Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad.
EZEKIEL 40:6KJVWhat does Ezekiel 40:6 mean?
Ezekiel 40:6 describes a man leading Ezekiel to the eastern gate of a temple, where he ascends stairs and measures the width of the gate’s threshold, finding it to be one reed wide on each side. The verse focuses on the careful measurement and structure of the temple entrance.
In this vision, Ezekiel is being shown detailed plans for a future temple by a heavenly guide. The act of measuring, using a reed as a unit, highlights the precision and order of the temple’s design. The eastern gate is significant because it faces the direction from which God’s glory is often described as coming in Ezekiel’s visions.
The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 40:6
- שַׁעַר (shaʿar, "gate"): This word points to a main entrance, emphasizing the importance of the eastern gate as a focal point of the temple.
- מִפְתָּן (miptan, "threshold"): This refers to the entryway or sill of the gate, drawing attention to the exact place being measured, which shows the concern for every detail in the temple’s construction.
- קָנֶה (qaneh, "reed"): A reed was a standard measuring stick, roughly 10 feet long, so the verse is giving a specific, substantial width for the threshold, not just a symbolic measurement.
Why Ezekiel 40:6 matters
- Ezekiel 40:6 helps readers see that the temple vision is not just symbolic but includes real, physical dimensions, underlining the seriousness and reality of what Ezekiel is shown.
- The focus on the eastern gate connects to earlier parts of Ezekiel where God’s glory departs and returns by the east, making this gate especially meaningful in the vision.
- The detailed measurements set the tone for the following chapters, where Ezekiel records the temple’s layout step by step, showing that order and holiness are central to God’s design.