صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

1.

WE

REFLECTIONS.

E are led to infer from hence, that those who rightly know God's name, will not pollute it, v. 7. It is ignorance of God's name that leads men to swear and curse by it; to blaspheme it, and speak irreverently of it. They are either ignorant of him, or forget who and what he is, or they would never so much as take his name in vain. It should be our desire to know his name, his attributes and perfections, by studying his works and word; that we may maintain an holy awe of him, and neither by our tongues or actions dishonour his name, or give occasion to others to speak evil of it.

2. From this prophecy of cleansing the land, we may learn how unanimous and active we ought to be in reforming our country. Sin is much more polluting than dead carcasses and bones; it is a moral pollution; its highest reproach, and threatens its ruin. All, therefore, who fear God and love their country, should join heartily to cleanse the land. This will be to our renown, when, in consequence of our pious, zealous attempts, God shall be glorified. It will be our honour to rise up for him against the workers of iniquity. Let us also pray that God would purge away the filth of our land, that we may be an holy people to the Lord.

3. The best evidence of God's favour, the surest proof that he is reconciled to any person, is his pouring out his spirit to promote this purity and zeal, v. 29. This is the only safe ground of assurance, or even good hope: and it is the greatest blessing; for it relates to the soul and eternity; and will be the source of substantial pleasure and happiness. This therefore we should earnestly desire, and never quench or grieve the spirit of God, that we may walk continually in the light of his countenance.

CHAP. XL.*

Contains Ezekiel's vision of the model of a city, and of an angel with a line and measuring reed taking the dimensions of the temple.

1

N the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth [day] of the month, in the fourteenth year after that city was smitten, in the self same day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought 2 me thither. In the visions of God brought he me into the land

* See the introduction to Chap. xlvii.

of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which 3 [was] as the frame of a city on the south. And he brought me thither, and, behold, [there was] a man, whose appearance [was] like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his 4 hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall show thee; for to the intent that I might show [them] unto thee [art] thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest 5 to the house of Israel. And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits [long] by the cubit and an handbreadth : so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.

[ocr errors]

Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, [which was] one reed broad; and the other 7 threshold of the [gate which was] one reed broad. And [every] little chamber [was] one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the little chambers [were] five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within [was] 8 one reed. He measured also the porch of the gate within, 9. one reed. Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight

cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of 10 the gate [was] inward. And the little chambers of the gate eastward [were] three on this side, and three on that side; they three [were] of one measure: and the posts had one 11 measure on this side and on that side. And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; [and] the length 12 of the gate, thirteen-cubits. The space also before the little chambers [was] one cubit [on this side,] and the space [was] one cubit on that side: and the little chambers [were] six cu13 bits on this side, and six cubits on that side. He measured then the gate from the roof of [one] little chamber to the roof of another the breadth [was] five and twenty cubits, door 14 against door. He made also posts of three score cubits, even 15 unto the post of the court round about the gate. And from

the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch 16 of the inner gate [were] fifty cubits. And [there were] narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches and windows [were] round about inward: and upon [each] post [were] 17 palm trees. Then brought he me into the outward court, and, lo, [there were] chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty chambers [were] up18 on the pavement. And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates [was] 19 the lower pavement. Then he measured the breadth

20

from the forefront of the lower gate unto the forefront of the inner court without, an hundred cubits eastward and northward.

And the gate to the outward court that looked toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the breadth there21 of. And the little chambers thereof [were] three on this side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof [was] fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cu22 bits. And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, [were] after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east ; and they went up unto it by seven steps; and 23 the arches thereof [were] before them. And the gate of the inner court [was] over against the gate toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits.

24

After that he brought me toward the south, and behold a gate toward the south: and he measured the posts thereof and 25 the arches thereof, according to these measures. And [there were] windows in it, and in the arches thereof round about, like those windows: the length [was] fifty cubits, and the breadth 26 five and twenty cubits. And [there were] seven steps to go up to it, and the arches thereof [were] before them: and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, upon the posts thereof.

27

And [there was] a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south an hun28 dred cubits. And he brought me to the inner court by the

south gate and he measured the south gate according to 29 these measures. And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures and [there were] windows in it, and in the arches thereof, round about: [it was] fifty cubits long, and five and 30 twenty cubits broad. And the arches round about [were] 31 five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad. And the

arches thereof [were] toward the outer court; and palm trees [were] upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it [had] eight steps.

32 And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: 33 and he measured the gate according to these measures. And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, [were] according to these measures: and [there were] windows therein, and in the arches thereof round about: [it was] fifty cubits long, and five and twenty 34 cubits broad. And the arches thereof, [were] toward the outward court; and palm trees [were] upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side and the going up to it [had] eight steps.

35 And he brought me to the north gate, and measured [it] 36 according to these measures; The little chambers thereof,

the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length [was] fifty cubits, and the breadth 37 five and twenty cubits. And the posts thereof, [were] toward the outer court; and palm trees [were] upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side : and the going up to it [had] 38 eight steps. And the chambers and the entries thereof [were] by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.

39

And in the porch of the gate [were] two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering 40 and the sin offering and the trespass offering. And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the north gate, [were] two tables; and on the other side, which [was] at 41 the porch of the gate, [were] two tables. Four tables [were] on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables whereupon they slew [their sacrifices.] 42 And the four tables [were] of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the 43 sacrifice. And within [were] hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about: and upon the tables [was] the flesh of the offering.

44

And without the inner gate [were] the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which [was] at the side of the north gate; and their prospect [was] toward the south: one at the side of the east gate [having] the prospect toward the 45 north. And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect [is] toward the south, [is] for the priests, the keepers of the 46 charge of the house. And the chamber whose prospect [is] toward the north, [is] for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar these [are] the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him. 47 So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, four square; and the altar [that was] before the house.

48

And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measur ed [each] post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side and the breadth of the gate [was] three 49 cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side. The length of the porch [was] twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and [he brought me] by the steps whereby they went up to it and [there were] pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.

[blocks in formation]

CHAP. XLI.

The measurement of the parts, chambers, and ornaments of the tem ple described in the preceding chapter.

1

ured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, [which was] the breadth 2 of the tabernacle. And the breadth of the door [was] ten cubits; and the sides of the door [were] five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits. 3 Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the 4 door, seven cubits. So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before, the temple and he said unto me, This [is] the most holy 5 [place.] After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of [every] side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side. And the side chambers [were] three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which [was] of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they 7 had not hold in the wall of the house. And [there was] an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house [was still upward, and so increased [from] the lowest 8 [chamber] to the highest by the midst. I saw also the height of the house round about: the foundations of the side 9 chambers [were] a full reed of six great cubits. The thickness of the wall, which [was] for the side chamber without, [was] five cubits: and [that] which [was] left [was] the place 10 of the side chambers that [were] within. And between the chambers [was] the wideness of twenty cubits round about il the house on every side. And the doors of the side chambers [were] toward [the place that was] left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south and the breadth of the place that was left [was] five cubits round a12 bout. Now the building that [was] before the separate place at the end toward the west [was] seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building [was] five cubits thick round about, 13 and the length thereof ninety cubits. So he measured the house an hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, an hundred cubits long; 14 Also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate 15 place toward the east, an hundred cubits. And he measured

the length of the. building over against the sepa

« السابقةمتابعة »