The big picture
Ezekiel 42 opens in verse 1 with “Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 10 with “The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over…”, and closes in verse 20 with “He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long…” Repeated or prominent terms include chambers, court, cubits, north, five. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Ezekiel · King James Version · 20Ezekiel 42:1-7
1–7: He brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and…
Ezekiel 42:1–7 opens with “Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into…” and reaches “And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward the utter court on the forepart…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 42 develops its own movement around chambers, court, cubits, north, five, with particular weight carried by cubits, chambers, court.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was…” The line’s distinctive content terms include north, building, chamber. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits.” The number hundred makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Ezekiel 42:1-7
King James Version1Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the north.
2Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits.
3Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories.
4And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north.
5Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building.
6For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground.
7And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits.
Ezekiel 42:8-14
8–14: For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty…
Ezekiel 42:8–14 opens with “For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before…” and reaches “When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 42 develops its own movement around chambers, court, cubits, north, five, with particular weight carried by chambers, holy, court.
Context that brings the passage to life
“For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were an…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the utter court.” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over against the separate place, and over…” The line’s distinctive content terms include building, chambers, court. Its relationship to verses 9 and 11 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they, and as…” The line’s distinctive content terms include appearance, both, broad. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.
Ezekiel 42:8-14
King James Version8For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were an hundred cubits.
9And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the utter court.
10The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over against the separate place, and over against the building.
11And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they, and as broad as they: and all their goings out were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors.
12And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door in the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one entereth into them.
13Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.
14When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.
Ezekiel 42:15-20
15–20: When he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me…
Ezekiel 42:15–20 opens with “Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate…” and reaches “He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 42 develops its own movement around chambers, court, cubits, north, five, with particular weight carried by five, measured, measuring.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward…” The line’s distinctive content terms include east, gate, house. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.
Ezekiel 42:15-20
King James Version15Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about.
16He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
17He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
18He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed.
19He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
20He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Ezekiel 42:1 begins with “Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and…”
Where the chapter turns
Ezekiel 42:13 forms a natural hinge: “Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that…”
The final note
Ezekiel 42:20 leaves the reader with “He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words chambers, court, cubits, north, five, holy help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What new information appears about the original betrayal?
The brothers remember Joseph's distress and pleas, which they refused to hear.
Why does the returned money frighten them?
They already fear accusation and divine reckoning; unexplained money makes their position seem more dangerous.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.