The Man with a Measuring Rod

(Zechariah 2:1-5)

1In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth [day] of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was struck, in the same day, the hand of Yahweh was on me, and he brought me there. 2In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, whereon was as it were the frame of a city on the south. 3He brought me there; and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. 4The man said to me, Son of man, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart on all that I shall show you; for, to the intent that I may show them to you, you are brought here: declare all that you see to the house of Israel.

The East Gate

5Behold, a wall on the outside of the house all around, and in the man's hand a measuring reed six cubits long, of a cubit and a handbreadth each: so he measured the thickness of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed. 6Then 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. 7Every lodge was one reed long, and one reed broad; and [the space] between the lodges was five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate toward the house was one reed. 8He measured also the porch of the gate toward the house, one reed. 9Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its posts, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was toward the house. 10The lodges of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side. 11He measured the breadth of the opening of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits; 12and a border before the lodges, one cubit [on this side], and a border, one cubit on that side; and the lodges, six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. 13He measured the gate from the roof of the one lodge to the roof of the other, a breadth of twenty-five cubits; door against door. 14He made also posts, sixty cubits; and the court [reached] to the posts, around the gate. 15[From] the forefront of the gate at the entrance to the forefront of the inner porch of the gate were fifty cubits. 16There were closed windows to the lodges, and to their posts within the gate all around, and likewise to the arches; and windows were around inward; and on [each] post were palm trees.

The Outer Court

17Then brought he me into the outer court; and behold, there were rooms and a pavement, made for the court all around: thirty rooms were on the pavement. 18The pavement was by the side of the gates, answerable to the length of the gates, even the lower pavement. 19Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate to the forefront of the inner court outside, one hundred cubits, [both] on the east and on the north.

The North Gate

20The gate of the outer court whose prospect is toward the north, he measured its length and its breadth. 21The lodges of it were three on this side and three on that side; and its posts and its arches were after the measure of the first gate: its length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. 22The windows of it, and its arches, and the palm trees of it, were after the measure of the gate whose prospect is toward the east; and they went up to it by seven steps; and its arches were before them. 23There was a gate to the inner court over against the [other] gate, [both] on the north and on the east; and he measured from gate to gate one hundred cubits.

The South Gate

24He led me toward the south; and behold, a gate toward the south: and he measured its posts and its arches according to these measures. 25There were windows in it and in its arches all around, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. 26There were seven steps to go up to it, and its arches were before them; and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, on its posts. 27There 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

28Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures; 29and its lodges, and its posts, and its arches, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in its arches all around; it was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits broad. 30There were arches all around, twenty-five cubits long, and five cubits broad. 31The arches of it were toward the outer court; and palm trees were on its posts: and the ascent to it had eight steps.

32He brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures; 33and its lodges, and its posts, and its arches, according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in its arches all around; it was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits broad. 34The arches of it were toward the outer court; and palm trees were on its posts, on this side, and on that side: and the ascent to it had eight steps.

35He brought me to the north gate: and he measured [it] according to these measures; 36its lodges, its posts, and its arches: and there were windows therein all around; the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits. 37The posts of it were toward the outer court; and palm trees were on its posts, on this side, and on that side: and the ascent to it had eight steps.

Eight Tables for Sacrifices

38A room with its door was by the posts at the gates; there they washed the burnt offering. 39In the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to kill thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering. 40On the [one] side outside, as one goes up to the entry of the gate toward the north, were two tables; and on the other side, which belonged to the porch of the gate, were two tables. 41Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they killed [the sacrifices]. 42There were four tables for the burnt offering, of cut stone, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high; whereupon they laid the instruments with which they killed the burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43The hooks, a handbreadth long, were fastened within all around: and on the tables was the flesh of the offering.

Rooms for the Priests

44Outside of the inner gate were rooms for the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south; one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north. 45He said to me, This room, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the duty of the house; 46and the room whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the duty of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok, who from among the sons of Levi come near to Yahweh to minister to him.

The Inner Courtyard

47He measured the court, one hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar was before the house.

48Then he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was 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 by which they went up to it: and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.