Description and translation
The meaning of the Hebrew word ’atuq /’atiq in EZK 41:15; EZK 41:16; EZK 42:3; EZK 42:5 is unknown. Translations of this term vary widely as follows: “walls” (RSV), “side rooms” (CEV), “galleries” (GNT, NIV), “ledges” (NJPSV), and “corridors” (REB).
The meaning of the Hebrew word ‘av in EZK 41:25; EZK 41:26 is also unknown. The same word appears as some sort of architectural feature in 1KI 7:6, where its meaning is equally obscure. Among a variety of renderings we find “covering” (GNT, CEV), “canopy” (RSV), “overhang” (NIV), and “lattice” (NJPSV).
The Hebrew adjective schif appears only in EZK 41:16 and its meaning is unknown. From the description of Solomon’s Temple in H01100600600058 we learn that many things were made of wood and then overlaid with gold. Since it was difficult to overlay stone with gold, it was sometimes the practice to cover the stone first with a thin layer of wood paneling or veneer and then overlay the wood with gold. Even though there is no mention of gold overlay in Ezekiel’s description of the future Temple, it has been suggested that such a wood veneer covered the inner stone walls and was itself overlaid with gold. A translator should not, of course, introduce gold where none is mentioned. The phrase schif‘ets has been rendered “paneled with wood” (RSV, GNT), “trimmed in wood” (CEV), “covered with wood” (NIV), “framed with wood” (REB), and “overlaid with wood” (NJPSV).
The Hebrew word migra‘ah in 1KI 6:6 describes a structural device in Solomon’s Temple. Against the outer wall of the Temple building were built smaller rooms (see tsela‘ under Room). This meant that the outer wall of the Temple building formed one wall of these smaller rooms. One end of the crossbeams (mentioned in the Aramaic Targum but not in the text of 1 Kings; see Crossbeam, rafter) was set into the outer wall of the small room, while the other end had to take its support from the outer wall of the Temple. Rather than make a hole right through the Temple wall, they made a recess or niche (or narrow ledge) in which the end of the beam sat. This supporting feature is called a migra‘ah. It has been rendered “offsets” (RSV), “recesses” (NJPSV), “ledges” (CEV), or “offset ledges” (NIV).