there were two chambers in the inner court; one at the northern side of the gate which looked to the south; the other at the southern side of the gate which looked to the north. And he said, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests The word chamber may stand for chambers in the plural, (as side-chamber doth, Eze 41:5-9,) and signify a row of buildings on the north side of the inner court, distinct from the chambers of the singers, Eze 40:44, and designed for the use of the priests, who were in constant attendance, according to their courses, upon the service of the temple: see the margin. The keepers of the charge of the house They took care of the holy vessels, and kept constant watch and ward about the temple. The word priests may include Levites under it, as Levites elsewhere comprehends priests. And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north, &c. Another row of chambers on the south side of the inner court, is for the descendants of Aaron, whose office it is to attend upon the service of the altar, and keep the fire burning thereon perpetually. These are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi The family of Zadok is only taken notice of in this vision; it may be for this reason, because they kept close to the worship of God, when the priests of Ithamars line forsook it, and fell into idolatry. The altar that was before the house Or rather, The altar was before the house; that is, stood in the inner court, just before the porch that opened into the temple. The altar was not now measured, the measure of it being described afterward.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The rooms for the singers and priests 40:44-46
There were two rooms for singers in the inner court. One of them stood beside the north inner gate, and its door faced south. It also accommodated the needs of the priests who were responsible for the care of the temple. The other room stood beside the south inner gate, and its door faced north. The Septuagint translators assumed that this room stood beside the south inner gate because this gives a more symmetrical arrangement. This is probably correct even though the Hebrew text locates it beside the east inner gate (cf. Eze 42:10). This room was for the use of singers and the priests in charge of the altar (cf. Eze 43:13-17). These priests were descendants of Zadok, the faithful high priest who served during David and Solomon’s reigns (cf. Eze 44:15; 1Sa 2:31-33; 2Sa 15:24-29; 1Ki 1:5-26; 1Ki 1:32-35; 1Ki 2:26-27; 1Ki 2:35; 1Ch 6:3-8; 1Ch 24:3).