Ezekiel 42 6

Ezekiel 42:6 kjv

For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground.

Ezekiel 42:6 nkjv

For they were in three stories and did not have pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper level was shortened more than the lower and middle levels from the ground up.

Ezekiel 42:6 niv

The rooms on the top floor had no pillars, as the courts had; so they were smaller in floor space than those on the lower and middle floors.

Ezekiel 42:6 esv

For they were in three stories, and they had no pillars like the pillars of the courts. Thus the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and the middle ones.

Ezekiel 42:6 nlt

Since there were three levels and they did not have supporting columns as in the courtyards, each of the upper levels was set back from the level beneath it.

Ezekiel 42 verses

Ezekiel 42 6 meaning

Ezekiel 42:6 describes the specific architectural details of the side chambers in the visionary temple, particularly regarding their dimensions across different stories. The verse explains that the breadth, or width, of these chambers was not uniform across the three levels. When interpreted in conjunction with Ezekiel 42:5, it indicates that the chambers became progressively narrower as one ascended, meaning the uppermost chambers had less breadth than the middle chambers, and the middle chambers had less breadth than the lowest chambers. This tiered reduction in breadth was attributed to projecting galleries or supporting structures that encroached upon the space of the upper levels, emphasizing the meticulous and precise design of God's future sanctuary.

Ezekiel 42 6 Context

Ezekiel chapter 42 continues the prophet's detailed vision of a future temple, providing meticulous architectural plans that began in chapter 40. This vision was given to Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile (around 573 BC), offering hope and a blueprint for a future return and restoration of proper worship. Chapters 40-42 describe the outer court, the inner court, and then the various chambers surrounding the temple structure itself, including their dimensions and purpose. Specifically, Ezekiel 42 describes the side chambers for the priests, located to the north and south of the temple proper, facing the open court. Verse 6 clarifies how the dimensions of these side chambers changed across the different stories or levels (uppermost, middle, lowest), a detail crucial for understanding the overall structural integrity and divine order of the visionary edifice.

Ezekiel 42 6 Word analysis

• For (כִּי - kī): A conjunction used here to introduce an explanation or reason for the previous statement, specifically connecting to the observation in Ezekiel 42:5 about the narrowing of the upper chambers.

• their breadth (רוֹחַב - rōchav): Refers to the horizontal dimension, or width, of the side chambers. The possessive "their" indicates the dimensions belonging to these chambers themselves across their respective levels.

• was less than: This phrase translates a notoriously difficult and debated segment of the Hebrew text. Different scholarly interpretations lead to variations in precise meaning, but the general thrust implies a comparative reduction in width. It indicates a dimension that is shorter or narrower when compared to something else.

• the uppermost chambers (הָעֶלְיוֹנוֹת - hā‘elyōnōt): Refers to the rooms on the highest story. "Uppermost" highlights their position in the three-tiered structure.

• less than the middle (הַתִּכֹּנוֹת - hattiḵonot): Pertains to the intermediate story of chambers. This part further specifies the graded reduction in breadth between levels.

• and less than the lowest (וְהַתַּחְתֹּנוֹת - v’hattaḥtōnot): Refers to the chambers on the ground level or lowest story. This completes the three-tier comparison, establishing a distinct difference in width for each level.

• of the building (הַבִּנְיָן - habinyān): Encompasses the entire architectural structure, indicating that these chambers are an integral part of the larger temple complex.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "For their breadth was less than...": This phrase initiates an explanation, grounding the dimension of the chambers in a comparative manner, and hinting at a structured, intentional variation rather than a uniform design.
  • "...the uppermost chambers, less than the middle, and less than the lowest...": This describes a hierarchical and descending comparison of widths. When read in context with Ez 42:5, which states the upper chambers were narrower, it implies that as one ascended, the available chamber breadth decreased progressively from the lowest to the middle to the uppermost story. This indicates a stepped or tapered construction.
  • "...of the building.": This concluding phrase firmly places these detailed measurements within the context of the entire visionary temple, emphasizing that every minute detail contributes to the overall divine blueprint.

Ezekiel 42 6 Bonus section

The precise architectural details within Ezekiel's temple vision, including this verse, challenge interpreters due to their technical nature and often cryptic Hebrew. This ambiguity reflects a degree of divine mystery inherent in spiritual blueprints not fully graspable by human comprehension, yet nonetheless presented as an authentic divine revelation. The vision, while offering a detailed blueprint for a literal future temple for many, also carries profound symbolic significance, pointing towards God's future, perfected dwelling with His people, culminating in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22). The varying dimensions across the levels could symbolize a progressive decrease in accessible earthly human space as one ascends closer to the holy, reflecting principles of awe and reverence as one approaches God's immediate presence.

Ezekiel 42 6 Commentary

Ezekiel 42:6 is a specific detail within a larger, comprehensive vision of a new temple given by God. Despite some textual complexities and varying interpretations among scholars regarding its exact Hebrew wording, the general consensus is that the verse describes a physical design where the side chambers of the temple were not of uniform breadth across their three stories. Instead, the uppermost chambers were narrower than the middle, and the middle were narrower than the lowest. This progressive reduction in width upwards is often attributed to the need to support the structure and incorporate projecting galleries, which, by their design, diminished the internal space of the chambers at higher levels. This meticulous architectural detail highlights several key principles: God's ultimate sovereignty in design, His demand for precise order in His sanctuary, and the practical functionality even within a visionary blueprint. Such intricate details signify a holy and perfectly designed dwelling place for God, contrasting with the desecrated temples of human making, and reflecting the divine blueprint that undergirds all creation and sacred space. The emphasis on 'breadth being less' points to an intentional structural feature for stability and perhaps to accommodate walkways/galleries.