יחזקאל, פרק מ״ב, פסוק ט׳

The architecture of the Temple Mount was not built on a flat, even plane. Instead, the grounds formed a natural slope that steadily rose from the east toward the west, culminating at the Sanctuary. This changing elevation directly shaped how people navigated the complex and accessed its various chambers.

Because the western side stood at a higher elevation, moving eastward meant descending the mountain. The primary approach among commentators is that the area east of the chambers is described as being underneath them simply because it sat lower on the slope [רש״י, רד״ק, אברבנאל, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, an alternative perspective suggests a more literal structural feature, proposing that there were actual underground tunnels and built spaces located directly beneath the chambers themselves [רש״י, אברבנאל].

Navigating this space required a specific route for anyone approaching from the outside. While other sections were accessed from the inner courtyard, the path to these specific chambers began in the outer courtyard on the eastern side. A person entering the grounds would come through the eastern gate, arriving at the lowest point of the mountain. From there, the designated entryway guided the visitor upward, climbing the westward slope to finally reach the chambers [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].