Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Ezekiel 41:4

Clarke's Commentary

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.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The temple proper (40:48-41:26)

From the inner court the way into the temple proper was up a flight of steps on the western side of the court, between two pillars at the top of the steps, and through a vestibule or entrance room (48-49). From the vestibule an entrance led into the nave or Holy Place (the outer sanctuary). From the nave a narrower entrance led into the Most Holy Place (the inner sanctuary) (41:1-4).
Attached externally to the sides and rear of the temple proper were three storeys of storerooms, probably used for storing the tithes and offerings brought by the people. The side and rear walls of the main building were reduced in thickness for the middle storey, and reduced further for the top storey. This created ‘steps’, or ledges, in the outer face of the main walls. The timber beams that formed the floors of the middle and top storeys rested on these steps (5-7). Access to the storerooms was through two doors in the bottom storey. These doors, one on the north side and one on the south, opened on to the raised platform, or terrace, on which the temple stood (8-11).
To the sides and rear of this paved platform was an open area called the temple yard (or courtyard). At the rear of this yard, backing on to the western outer wall, was another building. Referred to simply as the west building, it was possibly an additional storehouse (12). The measurements of the temple and its immediate surroundings demonstrated the perfection of the whole. Everything was carefully planned; nothing was left to chance (13-15a).
Windows were positioned high in the side walls of the temple so as to open above the lean-to roof of the attached storerooms. The inner walls of the temple, extending from the floor up over the doors to the underside of these high windows, were panelled with richly carved wood (15b-20).
The doors of the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place were in two halves, each of which could be folded. In front of the doors that led into the Most Holy Place was a piece of furniture that looked partly like an altar and partly like a table (21-26).

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The Temple - here is the holy place as distinguished from the most holy, “the Oracle,” which is “before” the holy place, inwards.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 41

So in chapter 41 he continues to describe the temple and the posts and all.

He measured ( Ezekiel 41:4 )

In verse Ezekiel 41:4 you get into the temple house itself and to the holy place, which was,

twenty cubits, before the temple: This is the most holy place ( Ezekiel 41:4 ).

The temple house itself is twenty cubits by forty cubits, which would be about forty by eighty feet, which was a fairly good size room in itself.

And he describes in verses Ezekiel 41:18 , and Ezekiel 41:19 the cherubims that are carved upon the various... and the palm trees and all on the doors of the inner house and upon the walls, and all of these carvings of the cherubim and palms.

And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors. And the doors had two leaves apiece, turning leaves ( Ezekiel 41:23-24 );

In other words double doors much like we have coming in here and the doors opened as these doors do. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The holy place and the most holy place 41:1-4

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

In his vision Ezekiel’s guide then went into the most holy place and measured the doorway leading into it from the holy place. This doorway was two cubits (3 feet 4 inches) deep and six cubits (10 feet) wide. The projecting wall on either side of this entrance, which also formed part of the wall of the holy place and the most holy place, projected inward seven cubits (11 feet 8 inches) from the side walls of the main temple structure. The most holy place was 20 cubits (33 feet 4 inches) square.

The effect of the progressively narrower doorways, from 14 cubits (23 feet 4 inches, Ezekiel 40:48) to 10 cubits (16 feet 8 inches, Ezekiel 41:2) to six cubits (10 feet, Ezekiel 41:3), focused the worshipper’s eyes on the most holy place, the center of worship, and communicated increasing restriction, controlled access.

Ezekiel’s guide seldom spoke to him, but when he did he always said something important. Here he identified the most holy place (Ezekiel 41:4; cf. Ezekiel 41:22; Ezekiel 40:4; Ezekiel 40:45; Ezekiel 42:13; Ezekiel 43:18; Ezekiel 46:20; Ezekiel 46:24; Ezekiel 47:8). Evidently Ezekiel, who was a priest, did not enter the most holy place in this vision.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

So he measured the length thereof twenty cubits,.... That is, of the most holy place, from east to west; which was the measure of it in Solomon's temple, 1 Kings 6:20:

and the breadth twenty cubits before the temple: that is answerable or according to the breadth of the temple or holy place; which was also twenty cubits in breadth: this stood at the west end of it, and was equal in breadth to it; see 1 Kings 6:2:

and he said unto me, this is the most holy place; the divine Person in human form said to the prophet, take notice of this building; this answers to the most holy place in the temple. This was an emblem of the most holy and perfect state of the church on earth; it represents the New Jerusalem church state, that holy city, and into which nothing shall enter that defiles; and, as in the most holy place, the divine Shechaniah or majesty of God dwelt; so here will dwell in person the God-man and Mediator, the head of the church, our Lord Jesus; whose tabernacle will now be with men, in this perfect state, raised from the dead, and he will dwell among them: and as this most holy place in its dimensions is a foursquare, so is the holy city described; denoting its stability and perfection; see Revelation 21:2.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle.   2 And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits.   3 Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits.   4 So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place.   5 After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side.   6 And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house.   7 And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst.   8 I saw also the height of the house round about: the foundations of the side chambers were a full reed of six great cubits.   9 The thickness of the wall, which was for the side chamber without, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side chambers that were within.   10 And between the chambers was the wideness of twenty cubits round about the house on every side.   11 And the doors of the side chambers were toward the place that was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south: and the breadth of the place that was left was five cubits round about.

      We are still attending a prophet that is under the guidance of an angel, and therefore attend with reverence, though we are often at a loss to know both what this is and what it is to us. Observe here, 1. After the prophet had observed the courts he was at length brought to the temple,Ezekiel 41:1; Ezekiel 41:1. If we diligently attend to the instructions given us in the plainer parts of religion, and profit by them, we shall be led further into an acquaintance with the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Those that are willing to dwell in God's courts shall at length be brought into his temple. Ezekiel was himself a priest, but by the iniquity and calamity of the times was cut short of his birthright privilege of ministering in the temple; but God makes up the loss to him by introducing him into this prophetical, evangelical, celestial temple, and employing him to transmit a description of it to the church, in which he was dignified above all the rest of his order. 2. When our Lord Jesus spoke of the destroying of this temple, which his hearers understood of this second temple of Jerusalem, he spoke of the temple of his body (John 2:19; John 2:21); and with good reason might he speak so ambiguously when Ezekiel's vision had a joint respect to them both together, including also his mystical body the church, which is called the house of God (1 Timothy 3:15), and all the members of that body, which are living temples, in which the Spirit dwells. 3. The very posts of this temple, the door-posts, were as far one from the other, and consequently the door was as wide, as the whole breadth of the tabernacle of Moses (Ezekiel 41:1; Ezekiel 41:1), namely, twelve cubits, Exodus 26:16; Exodus 26:22; Exodus 26:25. In comparison with what had been under the law we may say, Wide is the gate which leads into the church, the ceremonial law, that wall of partition which had so much straitened the gate, being taken down. 4. The most holy place was an exact square, twenty cubits each way, Ezekiel 41:4; Ezekiel 41:4. For the new Jerusalem is exactly square (Revelation 21:16), denoting its stability; for we look for a city that cannot be moved. 5. The upper stories were larger than the lower, Ezekiel 41:7; Ezekiel 41:7. The walls of the temple were six cubits thick at the bottom, five in the middle story, and four in the highest, which gave room to enlarge the chambers the higher they went; but care was taken that the timber might have fast hold (though God builds high, he builds firmly), yet so as not to weaken one part for the strengthening of another; they had hold, but not in the wall of the house. By this spreading gradually, the side-chambers that were on the height of the house (in the uppermost story of all) were six cubits, whereas the lowest were but four; they gained a cubit every story. The higher we build up ourselves in our most holy faith the more should our hearts, those living temples, be enlarged.