Vision of the New Temple

1In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me to the city.40:1 Hebrew brought me there 2In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. 3When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. 4And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.”

The East Gate to the Outer Court

5And behold, there was a wall all round the outside of the temple area, and the length of the measuring reed in the man's hand was six long cubits, each being a cubit and a handbreadth40:5 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimetres; a handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimetres in length. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed. 6Then he went into the gateway facing east, going up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed deep.40:6 Hebrew deep, and one threshold, one reed deep 7And the side rooms, one reed long and one reed broad; and the space between the side rooms, five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the vestibule of the gate at the inner end, one reed. 8Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, on the inside, one reed. 9Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; and its jambs, two cubits; and the vestibule of the gate was at the inner end. 10And there were three side rooms on either side of the east gate. The three were of the same size, and the jambs on either side were of the same size. 11Then he measured the width of the opening of the gateway, ten cubits; and the length of the gateway, thirteen cubits. 12There was a barrier before the side rooms, one cubit on either side. And the side rooms were six cubits on either side. 13Then he measured the gate from the ceiling of one side room to the ceiling of the other, a breadth of twenty-five cubits; the openings faced each other. 14He measured also the vestibule, sixty cubits. And round the vestibule of the gateway was the court.40:14 Text uncertain; Hebrew And he made the jambs sixty cubits, and to the jamb of the court was the gateway all round 15From the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the inner vestibule of the gate was fifty cubits. 16And the gateway had windows all round, narrowing inwards towards the side rooms and towards their jambs, and likewise the vestibule had windows all round inside, and on the jambs were palm trees.

The Outer Court

17Then he brought me into the outer court. And behold, there were chambers and a pavement, all round the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement. 18And the pavement ran along the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. This was the lower pavement. 19Then he measured the distance from the inner front of the lower gate to the outer front of the inner court,40:19 Hebrew distance from before the low gate before the inner court to the outside a hundred cubits on the east side and on the north side.40:19 Or cubits. So far the eastern gate; now to the northern gate

The North Gate

20As for the gate that faced towards the north, belonging to the outer court, he measured its length and its breadth. 21Its side rooms, three on either side, and its jambs and its vestibule were of the same size as those of the first gate. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 22And its windows, its vestibule, and its palm trees were of the same size as those of the gate that faced towards the east. And by seven steps people would go up to it, and find its vestibule before them. 23And opposite the gate on the north, as on the east, was a gate to the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate, a hundred cubits.

The South Gate

24And he led me towards the south, and behold, there was a gate on the south. And he measured its jambs and its vestibule; they had the same size as the others. 25Both it and its vestibule had windows all round, like the windows of the others. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 26And there were seven steps leading up to it, and its vestibule was before them, and it had palm trees on its jambs, one on either side. 27And there was a gate on the south of the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate towards the south, a hundred cubits.

The Inner Court

28Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate. It was of the same size as the others. 29Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all round. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 30And there were vestibules all round, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits broad. 31Its vestibule faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.

32Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gate. It was of the same size as the others. 33Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all round. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 34Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.

35Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it. It had the same size as the others. 36Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others,40:36 One manuscript (compare verses 29 and 33); most manuscripts lack were of the same size as the others and it had windows all round. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 37Its vestibule40:37 Septuagint, Vulgate (compare verses 26, 31, 34); Hebrew jambs faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.

38There was a chamber with its door in the vestibule of the gate,40:38 Hebrew at the jambs, the gates where the burnt offering was to be washed. 39And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on either side, on which the burnt offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering were to be slaughtered. 40And off to the side, on the outside as one goes up to the entrance of the north gate, were two tables; and off to the other side of the vestibule of the gate were two tables. 41Four tables were on either side of the gate, eight tables, on which to slaughter. 42And there were four tables of hewn stone for the burnt offering, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high, on which the instruments were to be laid with which the burnt offerings and the sacrifices were slaughtered. 43And hooks,40:43 Or shelves a handbreadth long, were fastened all round within. And on the tables the flesh of the offering was to be laid.

Chambers for the Priests

44On the outside of the inner gateway there were two chambers40:44 Septuagint; Hebrew were chambers for singers in the inner court, one40:44 Hebrew lacks one at the side of the north gate facing south, the other at the side of the south40:44 Septuagint; Hebrew east gate facing north. 45And he said to me, “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple, 46and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who alone40:46 Hebrew lacks alone among the sons of Levi may come near to the LORD to minister to him.” 47And he measured the court, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits broad, a square. And the altar was in front of the temple.

The Vestibule of the Temple

48Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the jambs of the vestibule, five cubits on either side. And the breadth of the gate was fourteen cubits, and the side walls of the gate40:48 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks was fourteen cubits, and the side walls of the gate were three cubits on either side. 49The length of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the breadth twelve40:49 Septuagint; Hebrew eleven cubits, and people would go up to it by ten steps.40:49 Septuagint; Hebrew and by steps that would go up to it And there were pillars beside the jambs, one on either side.