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He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
Ezekiel 42:16 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed all around.
  • BSB With a measuring rod he measured the east side to be five hundred cubits long.
  • NKJV He measured the east side with the measuring rod, five hundred rods by the measuring rod all around.
  • NASB He measured on the east side with the measuring rod: five hundred rods by the measuring rod.
  • NLT He measured the east side with his measuring rod, and it was 875 feet long.

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 east side measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. The boundary of the holy area is marked on the first side.

Overview

Ezekiel records the measuring of the eastern boundary of the sacred enclosure. The large, precise measurement defines the extent of the holy precinct. The careful demarcation of sacred space underscores God's holiness and his claim over what is set apart for him, ultimately the people he claims as his own in Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 3

  • Ezek 40:3And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.
  • Zech 2:1I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.
  • Rev 11:1–2And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Ezekiel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Ezekiel 42:16YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on EzekielMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 42:16 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.