The Vision of the Outer Court

1Then he brought me to the outer, north-facing courtyard into the chamber that stood opposite the structure that was facing north. 2It stood 100 cubitsa long and 50 cubitsb wide, with a door in the middle.c 3Opposite the 20 cubitsd wide inner court, and opposite the paved area that comprised the outer court, there were three stories of galleries that faced each other. 4In front of the chambers there was an inner walkway ten cubits wide and 100 cubitse wide, the openings to which were on thef north. 5The upper chambers were narrower, since the galleries required more space than did the lower and middle portions of the building. 6The three part structure had no columns, unlike the courts, which is why the upper chambers were offset from the ground upward, more so than the lower and middle chambers.

7The outer wall by the side of the chambers toward the outer court and facing the chambers was 50 cubitsg long. 8While the chambers in the outer court were 50 cubitsh in length, the chambers facing the Temple were 100 cubitsi long. 9Below these chambers, as one might enter from the outer court, was the east side entrance. 10There were chambers built into the thick part of the wall of the court facing the east; that is, facing the separate area toward the front of the building, 11with a passageway in front of them, similar in appearance to the chambers that were on the north, proportional to their length and width, with all of their exits according to their arrangements and doorways. 12Corresponding to the chamber doorways facing the south was an opening at the beginning of the passage; that is, the passage in front of the corresponding part of the wall facing east as one might enter.

The Place for Holy Things

13Then he told me, “The north and south chamber, which are opposite the courtyard, are consecrated areas where the priests who approach the LORD will eat consecrated offerings and lay the consecrated grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings, because the area is holy. 14When the priest enters, they will not enter the outer court from the sanctuary without having removed their garments worn during their time of ministry, because they are holy. They will put on different clothes, and then they will approach the area reserved for the people.”

15After he had finished measuring the inner temple, he brought me out through the east-facing gate and measured it all around. 16He measured the east side at 500 reeds,j according to the length of the measuring stick, 17the north side at 500 reeds, according to the length of the measuring stick, 18the south side at 500 reeds, according to the length of the measuring stick, 19and the west side at 500 reeds, according to the length of the measuring stick. 20He measured a wall that encompassed all four sides, 500 hundred long and 500 wide, dividing between the sacred and common areas.