Major Prophets · Chapter 42 of 48

Ezekiel 42

The guide brings Ezekiel to the priests' chambers on the north and south of the temple, three stories high, where the priests eat the most holy offerings and store their holy garments. He explains that the priests must change clothes before returning to the people, so as not to transmit holiness carelessly. Finally he measures the entire complex, five hundred reeds on each side, walled to separate the sanctuary from the profane.

What happens in Ezekiel 42

Ezekiel is led into the outer court to view rows of chambers built against the temple, arranged in three tiers on the north side and matching ones on the south. The guide measures their length and the walkways before them, then explains their purpose: these are holy chambers where the priests who approach the LORD eat the most holy things and lay up the meat, sin, and trespass offerings. He gives an instruction. When the priests enter these holy rooms, they must leave there the garments in which they minister before going out to the people, so that they do not sanctify the people with their garments.

With the interior measured, the guide takes Ezekiel to the east gate and measures the whole area from outside, five hundred reeds on each of the four sides. A wall runs around the square to separate the sanctuary from the profane place.

Ezekiel 42 in context

This chapter closes the architectural survey of chapters forty through forty-two, before the glory of the LORD returns in chapter forty-three. Given to exiles about 573 BC, it focuses on the priests' quarters and the boundary wall. Ezekiel had been a priest himself, and the concern with holy and profane, clean and unclean, runs through his whole book.

The instruction about changing garments and the great enclosing wall both dramatize a central priestly duty: guarding the difference between what is holy to God and what is common.

Main themes of Ezekiel 42

Ezekiel 42 (KJV)

1Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the north. 2Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits. 3Over 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. 4And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north. 5Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building. 6For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground. 7And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits. 8For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were an hundred cubits. 9And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the utter court. 10The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over against the separate place, and over against the building. 11And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they, and as broad as they: and all their goings out were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors. 12And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door in the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one entereth into them. 13Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy. 14When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people. 15Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about. 16He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. 17He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. 18He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed. 19He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. 20He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

Verses to carry from Ezekiel 42

“Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.”Ezekiel 42:13

“When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.”Ezekiel 42:14

“He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.”Ezekiel 42:20

Reflection

We tend to blur the line between the holy and the common until nothing feels sacred at all. This vision walls off God's dwelling to keep his holiness vivid. Christ did not lower that holiness; he carried it to us, touching the unclean and making them clean.

Let his nearness make you reverent, not careless, about the holy God who welcomes you.

A prayer from Ezekiel 42