The Man with a Measuring Rod

(Zechariah 2:1-5)

1In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, on that same day the hand of Jehovah was upon me, and he brought me thither. 2In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain; and upon it was as the building of a city, on the south. 3And he brought me thither, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a flax-cord in his hand, and a measuring-reed; and he stood in the gate. 4And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thy heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for in order that it might be shewn unto thee art thou brought hither. Declare to the house of Israel all that thou seest.

The East Gate

5And behold, there was a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a measuring-reed of six cubits, [each] of one cubit and a hand breadth. And he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed. 6And he came to the gate which looked toward the east, and went up its steps; and he measured the threshold of the gate, one reed broad; and the other threshold one reed broad. 7And [each] chamber was one reed long and one reed broad; and between the chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate, beside the porch of the gate within, was one reed. 8And he measured the porch of the gate within, one reed. 9And he measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward. 10And the chambers of the gate which was toward the east were three on this side and three on that side: they three were of one measure; and the posts on this side and on that side had one measure. 11And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; [and] the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 12And there was a border before the chambers of one cubit, and a border of one cubit on the other side; and the chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. 13And he measured the gate from the roof of [one] chamber to the roof [of the other], a breadth of five and twenty cubits, entry opposite entry. 14And he made posts, sixty cubits, and by the post was the court of the gate round about. 15And from the front of the gate of the entrance unto the front of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits. 16And there were closed windows to the chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the projections; and the windows round about were inward; and upon [each] post were palm-trees.

The Outer Court

17And he brought me into the outer court, and behold, there were cells, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty cells were upon the pavement. 18And the pavement was by the side of the gates, answering to the length of the gates, [namely] the lower pavement. 19And he measured the breadth from the front of the lower gate unto the front of the inner court outside, a hundred cubits eastward and northward.

The North Gate

20And the gate of the outer court, that looked toward the north, he measured its length and its breadth. 21And its chambers were three on this side and three on that side; and its posts and its projections were according to the measure of the first gate: its length was fifty cubits, and breadth five and twenty cubits. 22And its windows, and its projections, and its palm-trees were according to the measure of the gate that looked toward the east; and they went up to it by seven steps; and the projections thereof were before them. 23And the gate of the inner court was opposite to the gate toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate a hundred cubits.

The South Gate

24And he brought me toward the south: and behold, there was a gate toward the south; and he measured its posts and its projections according to these measures. 25And there were windows to it and to its projections round about, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. 26And there were seven steps to go up to it; and its projections were before them; and it had palm-trees, one on this side and one on that side, upon its posts. 27And there was a gate to the inner court toward the south; and he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits.

The Gates of the Inner Court

28And he brought me into the inner court by the south gate; and he measured the south gate according to these measures: 29and its chambers, and its posts, and its projections, according to these measures; and there were windows to it and to its projections round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. 30And there were projections round about, twenty-five cubits long, and five cubits broad. 31And its projections were toward the outer court; and there were palm-trees upon its posts: and its ascent was [by] eight steps.

32And he brought me into the inner court toward the east; and he measured the gate according to these measures: 33and its chambers, and its posts, and its projections, according to these measures; and there were windows to it and to its projections round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. 34And its projections were toward the outer court; and there were palm-trees upon its posts on this side and on that side: and its ascent was [by] eight steps.

35And he brought me to the north gate, and he measured [it] according to these measures: 36its chambers, its posts, and its projections; and there were windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. 37And its posts were toward the outer court; and there were palm-trees upon its posts, on this side and on that side: and its ascent was [by] eight steps.

Eight Tables for Sacrifices

38And there was a cell and its entry by the posts of the gates; there they rinsed the burnt-offering. 39And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt-offering and the sin-offering and the trespass-offering. 40And at the side without, at the ascent to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate, were two tables: 41four tables on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate, -- eight tables, whereon they slew [the sacrifice], 42 -- and at the ascent, four tables of hewn stone, of a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high; whereon also they laid the instruments with which they slew the burnt-offering and the sacrifice. 43And the double hooks of a hand breadth were fastened round about within; and upon the tables [they put] the flesh of the offering.

Rooms for the Priests

44And outside the inner gate were two cells in the inner court, one at the side of the north gate, and its front towards the south; the other was at the side of the south gate, the front towards the north. 45And he said unto me, This cell whose front is towards the south is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house. 46And the cell whose front is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, those who, from among the sons of Levi, approach unto Jehovah to minister unto him.

The Inner Courtyard

47And he measured the court, the length a hundred cubits, and the breadth a hundred cubits, four square: and the altar was before the house.

48And he brought me to the porch of the house; and he measured the post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side; and the breadth of the gate, three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side. 49The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits, even by the steps whereby they went up to it; and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and one on that side.