Regulations for the Inner Court

46 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘The inner, east-facing courtyard is to remain shut during the six working days of the week,^[a] but on the Sabbath day it is to be opened, as well as on the day of the New Moon. ² The Regent Prince is to enter through the portico of the gate from outside and is to stand at the doorframe of the gate where the priests are to present the Regent Prince’s^[b] burnt offerings and peace^[c] offerings. Then the Regent Prince^[d] is to worship at the threshold of the gate and go out. The gate is not to be closed until evening. ³ The people who live^[e] in the land are to worship at the doorway of the gate on the Sabbaths and New Moons in the Lord’s presence.’”

Sabbath Offerings by the Regent Prince

⁴ “‘The burnt offering that the Regent Prince is to present to the Lord on the Sabbath day is to consist of six lambs without defect, a ram without defect, ⁵ a grain offering with the ram consisting of an ephah, a grain offering with the lambs consisting of whatever amount he brings with him, and a hin of oil with each ephah of grain.^{[f] 6} Furthermore, each New Moon there is to be a young bull presented without defect, six male lambs, and a ram without defect. ⁷ The Regent Prince^[g] is to present an ephah^[h] of grain^[i] along with the bull, an ephah^[j] of grain^[k] along with the ram, a grain offering—consisting of as much^[l] as he is able to give—and a hin^[m] of olive oil with each ephah^[n] of grain.^[o]

⁸ “‘The Regent Prince is to enter through the portico of the gate and is to leave the same way he came in. ⁹ When the people who live^[p] in the land come into the Lord’s presence during the festivals, whoever enters through the northern gate is to leave through the southern gate, and whoever enters through the southern gate is to leave through the northern gate. No one is to leave by the same route that he enters, but instead is to go straight out. ¹⁰ The Regent Prince is to enter when they are coming in, and he is to leave when they go out.’”

Daily Offerings by the Regent Prince

¹¹ “‘The grain offering for the festivals and appointed festivals is to include an ephah^[q] with a bull, an ephah^[r] with a ram, and as much grain with the lambs as the Regent Prince^[s] brings with him, along with a hin^[t] of oil with each ephah. ¹² Whenever the Regent Prince presents a voluntary offering, burnt offering, or peace offering, he is to present it voluntarily to the Lord, and the east-facing gate is to be opened for him. He is to provide his burnt offering and peace offering as he does on the Sabbath. When he leaves, the gate is to be shut behind him. ¹³ He is to present a one year old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the Lord in the morning every day. ¹⁴ In addition, he is to present a grain offering with it every morning, consisting of a sixth of an ephah^[u] mixed with one third of a hin^[v] of oil. This grain offering is to be offered to the Lord as a permanent ordinance. ¹⁵ They are to present the lamb offering, the grain offering, and the oil every morning as an ongoing^[w] burnt offering.’”

Gifts by the Regent Prince

¹⁶ “This is what the Lord God says: ‘If the Regent Prince gives a gift to someone,^[x] it is to remain with the man’s descendants as their own inheritance. ¹⁷ But if he gives a gift to any of his servants, it is to belong to the servant^[y] until the Year of Release, at which time it is to be returned to the Regent Prince. His inheritance is to belong only to his sons. ¹⁸ The Regent Prince is not to appropriate the nation’s inheritance nor take advantage of them by taking their property from them. Instead, he is to provide an inheritance for his sons from his own possessions so that my people will not be separated from their possessions.’”

The Place Where Offerings are Boiled

¹⁹ Then the angel^[z] brought me in through an entrance beside the gate into the north-facing chambers dedicated to the priests. As I looked toward the rear^[aa] of the far western end, I saw a place ²⁰ about which he said, “This is where the priests will be boiling the guilt and sin offerings and baking the grain offerings so they don’t bring them through the outer courtyard, thus diminishing the people’s holiness.”^{[ab] 21} Then he brought me out to the exterior courtyard and led me across to each of the four corners of the courtyard. There in each corner was an enclosed area set aside, ²² all of them the same size; that is, each was 40 cubits^[ac] long and 30 cubits^[ad] wide. ²³ A low wall^[ae] built of masonry surrounded each courtyard, with boiling places set in rows in the wall. ²⁴ He told me, “This is where^[af] the ministers of the Temple will be preparing^[ag] the sacrifices that will be presented by the people.