Mbono ngekwe Ng'umba ye Ndzimu
Ezekiele unotolegwa ku Jerusalema
1 Mu gole le bumakumi mabili ana makole ali mashanu tili mu butapiwa, mu kutangisa kwe gole, mu zhuba le bugumi le mwedzi, mu gole le bugumi lina makole manna nzi nkulu wakapkhwanyiwa, mu zhuba ilelo koga luboko gwa Yahwe gwakabe gunami ngono bakandiyisa ikweno. 2 Mu mbono Ndzimu wakanditola ukandiyisa ku shango ye Iziraela ukandimisa pezhugwi kwe dombo lefulefu kwazo. Ku ndzibo walo we burwa kwakabe kuna mbako dzakabe dzilingika se nzi nkulu. 3 Bakandiyisako ngono abona nlume wakabe elingika se phangula ali mile pa nkoba akabhata nsungwana we jila ne lukombo gunolizanya. 4 Nlume ihwoyo kandidwa kati, “Nkololo we nthu, linga nge mesho awo uhwe nge zebe dzidzo ngono uyele njele tjimwe ne tjimwe tjandinowokulakidza ngoti nditjo tjawazhisigwa ipapa. Ubudze bathu be Iziraela tjimwe ne tjimwe tjaunobona.”
Nkoba weku bhezhuba
5 Kwakabe kuna guma kupoteleka ng'umba ye Ndzimu. Bulefu gwe lukombo gunolizanya gwakabe gwakabhakhwa nge nlume ihwoyo gwakabe guli thambo dzili gumi, ngono thambo imwe ne imwe ipaphidziwa nge tjiazha, ndizo kalizanya bukodu gwe guma gukabe thambo ing'ompela ne kuyenda pezhugwi kukabe thambo ing'ompela. 6 Kudwa ipapo kayenda ku nkoba wakalinga ku bhezhuba. Katathila pezhugwi ngono kalizanya gwasayile le nkoba litjapasi ngono likabe thambo ing'ompela. 7 Ng'umbana dze balindi dzakabe dzili thambo dzili thatu dzina gaswa bupabi ne bulefu imwe ne imwe yadzo, guma linodzithubukanya lili thambo dzili zhanakadzi bukodu gwalo. Makwasayile e nkoba wakabapa ne nkoto wakalingisana ne ng'umba ye Ndzimu wakabe uli lukombo gung'ompela bulefu gwawo. 8 Kabe elizanya nkoto utjemukati kwe nkoba wakabe thambo dzili nna kungina, 9 makuma awo ali thambo ina gaswa bukodu. Nkoto iwoyu we nkoba wakabe wakalingisana ne ng'umba ye Ndzimu. 10 Tjemukati kwe nkoba we ku bhezhuba kwakabe kuna ng'umbana dze balindi, thatu ku ndzibo we luji ne thatu ku ndzibo we lumeshwe, dzakabe dzilizana ne makuma anodzithubukanya elizana nadzo. 11 Kudwapo kalizanya bupabi gwe nkoba panonginiwa ndipo, kukabe thambo dzili kutendeka. 12 Mbeli kwe ng'umbana imwe ne imwe ye balindi kwakabe kuna guma fupifupi le bulefu kuyenda pezhugwi gunolizana gaswa le thambo ing'ompela, bukodu gwalo guli gaswa ye thambo. Ng'umbana imwe ne imwe yakabe ilizana mbizho dzose ili thambo thatu. 13 Kudwa ipapo kalizanya nkoba tjapezhugwi kwe ng'umbana kudwa mu guma li shule le ng'umbana kunoti ku ng'umbana imwe ngono kukabe thambo dzili gumi lina dzili nna. 14 Kalizanya makuma anothubukanya dzing'umbana wose atjemukati kwe nkoba kawana thambo dzili gumi lina ing'ompela ina gaswa. 15 Kudwa pa nkoba kunoti ku ng'umbana ye bupelo kwakabe kulizana thambo dzili makumi mabili ana dzili zhanakadzi. 16 Ng'umbana dze balindi dzakabe dzili tjemukati kwe nkoba ne makuma anodzithubukanya akabe ana mafesitere matukununu kuapoteleka efanana ne akabe ali mu mikoto, mikoba yose yakabe yakalinga tjamukati. Makuma akabe ethubukanya dzing'umbana akabe akanakisiwa nge zwifano zwe miti ye milala.
17 Ipapo kandiyisa ku nsha utjakuzhe. Ikoko ndakabona ng'umba dzili makumi matatu ne budzilo gwakadzipoteleka. 18 Budzilo gwakabe gwakabapisa mikoba, bulefu gwago ne bupabi gwago gulizana. Igogu budzilo gutjapasi. 19 Ipapo kalizanya bulefu gunodwa tjemukati kwe nkoba utjapasi kunoti tjakuzhe kwe nsha utjemukati, kukabe thambo dzili makumi mashanu ana dzili tathatu kuyendila ku bhezhuba ne kuyendila ku bunandzwa.
Nkoba we bunandzwa
20 Ipapo kalizanya bulefu ne bupabi gwe nkoba wakalinga ku bunandzwa unobhudila ku nsha utjakuzhe. 21 Ng'umbana dzawo dze balindi, thatu ku ndzibo we luji ne ku ndzibo we lumeshwe ne makuma anodzithubukanya ne nkoto wadzo dzakabe dzilizana ne dze nkoba we kutanga. Kwakabe kulizana thambo dzili makumi mabili ana dzili zhanakadzi bulefu, bupabi guli thambo dzili gumi lina dzili nna. 22 Mafesitere awo ne nkoto wawo ne zwifano zwe nlala zwakanakisa makuma zwakabe zwilizana ne zwe nkoba wakabe wakalinga ku bhezhuba. Kwakabe kuna matathiso ali kutendeka anotathila kuuli, nkoto wawo wakalingisana nawo. 23 Kwakabe kuna nkoba unonginila mu nsha utjemukati wakalinga ku nkoba we bunandzwa kufanana koga nge kwakabe kuli iko nge nkoba we ku bhezhuba. Kalizanya kudwa mu nkoba mmwe kuyenda ku mmwe wakalingisana nawo ngono kukalizana thambo dzili makumi mashanu ana dzili tathatu.
Nkoba we burwa
24 Kudwa ipapo kanditungamilila ku burwa ngono abona nkoba ku burwa, ngono kalizanya makuma anoithubukanya nenge mikoto yayo ngono dzikabe dzilizalizana ne dzimwe. 25 Ng'umbana dze nkoba iwoyu ne makuma e nkoto dzakabe dzina mafesitere matukununu kufanana ne amu mikoba mimwe. Bulefu gwe nkoba gwakabe guli thambo dzili makumi mabili ana dzili zhanakadzi bupabi guli thambo dzili gumi lina dzili tathatu. 26 Kwakabe kuna matathiso ali kutendeka akabe etathila kuuli, nkoto wawo wakabe wakalingisana nawo. Wakabe wakanakisiwa nge zwifano zwe nlala mu makuma awo anothubukanya ng'umbana dze balindi mu midzibo yawo yose. 27 Nsha utjemukati wakabe una nkoba bo wakabe wakalinga ku burwa, ngono kalizanya kudwa pa nkoba iwoyu kunoti ku nkoba utjakuzhe ku ndzibo uku burwa ngono kukalizana thambo dzili makumi mashanu ana dzili tathatu.
Mikoba ye misha itjemukati
28 Nlume ihwoyo kanditungamilila ku nsha utjemukati nge nkoba we burwa, ngono kalizanya nkoba we burwa ngono ukalizana ne mimwe mikoba. 29 Ng'umbana dzawo dze balindi ne makuma anodzithubukanya ne nkoto wawo kwakabe kulizana koga ne mimwe mikoba. Nkoba ne nkoto zwakabe zwina mafesitere kose kupoteleka. Wakabe ulizana thambo dzili makumi mabili ana dzili zhanakadzi bulefu, bupabi gulizana thambo dzili gumi lina dzili nna. 30 Mikoto kupoteleka nkoba we nsha utjemukati yakabe ilizana thambo dzili makumi mabili ana dzili zhanakadzi bulefu, bupabi gulizana thambo dzili gumi lina dzili nna. 31 Ng'umbana dzawo dze balindi dzakabe dzakalinga ku nsha utjakuzhe, makuma anodzithubukanya akabe akanakisiwa nge zwifano zwe nlala ngono kuna matathiso anotathila kuuli ali zhanakadzi.
32 Ipapo kandiyisa ku nsha utjemukati ku bhezhuba ngono kalizanya nkoba, wakabe ulizana ne mimwe mikoba. 33 Ng'umbana dzawo dze balindi ne makuma anodzithubukanya ne mikoto yawo yakabe ili zana ne mimwe mikoba. Nkoba ne ng'umbana dzawo dze balindi wakabe una mafesitere kupoteleka. Kose kulizana thambo dzili makumi mabili ana dzili zhanakadzi bulefu, bupabi gulizana thambo dzili gumi dzina dzili nna. 34 Mikoto yawo yakabe yakalinga ku guma litjakuzhe, makuma anothubukanya mikoto akabe akanakisiwa nge zwifano zwe nlala, ngono kuna matathiso ali zhanakadzi anotathila kuuli.
35 Ipapo kandiyisa ku nkoba we bunandzwa kabe eulizanya. Iwo wakabe ulizana ne mimwe mikoba. 36 Ng'umbana dzawo dze balindi ne makuma anodzithubukanya ne nkoto wawo kwakabe kulizana ne zwimwe ngono zose zwina mafesitere matukununu kupoteleka. Wakabe uli thambo dzili makumi mabili ana dzili zhanakadzi bulefu, bupabi guli thambo dzili gumi dzina dzili nna. 37 Mikoto yawo yakabe yakalinga ku guma litjakuzhe, makuma anothubukanya mikoto aku ndzibo we luji ne we lumeshwe akabe akanakisiwa nge zwifano zwe nlala. Kwakabe kuna matathiso anotathila kuuli ali zhanakadzi.
38 Kwakabe kuna ng'umba kubapa ne mikoto pa nkoba mmwe ne mmwe utjemukati, ndiko kwakabe kusukigwa tjibhayilo tjinopisiwa. 39 Mu mikoto ye nkoba ku ndzibo we luji kwakabe kuna tafuli mbili newe lumeshwe kwakabe kuna tafuli mbili kwakabe kubulayigwa pezhugwi kwadzo tjibhayilo tjinopisiwa ne tjibhayilo tje tjibi ne tjibhayilo tje nlandu. 40 Kuzhe kwe guma le nkoto we nkoba pejo ne matathiso pa nkoba we bunandzwa kwakabe kuna tafuli dzili mbili, ku ndzibo mmwe we matathiso kuna dzimwe tafuli dzili mbili. 41 Ndizo wali kwakabe kuna tafuli dzili nna ku ndzibo we nkoba, kuna dzimwe dzili nna ku ndzibo mmwe we nkoba, dzose dzili zhanakadzi dzakabe dzibulayigwa zwibhayilo. 42 Kwakabe kuna dzimwe tafuli nna dzakathamiwa nge mabgwe akabezhiwa dzithamigwa zwibhayilo zwinopisiwa, imwe ne imwe yadzo yakabe ilizana mbizho dzose dzili gaswa le thambo bulefu ne bupabi. Kwakabe kubigwa pezhugwi kwadzo zwakabe zwishingisiwa kubulaya zwibhayilo zwinopisiwa ne zwimwe zwibhayilo. 43 Kwakabe kuna zwihweko zwilefu kungapa bupabi gwe tjiazha zwakanamatidziwa mu midzibo ye tafuli kupoteleka. Tafuli dzakabe dzibigwa nyama ye zwibhayilo.
Ng'umba dze bapirisiti
44 Kuzhe kwe nkoba utjemukati mu nsha utjemukati kwakabe kuna ng'umba mbili, imwe ili ku bunandzwa yakalinga ku bunandzwa, imwe ili burwa yakalinga ku burwa. 45 Nlume iwoyo kabe eti kundili, “Ng'umba yakalinga ku burwa ngeye bapirisiti banotjengeta Ng'umba ye Ndzimu, 46 ng'umba yakalinga ku bunandzwa ngeye bapirisiti banotjengeta tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo. Bapirisiti ibaba bakololo ba Zadoki iye yega pakati kwe bakololo ba Levi ungazha pejo na Yahwe kubashingila.”
Nsha utjemukati ne mbako ye Ng'umba ye Ndzimu
47 Ipapo kalizanya nsha ukalizana thambo dzili makumi mashanu ana dzili zhanakadzi bulefu ne bupabi. Tjibeso tje zwibhayilo tjakabe tjili mbeli kwe Ng'umba ye Ndzimu. 48 Kandiyisa ku nkoto we Ng'umba ye Ndzimu ngono kalizanya makuma anothubukanya mikoto kalizana thambo dzili zhanakadzi bulefu ne bupabi, makuma anothubukanya mikoto akalizana thambo dzili thatu. 49 Nkoto wakabe ulizana thambo dzili gumi lina thambo ina gaswa bulefu, bupabi guli thambo dzili zhanakadzi. Kwakabe kuna matathiso anotathila kuuli, kuna phanda ku ndzibo mmwe ne mmwe we makuma akabe ethubukanya mikoto.
Ezekiel Sees the Future Temple in Jerusalem
1-2 Twenty-five years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, and 14 years after the Babylonians had captured Jerusalem, the Lord's power took control of me on the tenth day of the first month. The Lord showed me some visions in which I was carried to the top of a high mountain in Jerusalem. I looked to the south and saw what looked like a city full of buildings. 3 In my vision the Lord took me closer, and I saw a man who was sparkling like polished bronze. He was standing near one of the gates and was holding a tape measure in one hand and a measuring stick in the other. 4 The man said, “Ezekiel, son of man, pay close attention to everything I'm going to show you—that's why you've been brought here. Listen carefully, because you must tell the people of Israel what you see.”
The East Gate
5 The first thing I saw was an outer wall that completely surrounded the temple area. The man took his measuring stick, which was three meters long, and measured the wall; it was three meters high and three meters thick. 6-7 Then he went to the east gate, where he walked up steps that led to a long passageway. On each side of this passageway were three guardrooms, which were three meters square, and they were separated by walls two and a half meters thick. The man measured the distance between the opening of the gate and the first guardroom, and it was three meters, the thickness of the outer wall.
At the far end of this passageway, I saw an entrance room that faced the courtyard of the temple itself. There was also a distance of three meters between the last guardroom and the entrance room 8-9 at the end of the passageway. The man measured this room: It was four meters from the doorway to the opposite wall, and the distance from the doorway to the wall on either side was one meter. 10 The three guardrooms on each side of the passageway were the same size, and the walls that separated them were the same thickness.
11 Next, the man measured the width of the passageway, and it was six and a half meters, but the two doors of the gate were only five meters wide. 12 In front of the guardrooms, which were three meters square, was a railing about 50 centimeters high and 50 centimeters thick. 13 The man measured the distance from the back wall of one of these rooms to the same spot in the room directly across the passageway, and it was twelve and a half meters. 14 He measured the entrance room at the far end of the passageway, and it was ten meters wide. 15 Finally, he measured the total length of the passageway, from the outer wall to the entrance room, and it was 25 meters. 16 The three walls in the guardrooms had small windows in them, just like the ones in the entrance room. The walls along the passageway were decorated with carvings of palm trees.
The Outer Courtyard
17 The man then led me through the passageway and into the outer courtyard of the temple, where I saw 30 rooms built around the outside of the courtyard. These side rooms were built against the outer wall, and in front of them was a sidewalk that circled the courtyard. 18 This was known as the lower sidewalk, and it was 25 meters wide.
19 I saw the gates that led to the inner courtyard of the temple and noticed that they were higher than those leading to the outer courtyard. The man measured the distance between the outer and inner gates, and it was 50 meters.
The North Gate
20 Next, the man measured the north gate that led to the outer courtyard. 21 This gate also had three guardrooms on each side of a passageway. The measurements of these rooms, the walls between them, and the entrance room at the far end of the passageway were exactly the same as those of the east gate. The north gate was also 25 meters long and 12.5 meters wide, 22 and the windows, the entrance room, and the carvings of palm trees were just like those in the east gate. The entrance room also faced the courtyard of the temple and had seven steps leading up to it. 23 Directly across the outer courtyard was a gate that led to the inner courtyard, just as there was for the east gate. The man measured the distance between the outer and inner gate, and it was 50 meters.
The South Gate
24 The man then took me to the south gate. He measured the walls and the entrance room of this gate, and the measurements were exactly the same as those of the other two gates. 25 There were windows in the guardrooms of this gate and in the entrance room, just like the others, and this gate was also 25 meters long and 12.5 meters wide. 26 Seven steps led up to the gate; the entrance room was at the far end of the passageway and faced the courtyard of the temple. Carvings of palm trees decorated the walls along the passageway. 27 And directly across the outer courtyard was a gate on the south side of the inner courtyard. The man measured the distance between the outer and inner gate, and it was also 50 meters.
The Gates Leading to the Inner Courtyard
28 We then went into the inner courtyard, through the gate on the south side of the temple. The man measured the gate, and it was the same size as the gates in the outer wall. 29-30 In fact, everything along the passageway was also the same size, including the guardrooms, the walls separating them, the entrance room at the far end, and the windows. This gate, like the others, was 25 meters long and 12.5 meters wide. 31 The entrance room of this gate faced the outer courtyard, and carvings of palm trees decorated the walls of the passageway. Eight steps led up to this gate.
32 Next, we went through the east gate to the inner courtyard. The man measured this gate, and it was the same size as the others. 33 The guardrooms, the walls separating them, and its entrance room had the same measurements as the other gates. The guardrooms and the entrance room had windows, and the gate was 25 meters long and 12.5 meters wide. 34 The entrance room faced the outer courtyard, and the walls in the passageway were decorated with carvings of palm trees. Eight steps also led up to this gate.
35 Then the man took me to the north gate. He measured it, and it was the same size as the others, 36 including the guardrooms, the walls separating them, and the entrance room. There were also windows in this gate. It was 25 meters long and 12.5 meters wide, 37 and like the other inner gates, its entrance room faced the outer courtyard, and its walls were decorated with carvings of palm trees. Eight steps also led up to this gate.
The Rooms for Sacrificing Animals
38-39 Inside the entrance room of the north gate, I saw four tables, two on each side of the room, where the animals to be sacrificed were killed. Just outside this room was a small building used for washing the animals before they were offered as sacrifices to please the Lord or sacrifices for sin or sacrifices to make things right. 40 Four more tables were in the outer courtyard, two on each side of the steps leading into the entrance room. 41 So there was a total of eight tables, four inside and four outside, where the animals were killed, 42-43 and where the meat was placed until it was sacrificed on the altar.
Next to the tables in the entrance room were four stone tables 50 centimeters high and 75 centimeters square; the equipment used for killing the animals was kept on top of these tables. All around the walls of this room was a 75-millimeter shelf.
The Rooms Belonging to the Priests
44 The man then took me to the inner courtyard, where I saw two buildings, one beside the inner gate on the north and the other beside the inner gate on the south. 45 He said, “The building beside the north gate belongs to the priests who serve in the temple, 46 and the building beside the south gate belongs to those who serve at the altar. All of them are descendants of Zadok and are the only Levites allowed to serve as the Lord's priests.”
The Inner Courtyard and the Temple
47 Now the man measured the inner courtyard; it was 50 meters square. I also saw an altar in front of the temple.
48 We walked to the porch of the temple, and the man measured the doorway of the porch: It was seven meters long, two and a half meters wide, and the distance from the doorway to the wall on either side was one and a half meters. 49 The porch itself was ten meters by six meters, with steps leading up to it. There was a column on each side of these steps.