Ezekiel 42 · Verse 16

Ezekiel 42:16

He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
Ezekiel 42:16, King James Version

Ezekiel 42:16 in other translations

BSBWith a measuring rod he measured the east side to be five hundred cubits long.
WEBHe measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed all around.
ASVHe measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
YLTHe hath measured the east side with the measuring-reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring-reed round about.
DARBYHe measured the east side with the measuring-reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring-reed round about.
BBEHe went round and took the measure of it on the east side with the measuring rod, five hundred, measured with the rod all round.
WebsterHe measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed around.

What does Ezekiel 42:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. five hundred reeds--the Septuagint substitutes "cubits" for "reeds," to escape the immense compass assigned to the whole, namely, a square of five hundred rods or three thousand cubits (two feet each; Eze 40:5), in all a square of one and one-seventh miles, that is, more than all ancient Jerusalem; also, there is much space thus left unappropriated. Fairbairn rightly supports English Version, which agrees with the Hebrew. The vast extent is another feature marking the ideal character of the temple. It symbolizes the great enlargement of the kingdom of God, when Jehovah-Messiah shall reign at Jerusalem, and from thence to the ends of the earth (Is 2:2-4; Jr 3:17; Ro 11:12, 15).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 He measured the east - north - south - west side - Each of which was five hundred reeds: and, as the building was square, the area must have been nearly thirteen thousand paces. No wonder this was called a city. See Eze 40:2.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Ezekiel 42:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מָדַ֛דma.Dadhe measuredH4058
ר֥וּחַRu.ach[the] side ofH7307
הַקָּדִ֖יםha.ka.Dimthe eastH6921
בִּקְנֵ֣הbik.Nehwith [the] reed ofH7070
הַמִּדָּ֑הha.mi.Dah<the> measurementH4060
חֲמֵשׁ\־cha.mesh-fiveH2568
מֵא֥וֹתe.mothundred<s>H3967
קָנִ֛יםka.NimreedsH7070
בִּקְנֵ֥הbik.Nehby [the] reed ofH7070
הַמִּדָּ֖הha.mi.Dah<the> measurementH4060
סָבִֽיב\׃sa.Vivall aroundH5439

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 42:16

  • Ezekiel 40:3

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

  • Revelation 11:1-2

    And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

  • Zechariah 2:1

    I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
side. Heb. wind. the measuring reed.Estimating the reed at 10® feet, 500 reeds will be nearly equal to a mile; so that from this statement we find the temple, with its outbuildings, was built on a square, nearly an English mile on each side, and four miles in circumference. This not only far exceeds the size of Solomon's temple, or that after the captivity, which was only 500 cubits, or a furlong, on each side, and exactly half a mile in circuit; but is nearly equal to the whole extent of Jerusalem itself, which, when greatest, was but 33 furlongs in circumference, somewhat less than 4� miles. This seems clearly to intimate, that the vision cannot be explained of any temple that has hitherto been built, or indeed of any literal temple, but figuratively and mystically of the spiritual temple, the church under the gospel, and its spiritual glory.
40:3; Zec 2:1; Re 11:1,2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 42:15

    Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about.

  • Ezekiel 42:16

    He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.

  • Ezekiel 42:17

    He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.

Read all of Ezekiel 42

Ezekiel 42:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Midió el lado oriental con la caña de medir, quinientas cañas de la caña de medir en derredor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il mesura le côté oriental avec la canne à mesurer: 500 cannes, avec la canne à mesurer, tout autour.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er maß die Ostseite mit der Meßrute, fünfhundert Ruten mit der Meßrute ringsum.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Mensus est autem contra ventum orientalem calamo mensuræ, quingentos calamos in calamo mensuræ per circuitum.