Original Word: הָגִין
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: hagiyn
Pronunciation: hah-GEEN
Phonetic Spelling: (haw-gheen')
KJV: directly
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]

1. perhaps suitable or turning

directly

Of uncertain derivation; perhaps suitable or turning -- directly.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
perhaps appropriate, suitable.

[הָגִין] adjective appropriate, suitable ? (compare Late Hebrew Aramaic, above) — הַגְּדֶרֶת הֲגִינָה Ezekiel 42:12 the corresponding (?) wall, Ke; otherwise Vrss (ᵐ5 καλάμου, ᵑ9 separatum, etc.); Thes connects הגין with preceding דֶּרֶךְ, 'aptus, idoneus (de via),' AV RV 'the way directly before the wall;' in neither connection does it give good sense, and the text is doubtless wrong compare Sm Da.; Co conjecture החצר החיצונה the outer court.

הגר (√ of following; ?compare Arabic forsake, retire; emigration, Hegira).

Meaning and Context

הָגִין appears only once in Scripture, in Ezekiel 42:12, within the prophet’s vision of the future temple. The Berean Standard Bible renders the word as “passage,” describing a corridor or walkway that gave regulated access to a suite of priestly chambers: “Corresponding to the openings of the chambers that faced south was an entrance at the beginning of the passage, the passage beside the corresponding wall on the east as one enters.” The term therefore relates to built space specifically designed to facilitate movement while maintaining the ordered separation of holy precincts.

Architectural Significance in Ezekiel’s Vision

Ezekiel chapters 40–48 contain the most detailed temple blueprint in the Old Testament. Every dimension, gate, stair, and wall is recorded, underscoring divine precision (Ezekiel 43:10-11). Within that setting, הָגִין marks an interior transit space linking south-facing chambers to an eastern approach. Those chambers served the priests who “draw near to the LORD to minister to Him” (Ezekiel 44:15), so the passage protected the sanctity of their movements, preventing casual or unauthorized entry (compare 2 Chronicles 26:16-21 for the danger of violating sacred boundaries). The single use of הָגִין thus highlights the care devoted to even minor architectural details in the service of holiness.

Theological and Symbolic Implications

1. Order and Holiness: By specifying a dedicated corridor, God models an orderly approach to worship. Holiness is safeguarded not by human invention but by divine design (Leviticus 10:3).
2. Access and Mediation: The passage allowed priests to pass from their chambers toward ministry areas without mingling with common traffic. It pictures the need for a consecrated way of access to God, later fulfilled perfectly in Jesus Christ, who declared, “I am the way” (John 14:6).
3. Hope for Restoration: Ezekiel delivered this vision to exiles yearning for return (Ezekiel 40:1-4). The meticulous inclusion of a modest corridor assures the people that the Lord was restoring not only national fortunes but every detail of worship life.

Connections with Broader Biblical Themes

• “Way” imagery saturates Scripture. Isaiah foresaw “the Way of Holiness” (Isaiah 35:8). Psalm 24 asks, “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?”—requiring clean hands and a pure heart. Ezekiel’s passage contributes to that motif by demonstrating a physical “way” that preserves purity.
• The New Testament develops the concept of structured access in Christ: “For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit” (Ephesians 2:18). The careful temple corridor anticipates that greater access bought by the Savior’s blood (Hebrews 10:19-22).

Historical Reflections

Second-Temple Judaism never reproduced Ezekiel’s exact plan, yet his description influenced later temple-mount architecture and rabbinic discussion of sacred space. Early Christian writers, seeing the entire vision as typological, drew parallels between Ezekiel’s temple and the Church (for example, in the Epistle of Barnabas 16). The lone word הָגִין became part of that broader conversation about God-ordained order in worship.

Ministry Applications

• Maintain God’s pattern: Local congregations should craft worship spaces and practices that reflect reverence, not casualness (1 Corinthians 14:40).
• Guard holy service: Leaders must protect devotional life from distractions, just as the priests’ passage kept their ministry route uncluttered (Acts 6:4).
• Teach access through Christ: Every structural element in Ezekiel’s temple can point people to the ultimate “new and living way” (Hebrews 10:20), encouraging both boldness and humility before God.

Summary

Though הָגִין surfaces only once, it stands as a witness to the Lord’s meticulous concern for holiness, order, and access in worship. The corridor in Ezekiel’s visionary temple both served immediate priestly needs and foreshadowed the perfect, divinely appointed way into God’s presence fulfilled in Jesus Christ and experienced by His people today.

הֲגִינָ֔ה הגינה hă·ḡî·nāh hagiNah hăḡînāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts