wall (ver. 7) and (lengthwise) over o.gainst east gate, and meo.suring, first the east, the separate pla.oe a.nd the buildings, i.e. next the north, thirdly the south, and the gizrah and the temple. Ewe.Id, Smend, lastly the west wo.ll, eo.ch five hundred and Keil decide that ver. 10 forms part of the description of a south set of chambers reeds in length, or three thousand cubits, only; but in order to make this good they so that the entire area of the quadrangle nlter t.he text by substituting 01,:;i:::i, "the = amounted to 3000 x 3000 9,000,000 square south," for c•:ip,!°J> "the eo.st." Plumptre cubits, equivalent to 2,250,000 square yo.rds. ri<rrees with Kliefoth and Hengstenberg in Ver. 15.-The inner houe was not the h~lding that two similar sets of cham hers a.re temple •as distinguished from its courts, described, one on the east side, and one on but the temple with its courts, which lay the south side of the inner court wall. The within the wo.ll about to be measured. principal objection to this is the fa.et that Ver. 16.-Five hundred reeds. Ewn.hl, only two suites, the north and the south, Hitzig, and Smend, with others, following nre referred to by the guide in vers.13 and 14. the LXX., regard this wall as that of the Vers. 13, 14.-These state the uses of the outer court, and change the " reeds" iuto chambers just described, and now named "oubits;" but the majority of expositors holy ohambers, to denote their separation adhere to the text, and understand the wall and dedication to sacred purposes. Those to be that of a great quadrangle which en- purposes, again, are defined as two. The compassed the whole structure, or the outer chambers were to serve as dining-halls and court and all within. robing rooms for the priests when they Yer. 20.-To make a separation between oflic-ia.ted in the temple. The most holy the sanctuary and the profane. In these things ; literally, the . holy of the hol!~s words the prophet indicates the purpose (comp. eh. xli. 4; Kliil. 12; xlv. 3; xlVlll. designed to be served by this particular 12; Lev. ii. 3; vi. 17, 25, 29; vii. 1, 6; wall; and although it may be said the x. 12, 17; xiv. 13 ; xriv. 9; xxvii. 28 ; outer court divided between the "sanc- Numb. xviii 9), signified those portions of tuary," or that which was holy, and the the different sacrificial offerings which were "profane," 07' that which was common, yet to be eaten by the priests as the servants a more decided separation would assuredly and representatives of Jehove.h (see Keil's • BibliBche Archaologie,' i. § 46) or of the THE TEMPLB COURT AND ITS PBEOINOTS. people (see Kurtz's • Sacrificial Worship of the Old Testament,' p. 240, Eng. transl.). Under the Law these were appointed to be eaten in the holy place beside the altar, (Lev. L 12, 13; Nnm~. xviii. 1~); in p Ezekiel's temple, a special qnarter m the near vicinity of the honse should be re- s~rved for this purpose. There those por- tions of the sacrifices that could be eaten were to be consumed; as e.g. the flesh of the p p sin and trespass offerings, and the meal of the meat offering· but as these could not be at once used, they were to be depos~ted there until they were prepared for ea.ting, the flesh by being boiled and t~e m~al by bein.,. mixed with oiL The obvious mten- p tion °of this was to convey an idea of the special sanctity of the worship _in which t~e priests were engaged ; and Just for this reason also they were required to arrar themselves in other garments (Lev. xvi. o, the temple court, 600 cubits square; I', tbe 23) when they entered on their priestly temple prec!Dcts, 3000 cubits square. functions. The putting on and off of these holy clothes took place in the chambers be made by extending in the way d~scn:bed now referred to. the precincts of the house. The obJect1ons usually offered to the view which regards Vers.15-20.-The temple precincts. The the present measurements as those of a seer's guide, having completed bis measure• larger qnadro.nglo encompassing the outer court are not sufficient to make that view ment of the house with its courts, proceeds impo;sible. (1) It is said that the "sanc- to measure its encompassing wall, for this tuary " al ways refers to the ~ouse ~s con- purpo~e conducting the prophet out by the trasted with its courts, especially with the ou. :nn. 1-20.J THE BOOK OF TRE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 857
outer court, nnd th11t in this sense it should re.ogle the house, with ifs courts and gates, here be \taken ; but the renclering, "that would wear e.n insignificant appearance; which is holy," shows how the idea of but, while this might he.ve been so had the special sanctity might easily be extended e.rea been crowded with other buildings, to the whole structure, including courts it is rather likely the.t in the midst of so as well e.s house (see Ps. cxiv. 2; De.n. ix. large e. ve.ce.nt space the temple and its 20). (2) It is urged the.t there is no other courts stand out with increased clearness, instance in which the measurements e.re if not with augmented size. (4) It is e.dded represented e.s having been to.ken by that the summit of Mount Moriah could •reeds" in the plure.l; bnt 11, gle.nce e.t not e.dmit of the construction of such e. vast eh. xiv. I, etc., e.nd xlviii. 16, will sbow quadrangle; and it is answered that this the.t this is incorrect. (3) It is represented shows the temple was e.n ideal house, never the.t in the centre of such e. huge que.d- meant to be built upon the literal Moriah. GROUND PLAN 011' TEMPLB. WllST
p Ja
!•I C
i i 0
'1 I
B I 8 1t C.
"JD IICAL& OI CUBl"l'II l\'O N,o., etc., gateways; o, outer court; P, pavement; 11:, cooklog--chambere for the prlestll; 11, bolllog-hoooae for the people; c, chambers on the pavement; o, the ,1zrab; o, prlest.B' chambers; •• fenco; 1, Inner coun I a. o., •· o. s. o., gates; .l, aUar of aacrlflco; w, watohen chambers I BP and e, the bonso._ 358 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. (on. XLII. 1-20.