Ezekiel

Then he led me to a gate, the gate that faced east.

And there, coming from the east with a roar like the roar of mighty waters, was the Presence of the God of Israel, and the earth was lit up by that Presence.

The vision was like the vision I had seen when IaI Six mss. and two ancient versions read “He.” came to destroy the city, the very same vision that I had seen by the Chebar Canal. Forthwith, I fell on my face.

The Presence of GOD entered the temple by the gate that faced eastward.

A spirit carried me into the inner court, and lo, the Presence of GOD filled the temple;

and I heard speech addressed to me from the temple, though the guidebthe guide Who had been speaking for GOD (see 40.1–4. was standing beside me.

It said to me:O mortal, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people Israel forever. The House of Israel and their kings must not again defile My holy name by their apostasy and by the corpses of their kings at their death.cat their death So with a number of Heb. mss. The usual vocalization yields “their shrines.”

When they placed their threshold next to My threshold and their doorposts next to My doorposts with only a wall between Me and them,dwith only a wall between Me and them The south wall of the First Temple enclosure was also the north wall of the royal enclosure; the two communicated by the Gate of the Guard (2 Kings 11.19). Thus temple and palace could be regarded as a single dwelling (“tent”) in the sense of Num. 19.14, and the death of a king in the palace would defile the temple. Hence the zo

Therefore, let them put their apostasy and the corpses of their kings far from Me, and I will dwell among them forever.

[Now] you, O mortal, describe the temple to the House of Israel,edescribe the temple to the House of Israel In accordance with the three preceding chapters; cf. 40.4. and let them measure its design. But let them be ashamed of their iniquities:

When they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the plan of the temple and its layout, its exits and entrances—its entire plan, and all the laws and instructions pertaining to its entire plan. Write it down before their eyes, that they may faithfully follow its entire plan and all its laws.

Such are the instructions for the temple on top of the mountain: the entire area of its enclosure shall be most holy. Thus far the instructions for the temple.

fSome of the terms and details in vv. 13–17 are obscure. And these are the dimensions of the altar, in cubits where each is a cubit and a handbreadth. The trenchgtrench Lit. “bosom.” shall be a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim one span high around its edge. And the heighthheight Lit. “bulge.” shall be as follows:

From the trench in the ground to the lower ledge, which shall be a cubit wide: 2 cubits; from the lower ledge to the upperilower ledge to the upper Lit. “lesser ledge to the greater.” ledge, which shall likewise be a cubit wide: 4 cubits;

and the height of the altar hearth shall be 4 cubits, with 4 horns projecting upward from the hearth: 4 cubits.

Now the hearth shall be 12 cubits long and 12 broad, square, with 4 equal sides.

Hence, the [upper] basejbase Heb. ʻazarah, which in v. 14 means “ledge.” The altar consists of 3 blocks, each smaller than the one below it. shall be 14 cubits broad, with 4 equal sides. The surrounding rim shall be half a cubit [high],k[high] Half a cubit is identical with the one span of v. 13. and the surrounding trench shall measure one cubit. And the ramplramp Leading up to the altar; cf. Exod. 20.23. shall face east.

Then that figuremthat figure Heb. “he.” See note at v. 6. said to me: O mortal, thus said the Sovereign GOD: These are the directions for the altar on the day it is erected, so that burnt offerings may be offered up on it and blood dashed against it.

You shall give to the levitical priests who are of the stock of Zadok, and so eligible to minister to Me—declares the Sovereign GOD—a young bull of the herd for a purgation offering.

You shall take some of its blood and apply it to the four horns [of the altar],nthe four horns [of the altar] Heb. “its four horns.” to the four corners of the base, and to the surrounding rim; thus you shall purge it and perform purification upon it.

Then you shall take the bull of purgation offering and burn it in the designated areaodesignated area Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “burning place”; cf. Lev. 6.2; Isa. 33.14; Ps. 102.4 (for the word), and Lev. 4.12; 6.4 (for the place). of the temple, outside the Sanctuary.

On the following day, you shall offer a goat without blemish as a purgation offering; and the altar shall be purged [with it] just as it was purged with the bull.

When you have completed the ritual of purging, you shall offer a bull of the herd without blemish and a ram of the flock without blemish.

Offer them to GOD; let the priests throw salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to GOD.

Every day, for seven days, you shall present a goat of purgation offering, as well as a bull of the herd and a ram of the flock; youpyou Heb. “they.” shall present unblemished ones.

Seven days they shall purge the altar and purify it; thus shall it be consecrated.qthus shall it be consecrated Lit. “they shall fill its hands”; cf. note at Exod. 28.41.

And when these days are over, then from the eighth day onward the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your offerings of well-being on the altar; and I will extend My favor to you—declares the Sovereign GOD.