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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Ezekiel 40:16

The gate chambers and their side pillars had beveled windows all around the inside of the gateway. The porticos also had windows all around on the inside. Each side pillar was decorated with palm trees.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Palm Tree;   Window;  

Dictionaries:

- Easton Bible Dictionary - Arch;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - House;   Palmtree;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Arch;   Ezekiel;   Palms;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Arch;   Fasting;   Moses;   Nations;   Priests and Levites;   Tabernacle;   Temple;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Door;   Palm Tree;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Palm, Palm Tree,;   Window;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Gareb;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Temple;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Palm;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Arch;   Architecture;   Close;   Palm Tree;   Temple;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Gate;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The recesses and their jambs had beveled windows all around the inside of the gate. The porticoes also had windows all around on the inside. Each jamb was decorated with palm trees.
Hebrew Names Version
There were closed windows to the lodges, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches; and windows were round about inward; and on [each] post were palm trees.
King James Version
And there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees.
English Standard Version
And the gateway had windows all around, narrowing inwards toward the side rooms and toward their jambs, and likewise the vestibule had windows all around inside, and on the jambs were palm trees.
New American Standard Bible
And there were shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms, and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And there were windows all around inside; and on each side pillar were palm tree decorations.
New Century Version
The rooms and porch had small windows on both sides. The windows were narrower on the side facing the gateway. Carvings of palm trees were on each side wall of the rooms.
Amplified Bible
There were shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms, and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And windows were all around inside; and palm tree decorations were on each side pillar.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And there were narrowe windowes in the chambers, & in their postes within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and the windowes went rounde about within: and vpon the postes were palme trees.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
There were shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms, and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And there were windows all around inside; and on each side pillar were palm tree ornaments.
Legacy Standard Bible
There were shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And there were windows all around inside; and on each side pillar were palm tree ornaments.
Contemporary English Version
The three walls in the guardrooms had small windows in them, just like the ones in the entrance room. The walls along the passageway were decorated with carvings of palm trees.
Complete Jewish Bible
There were narrow windows to the guardrooms and to their supports facing inward all along the gate; also the vestibules had windows all around facing inward. On each side support were [carvings of] palm trees.
Darby Translation
And there were closed windows to the chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the projections; and the windows round about were inward; and upon [each] post were palm-trees.
Easy-to-Read Version
There were small windows above all the guardrooms, the side walls, and the porch. The wide part of the windows faced into the gateway. There were carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway.
George Lamsa Translation
And there were windows to the small rooms which were wide from within and narrow from without, and to their posts within the gate, and likewise to the arches; and windows were round about from within.
Good News Translation
There were small openings in the outside walls of all the rooms and also in the inner walls between the rooms. There were palm trees carved on the inner walls that faced the passageway.
Lexham English Bible
And there were narrow windows for the alcoves and for their pilasters to the inside of the gate all the way around it. And likewise with respect to the porticos and windows were all the way around to the inside, and on a pilaster there were images of palm trees.
Literal Translation
and latticed windows were to the rooms and to their pillars inside the gate all around; and so for the porches; and windows were all around inside; and to a pillar were palm trees.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The chambers and their pilers within, rounde aboute vnto ye dore, had syde wyndowes: So had the fore entries also, whose wyndowes wente rounde aboute within. And vpon the pilers there stode date trees.
American Standard Version
And there were closed windows to the lodges, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches; and windows were round about inward; and upon each post were palm-trees.
Bible in Basic English
And the rooms and their uprights had sloping windows inside the doorway all round, and in the same way the covered way had windows all round on the inside: and on every upright there were palm-trees.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And there were narrow windows to the cells and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches; and windows were round about inward; and upon each post were palm-trees.
King James Version (1611)
And there were narrow windows to the litle chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windowes were round about inward: and vpon ech post were palme-trees.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And there were narowe windowes in the chambers, and in the frontes within the gate rounde about: & so in the arches: and the windowes [went] rounde about within, and vpon the frontes were paulme trees.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And there were secret windows to the chambers, and to the porches within the gate of the court round about, and in the same manner windows to the porches round about within: and on the porch there were palm-trees on this side and on that side.
English Revised Version
And there were closed windows to the lodges, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees.
World English Bible
There were closed windows to the lodges, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches; and windows were round about inward; and on [each] post were palm trees.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he mat wyndows naraw with out and large with ynne, in the chaumbris and frountis of tho, that weren with ynne the yate on ech side bi cumpas. Sotheli in lijk maner also wyndows weren in the porchis bi cumpas with ynne; and the peynture of palm trees was grauun bifor the frountis.
Update Bible Version
And there were closed windows to the lodges, and to their posts inside the gate round about, and likewise to the arches; and windows were round about inward; and on [each] post were palm-trees.
Webster's Bible Translation
And [there were] narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate around, and likewise to the arches: and windows [were] around inward: and upon [each] post [were] palm-trees.
New English Translation
There were closed windows toward the alcoves and toward their jambs within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. There were windows all around the inside, and on each jamb were decorative palm trees.
New King James Version
There were beveled window frames in the gate chambers and in their intervening archways on the inside of the gateway all around, and likewise in the vestibules. There were windows all around on the inside. And on each gatepost were palm trees.
New Living Translation
There were recessed windows that narrowed inward through the walls of the guard alcoves and their dividing walls. There were also windows in the entry room. The surfaces of the dividing walls were decorated with carved palm trees.
New Life Bible
There were narrow windows looking toward the watchmen's rooms and toward their side pillars, all around inside the gate and also in the porches. And pictures of palm trees were cut on each side pillar.
New Revised Standard
The recesses and their pilasters had windows, with shutters on the inside of the gateway all around, and the vestibules also had windows on the inside all around; and on the pilasters were palm trees.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And latticed windows had the lodges, even towards their projections within the gate round about on every side, and, so, had the recesses, - and windows round about on every side inwards, and against each projection, palm trees.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And slanting windows in the little chambers, and in their fronts, which were within the gate on every side round about: and in like manner there were also in the porches windows round about within, and before the fronts the representation of palm trees.
Revised Standard Version
And the gateway had windows round about, narrowing inwards into their jambs in the side rooms, and likewise the vestibule had windows round about inside, and on the jambs were palm trees.
Young's Literal Translation
and narrow windows [are] unto the little chambers, and unto their posts at the inside of the gate all round about -- and so to the arches -- and windows all round about [are] at the inside, and at the post [are] palm-trees.
THE MESSAGE
The alcoves and their connecting walls inside the gate complex were topped by narrow windows all the way around. The porch also. All the windows faced inward. The doorjambs between the alcoves were decorated with palm trees.

Contextual Overview

5And I saw a wall surrounding the temple area. Now the length of the measuring rod in the man's hand was six long cubits (each measuring a cubit and a handbreadth), and he measured the wall to be one rod thick and one rod high. 6Then he came to the gate facing east and climbed its steps. He measured the threshold of the gate to be one rod deep. 7Each gate chamber was one rod long and one rod wide, and there were five cubits between the gate chambers. The inner threshold of the gate by the portico facing inward was one rod deep. 8Then he measured the portico of the gateway inside; 9it was eight cubits deep and its jambs were two cubits thick. And the portico of the gateway faced the temple. 10There were three gate chambers on each side of the east gate, each with the same measurements, and the gateposts on either side also had the same measurements. 11And he measured the width of the gateway entrance to be ten cubits, and its length was thirteen cubits. 12In front of each gate chamber was a wall one cubit high, and the gate chambers were six cubits square. 13Then he measured the gateway from the roof of a gate chamber to the roof of the opposite one; the distance was twenty-five cubits from doorway to doorway. 14Next he measured the gateposts to be sixty cubits high. The gateway extended around to the gatepost of the courtyard.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

narrow: Heb. closed, Ezekiel 41:16, 1 Kings 6:4, 1 Corinthians 13:12

the little: Ezekiel 40:7, Ezekiel 40:12

arches: or, galleries, or porches, Ezekiel 40:21, Ezekiel 40:22, Ezekiel 40:25, Ezekiel 40:30, Ezekiel 41:15, Ezekiel 42:3, John 5:2

inward: or, within

palm trees: 1 Kings 6:29, 1 Kings 6:32, 1 Kings 6:35, 2 Chronicles 3:5, Psalms 92:12, Revelation 7:9

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 7:4 - windows Jeremiah 35:2 - into one Ezekiel 40:26 - palm trees Ezekiel 40:29 - and there Ezekiel 41:18 - palm trees Ezekiel 41:26 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 40:1
Some time later, the king's cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt.
Genesis 40:2
Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And there were narrow windows to the little chamber,.... The walls being sloped both within and without, that the light let in might be spread the more: as those "little chambers" signify the several congregated churches of Christ in the Gospel dispensation;

:-, so these windows design the word and ordinances therein administered, which are the means of letting light into them; see Song of Solomon 2:9, in attending on these, the light of God's countenance is enjoyed, which lies in the discoveries of his love; in the manifestations of himself; in his gracious presence, and in communion with him; than which nothing is more desirable or delightful: through these ordinances Christ the sun of righteousness shines in upon his people; he looks in at these windows, and shows himself through these lattices; he is seen through the glass of the Gospel; he is held forth in the ordinance of the supper; and by means thereof the souls of God's people are enlightened, comforted, and warmed: also in this way are communicated the illuminations of the Spirit, both at first conversion, and in after discoveries of the things freely given of God; of the doctrines of the Gospel; of the blessings of grace, and of the glories of heaven. The Gospel itself is a great and glorious light; and the ministers of it are the light of the world, and of the churches; and by the light being diffused through these little chambers, the churches, those who are in them see to walk on in Christ, as they have received him, and becoming his Gospel, and their profession of it; and also see to work, not for life, justification, and salvation, but to evidence their faith, and adorn their profession; to glorify God by their shining lights, and to cause others to glorify him; and by the whole, the light of joy, peace, and comfort, is transmitted to all the inhabitants of Zion. These windows are said to be "narrow", or "shut", or "closed" c; that is, comparatively, not absolutely, for then they would be of no use. The ordinances of the Gospel dispensation are no doubt clearer, and the light of it larger, than of the legal dispensation, but this light has been darkened by the Papacy; and though it increased at the Reformation, yet before the latter day glory will break forth it will be as a twilight, neither clear nor dark, day nor night, Zechariah 14:6 and though the light that then will break out will be exceeding great, as the light of the sun, and that as the light of seven days, Isaiah 30:26, yet in comparison of the light of the New Jerusalem state, when there will be no need of the sun or moon, but the Lord will be the everlasting light of his people; and in comparison of the ultimate glory, when the saints shall see face to face; the light even of this dispensation will be like what is let in at narrow windows; see Revelation 21:23.

And to their posts within the gate round about; that is, to the posts of the doors that led into these chambers, over the lintel of them, were windows to let in light to those that were entering them, as well as were in them; and so there were to all the chambers round about the porch on one side and the other, between the two gates:

and likewise to the arches; or "porches" d; to these doors, to which there were windows giving light to those that passed through:

and the windows were round about inward; in all the chambers within the grand porch, on the north and south:

and upon each post were palm trees; that is, on every post, column, or pillar, belonging to the chambers; and very probably on all the other before mentioned, Ezekiel 40:9, these posts or pillars signify either the ministers of the Gospel; so called for their strength, being mighty in the Scriptures, able ministers of the New Testament, capable of retaining and defending the truths of the Gospel, and of bearing reproach and persecution for them, and also the infirmities of weak believers; and for their stability, being steadfast and immovable in the work and cause of Christ, and not to be taken off from it either by the frowns or flatteries of men; and for their usefulness, in supporting the cause and interest of the Redeemer, and the minds of weak Christians, as well as the glorious truths of the Gospel; and may with great propriety be called the pillar and ground of truth; see Proverbs 9:1, yea, all true believers, and proper members of the churches of Christ, are pillars there, and such as shall never go out, Revelation 3:12, the word e used has the signification of strength, as pillars should be strong; and such believers are, not in themselves, but in Christ, in his power and grace, and through his Spirit; whereby they can do all things, perform all duties, exercise all grace, and engage with all enemies. They are like pillars that stand firm and stable; grounded in the love of God; secured in election grace; settled in the everlasting covenant; laid on the sure foundation Christ, and established in the truths of the Gospel; so that they never go out of the heart of God, the hands of Christ, the family of the saints, or church of God. They are as pillars; some more useful to support in an external way the interest of religion, giving liberally to the maintenance of ministers, the relief of the poor, and the defraying of all necessary charges; and others to strive and contend for, and so maintain and preserve, the truths and ordinances of the Gospel; and others to comfort and confirm weak believers. Now on these posts or pillars were "palm trees" painted, two on each, one on one side, and one on the other, as appears from Ezekiel 40:26, which are also an emblem of true believers in Christ; see Psalms 92:12 comparable to them for their uprightness, Jeremiah 10:5 these looking upwards to Christ by faith, and moving heavenwards in their affections and desires, and being upright in heart and life; and for their bearing pressures, and growing the more under them, as the palm tree does. Saints have many weights on them, a body of sin and death, reproaches, afflictions, and persecution; but they bear up under all, and are not left to desert the cause, they are engaged in; yea, grow the more hereby, in numbers and grace, like the children of Israel, Exodus 1:12 the force of the palm tree is in its top or head; if that is taken away it dies: Christ is the believers' head, from him they have their life, grace, strength, nourishment, and fruitfulness; could they be separated from him, all would be gone. The palm tree grows best in sunny places, is fruitful, an ever green, and lasts long: and such are the people of God; they grow most under the warm beams of divine love, and rays of the sun of righteousness; in the churches of Christ, where the Gospel is preached, and ordinances administered, which make their hearts burn within them; they are fruitful in grace and good works, retain their leaf of profession, and never perish. Once more, the palm tree is a token of joy and victory, and has been used on such occasions, Leviticus 23:40, and may denote the victory and joy upon it, which saints have through Christ, over sin, Satan, the world, and death.

c אטמות "clausae", Montanus, Vatablus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator. d לאלמות "in vestibulis", Vatablus, Montanus, Piscator "porticibus", Cocceius, Starckius. e איל "fortitudo, hinc" אל "fortis".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The east gate-building. See Plan III.

Ezekiel 40:6

Stairs - Seven in number Ezekiel 40:22. Each threshold of the gate (was) one reed broad (or 9 ft.). The measurements are being taken from East to west, i. e., in depth.

Ezekiel 40:7

Every little chamber - The guard-chambers (a) for the use of the Levites who kept watch in the temple.

The threshold of the gate by the porch - The second threshold in the easternmost gate-way (c).

Porch - Hebrew אולם 'ûlâm; the Septuagint: αἰλάμ ailam; Vulgate: vestibulum. The word probably means porch or portico, connected with “ail” post or pillar.

Ezekiel 40:9

The porch is now measured from north to south in “wide.” “The breadth of the entry of the gate” was “ten cubits,” made up of the “eight cubits,” with “a cubit” for “a post” or pillar on each side Ezekiel 40:11.

Posts - A projection like a ram’s horn; in architecture, a column projecting from the wall with its base, shaft, and capital, or it may be the “base” only Ezekiel 40:16, Ezekiel 40:49. Here “post” represents the lower part of the column. and the dimensions given are those of the section of the base.

Ezekiel 40:10

In front of each guard-chamber were columns, whose “posts” (bases) were each one cubit square.

Ezekiel 40:11

The length of the gate - The length of the gateway (including the porch, E.) from the court to the uncovered space. The threshold was “six cubits,” and the porch “six.” In addition one cubit was probably allowed in front of the porch, as before the porch of the temple itself Ezekiel 40:49.

Ezekiel 40:13

This measurement is across the gate-building from north to south. The breadth of the gate-building was exactly half its length Ezekiel 40:15.

Ezekiel 40:14

Posts of threescore cubits - Sixty cubits were the length of a series of columns. This gives us another feature of the gate-building. Between the porch (E) and the two most western guard-chambers was a space of five cubits (through which the road passed), forming a kind of hall with columns along the sides. This hall is called the “arches” Ezekiel 40:16. A hall of the same dimensions was between the boundary wall and eastern guard-chambers Ezekiel 40:31. It is probable that in one of these halls (that of the eastern gateway of the inner court) the prince “ate bread” on solemn festivals Ezekiel 44:3.

Unto the post of the court round about the gate - This hall or colonnade extended the whole breadth of the building to the pavement (Ezekiel 40:18, H, Plan II). Outside the building on the pavement was a series of pillars.

Ezekiel 40:15

The whole length of the gate-building was thus made up:

Thickness of boundary wall 6 cubits
Hall of the entrance 5 cubits
Three guard-chambers (6 cubits) 18 cubits
Spaces between guard-chambers 10 cubits
Hall of the porch 5 cubits
The porch 6 cubits
Total 50 cubits

Ezekiel 40:16

The “narrow” (closed and (?)latticed “windows” lit up both the guard-chambers and the hall. On the square base of the “post” stood the shaft in the form of a palm-tree, as we see in ancient buildings in the east.


 
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