Ezekiel 40:26 kjv
And 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.
Ezekiel 40:26 nkjv
Seven steps led up to it, and its archway was in front of them; and it had palm trees on its gateposts, one on this side and one on that side.
Ezekiel 40:26 niv
Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them; it had palm tree decorations on the faces of the projecting walls on each side.
Ezekiel 40:26 esv
And there were seven steps leading up to it, and its vestibule was before them, and it had palm trees on its jambs, one on either side.
Ezekiel 40:26 nlt
This gateway also had a stairway of seven steps leading up to it, and an entry room at the inner end, and palm tree decorations along the dividing walls.
Ezekiel 40 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 25:9 | "According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture..." | Divine pattern and exact blueprints given for holy structures. |
| 1 Kgs 6:7 | "And the house, when it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry..." | Solomon's Temple also built with precision and detailed plans. |
| 1 Kgs 7:15-22 | "He cast two bronze pillars, each eighteen cubits high..." | Describes ornate pillars and decorative elements in Solomon's Temple. |
| 2 Chr 3:5 | "He paneled the main room with cypress wood and overlaid it with fine gold..." | Shows a historical precedent for detailed decoration in the temple. |
| 2 Chr 4:1 | "Then he made an altar of bronze, twenty cubits long..." | Continues describing dimensions and features of Solomon's temple. |
| Ezra 6:3-4 | "Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt..." | Reference to the rebuilding of the physical temple post-exile. |
| Hag 2:7-9 | "‘And I will shake all the nations, and they will come with the wealth of all nations...’" | Prophecy of the latter glory of the house being greater, potentially alluding to this grand future temple. |
| Isa 60:13 | "The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the cypress, the elm, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary..." | Foretells future splendor and beauty of God's sanctuary. |
| Ps 92:12-13 | "The righteous person will flourish like the palm tree, he will grow like a cedar in Lebanon..." | Palm trees symbolize the righteous, life, and thriving in God’s courts. |
| Lev 23:40 | "On the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees..." | Palm branches used in the Feast of Booths, symbolizing joy, rest, and God's dwelling. |
| Neh 8:15-17 | "And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem... 'Go out to the hills and bring branches... of palm trees...' " | Palm trees used in celebrating the Feast of Booths after the return from exile. |
| Zech 6:12-13 | "Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of armies, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch... he will build the temple of the Lord.” ’ " | Points to the Messiah as the one who builds the spiritual temple. |
| Matt 21:8-9 | "Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road..." | Palm branches used for triumph and welcome for Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. |
| Jn 10:9 | "I am the gate; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." | Christ as the ultimate 'gate' to God’s presence and salvation. |
| Heb 4:16 | "Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with confidence..." | Believers now have access to God through Christ, an aspect foreshadowed by the temple's accessibility. |
| Heb 8:5 | "who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God..." | The earthly tabernacle/temple was a pattern of heavenly realities, connecting the physical description to divine design. |
| Rev 1:20 | "As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches." | The number seven symbolizes divine completeness or perfection. |
| Rev 7:9-10 | "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude... standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands..." | Palm branches symbolize victory, worship, and salvation for the redeemed in God’s presence. |
| Rev 11:1-2 | "Then there was given to me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, 'Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it...'" | Another divine instruction for measuring a spiritual/heavenly temple. |
| Rev 21:12-14 | "It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them..." | Describes the future Heavenly Jerusalem with detailed gates and architectural elements. |
| Rev 22:14 | "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city." | Links the redeemed to entrance through gates, and the Tree of Life (echoing symbolic trees). |
| Eph 2:19-22 | "So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household... a holy temple in the Lord..." | Believers form a spiritual temple, emphasizing living stones, designed by God. |
Ezekiel 40 verses
Ezekiel 40 26 Meaning
Ezekiel 40:26 details specific architectural elements of the outer gate in the visionary temple given to Ezekiel by God. It describes the seven steps leading up to the gate's ascent, the presence of its vestibules or chambers, and decorative palm tree carvings on the gateposts. This precise description emphasizes the divinely ordained order, grand design, and the symbolic beauty and life within the future temple.
Ezekiel 40 26 Context
Ezekiel 40 inaugurates a new section of the book (chapters 40-48), detailing a grand, extensive vision of a future temple and its environs. This vision occurs in the twenty-fifth year of Ezekiel's exile (Ezek 40:1), approximately 14 years after Jerusalem's fall. At this point, the Judahite exiles in Babylon would have lost the First Temple, which had been desecrated and destroyed. This meticulous, divine blueprint for a new, idealized temple offered a profound message of hope and restoration for a desolate people. It underscored God’s enduring presence among His people and the ultimate establishment of His righteous dwelling. The extensive architectural specifications were not merely descriptive; they signified purity, order, separation, and access to God's holy presence, designed to reverse the defilement that led to the destruction of the former temple and God's departure (Ezek 10-11). The detailed measurements like those in verse 26 ensured divine precision, eliminating human deviation, contrasting implicitly with the perceived failures or compromises of past religious practices.
Ezekiel 40 26 Word analysis
- And there were seven steps:
- "seven" (Hebrew: sheba): A number carrying significant theological weight in Scripture, frequently associated with completion, perfection, divine order, and sacredness. Its presence here highlights the divine nature and perfect design of this visionary temple structure.
- "steps" (Hebrew: maʿaleh - מַעֲלֶה): Literally "ascent" or "going up." This signifies a rising motion, indicating a hierarchical structure and the sacred journey towards God's presence. Access is not flat or direct but requires an ascent, symbolizing the holiness and elevation of the divine dwelling.
- to ascend to it: Reinforces the notion of elevating oneself or being lifted towards a higher, holier place. It speaks of a measured approach to the sacred.
- and its arches were before them:
- "arches" (Hebrew: ’êlam - אֵילַ֥ם): This term usually refers to a porch, vestibule, or large hall at the entrance of a building, or specifically, a large entryway or portico supported by columns/pillars. Here, it denotes specific structural parts of the gate complex, indicating their prominence and design. Some translations render this as "chambers" or "portico," pointing to enclosed spaces or colonnaded areas forming part of the gate structure, reinforcing the idea of a guarded, orderly entry.
- "before them": Positioned strategically as one approaches the gate, forming the immediate architectural impression and serving as an integral part of the gate's functionality and design.
- and it had palm trees on its gateposts:
- "palm trees" (Hebrew: tâmâr - תָּמָר): The palm tree is a robust, fruitful, and majestic tree. In biblical symbolism, it often represents righteousness, prosperity, flourishing, beauty, and victory. Its carving on temple structures, as seen in Solomon's Temple (1 Kgs 6:29, 32), connects this visionary temple to earlier, revered holy places while emphasizing life, divine blessing, and sustained fruitfulness.
- "on its gateposts": Indicates the position of these carvings, integrated directly into the structural pillars or supports of the gate. This is not merely ornamentation but symbolism deeply embedded in the very fabric of the sacred entryway.
- one on each side: Specifies a balanced and symmetrical arrangement, typical of divine design, further highlighting the order and completeness of the vision.
Ezekiel 40 26 Bonus section
The repetitive use of measurements and precise details throughout Ezekiel 40-42 serves several purposes. It underscores the certainty and tangibility of God's promised restoration, not as a vague idea but as a divinely calculated reality. For the exiled audience, such exactitude would instill confidence that God's plans are steadfast and reliable, in stark contrast to the destruction they had witnessed. Furthermore, this emphasis on detailed design implicitly communicates a separation between the holy and the profane, a foundational principle in Old Testament worship. The dimensions and the specific elements, like the seven steps and palm tree carvings, function as boundaries and indicators of sacred space, dictating how God's presence is approached and accessed. This rigorous blueprint, including its decorative elements, suggests that every part of God's dwelling, even seemingly minor details, bears divine purpose and meaning, pointing to His ultimate sovereignty and purity.
Ezekiel 40 26 Commentary
Ezekiel 40:26 provides precise architectural details that are fundamental to understanding the vision's significance. The "seven steps" are not arbitrary but speak to a deliberate, sanctified ascent, pointing to the holy nature of God's presence and the reverent approach required. The number "seven" consistently denotes completion and perfection, indicating a divinely engineered structure. The mention of "arches" or vestibules describes specific functional and aesthetic components of the gate complex, reinforcing the meticulous and well-defined boundaries of this sacred space. Crucially, the "palm trees on its gateposts" are a profound symbol. Beyond mere decoration, they recall earlier temple designs (1 Kgs 6) and convey themes of life, prosperity, divine blessing, and righteousness (Ps 92:12-13). For a people in exile, seeing God's future dwelling envisioned with such enduring symbols of vitality and divine order offered immense hope and assurance of restoration. The emphasis on detailed design highlights God’s meticulous plan for the worship and renewed relationship with His people, providing a tangible hope for future redemption and the manifestation of His glory.