Ezekiel 42:4

Eze 42:4 And before the chambers [was] a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north.

Ver. 4. A way of one cubit.] A narrow way, but such as led them into spacious walks of ten cubits’ breadth inward. "Strait is the gate, and narrow the way, that leadeth unto life eternal"; {Mat 7:14} but they that hit it, hold it, shall once walk arm in arm with angels. {Zec 3:7; see the note there} "Through many tribulations we must enter into God’s kingdom"; {Act 14:22} but there God shall set our feet in a large room. {as Psa 31:8} We shall walk at liberty on the everlasting mountains. Let it be remembered that this narrow way is but short, it is but of one cubit, &c.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 4. A walk of ten cubits' breadth inward] This seems to have been a sort of parapet.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(4) A walk of ten cubits breadth inward.—The meaning of this clause depends upon that of the next, “a way of one cubit.” There is every reason to suppose here an error of the text, and that one cubit should be one hundred, as it reads in the Greek. The change requires only a transposition of the first letters in one word, and a consequent alteration of one letter in the other. Exactly the same transposition has occurred in Eze_42:16, where it is corrected in the margin of the Hebrew, and properly translated “five hundred” instead of “five cubits.” One cannot conceive of a walk or an entrance of one cubit (twenty inches) serving any useful purpose. Assuming this change, the meaning will be that a walk (see Plan II., K [Eze_40:44-49]) of 10 cubits wide and 100 long led to the entrance of the chambers. That this was on the north is plain from its being expressly said that the door was on the north. It may seem surprising that this should have been in the outer court, but a glance at the plan in connection with what is said below will explain the reason of the arrangement. The length of the walk, 100 cubits, just reaches to the steps of the north gate of the inner court. It will be remembered that in Eze_40:39-43 this was described as the place for killing and preparing the sacrifices. Now, only the fat and kidneys of the sin and trespass and peace offerings were burnt upon the altar; the whole of the former (ordinarily) and the priests’ portion of the latter were to be carried to this chamber (Eze_42:13). The walk was therefore placed in the best possible situation.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. inward] i. e. between the two wings (Fig. 3, O). Or possibly: (leading) into the inner court.

a way of one cubit] A mere error of transcription for: a length of 100 cubits. So LXX., Syr. In Eze_42:16 “cubit” and “hundred” (both having the same three letters) have again been confused. The doors of the chambers were to the N., i.e. opened upon this passage of 10 cubits, between the wings.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits' breadth inward,.... That is, within side, or between the two rows of chambers, there was a walk of this breadth, for those that lodged in the chambers to walk in for their pleasure and profit, and to converse with one another. Such who by these "chambers" understand places of retirement for private devotion, or the duties of the closet, which fit and prepare for public worship, as these chambers were near and in sight of the temple, so by this walk then Christian conference and conversation is intended; and shows, that the whole of religious time is not to be spent between the church and the chamber; but some part of it should be allotted for spiritual discourse, about gracious experiences, the truths of the Gospel, and the duties of religion; but as chambers design churches, this walk denotes the outward walk and conversation of the saints; which should be according to the rule of God's word, as becomes the Gospel, and worthy of the calling wherewith they are called. Starckius applies this to the decalogue or ten commandments, which is a broad way, Psa 119:32 and the moral law, as in the hands of Christ, is a rule of walk and conversation to believers under the Gospel: and besides, there "was a way of one cubit"; which led into the chambers, and out of them into the broad walk: this is a narrow way, as Christ is said to be, Mat 7:14 and whoever profess faith in him, and in this way enter into a Gospel church state, and into the kingdom of heaven, must be attended with much affliction and persecution, and pass through many tribulations; and there being both a broad walk and a narrow way, and these lying near one another, and a passage from the one to the other, may denote that the churches and people of God are sometimes in prosperity, and sometimes in adversity; one while they walk at liberty, as in a large place; and at other times in great straits and difficulties:

and their doors toward the north; that is, the doors of that row of chambers nearest the temple; these opened to the north into the walk of ten cubits; though one would think that the row opposite to them, their doors must be to the south, into the broad walk between them; unless this is to be understood of the doors that opened into the way of one cubit, and were to the north in both rows; but then the way of one cubit could not in both lead into the broad walk.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, In the front “of the chambers” was a gangway “of ten cubits” breadth (leading) “inward,” a path “of one cubit, and their doors toward the north.” The “gangway” had stairs to the upper stories, while along the north front of the building there was a kerb of one cubit, as before the guard-chambers Eze 40:12, on which kerb the north doors (leading to the basement) opened. Others follow the Septuagint “And opposite the chambers a walk 10 cubits in width to 100 cubits in length.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

One cubit, projecting out perhaps for seats, or for the pilasters.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

This row of chambers had on the south side, or inward, a walk of ten cubits broad, which my between the wall on which these chambers were built, and the twenty cubits’ space; possibly it might be some cloister, running along the wall on the inside. Before the galleries, probably, was a ledge of one cubit broad, running the whole length from east to west, called here a way, though not designed for any to walk on it: such ledges we see in many great houses. Every chamber door opened to the north; and so the entrance into these chambers was through the gallery, which looked to the pavement of the outer court.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4-12. Toy renders: “In front of the chamber was a passageway ten cubits wide and one hundred cubits long. (See O, chart facing page 209.) Their doors were on the north. The upper chambers were smaller than the others, the galleries diminishing their size in comparison with the lower and middle. They were built in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the outer halls; hence the upper stories were smaller than the lower and middle. The outer wall bounding the chambers on the side of the outer court in front of the chambers was fifty cubits long — that is, the length of the chamber building on the outer court was fifty cubits — while in front of the temple it was one hundred cubits. Below these chambers was the entrance way on the east, when they were approached from the outer court at the beginning of the outer wall.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Before the chambers a walk. Whether this walk ran along the longer, i.e. northern, or in front of the eastern side of the chambers, and how it stood related to the way, which is likewise mentioned in connection with the chambers, are litigated questions. The LXX identifies the two, and understands a way in front of the chambers of ten cubits broad and a hundred cubits long. Ewald and Keil so far agree with the LXX as to change the one cubit way into a hundred-cubit way; but whereas Ewald thinks of a passage ten cubits broad and a hundred cubits long, running from west to east between two sets of chambers, Keil speaks of a walk of ten cubits broad and a hundred cubits long in front of the cells, extending into a way of equal breadth and length, leading westward into the inner court. Havernick"s, Hengstenberg"s, and Kliefoth"s idea, favored by Schroder, and probably the best, is that of a walk of ten cubits in front of the cells, and a way of one cubit leading into them from the walk. Dr. Currey reverses this, and makes a walk of ten cubits leading inward, and a way, or kerb, of one cubit in front. Plumptre agrees that the passage leading into the chambers was ten cubits broad, but regards the one cubit as denoting the thickness of the wall separating the walk from the interior of the chambers.

HOMILIES BY W. CLARKSON

Vers. 4-14Separation and society.

What did those "chambers" mean, of which we read so much in this vision? Their immediate use, as intimated to the prophet, is given in the thirteenth and fourteenth verses. They were for the personal accommodation of the priests; that they might there, in a place which was nowise profane but thoroughly holy, eat that part of the sacrifices which fell to their share; and that they might there robe and unrobe, so as to serve in sacred vestments and mingle with the people in ordinary dress. Their object, therefore, was to maintain the separateness or sanctity of the priests. It has been suggested that they also answered this general purpose by constituting places for sacred retirement and devotion; possibly for the accommodation of those who, like Anna the prophetess, "departed not from the temple, night or day". (Luk_2:37) Those who were to minister in the temple were to be provided with rooms which were separated from the commerce and the strife of the outer world, where there would be nothing to contaminate or interrupt. But what meant the "walk of ten cubits breadth" (ver. 4)? Was not this for society, as the chambers were for separation? Matthew Henry suggests that these "walks of five yards broad were for those that had lodgings in the chambers, that there they might meet for conversation, might walk and talk together for their mutual edification, might communicate their knowledge and experiences; for," he adds with characteristic good sense, "we are not to spend all our time between the church and the chamber." We learn

I THE DUTY AND THE PRIVILEGE OF SEPARATION.

1. That which is obligatory and constant; viz. to be separate in spirit and in sympathy from sin; to stand apart, in spirit, from all that is in any way unchristian.

2. That which is obligatory and frequent; viz. to separate ourselves much and generally from the society of the sinful. Jesus Christ was thus "separate from sinners". (Heb_7:26) It is the sacred duty of most good men, and of all the young, to keep aloof from the vicious and profane; to decline the society, and firmly to refuse the friendship, of those who fear not God and whose conduct is unprincipled and deleterious.

3. That which is wise and occasional; viz. to retire into the seclusion of the quiet chamber, where there is no disturbing voice to prevent our close communion with the Father and Savior of our spirits.

II THE SERVICE OF SOCIETY. There are truths to be learned and there are influences to be gained in solitude which cannot be secured in society; but, on the other hand, there is a service which only society can render us. To meet men and to know them as they are living their daily life of toil and struggle; to come into close contact with their difficulties, their doubts, their joys, and their sorrows; to exchange ideas with them; to learn what their experience and their wisdom have to teach us, and to convey to them what we ourselves have learned in the solitary place; to be in the world, and still above it; this is not only the true triumph of Christian principle, it is the fair and open opportunity of Christian usefulness. C.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A way - Before the galleries probably, was a ledge of one cubit broad, running the whole length from east to west, called here a way, though not designed for any to walk on it.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

ten cubits ... one hundred cubits

Each long cubit was about 54 centimeters. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 40:5. AT: "10 cubits ... 100 cubits" or "about 5.4 meters ... about 54 meters" (See: Biblical Distance)

smaller in size compared to the rooms

"smaller than the rooms"

translationWords

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unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits width to the innermost one, a pathway of one cubit It appears to me that since the interior of [each side of] the Outer [Court] was one hundred [cubits] wide from north to south, and of these, the chambers were [occupying a] fifty [cubit] width, and before them was a fifty [cubit] space on the north - here is [already accounted for] the entire width of the Court. It is thus found that the entire width of the [Inner] Court was blocked off, i.e., there was no space between the chambers and the extremity of the depository for the knives, and there was no passageway through which to enter the twenty [cubit] space between the chambers and the cells; The twenty cubit space that intervened between the cells and the chambers consisted of the fifteen cubits that were behind the depository for the knives, and five cubits in addition to them. Now if you ask, “If so, there is a space of five cubits between the corner of [the depository for] the knives and the corner of the chambers?” [I will answer that] the thickness of the wall that intervenes between the Inner Court and the Outer Court blocks him from east to west. For its thickness is six cubits, and its end terminates at the corner [formed by] the end of the one hundred [cubit] length of the Inner Court [meeting] with the corner of the depository of the knives. Therefore, there can be no passageway to that space of twenty [cubits], either in the Inner [Court] or in the Outer [Court] unless there would be a diagonal entrance [inserted] - where the end of the wall between the two courts terminates - in the thickness of the wall, a cubit [wide], enough for a man to enter. One would enter into the five cubit space that is between the [the depository for] the knives and the wall of the Chamber, and [then] walk through that space, toward the west, ten cubits. There, the extension of the depository for the knives terminates, and one enters the twenty [cubits] wide space. This is the meaning of what it says, “a walk of ten cubits width [going] to the innermost one, a way of one cubit.” For he enters it by way of an entrance of one cubit, which [starts to] enter diagonally at the end of the wall. Now why does he call it “a walk of...width”? Should he not say, “a walk of ten cubits length”? Because regarding the housing for the knives, it refers to the width, since the housing for the knives is fifteen cubits from north to south and only ten cubits from east to west.

and their entrances were to the north And the entrances of these chambers were to the north. I found [the following]: And this is the meaning of the northern entrance written above. There he stated it briefly, and here is its explanation.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.