1 ARST Almost twenty- five years after the Babylonians had taken us Israelites to their land, on the tenth day of the first month of that year, almost fourteen years after Jerusalem had been destroyed, Yahweh grabbed hold of me with his power, and he took me in a vision to Israel. BSB BSB: 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 struck down—on that very day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and He took me there.
2 ARST He set me on a very high mountain. On the south side of that mountain there were some buildings that looked like part of a city. BSB BSB: In visions of God He took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose southern slope was a structure that resembled a city.
3 ARST When he took me there, I saw a man who looked as if he had been made of bronze. He was standing inside the city gate, and he was holding a linen cord and a measuring stick in his hand. BSB BSB: So He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze. He was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.
4 ARST He said to me,“Son of man, look carefully at everything that I am going to show you, and pay attention to everything that I say and everything that I wll show you, because that is why God brought you here. And then later you must tell the Israelite people everything that you have seen here.” BSB BSB: “Son of man,” he said to me, “look with your eyes, hear with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Report to the house of Israel everything you see.”
5 ARST In the vision I saw that there was a wall that completely surrounded the temple area. The measuring stick in the man’ s hand was three and one- tenth meters long. He measured the wall and it was three and one- tenth meters thick and three and one- tenth meters high. BSB BSB: And I saw a wall surrounding the temple area. Now the length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits (each measuring a cubit and a handbreadth), and he measured the wall to be one rod thick and one rod high.
6 ARST Then he went to the gate in the temple wall on the temple’ s east side. He climbed the steps and measured the gateway that faced outward; it was three and one- tenth meters deep. BSB BSB: Then he came to the gate facing east and climbed its steps. He measured the threshold of the gate to be one rod deep.
7 ARST Next, there were alcoves for the temple guards, each being three and one- tenth meters long and deep. The distance of the wall between each alcove was two and three- quarters meters. The gateway that faced inward, which led to the temple portico, was also three and one- tenth meters deep. BSB BSB: Each gate chamber was one rod long and one rod wide, and there were five cubits between the gate chambers. The inner threshold of the gate by the portico facing inward was one rod deep.
8 ARST Then he measured the portico that was after the gate; it was three and one- tenth meters long. BSB BSB: Then he measured the portico of the gateway inside;
9 ARST He also measured the depth, which was three and one- tenth of a meter. The doorposts on either side were one meter thick. This was the portico attached to the temple gate on the gate’ s inner side, facing the temple. BSB BSB: it was eight cubits deep, and its jambs were two cubits thick. And the portico of the gateway faced the temple.
10 ARST Inside the east gate there were three alcoves for guards on each side of the gate. They all had the same length and depth. And the distance of wall between them was the same. BSB BSB: There were three gate chambers on each side of the east gate, each with the same measurements, and the gateposts on either side also had the same measurements.
11 ARST Then he measured the opening of the gate; it was five and two- fifths meters wide, and the entrance from the gate was seven meters long. BSB BSB: And he measured the width of the gateway entrance to be ten cubits, and its length was thirteen cubits.
12 ARST Running along in front of the alcoves was a low wall one- half meter high. Each of the alcoves was three and one- tenth meters long on all sides. BSB BSB: In front of each gate chamber was a wall one cubit high, and the gate chambers were six cubits square.
13 ARST Then the man measured the gateway’ s width from the roof of the alcove on one side, to the roof of the alcove on the other side. The distance was 13 and one- half, from one alcove’ s entrance to that of the other. BSB BSB: Then he measured the gateway from the roof of one gate chamber to the roof of the opposite one; the distance was twenty-five cubits from doorway to doorway.
14 ARST Then the man measured along the wall that separated the alcoves from each other; it was thirty- two meters long. He measured them as far as the gate’ s portico. BSB BSB: Next he measured the gateposts to be sixty cubits high. The gateway extended around to the gatepost of the courtyard.
15 ARST The distance from the entrance of the gate to the far end of its portico was twenty- seven meters. BSB BSB: And the distance from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its inner portico was fifty cubits.
16 ARST There were narrow windows in the walls of all the alcoves, and also in the inner walls between the alcoves. The portico also had these same windows on its inner side. The wall that ran between the alcoves was decorated with carvings of palm trees. BSB BSB: The gate chambers and their side pillars had beveled windows all around the inside of the gateway. The porticos also had windows all around on the inside. Each side pillar was decorated with palm trees.
17 ARST Then the man brought me to the temple’ s outer courtyard. There I saw some rooms, and a stone pavement in the courtyard. There were thirty rooms facing the courtyard. BSB BSB: Then he brought me into the outer court, and there were chambers and a pavement laid out all around the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement,
18 ARST The stone pavement was all around the courtyard, and it extended out from the walls into the courtyard for the same distance as the gate entrances. That was the lower pavement. BSB BSB: which flanked the gateways and corresponded to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement.
19 ARST Then the man measured the distance across the outer courtyard of the temple, between the outer gate and inner courtyard; it was fifty- four meters on the east side, and the same distance on the north side of the courtyard. BSB BSB: Then he measured the distance from the front of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner court; it was a hundred cubits on the east side as well as on the north.
20 ARST Then he measured how long and how wide was the gateway on the north side, which was an entrance into the outer courtyard of the temple complex. BSB BSB: He also measured the length and width of the gateway of the outer court facing north.
21 ARST There were three alcoves for guards on each side of that gateway. From the gateway to the end of its portico was twenty- seven meters, and they were thirteen and one- half meters wide. BSB BSB: Its three gate chambers on each side, its side pillars, and its portico all had the same measurements as the first gate: fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.
22 ARST It had the same windows, portico, guard alcoves, and palm tree decorations as the east gate had. Like the east gate, there were seven steps leading up to it and its portico. BSB BSB: Its windows, portico, and palm trees had the same measurements as those of the gate facing east. Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them.
23 ARST Across the outer courtyard from the north gate was a gate leading to the inner courtyard, just as there was on the east side. The man measured the distance from the north gate to the gate leading to the inner courtyard; it was fifty- four meters in distance. BSB BSB: There was a gate to the inner court facing the north gate, just as there was on the east. He measured the distance from gateway to gateway to be a hundred cubits.
24 ARST Then he brought me through the south gateway into the inner courtyard, and he measured the entrance. It measured the same as the other gateways. Its alcoves, its walls between the alcoves, and its entry room measured the same as the ones on the other sides. BSB BSB: Then he led me to the south side, and I saw a gateway facing south. He measured its side pillars and portico, and they had the same measurements as the others.
25 ARST The gateway and its portico had narrow windows along the walls, as on the other sides. The gateway and its portico measured twenty- five meters long and thirteen and one- half wide. BSB BSB: Both the gateway and its portico had windows all around, like the other windows. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.
26 ARST There were seven steps leading up to that gate and its portico. It also had carvings of palm trees on the walls that were between the rooms. BSB BSB: Seven steps led up to it, and its portico was opposite them; it had palm trees on its side pillars, one on each side.
27 ARST Across the outer courtyard from the south gate was a gate opening onto the inner courtyard. The man measured from that gateway to the entrance on the south side of the outer courtyard; it was also fifty- four meters in distance. BSB BSB: The inner court also had a gate facing south, and he measured the distance from gateway to gateway toward the south to be a hundred cubits.
28 ARST Then the man brought me through the south entrance into the inner courtyard, and he measured the south entrance. It measured the same as the other gates. BSB BSB: Next he brought me into the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it had the same measurements as the others.
29 ARST He measured its alcoves, its walls, and its portico with the same measuring standards he had been using. The gate and its portico had windows all around. The gate and its portico measured twenty- seven meters long and thirteen and one- half wide. BSB BSB: Its gate chambers, side pillars, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both the gateway and its portico had windows all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.
30 ARST The porticos of the inner gates, which led to the inner courtyard, were about thirteen and one- half meters long and two and three- quarters meters wide. BSB BSB: (The porticoes around the inner court were twenty-five cubits long and five cubits deep.)
31 ARST The portico’ s entrance faced the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees decorated the walls, and there were eight steps leading up to it. BSB BSB: Its portico faced the outer court, and its side pillars were decorated with palm trees. Eight steps led up to it.
32 ARST Then the man led me to the east side of the inner courtyard, and he measured the gate. It had the same measurements as the other gates. BSB BSB: And he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway; it had the same measurements as the others.
33 ARST Its alcoves, walls, and portico measured the same as the others. The gate and its portico had windows all around. The gate and its portico measured twenty- seven meters long and thirteen and one- half wide. BSB BSB: Its gate chambers, side pillars, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both the gateway and its portico had windows all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.
34 ARST Its portico faced the outer courtyard. It also had carvings of palm trees decorating the walls, and it had eight steps leading up to it. BSB BSB: Its portico faced the outer court, and its side pillars were decorated with palm trees on each side. Eight steps led up to it.
35 ARST Then he led me to the entrance on the north side and measured it. It measured the same as the other entrances. BSB BSB: Then he brought me to the north gate and measured it. It had the same measurements as the others,
36 ARST And its alcoves and walls between them and the entry room all had small windows in the walls. It all measured the same as the other gates. The gate and its portico measured twenty- seven meters long and thirteen and one- half meters wide. BSB BSB: as did its gate chambers, side pillars, and portico. It also had windows all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.
37 ARST Its portico faced the outer courtyard. It also had carvings of palm trees decorating the walls, and it had eight steps leading up to it. BSB BSB: Its portico faced the outer court, and its side pillars were decorated with palm trees on each side. Eight steps led up to it.
38 ARST In each of the inner entrances there was a room with a door. They were rooms where the carcasses of the animals that were to be completely burned on the altar were washed. BSB BSB: There was a chamber with a doorway by the portico in each of the inner gateways. There the burnt offering was to be washed.
39 ARST In each portico were four tables, two on each side. On those tables would be slaughtered the animals that were to be completely burned, also the animals for offerings of sins that people had committed, and offerings that acknowledged their guilt for having sinned against other people. BSB BSB: Inside the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings were to be slaughtered.
40 ARST Just outside the inner courtyard, to the left of the steps leading up to its north gate, there were two tables, and to the right of the steps were two more tables. BSB BSB: Outside, as one goes up to the entrance of the north gateway, there were two tables on one side and two more tables on the other side of the gate’s portico.
41 ARST There were four tables on the outer side of each inner courtyard gate, and there were also four tables on the inner side. The animals to be sacrificed were slaughtered on these tables. BSB BSB: So there were four tables inside the gateway and four outside—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were to be slaughtered.
42 ARST There were also four tables of cut stone for the preparation of the offerings that were to be completely burned, four- fifths of a meter long on each side and one- half meter high. The priests would put on those stone tables the tools for slaughtering all the animals. BSB BSB: There were also four tables of dressed stone for the burnt offering, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit high. On these were placed the utensils used to slaughter the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices.
43 ARST The meat for the offerings would be placed on those stone tables. There were hooks on which the meat was hung, each with two prongs, each eight centimeters long, fastened to the walls of the porticos. BSB BSB: The double-pronged hooks, each a handbreadth long, were fastened all around the inside of the room, and the flesh of the offering was to be placed on the tables.
44 ARST Outside two of the inner gateways, on the inner courtyard side, there were rooms for those who led in singing during the worship, one on the north side and one on the south side. BSB BSB: Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, were two chambers, one beside the north gate and facing south, and another beside the south gate and facing north.
45 ARST The man said to me,“The room whose door faces south is for the priests who are working in the temple. BSB BSB: Then the man said to me: “The chamber that faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple,
46 ARST The room whose door faces north is for the priests who are in charge of the work at the altar. They are the descendants of Zadok; they are the only descendants of Levi who are permitted to approach Yahweh while they work for him.” BSB BSB: and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, the only Levites who may approach the LORD to minister before Him.”
47 ARST Then he measured the courtyard; it was square, fifty- four meters long and fifty- four meters wide. The altar was in front of the sanctuary. BSB BSB: Next he measured the court. It was square, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide. And the altar was in front of the temple.
48 ARST Then he brought me to the portico of the sanctuary and measured the doorposts and their walls on each side of the entrance; they were about two and three- quarters meters thick. The doorway was seven meters wide, and the sides on each side of it were one and three- fifths meters wide. BSB BSB: Then he brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the side pillars of the portico to be five cubits on each side. The width of the gateway was fourteen cubits and its sidewalls were three cubits on either side.
49 ARST The portico was eleven meters wide, and its depth was six meters on each side. There were steps leading up to it, and there were columns on each side of the portico. BSB BSB: The portico was twenty cubits wide and twelve cubits deep, and ten steps led up to it. There were columns by the side pillars, one on each side.
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