Ezekiel 40:44

And without the inner gate were the chambers of 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. THE CHAMBERS OF THE SINGERS - two in number, as proved by what follows: "and their prospect (i:e., the prospect of one) was toward the south; (and) one ... toward the north." So Septuagint....

WITHOUT - Outside of the gate in the inner court. See N, Plan II. SINGERS - These were Levites of particular families, those of Heman, Asaph, and Merari, whose genealogy is carefully traced up to Levi (see marginal reference). These chambers (N, Plan II) may have been for the “singers and priests” who were for the time being engaged in the services of the temple. Other chambers (Ezekiel 42:1 ff) were for the use of the “priests” at other times; and the Levites and singers, when “not” on duty, would find accommodation in the thirty chambers of the outer court. If there is a departure here from the symmetry elsewhere observed, it may be accounted for by the fact that as the sacrifices were to be made on the “north” side of the altar, and therefore the “tables” for the sacrifices were on that side only, so those who had ch

EXPOSITION The magnificent temple-vision, as it is usually styled, a description of which forms the closing section of this book (Ezekiel 40-48.), was the last extended" word" communicated to the prophet, and was given him in the five and twentieth year of the Captivity, _i.e. _about B.C. 575. Two years later he received a brief revelation concerning Egypt, which, in compiling his volume, he incorporated with the other prophecies relating to the same subject (Ezekiel 29:17). Of the present oracle as a whole the significance will be best understood when its several parts have been examined in detail. Meanwhile it may suffice to note that it manifestly connects itself with the promise in Ezekiel 37:27,...

AND WITHOUT THE INNER GATE WERE THE CHAMBERS OF THE SINGERS,.... These singers are true believers in Christ, members of Gospel churches; whose duty and privilege it is to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; which is a part of internal, spiritual, and evangelical worship, Ephesians 5:19, these are the spiritual harpers, that have harps in their hands, and make melody in their hearts, and are able to sing the songs of electing, redeeming, calling, pardoning, justifying, and adopting grace; these deservedly have a place in the churches of Christ, in the inward court, being inward court worshippers, even all such who sing with the spirit and the understanding; for these chambers were in the inward court: the prophet being brought through the inner northern gate, into the open space between the inward court, saw these chambers; for it follows, in the inner court, which was

Chapter s 40-48. The final nine Chapter s of this book form the climax of the great prophecies of Ezekiel; they belong to the most difficult in the entire prophetic Word. Once more the hand of the Lord rests upon the seer and in the visions of God he is brought into the land of Israel. In the very beginning of this grand finale we learn therefore that the visions concern the land of Israel. Let us remember, that after the fall of Jerusalem had been announced to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 33:21), his prophetic utterances and visions concern the future when Israel is to be regathered and restored to the land. The previous two Chapter s dealt with the last invasion of the land of Israel and the complete overthrow of Gog and its hordes. The vision contained in this last section follows after Israel's final deliverance. So much is clear as to the time when the prophecies of these eight Chapter s will b...

By the (eastern?) gate (and possibly also the northern and southern) of this inner court was a chamber in which the burnt offering was washed. There were also tables on which the animals were slain and other tables on which the instruments of slaughter were placed. At the south there was a chamber for the Levitical priests who had the general charge of the Temple, and at the north another for the Zadokite priests who had more particularly charge of the altar which stood in the middle of the inner court and in front of the entrance to the Temple proper. (In Ezekiel 40:44 for chambers for the singers read, with LXX, two chambers.)...

This _v_. must be corrected according to Ezekiel 40:45 as follows: AND WITHOUT THE INNER GATE WERE TWO CHAMBERS IN THE INNER COURT, ONE AT THE SIDE OF THE N. GATE, AND ITS PROSPECT WAS TOWARD THE S.; AND ONE AT THE SIDE OF THE S. GATE, HAVING ITS PROSPECT TOWARDS THE N. So LXX. The phrase "without the inner gate" means that the chambers were in the inner court, not in the gateway itself....

AND WITHOUT THE INNER GATE, &C.— _And he brought me to the inner gate, where there were two chambers in the inner court; one at the northern side of the gate, which looked to the south; the other at the southern side of the gate, which looked to the north._ Houbigant....

C. The Inner Court and Its Gateways 40:28-47 TRANSLATION (28) Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures; (29) and the lodges thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and the arches thereof round about; it was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits broad. (30) And there were arches round about, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits broad. (31) And the arches thereof were toward the outer court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof: and the ascent to it had eight steps. (32) And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures; (33) and the lodges thereof and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in the arches thereof round about; it...

40:44 gate, (d-36) The text as given is according to LXX and modern critics. The Hebrew text reads '... were the cells of the singers in the inner court which was at the side of the north gate; and their front was towards the south. one was at the side of the east gate.'...