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The Temple, the Lord’s Dwelling Place

43 Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate (A)that faces toward the east. (B)And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. (C)His voice was like the sound of many waters; (D)and the earth shone with His glory. It was (E)like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when [a]I came (F)to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw (G)by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. (H)And the glory of the Lord came into the [b]temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. (I)The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, (J)the glory of the Lord filled the [c]temple.

Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while (K)a man stood beside me. And He said to me, “Son of man, this is (L)the place of My throne and (M)the place of the soles of My feet, (N)where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. (O)No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their [d]harlotry or with (P)the carcasses of their kings on their high places. (Q)When they set their threshold by My threshold, and their doorpost by My doorpost, with a wall between them and Me, they defiled My holy name by the abominations which they committed; therefore I have consumed them in My anger. Now let them put their harlotry and the carcasses of their kings far away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever.

10 “Son of man, (R)describe the [e]temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the [f]temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its (S)ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and (T)perform them. 12 This is the law of the [g]temple: The whole area surrounding (U)the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.

Dimensions of the Altar

13 “These are the measurements of the (V)altar in cubits (W)(the [h]cubit is one cubit and a handbreadth): the base one cubit high and one cubit wide, with a rim all around its edge of one span. This is the height of the altar: 14 from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits; the width of the ledge, one cubit; from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, four cubits; and the width of the ledge, one cubit. 15 The altar hearth is four cubits high, with four (X)horns extending upward from the [i]hearth. 16 The altar hearth is twelve cubits long, twelve wide, (Y)square at its four corners; 17 the ledge, fourteen cubits long and fourteen wide on its four sides, with a rim of half a cubit around it; its base, one cubit all around; and (Z)its steps face toward the east.”

Consecrating the Altar

18 And He said to me, “Son of man, thus says the Lord God: ‘These are the ordinances for the altar on the day when it is made, for sacrificing (AA)burnt offerings on it, and for (AB)sprinkling blood on it. 19 You shall give (AC)a young bull for a sin offering to (AD)the priests, the Levites, who are of the seed of (AE)Zadok, who approach Me to minister to Me,’ says the Lord God. 20 ‘You shall 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 around it; thus you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it. 21 Then you shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and (AF)burn it in the appointed place of the [j]temple, (AG)outside the sanctuary. 22 On the second day you shall offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they cleansed it with the bull. 23 When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without blemish, and a ram from the flock without blemish. 24 When you offer them before the Lord, (AH)the priests shall throw salt on them, and they will offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord. 25 Every day for (AI)seven days you shall prepare a goat for a sin offering; they shall also prepare a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without blemish. 26 Seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it, and so [k]consecrate [l]it. 27 (AJ)When these days are over it shall be, on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar; and I will (AK)accept you,’ says the Lord God.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 43:3 Some Heb. mss., Vg. He
  2. Ezekiel 43:4 Lit. house
  3. Ezekiel 43:5 Lit. house
  4. Ezekiel 43:7 Unfaithful idolatry
  5. Ezekiel 43:10 Lit. house
  6. Ezekiel 43:11 Lit. house
  7. Ezekiel 43:12 Lit. house
  8. Ezekiel 43:13 A royal cubit of about 21 inches
  9. Ezekiel 43:15 Heb. ariel
  10. Ezekiel 43:21 Lit. house
  11. Ezekiel 43:26 Lit. fill its hands
  12. Ezekiel 43:26 LXX, Syr. themselves

Vision of the Glory of God Filling the Temple

43 Then he led me to the (A)gate, the gate facing east; and behold, the (B)glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the (C)east. And His (D)voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth (E)shone from His glory. And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the (F)vision which I saw when [a]He came to (G)destroy the city. And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the (H)river Chebar; and I (I)fell on my face. And the glory of the Lord entered the house by way of the gate facing (J)east. And the (K)Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner courtyard; and behold, the (L)glory of the Lord filled the house.

Then I heard Him speaking to me from the house, while a (M)man was standing beside me. And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My (N)throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will (O)dwell among the sons of Israel forever. And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their prostitution and by the [b](P)corpses of their kings [c]when they die, by putting their threshold by My threshold, and their door post beside My door post, with only the wall between Me and them. And they have (Q)defiled My holy name by their abominations which they have committed. So I have consumed them in My anger. Now let them (R)remove their prostitution and the [d]corpses of their kings far from Me, and I will (S)dwell among them forever.

10 “As for you, son of man, (T)inform the house of Israel of the [e]temple, so that they will be (U)ashamed of their wrongdoings; and have them measure the [f](V)plan. 11 And if they are ashamed of everything that they have done, make known to them the plan of the house, its layout, its (W)exits, its entrances, all its plans, all its [g]statutes, and all its laws. And write it (X)in their sight, so that they may observe its entire plan and all its statutes and (Y)execute them. 12 This is the [h]law of the house: its entire [i]area on the top of the (Z)mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the [j]law of the house.

The Altar of Sacrifice

13 “And these are the measurements of the (AA)altar by cubits (the (AB)cubit being a [k]cubit and a hand width): the [l]base shall be a cubit and the width a cubit, and its border on its edge all around one span; and this shall be the height of the [m]base of the altar. 14 And from the base on the ground to the lower (AC)ledge shall be two cubits, and the width one cubit; and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge shall be four cubits, and the width [n]one cubit. 15 The [o]altar hearth shall be four cubits; and from the [p]altar hearth shall extend upward four (AD)horns. 16 Now the [q]altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve wide, (AE)square in its four sides. 17 And the ledge shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen wide in its four sides, the border around it shall be half a cubit, and its base shall be a cubit all around; and its (AF)steps shall [r](AG)face east.”

The Offerings

18 And He said to me, “(AH)Son of man, this is what the Lord [s]God says: ‘These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is built, to offer (AI)burnt offerings on it and to (AJ)sprinkle blood on it. 19 You shall give to the Levitical priests who are from the descendants of (AK)Zadok, who come (AL)near to Me to serve Me,’ declares the Lord God, ‘a [t](AM)bull as a (AN)sin offering. 20 And you shall take some of its blood and put it on its four (AO)horns and on the four corners of the (AP)ledge, and on the border all around; so you shall (AQ)cleanse it and make atonement for it. 21 You shall also take the bull as the sin offering, and it shall be (AR)burned in the appointed place of the house, outside the sanctuary.

22 ‘And on the second day you shall offer a (AS)male goat without blemish as a sin offering, and they shall (AT)cleanse the altar from sin as they cleansed it with the bull. 23 When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a [u](AU)bull without blemish and a (AV)ram without blemish from the flock. 24 You shall offer them before the Lord, and the priests shall throw (AW)salt on them, and they shall offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord. 25 (AX)For seven days you shall prepare a goat as a sin offering daily; also a [v]bull and a ram from the flock, both without blemish, shall be prepared. 26 For seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it; so shall they [w]consecrate it. 27 When they have completed the days, it shall be that on the (AY)eighth day and onward, the priests shall [x]offer your burnt offerings on the altar, and your (AZ)peace offerings; and I will (BA)accept you,’ declares the Lord God.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 43:3 As in some mss and some ancient versions; MT I
  2. Ezekiel 43:7 Or monuments as in Ugaritic
  3. Ezekiel 43:7 Lit in their death; MT on their high places
  4. Ezekiel 43:9 Or monuments as in Ugaritic
  5. Ezekiel 43:10 Lit house
  6. Ezekiel 43:10 Or perfection; or pattern
  7. Ezekiel 43:11 MT repeats and all its plans after statutes
  8. Ezekiel 43:12 Or instruction for
  9. Ezekiel 43:12 Lit border
  10. Ezekiel 43:12 Or instruction for
  11. Ezekiel 43:13 A cubit and hand width equals about 21 in. or 53 cm
  12. Ezekiel 43:13 Lit lap
  13. Ezekiel 43:13 Or back
  14. Ezekiel 43:14 Lit the
  15. Ezekiel 43:15 Or ariel shall
  16. Ezekiel 43:15 Or ariel shall
  17. Ezekiel 43:16 Heb ariel
  18. Ezekiel 43:17 Or be on the east side
  19. Ezekiel 43:18 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  20. Ezekiel 43:19 Or young bull
  21. Ezekiel 43:23 Or young bull
  22. Ezekiel 43:25 Or young bull
  23. Ezekiel 43:26 Lit fill its hands
  24. Ezekiel 43:27 Lit make

Vision of the Glory of God Filling the Temple

43 Then he (the angel) led me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. And behold, the glory and brilliance of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east; and His voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory.(A) And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision I saw when He came to destroy the city. And the visions were like the vision I saw beside the River Chebar [near Babylon]; and I fell face downward.(B) And the glory and brilliance of the Lord entered the [a]temple by way of the gate facing toward the east. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner courtyard; and behold, the glory and brilliance of the Lord filled the temple.

And I heard One speaking to me from the temple, while a man was standing beside me. And He [the Lord] said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the sons (descendants) of Israel forever. And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their [idolatrous] prostitution and by the corpses and monuments of their kings in their graves, by setting their threshold by My threshold and their doorpost beside My doorpost, with [only] the wall between Me and them. They have defiled and desecrated My holy name by the vile atrocities which they have committed. So I have consumed them in My anger. Now let them put far away from Me their [idolatrous] prostitution and the corpses and monuments of their kings, and I will dwell in their midst forever.

10 “As for you, son of man, [b]describe the temple to the house of Israel, so that they will be ashamed of their sins; and let them measure its plan [in detail]. 11 If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple (house), its layout, its exits, its entrances, all its designs, all its statutes, and all its laws. And write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its statutes and do them. 12 This is the law of the temple: Its entire [c]area all around on the top of the mountain [d](Mount Moriah) shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.

The Altar of Sacrifice

13 “And these are the measurements of the altar [of burnt offering] in cubits (the cubit being a [long] cubit [the length of a forearm] and a hand width): the [e]base shall be a cubit [long] and a cubit wide, with its border on its edge all around it of a span [in width]. And this shall be the height of the [f]base of the altar. 14 From the base on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits and the width one cubit; and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge shall be four cubits and the width one cubit. 15 The altar hearth shall be four cubits high, and from the altar hearth shall extend upwards four horns [one from each corner, each one cubit high]. 16 Now the altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve wide, square in its four sides. 17 The ledge shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen wide on its four sides, and the border around it shall be half a cubit; and its base shall be a cubit all around, and its steps shall face the east.”(C)

The Offerings

18 And He [the Lord] said to me, “Son of man, thus says the Lord God, ‘These are the statutes and regulations for [the use of] the altar on the day that it is built, to offer burnt offerings on it and to sprinkle blood on it. 19 You shall give to the priests, the Levites who are from the descendants of Zadok, who are close to Me to minister to Me,’ says the Lord God, ‘a young bull for a sin offering [as a memorial to Christ’s sacrifice]. 20 And you shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns [of the altar of burnt offering] and on the four corners of the ledge and on the border all around; thus you shall cleanse it (from sin) and make atonement for it. 21 You shall also take the bull for the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of the temple, outside the sanctuary.(D)

22 ‘On the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering, and they shall cleanse the altar as they cleansed it with the bull. 23 When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without blemish and a ram from the flock without blemish. 24 You shall present them before the Lord, and the priests shall throw salt on them, and they shall offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord. 25 For seven days you shall prepare daily a goat for a sin offering; also a young bull and a ram from the flock, without blemish, shall be prepared. 26 For seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it; so the priests shall consecrate it [to receive offerings].(E) 27 When they have completed these days, on the eighth day and from then onward, the priests shall offer your burnt offerings on the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you,’ says the Lord God.”(F)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 43:4 Lit house.
  2. Ezekiel 43:10 Lit inform about.
  3. Ezekiel 43:12 Lit boundary.
  4. Ezekiel 43:12 Moriah is identified in Gen 22:2 as the region where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac, and is identified in 2 Chr 3:1 as the site of the temple built by Solomon.
  5. Ezekiel 43:13 Lit lap. The metric and architectural terminology corresponds to human physiology. While this is natural enough for an ancient culture, it also serves at least three purposes: 1) it ensures that the scale of the structures will be practical for human occupation; 2) it communicates across cultures; and 3) terms like “shoulder” and “lap” indicate something of the shape and/or purpose of the item, such as the task of load-bearing.
  6. Ezekiel 43:13 Lit back.

God’s Glory Returns to the Temple

43 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east,(A) and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters,(B) and the land was radiant with his glory.(C) The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he[a] came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. The glory(D) of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east.(E) Then the Spirit(F) lifted me up(G) and brought me into the inner court, and the glory(H) of the Lord filled the temple.(I)

While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne(J) and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The people of Israel will never again defile(K) my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the funeral offerings[b] for their kings at their death.[c](L) When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them forever.(M)

10 “Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed(N) of their sins. Let them consider its perfection, 11 and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations[d] and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.(O)

12 “This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area(P) on top of the mountain will be most holy.(Q) Such is the law of the temple.

The Great Altar Restored

13 “These are the measurements of the altar(R) in long cubits,[e] that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span[f] around the edge. And this is the height of the altar: 14 From the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge that goes around the altar it is two cubits high, and the ledge is a cubit wide.[g] From this lower ledge to the upper ledge that goes around the altar it is four cubits high, and that ledge is also a cubit wide.[h] 15 Above that, the altar hearth(S) is four cubits high, and four horns(T) project upward from the hearth. 16 The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits[i] long and twelve cubits wide.(U) 17 The upper ledge(V) also is square, fourteen cubits[j] long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit.[k] The steps(W) of the altar face east.(X)

18 Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings(Y) and splashing blood(Z) against the altar when it is built: 19 You are to give a young bull(AA) as a sin offering[l] to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok,(AB) who come near(AC) to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. 20 You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar(AD) and on the four corners of the upper ledge(AE) and all around the rim, and so purify the altar(AF) and make atonement for it. 21 You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.(AG)

22 “On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. 23 When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.(AH) 24 You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt(AI) on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

25 “For seven days(AJ) you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.(AK) 26 For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. 27 At the end of these days, from the eighth day(AL) on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings(AM) and fellowship offerings(AN) on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 43:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts I
  2. Ezekiel 43:7 Or the memorial monuments; also in verse 9
  3. Ezekiel 43:7 Or their high places
  4. Ezekiel 43:11 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts regulations and its whole design
  5. Ezekiel 43:13 That is, about 21 inches or about 53 centimeters; also in verses 14 and 17. The long cubit is the basic unit for linear measurement throughout Ezekiel 40–48.
  6. Ezekiel 43:13 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  7. Ezekiel 43:14 That is, about 3 1/2 feet high and 1 3/4 feet wide or about 105 centimeters high and 53 centimeters wide
  8. Ezekiel 43:14 That is, about 7 feet high and 1 3/4 feet wide or about 2.1 meters high and 53 centimeters wide
  9. Ezekiel 43:16 That is, about 21 feet or about 6.4 meters
  10. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 25 feet or about 7.4 meters
  11. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  12. Ezekiel 43:19 Or purification offering; also in verses 21, 22 and 25

43 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:

And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.

So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.

And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.

And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.

In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.

Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

10 Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.

11 And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.

12 This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.

13 And these are the measures of the altar after the cubits: The cubit is a cubit and an hand breadth; even the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about shall be a span: and this shall be the higher place of the altar.

14 And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser settle even to the greater settle shall be four cubits, and the breadth one cubit.

15 So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.

16 And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof.

17 And the settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about; and his stairs shall look toward the east.

18 And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord God; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.

19 And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord God, a young bullock for a sin offering.

20 And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.

21 Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.

22 And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock.

23 When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.

24 And thou shalt offer them before the Lord, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the Lord.

25 Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.

26 Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.

27 And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord God.