Ezekiel 41:21

the posts … squared The text is very uncertain, the versions deviating from Heb. and from one another. The word "temple" (Ezekiel 41:20) being omitted the words read: and the wall, 21 of the temple was square door-postsa construction scarcely possible to express the idea that the wall hadsquare door-posts. Syriac read: and the wall of the temple was four-square omitting "door-posts." LXX.: and the holy place (holiest) and the temple opened (spread out) four-square reading "holy place" for wall, and "opened" for door-posts. It is probable that something is said of the holiest, because the next clause refers to an article that stood in front of it. It is also probable that the "door" referred to Ezekiel 41:20 is that from the holy place into the holiest. But the witnesses leave us uncertain whether something be said about the wall or about the door-posts. If of the first the reading may be: and the wall of the holiest was four-square(Hitz., Corn.). Reference, however, might be to the door-posts. In Solomon's temple those of the holy place appear to have been four-cornered, and those of the holiest five-cornered (1 Kings 6:31; 1 Kings 6:33).

face of the sanctuary… the other] This has no probability. The clause is rather to be connected with Ezekiel 41:22. Perhaps: and in front of the sanctuary (the holiest) was the appearance as the appearance 22 of an altar of wood, three cubits the height thereof, &c. So LXX. and partly Syr. In the holy place in front of the holiest there stood an object having the appearance of an altar of wood. The present text might read: "and (as for) the front of the sanctuary, the appearance was as the appearance," i.e. it had the appearance which is well known and does not need further description a form of speech common enough in Shemitic, but quite improbable here.