The prophet sees in a vision the rebuilding of the temple: the dimensions of several parts thereof.
In a vision the prophet seeth the reedisication of Ierusalem. 5. with the measures of diuers partes therof; 47. and of the court, and entrie of the temple.
1In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, the tenth day of the month, the fourteenth year after the city was destroyed: in the selfsame day the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me thither.Il ventesimo quinto anno della nostra trasmigrazione, al principio dell'anno, a' dieci del mese, quattordici anni dopo la ruina della città, in quel medesimo giorno, la mano del Signore fu sopra di me, e menommi colà.IN the fiue and twentith yeare of our transmigration, in the beginning of the yeare, the tenth of the moneth, the fourtenth yeare, after the citie was strooken: in this self same day the hand of our Lord was made vpon me, and he brought me thither.In vigesimo quinto anno transmigrationis nostræ, in exordio anni, decima mensis, quartodecimo anno postquam percussa est civitas, in ipsa hac die, facta est super me manus Domini, et adduxit me illuc. 2In the visions of God he brought me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain: upon which there was as the building of a city, bending towards the south.In una visione divina mi condusse nella terra d'Israele, e posommi sopra un monte molto elevato, sopra di cui era come la fabbrica di una città volta a mezzodì,In the visions of God he brought me into the Land of Israel, and left me vpon a mountaine exceding high: vpon which there was as it were the building of a citie bending toward the south.In visionibus Dei adduxit me in terram Israël, et dimisit me super montem excelsum nimis, super quem erat quasi ædificium civitatis vergentis ad austrum. 3And he brought me in thither, and behold a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed in his hand, and he stood in the gate.E introdussemi colà dentro, ed ecco un uomo, che era a vedersi splendente come bronzo, e aveva in mano una corda fatta di lino, e nell'altra mano una canna da misurare, ed ei stavasi sulla porta.And he brought me in thither: and behold a man, whose forme was as the forme of brasse, and a linen corde in his hand, and a reede of measure in his hand: & he stood in the gate.Et introduxit me illuc: et ecce vir cujus erat species quasi species æris, et funiculus lineus in manu ejus, et calamus mensuræ in manu ejus: stabat autem in porta. 4And this man said to me: Son of man, see with thy eyes, and hear with thy ears, and set thy heart upon all that I shall shew thee: for thou art brought hither that they may be shewn to thee: declare all that thou seest, to the house of Israel.E lo stesso uomo mi disse: Figliuolo dell'uomo, mira co' tuoi occhi, e ascolta co' tuoi orecchi, ed applica il cuor tuo a tutte le cose, che io ti farò vedere; perocché, affinchè ti fosser dimostre, tu qua se' stato condotto: e annunzia tutto quello, che vedi, alla casa d'Israele.And the same man spake to me: Sonne of man, see with thine eyes, and heare with thine eares, and set thy hart on al thinges, which I wil shew thee: for thou art brought hither that they may be shewed to thee: declare al thinges that thou seest, to the house of Israel.Et locutus est ad me idem vir: Fili hominis, vide oculis tuis, et auribus tuis audi, et pone cor tuum in omnia quæ ego ostendam tibi, quia ut ostendantur tibi adductus es huc. Annuntia omnia quæ tu vides domui Israël.
5And behold there was a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits and a handbreadth: and he measured the breadth of the building one reed, and the height one reed.Ed ecco al di fuori un muro tutt'all'intorno della casa, e l'uomo, avendo in mano una canna della misura di sei cubiti, e un palmo, misurò la larghezza dell'edifizio, che era di una canna, e l'altezza pure di una canna.And behold a wal on the out side round about the house, and in the mans hand a reede of measure of six cubits & a palme: & he measured the breadth of the building with one reede, the height also with one reede.Et ecce murus forinsecus in circuitu domus undique: et in manu viri calamus mensuræ sex cubitorum et palmo: et mensus est latitudinem ædificii calamo uno, altitudinem quoque calamo uno. 6And he came to the gate that looked toward the east, and he went up the steps thereof: and he measured the breadth of the threshold of the gate one reed, that is, one threshold was one reed broad;E andò alla porta, che guardava all'oriente, e salì la sua scalinata, e misurò il liminare della porta di una canna in larghezza, viene a dire, ognuno de' liminari era largo una canna.And he came to the gate, that looked to the way of the east, & he ascended by the steppes therof: & he measured the threshold of the gate with one reede the bredth, that is, one threshold with one reede in bredth:Et venit ad portam quæ respiciebat viam orientalem, et ascendit per gradus ejus: et mensus est limen portæ calamo uno latitudinem, id est, limen unum calamo uno in latitudine. 7And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad: and between the little chambers were five cubits:E ogni camera avea una canna di lunghezza, e una di larghezza, e tra una camera, e l'altra v'erano cinque cubiti.and a chamber with one reede in length, and one reede in bredth: and betwen the chambers fiue cubites:Et thalamum uno calamo in longum, et uno calamo in latum: et inter thalamos, quinque cubitos. 8And the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within, was one reed.E il liminare della porta presso al vestibolo dentro alla porta era di una canna.and the threshold of the gate by entrie of the gate within, with one reede.Et limen portæ, juxta vestibulum portæ intrinsecus, calamo uno. 9And he measured the porch of the gate eight cubits, and the front thereof two cubits: and the porch of the gate was inward.E misurò il vestibolo della porta, che era di otto cubiti, e la fronte di due cubiti: il vestibolo della porta era al di dentro.And he measured the entrie of the gate of eight cubites, and the front therof of two cubites: and the entrie of the gate was within.Et mensus est vestibulum portæ octo cubitorum, et frontem ejus duobus cubitis: vestibulum autem portæ erat intrinsecus.
10And the little chambers of the gate that looked eastward were three on this side, and three on that side: all three were of one measure, and the fronts of one measure, on both parts.Or alla porta di oriente erano tre camere da una parte; e tre dall'altra, e le tre camere avean la stessa misura, e la stessa misura aveano le fronti dall'una parte, e dall'altra.Moreouer the chambers of the gate to the way of the East, three on this side, and three on that side: one measure of the three, and one measure of the fronts, on both partes.Porro thalami portæ ad viam orientalem, tres hinc et tres inde: mensura una trium, et mensura una frontium ex utraque parte. 11And he measured the breadth of the threshold of the gate ten cubits: and the length of the gate thirteen cubits:Ed ei misurò la larghezza del liminare della porta, che era di dieci cubiti, e la lunghezza della porta di tredici cubiti.And he measured the bredth of the threshold of the gate of tenne cubits: and the length of the gate of thirtene cubits:Et mensus est latitudinem liminis portæ decem cubitorum, et longitudinem portæ tredecim cubitorum. 12And the border before the little chambers one cubit: and one cubit was the border on both sides: and the little chambers were six cubits on this side and that side.E lo sporto davanti alle camere era d'un cubito: un cubito facea tutta la sua misura dall'una, e dall'altra parte, e le camere di qua, e di là erano di sei cubiti.and the border before the chambers of one cubite: and one cubite the end on both sides, and the chambers were of six cubites, on this side and that side.Et marginem ante thalamos, cubiti unius, et cubitus unus finis utrimque: thalami autem sex cubitorum erant hinc et inde. 13And he measured the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another, in breadth five and twenty cubits: door against door.E misurò la porta dal tetto di una camera fino al tetto dell'altra, di larghezza di venticinque cubiti: la porta dell'una (camera) era dirimpetto all'altra.And he measured the gate from the roofe of the chamber, euen to the roofe therof, the bredth of fiue and twentie cubits: doore against doore.Et mensus est portam a tecto thalami usque ad tectum ejus, latitudinem viginti quinque cubitorum, ostium contra ostium. 14He made also fronts of sixty cubits: and to the front the court of the gate on every side round about.E fece le facciate di sessanta cubiti, e alla facciata fece (corrispondente) l'atrio della porta tutt'all'intorno.And he made fronts by sixtie cubits: & to the front the court of the gate on euerie side round about.Et fecit frontes per sexaginta cubitos, et ad frontem atrium portæ undique per circuitum.
15And before the face of the gate which reached even to the face of the porch of the inner gate, fifty cubits.E dalla facciata davanti della porta fino alla facciata interiore dell'altra porta del vestibolo, cubiti cinquanta.And before the face of the gate, which raught euen to the face of the entrie of the inner gate, fiftie cubits.Et ante faciem portæ quæ pertingebat usque ad faciem vestibuli portæ interioris, quinquaginta cubitos. 16And 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.E (fece) delle finestre obblique nelle camere, e nelle facciate, che eran dentro la porta d'ogni parte all'intorno: e similmente eranvi ancora nei vestiboli delle finestre al di dentro tutt'all'intorno, e davanti alle facciate (erano) palme scolpite.And oblique windowes in the chambers, and in their fronts, which were within the gate on euerie side round about: and in like maner there were also in the entries windowes round about within, and before the fronts the picture of palme trees grauen.Et fenestras obliquas in thalamis et in frontibus eorum, quæ erant intra portam undique per circuitum: similiter autem erant et in vestibulis fenestræ per gyrum intrinsecus, et ante frontes pictura palmarum. 17And he brought me into the outward court, and behold there were chambers, and a pavement of stone in the court round about: thirty chambers encompassed the pavement.E menommi all'atrio esteriore, e vidi le stanze, e il pavimento dell'atrio era lastricato di pietra: erano trenta stanze intorno al pavimento.And he brought me out to the vtter court, and behold celles, and the pauement paued with stone in the court round about: thirtie celles in the compas of the pauement.Et eduxit me ad atrium exterius: et ecce gazophylacia, et pavimentum stratum lapide in atrio per circuitum: triginta gazophylacia in circuitu pavimenti. 18And the pavement in the front of the gates according to the length of the gates was lower.E il pavimento in faccia alle porte era più basso secondo la lunghezza delle porte.And the pauement in the front of the gates according to the length of the gates was beneath.Et pavimentum in fronte portarum, secundum longitudinem portarum erat inferius. 19And he measured the breadth from the face of the lower gate to the front of the inner court without, a hundred cubits to the east, and to the north.E misurò la larghezza della soglia della porta inferiore sino al principio dell'atrio interiore per di fuori, cento cubiti all'oriente, e (altrettanti) a settentrione.And he measured the bredth from the face of the lower gate euen to the front of the inner court without, an hundred cubits to the East, and to the North.Et mensus est latitudinem a facie portæ inferioris usque ad frontem atrii interioris extrinsecus: centum cubitos ad orientem et ad aquilonem.
20He measured also both the length and the breadth of the gate of the outward court, which looked northward.Misurò eziandio tanto la lunghezza, che la larghezza della porta dell'atrio esteriore, che guardava a settentrione.The gate also that looked to the way of the North of the vtter court, he measured as wel in length as in bredth.Portam quoque quæ respiciebat viam aquilonis atrii exterioris, mensus est tam in longitudine quam in latitudine. 21And the little chambers thereof three on this side, and three on that side: and the front thereof, and the porch thereof according to the measure of the former gate, fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.E le sue camere tre da una, e tre dall'altra parte, e il suo frontispizio, e il suo vestibolo secondo la misura della prima porta, ella era cinquanta cubiti lunga, e larga venticinque cubiti.And the chambers therof three on this side, and three on that side: and the front therof, and the entrie therof according to the measure of the former gate, of fiftie cubits the length therof, and the bredth of siue and twentie cubits.Et thalamos ejus tres hinc et tres inde, et frontem ejus et vestibulum ejus secundum mensuram portæ prioris, quinquaginta cubitorum longitudinem ejus, et latitudinem viginti quinque cubitorum. 22And the windows thereof, and the porch, and the gravings according to the measure of the gate that looked to the east, and they went up to it by seven steps, and a porch was before it.E le sue finestre, e il vestibolo, e le sculture avean misure simili a quelle della prima porta, cinquanta cubiti di lunghezza, e venticinque di larghezza.And the windowes therof, and the entrie, and the grauings according to the measure of the gate, that looked to the East, and the ascent therof was of seuen steppes, and an entrie before it.Fenestræ autem ejus, et vestibulum, et sculpturæ secundum mensuram portæ quæ respiciebat ad orientem: et septem graduum erat ascensus ejus, et vestibulum ante eam. 23And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate of the north, and that of the east: and he measured from gate to gate a hundred cubits.E le porte dell'atrio interiore eran dirimpetto alle porte (dell'atrio esteriore) a settentrione, e ad oriente, e dall'una porta all'altra misurò cento cubiti.And the gate of the inner court against the gate of the North, and the East gate: and he measured from gate euen to gate an hundred cubits.Et porta atrii interioris contra portam aquilonis et orientalem: et mensus est a porta usque ad portam centum cubitos.
24And he brought me out to the way of the south, and behold the gate that looked to the south: and he measured the front thereof, and the porch thereof according to the former measures.E menommi dalla parte di mezzodì, e vidi la porta, che guardava mezzodì, e misurò il suo frontispizio, e il suo vestibolo eguali in misura agli altri.And he brought me out to the way of the South, and behold the gate, that looked to the South: and he measured the front therof, and the entrie therof according to the former measures.Et eduxit me ad viam australem: et ecce porta quæ respiciebat ad austrum: et mensus est frontem ejus et vestibulum ejus juxta mensuras superiores. 25And the windows thereof, and the porches round about, as the other windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.E le sue finestre, e i vestiboli all'intorno eran come le altre finestre, cinquanta cubiti lunghe, larghe venticinque.And the windowes therof, and the entries round about, as the other windowes: of fiftie cubits in length, and in bredth of fiue and twentie cubits.Et fenestras ejus, et vestibula in circuitu, sicut fenestras ceteras: quinquaginta cubitorum longitudine, et latitudine viginti quinque cubitorum. 26And there were seven steps to go up to it: and a porch before the doors thereof: and there were graven palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side in the front thereof.E ad essa (porta) si saliva per sette scalini, e dinanzi ad essa era il vestibolo, ed eranvi le palme scolpite, una da un lato, una dall'altro per davantiAnd on seuen steppes was the ascent to it: and an entrie before the doores therof: and there were grauen palme trees, one on this side, and an other on that side in the front therof.Et in gradibus septem ascendebatur ad eam, et vestibulum ante fores ejus: et cælatæ palmæ erant, una hinc, et altera inde, in fronte ejus. 27And there was a gate of the inner court towards the south: and he measured from gate to gate towards the south, a hundred cubits.E la porta dell'atrio interiore era a mezzodì, e misurò da una porta all'altra a mezzodì cento cubiti.And the gate of the inner court in the way of the South: and he measured from gate euen to gate in the way of the South, an hundred cubits.Et porta atrii interioris in via australi: et mensus est a porta usque ad portam in via australi, centum cubitos. 28And he brought me into the inner court at the south gate: and he measured the gate according to the former measures.E mi condusse nell'atrio interiore alla porta di mezzodì, e misurò la porta, simile nella misura alle precedenti.And he brought me into the inner court to the South gate: and he measured the gate according to the former measures.Et introduxit me in atrium interius ad portam australem: et mensus est portam juxta mensuras superiores.
29The little chamber thereof, and the front thereof, and the porch thereof with the same measures: and the windows thereof, and the porch thereof round about it was fifty cubits in length, and five and twenty cubits in breadth.La sua camera, il suo frontispizio, e il suo vestibolo, e le finestre, e il vestibolo all'intorno aveano le stesse misure, cinquanta cubiti di lunghezza, venticinque di larghezza.The chamber therof, and the front therof, and the entrie therof with the same measures: and the windowes therof, and entrie therof round about fiftie cubits of length, & of bredth fiue and twentie cubits.Thalamum ejus, et frontem ejus, et vestibulum ejus eisdem mensuris, et fenestras ejus, et vestibulum ejus in circuitu, quinquaginta cubitos longitudinis, et latitudinis viginti quinque cubitos. 30And the porch round about was five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.E il vestibolo, che girava all'intorno, era lungo venticinque cubiti, e largo cinque.And the entrie round about in length of fiue and twentie cubits, and in bredth of fiue cubits.Et vestibulum per gyrum longitudine viginti quinque cubitorum, et latitudine quinque cubitorum: 31And the porch thereof to the outward court, and the palm trees thereof in the front: and there were eight steps to go up to it.E il vestibolo menava all'atrio esteriore; eranvi le palme davanti, e otto erano gli scalini per salire ad essa.And the entrie therof to the vtter court, and the palmetrees therof in the front and there were eight steppes, on which the ascent was through it.et vestibulum ejus ad atrium exterius, et palmas ejus in fronte: et octo gradus erant quibus ascendebatur per eam. 32And he brought me into the inner court by the way of the east: and he measured the gate according to the former measures.E fecemi entrare nello (stesso) atrio interiore per la parte orientale, e misurò la porta avente le misure di sopra.And he brought me in into the inner court by the way of the east: and he measured the gate according to the former measures.Et introduxit me in atrium interius, per viam orientalem: et mensus est portam secundum mensuras superiores. 33The little chamber thereof, and the front thereof, and the porch thereof as before: and the windows thereof, and the porches thereof round about it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.Le sue camere, e il suo frontispizio, e il suo vestibolo, come sopra, e le finestre, e il vestibolo di essa all'intorno, cubiti cinquanta in lungo, venti cinque in largo.The chamber therof, and the front therof, and the entrie therof as before: and the windowes therof, and the entries therof round about, in length of fiftie cubits, and in bredth of fiue and twentie cubits.Thalamum ejus, et frontem ejus, et vestibulum ejus, sicut supra: et fenestras ejus, et vestibula ejus in circuitu, longitudine quinquaginta cubitorum, et latitudine viginti quinque cubitorum.
34And the porch thereof, that is, of the outward court: and the graven palm trees in the front thereof on this side and on that side: and the going up thereof was by eight steps.E il suo vestibolo guardava l'atrio esteriore: e sul suo frontispizio scolpite le palme di qua, e di là, e per otto gradini salivasi ad essa.And the entrie therof, that is, of the vtter court: and the grauen palmetrees in the front therof on this side and on that side: & on eight steppes the ascent therof.Et vestibulum ejus, id est, atrii exterioris, et palmæ cælatæ in fronte ejus, hinc et inde: et in octo gradibus ascensus ejus. 35And he brought me into the gate that looked to the north: and he measured according to the former measures.E mi condusse alla porta, che guardava settentrione, e misurolla secondo le precedenti misure.And he brought me into the gate, that looked to the North: and he measured according to the former measures.Et introduxit me ad portam quæ respiciebat ad aquilonem: et mensus est secundum mensuras superiores. 36The little chamber thereof, and the front thereof, and the porch thereof, and the windows thereof round about it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.Le sue camere, e il suo frontispizio, e il suo vestibolo, e le finestre all'intorno, cinquanta cubiti di lunghezza, venticinque di larghezza.The chamber therof, and the front therof, and the entrie therof, and the windowes therof round about, in length of fiftie cubits, and bredth of fiue and twentie cubits.Thalamum ejus, et frontem ejus, et vestibulum ejus, et fenestras ejus per circuitum, longitudine quinquaginta cubitorum, et latitudine viginti quinque cubitorum. 37And the porch thereof looked to the outward court: and the graving of palm trees in the front thereof was on this side and on that side: and the going up to it was by eight steps.E il suo vestibolo guardava l'atrio esteriore, e le palme scolpite nel frontispizio di qua, e di là, e ad essa salivasi per otto gradini.And the entrie therof looked to the vtter court: and the grauing of palmetrees in the front therof on this side and on that side: and vpon eight steppes the ascent therof.Et vestibulum ejus respiciebat ad atrium exterius: et cælatura palmarum in fronte ejus, hinc et inde: et in octo gradibus ascensus ejus. 38And at every chamber was a door in the forefronts of the gates: there they washed the holocaust.E ognuna delle camere ai lati delle (grandi) porte avea una porta: ivi lavavano l'olocausto.And at euerie chamber a doore in the forefronts of the gates: there they washed the holocaust.Et per singula gazophylacia ostium in frontibus portarum: ibi lavabant holocaustum.
39And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side: that the holocaust, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering might be slain thereon.E nel vestibolo della porta eran due mense dall'una parte, e due dall'altra, per immolare sopra di esse l'olocausto, e per il peccato, e per il delitto.And in the entrie of the gate, two tables on this side, and two tables on that side: that there might be immolated vpon them holocaust, and for sinne, and for offence.Et in vestibulo portæ, duæ mensæ hinc, et duæ mensæ inde, ut immoletur super eas holocaustum, et pro peccato et pro delicto. 40And on the outward side, which goeth up to the entry of the gate that looketh toward the north, were two tables: and at the other side before the porch of the gate were two tables,E dalla parte esteriore, che va all'ingresso della porta, che guarda settentrione, due mense, e dall'altro lato, davanti al vestibolo della porta, due mense.And on the vtter side, which goeth vp to the doore of the gate, that goeth on toward the North, two tables: and at the other side before the entrie of the gate, two tables.Et ad latus exterius, quod ascendit ad ostium portæ quæ pergit ad aquilonem, duæ mensæ: et ad latus alterum, ante vestibulum portæ, duæ mensæ: 41Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side at the sides of the gate were eight tables, upon which they slew the victims.Quattro mense da una parte, quattro mense dall'altra; ai lati della porta erano otto le mense, sulle quali faceansi le immolazioni.Foure tables on this side, and foure tables on that side: at the sides of the gate were eight tables, wherupon they did immolate.quatuor mensæ hinc, et quatuor mensæ inde: per latera portæ octo mensæ erant, super quas immolabant. 42And the four tables for the holocausts were made of square stones: one cubit and a half long, and one cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high: to lay the vessels upon, in which the holocaust and the victim is slain.E le quattro mense per l'olocausto eran fatte di pietre quadre lunghe un cubito, e mezzo, e larghe un cubito, e mezzo ed alte un cubito per mettervi sopra i vasi, che si usano nell'immolare l'olocausto, e la vittima.And the foure tables for holocaust, were made of square stones: in length of one cubite and an halfe, and in bredth of one cubite and an halfe, and in height of one cubite: vpon which they shal put the vessels, wherin is immolated the holocaust, and the victime.Quatuor autem mensæ ad holocaustum de lapidibus quadris exstructæ, longitudine cubiti unius et dimidii, et latitudine cubiti unius et dimidii, et altitudine cubiti unius: super quas ponant vasa in quibus immolatur holocaustum et victima.
43And the borders of them were of one handbreadth, turned inwards round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.Elle aveano tutto all'intorno una cornice, che si piegava verso la parte interiore, e sopra le mense poneansi le carni dell'obblazioni.And the brimmes of them of one palme, bowed backe within round about: and vpon the tables, the flesh of the oblation.Et labia earum palmi unius, reflexa intrinsecus per circuitum: super mensas autem carnes oblationis. 44And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singing men in the inner court, which was on the side of the gate that looketh to the north: and their prospect was towards the south, one at the side of the east gate, which looketh toward the north.E fuori della porta interiore eran le camere dei cantori nell'atrio interiore, che era allato alla porta, che guarda settentrione. La faccia loro era volta verso mezzodì. Una ve n'era allato alla porta orientale, la quale guardava settentrione.And without the inner gate the celles of the singing men in the inner court, which was on the side of the gate that looketh to the North: and the faces of them against the way of the South, one at the side of the East gate, which looked to the way of the North.Et extra portam interiorem, gazophylacia cantorum in atrio interiori, quod erat in latere portæ respicientis ad aquilonem: et facies eorum contra viam australem: una ex latere portæ orientalis, quæ respiciebat ad viam aquilonis. 45And he said to me: This chamber, which looketh toward the south shall be for the priests that watch in the wards of the temple.E quegli disse a me: Questa camera, che guarda mezzodì, sarà pei sacerdoti, che vegliano a guardia del tempio.And he said to me: This is the chamber, which looketh to the way of the South, it shal be for the priests, that watche in the wardes of the temple.Et dixit ad me: Hoc est gazophylacium quod respicit viam meridianam: sacerdotum erit, qui excubant in custodiis templi. 46But the chamber that looketh towards the north shall be for the priests that watch over the ministry of the altar. These are the sons of Sadoc, who among the sons of Levi, come near to the Lord, to minister to him.La camera poi, che guarda settentrione, sarà pei sacerdoti, che vegliano nel servigio dell'altare. Questi sono i figliuoli di Sadoc, i quali sono posteri di Levi, e si appressano al Signore per servire a lui.Moreouer the chamber that looketh to the way of the North shal be for the priests, that watche vpon the ministerie of the altar. These are the children of Sadoc, which of the children of Leui approch to our Lord, to minister vnto him.Porro gazophylacium quod respicit ad viam aquilonis, sacerdotum erit, qui excubant ad ministerium altaris: isti sunt filii Sadoc, qui accedunt de filiis Levi ad Dominum ut ministrent ei.
47And he measured the court a hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad foursquare: and the altar that was before the face of the temple.Ed ei misurò l'atrio, di lunghezza cento cubiti, e di larghezza cento cubiti in quadro, e l'altare, che era dinanzi alla facciata del tempio.And he measured the court in length of an hundred cubits, and in bredth of an hundred cubits square: and the altar before the face of the temple.Et mensus est atrium longitudine centum cubitorum, et latitudine centum cubitorum per quadrum: et altare ante faciem templi. 48And he brought me into the porch of the temple: and he measured the porch five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.E mi introdusse nel vestibolo del tempio, e misurò il vestibolo, che avea cinque cubiti da una parte, e cinque dall'altra, e la larghezza delle porte tre cubiti da un lato, e tre dall'altro.And he brought me into the entrie of the temple: and he measured fiue cubits on this side, and fiue cubits on that side: and the bredth of the gate of three cubits on this side, and of three cubits on that side.Et introduxit me in vestibulum templi: et mensus est vestibulum quinque cubitis hinc, et quinque cubitis inde: et latitudinem portæ trium cubitorum hinc, et trium cubitorum inde. 49And the length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits, and there were eight steps to go up to it. And there were pillars in the fronts: one on this side, and another on that side.E la lunghezza del vestibolo di venti cubiti, e la larghezza di undici cubiti, e vi si montava per otto scalini. E la facciata avea due colonne, una da una parte, una dall'altra.And the length of the entrie of twentie cubits: and the bredth of eleuen cubits, and by eight steppes was the ascent to it. And there were pillers in the fronts: one on this side, & an other on that side.Longitudinem autem vestibuli viginti cubitorum, et latitudinem undecim cubitorum, et octo gradibus ascendebatur ad eam. Et columnæ erant in frontibus: una hinc, et altera inde.
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Year of the World 3430, Year before Christ 574.
Calmet
Month; April 30, the year of the world 3430. (Usher) (Calmet)
Worthington
In explaining this last most obscure vision: 1:The Jews say it was verified after the captivity. But thus the temple would be four miles round, and the city thirty-six, which never was the case. 2:Hence more modern Jews assert it will be fulfilled by the Messias. 3:Rejecting these errors, Lyranus, etc., suppose that the promise was conditional, and that the sins of the Jews prevented the city and temple from being so large; and that the mystical temple of the Church is also insinuated, into which both Jews and Gentiles shall enter. 4:Though this opinion be probable, it seems better to follow St. Jerome, St. Gregory, etc., who cannot apply all to the Old Testament, nor think that such a huge temple and city were indeed promised, but explain some parts of the captives at their return, as a figure of those redeemed by Christ, and brought into his Church, which is adorned with all graces. Yet the greatest part must be understood of the Church triumphant. (Worthington)
Grotius
St. Jerome confesses his ignorance of this subject; and those who have come after him, though they imitate not his modesty, add little to dissipate the mist with which this vision is surrounded. Some have adhered too close to Josephus, while Villalpand has here discovered all the magnificence of Greek and Roman architecture, and has represented the temple six times as large as it really was. It seems that the prophet has described the same temple of Solomon which he had seen, that the dimensions might be preserved, and the hopes of the people kept up; (Calmet) and that they might comprehend what a loss they actually sustained on account of their sins, (Haydock) and might strive to come up to this pattern (Du Hamel) as "near as they should be able," the wealth of the people being much less than Solomon's. (Grotius)
Preface
These arguments do not, however, shew that the buildings were to resemble each other. They vary in many particulars; and the prophet would specify what was to be really executed. He says nothing of the ornamental part, and little of the height, which are the most expensive. (Houbigant) (Preface)
Menochius
If some things appear to be too grand for the temple of Solomon, and of Zorobabel, we must reflect that the prophet passes from the figure to the Church of Christ, which is not unusual. (Menochius)
Du Hamel
Alcasar and Bossuet explain it wholly of the Church, so that the letter requires few notes. (Du Hamel)
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Josephus
Mountain; Moria, in spirit. On the eastern side, the road to the city was level. Walls were added after the captivity, on the other sides. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 6:6.)
City, the temple was so large.
Calmet
South, to one coming from the north, though the temple lay on that side of the town, Psalm 47:2. (Calmet)
Houbigant
Septuagint read mongod, "over-against," instead of mongob, "south," which has perplexed many. (Houbigant)
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Haydock
Brass: shining. (Haydock)
This angel waited for the prophet at the northern gate, but introduced him by that looking towards the east, ver. 16.
Calmet
Line. It seems never to have been used. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Breadth. Hebrew, Chaldean, Septuagint, "of six cubits, in a cubit and a palm;" intimating that the sacred cubit contained six palms, while the common one had only five, (chap. 43:13.; Worthington) being half a yard; (Arbuthnot) or the Hebrew cubit was a hand's breadth larger than the Babylonian, or about 21.5 inches, (Calmet) which may be styled (Menochius) the sacred cubit. (Arbuthnot) (Haydock)
Calmet
Reed. This outer wall (Calmet; Menochius) was to prevent any from falling down the precipice. It was about four yards nine inches in height and thickness, being so solid in order that the ground might not give way. Josephus describes prodigious walls, (Haydock) reaching to the bottom of the mountain, three hundred cubits on the south and west; but then the temple was much enlarged. (Calmet)
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Kennicott
And. In this verse occurs the first of thirty-four words where the j is allowed by the keri to be omitted in this one chapter, always when it is the sign of the plural number before a suffixed v, and of course by voluntary assimilation. But Camb. Manuscript has the j regularly in the thirty-two of these words. (Kennicott)
Steps. The ground was not quite level, which caused the buildings to rise one above another more elegantly. There were four great gates.
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Haydock
Chamber, for the porters, (Calmet) three on each side of the porch, ver. 10. (Haydock)
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Thirteen, or twenty-six feet high.
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Calmet
Cubits high, or else the elevation is nowhere specified. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Slanting, or "lattice." Septuagint, "dark." See 3 Kings 7:4. (Haydock)
Worthington
They were larger within, to afford light, as in Solomon's temple, and in castles. Interpreters disagree in their sentiments: but all allow that God here insinuated that he would reward people in the Old Testament with temporal, and those in the New with spiritual blessings; first with grace in this life, and with glory in the next. (Worthington)
Haydock
Yet we must not suppose that the saints of old were deprived of eternal goods. (Haydock)
Calmet
About. The other gates had the like ornaments. (Calmet)
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Challoner
There were chambers. Gazophylacia, so called, because the priests and Levites kept in them the stores and vessels that belonged to the temple. (Challoner)
Calmet
They went all round the courts. The women were in the second story. Villalpand and Capel, who are deemed the most accurate, suppose that there were no chambers below, but an open gallery. There seem, however, to have been chambers also, Ezechiel 8:7. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Lower. So that there was a step up to the threshold. (Haydock)
Josephus
Marble was used in all places exposed to the weather. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 6:14.)
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Worthington
Seven. There were eight to the inner court, (ver. 31.) shewing that more perfection is now required, and a greater reward given. (St. Gregory) (Worthington)
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Villalpand
Five cubits. The parallel passages would intimate "fifty." (Calmet) (Villalpand)
Menochius
But the texts all read five, and Maldonat understands the four vacant spaces between the chambers, ver. 7. (Menochius)
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Borders, to prevent any thing falling. Chaldean, etc., have "hooks."
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North. The singers occupied two wings.
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Watch over the sacred ornaments, perfumes, lamps of the sanctuary, etc., Numbers 3:28.
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Altar. Not on actual service, (chap. 41:13.) but to prepare the victims.
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Calmet
That side. Septuagint add, "and the opening (euros, width) of the gate was 14 cubits, and the breadth (projections, epomides) of the," etc., (Haydock) or the wall on each side of the door was three cubits, so that the porch was 20 cubits broad. (Calmet)
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Calmet
Eleven. 3 Kings vi., says ten. The exact breadth was ten and a half, (Villalpand; Tirinus) or what the pavement covered is there specified according to some. Roman Septuagint has "twelve." But the edition of Basil reads more correctly, ten. (Calmet)
Haydock
Yet both ten and eleven may be right, if this temple be different. (Haydock)
Eight. Hebrew seems corrupt, a being substituted for a. "They mounted by ten steps," as the Septuagint read. Aquila has eleven; Symmachus [has] eight.
Calmet
Pillars of brass, 3 Kings 7:15. (Calmet)
Worthington
As they are not measured, they were like Solomon's. (Worthington)
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There were chambers.... Gazophylacia, so called, because the priests and Levites kept in them the stores and vessels that belonged to the temple.
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Into the destroyed citie of Ierusalem.
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Mount Sion:
called exceding heigh mystically, in that it signifieth the Church of Christ: for historically Sion vvas not so exceding hiegh.
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In the Hebrevv text in the Chaldee Paraphrasis, & in the 70. Interpreters, it is thus, of six cubites, in a cubite and a palme, to signifie that these cubites vsed in measuring sacred thinges conteyned six palmes, vvheras the ordinarie cubite conteineth but fiue palmes. See. ch. 43. v. 13.
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Larger within then without, to spread the light within the place, & to auoide the danger of hurt from abrode: as the windowes of Salomons temple. 3. Reg. 6. as also in casties, and towres is commonly vsed. In explicating this vision by reason of the obscuritie, is great varietie amongst the expositors, but al agree that God here reueled to the prophet, that he vvil reward the good, tevvitte, in the old Testament temporally, & in the nevv spiritually, first vvith grace in this life, and with eternal glorie in life euerlasting.
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To the gates of the vtter vval vvas ascent of seuen steppes, but of the inner vval (v. 32.) of eight steppes, to signifie that m••e perfection is required in the new Testament then was in the old, for vvhich more grace is geuen and better revvard. S. Greg.
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For that the pillers are not measured, it semeth they were of the same height and bignes, as the former vvere built by Salomon. 3. Reg. 7. v. 1•.
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.19
… The prophet saw a line of flax with which the angel measured Jerusalem. An angel was measuring, not Arius. And he was measuring Jerusalem, not God. And perchance even an angel could not measure Jerusalem, for it was a man. Thus it is written: “I raised mine eyes and saw and beheld a man, and in his hand there was a line of flax.”
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Hence priests were called pastophori, just as also πυροφόροι, that is, fire-bearers, because they brought fire before others in sacrifices, as Giraldus testifies, syntagm. 17. It is therefore ridiculous what Abulensis brings forward in book III of Kings, chapter vi, Question xxi, namely that pastophoria were separate places for eating, so that in them priests might eat the portions of sacrifices falling to them by God's law, and hence called pastophoria from pastu and foris. In another sense also παστοφόρος is corruptly said by Clement of Alexandria, book V Strom., Priest or temple-keeper, for ναστοφόρος, that is, temple guardian, as Nicholas Causinus says, Elect. symbol. page 200. Finally, in the courtyard of the laity all things were done which we read of in the Gospels concerning Christ, namely that He taught in the temple, that He cast out from it those buying and selling, that He said it was the house of God and a place of prayer, etc. For all these things were done in the courtyard of the laity, which was their temple. Nor could Christ enter further, namely into the courtyard of the priests, since He was not a priest of the tribe of Levi. Each courtyard was enclosed by porticoes, so that the Jews might take shelter under them in time of rain or burning sun, and cover themselves with their vaults. All the porticoes of the inner courtyard were equal to the porticoes of the outer one. Again, the porticoes were divided into three ambulatories. Moreover, the inner courtyard in each dimension had 100 cubits, half of it 50. Furthermore, the entire courtyard was paved with precious marble. Ribera thinks, book I On the Temple, chapter xvi, that each courtyard, namely both that of the priests and that of the people of Israel, was only on the east side of the temple, which Josephus favors, book VI On the War, chapter vi: but Cassiodorus, Lyra, Dionysius, Azor, Villalpando and Montanus, whom Pineda cites and follows, book V On the Temple, chapter v, § 20 and 21, better think that each courtyard surrounded the whole house. For thus the camps of Israel (which this courtyard represented) surrounded the tabernacle on all sides toward every direction of the world, as is clear from Numbers ii, 2. And because it is called "the great round courtyard," because in a circle, that is, all around, it surrounded the whole temple, III Kings vii, 12; otherwise indeed this courtyard would be square in figure, not round. But understand it thus, says Pineda, so that, since the Holy Place with the Holy of Holies and the courtyard of the priests were much longer than they were wide, on the western side of the priests there would be no open-air area, that is, uncovered; but only "three" those "rows of polished stones all around," of which III Kings vii, 12 speaks, that is, a triple portico. In this courtyard there were three gates, the Eastern, the Southern and the Northern; for on the west there was no gate, because the dignity and reverence of the Holy of Holies, which was near to that western part, required it, with only a portico interposed. Thus Josephus, book VI On the War, chapter vi. I have said more about the temple in Exodus xxv and following, and III Kings vii. Here indeed almost only its measurements are described. For the dimension and ground-plan of these courtyards, porticoes and exedrae expressed visually in tables, see Villalpando, page 144 and following.
1. IN THE TWENTY-FIFTH YEAR OF OUR CAPTIVITY, — namely, when Ezekiel with King Jehoiachin in the third month of the first year of his reign was led away by Nebuchadnezzar into Babylon: Sedecias succeeded Jehoiachin, in whose eleventh year the city and kingdom were destroyed; therefore from this destruction in the fourteenth year, Ezekiel saw these things, namely the restoration of the temple and the city recently destroyed. Wherefore this vision, from the vision of the first chapter, in which in the fifth year of the captivity he saw God angry and threatening and intending the desolation of the city and temple, is distant and later by twenty years. For which reason the Hebrews, adding these twenty years to the thirty, of which cap. i, 1 (which they reckon from the jubilee, as I said there), so that they make fifty, believe this year to have been the fiftieth, that is the jubilee: in the jubilee therefore the Prophet saw the building of the new city and new temple; and it is probable, although others reckon those thirty years of cap. i, 1 differently, as I said there. IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, — that is the tenth day of Nisan, on which the Hebrews are commanded in Exod. xii to take a lamb, and to keep it until the fourteenth day, so that, when it is offered, they may be freed from Egypt: and so on this same day Ezekiel sees the restoration of the temple and people from Babylon, on which the same people were formerly freed from Egypt and its servitude. Thus Christ, borne on an ass on the same day, as a paschal lamb entered Jerusalem, about to restore the Church and people of God. Otherwise the Hebrews: since they think the jubilee year is noted here, they likewise believe the first month to have been the seventh. For from Tishri, that is from the seventh month, the jubilee began. IN THE FOURTEENTH YEAR, — from the destruction of the city and temple, as I have already explained.
Mystically, St. Jerome believes that here are signified fourteen generations from David to Christ, who rebuilt the temple, that is the Church.
In The Fourteenth Year ON THAT VERY DAY, — namely, the tenth already mentioned; not however "on that day," namely, on which Jerusalem was destroyed, as St. Gregory seems to interpret. For it was destroyed not on the tenth, but on the ninth day of the fourth month, Jer. xxxix, 2. AND THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS UPON ME. — "Hand" is said in Hebrew יד iad, as it were an instrument of casting, or because sent forth and flowing from the arm: for the root ידא iada signifies to cast, to send forth. The hand therefore here is virtue, power, efficacy, operation flowing from God into Ezekiel, that is the spirit of prophecy promising to the people liberty and happiness. Or the hand is the Holy Spirit, who from the Father and the Son as it were flows forth like a hand and finger (as it is called in Exod. viii, 19), that is to say the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit caught me up in spirit thither, namely into Jerusalem.
2. He set me upon a very high mountain. — "This mountain is Christ, the mediator of God and men: he is exalted, because he is God and man; because although he is of the earth through the substance of his humility, he is nevertheless incomprehensible from the height of his divinity." AND UPON IT WAS AS IT WERE THE BUILDING OF A CITY TENDING TOWARDS THE SOUTH. — "He says 'as it were,' because he directs the heart of those hearing towards a spiritual fabric, concerning which Psalm 121: Jerusalem, which is built as a city. For now that vision of internal peace is constructed from the congregation of holy citizens, the heavenly Jerusalem is built as a city. Which nevertheless, while it is struck by scourges on this earth of pilgrimage, beaten by tribulations, its stones are squared daily. And it itself is the city, namely the holy Church, which, about to reign in heaven, still labors on earth. To whose citizens Peter says: And you, as living stones, are built up. And Paul says: You are God's husbandry, God's building. Which city indeed has here in the morals of the Saints a great building of its own: for in a building stone carries stone, because stone is placed upon stone; and he who carries another is carried by another. Thus therefore, thus in the holy Church each one both carries another and is carried by another. For neighbors mutually bear with one another, so that through them the building of charity may rise. Hence Paul admonishes, saying: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ. Announcing the virtue of whose law, he says: The fullness of the law is charity. For if I neglect to bear you in my morals, and you disdain to tolerate me in your morals, whence does the building of charity arise among us, whom reciprocal love does not join through patience? But the foundation bears all the weight of the fabric, and is itself not borne by others; because our Redeemer bears all our things, but in him there was no evil that ought to be borne." UPON THE MOUNTAIN ("therefore, that is, upon Christ") WAS AS IT WERE THE BUILDING OF A CITY, — "because he alone sustains our morals and faults, he who bears the fabric of the Church. And it should be noted that he saw the city tending towards the South. For the South is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, the North of the devil, because the former relaxes in heat, and the latter constrains in cold; of the former it is said Psalm 125: Convert, O Lord, our captivity as a stream in the South. For our captivity, which had remained sluggish in the cold of the body to follow God, is relaxed through the heat of the Holy Spirit, so that it may run into the love of God. Whence also, kindled with strong love, the contemplative said: My soul hath been joyful in the Lord, and shall be delighted in his salvation; because from there joy was conceived in the mind, whence through love it burned strongly. The former city therefore, namely the Synagogue, stood towards the North in its infidels, because it endured in the cold of infidelity. But the holy Church, because it conceived the charity of faith, tends towards the South through heat, and as it were leans upon a warm wind, because it rejoices not in its own confidence, but in the gift of spiritual grace."
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2. IN VISIONS OF GOD. — He seized me not corporeally, but mentally through a vision, and that a sublime, wonderful and divine one. Theodoret explains "of God," as if to say, In the likeness of God. For just as God, in order to operate in some place, does not transfer himself there, but shows and exercises the efficacy of his spirit pervading all things there: so also the mind of the Prophets, existing substantially in one place with the body, was seized by the spirit's power to another place through visions. For our spirit has a certain quasi-immensity participated from God's spirit; so that just as he is substantially present everywhere, so our intellect, as it were, presents itself intellectually present everywhere. This is what Christ says John 3:8: "The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, or whither he goeth," as if to say, You do not understand, O Nicodemus! how your mind and spirit in its thinking runs now through Europe, now through Asia, now through the air, now through the heavens, now through the infernal regions, and there as it were presents itself, and soon flies away: you do not know these courses and flights of your soul, how in a moment it goes and returns, and wanders through the whole world: it is not wonderful therefore that you do not grasp the power and operation of the Holy Spirit, by which he causes the old man to be born again, and the whole to be renewed in baptism. Thus Ferdinand, vision 25, section 1.
AND HE SET ME UPON A MOUNTAIN — Moriah, where the temple was once built, and was now to be rebuilt again. The temple therefore was on a sublime mountain,
here, they say, is Christ, who describes, distributes, and builds the parts of the new Church, just as he was the guardian of the old, when he cast out from there those who sold and bought, and did not permit a vessel to be carried through the temple. Whence he stands at the gate: "Because through him we enter to the Father, and without him we cannot enter the city of God. He stands therefore at the gate, that he may receive the worthy, reject the unworthy. In the gate also is judgment," says St. Jerome; he signifies therefore the judicial power of Christ. Finally, "he stands at the gate," because with a joyful and cheerful countenance he receives all who come, leads them, introduces them into the Church.
LIKE THE APPEARANCE OF BRONZE, — namely polished and shining. It signifies the beauty and strength of angels, concerning which cap. i, 7: "Bronze indeed, says St. Jerome, is more sonorous than all metals, and resounds far by its ringing. Whence also in Daniel cap. ii, in the image which was composed of gold, silver, bronze and iron, the kingdom of Alexander and the Greeks is demonstrated in the likeness of bronze, so that the eloquence of the Greek language might be signified." And he adds that bronze signifies "that they still have need of doctrine, who are to be built up spiritually and do not yet fully know the mysteries." Otherwise Alcazar in Apoc. xxi, 1, pag. 560: "Bronze," he says, "signifies the strength of Christ, by which he most powerfully endured the reed or rod, that is the passion, and the cross of six cubits, that is great and immense; and through this he erected and measured out the structure of the temple, that is of his Church." A LINEN CORD, — The Septuagint, a cord of masons, by which namely, says Gregory, the equality, or straightness of the rising wall is explored, so that if a stone is inside, it is brought out; if it projects too much outward, it is drawn back inward.
Like The Appearance Of Bronze Mystically, the masons are Angels, or Apostles: for these indeed build the temple, that is the Church of God; says St. Jerome.
A Linen Cord A REED, — In Hebrew קנה kane, that is a measuring reed. A similar vision is in Zach. ii, 1, and Apoc. xxi, 15, in the structure of the new and heavenly Jerusalem. Mystically St. Jerome: "The reed is prophetic grace, concerning which Psalm. xliv: My tongue is the reed of a scribe writing swiftly."
A Reed both because it was as it were the head of the city, and because it was as it were an earthly heaven, in which priests and Israelites were as stars. Thus Pineda, lib. V De Rebus Salom. cap. v. UPON A VERY HIGH MOUNTAIN, — upon Sion. UPON WHICH WAS AS IT WERE A BUILDING OF A CITY, — namely the city Jerusalem itself, says Lyra, or rather the temple itself: for to this Ezekiel was brought. Thus Fernandius, visione XVIII, sect. v.
Upon A Very High Mountain Note: The temple was as it were a city, because it was surrounded on all sides by walls and gates: it had courtyards, as it were streets; treasuries, as it were houses; whence the Angel showed him as it were a building of a city, that is as it were a city built: or because it was still being built, according to the measurements of the man who presided over the building, as follows. He therefore says "as it were;" because the new city, or rather the temple, of which he speaks, was not yet built: but only its first outlines and ground plan appeared. But he says: "Facing toward the south:" because to Ezekiel coming from the north, namely from Babylon, Judaea and the temple were toward the south. Thus Apollinaris. Thus the temple and royal monastery of St. Lawrence near Madrid, of St. Benedict at Cassino, at Fulda, and many others are in the manner of cities.
Symbolically, this structure on the mountain signifies the Church built upon a mountain, that is, most highly, by Christ (Matt. v, 14), concerning which Isaiah says, cap. ii, 1: "It shall be, etc., a mountain in the top of mountains." Whence St. Chrysostom, in Matt. v, says that the mountain is a sign of divine power, which by its divine force sustains the Church, so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. Secondly, St. Gregory here: "What," he says, "does the exceeding high mountain signify, except Christ, who is the founder of the new Church which in the depths of the earth are dug out on both sides of those entering, and have the bodies of the buried in their walls; and thus all things are so dark that nearly that word of the Prophet is fulfilled: Let them go down alive into hell; and rarely is light admitted from above to temper the horror of the darkness, so that you would think it not so much a window as a hole through which light is let in; and again one approaches gradually, and surrounded by blind night, that Virgilian saying is set before us: Horror everywhere strikes the mind, and the very silences terrify. Let this be said to me, so that the prudent reader may understand what opinion I hold concerning the explanation of the temple of God in Ezekiel, of which it is written: Darkness is his secret place." Note: The temple was surrounded by three walls. The first wall was that of the outermost enclosure, which is described in this verse 5; the second, of the outer court; the third, of the inner court. The first wall, which embraced all the buildings and courts of the temple, signifies God's protection which surrounds the whole Church, according to that Psalm. cxxiv, 2: "The Lord is round about his people," and therefore, as was said before, "he shall not be moved for ever that dwelleth in Jerusalem." The second wall signifies the protection of angels, concerning which it is said there: "Mountains are round about it." "Mountains," that is, Angels, says St. Augustine there, who by the loftiness of their sanctity, as St. Jerome says, surround the Church. The third wall represents the protection of priests and Prelates of the Church, concerning which it is said Ezech. xiii, 5: "Thou didst not stand up against the house of Israel." Through these three walls one went to the temple by three gates, facing three regions of the world, namely the East, the North and the South: which is signified by three principal parts from which men would come to the Church, namely from Asia which is to the East, from Africa which is to the South, from Europe which is to the North with respect to Asia and Africa. Three gates, opposite to each other in each wall, signify three degrees of those coming to the faith, beginners, those making progress, and the perfect, whom St. Bernard beautifully teaches are signified by three kisses of the Bridegroom, serm. 4 in Cant. Thus Antonius Fernandius, vision XVIII, sect. viii. A MEASURING REED OF SIX CUBITS. — In Hebrew, six cubits in a cubit, that is, a certain, just and true cubit, as if to say, six cubits of just measure. AND A PALM. — Not as if it were held in the hand by it, as Richard of St. Victor wishes. But the palm here is a part of the measure, as is evident from the words, and from the very dimension which follows. The palm, which in Greek is called palaisté, says St. Jerome, is the sixth part of a cubit, namely four fingers of the hand joined together. The palm therefore differs from the palm of the hand, which in Greek is called spithamé, and is the space which, with the hand extended and the fingers spread apart, lies between the end of the thumb and the tip of the little finger. Moreover the Hebrews, and from them Maldonatus, interpret thus: "Six cubits and a palm," that is, six cubits, and six palms moreover; six cubits, and one palm moreover added to each cubit, as if to say, six sacred cubits. For the common cubit consisted of five palms, the sacred one of six, as they relate. For in Hebrew it is, six cubits in a cubit, and a palm, that is, six cubits of cubits, each of which contains a common cubit and a palm. Thus also the Septuagint and the Chaldean. This is favored by what is said cap. xlv, 13: "Now these are the measures of the altar in the most true cubit, which had a cubit and a palm." For he calls the most true cubit the sacred cubit, which exceeds common cubits by one palm. The measuring reed therefore, which the Angel held in his hand here as an architect, had six sacred cubits, that is, seven common ones, and one palm moreover. Thus St. Jerome, Vatablus, Maldonatus, the Hebrews, and Alcazar, tract. De Mensuris, propos. ix: "Six cubits and a palm, that is," he says, "six cubits, not of any kind, but of those which exceed the common cubit by one palm." Vilalpando however here part. II, lib. III, cap. xii, contends that this reed was six cubits and one palm only; but thus it should rather have been said, and of a palm, not and a palm, as Alcazar urges.
Moreover, with the collapse of this measurement of Vilalpando's reed, there collapses likewise a great part of his dimensions in the temple, which are measured by this reed.
AND A HANDBREADTH. Tropologically, St. Gregory says: "Six, he says, cubits are the active life, because on the sixth day God perfected His works. But the palm, which is above the six cubits, is already of the seventh; yet it is not itself a cubit, and signifies the contemplative life, which as it were in the sabbath rests in the contemplation of God." Rupertus, however, by the six cubits and the palm which is the seventh, understands the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: "The palm, he says, is wisdom, as it were the reward of those at rest, the other six are the instruments of those working." AND HE MEASURED THE BREADTH, AND THE HEIGHT ALSO WITH ONE REED, — that is, he measured all parts of the building with one reed, not with several, says H. Pintus. Secondly and better, from the Septuagint, as if to say: Both the breadth and the height of this outer wall, of which verse 5 speaks, was of one reed: for it was lower than the other walls. Hence by the Septuagint it is called proteichisma, that is an outwork and peribolus, that is a circuit, rampart, fence. Therefore the breadth and height of the outer wall were equal, namely six cubits, that is 36 palms, says Maldonatus. Tropologically, St. Gregory says: "Both the breadth and the height of the wall are of one reed; because every soul, however wide it may be in the love of neighbour, will be equally high in the knowledge of God. For while it dilates itself through love according to breadth, through knowledge it exalts itself upward." And St. Jerome: "The reed, he says, having six cubits and one palm, signifies that our conversation is known, which is contained in the six days in which the world was made. And that the reason of individual works is known, so that one thing pertains to works, another to the mind; hence also breadth is equal to height, of which breadth pertains to works, as we have said, height is referred to the soul, which hastens to high things.
gulorum, ut aliud ad opera pertineat, aliud ad mentem; unde et latitudo aequa est altitudini, quorum latitudo ad opera, uti diximus, altitudo refertur ad animum, qui ad alta festinat. 6. AND HE CAME TO THE GATE THAT LOOKED TOWARD THE EAST, — that is to the gate of the court of Israel: and this Eastern one, as being the most noble, through which the king entered, and by which alone the most pleasing face of the Holy of Holies could be seen. For the face of the house, he says in chapter xlvii, 1, looked toward the East. You ask: Why does he not first measure the court of the Gentiles itself, which was altogether outermost? I answer: Because he properly measures here the temple and the court of the people of God, that is of the Jews, not of the Gentiles. The mystical reason is, to signify that to the Church of Christ innumerable Gentiles will come, as if this court cannot contain them, and is as it were immense. Hence of it is said in Psalm xxxv, 7: "Men and beasts thou wilt save, O Lord," as St. Augustine explains there.
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3. AND HE BROUGHT ME IN THERE. — "He enters the building of the heavenly city, who in the holy Church imitating the ways of the good considers, for example the married man, who is content with his own things, and whatever he can gives to the needy, and does not neglect to weep for sins without which daily married life cannot be conducted. But he has already abandoned all things that are of the world, who feeds on the exercise of contemplation alone, rejoices with tears in the hope of heavenly rewards, transcends present things, seeks to have daily secret conversation with the Lord, no care of the passing world disturbs his soul, he always dilates his mind in expectation of heavenly joys."
AND BEHOLD A MAN, WHOSE APPEARANCE WAS LIKE THE APPEARANCE OF BRASS. — "He is signified in the man, who is figured in the mountain (namely Christ), because he himself also arranges all things within the Holy Church by judging, and he himself bears the same, and bearing it lifts it to heavenly things. He has the appearance of brass, which is durable and sonorous; because taking the form of a servant, our frailty with the burden of human nature, he turned through the glory of his resurrection into eternity; because in it flesh has become now enduring without end, and through the same the glory of his majesty resounded to all, because God became known to the world from flesh. He alone, as Isaiah says (chapter LXIII), the winepress in which he was trodden, trod, who by his patience, which he endured, overcame his passion."
SON OF MAN, SEE WITH THY EYES, AND HEAR WITH THY EARS. — "The prophet is called son of man, so that he may always remember what he is from weakness, lest he be lifted up by the greatness of contemplation. Hence after contemplation and compunction temptation often follows, so that temptation may weigh down, lest contemplation puff up; and likewise contemplation lifts up, lest temptation submerge. Thus by a wonderful dispensation the soul is balanced in a certain middle way, so that it neither becomes proud in good things nor falls in evil things. Hence also through blessed Job it is said: And he weigheth the waters in a balance."
Announce all things which thou seest. — "Because whoever profits by seeing spiritual things, it is necessary that by speaking he also impart these to others." 5. AND BEHOLD A WALL WITHOUT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE ROUND ABOUT. — "The wall is Christ, who surrounds us on all sides by guarding, and is without; for God is within us as a wall, but God made man is a wall without; and this round about, because he who is above is the firmness of angels, he himself made below became the redemption of men, and so that he might guard us perfectly, he showed all things which he taught, namely he taught us to despise transitory goods, and not to fear temporal evils. He took upon himself death, lest we fear to die: he showed resurrection, so that we might believe we are able to rise."
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6. AND HE CAME TO THE GATE THAT LOOKED TOWARD THE EASTERN WAY. — "Christ is a man, and is also a gate. For He Himself in His members (the faithful) is He who enters, and He Himself is also the head to which the entering members arrive. For He Himself is to us the way, who says: I am the way, the truth, and the life. He is also the eastern way, concerning which it is written (Zechariah VI): Behold a man, Oriens is his name. The gate therefore looks toward the eastern way, because it signifies Him who made for us a path to the rising of light. Moreover, by the name of gate each preacher can be understood: because whoever opens to us the door of the kingdom of heaven by his mouth is a gate."
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AND IN THE HAND OF THE MAN A MEASURING REED OF SIX CUBITS, AND A PALM. — "The measuring reed is Holy Scripture, because in it we measure all the action of our life, so that we may see how much we progress, or how far we are from progress. It is in the hand of the man, that is in the power of Christ, who by His works completed what He willed to be written. By six cubits what else is expressed than the active life? because on the sixth day God perfected all His works. The contemplative life is signified by the palm, because even when we stretch our heart toward it, we are scarcely able to touch something small. We touch the palm from the seventh cubit, for we who are placed in this life taste only the beginnings of intimate contemplation; therefore it is begun here, so that it may be perfected in the heavenly homeland."
AND HE MEASURED THE BREADTH OF THE BUILDING WITH ONE REED, AND THE HEIGHT ALSO WITH ONE REED. — "First, God, who is neither stretched in great things nor confined in small things, speaks of the whole Church as if He were speaking of one soul. Breadth therefore pertains to charity toward one's neighbor. For nothing is broader than to receive all in the bosom of love, and to sustain no narrowness of hatred. Height pertains to the understanding of contemplation. But the breadth and height of the building are measured with one reed: because each soul, as much as it is broad in love of neighbor, so much will it also be high in the knowledge of God. Second, height is the angelic nature, breadth is the human; because this still dwells in the lowest places, while that remains in the sublime. But both are measured with one reed, because the humility of men will sometimes be brought to equality with the angels." AND A LINEN CORD IN HIS HAND. — "The Seventy have: A cord of chamberlains. What else do we understand by chamberlains than the holy doctors, who by speaking spiritual things compose living stones for the heavenly building, that is the souls of the elect? The linen cord is subtle preaching, which binds not only external works, as the Jewish law, but also the mind of the hearer, lest it dissolve itself even in wretched thought. The cord in the hand is preaching in operation; for He Himself shows all that He taught. For Jesus began to do and to teach."
AND A LINEN CORD IN HIS HAND. AND A MEASURING REED IN HIS HAND. — "By this reed we know that His dispositions are hidden. For by His incomprehensible judgment, one is sent among the measure of the elect, and another is left outside. For our Redeemer leads some away from their iniquities, and leaves others in their iniquity. Moreover, the measuring reed can be understood as Holy Scripture for this reason, that whoever reads it measures himself in it, how much he progresses or falls short in spiritual virtue." AND HE WAS STANDING IN THE GATE. — "Because our Redeemer incarnate appeared visible through His humanity, and preserved Himself invisible through His divinity. For he who stands in a gate is seen in some part outside, and in some part inside. Whence it is said of Him (Song of Songs II): Behold He stands behind our wall, because He showed the nature of His humanity which He assumed, and hid the nature of His divinity from human eyes. Looking through the window, looking through the lattices, so that as God He might appear from miracles, and be hidden from His sufferings: and as man He might be perceived from His sufferings; but yet be known to be beyond man from His miracles. In the gate therefore He stood with His face inward, and His back outward, whose eyes always behold His building; because they unceasingly attend to how much each one progresses in virtues. But the prophet looks toward the gate, because he who hears the words of God should always fix the eyes of his heart toward the exit, and without ceasing meditate how he may depart from the present life, and attain to eternal joys. For we have not here a lasting city, but we seek one that is to come."
AND HE WAS STANDING IN THE GATE. 4. AND THE SAME MAN SPOKE TO ME. — "For Christ even in the very time of His passion gave precepts of life to His disciples, so that if any believe in Him they might always look toward the gate, and weighing His passion with careful consideration, might not turn the eyes of their mind away from their own exit; because while we desire to pass from temporal sacraments to eternal things, we have as it were already turned our back on the present life, and have the face of our heart in the desire of our exit. Therefore he attends to the gate, who beholds the joys of true freedom, and already desires to depart, but is not yet able. For there we stand, where we fix the eyes of our mind. Whence Elias says: The Lord lives, in whose sight I stand. There indeed he stood, where he had fixed his heart."
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HE WENT UP BY ITS STEPS. — Hence it follows that the court of Israel was higher than the court of the Gentiles: for otherwise it would not have been necessary to go up by steps. Thus the court of the priests was higher than the court of Israel, that is, of the people, or of the lay Jews. The Septuagint adds that there were seven steps, and this is evident from verse 22, and there were as many at the other gates: from the court of the Gentiles therefore to the court of Israel one ascended by seven steps. From there to the court of the priests there were eight steps, as is evident from verse 31; from there to the Holy Place there were ten steps. There were therefore 25 steps from the court of the Gentiles as far as the Holy Place: but as far as the court of the priests there were 15, in which they chanted the fifteen psalms of degrees, or Gradual psalms, as the Hebrews, St. Jerome and others relate. AND HE MEASURED THE THRESHOLD. — In Hebrew סף saph signifies both the upper and lower threshold, as well as the two posts which on both sides form the gate: whence Aquila translates it prothyron; our version, threshold; R. David, posts. But the thickness of the posts and thresholds appears to have been the same: understand one from the other therefore.
THAT IS, ONE THRESHOLD ONE REED IN WIDTH, — understand consequently, and the other threshold one reed in width, that is, as Vatablus says, both one post of the gate, which was on the south, and the other which was on the north, was thick one reed: for it was equally thick as the wall, whose thickness was one reed, as is evident from verse 5. And so each post on either side was 36 palms.
AND HE WENT UP BY ITS STEPS. — "What are the steps of the gate, but the merits and increases of virtues? of which it is said in Psalm 83: They shall go from virtue to virtue. For the beginnings of virtue are one thing, progress another, and perfection another. Christ therefore ascends in us; because He shows Himself so much more sublime to us, as our mind is separated from the lowest things." AND HE MEASURED THE THRESHOLD OF THE GATE ONE REED IN WIDTH. — "If the gate is the Lord, who is the threshold of this gate, but those ancient fathers, from whose progeny the Lord deigned to be incarnate? Because therefore He made their life sublime in the unity of faith, and perfect operation, and begun contemplation, the measurement of the threshold was in one reed."
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7. AND THE CHAMBER, — that is, each chamber. For there were six, three on one side of the gate, and three on the other, as is evident from verse 12. Moreover, chambers here are called small rooms, in which the keepers of the temple dwelt, such as we now see in the gates of cities. For these in Hebrew are called תאים thaim, from the root תאח taa, that is, to designate, define, circumscribe, as if to say, a room designated and circumscribed by its measure: because these chambers were terminated and supported by posts, whence they had the same measurements as these: for as much as these chambers differed from chamber, so much did the posts of one differ from the posts of another. Now the Septuagint, retaining the Hebrew thaim, translates it theim, which scribes corrupted into ailam. The chambers at the gate were therefore small rooms of the gatekeepers, namely of the Levites, so that they might keep from the temple the unclean and others to whom it was not permitted to enter. Symmachus translates it parastades, that is, posts on either side.
AND BETWEEN THE CHAMBERS FIVE CUBITS, — that is, between one room and another there was a wall of five cubits. Thus the Chaldean.
8. THE THRESHOLD OF THE GATE BESIDE THE VESTIBULE OF THE GATE INWARD. — That is, the inner gate had a threshold of the measure of one reed, equally as the outer one, verse 6. There were therefore two gates covered with a square entablature and joined together, as the gates of cities are joined by an arch. And so this vestibule was between the two gates: it was enclosed by two gates. And in this vestibule there were six chambers, that is, rooms of gatekeepers, namely of Levites who guarded the gates, namely three on one side, and three on the other, whose measurement was the same, namely one reed in length, and another in width, as is said in verse 7. Moreover, vestibule is called that part before the house, which is left open to passage, of which Vitruvius, book VI, chapter x. Vestibule is called, says Gellius, book XVI, chapter v, as it were the station of those coming, or a stable; or, as Servius says, because it clothes the door, as it were a chamber sustained by two columns; or because it was consecrated to Vesta. Whence new brides formerly did not touch the threshold. Hence Lucan, book II:
And Between The Chambers Five Cubits Forbade the translated foot to touch the threshold.
7. AND THE CHAMBER WITH ONE REED IN LENGTH, AND ONE REED IN WIDTH. — "What are the chambers in the holy Church, except the hearts of those in which souls are joined to the invisible Bridegroom through love, so that the mind burns with desire for Him, now covets nothing that is in the world, reckons the length of the present life as a punishment, hastens to depart, and rests in the embrace of love in the vision of the heavenly Bridegroom? Length pertains to long-suffering in expectation, and width to the breadth of charity; because as much love as one has for gathering together the neighbor, so much also does he show long-suffering in awaiting God, and patiently bears the delays of length: because the breadth of charity expands itself in the progress of the neighbor; because as wide as the mind is through love, so patient will it be through long-suffering." AND BETWEEN THE CHAMBERS, FIVE CUBITS. — "Because those who do not yet rise to mystical understanding, while they are among those who burn with the spirit of love, remaining as it were between the chambers, make progress in the building of faith, and are not separated from the measure of the heavenly edifice: because they are animated by the vapor of charity. This is what is said in Canticles III: The king Solomon made himself a litter, etc., a purple ascent; because the greatest multitude of the faithful in the beginning of the nascent Church reached the kingdom through martyrdom. But because we are not a purple ascent, therefore he built it with middle charity. Have charity, and without doubt you belong there, where also the silver column is raised up, and the purple ascent is held." 8. AND THE THRESHOLD OF THE GATE BY THE VESTIBULE OF THE GATE WITHIN WITH ONE REED. — "Two thresholds, namely the outer and the inner, are the fathers of the Old Testament and the fathers of the New Testament: because those who merited to preach Christ and to hope in Him opened the entrance of faith to all coming to Him: but if you take the gate as Holy Scripture, the outer threshold is the letter, the inner is allegory. The threshold therefore is measured with one reed: but the reed extends to six cubits and a palm: because namely in Holy Scripture the doctrine of perfect operation and the beginning of supernatural contemplation is found. But if each preacher is taken as the gate in this place, the outer threshold in the gate is the active life, the inner threshold truly the contemplative life. Through this one walks in faith, through that one hastens to the vision."
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In Hebrew the vestibule is called אול ulam, from the root אל alam, that is, he joined together, as if to say, a bond, joining, connection of posts, that is, everything by which posts are bound together from above, whether it be an arch, or straight beams, or a roof. Hence it not rarely signifies the very series of posts and arch, and even the space left under the arch, and otherwise the posts themselves either joined by arch, or by wall, or by some other means. Thus Villalpando. Hence also Symmachus translates it, propylaeum, that is, a place before the house, namely before the house's gate. St. Jerome calls it a roofed atrium. We see such vestibules in Rome in almost all the basilicas. Now in the very vestibule, indeed in the gate itself, the ancients made chambers transversely on the sides for doorkeepers and servants, as Vitruvius testifies, book VI, chapter x. Whence such were also in this temple of Ezekiel, or atrium. Hence among the Greeks they are called thyroréion, that is, the place of the doorkeeper. Finally, this vestibule was a symbol of heaven: for this is what Josephus says, book VI of the Wars, chapter vi: "Nor did it have doors; for the sky everywhere visible and widely open signified it." That you may conceive an idea of these things, know that the temple, that is, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, was situated to the West: before it had an atrium, first of priests, then of laymen. The entrances therefore and gates of each atrium were on the outer sides, namely toward three regions of the world, that is, to the East, to the North and to the South (the Jews therefore praying turned toward the temple looking to the West, not to the East, as Christians do); there were therefore three gates in the atrium of priests according to three sides, and three regions of the world; and as many in the atrium of laymen directly opposite the former, and corresponding to them. In each were three chambers, that is, cubicles of doorkeepers on the right side, and as many on the left. These gates had their vestibules: of all these things individually is treated here. See the ground plan of the temple, of the atria, porticoes, gates, chambers, and vestibules in Villalpando, figure IX. Mystically, porticoes signify supports, and as it were shelters, by which God cherishes and protects those laboring in the work of virtues. Exedrae, or treasuries, in which the treasures of the house of God are kept, and the priests of the week remain, signify, through these protections of God, and through this protection, that in us are conserved and preserved the treasures of grace and virtues and gifts, more than through our own industry; and through the same it comes to pass that we minister to God, and offer to him through penance and good works a sacrifice of a contrite and humbled heart. Thus Ribera, book I On the Temple, chapter xxv. 9. AND HE MEASURED THE VESTIBULE OF THE GATE EIGHT CUBITS. — You will say: How could the vestibule be eight cubits long, when the chamber placed in the middle of it was one reed long, that is, six cubits, as was said above? Villalpando answers that the posts of the vestibule, that is, its arch, supporting it, were distant from each other eight cubits; but the chambers in the middle between the posts had only a reed, or six cubits in length, because the posts themselves occupied almost two cubits, and their ornaments, namely the stylobates, and the projections of the spirals. AND ITS FRONT. — By front many understand an appendage, which stood out above the gate to ward off rain. Others, as Maldonatus, by front understand posts, that is, towers in which there was a spiral staircase, by which one ascended gradually, and small windows, as is said in verse 16; the wall therefore of the tower surrounding the spiral staircase was thick two cubits. Most excellently Villalpando by front understands the columns, or rather the half-columns of the vestibule. He says these were two cubits in width, or thickness.
9. AND HE MEASURED THE VESTIBULE OF THE GATE EIGHT CUBITS, AND ITS FRONT TWO CUBITS: AND THE VESTIBULE OF THE GATE WAS WITHIN. — "What is signified by the inner vestibule, except the breadth of eternal life? To the atrium (that is, the vestibule) therefore one tends through the gate, because to the breadth of solemnity one arrives from the narrowness of confession. The vestibule is said to be measured eight cubits. For there all are to be received, who now labor in the exercise of work, and sigh toward eternal joys through the grace of contemplation: because all time revolves in seven days. For the eternal day, which follows after the succession of seven days is completed, is the eighth. For Christ suffered on the sixth day, rested in the sepulcher on the sabbath, rose from the dead on the Lord's day. The present life therefore is still for us the sixth day, because it is led in sorrows, and is tormented in afflictions. But on the sabbath we rest as if in a sepulcher; because we find rest of the soul after the body. But on the Lord's day, namely the third from the passion, the eighth from the creation, already with the body we shall rise from death, and in glory we shall rejoice with the soul also together with the flesh. What therefore our Savior marvelously did in himself, this he truly signified in us, that pain may receive us on the sixth, and rest on the seventh, and glory on the eighth. The vestibule therefore is measured eight cubits within; because through the light which follows after seven days, the breadth of eternity is opened to us."
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Tropologically, foreheads are eminent and strong men, who openly and fearlessly teach those things which pertain to salvation, such as the Apostles, Martyrs and Doctors. Again, the forehead or face of the Church is charity: for from this she is known, and her beauty is recognized, as Cyril of Alexandria teaches, explaining that saying of Christ, "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another," John xiii, 35.
AND ITS FRONT TWO CUBITS. — "The front of the gate is the good merit of the present life. The front therefore of the gate is measured by two cubits: because whosoever here shall strive to keep the love of God and neighbour, he himself shall attain to the vestibule of eternity."
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10. MOREOVER THE CHAMBERS OF THE GATE TOWARD THE EAST WERE THREE ON THIS SIDE, AND THREE ON THAT SIDE, AND ONE MEASURE OF THE THREE. — "First, the chambers according to the way toward the east are the hearts of those fervent in the love of God, that is to say, While among the ancients and the new fathers the Lord deigned to be incarnate, as it were in the midst of the chambers the way toward the east appeared, which chambers are adorned with the true appearance from the knowledge of the Holy Trinity. Secondly, the three chambers are three virtues, faith, hope and charity, that is to say, The same faith, hope and charity in the ancient fathers as in the new doctors. Thirdly, the three chambers are three states of the faithful, namely those preaching, those continent, those married (whom Noah, Daniel and Job represented, as I said cap. XIV) both those who in the Old Testament and those who in the New Testament served God. One measure of the three is, because although in them there is great diversity of merits, nevertheless the distance in the faith in which they tend is not: or certainly because in the final retribution, although the same dignity is not for all, yet one will be for all the life of blessedness. For although the merit of each will be unequal, there will not be diversity of joys: because although one exults less, another more, yet all are gladdened by one joy from the vision of their Creator." AND ONE MEASURE OF THE FRONTS. — "Because our fathers, whether coming formerly from the Old Testament or now from the New Testament, agree in one faith of the mediator. Who, because they are full of charity, subdue their flesh by abstinence, illuminate the hearts of hearers with the light of preaching, work signs, perform miracles. By the fact that their good deeds become known to us outwardly, not undeservedly are they called the fronts of this heavenly building." 11. AND HE MEASURED THE BREADTH OF THE THRESHOLD OF THE GATE TEN CUBITS, AND THE LENGTH OF THE GATE THIRTEEN CUBITS. — "The length of the gate is called height: the breadth was the law of the Old Testament, the length was the grace of the New Testament, that is to say, That harsh people of the Jews held only the decalogue in faith, and serving in the breadth of commandments, and not knowing the law of the Holy Trinity: but through the New Testament in the heart of the faithful people, above the commandments of the decalogue, which it more truly keeps, the knowledge of the Holy Trinity grew. Because the more the world is led to extremes, the more widely to us is the access of eternal knowledge opened."
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11. AND HE MEASURED THE BREADTH OF THE THRESHOLD OF THE GATE, — that is the breadth of the vestibule mentioned, which was between two doors, which had its beams as it were thresholds, which covered the vestibule, that is the space between the doors. This therefore breadth of the vestibule was 10 cubits. For, as Villalpandus rightly teaches, the Angel measured the breadth of that space which remained between the half-columns, which stood out from the posts of the chambers, and found there 10 cubits: for the breadth of the threshold of the gate, which some thought the Angel measured in this place, had already been measured at eight cubits. For since in the threshold of the gate it is possible to observe a threefold measurement: the breadth, that is the thickness of the wall, which was one reed, as he said; and the length, namely how far the post was distant from the post, which was 8 cubits; and the height, which he will say shortly after was 13 cubits; nothing remains in the threshold of the gate to be measured by 10 cubits. Wherefore we are compelled to say that the Angel went beyond the outer wall at the entrance, and leaving both walls, measured the space, which the Greeks call θυρωρείον, according to the breadth, from south to north, and found 10 cubits. AND THE LENGTH (that is the height) OF THE GATE, THIRTEEN CUBITS. — Thus Lyra and Villalpandus.
12. AND THE BORDER. — In Hebrew גבול gebul, that is a boundary. Some think it is thus called the seat, which was before the chambers; others the space for walking: Maldonatus and others better understand by boundary the space, which was between the gate and one row of chambers, that is of small rooms adhering on one side, and on the other, which he says was one cubit.
And The Length AND ONE CUBIT THE BOUNDARY ON BOTH SIDES. — "Boundary," that is a boundary, that is to say, One cubit on both sides bounded the chambers, that is the small rooms, and separated them from one another. This boundary, or border, Villalpandus clearly exhibits to be seen in the ground plan.
12. AND THE BORDER BEFORE THE CHAMBERS ONE CUBIT. — "The border before the chambers is faith before the ardor of charity: because unless you believe those things which you hear, you will in no way be inflamed to love those things which you have heard. The border is one cubit: because then faith joins the hearts of those hearing in love, when through various errors and schisms it is not, but endures in unity." AND ONE CUBIT THE END ON BOTH SIDES. — "Because Christ, whom the law foretold, appeared in the flesh, and he whom now the New Testament speaks of, will appear in the glory of his majesty. And then there will be an end of both, when seen in the presence of his divinity, he will have fulfilled all things which have been foretold. For the vision of the divinity, which is one in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is as it were the vision of one cubit. So also the ark in Genesis VI, that is the Church, because it is gathered to one man (Christ) who is without sin, is as it were consummated in one cubit, to whom all advance who have known themselves to be sinners. One cubit therefore the end on both sides is: because the vision of one Lord and Savior in his elect ends faith, and perfects charity." AND THE CHAMBERS SIX CUBITS. — "The palm is lacking here, which above in the measure of the reed was said to be present (for the reed contained six cubits and a palm). By the reed therefore the chambers are measured, that is the faithful so perfect in love, that they possess six cubits of operation, and a palm of contemplation. Others lack the palm, that is they know not how to contemplate. These have six cubits, and do not have the palm; because they are joined to God through love, but separated from contemplation," on this side and that, "that is gathered from Jews and Gentiles."
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AND THE CHAMBERS SIX CUBITS WERE ON THIS SIDE AND THAT, — namely three on this side, three on that, that is three on one side and three on the other.
Mystically St. Jerome: "This," he says, "signifies that both the letter and the spirit, and both the understanding of history and of tropology pertain to the mysteries of the Trinity."
13. And he measured the gate. — He calls the gate not only the entrance, as in verse 11, but the entrance and the whole building, which the gate adorned, says Maldonatus, in which both the gate itself and the width of the chambers was contained: which whole building from the roof of one chamber, that is from the extremity of one cubicle to the ultimate extremity of the other cubicle opposite to it, he asserts was twenty-five cubits. For each chamber had six cubits. Therefore each chamber, namely one on one side, and the other on the other side, opposite to that gate, had 12 cubits. But the gate had ten, and the border and boundary on both sides two together, as he said in verses 11 and 12, which all joined make 24 cubits. But it appears that the roof of the chambers projected three palms, that is half a cubit. Therefore in two chambers there is one cubit, and there are universally 25 cubits. So also Vilalpandus, chapter xxi: "This," he says, "measure comprehends the chambers, fronts, and the entrance of the gate already measured before; yet its measurement by parts is different from what has been said, as is to be seen in the same chapter." The sense therefore is, as if to say, From the roof of the chamber, which is to the north of the gate, to the roof of the chamber, which is in the south, that is as follows, the width, or the transverse distance of one side of the roof from the other, he measured 25 cubits.
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DOOR AGAINST DOOR,—that is, by taking a measurement through or above the door of one chamber to the door of another, which stands opposite to it by a straight line, just as we see in monasteries of monks that the cells and doors are arranged and stand opposite to each other. Thus Lyra. 14. AND HE MADE FRONTS.—"He made," that is, by measuring he designated, and by the measurement itself he showed the fronts to be of the height of 60 cubits. By fronts he calls columns, or posts and lintels. Thus R. Solomon, Vatablus, Isidore Clarius, and Villalpandus. Such fronts of columns we see here in Rome in the magnificent basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican, which is truly a wonder of the world, and a new temple of a new Solomon, in which the very columns of Solomon's temple are seen. Others understand by fronts the chambers, concerning which in the following chapter, verse 1. For there were chambers round about the temple of the same length as the temple: and the temple was long sixty cubits. Whence Symmachus translates, parastaseis, that is, circumstances; but Aquila prósópon, that is, front, as also our Interpreter. Moreover St. Jerome explains these things thus: "I think, he says, between the wall of the temple on the outside round about, and the very building in the court, that is in the middle, there were certain things placed for ornament, which Symmachus interprets as circumstances, that is certain standings, and erected from the ground to a height, and these occupied a space of sixty cubits. And again, those going out from the inner gate to the face of the vestibule, which looked toward the outer gate, occupied a space of fifty cubits; in which there were slanting windows, which the Septuagint calls hidden, Symmachus toxikás. And these windows were in the chambers, that is, in the individual cells, and in the porticoes, which extended before the cells, occupying fifty cubits. Which slanting windows, or toxikaí, for this reason received their name from arrows, because like arrows they admit narrow light into the building and are widened within, and everything round about was full of such windows. And before the fronts, he says, of the porticoes a painting, or carving of palms; by which it is shown that in the entrance of the gate and immediately to those entering the wall, sixty cubits occur with various ornaments."
Door Against Door AND TO THE FRONT OF THE COURT THE GATE ROUND ABOUT ON EVERY SIDE,—as if to say, The court was surrounded on every side with equal front, that is height of columns, that is the measurement of the columns in the rows surrounding the court was equal.
13. AND HE MEASURED THE GATE FROM THE ROOF OF THE CHAMBER EVEN TO THE ROOF THEREOF, THE BREADTH BEING FIVE AND TWENTY CUBITS. — "The gate can be understood either as faith, or as Christ, or as Holy Scripture. Therefore the chamber has a roof, because all Scripture indeed is written for us, but not all of it is understood by us, so that we may make progress more toward humility than toward understanding. For the heavenly things which are spoken of in it are revealed only to the citizens of the heavenly city; yet in those things to which we attain in understanding, we ought to be enlarged through good works, so that we may reach the breadth of twenty-five cubits, because in the external manifold operation of the five senses (for five multiplied by itself, that is by five, makes twenty-five) is proved and known what abundance of goodness is held within. The gate can also be understood as the entrance to the kingdom of heaven. Now the chamber has a roof, and the gate also has a roof; because neither is it known how great our charity is between God and our neighbor, nor is it known when we shall be brought from this world to the rest of eternal life. For our Creator wished the day of our death to be unknown to us, so that, while it is always unknown, it may always be believed to be near, and the more fervent anyone is in his works, the more uncertain he is of his calling." DOOR AGAINST DOOR. — "Because through the entrance of faith is opened the entrance to the vision of God. Secondly, because the soul ascending from knowledge of itself, and transcending all sense and sensible things, tends toward knowledge of God, concerning whom the Psalmist says, Psalm CXXXVIII: Thy knowledge is become wonderful to me. For the soul in the body is the life of the flesh: but God, who giveth life to all things, is the life of souls." 14. AND HE MADE FRONTS BY SIXTY CUBITS, AND TO THE FRONT OF THE GATE A COURT ROUND ABOUT ON EVERY SIDE. — "The number six is perfect, not because (as arithmeticians wish) it is perfected when numbered in its order, as when one, two, three are said, the number six is completed: or because it is divided into three parts; that is, a sixth, a third and a half, namely into one, two and three; but because on the sixth day God perfected His works, Gen. I. But since He gave law to sinful man, which is written in ten precepts, and six multiplied into ten rises to sixty, rightly through sixty cubits is designated the perfection of good works. Whence in the parable of the sower, Matt. cap. XIII, one brought forth thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred; namely thirty, when the mind has conceived the perfection of faith, which is in the Trinity: sixty, when it has perfectly brought forth the works of a good life: a hundred, when it has made progress to the contemplation of eternal life. He made therefore fronts by sixty cubits. For what is designated by the number sixty but perfection; what by the fronts of a building but the very works which are seen outwardly? For to give the word of preaching, to give food to the hungry, to give clothing to the cold, and patiently to endure adversities for a good work, what else are they but the fronts of the heavenly building? Because the beauty of outward works adorns the dwelling of God, which still lies hidden within. But these fronts have a court round about on every side; because in this great are the works, if the amplitude of charity dilates these in the mind, concerning which it is written Psalm CXVIII: Thy commandment is exceeding broad. For the way of God is narrow to those beginning, as Christ says, Matt. VII, and it becomes broad to those making progress and loving, so that even persecution pleases for love of Him, and every affliction for Him comes in the sweetness of mind, while the soul knows that for temporal pains it receives eternal joys, and thus it begins to love what afflicts it: and this on every side round about, so that namely man through all that he does may always dilate himself in the amplitude of charity, lest fear or joys narrow this. If therefore anyone speaks of the word of God, and does not keep in his mind the charity which he preaches, he has the front of a building, but does not have the court before the front. So too is he who tolerates insults inflicted by his neighbor, but holds pain in his mind, and does not love him whom he endures. For true patience is that which also loves him whom it bears, and seeks to gain even him who has acted badly to tranquility of gentleness. For to tolerate but to hate is not the virtue of gentleness, but a veil of fury. This court of the gate is called thus, because in so far as anyone loves God and his neighbor, in so far does he draw near to the entrance of the kingdom of heaven; which although we cannot yet attain, we already enter through desire."
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15. BEFORE THE FACE,—that is, from before the face, that is, from the front face of the gate, up to the face of the inner part of the other gate of the vestibule, the entire intervening space was fifty cubits, which Maldonatus thus computes. Between one gate and the other there were three chambers on each side, each of which was six cubits, as was said in verse 7. Three times six are eighteen. Between chamber and chamber there was a space of five cubits, and there were four such spaces: four times five are twenty, which if you add to the previous eighteen, you will make thirty-eight. Again, each gate had a threshold six cubits wide, as I said in verse 6; these doubled make twelve: which if added to thirty-eight, make fifty. Vilalpandus computes them differently, cap. xxiii, but more obscurely, and according to his own measure of the reed, in which he differs from others in many places, as I said in verse 3.
15. AND BEFORE THE FACE OF THE GATE, WHICH EXTENDED TO THE FACE OF THE VESTIBULE OF THE INNER GATE, FIFTY CUBITS.—"Through this place our hope is signified, which while it seeks eternal rest (for the number fifty signifies this: for this is the year of jubilee), leads the mind to the vestibule of the inner gate: therefore let the gate signify faith, the atrium charity, the place leading to the vestibule hope; because through desires and sighs it introduces the soul to the secret joys of rest."
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Then he interprets these parastases, chambers and oblique windows thus mystically: "These," he says, "shall be referred to the condition of the world, and from creatures the Creator may be understood, and all things running in order and reason show the variety of the world; which among the Greeks κόσμος received its name from ornament, and was made in six days, so that through each day single decades may be reckoned, which perfect number we mentioned above. After these things, as we enter the inner atrium, there occur before the vestibule itself of the inner gate chambers with oblique windows, holding a space of fifty cubits, which is itself also a sacred number. And after seven full weeks of festivity and joy, the first day of the ogdoad begins, which is that of resurrection, and introduces us to the vicinity of the temple. For when we have done all things, performing penance for the error of before, then we become neighbors and near to God; so that in the outer atrium, the order and constancy of creatures may teach us knowledge of the Creator; and in the inner, the true jubilee, in which all our debts are forgiven to us, may instruct the fiction, and introduce us to the Holy of Holies. It should also be noted that the inner atrium has more windows not direct and equal, but oblique, and narrow on the outside, and widening inwardly; so that through certain small openings we may be able to penetrate to the interior, and arrive at the fullness of the most brilliant light, which is in the temple. Finally, after sixty and fifty cubits, and chambers, and porticoes, and fronts of porticoes, very many windows round about, the carving or painting of palms is shown to us, so that possessing victory over the world, we may be made worthy to see the palms (I think it should be read palms) of virtues."
16. And oblique windows in the chambers.—"Because it is very small what minds of those contemplating see of eternity, but from that very small thing the breast of minds is enlarged in the increase of fervor and love. And hence they are ample in themselves, whence to themselves the light of truth, as if through straits, they admit."
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16. AND OBLIQUE WINDOWS.—I said something about these a little before from St. Jerome; I shall say more in cap. xli, 26.
17. AND HE LED ME OUT,—that is, and indeed from the gate he led me out into the eastern area of the outer atrium open to the sky: which when I entered I observed it to have been surrounded on all sides by porticoes, with tessellated pavements skillfully wrought: over which treasuries hung in each intercolumniation one each, and there were thirty all around. Whence it is clear that "all around" is to be referred to the treasuries, not to the pavement. For the sense is not that the pavement was laid all around; but that the treasuries were all around the atrium, as is immediately explained. TREASURY—is an exedra, that is, a place where one sits, or where a man rests and remains. Thus Pollux, lib. I, cap. iv. Namely, these were chambers where priests and Levites rested and withdrew, and where they stored things and furnishings, and the riches of the temple. Whence it is called "treasury and pastophorium," as I said at the beginning of the chapter. Thus St. Jerome, Ribera, Vilalpandus, Maldonatus and others. Moreover, "before the treasuries there were porticoes, and in the fronts of the porticoes columns in order supporting the porticoes," says St. Jerome.
AND IN THE FRONTS OF THEM, WHICH WERE WITHIN THE GATE ON EVERY SIDE ROUND ABOUT, — "namely these windows were oblique: because whoever has a heart within, he also receives the light of contemplation: for while only visible things are thought upon, invisible light is not admitted to the mind. Again oblique windows signify that one studying contemplation ought to be humble. For through oblique windows light enters, and a thief does not enter: because those who are truly contemplators always depress their sense in humility, and into their minds enters the intelligence of contemplation, but the boasting of pride does not enter. And thus the windows are open, and fortified, and that on every side round about, because the grace of contemplation the highest often, the lowest often, the remote more often, sometimes even the married perceive, lest anyone glory in it as in a private gift, while often another is richer, whom he does not think to have some good with him." LIKEWISE ALSO IN THE VESTIBULES WERE WINDOWS ROUND ABOUT INWARDLY. — "Windows in the vestibules is the gift of contemplation in the faithful, who are despised by human eyes, but are vacant in the study of wisdom with themselves, pant toward heavenly things, and insofar as they prevail, consider what the joys eternal may be. Well indeed is it said round about, because they look round about at the life of the Saints and all things, so that they may make progress in morals."
AND BEFORE THE FRONTS A PICTURE OF PALMS. — "What is designated by palms, except the rewards of victory? Whence concerning those who in the contest of martyrdom had conquered the ancient enemy, it is written in the Apocalypse VII: And palms in their hands. For to hold palms in the hands is to have held victories in action. But it is said a picture of palms, not palms, because we see holy men do wonders, cleanse lepers, cast out demons, foretell the future. But all these things are not yet palms, but a picture of palms. For these things are sometimes given even to the reprobate. But one sign of election is alone the riches of charity: for the wonders which the elect do from charity, these the reprobate strive to do through pride. In this life therefore palms are not given to the Saints, but a picture and showing of palms, which they will receive from God in the future. For there the palm will be theirs, where now the struggle of death will not be, when that saying which is written shall come to pass: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? I Corinthians XV." 17. AND BEHOLD THE TREASURIES, AND THE PAVEMENT LAID WITH STONE IN THE COURT ROUND ABOUT. — "Because in Greek to cultivate is said to keep, and in Persian gaza riches are called, a treasury is wont to be called a place in which riches are kept. What therefore is designated by treasuries, except the hearts of doctors full of the riches of wisdom and knowledge? Whoever therefore lives well, and preaches prudently, is a treasury of the spiritual building: because from his mouth heavenly riches are dispensed, according to that in Proverbs XXI: A treasure to be desired rests in the mouth of the wise. These treasuries themselves have a pavement round about, because humility of hearers adheres to and underlies them: which pavement is rightly said to be laid with stone in the court, because in the breadth of charity mutually joined to one another are the faithful souls: which are also called stones for the strength of faith, and are laid in the pavement in the joining of humility."
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Tropologically, the treasury of the Church is the tradition of the Fathers. Again treasuries are the memorials of the Saints in which the treasures of heavenly things are preserved, concerning which it is said in Psalm CXXXV, 7: "They shall utter the memory of the abundance of thy sweetness." Such was the treasury of the passion of Christ the memory of the bride, Song of Songs I, 12, saying: "A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he shall abide between my breasts." St. Bernard, imitating this, confesses in that place that from boyhood he gathered a bundle of the passions of Christ, and laid it up in his mind.
Treasury A PAVEMENT LAID WITH STONE IN THE COURT. — The Hebrew רצפה ritspa signifies coals, and a pavement laid with stone representing coals, that is, porphyretic stone. This pavement of the court appears to have been laid with this hardest, most polished and most precious stone (just as we see at Rome the pavement of the temple of St. Agnes laid with the same and other equally precious stones, and certain other places: for in the temple of Solomon nothing could be seen except cedar, gold, silver, and marble, and precious stones), concerning which St. Jerome says: "The pavement, he says, which was laid with stones, and extended before the porches of the court, was lower in the ascent of the porches, and had the same length which the building of the chambers possessed." Then explaining this mystically: "The pavement, he says, was laid with stone, lest the footsteps of those dwelling there be polluted by mud, earth, and the dust of sins, but that they might walk upon living stones, by which the temple of God is built." In the same manner, but more clearly, Vilalpando explains this verse. 18. IN FRONT OF THE GATES. — In Hebrew, at the side of the gates. He understands by gates not those of the treasuries, but those of the outer court itself, or of the laity, which were two, by which there was entrance from the outer court into the inner court, to which gates one ascended by steps: because since the temple was on a mountain, all gates and vestibules and courts had to be ascended by steps. This is what he says: "According to the length of the gates it was lower," that is, the pavement of the lower gate was as much as the height of the steps by which one ascended to the gate. For this height, he calls the length of the gates, as above in verse 11, says Maldonatus. Better, St. Gregory, homily 18, and Vilalpando take the length here not for height, but properly, and give the sense, as if to say: The height of the porches, which ran on both sides from the sides of the gates, was 50 cubits, which indeed was the length of the gates. But the length of these porches was far greater, namely 500 cubits. For they filled the entire width of the court of Israel. He measures here the outer court, or the court of Israel, that is, of the laity, by parts, namely by various areas, which lay between one gate and another; which areas were like small courts, and porches of the whole court, and porches of Israel, which was immense and vast, as being capable of holding the whole people.
THIRTY TREASURIES IN THE CIRCUIT OF THE PAVEMENT. — "The number ten signifies perfection, because in the ten commandments of the law are contained the observance, and the active and contemplative life. There are therefore thirty treasuries, so that when the number ten is multiplied three times, the life and tongue of the teacher may be solidified in the faith of the Holy Trinity. In the circuit of the pavement. The treasuries therefore were between the pavement, and conversely the pavement between the treasuries. For the pavement has treasuries in its circuit; because the tongue of teachers instructs and guards daily the life of those hearing. But they themselves also have the pavement in their circuit; because often also the heart of teachers is touched by temptations of vices, of pride, of anger, etc.; but to them there is great protection in the venerable life of the hearers: because they blush at not resisting the vices that strike them, they who have armed others against vices." 18. AND THE PAVEMENT IN FRONT OF THE GATES ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE GATES WAS LOWER. — "What is it, that the pavement was similarly long with the gates, but was not equal, unless that the life of peoples is far distant from the life of teachers? Because although those tending toward the heavenly kingdoms have the same longsuffering of hope, they do not have the same studies of living. For the pavement lies lower, so that all hearers may know that their preachers far surpass them in merit. Again, the pavement lies so much lower, as each gate rises in height: because the holier the life of the teacher, the more humble becomes the sense of the hearer."
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20. THE GATE ALSO, — as if to say: The angel led me from the Eastern gate, which he had hitherto shown me, and measured, to the Northern gate of the same outer court, and measured the length and width of each of its parts, and found it to be in all things similar and equal to the Eastern one, so that
19. AND HE MEASURED THE BREADTH FROM THE FACE OF THE LOWER GATE, UNTO THE FRONT OF THE INNER COURT WITHOUT, A HUNDRED CUBITS TOWARD THE EAST, AND TOWARD THE NORTH. — "The lower gate is faith, and the inner court is contemplation: by the number one hundred great perfection is signified. He says therefore: He measured the breadth, etc. Because our Redeemer daily through teachers and doctors, in the measure of perfection, measures the life of the faithful, either in the form of good works through faith, or in holy desires through contemplation. Therefore by a hundred cubits is measured he whose good work uses right intention. For there are those who abstain from food, who mortify the flesh; but yet if they were to be examined, they would be known to pant after the glory of the world. These show the front of the inner court, but by a hundred cubits they are not measured. Moreover the gate is measured without, because through that which we see, we know the mind of the worker and the perfection, which we do not see. For when we behold others giving alms, running to the afflicted, coming to the aid of the oppressed, seeking nothing of glory in this world, coveting none of the riches of this world: and we see others mortifying the flesh, persisting in tears, occupied with heavenly words, desiring nothing of transitory honor, what else ought we to do, but believe them to be perfect, esteem them as holy?"
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19. AND HE MEASURED THE BREADTH (he calls breadth the area, or space: for in what other way could he measure breadth toward the East and toward the North? the area, I say, which was, or lay between) FROM THE FACE OF THE LOWER GATE, — that is from the beginning of the Eastern gate (which he measured in verse 6), which looked outward: for this he calls the face of the gate. But he calls it lower with respect to the gate of the second court, which was higher, as also its court itself was. For from the first court to the second one ascended by eight steps. — UNTO THE FRONT OF THE INNER COURT (that is unto the front, or beginning of the court of the priests) WITHOUT, — as if to say, He measured the space outside the inner court, which was between that and the first Eastern gate, and he found its breadth, that is its space and capacity, namely both its "length," which is viewed from West "to East," and its "breadth" properly so called, which is viewed from South "to North," to be 100 cubits. Therefore this space of the court was not rectangular, but square, all its sides and ribs equal and even. Thus Lyra and Maldonatus and Villalpando, who explains this verse 19 paraphrastically thus: "And he measured the breadth of the eastern area of the outer court, from the face of the outer gate recently measured, unto the front of the inner court, a hundred cubits from East to West, and the length of the same from South to North: and he measured the open-air area lying between the outer and inner gate, the gates excluded, of a breadth and length of a hundred cubits."
bus versibus seq., eadem quae de Orientali dixerat, iterando enarret. Transit enim hic ad dimensionem portae Aquilonaris, sub qua et ejus vestibulum et thalamos adjunctos comprehendit.
TOWARD THE EAST AND TOWARD THE NORTH. — "That is from the Jews (for there the sun of justice Christ arose), and from the Gentiles: for these were the North, who for a long time lay torpid in the cold of their infidelity. Or the East are the just, the North sinners, whom God's mercy calls back to penance, washes with compunction and tears, enriches with virtues, and lifts up even to the glory of perfection." 20. ALSO THE GATE WHICH LOOKED TOWARD THE WAY OF THE NORTH OF THE OUTER COURT, HE MEASURED BOTH IN LENGTH AND IN BREADTH. — "The gate looks toward the way of the North, when any preacher knows the way of the sinner (for this is toward the North, because he is torpid in the cold of sin), and opens to him the interior things of life through the word of preaching. For the outer court is truly the present life, in which all that is done corporally is also seen corporally, which is measured both in length and in breadth: because when the sinner is led to faith, it is necessary that his teacher consider, either how much in the length of hope, or how much in the breadth of charity he may profit from his admonition. For when any converted person patiently hopes for the joys of eternal life, tolerates with charity the troubles of his neighbors, and despises to covet those things which he does not have, the gate has length and breadth, because the glory of the preacher is the progress of the hearer."
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23. AND THE GATE OF THE INNER COURT, — that is to these two gates of the outer court, the Eastern and Northern, which I have delineated, there corresponded on the opposite side other two gates in the inner court. And the same is to be understood of the other gates. Thus Maldonatus. 24. TOWARD THE WAY OF THE SOUTH. — He measures here the Southern gate in the very same manner as the rest already mentioned. He omits here the measurement of the Western gate, because into the outer court there were only three entrances from without. For the fourth gate which was to the West, was common to the outer and inner court, by which one passed from one to the other.
21. AND ITS CHAMBERS THREE ON THIS SIDE, AND THREE ON THAT SIDE. — "Because whatever the Creator speaks concerning the Trinity through the New Testament, He also demonstrates through the Old Testament. And He perfects the heart of the hearer in love of the heavenly fatherland, so that the soul cleaving to God, as a bride with her bridegroom in a certain chamber already, may sit, and turn itself completely away from earthly desires. Therefore the preacher, when he calls the hearer to the heavenly fatherland, and demonstrates that both new and old fathers have yearned with heavenly desire." AND ITS FRONT AND VESTIBULE. — "The gate has a front, because there are in the preacher's life open works, which are seen. Hence also before the front a vestibule: because before he sets forth good works, he preaches faith, through which the soul humbly coming to the height of good deeds is lifted up." FIFTY CUBITS IN LENGTH. — "Because one cannot arrive at the fiftieth jubilee, that is, at eternal rest, unless he who tends his hope to it can do so with patience."
FIFTY CUBITS IN LENGTH. AND TWENTY-FIVE CUBITS IN WIDTH. — "All good works are displayed through the five senses. But the number five, multiplied by itself, reaches 25, that is to say: Good works, when they begin to be done, stir the soul to increase through fervor, and are multiplied by themselves: whence they also make width for the mind, so that it is not narrow through lukewarmness, but expanded in good deeds through charity. For all torpor is the narrowness of lukewarmness; but all kindness is the great width of charity. For even if material things are lacking which are given to the needy neighbor, the substance of good will is ample." 22. BUT ITS WINDOWS, AND VESTIBULE, AND SCULPTURES ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THE GATE, WHICH LOOKED TOWARD THE EAST. — "The gate toward the North is said to have all those things which the gate toward the East has, namely the windows of contemplation, the vestibule of humility, the sculpture of good operation. For the innocent have the gate toward the East, the penitent toward the North: because to them also after the cold of sin, the access of the kingdom is opened through mercy."
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SEVEN STEPS WAS THE ASCENT TO IT, AND ITS VESTIBULE BEFORE IT. — "Because through the sevenfold grace the access of the heavenly kingdom is opened to us. For in our mind the first step of ascent to heavenly things is the fear of the Lord, the second piety, the third knowledge, the fourth fortitude, the fifth counsel, the sixth understanding, the seventh wisdom, Isaiah XI, 2. The vestibule before the steps is faith: for no one can do good unless he first believes. For through faith man comes to works, but through works he is strengthened in faith." 23. AND THE GATE OF THE INNER COURT OPPOSITE (that is, directly facing and rightly tending toward) THE GATE OF THE NORTH AND THE EASTERN. — "Because not only to those who remain in innocence (who pertain to the East), but also to sinners (whom the North denotes) damning their sins through repentance, are opened the joys of the inner court, so that they may know the ineffable mysteries of the heavenly fatherland, knowing them may thirst, thirsting may run, running may arrive. He who said, My soul hath thirsted after God, the living God: when shall I come and appear before the face of God? had known these secrets of eternal joy. The preacher of the Gentiles yearned for this access of the heavenly kingdom, while saying: I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. What then remains, except that all who know those joys of the heavenly fatherland should direct themselves to the course of a more perfect life?"
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28. AND HE BROUGHT ME INTO THE INNER COURT. — He passes from the measurement of the outer court, or of the laity, which was called the court of Israel, to the measurement of the inner court, or of the priests, and he measures it with the same figure and measure as the outer, up to verse 32.
AND HE MEASURED FROM GATE TO GATE ONE HUNDRED CUBITS. — "The number one hundred, because it is ten multiplied by ten, denotes perfection. Therefore he who sees the entrance to the inner court must necessarily run by the way of perfection, and arrive from the gate of beginning to the entrance of consummation. For there are many who have already entered through the seven steps into the entrance of the outer gate, humble through the fear of God, merciful through zeal for piety, discerning through knowledge, free through the fortitude of mind, cautious through counsel, provident through understanding, mature through wisdom; but still bound by certain necessities, they serve the cares of this world, though unwilling: the true joys which they have known, they are not permitted to love as much as they wish: these for the most part shake off from the neck of their mind the yoke of the world, abandon all things, lay down the burdens of earthly care, and in order to open the breast of their soul more widely to heavenly desire, they seek a withdrawn life, and in it intent upon holy prayers and sacred meditations, they afflict themselves with daily weeping, and melt the oldness of their heart in the fire of love, and renew themselves by kindling themselves to heavenly joy. These for the most part, inflamed in their very desire, long now to depart from the flesh, and after weeping are unwilling to return to the present life: but nevertheless they are delayed, so that love prolonged may profit from its very prolongation, and may grow in ardent desire as if what is denied. To whom it often happens that, when they see themselves touched by a great gift of heavenly grace, they now think themselves perfect, and believe themselves obedient; but because there is no one who commands harsh things, they believe themselves patient; but because no one strikes them through insults and adversities. And it often happens that they undertake spiritual ministry even unwillingly, and are led to the governance of the faithful. When they have been struck here and there by great tribulations, troubled in mind, they find themselves imperfect; they who were not struck believed themselves perfect. From which it comes about that they gather themselves together, and blush before themselves at the reproach of their weakness, and strengthened by their very confusion, oppose patience against adversities, and profit from tribulation, they who before in leisure were torpid from their very security. And they truly begin to be such as they vainly thought themselves to be before. For by daily desires to be perfected in the mind is, as it were, to measure the inner court by one hundred cubits." 24. AND HE LED ME BY THE WAY OF THE SOUTH: AND BEHOLD A GATE WHICH LOOKED TOWARD THE SOUTH, etc. — "All these things have already been said concerning the gate of the East and the North. To the East are the innocent; to the North the penitent; to the South those fervent in spirit. Again, the gate in the East is faith, because through it true law is born in the mind. The gate to the North is hope, because each one placed in sins, if he despaired of pardon, would perish utterly; but through hope of mercy he revives. The gate to the South is charity, because it burns with the fire of love. By three gates therefore one tends to the inner court: because through faith, hope and charity one arrives at secret joys."
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29. HIS CHAMBER. — In Hebrew תאו taav, that is, his chambers. Thus the Septuagint; for there were several, as is evident from verse 10.
26. AND THE PALMS WERE HIDDEN, ONE ON THIS SIDE, AND ANOTHER ON THAT SIDE, IN HIS FACE. — "Those who in their life display holy works impressed upon them have palms hidden in their face: because they show forth how great a victory shall follow them in the future, already now in their holy works. In the gate of the East there is a painting, but in the gate of the North and of the South there is a carving of palms: because the sign of victory, which is shown to those beginning, is held more firmly and more robustly in those returning and fervent."
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ON ONE SIDE AND ON THE OTHER. — "He who has the palm on the right hand is he whom prosperity does not exalt; on the left hand, he whom adversity does not cast down. Paul bore the palm, as it were, from both sides, when he said: By the armour of justice on the right hand and on the left; by glory and dishonour; by infamy and good fame; as deceivers, and yet true; because he remained strong in adversity and humble in prosperity. Therefore, so that the palm may be borne on the forehead from both sides, there should always be present to our minds both confidence in adversities and fear in prosperities. Hence it is that the same excellent preacher said: I know both how to be humbled, and how to abound. He therefore whom abundance does not lift up into pride, nor want irritate with covetousness, knows how to abound, knows how to endure want. For if we love eternity, we possess all temporal things in use, not in affection. Thus St. Job, lying in the wounds of the flesh, standing firm in the strength of mind, brought back to memory against the impulse of despair the good things he had done: The eye, he says, was I to the blind, and feet to the lame, etc. And he who was humble in prosperity, recalling his good deeds to memory, remained unbroken in adversity. Thus is fulfilled what is written in Ecclesiasticus XI: In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils, and in the day of evils be not unmindful of good things." AND BY SEVEN STEPS ONE ASCENDED TO IT. — "Because by eight steps the vestibule of the inner gate has them, which are measured twenty-five cubits in length. For if we multiply eight by three, we arrive at twenty-four: to which one is added, so that we hold twenty-five. For good hearers, who are as it were certain vestibules of gates, hold the long-suffering of eternal hope, sustain the eighth day in the faith of the Trinity. Because this Trinity is one God, eight indeed multiplied by three lead on, but are solidified in the confession of one God. The vestibules are plain, because the hearts of good hearers are humble. They have length, because they persevere in the long-suffering of hope. Therefore they have twenty-five cubits in length, because they believe in the resurrection of the flesh in the eighth day through the Trinity, and confess that same Trinity to be one God. They also have five cubits in breadth, because through a simple life, which is led by five senses, they are enlarged around the love of neighbour. They are therefore within in the spiritual building through love, and as it were look outward through simplicity."
27. And the gate of the court, etc. — "All these things expounded above are set forth. For in the following verse he measures the inner court at the southern gate, and in verse 23, the same at the eastern gate, and in verse 35, the same at the northern gate, each with the same measure. Preachers are gates to us both exterior and interior: because they instruct us both at the first entrance of faith, hope and charity; and when they preach the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom to those already making progress, they lead us through a more subtle sense to the interior. Whence also their ascent is described by seven steps first, and afterwards by eight. For there are seven steps: because they preach to their hearers the fear of the Lord, piety, knowledge, fortitude, counsel, understanding, and wisdom. But when they now command them to depart, when they admonish that nothing in this world should be loved, nothing held by affection, that the force of contemplation of the heavenly fatherland should be directed, and they persuade delight in its mysteries; they add a step, and lead across to the interior. This step is shown by Christ to the young man keeping the precepts, Matthew XIX, when it is said to him: Yet one thing is wanting to thee. If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me."
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Again, by the eighth number both the day of eternal judgment and the resurrection of the flesh are signified. Moreover, the inner gates have vestibules, which are measured twenty-five cubits in length. For if we multiply eight by three, we arrive at twenty-four: to which one is added, so that we hold twenty-five. For good hearers, who are as it were certain vestibules of the gates, hold the long-suffering of eternal hope, sustaining the eighth day in the faith of the Trinity. Since this Trinity is one God, eight indeed multiplied by three yields a number, but they are solidified in the confession of one God. The vestibules are level, because the hearts of good hearers are humble. They have length, because they persevere in the long-suffering of hope. Therefore they have twenty-five cubits in length, because they believe in the resurrection of the flesh in the eighth day through the Trinity, and they confess that this same Trinity is one God. They have also five cubits in breadth, because through a simple life, which is guided by five senses, they are enlarged around the love of neighbour. Thus they are within in the spiritual building through love, and as it were they look outward through simplicity." 38. AND BY EACH TREASURY A DOOR IN THE FRONTS OF THE GATES. — "The treasuries are the hearts of teachers, which preserve the riches of divine knowledge. Moreover, the fronts of the gates are the works and words of preachers, by which we know them from without, what manner of life they live within themselves. There is indeed a door through each treasury in the fronts of the gates; because each teacher opens understanding in the heart of the hearer through the sayings and works of the fathers." THERE THEY WASHED THE HOLOCAUST. — "Those who have devoted themselves to the Lord through faith in holy conversion have become a holocaust to the Lord, for example, one who out of fear of the Lord has devoted himself to patience, to render no insult for insult, to bear all things with equanimity; and yet when contumely from the mouth of his neighbour strikes him, he is troubled, perhaps he speaks something which he ought not to speak. Certainly this one is already a holocaust, but still defiled. Perhaps he has shown patience against the insults offered, remained silent; but yet against those same insults which he bears, he is touched with sorrow, and his mind is wounded in charity. He therefore judges himself in his thought, reproves himself, because he grieves, and yet he cannot prevail with himself to prevent himself from grieving. Already therefore by good will he is a holocaust, but yet by the sorrow with which he is touched, he is still defiled."
THERE THEY WASHED THE BURNT OFFERING. Another man decreed to give all things to the needy; perhaps the thought arose: How will you live if you give away all things? Yet he does not cease to give; but what he began to give gladly, he afterwards offers sorrowfully. What is the mind of such a one but a burnt offering of mercy? Yet it is defiled by the sadness of his thought. For either he ought not to have deliberated about the sum, or after deliberation he ought in no way to doubt. Another man, despising the pride of the world, seeks the last place among men; but when he suddenly recognizes that he is despised by his neighbor, he is indignant at being despised. He wishes indeed to be in a humble place, but yet he does not wish to be regarded as contemptible. This man devotion already lifts up, but infirmity still weighs down; it is a burnt offering, but defiled. But these men, when through the words of the teachings of the Fathers they understand, and recognize in what great guilt they lie, and afflict themselves with the laments of penance, wash the burnt offering at the gate of the doors. Furthermore, a sacrifice is when someone vows something to God, something he does not vow; he gives something to the poor, something he keeps for himself. But burnt offerings are those who reserve nothing for themselves, but immolate their sense, tongue, life and substance, which they have received, to almighty God. The fat is devotion and compunction, concerning which the Psalmist says in Psalm 65: I will offer unto Thee burnt offerings of marrow. For he who works good deeds, and already yearns for the vision of his Creator, and hastens to arrive at the eternal joys of contemplation, and slays himself in tears from the love by which he is inflamed, has offered unto the Lord burnt offerings of marrow. When therefore we recognize that something of malice or perverse delight is mixed with our good work, let us return to tears, let us wash the burnt offering. But there are some who have devoted themselves to the Lord in great actions, and have attained such perfection that they are never turned aside by any difficulty. For when the flesh strikes through suggestion, it is not permitted to rise, because it is trampled down by the vigor of judgment. In deliberation also, neither is disordered speech brought forth from the mouth, nor does silent sorrow press upon the mind; in the giving of alms, no suspicion of want generates sadness; in the deliberation of humility, no contempt bites the mind. But when they have already shown themselves strong in those things which they have rightly vowed, they nevertheless bring to mind and bewail their former sins, which were committed by them before their good deliberation. These through the life which they hold are a burnt offering, but through the life which they held before, it is defiled. Let them also therefore wash their burnt offering with laments. For great is the bosom of mercy of our Creator for receiving the tears of the humble." 39. AND IN THE VESTIBULE OF THE GATE WERE TWO TABLES ON THIS SIDE, AND TWO TABLES ON THAT SIDE, THAT THEY MIGHT IMMOLATE THEREON. — "The two tables on which we immolate good works are the love of God and the love of neighbor; because in the love of God faith and life must necessarily be held, but in the love of neighbor patience and kindness must be most carefully preserved. For charity is patient, is kind, etc., I Corinthians 13. Patient, namely, that it may bear evenly the evils inflicted by neighbors: kind, that it may bestow its goods upon neighbors desirably. Again, in the old law for the fathers there were two tables, doctrine and prophecy; but for the people, circumcision and sacrifice. They were toward the north, because the law under the fear of death constrains the hearts of the cold Jewish people."
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30. AND THE VESTIBULE. — In Hebrew אלמו elammav, that is, its vestibules round about, twenty-five cubits in length, and five cubits in width. Thus the Roman, Hebrew, St. Jerome, Vatablus and others everywhere. Therefore Vilalpando reads wrongly: Fifty cubits in length, and twenty-five cubits in width. You will say: All the vestibules were equal; but the others were fifty cubits long, twenty-five wide; therefore this one also. St. Jerome answers: "This ambiguity is removed by what follows: And its vestibule toward the outer court, and its palms in front, so that namely this court which had twenty-five cubits in length, and five in width, is not of the inner, but of the outer court, so that the length of the former court, that is twenty-five cubits, may be possessed by the length of the outer court, and in width it may hold five cubits."
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Secondly, Maldonatus says that elammim or ulamoth, that is, vestibules, are called those four empty spaces which were between the chambers of the great vestibule, each of which had five cubits in width, as verse 7 said, but in length twenty-five; for this was the width of the great vestibule. But he calls here vestibule the space which consisted of two opposite hills, which were between the chambers, one on one side, the other on the other side, and moreover from the empty space of the great vestibule.
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Symbolically, what these measurements and numbers signify, namely 25, 50, 60, 100, etc., see in Ribera, book I On the Temple, chapter xx, and in Peter Bungus of Bergamo, book On the Mystical Meanings of Numbers, in which he extensively pursues the symbols and significations of individual numbers celebrated in Holy Scripture. 32. AND HE BROUGHT ME INTO THE INNER COURT, — not into another, but into that same court of the priests, which having gone out through the inner gate he had entered a little before, says Villalpando. 33. ITS CHAMBER AND ITS FRONT. — In Hebrew, thalamos and fronts of it, as also in verse 29, and verse 36.
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35. AND HE BROUGHT ME TO THE GATE — The northern one of the same court. Note: Whatever is measured in one gate is common to all the others. Thus Villalpando.
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38. AND BY EACH TREASURY A DOOR IN THE FRONTS OF THE GATES: THERE THEY WASHED THE HOLOCAUST, — that is at six (for there were so many doors of chambers), which were between the inner fronts of the gates, holocausts were washed. Thus Villalpando, that is to say. Individual chambers, or treasuries had their own doors, through which from the court the victims to be sacrificed were brought into them, so that their entrails and flesh might be washed in them before their oblation and burning. For this reason these treasuries were constructed.
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39. AND IN THE VESTIBULE (inner) OF THE GATE, TWO TABLES ON THIS SIDE, AND TWO TABLES ON THAT SIDE. — He calls the vestibule of the gate that which is covered by the eminence of the gate; which was twofold, one inner, one outer: in each were four tables, that is in all eight, as verse 41 says, that is to say. In the very inner vestibule of the gate, there were two tables on this side at two posts, and two tables on that side at the same number of similar posts: upon which beasts spread out were slaughtered for a holocaust, or for sin, or for the sin of ignorance. Thus Villalpando.
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40. AND ON THE OUTER SIDE (of the vestibule), WHICH ASCENDS TO THE DOOR OF THE GATE, WHICH GOES TO THE NORTH, — that is to say. When anyone, having ascended the steps, enters the door of the outer vestibule through the Northern gate, there were two tables on one side, and two on the other, that is in all 4, equally as in the inner vestibule, as I said in the preceding verse; whence he adds:
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41. FOUR TABLES ON THIS SIDE (that is within the door of the vestibule) AND FOUR ON THAT SIDE, — namely outside the gate, so that in total there were eight tables, upon which victims were slaughtered.
41. FOUR TABLES ON THIS SIDE, AND FOUR TABLES ON THAT SIDE, ALONG THE SIDES OF THE GATE. — "For while life, faith, doctrine and prophecy are guarded in the minds of the good, our gate, that is the understanding of sacred eloquence, has four tables on one side. And when in advancing peoples holy preaching preserves patience and kindness, which formerly in the carnal guarded circumcision and sacrifice, four tables are also shown as it were on another side."
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42. FOUR TABLES MOREOVER FOR THE HOLOCAUST (not others, but the same already mentioned: for he also said the former were for holocausts in verse 39. He repeats therefore these tables, so that he might describe their material and quantity, namely that they were) CONSTRUCTED OF SQUARED STONES, IN LENGTH ONE CUBIT AND A HALF: AND IN WIDTH ONE CUBIT AND A HALF: AND IN HEIGHT ONE CUBIT. — Which St. Jerome explaining mystically: The length, he says, has one cubit and a half, likewise also the width, "which joined together make three cubits: which three cubits have in height one cubit, so that the mysteries of the Trinity of one cubit, that is the measure of divine Majesty might be preserved, the Lord saying: Go, baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. But the name of God, as it were one cubit of height, is that which comprises three properties, and always assumes the holocausts of our oblations."
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But upon the tables vessels are placed in which the holocaust of martyrs is sacrificed, of which it is said: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints: and their victims, who by continence, and by the holiness of the body immolate their souls to the Lord; and the names of these tables I think are contained in Matthew, and Luke, and Mark, and John the Apostles;" Squared tables signify firm purposes of virtue conceived, and destined in the mind, of which St. Augustine says in Psalm lxxxvi: "In every good work be squared, prepared for all temptations, whatever may strike, let it not overturn you." Such squaring of the charity of Christ was in Paul, when he said, Romans viii, 35: "Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ? etc. I am sure that neither death, nor life," etc.
42. AND FOUR TABLES FOR THE HOLOCAUST, MADE OF SQUARE STONES. — "Because faith and life, patience and kindness are made of square stones, that is, from the life of the Saints, given as an example to the peoples that follow, so that now the vestibule may have tables, that is, may hold the virtues of popular life, in which they may kindle the sacrifice of prayer to God on the altar of their own heart. For whoever is a Saint is not exalted in prosperity, is not broken in adversity, is not drawn by persuasions to evil, is not called back from good work by reproaches, is a square stone. And as it were from every side it has a state, which does not have a fall in any change. Such a square stone was he who said: For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Do you wish to know life? The world is crucified to me, and I to the world. Do you wish to hear patience? Even unto this hour we both hunger and thirst, and are buffeted with blows, etc.; we are reviled, and we bless; we suffer persecution, and we endure. Do you wish to know kindness? I most willingly spend myself, and am spent besides for your souls, although loving you more I am loved less." "Again, the words of sacred Scripture are square stones, which stand everywhere, because from no side are they found to be reprehensible. From these tables are constructed for the holocaust; because those who always think upon the words of God immolate themselves to the Lord from carnal life in thought." IN LENGTH ONE CUBIT AND A HALF, AND IN WIDTH ONE CUBIT AND A HALF. — "Length pertains to the long-suffering of hope, width to the breadth of charity. Let the hearts of the Saints therefore be stretched in the long-suffering of hope, let them be stretched in the perfection which they have in one cubit. But because they cannot yet see fully, where they direct the eye of hope, that which they have beyond one cubit is cut short in half a cubit, so that in this life they may always see themselves as imperfect, and may run more ardently toward perfection. They also have a width of one cubit and a half; because the hearts of the Saints, dilated in the breadth of charity, have one cubit in perfectly loving the neighbor whom they see; but God, whom they love and follow from the depths of their being, they cannot love as much as they ought, because they are not yet able to see whom they love; and the measure of love is less, where the measure of knowledge is still less. Beyond one cubit therefore of the love of neighbor they have half a cubit of the love of God." IN HEIGHT ONE CUBIT. — "For what is the height of the Saints, except faith in invisible things? For by faith is believed what is not seen, and therefore by this the table of the just is led to height, so that it may despise all visible things on earth, and may follow those invisible things which it hears in heaven. But the height of the table has one cubit, because unity is the faith in the heart of all the Saints."
OF ONE CUBIT IN HEIGHT. UPON WHICH THEY SHALL PUT THE VESSELS IN WHICH THE SACRIFICE IS MADE. — "For what are the souls of the faithful except holy vessels, which receive the words of piety, so that from their minds a holocaust of life and prayer may be immolated? Thus Christ said of Paul: He is a vessel of election to me. And it is said to pastors: Be clean, you who carry the vessels of the Lord." HOLOCAUST AND VICTIM. — "Because both the perfect (for these are the holocaust), when they abandon all things, kindle their whole heart in the love of the Lord; and the imperfect (who are a simple victim) offer a sacrifice which they have devoted in part." 43. AND THEIR BORDERS A PALM IN HEIGHT, TURNED INWARD ALL AROUND. — "What is it that the borders are measured by a palm, except that in the palm of the hand it is stretched, and the holy fathers and doctors preach it, in which the works of the hearers are stretched? For as it were we extend our hand, when we enlarge our works. Therefore the doctor, while he stretches the heart of the hearer to good works, shows himself to have a palm in his lips. In the palm the greater and lesser finger is stretched, by which great and least action is designated. Thus let the hearer do great works, which he has heard and learned, so as to act and not omit the least; thus let him be intent on the least, so as not to be sluggish in doing the greatest. Whence through the Gospel Truth says: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! because you tithe mint, and anise, and cummin, and leave the weightier things of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith. These things you ought to have done, and not to have left the others undone."
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UPON WHICH THEY PLACED VESSELS, IN WHICH (that is, in which: for it is Hebrew beth, that is, in, of instrument) HOLOCAUST IS IMMOLATED. — Such vessels were knives, bowls, by which the blood of victims was caught; cups and small dishes, in which frankincense, fine flour and salt, by which the victim was to be sprinkled, were placed, concerning which I spoke in Exodus xxv, 29. 43. AND THE RIMS OF THEM. — He reads שפתים sephataim, by sin, that is, rims: now they read schephataim by schin, and translate tripods, upon which pots are placed: thus R. David, or iron hooks, by which meats are accustomed to be suspended. Thus the Chaldean, R. Solomon, Pagninus, Pineda, book V On the Affairs of Solomon, chapter x, and Maldonatus. Whence Vatablus translates: And palm-shaped nails flattened were in that house all around. But our author reads better by sin, and translates rims. For thus also the Septuagint translated: now he calls the rims of them cymatia of the tables, or their additions, and upper ornaments, which for this reason were turned back. For these were of one palm. Thus Vilalpandus. They are called cymatia from the Greek κῦμα, that is, wave: for these ornaments had the appearance of waves.
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ONE ON THE SIDE OF THE GATE. — In Hebrew אחד echad, that is, one, namely one row of chambers was toward that side of the gate facing the East which looks toward the North: but another row of chambers was toward the West. This one therefore faced the Eastern gate, that one the Western. Thus Maldonatus.
OF ONE PALM. — "Because from the teaching of the doctors, just as unity is held in faith, so also unity of minds ought to be preserved in work, lest through good work, which one performs, another break forth into the evil of discord. For thus ought we to perform good works, so that through these also with those with whom we live, we preserve unanimity rightly as we are able, that is, not abandoning what we do, but preventing by good persuasions the evil of discord which we fear." Turned inward all around. — "For then are the rims of tables turned inward, when doctors recall to conscience by silent thought all that they say, when they examine themselves subtly, whether they do all that they speak; lest, if preaching good things they dissemble doing them, they be destroyers of themselves, cultivators of others. O doctor! behold now you are a table, now you bear vessels, now in vessels you sustain the weight of holocaust and victim for the faithful; but turn back the rim inward, that is, recall the word to your heart; hear what you say, do what you preach. For if you neglect to fulfill what you teach, you sow a harvest for others, and yourself fast from participation in the grain. The doctrine of a man is known through patience; therefore the more patient one is, the more learned he is shown to be. Nor yet if he sees something lacking in himself should he be silent from preaching. For often what we know not by living, compelled to speak we learn doctrine by speaking; so that, while guilt is born in the mind from the sluggishness of our thought, suddenly arising compunction pierces that same mind, and awakened by its own voice it awakens in work, which before lay torpid in idleness without voice." AND UPON THE TABLES THE FLESH OF THE OFFERING. — "For holy doctors, when they pour forth prayers for the contrite sinners and those confessing to God, by this, that they ask pardon for their carnal life, carry the flesh of the offering to the table of the Lord. As often as they do this, and in this intervene for the sins of others, let them wipe their eyes more with tears of their own; because by that very charity by which they justify themselves, with wonderful piety they immolate themselves in lamentations for the iniquities of others. Nor should it be laborious for a doctor to pour forth tears for converted sinners, when he himself also, who created all things, made man, poured forth blood on the cross for our iniquities."
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44. OUTSIDE THE INNER GATE (that is, of the inner court, as if to say: Having entered the inner court, I saw) TREASURIES (that is, chambers) OF THE SINGERS. — There were in each court three gates, besides the Western, by which entrance was made into the Sanctuary. At each of these three gates there were ten treasuries, that is, chambers, namely five on one side, five on the other, so that in all there were 30, as he said in verse 17. In these dwelt Levites and other ministers of the temple, according to each one's rank, order and office. In those therefore which were toward the North, he says the singers dwelt.
45. THIS IS A TREASURY, — that is, this is another row of chambers which faces the North: this will be for the dwelling of priests, who guard and care for the things of the altar, namely those who sacrifice.
ONE ON THE SIDE OF THE GATE. diunt et curant res altaris, puta qui sacrificant.
44. AND OUTSIDE THE INNER GATE, TREASURIES OF SINGERS IN THE INNER COURT. — "This inner court was inner with respect to the outer gates by which it was enclosed. It was the same outer with respect to the inner court and inner gates. For the holy Church has two lives, one by which she labors on earth; another by which she is rewarded in heaven; and in both she offers sacrifice: namely here a sacrifice of contrition, and there a sacrifice of praise. In both, however, flesh is offered; because here the offering of flesh is the mortification of the body, there the offering of flesh is in the praise of God the glory of resurrection. Then indeed flesh is offered as it were in a holocaust, when changed into eternal incorruption, it shall have nothing of contradiction, nothing of mortality; because altogether at once kindled in the fires of his love, it shall remain in praise without end. But what are the treasuries of singers except the holy desires of those who love? Who keep the divine precepts, as it were certain riches, in the mind, which they preserve by singing; because they shall fulfill the commandments of God not from fear, but from love. How sweet to the heart of the just, as it were of some singer, to hear a treasury? Thy justifications were sweet to me in the place of my sojourning, Psalm 118. Hear another: For I am now ready to be sacrificed, and the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; as to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord will render to me in that day, a just judge, II Timothy, chapter 4. Is not this fulfilled: I will sing mercy and judgment to thee, O Lord?"
Therefore the hearts of those who love the coming of the just judge are treasuries of singers, because through the presumption of grace and life, through the virtues of holy desire they sing the just judgment, which all the unjust greatly fear. These treasuries are remembered to be between the gate of the East and the North, and to look toward the southern way; because the hearts of the Saints placed between faith and hope look toward the southern way, because they burn with the fires of holy charity. The gate of the East looks toward the way of the North, when our life, having received faith, still lies somewhat torpid in the cold of guilt. For in many things we all offend. Therefore let us turn our face toward the southern way, let us exercise ourselves in the fervor of charity, and let us direct the eyes of our heart there, where we may be kindled in the fires of love. Did not he burn as it were with the heat of midday fervor, who was inflamed, saying: As the hart panteth after the fountains of water, so my soul panteth after thee, O God. My soul hath thirsted after the strong living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God? With this same fervor also was he kindled, who said: Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word, in peace: because my eyes have seen thy salvation. Let the holy treasuries therefore have hence the gate of the East, and thence the gate of the North; because amid the very mysteries of their redemption, which follow, and certain carnal ones, whom they also tolerate within the holy Church, many make progress in strong love toward God, grow in virtues, seek the coming of the eternal judge, and amid those things which they love, and those which they tolerate, as it were certain treasuries they keep the riches of the spirit in the mind. Nor do they fail amid the Sacraments which they love, and which they already bear contrary, because they turn their face toward the southern way. For what do we suffer, which our fathers did not before endure for the love of the Lord? Again through the gate toward the North can be understood the Gentiles, through the gate toward the South Judaea, through the Eastern gate Christ, whose name is the East, as if to say. There is one way both for those who are from the South, and for those who look from the gate of the North; because to the elect Jews and Gentiles our Lord and Redeemer, having cast out the penalty of fear, became the way of love to the Father, and the help of arrival." 45. THIS IS THE TREASURY, WHICH LOOKETH TOWARD THE WAY OF THE SOUTH; IT SHALL BE FOR THE PRIESTS, THAT KEEP THE WATCHES IN THE CUSTODY OF THE TEMPLE. — "Who are the priests who keep the temple of God, except those who by praying, preaching, watching in spiritual acts, defend the holy Church from the incursions of malignant spirits, from wicked persuasions, from the errors of heretics? Was not he a keeper of the temple, who enumerating the labors of his passion says: In labor and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, etc. Besides those things that are without, my daily instance, the care of all the churches? He labors, he mourns, he hungers, he thirsts, he is cold, he fasts, he watches; and yet watching he thinks of the care of all the churches. That no one may fall into perfidy, that no one may fall into pride, that no one may fall into rapine, or uncleanness, to inquire and to restrain, this is to keep the temple of God, that is the Church. But there are priests of a lesser order, who keep watch for the ministry of the altar, verse 46, who namely in the aid of the greater subtly investigate the sins of the delinquent, and correct the life of the carnal, and lead them to the laments of penance. By these as it were flesh is now burned on the altar, so that from there a sacrifice may be pleasing in the sight of God, whence before the fault was displeasing.
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46. THE TREASURY WHICH LOOKS TOWARD THE WAY OF THE NORTH SHALL BE FOR THE PRIESTS, WHO KEEP WATCH AT THE MINISTRY OF THE ALTAR. — In Hebrew, those who guard the altar, namely the perpetual fire of the altar. From this the deluded antiquity borrowed its Vestal fire kept by the Vestal virgins, as it were priestesses of Vesta; concerning which Virgil, Aeneid iv: "And had consecrated the watchful fire, The eternal vigils of the gods."
Moreover, the treasury of the priests of the greater order, who keep watch in the guardianships of the temple, looks only toward the way of the south: because these, occupied solely in spiritual pursuits, always diligently attend to those things which pertain to the love of God. But the priests of the lesser order, who are in charge of examining the sins of the delinquent, also turn their eyes toward the way of the north, so that in the minds of sinners they may see what are the works of coldness, and bringing these through words of correction even to the groans of penance, they may as it were burn flesh upon the altar of the Lord. They also look together with the great priests toward the way of the south: because as far as concerns themselves, they burn with the fire of charity, and are inflamed with the flames of the love of God." 46. THESE ARE THE SONS OF ZADOK, WHO APPROACH FROM AMONG THE SONS OF LEVI TO THE LORD, THAT THEY MAY MINISTER TO HIM. — "Zadok in Latin is called just. But who is just, except He to whom it is said: Just art Thou, O Lord, and Thy judgment is right? But who are the sons of the just, except those of whom it is written: But as many as received Him, He gave them power to be made the sons of God? But Levi is interpreted as assumed. But who is assumed, except the faithful people, who through the sacraments of faith is separated from the unfaithful? All therefore, who persevering attend to spiritual acts, are sons of the just. And from among the sons of the assumed people they approach to the Lord, that they may minister to Him: because from among the faithful themselves are chosen those who come to the ministry of God, and attend to heavenly pursuits for the instruction of the people. But who are they who minister to the Lord? Concerning whom the Lord through the Psalmist says Psalm C: He that walketh in the way without blemish, he served me. For he has a blemish in the way, who in the good work which he does, proposes to himself an earthly reward; because he defiles the appearance of good work through the blemish of a perverse intention. Perhaps someone intent on the study of discipline cuts away the faults of the delinquent: who nevertheless if he is led to this not by the love of God, but by his own zeal, serves himself in these things, and not the Lord. Another, lest he appear harsh, tolerates many things leniently, which are done wickedly. This one therefore, because he does not wish to appear strict for the Lord, through the study of his leniency serves himself and not the Lord. It remains therefore that, whether we labor in the ministry of God, or bestow our goods upon the needy, or through abstinence tame the flesh, or are moved by zeal, or through patience
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THESE ARE THE SONS OF ZADOK, — who was an illustrious High Priest in the time of Solomon, and was the first to sacrifice in his temple, and performed sacred duties, and anointed and consecrated Solomon as king. WHO APPROACH FROM AMONG THE SONS OF LEVI, — that is, who are Levites, or descendants of Levi, whom God chose for Himself that they approach to the ministries of the temple, and in these serve and minister to Him.
sometimes we tolerate evils gently: we ought most earnestly to examine our intention, so that whatever we do, we do it not by our own zeal, but by God's zeal, lest in those things which we do, we serve ourselves rather than the Lord. For, as Paul says: All seek their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's. And the same Paul, with the heavenly brethren, hastened not to serve himself, but the Lord, both in living and in dying, saying: No one of us liveth to himself, and no one dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live to the Lord: or whether we die, we die to the Lord. For the Saints neither live to themselves, nor die to themselves. They live not to themselves, because through all that they do they pant after spiritual gains; and by praying, preaching, and persisting in holy works, they desire to multiply the citizens of the heavenly fatherland. They die not at all to themselves, because in the sight of men they glorify God by their death, unto whom they hasten even in dying to come. » 47. AND HE MEASURED THE COURT IN LENGTH ONE HUNDRED CUBITS, AND IN BREADTH ONE HUNDRED CUBITS BY A SQUARE. — « What is the court of the spiritual building, if not the amplitude of the faithful peoples? And truly longsuffering of hope, and breadth of charity is not empty in the hearts of the faithful. For by faith, whatever it avails, it worketh. If therefore in the life of the faithful, in a certain manner, through each one perfect is the longsuffering of hope, perfect breadth of charity, perfect certainty of faith, perfect zeal of operation, the court of the temple hath one hundred cubits by a square. For the number one hundred is a symbol of perfection. Let therefore the faithful peoples measure virtues in a square; because each one believeth as much as he hopeth and loveth; and worketh as much as he believeth, loveth and hopeth. Because therefore the peoples of the holy Church are many, and strong through faith, and longsuffering through hope, and broad through charity, and efficacious through operation, the court of the temple is measured one hundred cubits in a square. Again the square of the faithful are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance; which ought thus to be in a square, that one exceed not another. Great indeed is prudence: but if it be less temperate from pleasures, if it be overcome by delight, if it be less strong in dangers, if it be less just in operations, it is assuredly less prudent. Great is temperance: but if it understand less whence it tempereth itself, if it be less able to sustain adversities through fortitude, and if it casteth down its spirit in fear, if through its precept it sometimes breaketh forth into works of injustice, it is less temperate. The same is true of fortitude and of justice. Let therefore the life of the perfect be measured by a square: and let one side of the spiritual building have as much as each of the other sides, because each one is as prudent as he is temperate; and is as just as he hath been prudent, temperate and strong. »
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47. AND HE MEASURED THE COURT (the inner court, which he had entered a little before upon going out from the inner gate, says Villalpando) IN LENGTH ONE HUNDRED CUBITS, AND IN BREADTH ONE HUNDRED — This court therefore was not quadrangular, but square, with all sides equal and isopleuron. Hear St. Gregory, hom. 22, describing this court: «In the upper part indeed (he says) three gates are described, that is, of the East, South and North: and then the gate of the inner court is said, in which tables constructed of squared stones are remembered: and the gate, which looked toward the North, in which there were tables for sacrifice, not for burnt offering, etc. But, these being completed, again the Prophet begins to describe the inner gate, and three others, that is of the North, South and East, and in their inner court, which was outside the inner gate, he relates there were treasuries, singers, priests, temple, altar, sacrifices.» Thus St. Gregory, who, counting only six gates, namely three outer and three inner, when Scripture seems to count more, teaches that the same ones are repeated. The court therefore, which was situated between the three inner gates, the Angel now measures, in length one hundred cubits, and in breadth one hundred cubits by a square.
Hear also St. Jerome: «This man indeed, he says, who introduced Ezekiel into the inner court, and, so to speak, to the Holy of Holies, measured that court itself, in which there were two exedrae, or treasuries of the keepers of the temple, or delegated to the dwellings of the altar: and he found in length and breadth by a square one hundred cubits, so that the priests serving in the ministry of God, who had entered by a narrow and strait way, might have very broad walks, and dwell in the perfect and consummate number of virtues.» AND THE ALTAR BEFORE THE FACE OF THE TEMPLE. — Take temple here properly said, namely of the priests, not of the laity, to wit the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. For before the Holy Place in the court of the priests, under the open sky was the altar of burnt offerings. Whence concerning the same he subjoins:
AND THE ALTAR BEFORE THE FACE OF THE TEMPLE. — "What is the temple, but the faithful people? What is the altar of God, but the mind of those living well? where fire burns from contrition, and flesh is consumed. The altar therefore is before the face of the temple, when many in the sight of the holy Church are set forth, who mindful of eternal judgment, daily sacrifice themselves to God in lamentation of contrition, because they mortify their bodies, so that they may fulfill that which the teacher of the Gentiles said: That you may present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God. For a victim is slain, that it may be offered; but a living victim is a body afflicted for the Lord; which is both called a victim, and living; because it lives in virtues, and is slain from vices: it lives therefore, because it performs all the good things which it is able to do. There were two altars, one golden before the ark, the other of bronze in the courtyard. In this the flesh is burned, in that aromatics are kindled, because there are two kinds of contrition. For some, mindful of their sins through fear, while they dread eternal punishments, bewail carnal works, and afflict themselves with daily tears. Others truly freed from carnal vices, or secure from long weeping already, burn with the flame of love in the tears of contrition, behold with the eyes of their heart the rewards of the heavenly homeland, desire to be already among the citizens above. The length of their pilgrimage appears hard to them. They desire to see the King in His beauty, and cease not to weep daily from love of Him. What are these, but a golden altar? This altar is before the ark, and its veil, because the hearts of the Saints which are kindled with great virtues in the love of God, burn in that which they cannot yet see with revealed face through holy longing. For the ark within the veil is our Redeemer in heaven. Such was the spouse of whom it is said in the Song of Songs III: Who is she that goeth up by the desert, as a pillar of smoke of aromatic spices of myrrh and frankincense, and of all the powders of the perfumer? For the holy Church, while it raises itself from this world in holy prayers with burning love, ascends through the desert which it abandons. The smoke from aromatics is the contrition of prayer, conceived from the virtues of love: which prayer nevertheless is called a pillar of smoke, because while it seeks only heavenly things, it proceeds so straight that it turns not at all to ask for earthly things; nor is it called a rod, but a pillar, because sometimes in the ardor of contrition the force of love is of such subtlety, that the soul itself cannot comprehend it. They offer the sacrifice of myrrh and frankincense, who both afflict their flesh, lest the vices of corruption dominate them, and kindle before the sight of the Lord a victim fragrant with their love, and present themselves to God in holy virtues."
The dust of the perfumer is the virtue of one working well. But let no one reprove me, if after this discourse I cease, because, as you see, we are surrounded on all sides by swords. Some return to us with hands cut off, others are reported captive, others slain. Now I am forced to hold back my tongue from exposition, because my soul is weary of my life. My harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those weeping. What therefore remains, but that amid the scourges which we suffer from our iniquities, we give thanks with tears? Let glory therefore be to Almighty our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit God, for ever and ever. Amen." Thus far St. Gregory almost word for word. He therefore, groaning on account of the calamities of the Lombards, and the impending siege of Rome by them, took his hand from the tablet, and stopped his pen and tongue. I shall bring another explanation, more particular, more distinct and distributed of the individual parts of the temple from Lyran at the end of chapter XLII.
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48. AND HE BROUGHT ME INTO THE VESTIBULE OF THE TEMPLE. — He passes from the courtyard to the house, namely to the temple; whence he here begins its measurements from the vestibule, which Symmachus calls the propylaeum, and Vitruvius the pronaos. For it was before the doors of the temple, and roofed above, so that those going out of the temple could remain there, and be safe from rain, hail, heat, etc., such as we see vestibules in Rome in many temples.
Note: Between the court of the priests and the temple there was a plaza of 20 cubits, which surrounded the temple closely on all sides, concerning which chapter xli, 10. After this plaza was the vestibule, or portico of the temple, plainly adjoining the temple and its gates, so that with them opened there would immediately be entrance into the temple. Concerning this it is treated here, so that, with it measured, he might begin to measure the temple itself, as he does in the following chapter. The vestibule here therefore signifies not an open-air area, nor the court of the priests, as elsewhere; but the very inner sanctum of the temple, namely the place before the temple roofed above, so that it appears to be a part and beginning of the temple itself. Into this vestibule, as also into the temple, it was permitted to no layman, but to priests alone to enter. Into this vestibule therefore Christ never entered, nor the Apostles, because they themselves were not Levitical priests. Concerning the vestibule I have said more at verse 8. For there the vestibule of the court was measured, as here the vestibule of the temple is measured. AND HE MEASURED THE VESTIBULE FIVE CUBITS. — "Vestibule" here does not take the whole and entire: for this was twenty cubits long, eleven cubits wide; as follows: but the wall by which the vestibule was enclosed on both sides, which Villalpandus calls the post of the vestibule; the Chaldean and R. David, the front of the vestibule. The thickness of this wall on both sides he here describes, namely that on both sides it was thick five cubits.
AND THE BREADTH OF THE GATE. — Thus he calls the sides after the gate, which on both sides had three cubits, that is universally six: which if you subtract from the twenty cubits by which the vestibule was long, as follows, there will remain 14 cubits, by which the gate was wide. Thus R. David and Villalpandus.
40:49
49. AND THE LENGTH OF THE VESTIBULE WAS TWENTY CUBITS. — Note: The width of the temple was twenty cubits; the length of the temple however extended from East to West: this vestibule, or portico, was situated on the East of the temple, and was twenty cubits long, as much as was the width of the house: so that it would equally correspond to the length of the vestibule of the house, which the proper proportion of the structure required. Thus Villalpandus.
The portico of the temple of Solomon was of the same measure, according to whose model this structure of the temple of Ezekiel was made. For concerning that it is thus said III Kings vi, 3: "And the porch was before the temple twenty cubits in length." But the difficulty is in that which follows there: "And it had ten cubits in breadth before the face of the temple." For this of Ezekiel is said here not to have had 10, but 11 cubits. Villalpandus responds, part. II, lib. III, cap. xlvi, that it was precisely 10 and a half cubits; whence it was free for the writer either to name from the lesser, as the historian did in III Kings writing ten; or from the greater, as Ezekiel did, numbering eleven, because it is equally distant from both. Furthermore the width of the portico was one hundred twenty cubits, as Scripture asserts, II Paralipomenon iii, 4, and Josephus, lib. VIII Antiq. cap. ii. This portico was different from that which in the Gospel is called the portico of Solomon, in which Christ and the Apostles taught, Acts v, 12, concerning which see Villalpandus and Pineda, lib. V De Rebus Salom. cap. v, § 19. For into this only the Aaronic priests entered. Mystically, the length of twenty cubits signifies the long-suffering and patience of the elect: it was according to the width of the temple, in which is designated the width of charity: because as great as is the width of charity, which extends to friends and to enemies, so great ought to be long-suffering and patience in the works of penance and of other virtues, so that it might embrace both pleasant and unpleasant things, and never fail at any time, be overcome by no difficulty, according to that: "Let patience have its perfect work." Thus Ribera, lib. I, cap. xx. AND THERE WERE COLUMNS IN THE FRONTS, — similar to those two bronze ones which Solomon made, and named Booz and Jachin, that is strength and firmness, or direction, as if to say: Would that God might preserve, direct and confirm this temple for a very long time! Moreover Villalpandus teaches that these columns individually were six cubits in circumference, twenty in height; the capitals however, that is the epistyles, zoophori, cornices, taken together were five cubits high.
And There Were Columns In The Fronts Mystically, these two columns, namely one on the right, the other on the left, signify strength and perseverance both in prosperous and in adverse circumstances. See concerning these columns what is said III Kings vii, 15. St. Gregory wrote on this entire chapter the whole Book II in Ezekiel, namely from Homily XIII to XXII and the last; ten homilies, in which he expounds these things fully and beautifully in the moral sense. I shall compress his words into a few, but so that I use his own words; thus then he says:
Mystical Exposition of Chapter XL, from St. Gregory. 1. THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS MADE UPON ME. — "The hand in a vision is virtue in contemplation."
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
40:5
… The common Hebrew cubit ('ammhili) was 6 palms and 24 fingers (458 mm.), but for sacred buildings the large cubit of 7 palms was used, equal to the royal Egyptian cubit, from which it perhaps derives, which corresponded to 525-30 mm. (Ez. 40:5; 43:13).
… It had gates with bronze leaves (II Chron. 4, 9; Ezek. 40, 5), furnished with small towers and reached by 7 steps (Ezek. 40, 6-26). Between the gates were rooms for storerooms and dwellings of the levites on duty (II Chron. 31, 11; Jer. 35, …
40:6
… It had gates with bronze leaves (II Chron. 4, 9; Ezek. 40, 5), furnished with small towers and reached by 7 steps (Ezek. 40, 6-26). Between the gates were rooms for storerooms and dwellings of the levites on duty (II Chron. 31, 11; Jer. 35, 2-4; Ezek. 40, 7 ff.). …
40:7
… It had gates with bronze leaves (II Chron. 4, 9; Ezek. 40, 5), furnished with small towers and reached by 7 steps (Ezek. 40, 6-26). Between the gates were rooms for storerooms and dwellings of the levites on duty (II Chron. 31, 11; Jer. 35, 2-4; Ezek. 40, 7 ff.). …
40:43
CORBAN. - In Hebrew c., like its Akkadian counterpart qurbān, means "offering" or, according to the etymology, "presentation of a gift to God" (cf. Lev. 2:1, 4; 7:13; 9:7, 15; Num. 7:3; Ezek. 40:43): the term is found only in the three books cited, that is, in the legislation concerning worship. …
40:46
… 16:37-43). The latter, superior also in number (1 Chron. 24:1-18), prevailed, particularly from the time of Solomon, who exiled Abiathar and gave the high priesthood to Zadok (1 Kings 2:26 f.). A predominance that became exclusivity after the exile (cf. Ezek. 40:46; 44:15 f.). Among those who returned with Ezra there was a Daniel, a descendant of I. (Ezra 8:2).
… Jud., XVIII, 1, 2) and although the "sons of Zadok" (Σαβδοῦα) are already mentioned in Ez. 40, 46; 44, 15; 48, 11 as priests in the new Temple (cf. Eccli. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.