Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 40:47
So he measured the court, a hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar [that was] before the house.
47. Measurements of the inner court.
Lines drawn along the inner fronts of the inner gates, and along the front of the house, gave a square of 100 cubits. In this space stood the altar in front of the house, and being high it could be seen through the gates. The place between the temple and the altar was especially sacred. On altar cf. Eze 43:13-17. The square, Fig. 3, iklm; the altar, Fig. 3, F.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The court – The inner court (B) where was the brass altar Eze 43:13.
The new chapter would begin better at Eze 40:48.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 47. He measured the court] This was the court of the priests. See FFF in the plan. See Clarke on Eze 48:35.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The court; the inner court, or court of the priests, who, according to their several charges, had lodgings in it, as Eze 40:46.
Four-square: this court was an exact equilateral square.
The altar: here the place of the altar is only mentioned, the measuring of it is Eze 43:13-18. This altar was placed in the very centre of this square, in a direct line from the north, east, and south gates, and might be seen from the lower courts by those who stood there. The house; the temple itself.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
47. court, an hundred cubits . . .foursquarenot to be confounded with the inner court, or courtof Israel, which was open to all who had sacrifices to bring, andwent round the three sides of the sacred territory, one hundredcubits broad. This court was one hundred cubits square, and had thealtar in it, in front of the temple. It was the court of the priests,and hence is connected with those who had charge of the altar and themusic. The description here is brief, as the things connected withthis portion were from the first divinely regulated.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So he measured the court,…. The inward court, where the prophet and his guide now were; and the gates leading to which he had been measuring, with the chambers, arches, and tables belonging thereunto:
an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; the floor, or area of this court, which was a hundred cubits in length and breadth; so that it was a perfect square, equilateral, east, west, north, and south, and above fifty yards each way; such a court as never was in any temple whatever: hence Kimchi observes, there was no such court in the second temple; no, nor in the first neither: in the second temple, the length of the court of Israel, according to Abarbinel, was a hundred and thirty five cubits, and the breadth eleven, but this was a hundred by a hundred; these things, says Lipman u, are wonderful in my eyes: this denotes the large increase of the church, and of spiritual worshippers, in the latter day; and the foursquare of it signifies the order, perfection, and stability of it; see Re 21:16:
and the altar that was before the house; the altar of burnt offering, which stood before the house or temple, in the midst of the inward court; so that it might be seen by all in the inward court and chambers; and even by all in the outward court, through the several gates, which directly opened and led to it. This was typical of Christ, the altar, we Christians have a right to eat of; which sanctifies every gift offered upon it, and which every worshipper should by faith look unto for the expiation of their sins. The dimensions of this altar were now taken, and are given in Eze 43:13.
u Tzurath Beth Hamikdash, sect. 27.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Vestibule for the Sanctuary.
‘And he measured the court, one hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits broad, foursquare, and the altar was before the house.’
The inner court was foursquare and attention is drawn to the fact. This was regularly a symbol of perfection. Compare Exodus 26; 1Ki 6:20 where the holiest of all was a perfect cube; and the new Jerusalem in Rev 21:16 which ‘lay foursquare’. (See also the two altars and the breastplate in Exo 27:1; Exo 28:16; Exo 30:2; Exo 37:25; Exo 38:1; Exo 39:9). In the middle of the inner court was the altar, in front of ‘the house’, that is the sanctuary. But it is noteworthy that the altar is not measured. This fact is quite striking. It has a unique significance as denoted in Eze 43:13-27.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 40:47 So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar [that was] before the house.
Ver. 47. So he measured. ] Christ doeth all things in his Church in number, weight, and measure. By his Spirit he ordereth the length, breadth, and depth of his spiritual house, and bestoweth his gifts by measure to each member. Rom 12:6 1Co 12:28-29 Eph 3:7 ; Eph 4:7
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
foursquare. Compare Eze 48:20 and Rev 21:16.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
court: This was the inner court, or court of the priests, which was of the same dimensions with each division of the outer court; and the altar stood directly before the porch of the temple.
an hundred cubits long: Eze 40:19, Eze 40:23, Eze 40:27
Reciprocal: 2Ki 21:5 – in the two courts
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 40:47, This court was different from the one mentioned before. It was 100 cubits square and contained the altar upon which were burned the various sacrifices.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
The inner court itself 40:47
The inner court, bounded by the three inner gates and the temple itself, was a square 100 cubits (166 feet 8 inches) on each side. An altar stood in this square in front of the entrance to the temple proper.