Ezekiel 42:20
in Ezekiel 42So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.
KJV
He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.
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This verse in Ezekiel 42
Commentary
9 notes on this verse(Verse 15 onwards) When he had finished measuring the interior dimensions of the house, he led me along the way of the gate that faced east, and he measured it all around. (He measured the likeness of the house all around in order.) He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was 500 rods long by the measuring rod all around. (He also measured the north side, south side, and west side.) And he measured against the north wind, five hundred cubits, measuring with a cubit in circumference.
This site's exposition
had finished measuring the interior
on Ezekiel 42:15-20
The inner survey ends. The rod goes around the whole: five hundred cubits, a square with a wall all around, “to separate the holy from the common”. The glory left a defiled house at 11:23, and this wall is set two chapters before its return at 43:4.
This site's exposition
to separate the holy from the common
Adam Clarke explains the line this wall drew: the holy area was closed to anyone impure, while the common area was open to all. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown see in the square a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28). John Wesley links the size to Gentiles entering the church.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Thus large were the suburbs of this mystical temple, signifying the great extent of the church in gospel times. It is in part fulfilled already, by the accession of the Gentiles to the church: and will be throughly accomplished, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved.
13 Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the L ORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v13
He measured it by the four sides,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
It had a wall round about - to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place - The holy place was that which was consecrated to the Lord; into which no heathen, nor stranger, nor any in a state of impurity, might enter. The profane place was that in which men, women, Gentiles, pure or impure might be admitted. Josephus says War, lib. vi., c.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The lowness of it renders it unfit for the purpose of defense (the object of the wall, Re 21:12). But its square form (as in the city, Re 21:16) is the emblem of the kingdom that cannot be shaken (Heb 12:28), resting on prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The “sanctuary” proper is probably here the most holy place as distinguished from the rest of the temple Eze 41:23; Eze 45:3; but the term was capable of extension first to the whole temple, then to all the ground that was separated to “holy” as distinguished from “profane,” i. e., common uses. In the vision the courts rose on successive platforms, the outer court being raised seven steps above the precincts, the inner court eight steps above the outer, and the temple itself ten steps above the court of sacrifice.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לְאַרְבַּ֨ע | learba' | to four | H702 → | 318 times |
| רוּח֜וֹת | ruchot | sides | H7307 → | 378 times |
| מְדָד֗וֹ | medado | he measured it | H4058 → | 51 times |
| ח֤וֹמָה | chomah | a wall | H2346 → | 133 times |
| לוֹ֙ | lo | [belonged] to it | ||
| סָבִ֣יב׀ | saviv | all around | H5439 → | 336 times |
| סָבִ֔יב | saviv | all around | H5439 → | 336 times |
| אֹ֚רֶךְ | ʾorekh | [the] length | H753 → | 95 times |
| חֲמֵ֣שׁ | chamesh | [was] five | H2568 → | 343 times |
| מֵא֔וֹת | meot | hundred [cubits] | H3967 → | 581 times |
| וְרֹ֖חַב | verochav | and [the] breadth | H7341 → | 101 times |
| חֲמֵ֣שׁ | chamesh | [was] five | H2568 → | 343 times |
| מֵא֑וֹת | meot | hundred [cubits] | H3967 → | 581 times |
| לְהַבְדִּ֕יל | lehavdil | to make a distinction | H914 → | 42 times |
| בֵּ֥ין | bein | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ | hakodesh | <the> holy thing | H6944 → | 469 times |
| לְחֹֽל׃ | lechol | and a profane thing | H2455 → | 7 times |
לְאַרְבַּ֨עto four
learba'H702 →318 times
רוּח֜וֹתsides
ruchotH7307 →378 times
מְדָד֗וֹhe measured it
medadoH4058 →51 times
ח֤וֹמָהa wall
chomahH2346 →133 times
לוֹ֙[belonged] to it
lo
סָבִ֣יב׀all around
savivH5439 →336 times
סָבִ֔יבall around
savivH5439 →336 times
אֹ֚רֶךְ[the] length
ʾorekhH753 →95 times
חֲמֵ֣שׁ[was] five
chameshH2568 →343 times
מֵא֔וֹתhundred [cubits]
meotH3967 →581 times
וְרֹ֖חַבand [the] breadth
verochavH7341 →101 times
חֲמֵ֣שׁ[was] five
chameshH2568 →343 times
מֵא֑וֹתhundred [cubits]
meotH3967 →581 times
לְהַבְדִּ֕ילto make a distinction
lehavdilH914 →42 times
בֵּ֥יןbetween
beinH996 →407 times
הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ<the> holy thing
hakodeshH6944 →469 times
לְחֹֽל׃and a profane thing
lecholH2455 →7 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 44:23They are to teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to discern between the clean and the unclean.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 10:10–11
You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean,
- 2 Timothy 2:24–25
And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.
- Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget…
- Ezekiel 22:26
Through
Ezekiel 22:26Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 44:23
They are to teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to discern between the clean and the unclean.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 10:10
You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean,
- Ezekiel 22:8
You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths.
- Malachi 2:8
But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.
- Ezekiel 44:23
About Ezekiel
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel.