Ezekiel 46 22

Ezekiel 46:22 kjv

In the four corners of the court there were courts joined of forty cubits long and thirty broad: these four corners were of one measure.

Ezekiel 46:22 nkjv

In the four corners of the court were enclosed courts, forty cubits long and thirty wide; all four corners were the same size.

Ezekiel 46:22 niv

In the four corners of the outer court were enclosed courts, forty cubits long and thirty cubits wide; each of the courts in the four corners was the same size.

Ezekiel 46:22 esv

in the four corners of the court were small courts, forty cubits long and thirty broad; the four were of the same size.

Ezekiel 46:22 nlt

Each of these enclosures was 70 feet long and 52 1?2 feet wide, surrounded by walls.

Ezekiel 46 verses

Ezekiel 46 22 meaning

Ezekiel 46:22 describes four uniform, small courts located at each corner of the outer court within Ezekiel's visionary temple. These precise dimensions—forty cubits long and thirty cubits wide—emphasize God's meticulous design, order, and intentional functionality for specific aspects of worship, specifically the preparation of offerings as further clarified in subsequent verses.

Ezekiel 46 22 Context

Ezekiel 46:22 is embedded within the final major section of the book of Ezekiel (chapters 40-48), which details an extensive and highly structured vision of a new temple, its worship, and the re-apportionment of the land of Israel. This vision was given to Ezekiel while in Babylonian exile, serving as a beacon of hope and a blueprint for a future ideal spiritual and physical restoration of Israel, following the destruction of Solomon's Temple.

Specifically, chapter 46 outlines the ordinances for the prince and the people concerning their offerings, the sacred feasts, and regulations for using the temple gates. Verses 19-24 of this chapter describe the designated places within the outer court where the temple ministers are to prepare the various sacrifices. Verse 21 refers to cooking places for the priests' grain offerings, and then verse 22 introduces these "small courts" that are functionally kitchens where the people's offerings are prepared (as clarified in Eze 46:24). The verse emphasizes the divine meticulousness and the spatial separation required for specific sacred activities, reflecting a high standard of holiness and order that God demands for His worship.

Ezekiel 46 22 Word analysis

• In the four corners (בארבע פנות - bāʾarbaʿ pīnôṯ):
  • four (ʾarbaʿ): The numeral four frequently appears in Ezekiel, symbolizing totality, completeness, or universality, often related to cardinal directions or symmetrical structures. It emphasizes a comprehensive, divine design encompassing all aspects.
  • corners (pīnôṯ): Refers to the physical extremities or angles of a structure. Placing specific courts "in the four corners" indicates a distinct, symmetrically arranged functionality within the larger architectural plan.
• of the court (החצר - heḥāṣēr):
  • court (ḥāṣēr): Refers to the open enclosure or courtyard. Here, it refers to the outer court (implied from the surrounding description), a larger area accessible to the people, in contrast to the more restricted inner court.
• there were small courts (חצרות קטנות - ḥăṣērôṯ qəṭannôṯ):
  • small (qəṭannôṯ): Emphasizes these are not the main expansive courts but distinct, subsidiary enclosures. This distinction highlights specialized functions and boundaries within the larger sacred complex.
  • courts (ḥăṣērôṯ): Plural of ḥāṣēr, indicating multiple (four) enclosed areas, again underscoring separate, specific purposes for these spaces.
• forty cubits long (ארבעים אמה ארך - ʾarbaʿîm ʾammâ ʾōreḵ):
  • forty (ʾarbaʿîm): A precise number. In biblical numerology, forty often signifies a period of testing, purification, or completion, though here it functions primarily as a fixed measurement.
  • cubits (ʾammâ): The primary unit of length in ancient Israel, roughly 18-21 inches. Crucially, Eze 40:5 specifies Ezekiel's cubit as "a cubit and a handbreadth" (approx. 20.6 inches or 52.3 cm), indicating an elevated standard of measurement for this divine temple.
  • long (ʾōreḵ): The length dimension.
• and thirty cubits wide (ושלשים אמה רחב - ûšəlōšîm ʾammâ rōḥaḇ):
  • thirty (šəlōšîm): Another exact measurement. The consistent use of specific numbers reinforces the meticulous and unchangeable nature of God's design.
  • wide (rōḥaḇ): The width dimension.
• these four corners (ארבע פנות האלה - ʾarbaʿ pīnôṯ hāʾēlleh):
  • The repetition of "four corners" (first in verse and now in emphasis) underlines the fixed, uniform, and symmetrical arrangement of these spaces.
• were of the same size (מידה אחת היתה להם - middâ ʾeḥāṯ hāyəṯâ lāhem):
  • same size (middâ ʾeḥāṯ): Literally "one measure." This key phrase signifies perfect uniformity, symmetry, and consistent divine order in the architectural layout. It reinforces that God's plan is not arbitrary but precise and harmonious across all its components.

Ezekiel 46 22 Bonus section

• These small courts are vital because they bridge the gap between the sacrifices handled by priests in the inner sanctuary and the congregational participation in offering and feasting. By having designated, uniformly sized kitchens in the outer court for the people's offerings, the vision maintains the necessary separation and purity while still allowing the populace to partake in the sacrificial system.
• The meticulous detailing of dimensions (40x30 cubits with Ezekiel's larger cubit) indicates that nothing in God's divine blueprint is accidental or left to human discretion. Every aspect, even the cooking spaces, reflects divine intention and demands exact adherence.
• The emphasis on "same size" (מִדָּה אַחַת - middâ ʾeḥāṯ) signifies more than just physical symmetry. It implies impartiality and standard—the divine requirement for all participants, whether prince or commoner, in their respective roles and spaces, reflecting God's justice and order.

Ezekiel 46 22 Commentary

Ezekiel 46:22 is a foundational verse in understanding the architectural precision of the visionary temple. The placement of four uniform, "small courts" in each corner of the outer court signals God's insistence on absolute order, functionality, and specific delineation of space for holy activities. These courts, later identified as places for preparing the people's peace and grain offerings (Eze 46:23-24), represent a structured approach to congregational participation in worship. Their consistent dimensions underscore a principle of divine consistency and justice—that God's design is perfect, complete, and without arbitrary variations. This foresight for dedicated, segregated cooking areas maintained the sacred integrity of the main temple areas and the holiness required even in preparatory acts of worship, preventing defilement and upholding strict ritual purity standards. It highlights that worship is not only about the final act but also the careful, ordered preparation leading up to it, reflecting a God of both grandeur and intricate detail.