Ezekiel’s Visionary Temple

Ezekiel’s Visionary Temple

EZEKIEL 40-48

1 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month in the fourteenth year after Jerusalem had been captured, on that very day the Lord’s hand was on me, and he brought me there. 2 In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. On its southern slope was a structure resembling a city. 3 He brought me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing by the city gate. 4 He spoke to me: “Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Report everything you see to the house of Israel.”

The temple described by Ezekiel was never built, and it may be that its significance was intended to be purely symbolic. This can be inferred from the fact that many of the features of this temple and its surroundings do not reflect the geographical realities of the site of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount in the land of Israel. Its distinctively cross-shaped plan is noteworthy.

FEATURES ARE LISTED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH EZEKIEL FIRST MENTIONS THEM

1.Outer Wall 40:5

2.Eastern (Main) Outer Gate 40:6-16; 42:15-43:5

3.Chambers of Outer Court (30) 40:17

4.Northern Outer Gate 40:20-22

5.Southern Outer Gate 40:24-26

6.Southern Inner Gate 40:27-31

7.Eastern Inner Gate / “The Prince’s Gate” 40:32-34; 44:1-3; 46:1-8

8.Northern Inner Gate 40:35-37

9.Sacrificial Tables (4 outside gate, 4 inside) 40:38-43

10.Singers’/Priests’ Chamber (south-facing door)40:44-45

11.Singers’/Priests’ Chamber (north-facing door) 40:44,46

12.Altar 40:47; 43:13-27

13.Temple (including portico, sanctuary, and surrounding rooms) 40:48-41:26

14.Building Toward West (purpose not mentioned)41:12,15

15.Priests’ Chambers 42:1-14

16.Priests’ Kitchens 46:19-20

17.People’s Kitchens 46:21-24

18.River 47:1-12

ILLUSTRATOR’S NOTE

Many of the Hebrew words in these passages are obscure or uncertain, leaving several of the features open to broad interpretation. In particular, height dimensions are rarely specified, and are therefore left mostly to conjecture.