Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 41

Verse 1

CHAPTER XLI

In this chapter the prophet gives us a circumstantial account

of the measures, parts, chambers, and ornaments of the temple,

1-26.

NOTES ON CHAP. XLI

Verse Ezekiel 41:1. To the temple — He had first described the courts and the porch. See Ezekiel 40:5-49.

Verse 2

Verse Ezekiel 41:2. The breadth of the door — This was the door, or gate, of the sanctuary, (see gates, 3, in the plan,) Ezekiel 48:35, and this doorway was filled up with folding gates. The measurements are exactly the same as those of Solomon's temple. See 1 Kings 6:2; 1 Kings 6:17.

Verse 4

Verse Ezekiel 41:4. The length thereof, twenty cubits — This is the measurement of the sanctuary, or holy of holies. See G in the plan. Ezekiel 48:35. This also was the exact measurement of Solomon's temple, see 1 Kings 6:20. This, and the other resemblances here, sufficiently prove that Ezekiel's temple and that of Solomon were on the same plan; and that the latter temple was intended to be an exact resemblance of the former.

Verse 6

Verse Ezekiel 41:6. The side chambers were three — We find by Joseph. Antiq. viii. 3, 2, that round Solomon's temple were chambers three stories high, each story consisting of thirty chambers. It is supposed that twelve were placed to the north of the temple, twelve to the south, and six to the east.

Entered into the wall — The beams were admitted into the outer wall, but they rested on projections of the inner wall.

Verse 7

Verse Ezekiel 41:7. An enlarging, and a winding about — Perhaps a winding staircase that-widened upward as the inner wall decreased in thickness; this wall being six cubits thick; as high as the first story, five from the floor of the second story to that of the third, and four from the floor to the ceiling of the third story: and thus there was a rest of one cubit in breadth to support the stories.-Newcome.

Verse 9

Verse Ezekiel 41:9. The thickness of the wall — See LLL in the plan. Ezekiel 48:35.

The place of the side chambers — A walk, or gallery of communication along the chambers, five cubits broad, Ezekiel 41:11.

Verse 11

Verse Ezekiel 41:11. And the doors — See the plan, aa. bb. Ezekiel 48:35.

Verse 12

Verse Ezekiel 41:12. The length thereof ninety cubits. — The temple, with the buildings which surrounded it, was eighty-one cubits long; add ten cubits for the vestibule, or five for the breadth of the separate place, and five for its wall; in all, ninety cubits. See the plan, LHIL. Ezekiel 48:35. By the separate place I suppose the temple itself is meant.

Verse 13

Verse Ezekiel 41:13. So he measured the house — The temple, taken from the wall which encompassed it from the western side to the vestibule, was one hundred and one cubits; five for the separate place, nine for the wall and the chambers attached to the temple, sixty for the sanctuary and the holy place, ten for the vestibule, and twelve for the two great walls on the west and east of the temple; in all, one hundred and one cubits, See the plan, GHI. Ezekiel 48:35.

Verse 14

Verse Ezekiel 41:14. The breadth of the face of the house — That is, the front. See the plan, FRR. Ezekiel 48:35.

Verse 18

Verse Ezekiel 41:18. A palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub — That is, the palm trees and the cherubs were alternated; and each cherub had two faces, one of a lion, and the other of a man; one of which was turned to the palm tree on the right, the other to the palm tree on the left.

Verse 20

Verse Ezekiel 41:20. From the ground unto above the door — The temple was thirty cubits high, 1 Kings 6:2, the gate was fourteen cubits, Ezekiel 40:48. The palm trees and the cherubim were the same height as the gate or door. The windows were above the door.

Verse 22

Verse Ezekiel 41:22. The altar of wood — This was the altar of incense, and was covered with plates of gold.

Verse 25

Verse Ezekiel 41:25. There were thick planks — The wood, or planks, were thick and strong; for the cherubim and palm trees were carved in relief, out of their substance, and unless they had been of considerable thickness, this could not have been done.