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41 And he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the [a]tabernacle. And the breadth of the entrance was ten cubits; and the [b]sides of the entrance were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits, and the breadth, twenty cubits. Then went he inward, and measured each post of the entrance, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits; and the breadth of the entrance, seven cubits. And he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits, and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place.

Then he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side-chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side. And the side-chambers were in three stories, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which belonged to the house for the side-chambers round about, that they might have hold therein, and not have hold in the wall of the house. And [c]the side-chambers were broader as they encompassed the house higher and higher; for the encompassing of the house went higher and higher round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house continued upward; and so one went up from the lowest chamber to the highest by the middle chamber. I saw also [d]that the house had [e]a raised basement round about: the foundations of the side-chambers were a full reed [f]of six great cubits. The thickness of the wall, which was for the side-chambers, on the outside, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side-chambers that belonged to the house. 10 And between the chambers was a breadth of twenty cubits round about the house on every side. 11 And the doors of the side-chambers were toward the place that was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south: and the breadth of the place that was left was five cubits round about.

12 And the building that was before the separate place at the side toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick round about, and the length thereof ninety cubits. 13 So he measured the house, a hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, a hundred cubits long; 14 also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, a hundred cubits.

15 And he measured the length of the building before the separate place which was at the back thereof, and the galleries thereof on the one side and on the other side, a hundred cubits; and the inner temple, and the porches of the court; 16 the thresholds, and the closed windows, and the galleries round about on their three stories, over against the threshold, ceiled with wood round about, and from the ground up to the windows (now the windows were covered), 17 to the space above the door, even unto the inner house, and without, and by all the wall round about within and without, [g]by measure. 18 And it was made with cherubim and palm-trees; and a palm-tree was between cherub and cherub, and every cherub had two faces; 19 so that there was the face of a man toward the palm-tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm-tree on the other side. Thus was it made through all the house round about: 20 from the ground unto above the door were cherubim and palm-trees made; [h]thus was the wall of the temple.

21 As for the temple, the door-posts were squared; and as for the face of the sanctuary, the appearance thereof was [i]as the appearance of the temple. 22 The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and [j]the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before Jehovah. 23 And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors. 24 And the doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves: two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other. 25 And there were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubim and palm-trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there was a threshold of wood [k]upon the face of the porch without. 26 And there were closed windows and palm-trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the porch: thus were the side-chambers of the house, and the thresholds.

42 Then he brought me forth into the outer court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was over against the building toward the north. Before the length of a hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits. Over against the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and over against the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery [l]in the third story. And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits’ breadth inward, a way of [m]one cubit; and their doors were toward the north. Now the upper chambers were shorter; for the galleries took away from these, more than from the lower and the middlemost, in the building. For they were in three stories, and they had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the uppermost was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground. And the [n]wall that was without by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court before the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits. For the length of the chambers that were in the outer court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were a hundred cubits. And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the outer court.

10 In the thickness of the [o]wall of the court toward the east, before the separate place, and before the building, there were chambers. 11 And the way before them was like the appearance of the way of the chambers which were toward the north; [p]according to their length so was their breadth: and all their egresses were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors. 12 And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door at the head of the way, even the way directly before the [q]wall toward the east, as one entereth into them.

13 Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they are the holy chambers, where the priests that are near unto Jehovah shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meal-offering, and the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering; for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter in, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy: and they shall put on other garments, and shall approach to that which pertaineth to the people.

15 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about. 16 He measured on the east [r]side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. 17 He measured on the north [s]side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about. 18 He measured on the south [t]side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. 19 He turned about to the west [u]side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. 20 He measured it [v]on the four sides: it had a wall round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.

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 the sound 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 Jehovah came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. And the Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house.

And I heard one speaking unto me out of the house; and a man stood by me. And he said unto 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 children of Israel for ever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, and by the dead bodies of their kings [w]in their high places; in their setting of their threshold by my threshold, and their door-post beside my door-post, and there was but the wall between me and them; and they have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger. Now let them put away their whoredom, and the dead bodies of their kings, far from me; and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

10 Thou, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the [x]pattern. 11 And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, make known unto them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the egresses thereof, and the entrances 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 by cubits (the cubit is a cubit and a handbreadth): the [y]bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about a span; and this shall be the [z]base of the altar. 14 And from the bottom [aa]upon the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser ledge to the greater ledge shall be four cubits, and the breadth a cubit. 15 And the [ab]upper altar shall be four cubits; and from the [ac]altar hearth and upward there shall be four horns. 16 And the altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve broad, square in the four sides thereof. 17 And the ledge shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen broad in the four sides thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit round about; and the steps thereof shall look toward the east.

18 And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: 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 Thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that are of the seed of Zadok, who are near unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord Jehovah, a young bullock for a sin-offering. 20 And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the ledge, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse it and make atonement for it. 21 Thou shalt also take the bullock of the sin-offering, and it shall be burnt in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary. 22 And on the second day thou shalt offer a he-goat 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 bring them near before Jehovah, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah. 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 make atonement for the altar and purify it; so shall they [ad]consecrate it. 27 And when they have accomplished the days, it shall be that upon the eighth day, and forward, the priests shall make your burnt-offerings upon the altar, and your peace-offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord Jehovah.

44 Then he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. And Jehovah said unto me, This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, neither shall any man enter in by it; for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it; therefore it shall be shut. As for the prince, he shall sit therein as prince to eat bread before Jehovah; he shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.

Then he brought me by the way of the north gate before the house; and I looked, and, behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah: and I fell upon my face. And Jehovah said unto me, Son of man, [ae]mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of Jehovah, and all the laws thereof; and [af]mark well the entrance of the house, with every egress of the sanctuary. And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations, in that ye have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to profane it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant, [ag]to add unto all your abominations. And ye have not kept the charge of my holy things; but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.

Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any foreigners that are among the children of Israel. 10 But the Levites that went far from me, when Israel went astray, that went astray from me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity. 11 Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the house, and ministering in the house: they shall slay the burnt-offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. 12 Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and became a stumblingblock of iniquity unto the house of Israel; therefore have I lifted up my hand against them, saith the Lord Jehovah, and they shall bear their iniquity. 13 And they shall not come near unto me, to execute the office of priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, unto the things that are most holy; but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed. 14 Yet will I make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein.

15 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me; and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord Jehovah: 16 they shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge. 17 And it shall be that, when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, while they minister in the gates of the inner court, and [ah]within. 18 They shall have linen tires upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything that causeth sweat. 19 And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they minister, and lay them in the holy chambers; and they shall put on other garments, that they sanctify not the people with their garments. 20 Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only cut off the hair of their heads. 21 Neither shall any of the priests drink wine, when they enter into the inner court. 22 Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away; but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that is the widow of a priest. 23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 24 And in a controversy they shall stand to judge; according to mine ordinances shall they judge it: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts; and they shall hallow my sabbaths. 25 And they shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves. 26 And after he is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days. 27 And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin-offering, saith the Lord Jehovah.

28 And they shall have an inheritance: I am their inheritance; and ye shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession. 29 They shall eat the meal-offering, and the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30 And the first of all the first-fruits of every thing, and every [ai]oblation of everything, of all your oblations, shall be for the priest: ye shall also give unto the priests the first of your [aj]dough, to cause a blessing to rest on thy house. 31 The priests shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself, or is torn, whether it be bird or beast.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 41:1 Hebrew tent. See Ex. 26:22–25.
  2. Ezekiel 41:2 Hebrew shoulders.
  3. Ezekiel 41:7 Or, there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side-chambers; for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house
  4. Ezekiel 41:8 Or, that the house was high round about
  5. Ezekiel 41:8 Hebrew height.
  6. Ezekiel 41:8 Or, of six cubits to the joining
  7. Ezekiel 41:17 Hebrew measures.
  8. Ezekiel 41:20 Another reading is, And as for the wall of the temple, the door-posts were squared.
  9. Ezekiel 41:21 Or, as the former appearance
  10. Ezekiel 41:22 Or, it had its corners; and etc.
  11. Ezekiel 41:25 Or, before the porch
  12. Ezekiel 42:3 Or, in three stories
  13. Ezekiel 42:4 According to Septuagint and Syriac, a hundred cubits.
  14. Ezekiel 42:7 Or, fence
  15. Ezekiel 42:10 Or, fence
  16. Ezekiel 42:11 Or, they were as long as they, and as broad as they
  17. Ezekiel 42:12 Or, fence
  18. Ezekiel 42:16 Hebrew wind.
  19. Ezekiel 42:17 Hebrew wind.
  20. Ezekiel 42:18 Hebrew wind.
  21. Ezekiel 42:19 Hebrew wind.
  22. Ezekiel 42:20 Hebrew toward the four winds.
  23. Ezekiel 43:7 Or, according to another reading, in their death
  24. Ezekiel 43:10 Or, sum
  25. Ezekiel 43:13 Or, hollow. Hebrew bosom.
  26. Ezekiel 43:13 Hebrew back.
  27. Ezekiel 43:14 Or, at
  28. Ezekiel 43:15 Hebrew Harel.
  29. Ezekiel 43:15 Hebrew Ariel. See Isa. 29:1.
  30. Ezekiel 43:26 Hebrew fill the hands thereof. See Ex. 29:24.
  31. Ezekiel 44:5 Hebrew set thy heart upon.
  32. Ezekiel 44:5 Hebrew set thy heart upon.
  33. Ezekiel 44:7 Or, in all
  34. Ezekiel 44:17 Or, in the house
  35. Ezekiel 44:30 Or, heave-offering
  36. Ezekiel 44:30 Or, coarse meal

41 Then the man brought me to the main hall(A) and measured the jambs; the width of the jambs was six cubits[a] on each side.[b] The entrance was ten cubits[c] wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were five cubits[d] wide. He also measured the main hall; it was forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide.[e](B)

Then he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance; each was two cubits[f] wide. The entrance was six cubits wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were seven cubits[g] wide. And he measured the length of the inner sanctuary; it was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits across the end of the main hall.(C) He said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.(D)

Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was six cubits thick, and each side room around the temple was four cubits[h] wide. The side rooms were on three levels, one above another, thirty(E) on each level. There were ledges all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports were not inserted into the wall of the temple.(F) The side rooms all around the temple were wider at each successive level. The structure surrounding the temple was built in ascending stages, so that the rooms widened as one went upward. A stairway(G) went up from the lowest floor to the top floor through the middle floor.

I saw that the temple had a raised base all around it, forming the foundation of the side rooms. It was the length of the rod, six long cubits. The outer wall of the side rooms was five cubits thick. The open area between the side rooms of the temple 10 and the priests’ rooms was twenty cubits wide all around the temple. 11 There were entrances to the side rooms from the open area, one on the north and another on the south; and the base adjoining the open area was five cubits wide all around.

12 The building facing the temple courtyard on the west side was seventy cubits[i] wide. The wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length was ninety cubits.[j]

13 Then he measured the temple; it was a hundred cubits[k] long, and the temple courtyard and the building with its walls were also a hundred cubits long. 14 The width of the temple courtyard on the east, including the front of the temple, was a hundred cubits.(H)

15 Then he measured the length of the building facing the courtyard at the rear of the temple, including its galleries(I) on each side; it was a hundred cubits.

The main hall, the inner sanctuary and the portico facing the court, 16 as well as the thresholds and the narrow windows(J) and galleries around the three of them—everything beyond and including the threshold was covered with wood. The floor, the wall up to the windows, and the windows were covered.(K) 17 In the space above the outside of the entrance to the inner sanctuary and on the walls at regular intervals all around the inner and outer sanctuary 18 were carved(L) cherubim(M) and palm trees.(N) Palm trees alternated with cherubim. Each cherub had two faces:(O) 19 the face of a human being toward the palm tree on one side and the face of a lion toward the palm tree on the other. They were carved all around the whole temple.(P) 20 From the floor to the area above the entrance, cherubim and palm trees were carved on the wall of the main hall.

21 The main hall(Q) had a rectangular doorframe, and the one at the front of the Most Holy Place was similar. 22 There was a wooden altar(R) three cubits[l] high and two cubits square[m]; its corners, its base[n] and its sides were of wood. The man said to me, “This is the table(S) that is before the Lord.” 23 Both the main hall(T) and the Most Holy Place had double doors.(U) 24 Each door had two leaves—two hinged leaves(V) for each door. 25 And on the doors of the main hall were carved cherubim and palm trees like those carved on the walls, and there was a wooden overhang on the front of the portico. 26 On the sidewalls of the portico were narrow windows with palm trees carved on each side. The side rooms of the temple also had overhangs.(W)

The Rooms for the Priests

42 Then the man led me northward into the outer court and brought me to the rooms(X) opposite the temple courtyard(Y) and opposite the outer wall on the north side.(Z) The building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide.[o] Both in the section twenty cubits[p] from the inner court and in the section opposite the pavement of the outer court, gallery(AA) faced gallery at the three levels.(AB) In front of the rooms was an inner passageway ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits[q] long.[r] Their doors were on the north.(AC) Now the upper rooms were narrower, for the galleries took more space from them than from the rooms on the lower and middle floors of the building. The rooms on the top floor had no pillars, as the courts had; so they were smaller in floor space than those on the lower and middle floors. There was an outer wall parallel to the rooms and the outer court; it extended in front of the rooms for fifty cubits. While the row of rooms on the side next to the outer court was fifty cubits long, the row on the side nearest the sanctuary was a hundred cubits long. The lower rooms had an entrance(AD) on the east side as one enters them from the outer court.

10 On the south side[s] along the length of the wall of the outer court, adjoining the temple courtyard(AE) and opposite the outer wall, were rooms(AF) 11 with a passageway in front of them. These were like the rooms on the north; they had the same length and width, with similar exits and dimensions. Similar to the doorways on the north 12 were the doorways of the rooms on the south. There was a doorway at the beginning of the passageway that was parallel to the corresponding wall extending eastward, by which one enters the rooms.

13 Then he said to me, “The north(AG) and south rooms(AH) facing the temple courtyard(AI) are the priests’ rooms, where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will put the most holy offerings—the grain offerings,(AJ) the sin offerings[t](AK) and the guilt offerings(AL)—for the place is holy.(AM) 14 Once the priests enter the holy precincts, they are not to go into the outer court until they leave behind the garments(AN) in which they minister, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they go near the places that are for the people.(AO)

15 When he had finished measuring what was inside the temple area, he led me out by the east gate(AP) and measured the area all around: 16 He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was five hundred cubits.[u][v] 17 He measured the north side; it was five hundred cubits[w] by the measuring rod. 18 He measured the south side; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 19 Then he turned to the west side and measured; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 20 So he measured(AQ) the area(AR) on all four sides. It had a wall around it,(AS) five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide,(AT) to separate the holy from the common.(AU)

God’s Glory Returns to the Temple

43 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east,(AV) and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters,(AW) and the land was radiant with his glory.(AX) The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he[x] came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. The glory(AY) of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east.(AZ) Then the Spirit(BA) lifted me up(BB) and brought me into the inner court, and the glory(BC) of the Lord filled the temple.(BD)

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(BE) 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(BF) my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the funeral offerings[y] for their kings at their death.[z](BG) 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.(BH)

10 “Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed(BI) 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[aa] and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.(BJ)

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

The Great Altar Restored

13 “These are the measurements of the altar(BM) in long cubits,[ab] that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span[ac] 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.[ad] 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.[ae] 15 Above that, the altar hearth(BN) is four cubits high, and four horns(BO) project upward from the hearth. 16 The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits[af] long and twelve cubits wide.(BP) 17 The upper ledge(BQ) also is square, fourteen cubits[ag] long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit.[ah] The steps(BR) of the altar face east.(BS)

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(BT) and splashing blood(BU) against the altar when it is built: 19 You are to give a young bull(BV) as a sin offering[ai] to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok,(BW) who come near(BX) 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(BY) and on the four corners of the upper ledge(BZ) and all around the rim, and so purify the altar(CA) 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.(CB)

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.(CC) 24 You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt(CD) on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

25 “For seven days(CE) 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.(CF) 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(CG) on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings(CH) and fellowship offerings(CI) on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

The Priesthood Restored

44 Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east,(CJ) and it was shut. The Lord said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it.(CK) It is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it. The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence(CL) of the Lord. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.(CM)

Then the man brought me by way of the north gate(CN) to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple(CO) of the Lord, and I fell facedown.(CP)

The Lord said to me, “Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations and instructions regarding the temple of the Lord. Give attention to the entrance(CQ) to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary.(CR) Say to rebellious Israel,(CS) ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel! In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart(CT) and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant.(CU) Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary.(CV) This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.(CW)

10 “‘The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray(CX) and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin.(CY) 11 They may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings(CZ) and sacrifices for the people and stand before the people and serve them.(DA) 12 But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the people of Israel fall(DB) into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand(DC) that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign Lord.(DD) 13 They are not to come near to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or my most holy offerings; they must bear the shame(DE) of their detestable practices.(DF) 14 And I will appoint them to guard the temple for all the work that is to be done in it.(DG)

15 “‘But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok(DH) and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat(DI) and blood, declares the Sovereign Lord.(DJ) 16 They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone are to come near my table(DK) to minister before me and serve me as guards.(DL)

17 “‘When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes;(DM) they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. 18 They are to wear linen turbans(DN) on their heads and linen undergarments(DO) around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.(DP) 19 When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and are to leave them in the sacred rooms, and put on other clothes, so that the people are not consecrated(DQ) through contact with their garments.(DR)

20 “‘They must not shave(DS) their heads or let their hair grow long, but they are to keep the hair of their heads trimmed.(DT) 21 No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court.(DU) 22 They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.(DV) 23 They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common(DW) and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.(DX)

24 “‘In any dispute, the priests are to serve as judges(DY) and decide it according to my ordinances. They are to keep my laws and my decrees for all my appointed festivals,(DZ) and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy.(EA)

25 “‘A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, then he may defile himself.(EB) 26 After he is cleansed, he must wait seven days.(EC) 27 On the day he goes into the inner court of the sanctuary(ED) to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer a sin offering[aj](EE) for himself, declares the Sovereign Lord.

28 “‘I am to be the only inheritance(EF) the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession. 29 They will eat(EG) the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings; and everything in Israel devoted[ak] to the Lord(EH) will belong to them.(EI) 30 The best of all the firstfruits(EJ) and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal(EK) so that a blessing(EL) may rest on your household.(EM) 31 The priests must not eat anything, whether bird or animal, found dead(EN) or torn by wild animals.(EO)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 41:1 That is, about 11 feet or about 3.2 meters; also in verses 3, 5 and 8
  2. Ezekiel 41:1 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts side, the width of the tent
  3. Ezekiel 41:2 That is, about 18 feet or about 5.3 meters
  4. Ezekiel 41:2 That is, about 8 3/4 feet or about 2.7 meters; also in verses 9, 11 and 12
  5. Ezekiel 41:2 That is, about 70 feet long and 35 feet wide or about 21 meters long and 11 meters wide
  6. Ezekiel 41:3 That is, about 3 1/2 feet or about 1.1 meters; also in verse 22
  7. Ezekiel 41:3 That is, about 12 feet or about 3.7 meters
  8. Ezekiel 41:5 That is, about 7 feet or about 2.1 meters
  9. Ezekiel 41:12 That is, about 123 feet or about 37 meters
  10. Ezekiel 41:12 That is, about 158 feet or about 48 meters
  11. Ezekiel 41:13 That is, about 175 feet or about 53 meters; also in verses 14 and 15
  12. Ezekiel 41:22 That is, about 5 1/4 feet or about 1.5 meters
  13. Ezekiel 41:22 Septuagint; Hebrew long
  14. Ezekiel 41:22 Septuagint; Hebrew length
  15. Ezekiel 42:2 That is, about 175 feet long and 88 feet wide or about 53 meters long and 27 meters wide
  16. Ezekiel 42:3 That is, about 35 feet or about 11 meters
  17. Ezekiel 42:4 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew and one cubit
  18. Ezekiel 42:4 That is, about 18 feet wide and 175 feet long or about 5.3 meters wide and 53 meters long
  19. Ezekiel 42:10 Septuagint; Hebrew Eastward
  20. Ezekiel 42:13 Or purification offerings
  21. Ezekiel 42:16 See Septuagint of verse 17; Hebrew rods; also in verses 18 and 19.
  22. Ezekiel 42:16 Five hundred cubits equal about 875 feet or about 265 meters; also in verses 17, 18 and 19.
  23. Ezekiel 42:17 Septuagint; Hebrew rods
  24. Ezekiel 43:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts I
  25. Ezekiel 43:7 Or the memorial monuments; also in verse 9
  26. Ezekiel 43:7 Or their high places
  27. Ezekiel 43:11 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts regulations and its whole design
  28. 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.
  29. Ezekiel 43:13 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  30. 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
  31. 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
  32. Ezekiel 43:16 That is, about 21 feet or about 6.4 meters
  33. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 25 feet or about 7.4 meters
  34. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  35. Ezekiel 43:19 Or purification offering; also in verses 21, 22 and 25
  36. Ezekiel 44:27 Or purification offering; also in verse 29
  37. Ezekiel 44:29 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord.