Ezekiel 42:5

Authorized King James Version

Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וְהַלְּשָׁכ֥וֹת
chambers
a room in a building (whether for storage, eating, or lodging)
#2
הָעֶלְיוֹנֹ֖ת
Now the upper
an elevation, i.e., (adjectively) lofty (comparatively); as title, the supreme
#3
קְצֻר֑וֹת
were shorter
to dock off, i.e., curtail (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative); especially to harvest (grass or grain)
#4
כִּֽי
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
#5
יוֹכְל֨וּ
to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)
#6
אַתִּיקִ֜ים
for the galleries
a ledge or offset in a building
#7
מֵהֵ֗נָה
than these
themselves (often used emphatic for the copula, also in indirect relation)
#8
מֵֽהַתַּחְתֹּנ֛וֹת
than the lower
bottommost
#9
וּמֵהַתִּֽכוֹנ֖וֹת
and than the middlemost
central
#10
בִּנְיָֽן׃
of the building
an edifice

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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