God’s Glory Returns to the Temple

43 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east,(A) and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters,(B) and the land was radiant with his glory.(C) The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he[a] came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. The glory(D) of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east.(E) Then the Spirit(F) lifted me up(G) and brought me into the inner court, and the glory(H) of the Lord filled the temple.(I)

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(J) 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(K) my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the funeral offerings[b] for their kings at their death.[c](L) 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.(M)

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

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

The Great Altar Restored

13 “These are the measurements of the altar(R) in long cubits,[e] that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span[f] 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.[g] 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.[h] 15 Above that, the altar hearth(S) is four cubits high, and four horns(T) project upward from the hearth. 16 The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits[i] long and twelve cubits wide.(U) 17 The upper ledge(V) also is square, fourteen cubits[j] long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit.[k] The steps(W) of the altar face east.(X)

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(Y) and splashing blood(Z) against the altar when it is built: 19 You are to give a young bull(AA) as a sin offering[l] to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok,(AB) who come near(AC) 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(AD) and on the four corners of the upper ledge(AE) and all around the rim, and so purify the altar(AF) 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.(AG)

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

25 “For seven days(AJ) 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.(AK) 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(AL) on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings(AM) and fellowship offerings(AN) on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 43:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts I
  2. Ezekiel 43:7 Or the memorial monuments; also in verse 9
  3. Ezekiel 43:7 Or their high places
  4. Ezekiel 43:11 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts regulations and its whole design
  5. 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.
  6. Ezekiel 43:13 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. Ezekiel 43:16 That is, about 21 feet or about 6.4 meters
  10. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 25 feet or about 7.4 meters
  11. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  12. Ezekiel 43:19 Or purification offering; also in verses 21, 22 and 25

The Glory of the Lord Fills the Temple

43 Then he led me to (A)the gate, the gate facing east. And behold, (B)the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And (C)the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and (D)the earth shone with his glory. And (E)the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen (F)when he[a] came to destroy the city, and just like (G)the vision that I had seen (H)by the Chebar canal. And (I)I fell on my face. As (J)the glory of the Lord (K)entered the temple by the gate facing east, (L)the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into (M)the inner court; and behold, (N)the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

(O)While the man was standing beside me, (P)I heard one speaking to me out of the temple, and he said to me, (Q)“Son of man, this is (R)the place of my throne and (S)the place of the soles of my feet, (T)where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. And the house of Israel shall no more (U)defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoring and by the dead bodies[b] of their kings at their high places,[c] by setting their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with (V)only a wall between me and them. They have (W)defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed, so I have consumed them in my anger. Now let them put away their whoring and the dead bodies of their kings far from me, (X)and I will dwell in their midst forever.

10 “As for you, (Y)son of man, (Z)describe to the house of Israel the temple, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and they shall measure the plan. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, (AA)make known to them the design of the temple, its arrangement, (AB)its exits and its entrances, that is, its whole design; and make known to them as well all its statutes and its whole design and all its laws, and write it down (AC)in their sight, so that they may observe all its laws and all its statutes and carry them out. 12 This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of (AD)the mountain (AE)all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.

The Altar

13 “These are the measurements of (AF)the altar by cubits (the cubit being (AG)a cubit and a handbreadth):[d] its base shall be one cubit high[e] and one cubit broad, with a rim of one span[f] around its edge. And this shall be the height of the altar: 14 from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits, with a breadth of one cubit; and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, four cubits, with a breadth of one cubit; 15 and the altar hearth, four cubits; and from the altar hearth projecting upward, (AH)four horns. 16 The altar hearth shall be (AI)square, twelve cubits long by twelve broad. 17 The ledge also shall be square, fourteen cubits long by fourteen broad, with a rim around it half a cubit broad, and its base one cubit all around. (AJ)The steps of the altar shall face east.”

18 And he said to me, (AK)“Son of man, 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 (AL)for throwing blood against it, 19 you shall give to (AM)the Levitical priests (AN)of the family of Zadok, who draw near to me to minister to me, declares the Lord God, (AO)a bull from the herd for a sin offering. 20 And (AP)you shall take some of its blood and put it on (AQ)the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge and upon (AR)the rim all around. (AS)Thus you shall purify the altar and make atonement for it. 21 You shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and (AT)it shall be burned in the appointed place belonging to the temple, outside the sacred area. 22 And on the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering; and the altar shall be purified, as it was purified with the bull. 23 When you have finished (AU)purifying it, you shall offer a bull from the herd without blemish and (AV)a ram from the flock without blemish. 24 You shall present them before the Lord, and the priests (AW)shall sprinkle salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord. 25 (AX)For seven days you shall provide daily a male goat for a sin offering; also, a bull from the herd and a ram from the flock, without blemish, shall be provided. 26 Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and cleanse it, and so consecrate it.[g] 27 And when they have completed these days, then (AY)from the eighth day onward the priests shall offer on the altar your burnt offerings and your (AZ)peace offerings, and (BA)I will accept you, declares the Lord God.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 43:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts when I
  2. Ezekiel 43:7 Or the monuments; also verse 9
  3. Ezekiel 43:7 Or at their deaths
  4. Ezekiel 43:13 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters; a handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
  5. Ezekiel 43:13 Or its gutter shall be one cubit deep
  6. Ezekiel 43:13 A span was about 9 inches or 22 centimeters
  7. Ezekiel 43:26 Hebrew fill its hand

The Return of the Glory of the Lord

43 Then he led me to the gate, the gate that faces east. Suddenly I saw that the Glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. His voice sounded like the roar of rushing water, and the earth was shining with his glory. The appearance of the vision that I saw was like the vision I saw when he[a] came to destroy the city—visions like the vision I saw by the Kebar Canal, and I fell on my face. The Glory of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court, and the Glory of the Lord filled the temple.

I heard someone speaking to me from the temple while the man was standing beside me. The voice said to me:

Son of man, this is the place of my throne, and this is the place for the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. Never again will the house of Israel profane my holy name, neither they nor their kings, neither by their prostitution nor by the memorials[b] to their dead kings at their high places. Whenever they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorpost beside my doorpost with only a wall between me and them, they would defile my holy name by their abominations that they did, so I exterminated them in my anger. Now let them remove their prostitution and the memorials of their dead kings from my presence, and I will dwell among them forever.

10 But you, son of man, are to describe the temple to the house of Israel, so that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them measure its perfect pattern. 11 If they are ashamed of everything they have done, teach them the design of the temple and its layout, its exits and its entrances, all its designs and all its ordinances, all its designs and all its regulations. Write them down in their sight so that they may keep its whole plan and all its ordinances and carry them out. 12 This is the law for the temple. On the top of the mountain, the whole territory of the temple and all the area surrounding its perimeter will be most holy. This is indeed the law for the temple.

The Great Altar in the Courtyard

13 These are the measurements of the altar in long cubits (a long cubit is an ordinary cubit plus a handbreadth). The gutter[c] at the base of the altar is one cubit deep and one cubit wide with a rim of one span[d] around its edge. The height of the altar is as follows: 14 From the gutter on the ground to the lower ledge is two cubits, and the width of the ledge is one cubit. From the lower ledge to the upper ledge is four cubits. The upper ledge has a width of one cubit. 15 The hearth is four cubits high, and four horns extend upward from the hearth.[e] 16 The hearth is twelve cubits by twelve cubits, a square with four equal sides. 17 The upper ledge is fourteen cubits by fourteen cubits, with four equal sides. The ridge[f] around it is half a cubit, and it has a gutter of one cubit all around.[g] Its ramp[h] faces east.

18 Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Lord God says. These are the ceremonial requirements for the altar on the day when it is erected, to present burnt offerings on it and to splash blood on it. 19 You are to provide a young bull for a sin offering. Provide it to the levitical priests who are from the descendants of Zadok, who draw near to me to serve me, declares the Lord God. 20 You are to take some of its blood and put it on the altar’s four horns, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the ridge all around, and so you are to purify[i] it and make atonement for it. 21 Then you are to take the bull that is the sin offering, and the priest is to burn it at the appointed place in the temple area, outside the sanctuary.

22 “On the second day you are to offer a male goat without blemish as 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 without blemish and a ram without blemish. 24 You are to present them before the Lord, and the priests are to throw salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord. 25 For seven days you are to offer a goat for a sin offering each day, as well as a young bull and a ram from the flock. They must all be without blemish. 26 For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar, cleanse it, and, in this way, consecrate it. 27 When they have fulfilled those days, on the eighth day and thereafter, the priests are to offer on the altar your whole burnt offerings and your fellowship offerings, and I will accept you, declares the Lord God.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 43:3 The translation follows a variant found in some Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. Most Hebrew manuscripts read I. The reading I is possible if it refers to the fact that Ezekiel foretold the destruction.
  2. Ezekiel 43:7 The word most often means corpses or lifeless idols. There is no evidence for kings being buried at high places, so the reference is probably to lifeless idols or to ceremonies for the spirits of the dead kings.
  3. Ezekiel 43:13 Or trench
  4. Ezekiel 43:13 A span is nine inches.
  5. Ezekiel 43:15 The altar is about 18 feet tall. Its width is about 25 feet.
  6. Ezekiel 43:17 Or rim
  7. Ezekiel 43:17 Without the gutter or the horns, the altar is 10 cubits high (2+4+4). Its width at the base without the gutter is 16 cubits (1+1+12+1+1).
  8. Ezekiel 43:17 The Hebrew word may also mean steps, but Exodus 20:26 seems to forbid steps up to the altar.
  9. Ezekiel 43:20 The Hebrew is de-sin.