And from this measured district you shall measure off a section 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 broad, in which shall be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to see this as just a description of land for the priests, but the language "the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place" hints that this isn't just about their living space. It signifies that the very heart of this entire priestly district is designated as the intensely sacred dwelling place of God's presence. This highlights how the divine presence is meant to be the central focus, permeating even the surrounding areas.
And from this measured district you shall measure off a section 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 broad, in which shall be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel has just been shown a vision of a future temple and city, a blueprint for restored worship. Now, he's detailing the precise measurements of a special priestly portion of land, emphasizing its holiness. This specific verse pinpoints the location of the sanctuary itself within this generous allotment, highlighting its central importance.
Did you know that God's plans involve specific measurements, even for land? Ezekiel's vision reveals a dedicated space for His presence.
The vision in Ezekiel 45 isn't just about a physical temple; it's about God's desire for a distinct, holy space set apart for Him. The measurements given – 25,000 cubits by 10,000 cubits – are precise. This section is designated as a priestly portion, but its ultimate purpose is to house the "sanctuary, the Most Holy Place." This highlights that even the resources and land God provides are meant to ultimately point back to Him and His holy dwelling, emphasizing the centrality of His presence in the life of His people.
Why would God give such specific, large dimensions for a temple area? This vision stresses something crucial about His plans.
The incredible dimensions of the priestly portion (25,000 by 10,000 cubits) were largely dedicated to containing the sanctuary and the Most Holy Place. This wasn't just a building; it was the focal point, the very heart of the land and the community's life. The commentators note that the sanctuary was to be in the 'center' or 'navel' of this area. This geographical centrality symbolizes the theological centrality of God's presence. Everything else – the priests' lives, the community's provision, and the land itself – was to orbit around the place where God met His people.
Understand the original words
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qodesh ha-qodashim · Hebrew Noun phrase
The innermost, most sacred section of the sanctuary, separated by a veil, where God’s presence dwelt above the ark of the covenant. It represents the height of God's holiness and restricted access.
Ezekiel's vision of a future, meticulously planned Temple and its surrounding land came during the Babylonian exile, long after the destruction of the First Temple. It offered a blueprint for restored worship and a future hope centered on God's presence, even as the physical reality of Jerusalem lay in ruins.
c. 597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens, including Ezekiel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Judean exile.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and intensifying the Babylonian exile for those remaining in Judah.
c. 571 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Vision of the New Temple
Ezekiel receives a detailed vision of a future Temple and city, outlining specific measurements and divisions of land. This vision includes the detailed measurements for the sanctuary and priestly portions described in chapter 45.
c. 538 BC
Cyrus Cylinder Issued
Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, issues a decree allowing deported peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples.
c. 516 BC
Second Temple Completed
The Jewish exiles return to Jerusalem and complete the construction of the Second Temple, though it is a less grand structure than Solomon's original Temple.
This passage describes the placement of the veil within the Tabernacle, separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, highlighting the sacred and distinct nature of the innermost sanctuary.
1 Chronicles 28:10-11David instructs Solomon concerning the building of the Temple, emphasizing the divine blueprint and the specific measurements and plans for the sanctuary and its surrounding structures, much like Ezekiel's vision.
Revelation 11:1-2This New Testament passage also speaks of measuring a sanctuary, but in a future context, connecting the idea of a divinely appointed and measured sacred space across different eras of God's plan.
Ezekiel 48:10-12These verses further detail the priestly portion and the sanctuary's location within it, reinforcing the centrality and holiness of the sanctuary in Ezekiel's vision for the restored land.
pulpitEzekiel 45:3: "And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place."
Verse 3. - And of this measure shalt thou measure. As above explained, if מִן, "of," be taken as equivalent to "from," i.e. deducted from, then the whole "measure" in ver. 1 must have been 25,000 × 20,000 reeds; but if, as Ewald translates, it may signify "after," "according to," then the text in ver. 1 will not…
clarkeEzekiel 45:3: "And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place."
And of this measure - See the plan, A, B, C, D, E.
It's easy to see this as just a description of land for the priests, but the language "the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place" hints that this isn't just about their living space. It signifies that the very heart of this entire priestly district is designated as the intensely sacred dwelling place of God's presence. This highlights how the divine presence is meant to be the central focus, permeating even the surrounding areas.
Ezekiel has just been shown a vision of a future temple and city, a blueprint for restored worship. Now, he's detailing the precise measurements of a special priestly portion of land, emphasizing its holiness. This specific verse pinpoints the location of the sanctuary itself within this generous allotment, highlighting its central importance.
Ezekiel has just been shown a vision of a future temple and city, a blueprint for restored worship. Now, he's detailing the precise measurements of a special priestly portion of land, emphasizing its holiness. This specific verse pinpoints the location of the sanctuary itself within this generous allotment, highlighting its central importance.
"And from this measured district you shall measure off a section 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 broad, in which shall be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place." — It's easy to see this as just a description of land for the priests, but the language "the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place" hints that this isn't just about their living space. It signifies that the v…
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Last reviewed October 2026