Ezekiel 40:1-49 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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Ezekiel 40:1. In the five and twentieth year of our captivity. When the pious jews were dispirited, the Lord revived them with the hopes of a better temple than that which Solomon had built. This which Ezekiel now saw, in the visions of God, was of larger dimensions than the whole of old Jerusalem, and the city which he saw was larger than the whole land of Canaan. Consequently, it must be understood of the New Jerusalem, mentioned in the Revelation, a spiritual city and temple, which shall be the future abode of the church; and all the nations, washed and sanctified, shall enter her gates and her courts with songs. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

This glorious vision was evidently designed to raise the hopes of the captive jews, to excite in them a suitable contrition for sin, and reformation of manners. They should yet have a city and a temple, which though not equal to Solomon's in outward splendour, should nevertheless be a type of the Messiah's temple, and of the city of God. They rejoiced at the idea of restoration by Cyrus; but as it is usual with the prophets to make a transition to Christ, so here, Ezekiel describes equal portions for each of the twelve tribes, who never did and probably never will return. We must therefore speak of the evangelical Zion, which comprises the patriarchs, the prophets, the apostles, with the jewish and gentile converts of every age. Those who think that Solomon's temple was principally kept in view by Ezekiel, greatly betray their ignorance of sacred literature. The numerous courts, each of which would hold a nation; the porticos, the gates, the chambers, the pillars, the fountain or river, the paradise of medicinal trees, &c., are altogether superior to any thing which the first temple could boast. Many of the rabbins are therefore anxious to refer Haggai's words to Ezekiel's temple. “The glory of this second house shall be greater than the glory of the former.” Hence also we are not to stop in the dark and troublesome age of Zerubbabel, but are to look for the illustration of this glorious temple and holy city in the twenty first and twenty second Chapter s of the Revelation, which are obviously a continuation of Ezekiel's prophecy.

Here an objection may be made which seems unanswerable; that if this vision respect Christ's kingdom, and if Christ be the end of the law, and has abolished carnal ordinances by his death on the cross, why is there throughout the whole vision a continual reference to the law, and in the forty fifth chapter a full ritual, not only of peace-offerings, but also of sin- offerings prescribed at large.

It is replied, as in the note on chap. 38., that the jews will be gathered when but partially converted. Consequently, in their earthly sanctuary, which was ever regarded as a figure of the heavenly, they will be indulged for a time in their offerings, as Moses has enjoined. But after they shall see the glory of the Lord, filling the mercy-seat in his spiritual Zion, as head of the church, the shadow shall give way to the substance, and they shall worship him in spirit and in truth, knowing him then to be one substance with the Father. This satisfies my mind; and I do regard these nine Chapter s, with the two preseding ones, as full of glorious hope and comfort to the church.

Villaprandus, Capellus, Cornelius à Lipide, Polanus, Junius, Sanctius, and many others, have regarded them in the same view. Poole also, in his Synopsis of the critics, has selected eighty two folio pages from their works, with wood-cuts to illustrate the vision. In a word, this city and temple were not a model for the Jews to follow after their return from Babylon; nor yet for them to build after their recal from the present Roman dispersion; these works are too stupendous for mortals to achieve; it is a splendid view of the spiritual temple of Christ, which he fills with beauty and glory, reigning on the mercyseat, as in chap. 43. Nor ought it to escape observation, that if this be a spiritual temple, and the reign of Christ spiritual, though we may expect an inconceivable increase of grace in the church; yet we have no positive promise, nor any sufficient presumptive proof that our blessed Lord will personally reign a thousand years visibly among mortal men. A resurrection of the martyrs, and a spiritual reign of righteousness and peace, are the substance of all that is promised on that head.

Ezekiel 40:2. A very high mountain. Not mount Moriah, for that was only a thousand cubits square, but the wall of this temple extended five hundred reeds, or two thousand yards. A reed is twenty four feet. It was three thousand in the square of the area, or about five thousand four hundred feet on each side of the wall. So the rabbins calculate, hoping to see this temple built on earth.

Ezekiel 40:3. Like the appearance of brass. This is of a bright vivid colour. The angel who spoke to Ezekiel in this vision, however great and glorious in himself, is far inferior to the Logos or Messiah who commissioned him, as in the first Chapter s.

Ezekiel 40:4. The man said unto me, Son of man. The angel or elder is stiled Ish; while Ezekiel is called Adam, having earth for his origin.

Ezekiel 40:5. Six cubits long, by the cubit and a hand-breadth. The prophet explains what sort of cubit he means in the following delineation of the temple, viz. such a one as consists of six hand-breadths, or one hand- breadth over the cubit, used in Chaldea. Therefore the reed was thirteen cubits long, or nearly so.

Ezekiel 40:11. The gate thirteen cubits. By the length of the gate Villaprandus understands the height, which he supposes to have been two reeds, or twelve cubits and a half high. But father Lamy explains the expression of the breadth of the walls on each side of the gate, which he supposes to be six cubits and a half.

Ezekiel 40:14. He made also posts of threescore cubits. The angel made a delineation of the height of the columns which were to support the stories or rooms over the arch of the gate, and these were sixty cubits in height.

Ezekiel 40:19. The inner court without, a hundred cubits. This compartment was surrounded with chambers, pillars, and a court. The court opened with a gate of thirteen cubits, as in Ezekiel 40:11.

Ezekiel 40:23. The gate of the inner court was over against the gate toward the north, and toward the east. This might be translated more plainly thus: The gate of the inner court was proportionable to the gate that was towards the north and towards the east.

Ezekiel 40:24. He brought me toward the south. This presented another view of the temple with courts, chambers, and gates, exactly like those on the north. The palm-trees (the dates) were upon the posts, or capitals of the columns, as before. These beautiful branches represented the flourishing state of the church, as in Psalms 92.

Ezekiel 40:32. The inner court toward the east. Here all the measurements are the same as the north and the south, but with this remarkable addition; eight large tables of hewn stone are placed two and two, outside the gate, on which were laid the instruments, with which they slew the burnt- offerings and the sacrifices.

Ezekiel 40:42. Four tables. Hebrews לעולה leâvalah, not burnt-offerings, but as one goeth up to the gates, a table was placed on each side, for peace- offerings as well as for burnt-offerings. This verse proves that Ezekiel contemplated the rebuilding of the temple, and the offering of all the ancient sacrifices of the law, as Moses had commanded. But being four times bigger than the scite of Solomon's temple, he must surely have had in view the spiritual temple, as in Isaiah 2. and Micah 4. A temple for all the gentile world, in which legal sacrifices are not named, or according to Daniel, when the daily sacrifice should cease: Daniel 7:27. The measurements of the west are not described here, it being understood that they agreed with those of the other three; but the building on the west contained a new order of arrangements, as in the next chapter.

Ezekiel 40:46. The sons of Zadok. They were deemed the family which had the fairest claims to the sacred mitre and breastplate. Hence we see a continual reference to the Mosaic law of rituals, because these were figurative of the evangelical church, and of the heavenly glory.

Related Commentaries of Ezekiel 40:1

Ezekiel 40:1-49

1 In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither.

2 In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the framea of a city on the south.

3 And 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.

4 And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.

5 And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.

6 Then came he unto the gate which lookethb toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad.

7 And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reed.

8 He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.

9 Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward.

10 And the little chambers of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side.

11 And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.

12 The spacec also before the little chambers was one cubit on this side, and the space was one cubit on that side: and the little chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

13 He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door.

14 He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate.

15 And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits.

16 And there were narrowd windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees.

17 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.

18 And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement.

19 Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate unto the forefront of the inner court without,e an hundred cubits eastward and northward.

20 And the gate of the outward court that lookedf toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof.

21 And the little chambers thereof were three on this side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the archesg thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

22 And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before them.

23 And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits.

24 After that he brought me toward the south, and behold a gate toward the south: and he measured the posts thereof and the arches thereof according to these measures.

25 And there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

26 And there were seven steps to go up to it, and the arches thereof were before them: and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, upon the posts thereof.

27 And there was a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south an hundred cubits.

28 And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;

29 And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.

30 And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.h

31 And the arches thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it had eight steps.

32 And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures.

33 And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, were according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.

34 And the arches thereof were toward the outward court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.

35 And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according to these measures;

36 The little chambers thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

37 And the posts thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.

38 And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.

39 And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering.

40 And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate, were two tables.

41 Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices.

42 And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice.

43 And within were hooks,i an hand broad, fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.

44 And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south: one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north.

45 And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the chargej of the house.

46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.

47 So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house.

48 And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.

49 The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and he brought me by the steps whereby they went up to it: and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.