Ezekiel 43
43
Yahweh Returns to His Temple
1 # 43:1 Ezekiel 43–44 constitutes panel B1 in the chiastic structure of the book. These chapters contain the vision of the glory cloud returning to the temple (ch. 43) followed by the promise of the renewal of worship reserved exclusively for the priestly ministry of the Zadokites (ch. 44). These chapters then serve as a striking contrasting parallel with chs. 8–11 (panel B), which record oracles of condemnation against Israel for her idolatrous worship in the temple (see chs. 8–9), leading to the departure of the glory cloud from the temple (see chs. 10–11). Note particularly the vision of the glory of Yahweh at the north gate in 8:3–5. Afterward, the shining man led me to the gate facing east. 2And behold, I saw the glory of the God of Israel storming from the east with a roar! A thunderous sound came with him like the sound of a great waterfall. # 43:2 Or “The voice of his coming was like the sound of many waters.” The Targum translates this as “His voice was like those who praise his name.” All the ground was glowing brightly, illuminated by his glorious presence. 3This vision was like the one I had seen when he # 43:3 As translated from a few Hebrew manuscripts and the Latin Vulgate. Most Hebrew manuscripts have “when I came to destroy the city.” came to destroy the city # 43:3 See chs. 8–11. and like those visions I had experienced by the River Chebar. # 43:3 See chs. 1–3. Then I fell facedown to the ground.
4The awesome glory of Yahweh entered the temple through the eastern gate. 5Then Yahweh’s Spirit lifted me into the air and set me down in the inner courtyard; and behold, I watched the glory of Yahweh like a cloud # 43:5 See Ezek. 10:3–4. fill the temple. 6While the shining man stood beside me, I heard the voice of one speaking to me from inside the temple. # 43:6 God still speaks to his people today, from inside us, his temples (see 1 Cor. 6:19). 7And he said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne, the place on which I will rest my feet, where I will live among the Israelites forever. And the people of Israel and their kings will never again drag my holy name through the mud. They will never disgrace me again by their spiritual prostitution # 43:7 That is, by their infidelity to God’s covenant in worshiping other gods. or memorials to their dead kings # 43:7 Or literally “by their corpses in their death.” Some interpret the Hebrew as referring to the deaths of Israel’s kings close to the temple area. 8or by putting their threshold beside my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between us. # 43:8 There are two ways to understand the Hebrew text. (1) The royal palace had been built right next to the southern wall of the temple compound, which meant the doorways to both buildings were shared with only a wall between the sacred compound and the living quarters of the kings. (2) “Their threshold” and “their doorposts” could refer to the entrance of shrines built in or near the temple compound to worship other gods with only a wall between what was sacred and what was blasphemous. They have defiled my holy name by their despicable practices, so in my anger I put an end to them. 9Now they must put away their unfaithfulness of worshiping other gods and put away the corpses of their kings from my presence, and I will make my home with them forever.
10“Son of man, describe this temple in detail to the people of Israel so that they will be ashamed of their despicable deeds. Let them carefully study the perfect structure of the temple. # 43:10 Or literally “and they will measure the perfection.” 11Then, if they truly express sorrow over their sins, explain to them the design and plan of the temple—its exits and entrances, its shape, its arrangement, the entire design, and all its rules for operation. Sketch it out for them so that they can observe and understand the entire plan and follow all its rules.”
The Law of the Temple
12“This is the law of the temple: the mountaintop radiates his glory, therefore, all around the Temple Mount will be a most holy area. Behold, this is the most important law of the temple.”
Description of the Altar for Burning Sacrifices
13“This is the measurement of the altar using the same unit of measurement as the rest of the temple: # 43:13 Or “these are the measurements of the altar by cubits, the cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth,” that is, a long cubit. A long cubit was approximately 21 inches (0.53 meters). It should be noted that there are differing views as to who is speaking in this subsection, Ezekiel or God. The translation team assumes that Yahweh is speaking, since he is the one speaking before and after vv. 13–17. Additionally, there are no verbs in the Hebrew text in this subsection. The base # 43:13 Or “gutter” or “trench,” presumably to catch the blood from the animals sacrificed. is one cubit high and one cubit wide, with a rim of one span # 43:13 A span was a unit of measurement that was approximately 9 inches (22 centimeters). around its edge. The altar itself is to be this high: 14from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits, # 43:14 About 3.5 feet (1.06 meters). with a width of one cubit. And from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, four cubits # 43:14 About 7 feet (2.13 meters). Also v. 15. high and one cubit wide. 15The altar hearth is to be four cubits high, with four horns projecting upward from the hearth, # 43:15 See Ex. 27:2. The Septuagint states that altar horns were “one cubit high [or long].” The altar hearth was the fireplace at the top of the altar. 16and the hearth a perfect square: twelve cubits # 43:16 About 21 feet (6.4 meters). long by twelve cubits wide. 17The ledge is also to be a square: fourteen cubits # 43:17 About 24.5 feet (7.46 meters). long and fourteen cubits wide on four sides with a rim around it of half a cubit, # 43:17 About 10.5 inches (0.27 meters). and its surrounding base one cubit. Its steps are on the east side of the altar.”
The Dedication of the Altar
18Lord Yahweh said to me, “Son of man, here are the rules you must follow when the altar # 43:18 The Hebrew word for “altar” is ariel and means “the mount of El.” is built to offer burnt offerings and to splash on it the blood of the animals they sacrifice. 19You must give a young bull to the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok. They are the ones who may come before me to serve me and offer the bull as a sacrifice for sin, declares Lord Yahweh. 20You must take some of its blood and smear it on the four horns, on the four corners of the ledge, and on its surrounding rim. In this way you will purify it and make atonement for it. # 43:20 To smear the blood on the altar would make it ritually clean and consecrated for sacred use. The Hebrew verb kipper means “to make atonement” and comes from a root meaning either “to cover” or “to wipe away.” The rest of the bull was to be burned outside the sacred area or outside the temple compound (see v. 21) or outside the camp (see Lev. 8:17; Heb. 13:11–13). 21Then take the bull offered as the sacrifice for sin and burn its carcass in the appointed place outside the sacred area. 22On the second day, you must offer an unblemished male goat as the sin offering, and the priests must purify the altar again as they did on the first day with the bull. 23When you have finished purifying the altar, you must offer a young, unblemished bull and a young, unblemished ram. 24You must present them before me, and the Zadokite priests will sprinkle salt on them # 43:24 See Lev. 2:13; Mark 9:49. and offer them as burnt offerings to me. # 43:24 The implication is that the priests were not allowed to eat any portion of it themselves. 25Each day for seven days you must sacrifice to me a young male goat, a young bull, and a young ram as a sin offering. All of them must be unblemished animals. 26In this way the altar will be purified, cleansed, and consecrated for seven days. 27When the seven days # 43:27 See 2 Peter 3:8. of consecration are over, on the eighth day and each day afterward, the priest will offer burnt offerings # 43:27 Under the sacrificial system of the law, burnt offerings were very important. They were offered twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. and communion sacrifices # 43:27 Or “peace offerings.” on the altar on behalf of the people. And I will accept you and be pleased with you. I, Lord Yahweh, have spoken.”
Currently Selected:
Ezekiel 43: TPT
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Learn More About The Passion Translation