John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 46:22

"In the four corners of the court there were courts inclosed, forty [cubits] long and thirty broad: these four in the corners were of one measure." — Ezekiel 46:22 (ASV)

In the four corners of the court there were courts joined ,
&c.] To the side walls of the outward court, which met in right angles: or, "were made with chimneys" ^F18 , as some render it; that the smoke of the fire of the kitchens in them, and the steam of the boiled flesh, might ascend through them. So the Jewish writers, as Jarchi and Kimchi, from the Misnah ^F19 , generally interpret the word, that these courts were made so as to let out the smoke, and were not roofed or floored over ^F20 ;

and in which treatise and also by Maimonides ^F21 ; the uses of them in the second temple are observed: for in answer to the question, what do they serve for? it is said, at the southeast was the chamber of the Nazarites, where they boiled their peace offerings, and shaved their hair, and put them under the pot; at the northeast was the wood chamber, where the priests that had blemishes wormed the wood; and any wood, in which a worm was found, was rejected from the altar: at the northwest was the chamber of the lepers: of that which was at the southwest, says R. Eliezer Ben Jacob, I have forgot (some render it found) of what use it is; but Abba Saul says, there they put the wine and oil, therefore it was called the oil chamber.

These four chambers, according to the same treatise, were in the four corners of the court of the women, and were forty cubits long, but were not roofed; and so, they say, they will be in the future, according to this passage of Scripture.

These places, as Dr. Lightfoot ^F23 observes, are called by the prophet "courts", and in everyone of them places to boil the sacrifices in; and yet they are allotted to other uses in the Misnah, and which seem to require that they should be roofed; all which may consist together, he says: for, grant that each of these spaces was built within, with chambers round about, there might be very fair chambers, and yet a good handsome open court in the middle; at either end, chambers ten cubits broad, and yet an open space of twenty cubits between; and on either side, chambers seven or eight cubits broad, and yet an open space of fourteen or sixteen cubits between: Thus, therefore, he adds, it seems, that there were fair chambers round about, which were roofed over as other buildings; and in the middle was an open court, round about which were boiling ranges, whose chimneys went up in the inner walls of the chambers, or in the walls facing the open place: Thus the inner court served as boiling places, and the rooms around for other uses; see the two following verses.

The measure of the courts was, of forty cubits long, and thirty broad ;
an oblong quadrangle: these four corners were of one measure ;
the courts in these four corners were of the same measure, as to length and breadth; denoting the equality of Gospel churches, being of the same faith, order, discipline, power, and authority.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F18: (twrjq twrux) "atria caminata", Junius & Tremellius, Polanus, Cocceius; "fumosa", Tigurine version, Castalio; "fumigata", Starckius.
• F19: Middot, c. 2. sect. 5.
• F20: Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.
• F21: Hilchot Beth Habechira, c. 5. sect. 8.
• F23: Prospect of the Temple, c. 18. p. 1092, 1093.