Chapter Text
The New Temple
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.
2In 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 frame of a city on the south.
3And 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.
4And 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.
5And 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.
6Then came he unto the gate which looketh 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.
7And 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.
8He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.
9Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward.
10And 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.
11And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.
12The space 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.
13He 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.
14He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate.
15And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits.
16And there were narrow 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.
The Outer Court
17Then 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.
18And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement.
19Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate unto the forefront of the inner court without, an hundred cubits eastward and northward.
20And the gate of the outward court that looked toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof.
21And the little chambers thereof were three on this side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.
22And 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.
23And 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.
24After 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.
25And 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.
26And 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.
27And there was a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south an hundred cubits.
The Inner Court
28And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;
29And 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.
30And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.
31And 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.
32And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures.
33And 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.
34And 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.
35And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according to these measures;
36The 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.
37And 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.
The Rooms for Sacrifices
38And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.
39And 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.
40And 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.
41Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices.
42And 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.
43And within were hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.
44And 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.
45And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house.
46And 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.
47So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house.
48And 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.
49The 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.
Summary
God speaks of Gog, from the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. In the latter years, this great coalition of nations from the far north, along with Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya, will come against the restored land of Israel, which dwells safely in unwalled villages. They come like a storm to take plunder and spoil. But God will bring them against Israel to demonstrate His holiness before the nations. He will call for judgment with pestilence, blood, rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
Meaning
The Gog prophecy describes a final great assault against God's restored people, representing the ultimate attempt of hostile world powers to overthrow God's purposes. The attack comes when Israel is at peace, indicating that even in times of blessing, the forces of evil remain active.
God's sovereign control is evident throughout: He brings Gog against Israel specifically to reveal His glory through dramatic deliverance. The overwhelming natural catastrophes that defeat Gog demonstrate that Israel's safety depends not on military strength but on divine intervention. God's people need not fear the worst that the world can bring.
Background
The identity of Gog and Magog has been debated for millennia. Magog appears in Genesis 10 as a son of Japheth, associated with regions north of the Black Sea. Meshech and Tubal were peoples of Asia Minor.
The Gog prophecy is referenced in Revelation 20:8, where Gog and Magog represent the final rebellion against God at the end of the millennium. This connection places Ezekiel's vision within an eschatological framework spanning both testaments.
Chapter Outline
- vv. 1-4The vision and the prophet's commission
- vv. 5-16The eastern gate measured
- vv. 17-19The outer court and pavement
- vv. 20-27The north and south outer gates
- vv. 28-37The inner court gates
- vv. 38-43Tables for the sacrifices
- vv. 44-47Chambers for priests and the altar
- vv. 48-49The porch of the house
Key Verses
“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 frame of a city on the south.”— 40:2
This visionary transport echoes Moses on Sinai and anticipates John on Patmos (Revelation 21:10), where another seer is carried to a high mountain to behold a holy city. It frames the entire temple vision as divine revelation, not human blueprint.
“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.”— 40:4
The threefold charge — eyes, ears, heart — establishes Ezekiel as a faithful witness whose duty is to declare what God reveals. It models the prophetic vocation and the proper posture of all who receive divine truth.
“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.”— 40:46
The Zadokite priesthood is singled out for faithful service, fulfilling the promise of 1 Samuel 2:35 and Ezekiel 44:15. Their exclusive access to the altar underscores the holiness required to draw near to God.
People & Places
People
- Ezekiel — The exiled prophet and priest who receives the visionary tour of the future temple.
- The man with the measuring reed — A bronze-like angelic figure who guides Ezekiel and measures every dimension of the temple complex.
- Sons of Zadok — The faithful priestly line descended from Levi, designated to keep the charge of the altar.
Places
- Land of Israel — The promised homeland to which Ezekiel is transported in vision while still physically in Babylonian exile.
- The very high mountain — The elevated vantage point — likely Mount Zion idealized — from which Ezekiel views the temple complex.
- The temple courts and gates — The outer and inner courts with their east, north, and south gates, chambers, and pavements meticulously measured.
- The altar — The central place of sacrifice standing before the house, around which the priestly ministry is ordered.
Prophecy & Fulfillment
This chapter inaugurates Ezekiel's grand temple vision (chapters 40–48), given in 573 B.C., fourteen years after Jerusalem fell. The visionary temple has never been built in the dimensions described, leading interpreters to read it as messianic and eschatological — pointing forward to the restored worship under Messiah. The high mountain and measuring reed (40:2–3) are deliberately echoed in Revelation 11:1 and 21:10–15, where John measures the New Jerusalem. The exalted role of the sons of Zadok (40:46) fulfills the promise of a faithful priest in 1 Samuel 2:35.
Devotional
Ezekiel receives this vision in exile, surrounded by ruin, fourteen years after the temple lay in ashes. Yet God shows him a house more glorious than the one Babylon destroyed. When our lives feel leveled — by loss, failure, or long waiting — God still has blueprints we cannot see.
Notice the angel's charge: behold, hear, set thine heart. Receiving God's word is whole-person work, not casual glance. And notice the patient measuring. Holiness has dimensions; worship has order. The God who numbers cubits also numbers our days, and nothing in His house — or in your life — is left to chance.
Literary Style
Apocalyptic visionary prophecy in detailed architectural prose. The chapter reads like a guided survey, dominated by precise measurements, repetitive formulae, and spatial movement from gate to gate. Its almost tedious specificity is itself a literary device, conveying the ordered holiness and certainty of God's future dwelling.