Ezekiel 41 3

Ezekiel 41:3 kjv

Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits.

Ezekiel 41:3 nkjv

Also he went inside and measured the doorposts, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits high; and the width of the entrance, seven cubits.

Ezekiel 41:3 niv

Then he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance; each was two cubits wide. The entrance was six cubits wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were seven cubits wide.

Ezekiel 41:3 esv

Then he went into the inner room and measured the jambs of the entrance, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits; and the sidewalls on either side of the entrance, seven cubits.

Ezekiel 41:3 nlt

Then he went beyond the sanctuary into the inner room. He measured the walls on either side of its entrance, and they were 3 1?2 feet thick. The entrance was 10 1?2 feet wide, and the walls on each side of the entrance were 12 1?4 feet long.

Ezekiel 41 verses

Ezekiel 41 3 meaning

Ezekiel 41:3 describes the prophetic guide, divinely commissioned, entering a more inward section of the visionary temple. He precisely measured key dimensions of an entrance within this inner area: the jamb, or doorpost, had a thickness of two cubits; the height of the entrance was six cubits; and its total width measured seven cubits. This verse emphasizes the meticulous detail, divine order, and exact architectural specifications given for this ideal sanctuary, highlighting its sacred nature and purpose within God's plan for Israel's restoration.

Ezekiel 41 3 Context

Ezekiel 41:3 is part of the extensive visionary account in chapters 40-48, where the prophet Ezekiel receives a detailed tour of a future, ideal temple complex. This vision, given during the Babylonian exile (circa 573 BC), serves as a profound message of hope and restoration to a demoralized people who had seen their first temple destroyed and their land devastated. The meticulous measurements, from the outer wall inwards, emphasize God's perfect plan for Israel's renewed worship and habitation of His presence. Chapter 41 specifically describes the structure and dimensions of the temple building itself, after having explored the outer and inner courts. The precise detailing of entrances and inner chambers, down to cubit exactness, contrasts sharply with the desolation and defilement that led to the destruction of the Solomonic temple, assuring the exiles that God's future dwelling among them would be pure, orderly, and divinely sanctioned. This divine blueprint underscored Yahweh's unique order against the backdrop of more chaotic, man-made cultic structures prevalent in the Ancient Near East, providing a counter-narrative to syncretistic practices and the pagan temples of Babylon.

Ezekiel 41 3 Word analysis

• Then he went inward (וַיָּבֹא אֶל־הַפְּנִימָה – vayyavo el-happ'nīmāh)
  • "went" (vayyavo): From the Hebrew verb bow' (בֹא), meaning "to enter" or "to go in." The hiphil conjugation implies a guided or directed action.
  • "inward" (el-happ'nīmāh): The preposition el (to/towards) with happ'nīmāh (the inward/inner part). This signifies a progression into more sacred or sequestered areas of the temple, highlighting a gradual unveiling of holiness and proximity to God's presence.
  • Significance: The progression inward underscores a movement from public to increasingly sacred space, mirroring the graded holiness within the tabernacle and Solomonic temple structures, which had outer courts, an inner court, the holy place, and finally, the Most Holy Place.
• and measured (וַיָּמֹד – vayyamod)
  • From the Hebrew verb madad (מָדַד), meaning "to measure" or "to apportion."
  • Significance: This action is central to the entire vision of Ezekiel 40-48. It implies divine precision, divine authority, and the meticulous blueprint of God. The act of measuring ensures that the temple conforms to exact heavenly specifications, emphasizing perfection, order, and separation from anything impure.
• the jamb of the entrance (אֵיל הַפֶּתַח – 'el happetah)
  • "jamb" ('ayil): Can mean "ram," "pillar," "doorpost," or "strong one." In an architectural context, it specifically refers to a doorpost or column, a fundamental structural element of an entryway.
  • "entrance" (happetah): From petah (פֶּתַח), meaning "opening," "door," or "gate."
  • Significance: This refers to the side posts that frame the doorway. Their structural integrity and precise dimensions are crucial for defining access, stability, and the overall design of the sacred space.
• two cubits (אַמָּה – 'ammah)
  • "cubits" ('ammah): A standard unit of length in the ancient world, approximately 18 inches (45 cm) or, as specified in Ezekiel 40:5, the "long cubit" of 6 handbreadths (approximately 21 inches or 53 cm), meaning it was larger than the common cubit. This larger cubit applies throughout Ezekiel's vision.
  • "two": A number that can signify strength, witness, or division. Here, it specifies the thickness of the doorpost, giving it substantial solidity.
  • Significance: The precise numerical value, using the 'long cubit,' emphasizes the substantial, well-constructed, and specific nature of this entrance.
• and the entrance, six cubits high (וְהַפֶּתַח שֵׁשׁ־אַמֹּות גֹּבַהּ – v'happetah shesh-'ammot goval)
  • "six cubits" (shesh-'ammot): Specifies the vertical dimension.
  • "high" (goval): Refers to height.
  • Significance: The number six often relates to humanity (created on the sixth day) or earthly activity. However, in this architectural context, it is a direct measurement, indicating the functional and structural height of this access point.
• and the width of the entrance, seven cubits (וָרֹחַב הַפֶּתַח שֶׁבַע אַמֹּות – va'rohav happetah sheva' 'ammot)
  • "width" (rohav): Refers to the horizontal dimension.
  • "seven cubits" (sheva' 'ammot): Specifies the horizontal extent of the entryway.
  • Significance: The number seven frequently symbolizes completeness, perfection, or divine order in biblical numerology (e.g., seven days of creation, seven feasts). Its application to the width of the entrance may symbolically suggest complete or perfect access, or an entrance designed with divine perfection.

Ezekiel 41 3 Bonus section

• The Long Cubit of Ezekiel: A critical detail for understanding all measurements in Ezekiel's temple vision is that the 'cubit' is not the standard cubit (approx. 18 inches / 45 cm) but explicitly defined in Eze 40:5 as a "cubit and a handbreadth" – approximately 21 inches (53 cm). This longer cubit implies an even greater magnitude for all stated dimensions, emphasizing the grandeur and ideal nature of the visionary temple, making it larger than previous structures.
• Symbolism of Numbers in Temple Dimensions: While all dimensions serve functional purposes, the recurring use of certain numbers like 2, 6, and 7 within biblical architecture (Tabernacle, Solomon's Temple) often carries symbolic weight. "Two" can suggest division or testimony; "six" is often associated with humanity or incompletion apart from God; and "seven" signifies completeness or divine perfection. The precise width of "seven cubits" for an entrance can therefore be seen to underscore a 'perfect' or divinely sanctioned access to this sacred space, or reflect the overall complete design.
• The Guide's Role: The angelic or divine guide actively measuring (as opposed to Ezekiel merely observing) emphasizes the divine agency and direct involvement in designing this temple. It suggests God's absolute control and intimate knowledge of every facet of His dwelling place and the appropriate ways to approach Him.

Ezekiel 41 3 Commentary

Ezekiel 41:3 offers a glimpse into the profound attention to detail within God's ideal temple blueprint. The guided measurements signify divine authorship and purpose, not human invention. Moving "inward" suggests a progressive access to increasing holiness, closer to God's manifest presence. The specified dimensions – two, six, and seven cubits for the jamb's thickness, entrance height, and width respectively – reinforce the notion of a divinely ordered structure built according to exacting standards, employing the larger "long cubit" particular to Ezekiel's vision (Eze 40:5). This precision serves as a theological counterpoint to the previous destruction, highlighting that God's restoration would be meticulously perfect and holy, contrasting sharply with defiled worship. Ultimately, this visionary temple, with its carefully defined entrances, points beyond physical architecture to the spiritual access God provides through Christ and His Holy Spirit, leading into a relationship with a God of perfect order and sacred design.