Ezekiel 43:14
in Ezekiel 43The space from the gutter on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the ledge one cubit wide. The space from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge shall be four cubits, and the ledge one cubit wide.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And from the bottom upon the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser ledge to the greater ledge shall be four cubits, and the breadth a cubit.
KJV
And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser settle even to the greater settle shall be four cubits, and the breadth one cubit.
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This verse in Ezekiel 43
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The bottom - The basement just described is now called “the bottom upon the ground.” The altar (independently of the bottom) was composed of two stages called “settles,” the base of the “upper settle” (M) being less than that of the “lower” (L).
This site's exposition
the measurements of the altar in long cubits
on Ezekiel 43:13-17
The altar is measured “in long cubits (a cubit and a handbreadth),” rising by ledges to a hearth “twelve cubits long and twelve cubits wide”. Commentators read the stepped ledges as an altar approached in stages, the restraint that governed the earlier altar of earth or unhewn stone (Exodus 20:24-25).
This site's exposition
the lower ledge
Albert Barnes describes the altar as a base on the ground with two stages above it, the upper smaller than the lower. John Wesley calls the lower ledge lower because a second one rests upon it. The altar narrows as it rises.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Vers. 13 seqq.) These are the measurements of the altar: in the true cubit, which is a cubit and a handbreadth (or παλαιστὴν) in his bosom, the cubit was in length, and its width was measured from its lip to the surrounding palm of one hand. This was also the trench of the altar. From the bosom of the earth to the outermost base, it was two cubits in height, and the width of one cubit. And from the smaller base to the larger base, it was four cubits, and the width of one cubit.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
From the bottom - From the first ledge, which was a cubit broad, and a cubit high from the ground. To the lower - To the top of that square settle, which is called lower, because another settle is raised upon it.
And from the bottom upon the ground, even to the lower settle,....
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּמֵחֵ֨יק | umecheik | and from [the] gutter of | H2436 → | 38 times |
| הָאָ֜רֶץ | haaretz | the ground | H776 → | 2504 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| הָעֲזָרָ֤ה | haazarah | the ledge | H5835 → | 9 times |
| הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה֙ | hatachtonah | <the> lower | H8481 → | 13 times |
| שְׁתַּ֣יִם | shetayim | [is] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| אַמּ֔וֹת | ʾamot | cubits | H520 → | 247 times |
| וְרֹ֖חַב | verochav | and [the] breadth | H7341 → | 101 times |
| אַמָּ֣ה | ʾamah | [is] a cubit | H520 → | 247 times |
| אֶחָ֑ת | ʾechat | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| וּמֵהֳעֲזָרָ֨ה | umehoazarah | and from the ledge | H5835 → | 9 times |
| הַקְּטַנָּ֜ה | haketanah | <the> small | H6996 → | 101 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| הָעֲזָרָ֤ה | haazarah | the ledge | H5835 → | 9 times |
| הַגְּדוֹלָה֙ | hagedolah | <the> large | H1419 → | 526 times |
| אַרְבַּ֣ע | ʾarba' | [is] four | H702 → | 318 times |
| אַמּ֔וֹת | ʾamot | cubits | H520 → | 247 times |
| וְרֹ֖חַב | verochav | and [the] breadth | H7341 → | 101 times |
| הָאַמָּֽה׃ | haamah | [is] the cubit | H520 → | 247 times |
וּמֵחֵ֨יקand from [the] gutter of
umecheikH2436 →38 times
הָאָ֜רֶץthe ground
haaretzH776 →2504 times
עַד־to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
הָעֲזָרָ֤הthe ledge
haazarahH5835 →9 times
הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה֙<the> lower
hatachtonahH8481 →13 times
שְׁתַּ֣יִם[is] two
shetayimH8147 →768 times
אַמּ֔וֹתcubits
ʾamotH520 →247 times
וְרֹ֖חַבand [the] breadth
verochavH7341 →101 times
אַמָּ֣ה[is] a cubit
ʾamahH520 →247 times
אֶחָ֑תone
ʾechatH259 →971 times
וּמֵהֳעֲזָרָ֨הand from the ledge
umehoazarahH5835 →9 times
הַקְּטַנָּ֜ה<the> small
haketanahH6996 →101 times
עַד־to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
הָעֲזָרָ֤הthe ledge
haazarahH5835 →9 times
הַגְּדוֹלָה֙<the> large
hagedolahH1419 →526 times
אַרְבַּ֣ע[is] four
ʾarba'H702 →318 times
אַמּ֔וֹתcubits
ʾamotH520 →247 times
וְרֹ֖חַבand [the] breadth
verochavH7341 →101 times
הָאַמָּֽה׃[is] the cubit
haamahH520 →247 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.