Ezekiel 41:9

The outer wall of the side rooms was five cubits thick, and the open area between the side rooms of the temple

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Ezekiel, serving as a visionary recipient, observes a measuring man detailing a future temple's architecture. This occurs during the Babylonian exile, documenting the precise layout of the sanctuary's side rooms and their surrounding spaces.

The words — The text specifies רֹ֣חַב (rochav, "breadth") and הַ/קִּ֧יר (ha-kir, "the wall") to record the five-cubit thickness of the side room's outer boundary. It also notes the חָמֵ֣שׁ (chamesh, "five") אַמּ֑וֹת ('amot, "cubits") width of the open area separating these chambers from the temple structure.

The thread — These exact measurements and spatial relationships continue in Ezekiel 41:10-11 and Ezekiel 42:1-4 as the vision expands to the outer court and northern chambers. The consistent use of cubit measurements across these passages establishes a standardized architectural blueprint for the prophetic temple.

Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to acknowledge that sacred space is defined by strict, calculated boundaries rather than symbolic approximation. It asks the reader to recognize that divine order is communicated through explicit dimensions that separate the holy structure from its adjacent courts.

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

רֹ֣חַבRo.chav[the] breadth of הַקִּ֧ירha./Kirthe/ wall אֲֽשֶׁר־'asher-which לַצֵּלָ֛עla./tze.La'[belonged] to the/ side-chamber אֶל־'el-to הַח֖וּץha./Chutzthe/ outside חָמֵ֣שׁcha.Mesh[was] five אַמּ֑וֹת'a.Motcubits וַאֲשֶׁ֣רva./'a.Sherand/ which מֻנָּ֔חmu.Nach[was] free space בֵּ֥יתbeitbetween צְלָע֖וֹתtze.la.'ot[the] side-chambers אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich לַבָּֽיִת׃la./Ba.yit[belonged] to the/ house

King James Version

The thickness of the wall, which was for the side chamber without, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side chambers that were within.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 41:11 The side rooms opened into this area, with one entrance on the north and another on the south. The open area was five cubits wide all around.
Ezekiel 42:1 Then the man led me out northward into the outer court, and he brought me to the group of chambers opposite the temple courtyard and the outer wall on the north side.
Ezekiel 42:4 In front of the chambers was an inner walkway ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits long. Their doors were on the north.