Ezekiel – Chapter 42

Old Testament20 Verses

Chapter Summary

Ezekiel 42 opens with the words: "And he brought me forth into the outward court by the way that leadeth to the north, and he brought me into the chamber that was over…" Across its 20 verses, two threads run through the text: holiness and God feeding His people. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1And he brought me forth into the outward court by the way that leadeth to the north, and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate building, and over against the house toward the north.

2In the face of the north door was the length of hundred cubits, and the breadth of fifty cubits.

3Over against the twenty cubits of the inner court, and over against the pavement of the outward court that was paved with stone, where there was a gallery joined to a triple gallery.

4And before the chambers was a walk ten cubits broad, looking to the inner parts of a way of one cubit. And their doors were toward the north.

5Where were the store chambers lower above: because they bore up the galleries, which appeared above out of them from he lower parts, and from the midst of the building.

6For they were of three stories, and had not pillars, as the pillars of the courts: therefore did they appear above out of the lower places, and out of the middle places, fifty cubits from the ground.

7And the outward wall that went about by the chambers, which were towards the outward court on the forepart of the chambers, was fifty cubits long.

8For the length of the chambers of the outward court was fifty cubits: and the length before the face of the temple, a hundred cubits.

9And there was under these chambers, an entrance from the east, for them that went into them out of the outward court.

10In the breadth of the outward wall of the court that was toward the east, over against the separate building, and there were chambers before the building.

11And the way before them was like the chambers which were toward the north: they were as long as they, and as broad as they: and all the going in to them, and their fashions, and their doors were alike.

12According to the doors of the chambers that were towards the south: there was a door in the head of the way, which way was before the porch, separated towards the east as one entereth in.

13And he said to me: The chambers of the north, and the chambers of the south, which are before the separate building: they are holy chambers, in which the priests shall eat, that approach to the Lord into the holy of holies: there they shall lay the most holy things, and the offering for sin, and for trespass: for it is a holy place.

14And when the priests shall have entered in, they shall not go out of the holy places into the outward court: but there they shall lay their vestments, wherein they minister, for they are holy: and they shall put on other garments, and so they shall go forth to the people.

15Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me out by the way of the gate that looked toward the east: and he measured it on every side round about.

16And he measured toward the east with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about.

17And he measured toward the north five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about.

18And towards the south he measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about.

19And toward the west he measured five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed.

20By the four winds he measured the wall thereof on every side round about, five hundred cubits and five hundred cubits broad, making a separation between the sanctuary and the place of the people.

Important Verses in Ezekiel 42

And he brought me forth into the outward court by the way that leadeth to the north, and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate building, and over against the house toward the north.

Ezekiel 42:1

And before the chambers was a walk ten cubits broad, looking to the inner parts of a way of one cubit. And their doors were toward the north.

Ezekiel 42:4

And he said to me: The chambers of the north, and the chambers of the south, which are before the separate building: they are holy chambers, in which the priests shall eat, that approach to the Lord into the holy of holies: there they shall lay the most holy things, and the offering for sin, and for trespass: for it is a holy place.

Ezekiel 42:13

By the four winds he measured the wall thereof on every side round about, five hundred cubits and five hundred cubits broad, making a separation between the sanctuary and the place of the people.

Ezekiel 42:20

Historical Context

Ezekiel belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for the exiles in Babylon, moved from despair to hope of restoration. Chapter 42 of 48 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a narrative passage recounting concrete events in salvation history with 20 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. It opens with the line: "And he brought me forth into the outward court by the way that leadeth to the north, and he brought me into the chamber…" It concludes: "By the four winds he measured the wall thereof on every side round about, five hundred cubits and five hundred cubits…" The wider setting of Ezekiel is this: Ezekiel was deported to Babylon in 597 BC and prophesied among the exiles through astonishing visions: God's throne-chariot, the departure of His glory from the Temple, the valley of dry bones brought to life, and a new… Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

Who Wrote It

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile

When It Was Written

About 593-571 BC, in Babylon

Catholic Commentary

In this 20-verse passage, the sacred author describes events, speeches, or revelations central to judgment, restoration, and God's glory. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And he brought me forth into the outward court by the way that leadeth to the north, and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate…" The passage repeatedly touches on holiness before God.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 958). Here, Ezekiel's visions inform Catholic understanding of heaven and liturgy (CIC 1137). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize holiness before God as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: 'Be holy, for I am holy': God calls His people to be set apart for Him in every area of life.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • 'Be holy, for I am holy': God calls His people to be set apart for Him in every area of life.
  • From the manna to the Last Supper, God feeds His people — fully in the Eucharist.
  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.

Reflection for Today

In Ezekiel Chapter 42, the Church invites us to listen attentively to God's Word within the broader narrative of judgment, restoration, and God's glory.

The Second Vatican Council reminded the faithful that Scripture should permeate Catholic spirituality (Dei Verbum, 21-26). Ezekiel Chapter 42 supports that call by drawing attention to the moral law as path to freedom within the wider message that God will give His people a new heart.

Entrust your meditation to Mary, who pondered God's Word in her heart. Through her intercession, may the message of the moral law as path to freedom bear fruit in humility, courage, and charity this day.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ezekiel Chapter 42 about?

Ezekiel 42 contains 20 verses. It opens with "And he brought me forth into the outward court by the way that leadeth to the north, and he brought me into the chamber…" and closes with "By the four winds he measured the wall thereof on every side round about, five hundred cubits and five hundred cubits…". The book as a whole is prophetic visions and oracles.

What is a key verse in Ezekiel 42?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And he brought me forth into the outward court by the way that leadeth to the north, and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate building, and over…" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who wrote Ezekiel and when?

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile. About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

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