Ezekiel 40:1-49

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Ezekiel’s reference to the “twenty-fifth year of our exile” refers to the twenty-fifth year when King Jehoiachin, members of the royal household, warriors, skilled artisans, metalworkers, and others, including Ezekiel, were taken into Babylonian exile. (2 Kings 24:12-16) This was also the fourteenth year after Jerusalem fell to the troops under the command of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon. The month was Nisan, the first month of the year, and the tenth day of that month. These specifics are commonly considered to indicate that it was the spring of 573 BCE. At that time the “hand of YHWH” came to be on Ezekiel, or YHWH’s spirit became operative on him. (40:1)

Not literally but “in visions [a vision (LXX)] of God” or in “visions” that had God as their source, Ezekiel was transported to the “land of Israel” and was set down on a “very high mountain.” Apparently to the south of that location, Ezekiel saw what appeared to him like the “structure” of a city. (40:2) Upon being brought to the location, he saw a man there, a man who had the “appearance of [gleaming (LXX)] copper” or bronze. This man had a “flax [a builders’ (LXX)] cord” in his hand and also had a “measuring reed.” He stood at the “gate” of what had looked to Ezekiel like the “structure” of a city. The man was an angel who served as Ezekiel’s guide. (40:3)

The man or angel said to Ezekiel, “Son of man” [or mortal], see with your eyes and hear with your ears, and set your heart [or give undivided attention] to all that I will show you, for you were brought here that I might show [these things] to you. Proclaim all that you see to the house [or people] of Israel” or to fellow Israelite exiles. (40:4; see the Notes section.)

Ezekiel saw a temple complex [literally, a “house”] with a wall all around it. It appears that it was this complex that, according to verse 2, looked to him like the “structure” of a city. The angel who functioned as Ezekiel’s guide held a “measuring reed of 6 cubits” in his hand. This cubit was a handbreadth longer than a standard cubit. The angel measured the structure, apparently the wall, and it was “one reed” (c. 10½ feet or over 3 meters) wide and one reed high. (40:5; see the Notes section.) After climbing the seven steps of the gate that faced east, the angel measured the threshold. It was one reed wide. (40:6, 22, 26; see the Notes section.) This gate led to a passageway on both sides of which were “chambers” or alcoves. Each alcove (thee [LXX]) was “one reed” long and one reed wide. There was a distance of 5 cubits (c. 8¾ feet; c. 2.7 meters) between the alcoves. These alcoves functioned as guard chambers. As in the case of the eastern “threshold of the gate,” the “threshold of the gate” at the opposite side of the passageway measured “one reed.” Apparently there were two porches, with the “porch” on the west side of the passageway being referred to as the “porch of the gate from the house” or the one that was closer to the temple than the one on the east side. A number of modern translations are more specific in their renderings than is the Hebrew text. “And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep.” (NIV) “And the threshold of the gate by the vestibule of the gate at the inner end was one reed deep.” (NRSV) “Beyond the guardrooms there was a passageway 10 feet long that led to an entrance room which faced the Temple.” (TEV) “The threshold of the gateway at the end of the vestibule on the side facing the temple was one rod.” (REB) (40:7; see the Notes section for verses 5 and 7.)

The angel “measured the porch of the gate from the house.” The distance was “one reed” (c. 10½ feet or over 3 meters). Perhaps this means that the angel measured the width of the inside passageway of the porch, doing so while being at the far end of the porch opposite the “house” or temple. The Septuagint contains a different rendering, and provides no clarification for the obscure Hebrew text. It indicates that the length and breadth of the “third thee” (chamber or alcove) was one “reed.” (40:8)

Seemingly, the angel next measured the exterior of the “porch of the gate” from north to south. The dimensions were 8 cubits (c. 14 feet; c. 4.2 meters) for the main section and 2 cubits (c. 3½ feet; c. 1 meter) for the pillars or supports. It appears that the angel measured the section of the porch that faced the temple (literally, “from the house”). It may be that the threshold was recessed. This could explain why the threshold was two cubits narrower than the distance from the pillar on the north side to the one on the south side of the section of the porch that faced the temple (literally, the “porch of the gate from the house”). (40:9; see the Notes section.)

On each side of the passageway of the east gate, there were three alcoves or guard chambers. The dimensions for each of the six guard chambers were identical, as also were the dimensions of the pillars or supports. (40:10; see the Notes section.)

The angel “measured the width of the entry of the gate.” It was 10 cubits (c. 17½ feet; c. 5.3 meters). The “length of the gate” itself was 13 cubits (c. 22¾ feet; c. 6.9 meters) or 3 cubits more than the entrance. In this case, the designation “length” appears to apply to the dimension of the wider interior passageway of the gate when measured from side to side. A number of modern translations convey this basic meaning. “The man measured the gateway entrance, which was 17½ feet wide at the opening and 22¾ feet wide in the gateway passage.” (NLT) “Next, the man measured the width of the passageway, and it was twenty-two feet, but the two doors of the gate were only sixteen feet wide.” (CEV) “He measured the entrance of the gateway; it was ten cubits wide, and the width of the gateway itself throughout its length was thirteen cubits.” (REB) (40:11)

There was a barrier or wall of one cubit (c. 21 inches; c. 53 centimeters) in front of the alcoves or guard chambers [theim [LXX]) on both sides of the passageway. The alcoves [thee (LXX)] were 6 cubits square(c. 10½ feet or over 3 meters). (40:12; see the Notes section.) It appears that the angel measured a section of the gate from the rear (literally, “roof”) of one alcove or guard chamber (“wall of the thee [LXX]) to the rear (literally, “roof”) of the one (“wall of the thee [LXX]) on the opposite side. The distance was 25 cubits (c. 43¾ feet; c. 13.3 meters). According to verse 11, the “length of the gate” or the distance from one side to the other was 13 cubits, and this would have been the width of the passageway between the alcoves along its sides. With each alcove or guard chamber being 6 cubits square, the distance from the rear wall of one to the rear wall of the one on the opposite side would have been 25 cubits. Seemingly, the words that may be rendered “opening opposite opening” or “door opposite door” (“gate upon [across from] gate” [LXX]) serve to indicate that the distance was from one side to the opposite side. (40:13)

The obscure Hebrew text makes it difficult to determine what the angel “made” or measured. A literal rendering would be, “He made the pillars 60 cubits [c. 105 feet; c. 32 meters] and to the pillar of the court the gate round about.” The Septuagint is also obscure and includes transliterations of Hebrew words. “And the atrium of the ailam [porch] of the gate 60 cubits — 20 theim [chambers] of the gate all around.” Modern translations vary in their conjectural renderings, with some using wording from the Septuagint. “He measured along the faces of the projecting walls all around the inside of the gateway — sixty cubits. The measurement was up to the portico facing the courtyard.” (NIV) “He measured the dividing walls all along the inside of the gateway up to the entry room of the gateway; this distance was 105 feet.” (NLT) “He made the vestibule — 60 cubits — and the gate next to the support on every side of the court.” (Tanakh [JPS, 1985 edition]) “He measured also the vestibule, twenty cubits; and the gate next to the pilaster on every side of the court.” (NRSV) “He measured the porch: twenty cubits: the court surrounded the gate on all sides.” (NJB) “All around the courtyard of the gatehouse were posts six cubits high.” (NAB, revised edition) “… the vestibule twenty cubits across; the gateway on every side projected into the court.” (REB) “He measured the entrance room at the far end of the passageway, and it was thirty-four feet wide.” (CEV) (40:14)

The distance “from the front [literally, face] of the gate at the entrance” (“atrium of the outer gate” [LXX]) to the “front [literally, face] of the porch of the inner gate” (“atrium of the ailam [porch] of the inner gate” [LXX]) was 50 cubits (c. 87½ feet; c. 27 meters). This apparently was the total length of the passageway from the entrance to the exit. (40:15; see verse 21.)

All around the gate structure, with its six alcoves or guard chambers, two porches or vestibules, and pillars, supports, or walls that functioned as partitions, there were openings or windows. These openings could either be understood to have been narrowing (larger on the outside than on the inside) or that they could be “closed” or shuttered. Modern translations vary in the specific meaning they convey. “The recesses — and their supports — had windows with frames on the interior of the gate complex on both sides, and the interiors of the vestibules also had windows on both sides.” (Tanakh [JPS, 1985 edition]) “There were recessed windows that narrowed inward through the walls of the guard alcoves and their dividing walls. There were also windows in the entry room.” (NLT) “The alcoves and the projecting walls inside the gateway were surmounted by narrow parapet openings all around, as was the portico; the openings all around faced inward.” (NIV) “There were small openings in the outside walls of all the rooms and also in the inner walls between the rooms.” (TEV) “There were recessed windows in the cells on all sides and in the posts on the inner side of the gate.” (NAB, revised edition) “Both cells and pilasters had embrasures all round inside the gateway, and the vestibule had windows all round within.” (REB) “The recesses and their pilasters had windows, with shutters on the inside of the gateway all around, and the vestibules also had windows on the inside all around.” (NRSV) “All round inside the gate there were trellised windows in the guardrooms and in their piers; similarly, in the porch there were windows all round.” (NJB) The Septuagint refers to the “windows” as being “hidden” or “covered” and indicates that these “windows” were in the theim (alcoves or chambers) and the ailam (porches) “all around inside the gate of the court.” According to the Septuagint, the figures of palm trees were on the sides of the ailam (porches), but the Hebrew text indicates that palm trees were depicted on the “pillars,” supports, or dividing walls. (40:16)

The angel conducted Ezekiel “into the outer court,” where he then saw chambers and a pavement that had been constructed “for the court.” In all, thirty chambers around the outer perimeter of the court faced the pavement. According to the Septuagint, there also were colonnades around the court, and the chambers were situated in the colonnades. (40:17) Three gates or gateways provided access into the outer court, and the lower pavement ran the full length along the sides of these gates. The Septuagint indicates that “colonnades” were at the rear of the gates, with the lower colonnade being along their length. (40:18)

In the visionary temple complex, there were two courts or courtyards, with the inner court being higher than the outer one. The angel measured the outer court, doing so from in front (literally, “before the face”) of the lower gate to the front (literally “before the face”) of the inner or higher court (or the distance between the lower gate and the higher gate that provided access to the inner court). According to the Septuagint, he measured the distance “from the atrium of the outer gate inwards up to the atrium of the gate looking outward.” Possibly the meaning is from the porch that faced the court as one entered it to the porch of the gate through which one left the outer court to enter the higher inner court. Like the Septuagint, the Hebrew text says that the measured distance was 100 cubits (c. 175 feet; c. 53.3 meters). After “100 cubits,” the Hebrew text says, “the east and the north.” This could mean that the distance was 100 cubits between the gates on the east side and the gates on the north side. The rendering of the Septuagint indicates that the measurement of 100 cubits was in relation to the atrium of the gate that faced eastward and that the angel led Ezekiel northward. (40:19)

On the north side of the temple complex, the angel measured the length and width of the gate that faced north and which gate provided access to the outer court. (40:20) Inside the gate or gateway were three alcoves or guard chambers on both sides of the passageway. The measurement of the “pillars,” supports, or dividing walls (and of the porch was the same as that of the “first gate,” the one on the east side. The length of the gate or gateway was 50 cubits (c. 87½ feet; c. 27 meters), and the width was 25 cubits (c. 43¾ feet; c. 13.3 meters). (40:21; see the Notes section and also verses 13 and 15.)

The openings or windows of the gate or gateway and its porch (ailammo [LXX]) and its palm trees (the depictions of palm trees inside the gateway) were of the same dimensions as those of the gate that faced east. Access to the gateway was by means of seven steps, and these led into a porch (ailammo [LXX]). (40:22; see the Notes section.)

The north gate or gateway of the inner court was opposite the north gate that led into the outer court, just as the east gate of the inner court was opposite the east gate that provided access to the outer court. From gate to gate, the angel measured the distance to be 100 cubits (c. 175 feet; c. 53.3 meters). (40:23)

The angel led Ezekiel to the south of the visionary temple complex. There on the south side of the complex was another gate. The angel measured “its pillars and its porch.” As for the dimensions, they were the same as those for the gate on the east side and the one on the north side. The Septuagint indicates that the angel measured the gate and “the thee [chambers] and the aileu [pillars] and the ailammo [porches].” (40:24; see the Notes section.)

In the south gate or gateway and its porch, there were openings or windows all around. The Hebrew phrase that may literally be rendered, “like the windows of these” could refer to the windows of the east gate and the north gate. According to the Septuagint rendering, the windows of the gate and the ailammo [porches or vestibules] were like the windows of the ailam (porch). The length of the south gate was 50 cubits (c. 87½ feet; c. 27 meters), and the width was 25 cubits (c. 43¾ feet; c. 13.3 meters). (40:25; see the Notes section.) Seven steps led to the entrance of the southern gate and its porch or vestibule (ailammo inside [LXX]). On the pillars or supports at the entrance of this gate, there were representations of palm trees, with each side of the entrance decorated with a palm tree. (40:26; see the Notes section.)

There was a gate on the south side of the inner court. The angel measured on the south side from the outer gate to the inner gate, and the distance was 100 cubits (c. 175 feet; c. 53.3 meters). As the Septuagint rendering indicates, this was the measurement for the court on the south side. (40:27)

The angel led Ezekiel to the inner court through the south gate. This gate had the same dimensions as the gates that provided access to the outer court. (40:28) The alcoves or guard chambers (the thee [LXX]), the pillars or supports (the aileu [LXX]), and the porch (the ailammo [LXX]) had the same dimensions as the other gates. As in the case of the other gates, openings or windows were round about in the south gate and in its porch (the ailammo [LXX]). The length of the gate was 50 cubits (c. 87.5 feet; c. 27 meters), and the width was 25 cubits (c. 43¾ feet; c. 13.3 meters). (40:29; see the Notes section.)

There is uncertainty about the reference to “porches round about — 25 cubits [c. 43¾ feet; c. 13.3 meters] long and 5 cubits [c. 8¾ feet; c. 2.7 meters] wide.” A number of Hebrew manuscripts do not contain these words, and they are also missing in the Septuagint. (40:30)

The porch or vestibule (ailammo [LXX]) of the south gate through which one needed to pass to enter the higher inner court faced the outer court. Eight steps led to the entrance of the south gate, and the pillars or supports (aileu [LXX]) on each side were decorated with representations of palm trees. (40:31)

The angel led Ezekiel to the east side of the inner court and measured the gate there. The dimensions of this gate were the same as those of the other gates. (40:32) It had the same measurements as the other gates for the alcoves or chambers (the thee [LXX]), the pillars or supports (the aileu [LXX]), and the porch (the ailammo [LXX]). As in the case of the other gates, openings or windows were round about in the east gate and in its porch (the ailammo [LXX]). The length of the gate was 50 cubits (c. 87½ feet; c. 27 meters), and the width was 25 cubits (c. 43¾ feet; c. 13.3 meters). (40:33; see the Notes section.)

The porch or vestibule (ailammo [LXX]) of the east gate through which one needed to pass to enter the higher inner court faced the outer court. Eight steps led to the entrance of the east gate, and the pillars or supports (aileu [LXX]) on each side were decorated with representations of palm trees. (40:34)

The angel led Ezekiel to the north gate and measured it. Its dimensions were the same as those of the other gates (40:35), including the alcoves or chambers (the thee [LXX]), the pillars or supports (the aileu [LXX]), and the porch (the ailammo [LXX]). The gate had windows round about, and its length was 50 cubits (c. 87½ feet; c. 27 meters), and the width was 25 cubits (c. 43¾ feet; c. 13.3 meters). (40:36; see the Notes section.)

The porch or vestibule (ailammo [LXX]) of the north gate through which one needed to pass to enter the higher inner court faced the outer court. Eight steps led to the entrance of the north gate, and the pillars or supports (aileu [LXX]) on each side were decorated with representations of palm trees. (40:37)

There is a measure of obscurity about the reference to a “chamber and its opening [or door] at the pillars [or supports] of the gates.” Although the Hebrew word for “gate” is plural, the context suggests that the north gate is meant. It appears that the chamber was located at the side of the pillars or supports of the north gate, with the entrance to the chamber being from the porch of the gate. In this chamber, the holocausts or burnt offerings were washed. A number of modern translations are more specific in their renderings than is the Hebrew text. “Opening off the vestibule of the gateway was a room in which the whole-offerings were to be washed.” (REB) “In the outer courtyard there was an annex attached to the inner gateway on the north side. It opened into the entrance room that faced the courtyard, and there they washed the carcasses of the animals to be burned whole as sacrifices.” (TEV) “A door led from the entry room of one of the inner gateways into a side room, where the meat for sacrifices was washed.” (NLT) “There was a room, the entrance to which was in the porch of the gateway, where they washed the burnt offerings.” (NJB) “There was a chamber opening off the vestibule of the gate where burnt offerings were washed.” (NAB, revised edition) “A room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the burnt offerings were washed.” (NIV) (40:38; see the Notes section.)

As one entered the “porch of the gate,” there were two tables on both sides. These tables were used for slaughtering the animals that would be presented as holocausts, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. (40:39; see the Notes section.) In relation to the position of one who went up to the entrance of the north gate, there were two tables on the outside and on the other side of the “porch of the gate” there also were two tables. (40:40; see the Notes section.) Altogether there were eight tables for the slaughtering of sacrificial victims — four tables inside the porch and four tables outside. (40:41)

The four tables for the holocausts were of “hewn stone.” The dimensions were “one and a half cubits [c. 31½ inches; c. 80 centimeters] long, one and a half cubits wide, and one cubit [c. 21 inches; c. 53 centimeters] high.” The instruments for slaughtering the animals to be used for holocausts or other sacrifices were on the tables. (40:42; regarding the cubit, see the Notes section on verse 5.)

There is considerable uncertainty about the significance of the Hebrew word shephattáyim. The Vulgate rendering is labia (lip), and that of the Septuagint is geisos (cornice or border). In the Targum, the reference is to pegs. If the Hebrew word relates to a ledge around the tables, this could mean that the instruments for slaughtering were placed on it, and the surface of the tables was for the flesh of the sacrificial victims. The meaning of the Hebrew text depends on the significance of the Hebrew word shephattáyim, and this accounts for the various renderings found in modern translations. “Ledges 3 inches [c. 8 centimers] wide ran around the edge of the tables. All the meat to be offered in sacrifice was placed on the tables.” (TEV) “Runnels a handbreadth wide went all round the top, and on these slabs was put the sacrificial flesh.” (NJB) “The flesh of the offerings was on the tables, and rims a hand’s breadth in width were fixed all round facing inwards.” (REB) “Shelves, one handbreadth wide, were attached all around the inside; and the sacrificial flesh was [laid] on the tables.” (Tanakh [JPS, 1985 edition]) “And double-pronged hooks, each a handbreadth long, were attached to the wall all around. The tables were for the flesh of the offerings.” (NIV) “There were hooks, each 3 inches long, fastened all around the foyer walls. The sacrificial meat was laid on the tables.” (NLT) “All around the walls of this room was a three inch shelf [were three inch pegs (footnote)].” (CEV) (40:43; see the Notes section.)

Dining rooms for the temple singers were located in the inner courtyard outside the inner gate. One of the rooms was “on the side of the north gate,” and its front was to the south. The other room was on the “side of the east gate,” and its front was to the north. According to the Septuagint, the angel led Ezekiel into the inner court, and there were two rooms in the inner court. One of them was behind the gate that faced north and was oriented to the south, and the other room was behind the gate that faced south and was oriented to the north. Numerous modern translations likewise omit the reference to “singers” and basically follow the rendering of the Septuagint. “Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, were two rooms, one at the side of the north gate and facing south, and another at the side of the south gate and facing north.” (NIV) “Inside the inner courtyard were two rooms, one beside the north gateway, facing south, and the other beside the south gateway, facing north.” (NLT) “Outside the inner gatehouse there were two rooms on the inner courtyard, one beside the north gate, facing south, and the other beside the south gate, facing north.” (NAB, revised edition) “There were two rooms opening on the inner court, one facing south beside the north gateway and the other facing north beside the south gateway.” (TEV) “Then the man brought me right into the inner court, where there were two rooms, one at the corner of the north gateway, facing south, and one at the corner of the south gateway, facing north.” (REB) “The man then took me to the inner courtyard, where I saw two buildings, one beside the inner gate on the north and the other beside the inner gate on the south.” (CEV) (40:44)

The angel informed Ezekiel that the room facing south was for the priests who carried out duties at the temple. According to the Septuagint, these priests were entrusted with temple guard duty. (40:45) The room that faced north was for the priests who had the responsibility for the altar. This service was limited to the “sons [or descendants] of Zadok.” They were the only ones “from the sons [or descendants] of Levi” who could approach “YHWH to minister to him.” According to Josephus (Antiquities, X, viii, 6), Zadok was the first high priest to serve at the temple built under the direction of King Solomon. He initially became high priest after Solomon removed Abiathar of the house of Eli from the position of high priest and expelled him from Jerusalem for having supported Adonijah in his attempt to succeed his father David as king. (1 Kings 1:24-27; 2:26, 27) The office of high priest continued in the line of Zadok even after the period of exile in Babylon came to an end. (40:46)

The angel measured the square inner court. It was 100 cubits (c. 175 feet; c. 53.3 meters) in length and width. The altar was “in front of [literally, before the face of] the house” or temple. (40:47)

The angel took Ezekiel to the “porch [ailam (LXX)] of the house” or temple and measured the pillars [or supports (ail [LXX])] of the porch [ailam (LXX)].” These pillars or supports apparently were side walls on the right and left side of the temple entrance. Each side wall was 5 cubits (c. 8¾ feet; c. 2.7 meters), probably deep or thick. Regarding the gate, the extant Hebrew text then reads, “and the width of the gate 3 cubits [c. 5¼ feet; c. 1.6 meters] from here and 3 cubits from here.” It appears that the text is incomplete and that the Septuagint preserves the missing words. The Septuagint says that the width of the doorway was 14 cubits [c. 24½ feet; c. 7.5 meters]. Modern translations have commonly included text from the Septuagint. “The width of the entrance was fourteen cubits and its projecting walls were three cubits wide on either side.” (NIV) “The width of the gateway was fourteen cubits, and that of the corners of the gateway three cubits in each direction.” (REB) “The entrance itself was 24½ feet wide, and the walls on each side of the entrance were an additional 5¼ feet long.” (NLT) (40:48)

The length of the temple porch (ailam) was 20 cubits (c. 35 feet; nearly 11 meters) and its width 11 cubits (c. 19¼ feet; nearly 6 meters) or, according to the Septuagint, 12 cubits (c. 21 feet; c. 6.4 meters). Steps led up to the entrance, and the Septuagint indicates the number of steps to have been ten. There were pillars or columns by the jambs of the porch, one pillar on one side and the other pillar on the opposite side. (40:49)

Notes

Expository comments: The temple complex Ezekiel saw in vision included features that were not mentioned in the description of the temple that was built during the reign of King Solomon. In chapter 40, details are provided regarding the gates by means of which the two temple courts could be accessed. A guard would be stationed in each of the six chambers or alcoves inside each of the three gates that led into the outer temple court, and the same layout of three gates existed for the priests who had authorized access to the inner court. This suggests that only divinely approved persons could share in the arrangement for worship that the visionary temple represented. Unworthy individuals would be debarred. The worship and the arrangement for worship would be untainted by defilement of any kind. (Compare Revelation 21:6-8, 22-17.)

According to the rendering of verse 4 in the Septuagint, the angel asked Ezekiel, “Have you seen, son of man?”

According to verse 5, the measurements in the book of Ezekiel are based on the long cubit. To limit the use of fractions, the cubit will be considered as being 18 inches or 45 centimeters, and the handbreadth as being 3 inches or 8 centimeters. This would make the long cubit about 21 inches (c. 53 centimeters). There is archeological evidence that the ancient Israelites commonly used a cubit of about 17.5 inches (c. 44.5 centimeters), with the handbreadth being about 2.9 inches (c. 7.4 centimeters). Based on these measurements, the long cubit would have been about 20.4 inches (c. 51.8 centimeters). Depending on whether the long cubit is reckoned at 21 inches (53 centimeters) or 20.4 inches (51.8 centimeters), the six-cubit measuring reed would have been 10.5 feet or 10.2 feet (or more than 3 meters) long.

The Hebrew text of verse 6 is somewhat obscure regarding the measurement of the threshold. Literally rendered, the text reads, “He measured the threshold of the gate one reed wide [or deep] and one threshold one reed wide [or deep].” Possibly this simply involves a repetition. The angel used his measuring reed and found the width or depth of the threshold to be the same as his measuring reed. Greek manuscripts vary in their renderings. According to the shorter rendering, the man or angel “measured out [or measured across] the ailam of the gate equal to [one] reed.” The word ailam is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “porch.” A longer Greek text says that the man or angel “measured the thee [a transliteration of the Hebrew word for chamber], six on one side and six on the other side, and the ailam of the gate [was] equal to the reed.”

In verse 7, the Septuagint includes transliterations of Hebrew words (thee, ailam, and thaielatha). It appears that thaielatha is an unusual transliteration of the plural Hebrew word for “chambers.” With the transliterated designations and other wording, the Septuagint rendering is difficult to understand. It says that the ailam (porch) between the thaielatha (chambers) was 6 cubits and that the “second thee” (chamber) equaled one reed in width and length, and that the ailam (porch) measured 5 cubits.

In verse 9, the Septuagint includes transliterations and refers to the “ailam [porch] of the gate” as bordering on the “ailam [porch] of the gate.” Like the Hebrew text, the given dimension is 8 cubits. The Hebrew word for the two-cubit “pillars” is transliterated as aileu. The Hebrew phrase including the expression “from the house” is rendered, “the ailam of the gate inside.” With the transliterations, the text of the Septuagint does not convey a clear meaning.

In verse 10, the Septuagint says that the “thee [chambers] of the gate” in front of the thee [chamber]” were “three on one side and three on the other side,” with the three having the same measure. The ailam (porch) had one measure “on this side and on that side.”

The transliterations theim and thee contribute to the obscurity the Greek text of verse 12.

The wording of verse 21 in the Septuagint includes transliterations of Hebrew words (the thee [chambers (the definite article is plural)], aileu [pillars, and ailammo [porch]). After ailammo, the Septuagint adds, “and its palms” (meaning the depictions of palm trees on the walls of the porch).

In verse 22, the Septuagint rendering ailammo is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “porch.”

In verse 24 of the Septuagint, the transliterations of the Hebrew words are preceded by a plural definite article.

The Septuagint rendering of verse 25 includes transliterations of Hebrew words. A plural definite article precedes ailammo (porches or vestibules) and a singular definite article precedes ailam (porch).

Verse 26 of the Septuagint indicates that the palm tree representations were “on the aileu.” In this case, the definite article is plural and, therefore, the transliteration aileu designates “pillars.”

In verses 29, 33, and 36 of the Septuagint, a plural definite article precedes the first three transliterated words (thee, aileu, and ailammo), but a singular definite article precedes the second occurrence of the transliteration ailammo. Throughout this chapter, the Septuagint contains transliterations of Hebrew words.

The wording of verse 38 in the Septuagint departs significantly from that of the extant Hebrew text. “And its rooms and its doorways and its ailammo — at the second gate outlet [or drain].” In relation to the words of verse 39, this could mean that there was a drain in the second gate into which blood could flow when the sin and guilt offerings were slaughtered.

According to the Septuagint rendering of verse 40, there were two tables to the east “behind the flow [possibly the channel of the drain]” for the holocausts at the gate that faced north. “Behind the second [gate] and the ailam [porch] of the gate,” there also were two tables to the east.

The Septuagint wording of verse 43 differs significantly from that of the extant Hebrew text. “And they shall have a palm-sized hewn border [or cornice] all around.” Over the tables there were to be roofs to provide covering “from rain and from dryness” (or to shade the tables from the hot sun).