I. Summary
The chambers of the Temple’s innermost courtyard as well as the outermost wall are measured and recorded.
II. Photo
The outer wall is a symbolic barrier: “[The Temple] had a wall completely surrounding it, 500 [cubits] long on each side, to separate the sacred from the profane.” (v. 20)
III. Select Verses
13-14: And he said to me, “The northern chambers and the southern chambers by the vacant space are the consecrated chambers in which the priests who have access to the LORD shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall deposit the most holy offerings — the meal offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings, for the place is consecrated. When the priests enter, they shall not proceed from the consecrated place to the outer court without first leaving here the vestments in which they minister; for the [vestments] are consecrated. Before proceeding to the area open to the people, they shall put on other garments.”
15: When he had finished the measurements of the inner Temple area, he led me out by way of the gate which faces east, and he measured off the entire area.
20: Thus he measured it on the four sides; it had a wall completely surrounding it, 500 [cubits] long on each side, to separate the consecrated from the unconsecrated.
IV. Outline
1-9. The northern chambers of the innermost courtyard
10-11. The eastern chambers of the innermost courtyard
12. The southern chambers of the innermost courtyard
13-14. Priestly usage of these chambers
15-20. The outermost gate, separating holy from profane
V. Comment
For a helpful video from bibliaprints.com which explains this chapter isometrically, see:
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
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