37. Its entry room faced into the outer courtyard, and it had palm tree decorations on the columns. There were eight steps leading to its entrance.
38. A door led from the entry room of one of the inner gateways into a side room, where the meat for sacrifices was washed.
39. On each side of this entry room were two tables, where the sacrificial animals were slaughtered for the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings.
40. Outside the entry room, on each side of the stairs going up to the north entrance, were two more tables.
41. So there were eight tables in all—four inside and four outside—where the sacrifices were cut up and prepared.
42. There were also four tables of finished stone for preparation of the burnt offerings, each 311/2 inches square and 21 inches high. On these tables were placed the butchering knives and other implements for slaughtering the sacrificial animals.
43. There were hooks, each 3 inches long, fastened all around the foyer walls. The sacrificial meat was laid on the tables.
44. Inside the inner courtyard were two rooms, one beside the north gateway, facing south, and the other beside the south gateway, facing north.
45. And the man said to me, “The room beside the north inner gate is for the priests who supervise the Temple maintenance.
46. The room beside the south inner gate is for the priests in charge of the altar—the descendants of Zadok—for they alone of all the Levites may approach the lord to minister to him.”