Ezekiel, 42

1. Then he led me north to the outer court, bringing me to some chambers on the north that lay across the free area and which were also across from the building.

1. He then took me out into the outer court on the north side and led me to the room facing the court, that is to say, to the front of the building on the north side.

2. Their length was a hundred cubits on the north side, and they were fifty cubits wide.

2. Along the front, it was a hundred cubits long on the north side and fifty cubits wide.

3. Across the twenty cubits of the inner court and the pavement of the outer court, there were three parallel rows of them on different levels.

3. Facing the gateways of the inner court and facing the paving of the outer court was a gallery in front of the triple gallery,

4. In front of the chambers, to the inside, was a walk ten cubits broad and a wall of one cubit; but the entrances of the chambers were on the north.

4. and in front of the rooms was a walk, ten cubits measured inwards and a hundred cubits long; their doors looked north.

5. The outermost chambers were the lowest, for the system of levels set them at a level lower than the closest chambers and those in between;

5. The top-floor rooms were narrow because the galleries took up part of the width, being narrower than those on the ground floor or those on the middle floor of the building;

6. for they were in three rows and had no foundations to conform with the foundations of the courts, therefore they were on a lower terrace of the ground than the closest and the middle chambers.

6. these were divided into three storeys and had no columns such as the court had. Hence they were narrower than the ground floor ones or the middle-floor ones (below them).

7. On the far side there was a wall running parallel to the chambers along the outer court; its length before these chambers was fifty cubits,

7. The outer wall parallel to the rooms, facing them and giving onto the outer court, was fifty cubits long,

8. for the length of the chambers belonging to the outer court was fifty cubits, but along its entire length the wall measured one hundred cubits.

8. the length of the rooms facing the outer court being fifty cubits, while for those facing the hall of the Temple it was a hundred cubits.

9. Below these chambers there was the way in from the east, so that one could enter from the outer court

9. Beneath the rooms there was an entrance from the east, leading in from the outer court.

10. where the wall of the court began. To the south along the side of the free area and the building there were also chambers,

10. In the thickness of the wall of the court, on the south side fronting the court and the building, were rooms.

11. before which was a passage. These looked like the chambers to the north, just as long and just as wide, with the same exits and plan and entrances.

11. A walk ran in front of them, as with the rooms built on the north side; they were of the same length and breadth, and were of similar design with similar doors in and out.

12. Below the chambers to the south there was an entrance at the beginning of the way which led to the back wall, by which one could enter from the east.

12. Before the rooms on the south side there was an entrance at the end of each walk, opposite the corresponding wall on the east side, at their entries.

13. He said to me, "The north and south chambers which border on the free area are the sanctuary chambers; here the priests who draw near to the LORD shall eat the most sacred meals, and here they shall keep the most sacred offerings: cereal offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings; for it is a holy place.

13. He said to me, 'The northern and southern rooms giving onto the court are the rooms of the sanctuary, in which the priests who approach Yahweh will eat the most holy things. In them will be placed the most holy things: the oblation, the sacrifice for sin sin and the sacrifice of reparation, since this is a holy place.

14. When the priests have once entered, they shall not leave the holy place for the outer court until they have left here the clothing in which they ministered, for it is holy. They shall put on other garments, and then approach the place destined for the people."

14. Once the priests have entered, they will not go out of the holy place into the outer court without leaving their liturgical vestments there, since these vestments are holy; they will put on other clothes before going near places assigned to the people.'

15. When he had finished measuring the inner temple area, he brought me out by way of the gate which faces east and measured all the limits of the court.

15. When he had finished measuring the inside of the Temple, he took me out to the east gate and measured it right round the sides.

16. He measured the east side: five hundred cubits by his measuring rod. Then he turned

16. He measured the east side with his measuring rod: a total of five hundred cubits by the measuring rod.

17. and measured the north side: five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. He turned

17. He then measured the north side: a total of five hundred cubits by the measuring rod.

18. to the south and measured five hundred cubits by the measuring rod.

18. He then measured the south side: five hundred cubits by the measuring rod

19. Then he turned to the west and measured five hundred cubits by the measuring rod.

19. was the total. On the west side he measured five hundred cubits by the measuring rod.

20. Thus he measured it in the four directions, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide. It was surrounded by a wall, to separate the sacred from the profane.

20. He measured the entire enclosing wall on all four sides: length five hundred, breadth five hundred, separating the sacred from the profane.