Ezekiel 42:20
New International Version
So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall around it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.

New Living Translation
So the area was 875 feet on each side with a wall all around it to separate what was holy from what was common.

English Standard Version
He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, 500 cubits long and 500 cubits broad, to make a separation between the holy and the common.

Berean Standard Bible
So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.

King James Bible
He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

New King James Version
He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred wide, to separate the holy areas from the common.

New American Standard Bible
He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall all around, the length five hundred rods and the width five hundred, to divide between the holy and the common.

NASB 1995
He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall all around, the length five hundred and the width five hundred, to divide between the holy and the profane.

NASB 1977
He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall all around, the length five hundred and the width five hundred, to divide between the holy and the profane.

Legacy Standard Bible
He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall all around, the length 500 and the width 500, to divide between the holy and the profane.

Amplified Bible
He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall all around, the length five hundred and the width five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy [the temple proper] and that which was common [the outer area].

Christian Standard Bible
He measured the temple complex on all four sides. It had a wall all around it, 875 feet long and 875 feet wide, to separate the holy from the common.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He measured the temple complex on all four sides. It had a wall all around it, 875 feet long and 875 feet wide, to separate the holy from the common.

American Standard Version
He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.

Contemporary English Version
and so the temple area was a perfect square. The wall around this area separated what was sacred from what was ordinary.

English Revised Version
He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So he measured all four sides. There was a wall all around it. The wall was 875 feet long and 875 feet wide. It separated what was holy from what was unholy.

Good News Translation
so that the wall enclosed a square 840 feet on each side. The wall served to separate what was holy from what was not.

International Standard Version
He measured a wall that encompassed all four sides, 500 hundred long and 500 wide, dividing between the sacred and common areas.

Majority Standard Bible
So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.

NET Bible
He measured it on all four sides. It had a wall around it, 875 feet long and 875 feet wide, to separate the holy and common places.

New Heart English Bible
He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall around it, the length eight hundred sixty-one feet three inches, and the breadth eight hundred sixty-one feet three inches, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.

Webster's Bible Translation
He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall around, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

World English Bible
He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, the length five hundred cubits, and the width five hundred cubits, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
At the four sides he has measured it; it had a wall all around, the length—five hundred, and the breadth—five hundred, to separate between the holy and the profane place.

Young's Literal Translation
At the four sides he hath measured it, a wall is to it all round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to separate between the holy and the profane place.

Smith's Literal Translation
To the four winds he measured it: the wall to it round about, round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to separate between the holy to the profane.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
By the four winds he measured the wall thereof on every side round about, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits broad, making a separation between the sanctuary and the place of the people.

Catholic Public Domain Version
By the four winds, he measured its wall, on every side throughout the course: five hundred cubits in length and five hundred cubits in width, dividing between the sanctuary and the place of the common people.

New American Bible
Thus he measured it on the four sides. It was surrounded by a wall five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the sacred from the profane.

New Revised Standard Version
He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to make a separation between the holy and the common.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He measured it on the four sides; and the wall round about, five hundred reeds long and five hundred broad, making a separation between the sanctuary and the unconsecrated ground.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
To the four winds he measured it, and the wall in a circle: its length five hundred and its width five hundred, that will separate the Holy Place and the common
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
He measured it by the four sides; it had a wall round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The four sides he measured by the same reed, and he marked out the house and the circumference of the parts round about, a space of five hundred cubits eastward, and a breadth of five hundred cubits, to make a division between the sanctuary and the outer wall, that belonged to the design of the house.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Outer Measurements
19And he came around and measured the west side to be five hundred cubits long. 20So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.

Cross References
Revelation 21:15-17
The angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls. / The city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its dimensions were equal—12,000 stadia in length and width and height. / And he measured its wall to be 144 cubits, by the human measure the angel was using.

Revelation 11:1-2
Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there. / But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.

Zechariah 2:1-2
Then I lifted up my eyes and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. / “Where are you going?” I asked. “To measure Jerusalem,” he replied, “and to determine its width and length.”

Revelation 21:12-13
The city had a great and high wall with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve angels at the gates. / There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west.

Revelation 21:10-11
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, / shining with the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious jewel, like a jasper, as clear as crystal.

Revelation 21:18
The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself of pure gold, as pure as glass.

Revelation 21:21
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, with each gate consisting of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, as clear as glass.

Revelation 21:25-27
Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day, because there will be no night there. / And into the city will be brought the glory and honor of the nations. / But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Revelation 22:14-15
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates. / But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Revelation 21:22
But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.

Revelation 21:5
And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.”

Revelation 21:9
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

Revelation 21:19-20
The foundations of the city walls were adorned with every kind of precious stone: The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, / the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.

Revelation 21:23-24
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp. / By its light the nations will walk, and into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory.


Treasury of Scripture

He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

it had

Ezekiel 40:5
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 hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.

Song of Solomon 2:9
My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.

Isaiah 25:1
O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

five hundred

Ezekiel 45:2
Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof.

Ezekiel 48:20
All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city.

Revelation 21:12-17
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: …

a separation

Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Ezekiel 44:23
And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

Ezekiel 48:15
And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof.

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Breadth Broad Common Cubits Divide Five Four Holy Hundred Length Measure Measured Profane Reeds Round Sanctuary Separate Separating Separation Sides Wall Wide Width
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Breadth Broad Common Cubits Divide Five Four Holy Hundred Length Measure Measured Profane Reeds Round Sanctuary Separate Separating Separation Sides Wall Wide Width
Ezekiel 42
1. The chambers for the priests
13. The use thereof
15. The measures of the outward court














So he measured the area on all four sides
The act of measuring in biblical terms often signifies the establishment of boundaries and order. In Hebrew, the word for "measured" is "מָדַד" (madad), which implies a careful and deliberate action. This measurement signifies God's precision and intentionality in setting apart sacred spaces. The four sides indicate completeness and universality, suggesting that God's holiness encompasses all directions and aspects of life. This act of measuring is reminiscent of the divine order seen in the creation narrative, where God brings order out of chaos.

It had a wall around it
Walls in ancient times were symbols of protection and separation. The Hebrew word for "wall" is "חוֹמָה" (chomah), which denotes a barrier that provides security and defines a space. In the context of the temple, the wall serves to protect the sanctity of the holy area from the profane. Spiritually, this can be seen as a metaphor for the boundaries that believers are called to maintain in their lives to preserve holiness and purity, separating themselves from worldly influences.

five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide
The specific measurement of "five hundred cubits" (approximately 750 feet or 230 meters) indicates a large, square area, symbolizing perfection and completeness. The use of the number five hundred, a multiple of ten, often represents completeness in biblical numerology. The square shape is significant in biblical architecture, as it reflects the perfection and symmetry of God's design. This measurement underscores the vastness and grandeur of the sacred space, inviting believers to reflect on the immensity of God's holiness and the comprehensive nature of His divine order.

to separate the holy from the common
The Hebrew word for "separate" is "בָּדַל" (badal), which means to divide or distinguish. This separation is a central theme in the holiness code found in Leviticus, where God calls His people to be distinct from the nations around them. The "holy" (קֹדֶשׁ, qodesh) refers to that which is set apart for God, while the "common" (חֹל, chol) refers to the ordinary or profane. This distinction emphasizes the call for believers to live lives that are set apart for God's purposes, maintaining a clear boundary between the sacred and the secular. It serves as a reminder of the transformative power of God's presence, which sanctifies and elevates the ordinary to the extraordinary.

(20) It had a wall.--Around this vast enclosure on all sides was a wall, not of the slight character of that in Ezekiel 42:7; but the same word is used as in Ezekiel 40:5, of the massive wall surrounding the outer court. The object of this enclosure was to protect the sanctity of the Temple and its courts, "to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place."

Verse 20. - To make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane. In these words the prophet indicates the purpose designed to be served by this particular wall; and although it may be said the outer court divided between the "sanctuary," or that which was holy, and the "profane," or that which was common, yet a more decided separation would assuredly be made by extending in the way described the precincts of the house. The objections usually offered to the view which regards the present measurements as those of a larger quadrangle encompassing the outer court, are not sufficient to make that view impossible.

(1) It is said that the "sanctuary" always refers to the house as contrasted with its courts, especially with the outer court, and that in this sense it should here be taken; but the rendering, "that which is holy," shows how the idea of special sanctity might easily be extended to the whole structure, including courts as well as house (see Psalm 114:2; Daniel 9:20).

(2) It is urged that there is no other instance in which the measurements are represented as having been taken by "reeds" in the plural; but a glance at Ezekiel 45:1, etc., and Ezekiel 48:16, will show that this is incorrect. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So he measured
מְדָד֗וֹ (mə·ḏā·ḏōw)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4058: To stretch, to measure, to be extended

the area on all four
לְאַרְבַּ֨ע (lə·’ar·ba‘)
Preposition-l | Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 702: Four

sides.
רוּח֜וֹת (rū·ḥō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

It had a wall
ח֤וֹמָה (ḥō·w·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

all
סָבִ֣יב ׀ (sā·ḇîḇ)
Adverb
Strong's 5439: A circle, neighbour, environs, around

around,
סָבִ֔יב (sā·ḇîḇ)
Adverb
Strong's 5439: A circle, neighbour, environs, around

five
חֲמֵ֣שׁ (ḥă·mêš)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2568: Five

hundred [cubits]
מֵא֔וֹת (mê·’ō·wṯ)
Number - feminine plural
Strong's 3967: A hundred

long
אֹ֚רֶךְ (’ō·reḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 753: Length

and five
חֲמֵ֣שׁ (ḥă·mêš)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2568: Five

hundred [cubits]
מֵא֑וֹת (mê·’ō·wṯ)
Number - feminine plural
Strong's 3967: A hundred

wide,
וְרֹ֖חַב (wə·rō·ḥaḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7341: Breadth, width

to separate
לְהַבְדִּ֕יל (lə·haḇ·dîl)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 914: To be divided, separate

the holy
הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ (haq·qō·ḏeš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity

from the common.
לְחֹֽל׃ (lə·ḥōl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2455: Profaneness, commonness


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 42:20 He measured it on the four sides: (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 42:19
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