This fact dovetails with Ezekiel’s measurements as being Solomon’s Temple each had a 500 square outer courtyard. So this means that the original Temple had a courtyard of such dimensions. The only contemporary scholar who recorded that was Ezekiel.
In this picture the Northeast corner of the outer courtyard of Solomon’s Temple is placed at the “offset”. The results of this is, the Rock (which is in the Dome of the Rock Mosque) fits smack dab in the center of the Main Temple of the model. Using any other location North or South on the Eastern Wall the Rock under the Mosque does not fit in the Main Hall of the Temple where it probably once sat. So possibly this “offset” might have served as the original NE corner of Solomon’s Temple.
Furthermore when the North East corner of Solomon’s Temple is placed at this “offset” location the Laver (Molten Sea or Brass Sea) where the priest’s wash their hands, lines up directly above the largest underground cistern #5 as noted by Charles Warren in his “Plans, Elevations, Sections for the Palestine Exploration Fund”. Possibly the Molten Sea wash basin was located directly above the long cistern #5 so that water could have been drawn directly above and into the Molten Laver. This unusual underground cistern #5 reaches both inside the inner court and to the outer court. Which means rainwater could have drained from both the inner and outer courtyards into this cistern.
The inner court inside the pillars was a 100 cubit square. In the center of the square was the altar which had stairs which faced east. The priests would march around the altar from West to East by way of the South. This kept their left hand closest to the altar at all times.
Does the “offset” have to be used? Not necessarily however if it is used as a corner this model lines up extremely close of allowing the Rock to be centered in the main tower structure.