---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"
author: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 478 of 927
url: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/478/
cite: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, section 478. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/478/"
---

# Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

*Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown*

The Victorian standard commentary, critical and practical, from Genesis to Revelation.

## 478. Ezekiel · 39 of 41

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/478/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/478/#p-N

[¶0] 44. the chambers of the singers--two in number, as proved by what follows: "and their prospect (that is, the prospect of one) was toward the south, (and) one toward the north." So the Septuagint.

[¶1] 46. Zadok--lineally descended from Aaron. He had the high priesthood conferred on him by Solomon, who had set aside the family of Ithamar because of the part which Abiathar had taken in the rebellion of Adonijah ([1Ki 1:7]; 2:26, 27).

[¶2] 47. court, an hundred cubits ... foursquare--not to be confounded with the inner court, or court of Israel, which was open to all who had sacrifices to bring, and went round the three sides of the sacred territory, one hundred cubits broad. This court was one hundred cubits square, and had the altar in it, in front of the temple. It was the court of the priests, and hence is connected with those who had charge of the altar and the music. The description here is brief, as the things connected with this portion were from the first divinely regulated.

[¶3] 48-49. These two verses belong to the forty-first chapter, which treats of the temple itself.

### Chapter 41

### Eze 41:1-26. The Chambers and Ornaments of the Temple

[¶6] 1. tabernacle--As in the measurement of the outer porch he had pointed to Solomon's temple, so here in the edifice itself, he points to the old tabernacle, which being eight boards in breadth (each one and a half cubits broad) would make in all twelve cubits, as here. On the interior it was only ten cubits.

[¶7] 2. length thereof--namely, of the holy place [Fairbairn].

[¶8] 3. inward--towards the most holy place.

[¶9] 4. thereof--of the holy of holies.

[¶10] before the temple--that is, before, or in front of the most holy place (so "temple" is used in [1Ki 6:3]). The angel went in and measured it, while Ezekiel stood in front, in the only part of the temple accessible to him. The dimensions of the two apartments are the same as in Solomon's temple, since being fixed originally by God, they are regarded as finally determined.

[¶11] 5. side chamber--the singular used collectively for the plural. These chambers were appendages attached to the outside of the temple, on the west, north, and south; for on the east side, the principal entrance, there were no chambers. The narrowness of the chambers was in order that the beams could be supported without needing pillars. The plan is similar to that of the hall at Koyunjik, a large central hall, called the oracle, with smaller rooms built round it.

[¶12] 6. might ... hold, but ... not hold in ... wall of the house--[1Ki 6:6] tells us there were rests made in the walls of the temple for supports to the side chambers; but the temple walls did not thereby become part of this side building; they stood separate from it. "They entered," namely, the beams of the chambers, which were three-storied and thirty in consecutive order, entered into the wall, that is, were made to lean on rests projecting from the wall.

[¶13] 7. the breadth ... so increased from the lowest ... to the highest--that is, the breadth of the interior space above was greater than that below.

[¶14] 8. foundations ... six ... cubits--the substructure, on which the foundations rested, was a full reed of six cubits.

[¶15] great--literally, "to the extremity" or root, namely, of the hand [Henderson]. "To the joining," or point, where the foundation of one chamber ceased and another began [Fairbairn].

[¶16] 9. that which was left--There was an unoccupied place within chambers that belonged to the house. The buildings in this unoccupied place, west of the temple, and so much resembling it in size, imply that no place was to be left which was to be held, as of old, not sacred. Manasseh ([2Ki 23:11]) had abused these "suburbs of the temple" to keeping horses sacred to the sun. All excuse for such abominations was henceforth to be taken away, the Lord claiming every space, and filling up this also with sacred erections [Fairbairn].

[¶17] 10. the chambers--that is, of the priests in the court: between these and the side chambers was the wideness, &c. While long details are given as to the chambers, &c., no mention is made of the ark of the covenant. Fairbairn thus interprets this: In future there was to be a perfect conformity to the divine idea, such as there had not been before. The dwellings of His people should all become true sanctuaries of piety. Jehovah Himself, in the full display of the divine Shekinah, shall come in the room of the ark of the covenant ([Jr 3:16], ). The interior of the temple stands empty, waiting for His entrance to fill it with His glory ([Eze 43:1-12]). It is the same temple, but the courts of it have become different to accommodate a more numerous people. The entire compass of the temple mount has become a holy of holies ([Eze 43:12]).

[¶18] 12-15. Sum of the measures of the temple, and of the buildings behind and on the side of it.

[¶19] 16. covered--being the highest windows they were "covered" from the view below. Or else "covered with lattice-work."

[¶20] 17. by measure--Measurements were taken [Fairbairn].

[¶21] 21. appearance of the one as the appearance of the other--The appearance of the sanctuary or holy of holies was similar to that of the temple. They differed only in magnitude.

[¶22] 22. table ... before the Lord--the altar of incense ([Eze 44:16]). At it, not at the table of showbread, the priests daily ministered. It stood in front of the veil, and is therefore said to be "before the Lord." It is called a table, as being that at which the Lord will take delight in His people, as at a feast. Hence its dimensions are larger than that of old--three cubits high, two broad, instead of two and one.

[¶23] 25. thick planks--a thick-plank work at the threshold.

### Chapter 42

### Eze 42:1-20. Chambers of the Priests: Measurements of the Temple

[¶26] 2. Before the length of an hundred cubits--that is, before "the separate place," which was that length ([Eze 41:13]). He had before spoken of chambers for the officiating priests on the north and south gates of the inner court ([Eze 40:44-46]). He now returns to take a more exact view of them.

[¶27] 5. shorter--that is, the building became narrower as it rose in height. The chambers were many: so "in My Father's house are many mansions" ([Joh 14:2]); and besides these there was much "room" still left (compare [Lu 14:22]). The chambers, though private, were near the temple. Prayer in our chambers is to prepare us for public devotions, and to help us in improving them.

[¶28] 16. five hundred reeds--the Septuagint substitutes "cubits" for "reeds," to escape the immense compass assigned to the whole, namely, a square of five hundred rods or three thousand cubits (two feet each; [Eze 40:5]), in all a square of one and one-seventh miles, that is, more than all ancient Jerusalem; also, there is much space thus left unappropriated. Fairbairn rightly supports English Version, which agrees with the Hebrew. The vast extent is another feature marking the ideal character of the temple. It symbolizes the great enlargement of the kingdom of God, when Jehovah-Messiah shall reign at Jerusalem, and from thence to the ends of the earth ([Is 2:2-4]; [Jr 3:17]; [Ro 11:12], ).

[¶29] 20. wall ... separation between ... sanctuary and ... profane--No longer shall the wall of partition be to separate the Jew and the Gentile ([Ep 2:14]), but to separate the sacred from the profane. The lowness of it renders it unfit for the purpose of defense (the object of the wall, [Re 21:12]). But its square form (as in the city, [Re 21:16]) is the emblem of the kingdom that cannot be shaken ([He 12:28]), resting on prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone.

### Chapter 43

### Eze 43:1-27. Jehovah's Return to the Temple

[¶32] Everything was now ready for His reception. As the Shekinah glory was the peculiar distinction of the old temple, so it was to be in the new in a degree as much more transcendent as the proportions of the new exceeded those of the old. The fact that the Shekinah glory was not in the second temple proves that it cannot be that temple which is meant in the prophecy.

[¶33] 2. the way of the east--the way whereby the glory had departed ([Eze 11:22], ), and rested on Mount Olivet (compare [Zec 14:4]).

[¶34] his voice ... like ... many waters--So English Version rightly, as in [Eze 1:24], "voice of the Almighty"; [Re 1:15]; , prove this. Not as Fairbairn translates, "its noise."

[¶35] earth his glory--([Re 18:1]).

[¶36] 3. when I came to destroy the city--that is, to pronounce God's word for its destruction. So completely did the prophets identify themselves with Him in whose name they spake.

[¶37] 6. the man--who had been measuring the buildings ([Eze 40:3]).

[¶38] 7. the place--that is, "behold the place of My throne"--the place on which your thoughts have so much dwelt ([Is 2:1-3]; [Jr 3:17]; [Zec 14:16-20]; Mal 3:1). God from the first claimed to be their King politically as well as religiously: and He had resisted their wish to have a human king, as implying a rejection of Him as the proper Head of the state. Even when He yielded to their wish, it was with a protest against their king ruling except as His vicegerent. When Messiah shall reign at Jerusalem, He shall then first realize the original idea of the theocracy, with its at once divine and human king reigning in righteousness over a people all righteous ([Eze 43:12]; [Is 52:1]; ; ).

[¶39] 9. carcasses of their kings--It is supposed that some of their idolatrous kings were buried within the bounds of Solomon's temple [Henderson]. Rather, "the carcasses of their idols," here called "kings," as having had lordship over them in past times ([Is 26:13]); but henceforth Jehovah, alone their rightful lord, shall be their king, and the idols that had been their "king" would appear but as "carcasses." Hence these defunct kings are associated with the "high places" in [Eze 43:7] [Fairbairn]. [Le 26:30] and [Jr 16:18], confirm this. Manasseh had built altars in the courts of the temple to the host of heaven ([2Ki 21:5]; ).

[¶40] I will dwell in the midst ... for ever--([Re 21:3]).

[¶41] 10. show the house ... that they may be ashamed of their iniquities--When the spirituality of the Christian scheme is shown to men by the Holy Ghost, it makes them "ashamed of their iniquities."

[¶42] 12. whole ... most holy--This superlative, which had been used exclusively of the holy of holies ([Ex 26:34]), was now to characterize the entire building. This all-pervading sanctity was to be "the law of the (whole) house," as distinguished from the Levitical law, which confined the peculiar sanctity to a single apartment of it.

[¶43] 13-27. As to the altar of burnt offering, which was the appointed means of access to God.