Then the man brought me through the gateway into the outer courtyard of the Temple. A stone pavement ran along the walls of the courtyard, and thirty rooms were built against the walls, opening onto the pavement.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then brought he me into the outer court; and behold, there were rooms and a pavement, made for the court all around: thirty rooms were on the pavement.
- KJV Then brought he me into the outward court, and, lo, there were chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty chambers were upon the pavement.
- BSB Then he brought me into the outer court, and there were chambers and a pavement laid out all around the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement,
- NKJV Then he brought me into the outer court; and there were chambers and a pavement made all around the court; thirty chambers faced the pavement.
- NASB Then he brought me into the outer courtyard, and behold, there were chambers and a stone pavement made for the courtyard all around; thirty chambers faced the pavement.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The guide brings Ezekiel into the outer court with its pavement and thirty rooms. The vision moves from the gate into the courtyard.
Overview
Entering the outer court, Ezekiel sees a pavement encircling it and thirty chambers built along the pavement. These rooms likely served various functions for worshipers and temple service. The expanding vision of courts and chambers portrays a place prepared for the gathered worship of God's people, foreshadowing the community of the redeemed who together draw near to God in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Rev 11:2Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
- Ezek 42:1Then he brought me out into the outer court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the room that was over against the separate place, and which was over against the building toward the north.
- Ezek 45:5Twenty-five thousand in length, and ten thousand in width, shall be to the Levites, the ministers of the house, for a possession to themselves, for twenty rooms.
- Ezek 46:21Then he brought me out into the outer court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and behold, in every corner of the court there was a court.
- 1 Chr 9:26for the four chief porters, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the rooms and over the treasuries in God’s house.
- 1 Chr 23:28For their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of Yahweh’s house, in the courts, and in the rooms, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of God’s house;
- Ezek 10:5The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
- 2 Chr 31:11Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in Yahweh’s house, and they prepared them.
- Ezek 40:38A room with its door was by the posts at the gates; there they washed the burnt offering.
- 1 Kgs 6:5Against the wall of the house, he built floors all around, against the walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the inner sanctuary; and he made side rooms all around.
- 2 Kgs 23:11He took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of Yahweh’s house, by the room of Nathan Melech the officer, who was in the court; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire.
- Ezek 41:6The side rooms were in three stories, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which belonged to the house for the side rooms all around, that they might be supported, and not penetrate the wall of the house.
- Ezek 42:4Before the rooms was a walk of ten cubits’ width inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors were toward the north.
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 40:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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