Ezekiel 40:3

So He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze. He was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God brings Ezekiel to a vision on a high mountain in the land of Israel, where a man stands in a gateway to instruct the prophet to observe and report everything he sees to the house of Israel.

The words — The Hebrew phrase מַרְאֵ֙/הוּ֙ כְּ/מַרְאֵ֣ה נְחֹ֔שֶׁת (mar'Ehu ke-mar'Eh neChoset) literally renders "his appearance [was] like the appearance of bronze," describing the man's visual quality.

The thread — This measuring figure reappears in Ezekiel 47:3 as he walks eastward with a measuring line, and echoes in Revelation 11:1 where a measuring rod is given to measure the temple of God.

Why it lands — The text demands precise observation and faithful reporting of divine measurements, requiring the reader to treat visionary details as authoritative instructions rather than symbolic embellishments.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיָּבֵ֨יאva/i.ya.Vei'and/ he brought אוֹתִ֜י'o.T/i<obj.>/ me שָׁ֗מָּהSha.ma/hthere/ towards וְהִנֵּה־ve./hi.neh-and/ there!אִישׁ֙'isha man מַרְאֵ֙הוּ֙mar.'E./huappearance/ his כְּמַרְאֵ֣הke./mar.'Eh[was] like/ [the] appearance of נְחֹ֔שֶׁתne.Cho.shetbronze וּפְתִיל־u./fe.til-and/ a cord of פִּשְׁתִּ֥יםpish.Timlinen<s>בְּיָד֖וֹbe./ya.D/o[was] in/ hand/ his וּקְנֵ֣הu./ke.Nehand/ [the] reed of הַמִּדָּ֑הha./mi.Dah<the>/ measurement וְה֥וּאve./Hu'and/ he עֹמֵ֖ד'o.Med[was] standing בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃ba./Sha.'arin the/ gate

King James Version

And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 47:3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and led me through ankle-deep water.
Revelation 11:1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.
Ezekiel 1:7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze.
Daniel 10:5 I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
Revelation 1:15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.
Revelation 21:15 The angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls.
Zechariah 2:1 Then I lifted up my eyes and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.
Ezekiel 1:27 From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him.
Isaiah 28:17 I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place.
Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.