Ezekiel 41:6 kjv
And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house.
Ezekiel 41:6 nkjv
The side chambers were in three stories, one above the other, thirty chambers in each story; they rested on ledges which were for the side chambers all around, that they might be supported, but not fastened to the wall of the temple.
Ezekiel 41:6 niv
The side rooms were on three levels, one above another, thirty on each level. There were ledges all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports were not inserted into the wall of the temple.
Ezekiel 41:6 esv
And the side chambers were in three stories, one over another, thirty in each story. There were offsets all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side chambers, so that they should not be supported by the wall of the temple.
Ezekiel 41:6 nlt
These side rooms were built in three levels, one above the other, with thirty rooms on each level. The supports for these side rooms rested on exterior ledges on the Temple wall; they did not extend into the wall.
Ezekiel 41 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 41:6 | Side chambers ... lower by a cubit than the main floor of the house. | Separation of spaces |
| 1 Kings 6:5-6 | Rooms were built against the wall of the house, surrounding the inner shrine. | Practical construction detail |
| Jeremiah 17:12 | The throne of glory from the beginning, the place of our sanctuary. | Significance of sacred space |
| Hebrews 9:3 | Beyond the second veil, the tabernacle called the Most Holy Place. | Levels of holiness |
| Revelation 21:12 | Had a great, high wall with twelve gates... | Symbolic representation of divine dwelling |
| Exodus 25:9 | According to all that I show you, the pattern of the tabernacle and its furnishings. | Divine blueprint |
| Exodus 26:33 | And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the Ark of the Testimony in there behind the veil. | Separation of Holy and Most Holy |
| John 2:20 | "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple..." | Temple as a physical structure |
| Acts 7:49 | 'Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool...' | Divine transcendence |
| Isaiah 6:1 | I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up... | Majesty of God |
| Psalm 99:1-5 | The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim... | Divine enthronement |
| Matthew 5:34-36 | But I say to you, Do not swear at all... nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. | Reverence for sacred places |
| Leviticus 19:30 | You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary. I am the Lord. | Command for reverence |
| 1 Corinthians 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? | Believers as God's temple |
| 1 Corinthians 6:19 | Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit...? | Believers as God's temple |
| Hebrews 8:2 | A sanctuary and a true tabernacle, which the Lord set up, not man. | True heavenly sanctuary |
| Revelation 11:19 | Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. | Heavenly temple's ark seen |
| Ezekiel 10:4 | Then the glory of the Lord mounted up from the cherubim... | Divine presence departing |
| 2 Chronicles 5:14 | ...the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. | Divine glory filling temple |
| Psalm 132:13-14 | For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. "This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell..." | God's dwelling in Zion |
| Zechariah 8:3 | Thus says the Lord: "I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem..." | God's return to Jerusalem |
Ezekiel 41 verses
Ezekiel 41 6 Meaning
The side chambers, along with their paved floors, were to be constructed one cubit (about 18 inches or 45 cm) lower than the inner house. This measured offset in elevation facilitated a distinct separation between the sacred space of the inner sanctuary and the surrounding ancillary rooms.
Ezekiel 41 6 Context
This verse is found within the detailed visionary account of Ezekiel, specifically concerning the future temple. The prophet is shown a symbolic representation of God's dwelling place. Chapter 41 focuses on the structure and dimensions of the inner sanctuary and the chambers surrounding it. The context emphasizes the orderliness, perfection, and holiness of this divinely ordained structure. The slight elevation difference described in verse 6 serves to highlight the unique sanctity of the innermost part of the temple complex. This vision comes at a time when Jerusalem and its temple lay in ruins, offering a message of hope and restoration for Israel, a vision of God’s purified presence among His people.
Ezekiel 41 6 Word Analysis
And (וְ / ve): Connects clauses, indicating addition or continuation.
the side (מִצַּע): From צֵלָע (tsela'). Means side, rib, or chamber. Refers to the adjoining rooms.
chambers (הַצֶּלָעוֹת / hatstsela'ot): Plural of צֵלָע (tsela'). Highlights multiple surrounding rooms.
shall be (וְהָיוּ / vehayu): Future tense of היה (hayah), "to be." Indicates a state or condition.
one (אַחַת / achat): Feminine singular of אֶחָד (echad). Denotes a single unit.
cubit (אַמָּה / amma): Unit of length, traditionally based on the forearm. Significant measurement in biblical construction.
lower (תַּחְתִּיֹּת / taḥtiyyot): From תַּחַת (taḥat), meaning under or below. Describes the position relative to something else.
than (מִן / min): Preposition indicating comparison or separation.
the floor (מִשְׂרַק): From סֶרֶק (sereq), likely referring to a flooring material or substance. Can mean a coating or layer, suggesting a specific finish.
of the main house (הַבַּיִת / habbayit): "The house" or "the building." Refers to the primary structure, the inner sanctuary itself.
and their floors (וְרִצְפָתָם / veritspahtam): "and their floors/pavement." Indicates that the side chambers also had their own flooring, which was set lower.
lower by a cubit (מִן הַמִּשְׂרָק הַבַּיִת / min hamisrāk habbayit): This phrase precisely states the relational depth. The paving of the side chambers was one cubit beneath the paving of the main house. This small but significant difference demarcates levels of accessibility and sacredness.
Ezekiel 41 6 Bonus Section
The cubit (אַמָּה - amma) was a fundamental unit of measurement in ancient Near Eastern cultures, including Israel. Its precise length varied, but it was generally understood to be the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. This grounding of measurement in the human body adds an anthropological dimension to divine architecture, suggesting God's design is relational. The Hebrew term for floor, מִשְׂרַק (misraq), possibly refers to a polished stone or tiled floor, implying a refined and finished surface fitting for a sacred structure. This detail, like others in Ezekiel’s vision, points towards a perfected dwelling of God.
Ezekiel 41 6 Commentary
The architectural detail of the side chambers being a cubit lower than the main house’s floor emphasizes the layered approach to holiness. This descent into lower elevation signifies a gradual progression away from the innermost sacred core of the temple. It serves as a tangible representation of approaching God, where proximity and presence require a greater degree of sacredness. This slight spatial adjustment communicates a profound theological principle: a distinction between sacred zones, with the central sanctuary being the holiest. It reinforces the idea of gradual access into God's presence, not unlike the steps required to enter different courts in ancient temples or the distinction between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle.