Eze 40:5 | KingComments | STEP | The first thing Ezekiel sees is “a wall on the outside of the temple [literally “house”]” ( ). With this he begins the description. This wall runs around the entire temple complex, including the two courts. The Man measures the wall with “a measuring rod” that He has in His hand. The length of the measuring rod is “six cubits”. This “cubit” is not the usual cubit of six handbreadths, which is 45 cm, but a “cubit and a handbreadth” (i.e., seven handbreadths), which is also called ‘the royal cubit’. This cubit is the standard length measurement for this temple. According to various interpreters, about 52.5 cm should be counted for this cubit (assuming a hand width of 7.5 cm). The measuring rod (“one rod”) in the Man’s hand is six cubits and is 3.15 m (= 6 x 52.5 cm) in this calculation. The wall is therefore 3.15 m wide and 3.15 m high. That the measuring begins with the wall indicates that everything within the wall has a place specially set apart for God in relation to the area outside the wall. Whatever is inside the wall is set apart for or dedicated to God. It can be compared to sanctifying the seventh day as a day that God sets apart from the other six days to be special to Him ( ). We also see this with the wall around Jerusalem ( ). Also, the wall ensures that evil, sin, does not have access. The wall separates the holy from the profane ( ). Right at the beginning of the description of the temple, we see of how great importance these two aspects – dedication to God and the keeping out of sin – are. They are the conditions that must be met if God is to dwell in the midst of His people, for “holiness befits Your house, O LORD, forevermore” ( ).

‏ Ezekiel 40:5

The Wall on the Outside

The first thing Ezekiel sees is “a wall on the outside of the temple [literally “house”]” (Eze 40:5). With this he begins the description. This wall runs around the entire temple complex, including the two courts. The Man measures the wall with “a measuring rod” that He has in His hand. The length of the measuring rod is “six cubits”. This “cubit” is not the usual cubit of six handbreadths, which is 45 cm, but a “cubit and a handbreadth” (i.e., seven handbreadths), which is also called ‘the royal cubit’. This cubit is the standard length measurement for this temple.

According to various interpreters, about 52.5 cm should be counted for this cubit (assuming a hand width of 7.5 cm). The measuring rod (“one rod”) in the Man’s hand is six cubits and is 3.15 m (= 6 x 52.5 cm) in this calculation. The wall is therefore 3.15 m wide and 3.15 m high.

That the measuring begins with the wall indicates that everything within the wall has a place specially set apart for God in relation to the area outside the wall. Whatever is inside the wall is set apart for or dedicated to God. It can be compared to sanctifying the seventh day as a day that God sets apart from the other six days to be special to Him (Gen 2:3). We also see this with the wall around Jerusalem (Neh 12:27). Also, the wall ensures that evil, sin, does not have access. The wall separates the holy from the profane (Eze 42:20).

Right at the beginning of the description of the temple, we see of how great importance these two aspects – dedication to God and the keeping out of sin – are. They are the conditions that must be met if God is to dwell in the midst of His people, for “holiness befits Your house, O LORD, forevermore” (Psa 93:5b).