The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 342

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XLII. the separate place w11s also a hundred cubits long (eh. xii. 13), it might seem This chapter furnishes a brief account of as if this erection ran exactly parallel to the priests' chambers in the outer court that, and this view is taken by Hengsten- (vcrs. 1-14), and a detailed measurement berg, Schroder, and Plumptre; but Kliefoth, of the temple precincts (vers. 15-20). Keil, and Currey, on the authority of eh. xlvi. 19, locate a priests' kitchen behind Vers. 1-14.-The priest.s' chambers. the priests' chambers towards the west, and Yer. 1.-The survey of the house having reserve for it forty cubits, on the plausible been completed, the seer was conducted by ground that it would not likely be smaller his guide int.o the outer court (see on eh. xl in size than the sacrificial kitchen for the 17), by the way toward the north, i.e. by the people (see eh. xlvi. 22). Hence, if the inner north gate (see eh. xl. 23), and from building under consideration began forty the outer court into the chamber that was cubits east of the gizrah wall, it would ex- over against the separate place, and which tend twenty cubits over the end and along was before the building toward the north, the length of the temple. That this chamber, or these chambera (~~~? Ver. 3.-Considerable difficulty attaches being a collective noun, though in vers. • 4 to the words of this verse, The twenty and 5 it occurs in the plural), were not the cubits which were for the inner oourt (better, same cells as those mentioned in eh. xl. 17, the twenty which belonged to the inner court) 44, as Hivemick supposes, is apparent have been ta.ken by Kliefoth to signify the from their situation and use. Those in eh. watchers' cells in the inner court, west of xl. 44 were in the inner, while these were the north door (eh. xl. 40-46), and by in the outer ; and if the cells spoken of in Plumptre to indicate an inner area of eh. tl 17 were in the outer court, they twenty cubits square, round which the were alBo on the pavement by the outer galleries in three stories ran. Both of wall, while the chambers now alluiled to these views, however, have this against were "over against," or in front of, the them, that they are purely conjectural, gizrah, or separate place (see on eh. xii. 12), the text in eh. xl. 40-46 sayin~ .nothing e.nd "over age.inst," or in front of, "the about twenty cubits in connection with building toward the north." This building the priests' chambers, and the text under Kiel, Hengstenberg, Schroder, and Plumptre review making no suggestion of an inner hold to have been the erection on the gizrah: area of twenty cubits, but only of the Ewald, Kliefoth, Smend, and Currey believe e.lreo.dy well-known "inner court." Hence it to have meant the temple. The question the opinion of Ewe.Id, Hengstenberg, Keil, o.e to which view is correct is immaterial, Schroder, nnd Currey has most in its since the row of chambers extended in front favour, that the "twenty" alongside of of parts of both buildings. Ewald, as usual, which the chamber now alluded to lay, follows the LXX., and translates, "brought meant the twenty cubits clear space which me to the fifteen (another Greek text has surrounded the temple on the south, west, five) cells;" but of this the Hebrew con- and north sides (see eh. xli. 12-14), and tains nothing. which could properly be spoken of as "for Ver. 2.-With this verae the .Authorized the inner court," rather as "belonging to and Revised Versions begin a new sentence, the inner court," since it was practically 11nd a.re in this at one with Smend; but the a continuation of the same. The pavement majority of expositors place the second verse which was for (or, belonged to) the outer under the regimen of the verb, '' he brought court, was mnnifestly that already described roe," in ver. 1, and understand the seer to as running along the inside of the outer state that he was planted down before the wall (see eh. xl. 17). If, as is likely, this length (or, long side) of an hundred cubits, pavement was continued along the north with the door toward the nurth, and the side of the inner court wall, then the Lreadth fifty cubit.. That ie to say, the priests' chambers must have stood u:pon it, building which contained the sacristies, or and been over against it on the east side, as priests' chambers, wa.a a hundred cubits Currey explains; but the easier and more long and fifty broad. All the building on natural supposition ill that adopted by Keil, cu. XLII. 1-20.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 355