Ezekiel 42:1-12

The chambers in the inner court.

In the inner court on the two sides N. and S. of the house or temple proper were erected blocks of cells for the use of the priests, where they ate the holy things and deposited their sacred garments. They are those referred to Ezekiel 41:10. The block on the N. side is fully described (Ezekiel 42:1), and that on the S. of the house is said to be similar in all respects (Ezekiel 42:10). The block on the N. extended from the "separate place" to the N. wall of the inner court, a breadth of 50 cubits, all the space available. The block of cells had two wings, one 100 cubits long running along the "separate place," Fig. 3, G, the other 50 cubits long, Fig. 3, G, running along the N. wall of the inner court both measurements E. to W. Between the two wings of the block ran a walk of 10 cubits broad and 100 cubits long, i.e. the whole length of the longer wing, Fig. 3, O, and on this walk the doors into the chambers opened, i.e. looked to the N. (at least in the longer wing). The chambers were built in three stories, but those of the third story were narrower than those of the other two, because a "gallery" in the uppermost story took up some space. The chambers had no pillars like those in the outer court. There was an entrance-way leading to the chambers from the outer court, through the wall of the inner court, but its precise situation is not indicated.