The Man with a Measuring Rod (Zechariah 2:1–5)
1 UEB In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity at the beginning of the year on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was captured—on that same day, the hand of Yahweh was upon me and he took me there. 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 UEB In visions from God he brought me to the land of Israel. He brought me to rest on a very high mountain; to the south were what appeared to be buildings 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 UEB Then he brought me there. Behold, a man! His appearance was like the appearance of bronze. A linen cord and a measuring stick were in his hand, and he stood in the city 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 UEB The man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes and listen with your ears, and fix your mind on all that I am revealing to you, for you were brought here so I could reveal them to you. Report everything that you will see to the house of Israel." 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 UEB There was a wall surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring stick in the man's hand was six long cubits. Each long cubit was a cubit and a handbreadth in length. So he measured the wall, and it was one measuring stick thick and one rod 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 UEB Then he went to the temple gate that faced east. He went up its steps and measured the threshold of the gate—one stick in depth. 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 UEB The guard chambers were each one stick in length and one stick in width; there were five cubits between any two of the chambers, and the threshold of the temple gate by the temple portico was one stick 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 UEB He measured the portico of the gate; it was one stick in length. BSB BSB: Then he measured the portico of the gateway inside;
9 UEB He measured the portico of the gate. It was one stick deep. The doorposts were two cubits in width. This was the portico of the gate 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 UEB There were three guard chambers on either side of the east gate, and each of them had the same measurement, and the walls that separated them had the same measurement. 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 UEB Then the man measured the width of the gateway entrance—ten cubits; and he measured the length of the gateway entrance—thirteen cubits. BSB BSB: And he measured the width of the gateway entrance to be ten cubits, and its length was thirteen cubits.
12 UEB He measured the wall that was bordering the front of the chambers—one cubit high. The chambers measured six cubits on each side. BSB BSB: In front of each gate chamber was a wall one cubit high, and the gate chambers were six cubits square.
13 UEB Then he measured the gateway from the roof of one chamber to that of the next chamber—twenty-five cubits, from the entrance of the first chamber to that of the second. 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 UEB Then he measured the wall that went between the guard chambers—sixty cubits in length; he measured 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 UEB The entrance from the front of the gate to the other end of the gate's portico was 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 UEB There were closed windows toward the chambers and toward their pillars within the gates all around; and likewise for the porches. The were windows all around the inside, and each jamb was decorated with 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 UEB Then the man brought me to the outer courtyard of the temple. Behold, there were rooms, and there was pavement in the courtyard, with thirty rooms next to 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 UEB The pavement went up to the side of the gates, and its width was the same as the gates' length. This was the lower pavement. BSB BSB: which flanked the gateways and corresponded to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement.
19 UEB Then the man measured the distance from the front of the lower gate to the front of the inner gate; it was one hundred cubits on the east side, and the same on the north side. 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 UEB Then he measured the length and width of the gate that was at the north of the outer court. BSB BSB: He also measured the length and width of the gateway of the outer court facing north.
21 UEB There were three chambers on either side of that gate, and the gate and its portico measured the same as the main gate—fifty cubits in total length and twenty-five cubits in width. 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 UEB Its windows, portico, chambers, and its palm trees corresponded to the gate that faced east. Seven steps went up to it and to 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 UEB There was a gate to the inner courtyard in front of the gate facing north, just as also there was a gate to the east; the man measured from one gate to the other gate—one hundred cubits 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.
The South Gate 24 UEB Next the man brought me to the gate of the southern entrance, and its walls and portico measured the same as the other outer gates. 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 UEB There were closed windows in the gateway and its portico just as at that gate. The south gate and its portico measured fifty cubits in length and twenty-five cubits in width. 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 UEB There were seven steps up to the gate and its portico, and there were carvings of palm trees on the walls on either side. 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 UEB There was a gate to the inner courtyard on the southern side, and the man measured from that gate to the gate of the south entrance—one hundred cubits 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.
The Gates of the Inner Court 28 UEB Then the man brought me to the inner courtyard by way of its southern gate, which had the same measurements 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 UEB Its chambers, walls, and porticos measured the same as the other gates; there were windows all around in the portico. The inner gate and its portico measured fifty cubits in length and twenty-five cubits in width. 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 UEB There were also porticos all around the inner wall; these were twenty-five cubits in length and five cubits in width. BSB BSB: (The porticoes around the inner court were twenty-five cubits long and five cubits deep.)
31 UEB This portico faced the outer courtyard with carved palm trees on its walls and eight steps going 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 UEB Then the man brought me to the inner courtyard by the eastern way and measured the gate, which 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 UEB Its chambers, walls, and portico measured the same as the other gates, and there were windows all around. The inner gate and its portico measured fifty cubits in length and twenty-five cubits in width. 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 UEB Its portico faced the outer courtyard; it had palm trees on either side of it and eight steps going up 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 UEB Next the man brought me to the northern gate and measured it; it measured the same as the other gates. BSB BSB: Then he brought me to the north gate and measured it. It had the same measurements as the others,
36 UEB Its chambers, walls, and portico measured the same as the other gates, and there were windows all around. The gateway and its portico measured fifty cubits in length and twenty-five cubits in width. 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 UEB Its portico faced the outer courtyard; it had palm trees on either side of it and eight steps going up 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.
Eight Tables for Sacrifices 38 UEB There was a room with a door by each of the inner gateways. This was where they rinsed the burnt offerings. 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 UEB There were two tables on each side of each portico, on which the burnt offering was slaughtered, and also the sin offering and the guilt 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 UEB By the wall of the courtyard, going up to the gate to the north, there were two tables. Also on the other side there were two tables at the gate's portico. 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 UEB There were four tables on either side by the gate; they slaughtered animals on the eight 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 UEB There were four tables of cut stone for the burnt offerings, one and a half cubits in length, one and a half cubits in width, and one cubit tall. On them they laid the tools with which they slaughtered the burnt offerings for the sacrifices. 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 UEB Two-pronged hooks a handbreadth in length were fastened in the portico all around, and the flesh of the offerings would be put on the tables. 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 UEB On the outside of the inner gate, within the inner courtyard, were singers' chambers, one on the north side facing south, and the other on the south side facing 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 UEB Then the man said to me, "This room facing south is for the priests who are on duty 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 UEB The room facing north is for the priests on duty at the altar. These are the sons of Zadok who come near to Yahweh to serve him; they are among the sons of Levi." 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 UEB Next he measured the courtyard—one hundred cubits in length and one hundred cubits in width in a square, with the altar in front of 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 UEB Then the man brought me to the portico of the house and measured its doorposts—they were five cubits thick on either side. The entryway itself was fourteen cubits in width, and the walls on each side of it were three cubits in width. 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 UEB The length of the portico was twenty cubits, and its depth was eleven cubits. There were steps that went up to it and columns that stood on either side of it. 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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