Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 42:4

"And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits` breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors were toward the north." — Ezekiel 42:4 (ASV)

A walk of ten cubits breadth inward. The meaning of this clause depends upon that of the next, “a way of one cubit.” There is every reason to suppose an error in the text here, and that one cubit should be one hundred, as it reads in the Greek. The change requires only a transposition of the first letters in one word, and a consequent alteration of one letter in the other. Exactly the same transposition has occurred in Ezekiel 42:16, where it is corrected in the margin of the Hebrew, and properly translated “five hundred” instead of “five cubits.” One cannot conceive of a walk or an entrance of one cubit (twenty inches) serving any useful purpose. Assuming this change, the meaning will be that a walk (see Plan II., K [Ezekiel 40:44–49]) of 10 cubits wide and 100 long led to the entrance of the chambers.

That this walk was on the north is plain from its being expressly said that the door was on the north. It may seem surprising that this should have been in the outer court, but a glance at the plan in connection with what is said below will explain the reason for the arrangement. The length of the walk, 100 cubits, just reaches to the steps of the north gate of the inner court.

It will be remembered that in Ezekiel 40:39-43 this area was described as the place for killing and preparing the sacrifices. Now, only the fat and kidneys of the sin and trespass and peace offerings were burned upon the altar; the whole of the former (ordinarily) and the priests’ portion of the latter were to be carried to this chamber (Ezekiel 42:13). The walk was therefore placed in the best possible situation.