Then he led me out into the inner court: The connector Then (literally “And”) introduces the next event. The angelic figure continued to guide Ezekiel around the Temple compound. Then may be translated “Next” or “After that” (compare Contemporary English Version “After the man and I left the temple”). For Ezekiel’s angelic guide, see 40.3. Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint by saying the man led Ezekiel into the inner court. The Hebrew clearly says “into the outer courtyard” (Good News Translation). Translators should not follow Revised Standard Version here. It is not clear exactly where Ezekiel was before the man took him into the outer courtyard. In the previous chapter the man took Ezekiel into the sanctuary of the Temple (see 41.1), but he may have come out again to describe the building at the back of the Temple and some external features of the building (see 41.12-15a). However, at the end of chapter 41 it appears that Ezekiel was standing somewhere in or near the front porch of the Temple (see 41.25-26). For “the outer courtyard,” see 40.17.

Toward the north: Ezekiel and the man presumably went out through the north gateway of the inner courtyard into the outer courtyard. New Living Translation expresses this clearly by beginning this verse with “Then the man led me out of the Temple courtyard by way of the north gateway. We entered the outer courtyard.”

And he brought me to the chambers which were opposite the temple yard and opposite the building on the north: There is no significant difference in the meaning of the Hebrew expressions rendered led me out (literally “caused me to go”) and brought me (literally “caused me to come”). Translators should use the most natural expression in their language (see the comments on 40.17). Chambers renders a singular noun in Hebrew, which has a collective sense here, referring to a “set of rooms” (Contemporary English Version), “group of rooms” (New Living Translation), “[block of] rooms” (Complete Jewish Bible). It was a “building” (Good News Translation) with rooms in it. This building stood opposite the temple yard, that is, next to the restricted area at the back of the Temple itself (see 41.9-10), and opposite the building, that is, close to the west building at the back of the Temple (see 41.12). On the north refers to the position of the block of rooms in relation to the west building and the restricted area, that is, the block of rooms were on the north side of the restricted area and the west building.

A model for this verse is:

• Next he [or, the man] led me out [of the Temple porch] through the north [gateway] into the outer courtyard, and we-two stopped by a block of rooms. These rooms faced the building and the restricted space [at the back of the Temple]. They were on the north side of that building.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .