Original Word: עֲזָרָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: `azarah
Pronunciation: ah-zah-rah
Phonetic Spelling: (az-aw-raw')
KJV: court, settle
NASB: ledge, court
Word Origin: [from H5826 (עָזַר - help) in its original meaning of surrounding]

1. an inclosure
2. also a border

court, settle

From azar in its original meaning of surrounding; an inclosure; also a border -- court, settle.

see HEBREW azar

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
probably enclosure
NASB Translation
court (3), court* (1), ledge (6).

עֲזָרָה noun feminine apparently enclosure; — absolute ׳ע:

1 ledge surrounding Ezekiel's altar; ׳הָע הַתַּחְתּוֺנָה = הַקְטַנָּה ׳הָע Ezekiel 43:14, below הַגְּדוֺלָה ׳הָע Ezekiel 43:14; ׳הָע alone Ezekiel 43:17; Ezekiel 43:20; Ezekiel 45:19 (see Commentaries).

2 outer court of temple, הַגְּדֹלָה ׳הָע2Chronicles 4:9; with doors 2 Chronicles 4:9; 2Chronicles 6:13 (see 1 חָצֵר

3. b, and on ׳ע in Herod's temple Now^{Archaeology ii. 78 f f.}).

עַזָּתִי see below עַזָּה.

Biblical Occurrences

2 Chronicles 4:9; 2 Chronicles 4:9 (repetition in the Masoretic list distinguishes the priests’ court and the great court); 2 Chronicles 6:13; Ezekiel 43:14 (three times within that verse, describing successive levels); Ezekiel 43:17; Ezekiel 43:20; Ezekiel 45:19.

Role in Solomon’s Temple

In 2 Chronicles 4:9 the word designates both “the courtyard of the priests” and “the great court,” two concentric spaces Solomon constructed around the sanctuary. These precincts created ordered stages of approach to the Holy Place, preserving the biblical pattern that worshippers draw near to God while honoring His holiness (cf. Psalm 24:3–4). The courts also facilitated the ministry of the Levites, who guarded the thresholds (1 Chronicles 23:28–32). Their bronze-overlaid doors (2 Chronicles 4:9) signified durability and purity, reminding Israel that access to God is both graciously granted and carefully guarded.

Platform for Covenant Prayer

During the temple dedication Solomon positioned a bronze platform “in the courtyard” (2 Chronicles 6:13). Standing, then kneeling upon it with hands outstretched, he led the nation in intercessory prayer. The location is striking: the king does not enter the sanctuary but prays in the court, modeling humility before the LORD and representing the people he serves. This scene illustrates how the עֲזָרָה functions as a mediating space—close enough for fellowship, yet outside the inner sanctuary that prefigures the heavenly throne room (Hebrews 9:23–24).

Ezekiel’s Visionary Altar

In Ezekiel’s temple the same term refers to the stepped ledges (“platforms” or “settles”) surrounding the altar of burnt offering:

• “From the gutter on the ground to the lower ledge, it shall be two cubits high and one cubit wide; from the smaller ledge to the larger, four cubits high and one cubit wide.” (Ezekiel 43:14)
• “The upper ledge shall also be square, fourteen cubits long by fourteen cubits wide.” (Ezekiel 43:17)

These terraces form a graduated ascent toward the hearth, allowing priests to approach the fire in prescribed order. The design echoes the graded holiness of the courts in Solomon’s complex, underlining the unchanging principle that access to God is regulated by His own revelation.

Purification of the Altar and Sanctuary

Ezekiel 43:20 commands the priest to “take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim all around; so shall you cleanse the altar and make atonement for it.” Likewise, Ezekiel 45:19 directs the priest to apply sin-offering blood “to the doorposts of the temple, to the four corners of the altar, and to the posts of the gate of the inner court.” These acts show that even the physical structures set apart for worship must be consecrated by blood, foreshadowing the ultimate cleansing accomplished by Christ (Hebrews 9:21–24).

Sanctity and Boundaries

Whether describing an outer court or an altar ledge, עֲזָרָה marks a threshold. Outside lies the common realm; inside, progressively increasing holiness. Scripture repeatedly exhibits this pattern: Garden (Genesis 2:15–17), Sinai (Exodus 19:12–24), Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple, and Ezekiel’s future house. The persistence of the concept underscores God’s immutability and the necessity of separation from sin.

Typological Significance

The graded spaces of the עֲזָרָה anticipate the believer’s access through Christ. Whereas priests alone ministered on the altar ledges, in the New Covenant all believers are “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9), invited to “draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22). Yet reverence remains essential (Hebrews 12:28–29). The physical courts and ledges thus teach both invitation and awe.

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Worship spaces today should reflect order, clarity, and reverence, mirroring the purposeful design of the biblical courts.
2. Leaders who stand before God’s people, as Solomon did on the platform, model humility and dependence on divine grace.
3. Teaching on progressive sanctification finds a visual aid in the concentric courts and ascending altar ledges, helping believers understand growth in holiness.
4. Blood-based consecration foreshadows the necessity of Christ’s sacrifice; faithful preaching should connect Old Testament ritual to the cross.

In summary, עֲזָרָה traces a line from Solomon’s earthly courts to Ezekiel’s visionary altar, consistently portraying the sacred boundary where God meets His people—an enduring reminder that holiness, access, and atonement converge in the place He appoints.

הָעֲזָרָ֔ה הָעֲזָרָ֖ה הָעֲזָרָ֤ה הָעֲזָרָה֒ העזרה וְהָעֲזָרָ֖ה וְהָעֲזָרָ֞ה וּמֵהֳעֲזָרָ֨ה והעזרה ומהעזרה לָעֲזָרָ֛ה לעזרה hā‘ăzārāh hā·‘ă·zā·rāh haazaRah lā‘ăzārāh lā·‘ă·zā·rāh laazaRah ū·mê·ho·‘ă·zā·rāh ūmêho‘ăzārāh umehoazaRah vehaazaRah wə·hā·‘ă·zā·rāh wəhā‘ăzārāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts