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The Divine Glory Returns to the Temple

43 Then he brought me to the gate, the gate facing east.(A) And there the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east; the sound was like the sound of mighty waters, and the earth shone with his glory.(B) The[a] vision I saw was like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city and[b] like the vision that I had seen by the River Chebar, and I fell upon my face.(C) As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east,(D) the spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.(E)

While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me out of the temple.(F) He said to me: “Mortal, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will reside among the people of Israel forever. The house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their prostitution and by sacrificing to their kings[c] at their death.[d](G) When they placed their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they were defiling my holy name by their abominations that they committed; therefore I have consumed them in my anger.(H) Now let them put away their idolatry and sacrifices to their kings[e] far from me, and I will reside among them forever.(I)

10 “As for you, mortal, describe the temple to the house of Israel, and let them measure the pattern, and let them be ashamed of their iniquities.(J) 11 When they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the plan of the temple, its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, and its whole form—all its ordinances and its entire plan and all its laws; and write it down in their sight so that they may observe and follow the entire plan and all its ordinances.(K) 12 This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. This is the law of the temple.(L)

The Altar

13 “These are the dimensions of the altar by long cubits in which each is a cubit and a handbreadth: its base shall be one cubit high[f] and one cubit wide, with a rim of one span around its edge. This shall be the height of the altar:(M) 14 from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits, with a width of one cubit, and from the lower ledge to the upper ledge, four cubits, with a width of one cubit,(N) 15 and the altar hearth, four cubits, and from the altar hearth projecting upward, four horns.(O) 16 The altar hearth shall be square, twelve cubits long by twelve wide.(P) 17 The ledge also shall be square, fourteen cubits long by fourteen wide, with a rim around it half a cubit high, and its surrounding base, one cubit. Its steps shall face east.”(Q)

18 Then he said to me: “Mortal, thus says the Lord God: These are the ordinances for the altar: On the day when it is erected for offering burnt offerings upon it and for dashing blood against it,(R) 19 you shall give to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who draw near to me to minister to me, says the Lord God, a bull of the herd for a purification offering.(S) 20 And you shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge and upon the rim all around; thus you shall purify it and make atonement for it. 21 You shall also take the bull of the purification offering, and it shall be burnt in the appointed place belonging to the temple, outside the sacred area.(T)

22 “On the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a purification offering, and the altar shall be purified, as it was purified with the bull. 23 When you have finished purifying it, you shall offer a bull of the herd without blemish and a ram from the flock without blemish.(U) 24 You shall present them before the Lord, and the priests shall throw salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord.(V) 25 For seven days you shall provide daily a goat for a purification offering; also a bull of the herd and a ram from the flock, without blemish, shall be provided.(W) 26 Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and cleanse it and so consecrate it. 27 When these days are over, then from the eighth day onward the priests shall offer upon the altar your burnt offerings and your offerings of well-being, and I will accept you, says the Lord God.”(X)

Footnotes

  1. 43.3 Gk: Heb Like the vision
  2. 43.3 Syr: Heb and the visions
  3. 43.7 Or the corpses of their kings
  4. 43.7 Or on their high places
  5. 43.9 Or the corpses of their kings
  6. 43.13 Gk: Heb lacks high

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