Ezekiel 43:14

Eze 43:14 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.

Ver. 14. And from the bottom upon the ground.] This so exact measuring of the altar may import, saith Polanus, the faithful and perfect preaching of the gospel by the apostles, and all faithful ministers of God’s word after them. {2Co 10:13-18 1Co 4:1,2Ki 11:1}

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.

14. Two cubits up from the basement the fabric underwent the first contraction, being let in a cubit. Thus a ledge of a cubit broad was formed running all round the altar. A.V. appears to call this bench or ledge a “settle.” The altar narrowed in dimension not gradually like an obelisk, but at two places. Cf. the similar way in which the wall of the house retreated, Eze_41:6.

At a height of four cubits above the first inlet came another, of the same breadth of a cubit, so that a second ledge of a cubit broad was formed round the altar on its four sides.

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 from the bottom upon the ground, even to the lower settle,.... From the basis or foundation of the altar, as it stood upon the ground, to the lower settle or "court" (w), as it is called, where the priests stood; and in which they could walk round the altar, to do their business:

shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; that is, two cubits high, and one broad:

and from the lesser settle or court, to the greater settle or court, shall be four cubits, and, the breadth one cubit; the lowermost settle is called the lesser, not in quantity, but in height, it being but two cubits high from the ground; but the upper settle was four cubits from that, and one broad, for the priests to walk on round about; in all six cubits from the bottom.

(w) "atrium auxilii", Montanus.

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

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).

To the lower settle - That is, to the top of “the lower settle,” which was to be “two cubits high.”

From the lesser settle ... to the greater settle - i. e., from the top of the “lower settle” to the top of the “upper settle,” called “lesser” and “greater,” because the height of the lower is less than that of the “upper; The breadth” here is the part of the lower settle not covered by the upper settle, projecting one cubit on every side.

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

Cubit. they were each a cubit broad, but this greater means higher up. Some assert that the priests stood on this base to avoid treading on the altar, when they place the wood or victims. But it would be too low; and steps were made for that purpose. The altar was ten, or rather twelve cubits high, and as many broad. Solomon’s was ten high and twenty broad. Herod’s was a square of forty cubits, raised fifteen from the ground. (Calmet)

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).

From the bottom; from the superficies of the first ledge, which was a cubit broad and a cubit high from the ground.

To the lower settle; to the top of that square settle which is called lower, because another settle is raised upon it.

Two cubits in height.

The breadth one cubit on every square, as the first and bottom settle, which by this account was two cubits larger in each square or side than the middle settle.

From the lesser settle; from the highest edge of the uppermost settle, down to the cubit broad ledge about the lower settle. The prophet measures now downward.

The greater; so called, because it exceeded the upper settle a cubit in breadth on each side. Four cubits in the height thereof.

The breadth one cubit, as the two other were.

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

The next measurements which are taken from the bottom upon the ground, i.e. from the qyhe, "base," or ground framework above described, to the lower settle, i.e. to the top of the undermost of the two "terraces," or enclosures," or "platforms," of which the altar consisted, are two cubits of height with one cubit of breadth; the measurements which follow, from the lesser settle, i.e. the undermost, to the greater settle, i.e. the uppermost, are four cubits of height with one cubit of breadth.

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

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. Two cubits - In height. The lesser - From the highest edge of the uppermost settle, down to the cubit broad ledge about the lower settle. The greater - So called, because it exceeded the upper settle a cubit in breadth. Four cubits - ln height.

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

And from the base on the ground [Heb. וּמֵחֵיק הָאָרֶץ. From the “yesod,” from the floor of the earth.

to the lower ledge [Heb. הָעֲזָרָה, lit. court.] Until the top of the first frame.

two cubits It was not the same in the [Second] Temple, for there, we learned (Zeb. 54a): “They bring a frame of 32 [cubits] by 32 [cubits], whose height is a cubit,” whereas here its height is two cubits.

and the breadth one cubit when one places the second frame upon it. The second frame was thirty by thirty, the result being that it [the bottom, 32 by 32 cubit frame] had a recess around it a cubit wide which was the base. Jonathan renders: עֲזָרָה as מסְתַּמְתָא, a word for floor, [and it was called so] because one would fill the frame with smooth stones, pitch, lime, and molten lead, mix it and pour it out and smooth it out on top, and behold, it would be a kind of floor.

and from the smaller ledge to the greater ledge four cubits From the top of the lower frame until the top of the frame that was upon it was a height of four cubits.

and the breadth, one cubit This is the amount of the recess of the circuit. It went up four cubits and went in one cubit. [In the second Temple, it went up five cubits and went in one.] And this is the “circuit.” The lower one is called smaller because it is only two [cubits] high, whereas the upper one is four.

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.