Ezekiel 40:6
◄  Ezekiel 40:6  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Then he went to the east gate. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Then he went over to the eastern gateway. He climbed the steps and measured the threshold of the gateway; it was 10-1/2 feet front to back.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Then he went into the gateway facing east, going up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed deep.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Then he went to the gate which faced east, went up its steps and measured the threshold of the gate, one rod in width; and the other threshold was one rod in width.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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 threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Then he came to the gate that faced east and climbed its steps. He measured the threshold of the gate; it was 10 feet deep--the first threshold was 10 feet deep.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Then he went over to the gate that faced toward the east, ascended its steps, and measured its thresholds. One threshold measured one reed and the other one measured one reed.

NET Bible (©2006)
Then he went to the gate facing east. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate as 10½ feet deep.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Then the man went to the gateway that faced east. He went up its steps and measured the entrance to the gateway. It was 101/2 feet wide.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Then came he unto the gate which looks toward the east, and went up its stairs, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one rod wide; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one rod wide.

American King James Version
Then came he to the gate which looks toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad.

American Standard Version
Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and went up the steps thereof: and he measured the threshold of the gate, one reed broad; and the other threshold, one reed broad.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he came to the gate that looked toward the east, and he went up the steps thereof: and he measured the breadth of the threshold of the gate one reed, that is, one threshold was one reed broad:

Darby Bible Translation
And 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.

English Revised Version
Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and went up the steps thereof; and he measured the threshold of the gate, one reed broad: and the other threshold, one reed broad.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then he came to the gate which looketh towards the east, and ascended its stairs, and measured the threshhold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshhold of the gate, which was one reed broad.

World English Bible
Then came he to the gate which looks 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.

Young's Literal Translation
And he cometh in unto the gate whose front is eastward, and he goeth up by its steps, and he measureth the threshold of the gate one reed broad, even the one threshold one reed broad,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

40:1-49 The Vision of the Temple. - Here is a vision, beginning at ch. 40, and continued to the end of the book, ch. 48, which is justly looked upon to be one of the most difficult portions in all the book of God. When we despair to be satisfied as to any difficulty we meet with, let us bless God that our salvation does not depend upon it, but that things necessary are plain enough; and let us wait till God shall reveal even this unto us. This chapter describes two outward courts of the temple. Whether the personage here mentioned was the Son of God, or a created angel, is not clear. But Christ is both our Altar and our Sacrifice, to whom we must look with faith in all approaches to God; and he is Salvation in the midst of the earth, Ps 74:12, to be looked unto from all quarters.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - The east gate. The gate which looketh toward the east; literally, whose face was toward the east. That this was not the gate in which the angel had been first observed standing seems implied in the statement that he came to it. That he began with it is satisfactorily accounted for by remembering that the east gate was the principal entrance, and stood directly in front of the porch of the temple proper. The same reasons will explain the fullness of description accorded to it rather than to the others. It was ascended by stairs, or steps, of which the number seven is omitted, though it is mentioned in connection with the north (ver. 22) and south (ver. 26) gates. "The significance was obvious," writes Plumptre. "Men must ascend in heart and mind as they enter the sanctuary, and the seven steps represented the completeness at last of that ascension." The steps lay outside the wall, and at their head had a threshold (סַפ, properly an "expansion," or "spreading out") one reed broad, i.e. measuring inwards from east to west, the thickness of the wall. Its extension from south to north, afterwards stated, was ten cubits, or fifteen feet (ver. 11). The last clause, improperly rendered, and the other threshold (Authorized and Revised Versions), or "the back threshold" (Ewald), of the gate which was one reed, should be translated, even one threshold (Revised Version margin), or the first threshold, as distinguished from the second, to be afterwards specified (ver. 7); comp. Genesis h 5, "the first (one) day."

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east,.... Or, "whose face is the way to the east" (r); to the east of the house or temple; not to the eastern gate of the wall about the house; but to the eastern gate of the outward court; see Ezekiel 40:20, for the man came from the wall he had measured unto this gate; which, with the other gates after mentioned, spiritually design Christ himself, who is the way, door, and gate, John 14:6 and this eastern gate more especially, where the prince sat, Ezekiel 44:3, and which led into the outward court; and over against which was another that led into the inner court, and so straight on to the holy of holies, at the west end of the house. Christ and faith in him, and a profession of him, are the way into the outward visible church, and to the external ordinances of it, baptism and the Lord's supper; he is also the way or gate that leads into the inner court, or into spiritual communion and fellowship with God; he is the way of access to the Father, and through whom saints have communion with him; for there is no coming to him, nor enjoyment of him, but through a mediator; and Christ is he, and he only, by whom we can draw nigh to God, have audience of him, and acceptance with him: he is the gate also that leads to eternal life; the way to heaven and happiness lies through his person, blood, and righteousness; he is the only way, the new and the living way; the plain way, and open gate, yet strait and narrow:

and went up the stairs thereof; or the steps unto it, which were seven; see Ezekiel 40:22 and so the Septuagint and Arabic versions express it here, and read, "seven steps"; according to Jarchi, there were twelve steps, which he takes from the Misnah (s); that there was a "chel" of ten cubits, and there were there twelve steps. It is certain that to the north and south gates there were but seven steps; though Lipman (t) observes, that it is possible there might be a greater declivity on the east side, which required so many steps. Some of the Jewish writers think this is to be understood of the height of the court of Israel above this court; as if it was said, from this court they went up seven steps to the court of Israel; but the plain meaning, as Lipman (u) observes, is, that these steps were without the gate, and are the height of the court from the mountain of the house to it: these Cocceius very ingeniously illustrates by the seven trumpets in the Revelation; which indeed are so many steps or gradual advances towards the kingdom of Christ, and the glorious and spiritual state of his church in the latter day; which will be introduced by the blowing of the seventh trumpet, when the mystery of God will be finished, and the kingdoms of this world become Christ's, Revelation 10:7 perhaps the man leading the prophet up these steps or stairs to the gate may signify the gradual increase of spiritual light and knowledge of the saints, in the person, offices, and grace of Christ, the way, the truth, and the life; indeed the whole work of grace on the heart is gradual; it is carried on by degrees; it is but begun, not yet finished, particularly the work of faith; believers proceed from one step to another; first see Christ by faith, then go to him, then lay hold on him, and retain him; their faith increases, and they go from strength to strength; and sometimes it grows exceedingly; the advances in it are many and manifest:

and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; of the same measure. The Hebrew word (w) signifies both a threshold and the upper lintel; and the one may intend the one; and the other the other, and both these: some think they point at the two Testaments; or, as others, the two natures in Christ, and the strength of them, who is the gate, the way to God, the Mediator between him and man, and the mighty Redeemer. Cocceius, because mention is made of a third threshold, Ezekiel 40:7, fancies that these three thresholds design the three witnesses, Father, Word, and Spirit; which three are one, and found in one gate, which is Christ; so that he that believes in him believes in all three; and he that has the one has the other: but it is a mistake of this learned man that these three thresholds belong to one gate; for that after mentioned is the threshold of the inner, and not the outer gate. Jarchi and Kimchi understand not the thresholds of the gate, but the posts of it.

(r) "facies ejus via ad orientem", Montanus; "eujus facies, ejus", Vatablus. (s) Middot, c. 2. sect. 3.((t) Tzurath Beth Hamikdash, sect. 9. fol. 2. 2. (u) lbid. (w) "sumitur pro inferiore limine, et pro superliminari, sive superiore limine", Capellus, Sanctius.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6. the stairs—seven in number (Eze 40:26).

threshold—the sill [Fairbairn].

other threshold—Fairbairn considers there is but one threshold, and translates, "even the one threshold, one rod broad." But there is another threshold mentioned in Eze 40:7. The two thresholds here seem to be the upper and the lower.

Ezekiel 40:6 Parallel Commentaries

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The East Gate
5And 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. 6Then came he to the gate which looks toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad. 7And 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 one reed. …

Ezekiel 8:16 He then brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east.
Ezekiel 11:1 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the LORD that faces east. There at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people.
Ezekiel 40:20 Then he measured the length and width of the north gate, leading into the outer court.
Ezekiel 40:22 Its openings, its portico and its palm tree decorations had the same measurements as those of the gate facing east. Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them.
Ezekiel 40:24 Then he led me to the south side and I saw the south gate. He measured its jambs and its portico, and they had the same measurements as the others.
Ezekiel 40:26 Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them; it had palm tree decorations on the faces of the projecting walls on each side.
Ezekiel 41:16 as well as the thresholds and the narrow windows and galleries around the three of them--everything beyond and including the threshold was covered with wood. The floor, the wall up to the windows, and the windows were covered.
Ezekiel 42:15 When he had finished measuring what was inside the temple area, he led me out by the east gate and measured the area all around:
Ezekiel 43:1 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east,
Ezekiel 43:17 The upper ledge also is square, fourteen cubits long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit. The steps of the altar face east."
Ezekiel 44:1 Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east, and it was shut.