The Man with a Measuring Rod (Zechariah 2:1–5)
1 DBY In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, on that same day the hand of Jehovah was upon me, and he brought me thither. 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 DBY In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain; and upon it was as the building of a city, on the south. 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 DBY And he brought me thither, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a flax-cord in his hand, and a measuring-reed; and he stood in the gate. 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 DBY And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thy heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for in order that it might be shewn unto thee art thou brought hither. Declare to the house of Israel all that thou seest. 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.”
The East Gate 5 DBY And behold, there was a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a measuring-reed of six cubits, each of one cubit and a hand breadth. And he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed. 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 DBY And he came to the gate which looked toward the east, and went up its steps; and he measured the threshold of the gate, one reed broad; and the other threshold one reed broad. 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 DBY And each chamber was one reed long and one reed broad; and between the chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate, beside the porch of the gate within, was one reed. 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 DBY And he measured the porch of the gate within, one reed. BSB BSB: Then he measured the portico of the gateway inside;
9 DBY And he measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward. BSB BSB: it was eight cubits deep, and its jambs were two cubits thick. And the portico of the gateway faced the temple.
10 DBY And the chambers of the gate which was toward the east were three on this side and three on that side: they three were of one measure; and the posts on this side and on that side had one measure. 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 DBY And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. BSB BSB: And he measured the width of the gateway entrance to be ten cubits, and its length was thirteen cubits.
12 DBY And there was a border before the chambers of one cubit, and a border of one cubit on the other side; and the chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. BSB BSB: In front of each gate chamber was a wall one cubit high, and the gate chambers were six cubits square.
13 DBY And he measured the gate from the roof of one chamber to the roof of the other , a breadth of five and twenty cubits, entry opposite entry. 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 DBY And he made posts, sixty cubits, and by the post was the court of the gate round about. BSB BSB: Next he measured the gateposts to be sixty cubits high. The gateway extended around to the gatepost of the courtyard.
15 DBY And from the front of the gate of the entrance unto the front of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits. BSB BSB: And the distance from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its inner portico was fifty cubits.
16 DBY And there were closed windows to the chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the projections; and the windows round about were inward; and upon each post were 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.
The Outer Court 17 DBY And he brought me into the outer court, and behold, there were cells, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty cells were upon the pavement. 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 DBY And the pavement was by the side of the gates, answering to the length of the gates, namely the lower pavement. BSB BSB: which flanked the gateways and corresponded to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement.
19 DBY And he measured the breadth from the front of the lower gate unto the front of the inner court outside, a hundred cubits eastward and northward. 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.
The North Gate 20 DBY And the gate of the outer court, that looked toward the north, he measured its length and its breadth. BSB BSB: He also measured the length and width of the gateway of the outer court facing north.
21 DBY And its chambers were three on this side and three on that side; and its posts and its projections were according to the measure of the first gate: its length was fifty cubits, and breadth five and twenty cubits. 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 DBY And its windows, and its projections, and its palm-trees were according to the measure of the gate that looked toward the east; and they went up to it by seven steps; and the projections thereof were before them. 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 DBY And the gate of the inner court was opposite to the gate toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate a hundred cubits. 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.
The South Gate 24 DBY And he brought me toward the south: and behold, there was a gate toward the south; and he measured its posts and its projections according to these measures. 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 DBY And there were windows to it and to its projections round about, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. 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 DBY And there were seven steps to go up to it; and its projections were before them; and it had palm-trees, one on this side and one on that side, upon its posts. 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 DBY And there was a gate to the inner court toward the south; and he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits. 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.
The Gates of the Inner Court 28 DBY And he brought me into the inner court by the south gate; and he measured the south gate according to these measures: 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 DBY and its chambers, and its posts, and its projections, according to these measures; and there were windows to it and to its projections round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. 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 DBY And there were projections round about, twenty-five cubits long, and five cubits broad. BSB BSB: (The porticoes around the inner court were twenty-five cubits long and five cubits deep.)
31 DBY And its projections were toward the outer court; and there were palm-trees upon its posts: and its ascent was by eight steps. BSB BSB: Its portico faced the outer court, and its side pillars were decorated with palm trees. Eight steps led up to it.
32 DBY And he brought me into the inner court toward the east; and he measured the gate according to these measures: 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 DBY and its chambers, and its posts, and its projections, according to these measures; and there were windows to it and to its projections round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. 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 DBY And its projections were toward the outer court; and there were palm-trees upon its posts on this side and on that side: and its ascent was by eight steps. 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 DBY And he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it according to these measures: BSB BSB: Then he brought me to the north gate and measured it. It had the same measurements as the others,
36 DBY its chambers, its posts, and its projections; and there were windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. 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 DBY And its posts were toward the outer court; and there were palm-trees upon its posts, on this side and on that side: and its ascent was by eight steps. 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.
Eight Tables for Sacrifices 38 DBY And there was a cell and its entry by the posts of the gates; there they rinsed the burnt-offering. 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 DBY And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt-offering and the sin-offering and the trespass-offering. 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 DBY And at the side without, at the ascent to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate, were two 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 DBY four tables on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate, — eight tables, whereon they slew the sacrifice , 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 DBY — and at the ascent, four tables of hewn stone, of a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high; whereon also they laid the instruments with which they slew the burnt-offering and the sacrifice. 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 DBY And the double hooks of a hand breadth were fastened round about within; and upon the tables they put the flesh of the offering. 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.
Chambers for Ministry 44 DBY And outside the inner gate were two cells in the inner court, one at the side of the north gate, and its front towards the south; the other was at the side of the south gate, the front towards the north. 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 DBY And he said unto me, This cell whose front is towards the south is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house. BSB BSB: Then the man said to me: “The chamber that faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple,
46 DBY And the cell whose front is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, those who, from among the sons of Levi, approach unto Jehovah to minister unto 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.”
The Inner Court 47 DBY And he measured the court, the length a hundred cubits, and the breadth a hundred cubits, four square: and the altar was before the house. 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 DBY And he brought me to the porch of the house; and he measured the post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side; and the breadth of the gate, three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side. 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 DBY The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits, even by the steps whereby they went up to it; and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and one on that side. 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.