properly · noun, common feminine singular absolute
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Ezekiel 40:5-26
The measuring-reed which was in the hand of the surveyor-general was mentioned before, Eze 40:3. Here we are told (Eze 40:5) what was the exact length of it, which must be observed, because the house was measured by it. It was six cubits long, reckoning, not by the common cubit, but the cubit of the sanctuary, the sacred cubit, by which it was fit that this holy house should be measured, and that was a hand-breadth (that it, four inches) longer than the common cubit: the common cubit was eighteen inches, this twenty-two, see Eze 43:13. Yet some of the critics contend that this measuring-reed was but six common cubits in length, and one handbreadth added to the whole. The former seems more pr…
Fifty cubits - The length of the building. See MMMMM in the plan.
John Gill on Ezekiel 40:15
And from the face of the gate of the entrance,.... That is, from the outward gate as you went into the porch, and was to the east, so called from people's passing and repassing (b) in it; so Jarchi takes it to be the eastern gate; the Targum calls it the middle gate:
unto the face of the porch of the inner gate; which opened at the other end of the porch, into the outward court, and was to the west: from gate to gate
were fifty cubits; as he measured the breadth of the porch before, Ezekiel 40:13, here the length; there were three chambers six cubits long, which made eighteen; and between each chamber were five cubits, which were ten cubits; and the space between the chambers and the gates…
The Buildings of the East Gate
(See Plate II 1). - Eze 40:6. And he went to the gate, the direction of which was toward the east, and ascended the steps thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate one rod broad, namely, the first threshold one rod broad, Eze 40:7. And the guard-room one rod long and one rod broad, and between the guard-rooms five cubits, and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate from the temple hither one rod. Eze 40:8. And he measured the porch of the gate from the temple hither one rod. Eze 40:9. And he measured the porch of the gate eight cubits, and its pillars two cubits; and the porch of the gate was from the temple hither. Eze 40:10. And of the guard-…
The Church Fathers
And after seven full weeks of festivity and joy, the first day of the Octave begins, which is the Day of Resurrection, and it brings us close to the temple. For when we have done all things, repenting for our previous errors, then we become neighbors and close to God, so that in the outer atrium, the order of creatures teaches us knowledge of the Creator with constancy, and in the inner atrium true jubilation, in which all our debts are forgiven, instructs us in the theology, and introduces us to the Holy of Holies.
And before the face of the gate which extended to the face of the vestibule of the inner gate, fifty cubits. That which is said in this place, "Before the face of the gate," describes not the exterior, but the interior place before the gate, since it is reported to extend up to the face of the vestibule of the inner gate. Hence that same place is said to have been measured at fifty cubits. For by the number fifty, eternal rest is signified. For the number seven has its own perfection, because on that day the number of days was completed. And through the law the Sabbath was given for rest. Moreover, that same number seven multiplied by itself yields forty-nine, and if a monad is added to it, one arrives at fifty, because all our perfection will be in the contemplation of that One, in whose vision there will no longer be anything lacking of salvation and joy for us. Hence also the jubilee, that is, the fiftieth year, was given for rest, because whoever has arrived at the eternal joys of almighty God will no longer have labor and groaning. It should be noted that the place which is described as extending for fifty cubits is said to reach to the face of the vestibule of the inner gate. Therefore in this place the prophet is not describing the vestibule of the inner gate itself, but the place within which extends to the vestibule of the inner gate. By which place, of course, as we have said, our hope is signified, which while it seeks eternal rest, leads the mind to the vestibule of the inner gate. For in this very fact that we desire heavenly things, that we sigh for the promised joys, that we seek the rest of eternal life, we are already approaching the face of the inner vestibule. Therefore let faith be signified by the gate, charity by the court, and by the place which approaches the face of the vestibule of the inner gate let hope be figured, without which three virtues whoever can now use reason cannot enter into the heavenly building. Therefore let faith be held in the gate, which introduces to understanding; charity in the court, which expands the mind in love; hope in the place which is described as fifty cubits, because through desires and sighs it introduces the soul to the secret joys of rest. Concerning which rest, even if we do not yet perceive the light of truth as it is, nevertheless we already see something through the cracks of understanding.
Six guard alcoves lined the inside of the gates, three on each side, confirming their defensive significance. These gates were similar in layout to those excavated at Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer, but substantially larger in size.
Rashi on Ezekiel 40:15
And the height of the entrance gate [Heb. וְעַל פְּנֵי הַשַּׁעַר,] lit. and on the face of the gate. The height of this gate. It is called שַּׁעַר הָאִיתוֹן because it serves as an entrance and exit for all who come into the Temple court. [The word] איתון is Aramaic for בִּיאָה, entry.
together with the height of the inner ball of the gate together with the height of the hall of the gate, which is further in than the gate.
fifty cubits And from the height of the other gates [mentioned] in this account, which were fifty cubits, I learn that the עַל פְּנֵי stated here means the height. (i.e., the outer gate’s height was fifty cubits, “together with the height of the entire hall:” just like t…