Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 41:21
The posts of the temple [were] squared, [and] the face of the sanctuary; the appearance [of the one] as the appearance [of the other].
21. the posts squared ] The text is very uncertain, the versions deviating from Heb. and from one another. The word “temple” ( Eze 41:20) being omitted the words read: and the wall, 21 of the temple was square door-posts a construction scarcely possible to express the idea that the wall had square door-posts. Syriac read: and the wall of the temple was four-square omitting “door-posts.” LXX.: and the holy place (holiest) and the temple opened (spread out) four-square reading “holy place” for wall, and “opened” for door-posts. It is probable that something is said of the holiest, because the next clause refers to an article that stood in front of it. It is also probable that the “door” referred to Eze 41:20 is that from the holy place into the holiest. But the witnesses leave us uncertain whether something be said about the wall or about the door-posts. If of the first the reading may be: and the wall of the holiest was four-square (Hitz., Corn.). Reference, however, might be to the door-posts. In Solomon’s temple those of the holy place appear to have been four-cornered, and those of the holiest five-cornered (1Ki 6:31; 1Ki 6:33).
face of the sanctuary the other] This has no probability. The clause is rather to be connected with Eze 41:22. Perhaps: and in front of the sanctuary (the holiest) was the appearance as the appearance 22 of an altar of wood, three cubits the height thereof, &c. So LXX. and partly Syr. In the holy place in front of the holiest there stood an object having the appearance of an altar of wood. The present text might read: “and (as for) the front of the sanctuary, the appearance was as the appearance,” i.e. it had the appearance which is well known and does not need further description a form of speech common enough in Shemitic, but quite improbable here.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The posts – Not the word used before (see Eze 40:9 note). These posts are rather pilasters forming part of the inner walls.
The appearance … other – i. e., the appearance in this vision was the same as in the actual temple (compare Eze 43:3); (or, according to others, the front of the sanctuary resembled, the front of the holy place).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The posts on each side of the gate or door, both of temple and oracle, were squared; not round, as some other were, and as the posts of the door of the tabernacle were, but of exact square.
The face, the form of the door, or gate of the temple, was square, i.e. not arched, as the gates of our churches ordinarily are, but with a flat beam, or upper lintel, laid on the top of the posts, and so either made an equilateral square, or an oblong square.
The appearance of the one as the appearance of the other; as was the form of the gate of the temple in its larger, so was the form of the gate of the oracle in its lesser dimensions.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. appearance of the one as theappearance of the otherThe appearance of the sanctuary or holyof holies was similar to that of the temple. They differed only inmagnitude.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The posts of the temple were squared,…. Or, were “foursquare” n; the two posts on each side the door, the lintel and the threshold, made a square; the posts themselves were not round, as pillars, but flat and square; and the upper part was not arched, as in some buildings, but square. Jarchi says he had heard that the posts of Solomon’s temple were foursquare; but that is not certain; however, these were. The Vulgate Latin version renders it “four cornered”; as doors formerly were: this was the ancient way of building, as Philander o observes; almost everything in this wonderful building was foursquare; denoting the firmness, stability, and perfection of all things in it:
and the face of the sanctuary; the appearance of the one as the appearance of the other; that is, the front of the holy of holies was like that of the temple; they both had the same appearance, though one was larger than another. The posts of the one were squared, even as the posts of the other; showing that the same is the way of entrance into the Gospel church and into the New Jerusalem church state, and even into the heavenly glory, which is Christ; and, whether in the less or more perfect state of the church on earth, there are the same precious faith, and love, and communion, though different degrees. The Targum is,
“and the face of the house of the propitiatory; and its appearance as the appearance of its glory;”
which Jarchi interprets, as the appearance of the throne of glory, seen by the prophet at the river Chebar, Eze 1:26.
n “quadratus”, Montanus, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. o Not. in Vitruvium de Architect. l. 4. c. 6. p. 153.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(21) The posts of the temple.Posts is a different word from that hitherto used, and always means the framework in which the doors were hung. Temple is, as before, the Holy Place, in distinction from the sanctuary, or Holy of Holies. The door-frames of both were square and just alike.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘As for the temple, the door posts were squared. And as for the face of the sanctuary the appearance was as the appearance (i.e. as described above).’
The description is finalised by stressing that the door posts were squared, an indication of perfection (they were foursquare), and that the whole of the sanctuary appeared as previously described.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 41:21 The posts of the temple [were] squared, [and] the face of the sanctuary; the appearance [of the one] as the appearance [of the other].
Ver. 21. The posts of the temple, ] i.e., Of the doors of the temple, were not round or arched, but square; as are at this day the doors of the Pantheon in Rome, saith Vilalpandus, built of old in honour of all gods, and now consecrated by the Pope to the honour of all saints with like superstition.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 41:21-26
21The doorposts of the nave were square; as for the front of the sanctuary, the appearance of one doorpost was like that of the other. 22The altar was of wood, three cubits high and its length two cubits; its corners, its base and its sides were of wood. And he said to me, This is the table that is before the LORD. 23The nave and the sanctuary each had a double door. 24Each of the doors had two leaves, two swinging leaves; two leaves for one door and two leaves for the other. 25Also there were carved on them, on the doors of the nave, cherubim and palm trees like those carved on the walls; and there was a threshold of wood on the front of the porch outside. 26There were latticed windows and palm trees on one side and on the other, on the sides of the porch; thus were the side chambers of the house and the thresholds.
Eze 41:22 the altar of wood There are two possibilities for this piece of furniture because it is called both an altar (BDB 258) and a table (BDB 1020): (1) the table of showbread (cf. Exo 25:23-30; Lev 24:5-9; 1Ki 6:20-22; 1 Kings 11 Chr. 3:lff) or (2) the altar of incense which stood before the inner veil (cf. Exo 30:1-10; Exo 37:25-29).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
posts = post. Singular. Only here and a Samaritan Pentateuch Eze 1:9.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eze 41:21-26
Doors before The Most Holy Place (Eze 41:21-26)
As for the temple, the door-posts were squared; and as for the face of the sanctuary, the appearance thereof was as the appearance of the temple. The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before Jehovah. And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors. And the doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves: two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other. And there were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubim and palm-trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there was a threshold of wood upon the face of the porch without. And there were closed windows and palm-trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the porch: thus were the side-chambers of the house, and the thresholds (Eze 41:21-26).
A description of the decorated temple doors before the most holy place. The four doors (two each having two leaves) were decorated as the walls of the temple with two faced cherubs and palm trees.
The Architecture of the New Temple
Eze 40:1 to Eze 42:20
Open It
1. What are some of the more impressive examples of architecture that you have seen?
2. How difficult would it be for you to find your way around your home blindfolded?
Explore It
3. What was the specific time of Ezekiels vision of the temple? (Eze 40:1)
4. Whom did Ezekiel meet when God transported him to Jerusalem in a vision? (Eze 40:2-3)
5. What instructions did the man have for Ezekiel before they set out on their exploration? (Eze 40:4)
6. What was impressive about the wall that surrounded the temple Ezekiel saw? (Eze 40:5)
7. What are some examples of how detailed Ezekiels description of the east gate area becomes? (Eze 40:6-16)
8. What did the man do each time he stopped at the outer court, the north gate, and the south gate? (Eze 40:17-27)
9. What sorts of rooms did Ezekiel see before he actually came into the temple? (Eze 40:28-47)
10. What was at the center of the temple structure? (Eze 40:48 to Eze 41:15)
11. How were the internal parts of the temple decorated? (Eze 41:16-26)
12. What important activity was to take place in the side rooms around the temple? (Eze 42:1-13)
13. What specific regulations were given with regard to the priests garments inside and outside the temple? (Eze 42:14)
14. How was the whole temple area kept distinct from the “common” parts of the city? (Eze 42:15-20)
Get It
15. Why do you think the exiles to whom Ezekiel spoke might have “eaten up” every detail of his description of the temple?
16. What point did the temple buildings and worship practices make by separating the holy from the common?
17. In what respect was Ezekiel a “servant” of the exiled people of Israel?
18. If someone could bring you a blueprint of heaven, what details would you want it to include?
19. How would you describe heaven to someone unfamiliar with the Bible?
Apply It
20. How could you express your gratitude for the care that has gone into the planning and maintenance of your place of worship?
21. How can the prospect of a new heaven and a new earth inspire you in a specific problem you are presently facing?
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
posts: Heb. post, Eze 40:14, 1Ki 6:33, *marg.
Reciprocal: Eze 40:15 – the face of the gate
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 41:21. This verse means that the general appearance of the posts or supporting columns, and the face or front of the building, were uniform and were square or 4-sided.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 41:21-22. The posts of the temple were squared, &c. The lintels, or door-posts, both of the temple and inner sanctuary, were not arched, but square, with a flat beam, or upper lintel, laid upon the top of the side-posts: compare the margin of 1Ki 6:33. The altar of wood was three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits The LXX. add, by way of explication, , and the breadth thereof two cubits; that it might be foursquare, as Mosess altar of incense was, Exo 30:2. The altar here described is a cubit higher, and double the breadth to that of Moses, which is supposed to be agreeable to the dimensions of the altar made by Solomon, who did not exactly observe the proportions prescribed to Moses, in making the cherubim and the other furniture of the temple; God having given a new model to David of all the parts and ornaments of the temple, 1Ch 28:12; 1Ch 28:19. This altar was made of wood, but overlaid with gold, Exo 30:3, and therefore is called the golden altar. And the corners thereof, &c., were of wood The corners are the same with the horns, mentioned Exo 30:2, being made out of the four posts which supported each corner of the altar. The surface, or top of it, is called the length, and the sides the walls. This is the table that is before the Lord The words altar and table are used promiscuously; and this table, or altar, is said to be before the Lord, as being in the place of his peculiar presence: compare Exo 30:8. In the same sense the burnt-offering is said to be made at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord, that is, in the place dedicated to his worship, Exo 29:42; and the lamp is said to burn before the Lord, chap. Eze 27:21, though the candlestick stood in the outward sanctuary.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The doorposts between the vestibule and the holy place were square and identical. The altar in the holy place was completely wooden and was three cubits (5 feet) high and two cubits (3 feet 4 inches) square. It stood before the Lord’s presence there. Its function is also obscure, but it may correspond to the altar of incense or the table of showbread in Israel’s earlier tabernacle and temples. If so, it has some connection with prayer and or remembrance.