Chambers at the Side of the Inner Gates
40:44-46

• In the Septuagint (LXX), verse 44 mentions only two chambers in the Inner Court. Both are behind the north and south gates. The northern gate chamber faces south while the southern gate chamber faces to the north.
• Verse 45 says that the (north) chamber facing south is for the priests who are the keepers of "the house."
• Verse 46 says that the (south) chamber which faces to the north is for the keepers of the altar. Both chambers are for the use of the priests who serve the inner sanctum. The chambers are also store chambers.
• The Soncino books of the Bible, following Jewish commentary and the Targum, read the word singer as the guard. Perhaps the reading is intended in the sense that the priests are "guardians" for this house and for the altar. The LXX makes no reference to "singers." But for the first temple King David obviously made arrangements for both instrumental and vocal music, and places for the service of the singers.
• Compare this drawing with Diagram C, A Surrounding Court. ...IF the three gate houses of the Inner Court do indeed also have surrounding courts like the gate houses for the Outer Court), there is very little site space remaining for the location of any chambers at the side of the two gates, -- as the King James Authorized Version states.
  ...But, IF each chamber is behind the respective gate houses, (as the LXX implies, i.e., to the west of the gate houses leading to the altar court) the A.V. text is supposed then in agreement.