The Meaning of Ezekiel 40:3 Explained

Ezekiel 40:3

KJV: And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

YLT: And He bringeth me in thither, and lo, a man, his appearance as the appearance of brass, and a thread of flax in his hand, and a measuring-reed, and he is standing at the gate,

Darby: And he brought me thither, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a flax-cord in his hand, and a measuring-reed; and he stood in the gate.

ASV: And he brought me thither; and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he brought  me thither, and, behold, [there was] a man,  whose appearance  [was] like the appearance  of brass,  with a line  of flax  in his hand,  and a measuring  reed;  and he stood  in the gate. 

What does Ezekiel 40:3 Mean?

Study Notes

a man
The theophanies. Daniel 8:15 ; Daniel 10:6 ; Daniel 10:10 ; Daniel 10:18 ; Genesis 12:7 ; Revelation 1:9 .

Verse Meaning

Ezekiel also saw a man who appeared to be made out of bronze standing in the main gateway to this temple structure. Bronze in Scripture often represents what is strong (cf. 1 Kings 4:13; Job 40:18). The man had in his hand a length of flax (linen cord) and a rod (reed) used to measure things. He would use the rod to measure shorter distances and the cord to measure longer ones.

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 40

1  The time, manner, and end of the vision of the city and temple
6  The description of the east gate of the outer court
20  of the north gate
24  of the south gate
27  of the south gate of the inner court
32  of the east gate
35  and of the north gate
39  Eight tables
44  The chambers
48  The porch of the house

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 40:3 mean?

And He took me there and behold [there] [was] a man whose appearance [was] like the appearance of bronze and He had a line of flax in his hand and a rod measuring and he stood in the gateway
וַיָּבֵ֨יא אוֹתִ֜י שָׁ֗מָּה וְהִנֵּה־ אִישׁ֙ מַרְאֵ֙הוּ֙ כְּמַרְאֵ֣ה נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וּפְתִיל־ פִּשְׁתִּ֥ים בְּיָד֖וֹ וּקְנֵ֣ה הַמִּדָּ֑ה וְה֥וּא עֹמֵ֖ד בַּשָּֽׁעַר

וַיָּבֵ֨יא  And  He  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אוֹתִ֜י  me 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
וְהִנֵּה־  and  behold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
אִישׁ֙  [there]  [was]  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מַרְאֵ֙הוּ֙  whose  appearance  [was] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
כְּמַרְאֵ֣ה  like  the  appearance 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
נְחֹ֔שֶׁת  of  bronze 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נְחֹשֶׁת 
Sense: copper, bronze.
וּפְתִיל־  and  He  had  a  line 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פָּתִיל  
Sense: cord, thread (twisted).
פִּשְׁתִּ֥ים  of  flax 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: פֵּשֶׁת  
Sense: flax, linen.
בְּיָד֖וֹ  in  his  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וּקְנֵ֣ה  and  a  rod 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָנֶה  
Sense: reed, stalk, bone, balances.
הַמִּדָּ֑ה  measuring 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִדָּה 
Sense: measure, measurement, stature, size, garment.
וְה֥וּא  and  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
עֹמֵ֖ד  stood 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
בַּשָּֽׁעַר  in  the  gateway 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.