1 Then he brought me foorth into the vtter court, the way toward the North, and hee brought mee into the chamber, that was ouer against the separate place, & which was before the building toward the North.
2 Before the length of an hundreth cubites was the North doore, and the breadth was fiftie cubits.
3 Ouer against the twentie cubites which were for the inner court, and ouer against the pauement which was for the vtter court, was gallerie against gallery in three stories.
4 And before the chambers was a walke of ten cubites breadth inward, a way of one cubite, and their doores toward the North.
5 Now the vpper-chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher then these, then the lower, and then the middlemost of the building.
6 For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitned more then the lowest, and the middlemost from the ground.
7 And the wall that was without ouer against the chambers towards the vtter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fiftie cubites.
8 For the length of the chambers that were in the vtter court was fiftie cubites: and loe, before the Temple were an hundreth cubites.
9 And from vnder these chambers was the entrie on the East side, as one goeth into them from the vtter court.
10 The chambers were in the thickenes of the wall of the court toward the East, ouer against the separate place, and ouer against the building.
11 And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers, which were toward the North, as long as they and as broad as they, and all their goings out were both according to their fashions, and according to their doores.
12 And according to the doores of the chambers that were toward the South, was a doore in the head of the way, euen the way directly before þe wall toward the East, as one entreth into them.
13 ¶ Then sayd hee vnto mee, The North chambers, and the South chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where þe Priests that approach vnto the Lord shall eate the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, & the sinne offering, and the trespasse offring, for the place is holy.
14 When the Priests enter therein, then shall they not goe out of the holy place into the vtter court, but there they shall lay their garments, wherein they minister: for they are holy, and shall put on other garments, and shall approch to those things which are for the people.
15 Now when hee had made an end of measuring the inner house, hee brought mee foorth toward the gate, whose prospect is toward the East, and measured it round about.
16 He measured the East side with the measuring reede, fiue hundreth reedes, with the measuring reed round about.
17 Hee measured the North side fiue hundreth reedes, with a measuring reed round about.
18 Hee measured the South side fiue hundreth reedes, with the measuring reede.
19 ¶ Hee turned about to the West side, and measured fiue hundreth reedes with the measuring reed.
20 He measured it by the foure sides: it had a wall round about fiue hundreth reedes long, and fiue hundreth broad, to make a separation betweene the Sanctuary and the prophane place.
In this chapter are described the priests' chambers, their use, and the dimensions of the holy mount on which the temple stood. These chambers were many. Jesus said, In my Father's house are many mansions: in his house on earth there are many; multitudes, by faith, are lodging in his sanctuary, and yet there is room. These chambers, though private, were near the temple. Our religious services in our chambers, must prepare for public devotions, and further us in improving them, as our opportunities are.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.