One block of rooms overlooked the 35-foot width of the inner courtyard. Another block of rooms looked out onto the pavement of the outer courtyard. The two blocks were built three levels high and stood across from each other.
Parallel translations
- WEB Over against the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and over against the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in the third floor.
- KJV Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories.
- BSB Gallery faced gallery in three levels opposite the twenty cubits that belonged to the inner court and opposite the pavement that belonged to the outer court.
- NKJV Opposite the inner court of twenty cubits, and opposite the pavement of the outer court, was gallery against gallery in three stories.
- NASB Opposite the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner courtyard, and opposite the stone pavement which belonged to the outer courtyard, was gallery corresponding to gallery in three stories.
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 chambers rose in three galleried stories between the inner and outer courts. The structure was thoughtfully positioned and built.
Overview
Ezekiel describes the three-tiered chambers with galleries set between the courts' areas. The architectural detail situates the priestly rooms precisely within the sacred precincts. The layered, ordered design reflects the harmony of God's house, where every part has its place, as in the church fitly joined together in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ezek 41:15–16He measured the length of the building before the separate place which was at its back, and its galleries on the one side and on the other side, one hundred cubits; and the inner temple, and the porches of the court;
- Ezek 41:10Between the rooms was a width of twenty cubits around the house on every side.
- Ezek 40:17–18Then 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.
- Song 1:17The beams of our house are cedars. Our rafters are firs.
- Ezek 42:5Now the upper rooms were shorter; for the galleries took away from these, more than from the lower and the middle, in the building.
- 2 Chr 7:3All the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and Yahweh’s glory was on the house. They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, worshiped, and gave thanks to Yahweh, saying, “For he is good; for his loving kindness endures for ever.”
- Song 7:5Your head on you is like Carmel. The hair of your head like purple. The king is held captive in its tresses.
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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 42:3 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.