The Manner of Worship

46 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six (A)working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened. (B)The prince shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gateway from the outside, and stand by the gatepost. The priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings. He shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening. Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the entrance to this gateway before the Lord on the Sabbaths and the New Moons. The burnt offering that (C)the prince offers to the Lord on the (D)Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish; (E)and the grain offering shall be one ephah for a ram, and the grain offering for the lambs, [a]as much as he wants to give, as well as a hin of oil with every ephah. On the day of the New Moon it shall be a young bull without blemish, six lambs, and a ram; they shall be without blemish. He shall prepare a grain offering of an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, [b]as much as he wants to give for the lambs, and a hin of oil with every ephah. (F)When the prince enters, he shall go in by way of the vestibule of the gateway, and go out the same way.

“But when the people of the land (G)come before the Lord on the appointed feast days, whoever enters by way of the north (H)gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate; and whoever enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. He shall not return by way of the gate through which he came, but shall go out through the opposite gate. 10 The prince shall then be in their midst. When they go in, he shall go in; and when they go out, he shall go out. 11 At the festivals and the appointed feast days (I)the grain offering shall be an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, as much as he wants to give for the lambs, and a hin of oil with every ephah.

12 “Now when the prince makes a voluntary burnt offering or voluntary peace offering to the Lord, the gate that faces toward the east (J)shall then be opened for him; and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he did on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he goes out the gate shall be shut.

13 (K)“You shall daily make a burnt offering to the Lord of a lamb of the first year without blemish; you shall prepare it [c]every morning. 14 And you shall prepare a grain offering with it every morning, a sixth of an ephah, and a third of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour. This grain offering is a perpetual ordinance, to be made regularly to the Lord. 15 Thus they shall prepare the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil, as a (L)regular burnt offering every morning.”

The Prince and Inheritance Laws

16 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “If the prince gives a gift of some of his inheritance to any of his sons, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance. 17 But if he gives a gift of some of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his until (M)the year of liberty, after which it shall return to the prince. But his inheritance shall belong to his sons; it shall become theirs. 18 Moreover (N)the prince shall not take any of the people’s inheritance by evicting them from their property; he shall provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people may be scattered from his property.” ’ ”

How the Offerings Were Prepared

19 Now he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy (O)chambers of the priests which face toward the north; and there a place was situated at their extreme western end. 20 And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall (P)boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, and where they shall (Q)bake the grain offering, so that they do not bring them out into the outer court (R)to sanctify the people.”

21 Then he brought me out into the outer court and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and in fact, in every corner of the court there was another court. 22 In the four corners of the court were enclosed courts, forty cubits long and thirty wide; all four corners were the same size. 23 There was a row of building stones all around in them, all around the four of them; and [d]cooking hearths were made under the rows of stones all around. 24 And he said to me, “These are the [e]kitchens where the ministers of the [f]temple shall (S)boil the sacrifices of the people.”

Notas al pie

  1. Ezekiel 46:5 Lit. the gift of his hand
  2. Ezekiel 46:7 Lit. as much as his hand can reach
  3. Ezekiel 46:13 Lit. morning by morning
  4. Ezekiel 46:23 Lit. boiling places
  5. Ezekiel 46:24 Lit. house of those who boil
  6. Ezekiel 46:24 Lit. house

46 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The gate of the inner court(A) facing east(B) is to be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon(C) it is to be opened. The prince is to enter from the outside through the portico(D) of the gateway and stand by the gatepost. The priests are to sacrifice his burnt offering(E) and his fellowship offerings. He is to bow down in worship at the threshold of the gateway and then go out, but the gate will not be shut until evening.(F) On the Sabbaths(G) and New Moons the people of the land are to worship in the presence of the Lord at the entrance of that gateway.(H) The burnt offering the prince brings to the Lord on the Sabbath day is to be six male lambs and a ram, all without defect. The grain offering given with the ram is to be an ephah,[a] and the grain offering with the lambs is to be as much as he pleases, along with a hin[b] of olive oil for each ephah.(I) On the day of the New Moon(J) he is to offer a young bull, six lambs and a ram, all without defect.(K) He is to provide as a grain offering one ephah with the bull, one ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he wants to give, along with a hin of oil for each ephah.(L) When the prince enters, he is to go in through the portico(M) of the gateway, and he is to come out the same way.(N)

“‘When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed festivals,(O) whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which they entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate. 10 The prince is to be among them, going in when they go in and going out when they go out.(P) 11 At the feasts and the appointed festivals, the grain offering is to be an ephah with a bull, an ephah with a ram, and with the lambs as much as he pleases, along with a hin of oil for each ephah.(Q)

12 “‘When the prince provides(R) a freewill offering(S) to the Lord—whether a burnt offering or fellowship offerings—the gate facing east is to be opened for him. He shall offer his burnt offering or his fellowship offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out, the gate will be shut.(T)

13 “‘Every day you are to provide a year-old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the Lord; morning by morning(U) you shall provide it.(V) 14 You are also to provide with it morning by morning a grain offering, consisting of a sixth of an ephah[c] with a third of a hin[d] of oil(W) to moisten the flour. The presenting of this grain offering to the Lord is a lasting ordinance.(X) 15 So the lamb and the grain offering and the oil shall be provided morning by morning for a regular(Y) burnt offering.(Z)

16 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: If the prince makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his sons, it will also belong to his descendants; it is to be their property by inheritance.(AA) 17 If, however, he makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, the servant may keep it until the year of freedom;(AB) then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs to his sons only; it is theirs. 18 The prince must not take(AC) any of the inheritance(AD) of the people, driving them off their property. He is to give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that not one of my people will be separated from their property.’”

19 Then the man brought me through the entrance(AE) at the side of the gate to the sacred rooms facing north,(AF) which belonged to the priests, and showed me a place at the western end. 20 He said to me, “This is the place where the priests are to cook the guilt offering and the sin offering[e] and bake the grain offering, to avoid bringing them into the outer court and consecrating(AG) the people.”(AH)

21 He then brought me to the outer court and led me around to its four corners, and I saw in each corner another court. 22 In the four corners of the outer court were enclosed[f] courts, forty cubits long and thirty cubits wide;[g] each of the courts in the four corners was the same size. 23 Around the inside of each of the four courts was a ledge of stone, with places for fire built all around under the ledge. 24 He said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple are to cook the sacrifices of the people.”

Notas al pie

  1. Ezekiel 46:5 That is, probably about 35 pounds or about 16 kilograms; also in verses 7 and 11
  2. Ezekiel 46:5 That is, about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters; also in verses 7 and 11
  3. Ezekiel 46:14 That is, probably about 6 pounds or about 2.7 kilograms
  4. Ezekiel 46:14 That is, about 1 1/2 quarts or about 1.3 liters
  5. Ezekiel 46:20 Or purification offering
  6. Ezekiel 46:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  7. Ezekiel 46:22 That is, about 70 feet long and 53 feet wide or about 21 meters long and 16 meters wide

The Prince and the Feasts

46 “Thus says the Lord God: (A)The gate of (B)the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and (C)on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. (D)The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from outside, and shall take his stand by (E)the post of the gate. (F)The priests shall offer his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at (G)the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening. (H)The people of the land shall bow down at the entrance of that gate before the Lord on the Sabbaths and on the new moons. (I)The burnt offering that the prince offers to the Lord (J)on the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish. And (K)the grain offering with the ram shall be an ephah,[a] and the grain offering with the lambs shall be (L)as much as he is able, together with a hin[b] of oil to each ephah. On the day of the new moon he shall offer a bull from the herd without blemish, and six lambs and a ram, which shall be without blemish. As a grain offering he shall provide an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs (M)as much as he is able, together with a hin of oil to each ephah. (N)When the prince enters, he shall enter by the vestibule of the gate, and he shall go out by the same way.

(O)“When the people of the land (P)come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, he who enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate, and he who enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: no one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but each shall go out straight ahead. 10 When they enter, (Q)the prince shall enter with them, and when they go out, he shall go out.

11 “At the feasts and the appointed festivals, (R)the grain offering with a young bull shall be an ephah, and with a ram an ephah, and with the lambs (S)as much as one is able to give, together with a hin of oil to an ephah. 12 When the prince provides (T)a freewill offering, either a burnt offering or peace offerings as a freewill offering to the Lord, (U)the gate facing east shall be opened for him. And he shall offer his burnt offering or his peace offerings (V)as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out the gate shall be shut.

13 (W)“You shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the Lord daily; morning by morning you shall provide it. 14 And (X)you shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, one sixth of an ephah, and one third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour, as a grain offering to the Lord. This is a perpetual statute. 15 Thus the lamb and the meal offering and the oil shall be provided, morning by morning, for (Y)a regular burnt offering.

16 “Thus says the Lord God: If the prince makes a gift to any of his sons as his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons. It is their property by inheritance. 17 But if he makes a gift (Z)out of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his to (AA)the year of liberty. Then it shall revert to the prince; surely it is his inheritance—it shall belong to his sons. 18 (AB)The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, (AC)thrusting them out of their property. He shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people shall be (AD)scattered from his property.”

Boiling Places for Offerings

19 Then he brought me through the entrance, which was (AE)at the side of the gate, to the north row of (AF)the holy chambers for the priests, and behold, a place was there at the extreme western end of them. 20 And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests (AG)shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where (AH)they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so (AI)transmit holiness to the people.”

21 Then he brought me out to the outer court and led me around to the four corners of the court. And behold, in each corner of the court there was another court— 22 in the four corners of the court were small[c] courts, forty cubits[d] long and thirty broad; the four were of the same size. 23 On the inside, around each of the four courts was a row of masonry, with hearths made at the bottom of the rows all around. 24 Then he said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who (AJ)minister at the temple (AK)shall boil the sacrifices of the people.”

Notas al pie

  1. Ezekiel 46:5 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
  2. Ezekiel 46:5 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters
  3. Ezekiel 46:22 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  4. Ezekiel 46:22 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

The Prince’s Offerings

46 ‘This is what the Lord [a]God says: “The (A)gate of the (B)inner courtyard facing east shall be (C)shut for the six (D)working days; but it shall be opened on the (E)Sabbath day and opened on the day of the (F)new moon. The (G)prince shall enter by way of the porch of the gate from outside and stand by the (H)post of the gate. Then the priests shall provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate and then go out; but the gate shall not be (I)shut until the evening. The (J)people of the land shall also worship at the doorway of that gate before the Lord on the Sabbaths and on the (K)new moons. The (L)burnt offering which the prince shall offer to the Lord on the Sabbath day shall be (M)six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish; and the (N)grain offering shall be an [b]ephah [c]with the ram, and the grain offering [d]with the lambs [e]as much as he is (O)able to give, and a [f]hin of oil [g]with an ephah. On the day of the (P)new moon he shall offer a [h]bull without blemish, and six lambs and a ram, which shall be without blemish. And he shall provide a (Q)grain offering, an ephah [i]with the bull and an ephah [j]with the ram, and [k]with the lambs as [l]much as he is (R)able, and a hin of oil [m]with an ephah. When the (S)prince enters, he shall go in by way of the porch of the gate, and go out by [n]the same way. But when the people of the land come (T)before the Lord at the appointed feasts, one who enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate. And one who enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. [o]No one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but shall go straight out. 10 And when they go in, the prince shall go in (U)among them; and when they go out, [p]he shall go out.

11 “At the (V)festivals and the appointed feasts, the (W)grain offering shall be an ephah [q]with a bull and an ephah [r]with a ram, and [s]with the lambs as [t]much as one is able to give, and a hin of oil [u]with an ephah. 12 And when the prince provides a (X)[v]voluntary offering, a burnt offering, or peace offerings as a [w]voluntary offering to the Lord, the gate facing east shall be (Y)opened for him. And he shall provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he does on the (Z)Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and the gate shall be shut after he goes out.

13 “And you shall provide a (AA)lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the Lord daily; (AB)morning by morning you shall provide it. 14 You shall also provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, a (AC)sixth of an ephah and a third of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour, a grain offering to the Lord continually by [x]a permanent ordinance. 15 So they shall provide the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil, morning by morning, as a (AD)continual burnt offering.”

16 ‘This is what the Lord God says: “If the prince gives a (AE)gift from his inheritance to any of his sons, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance. 17 But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his until the (AF)year of [y]release; then it shall return to the prince. His inheritance shall be only his sons’; it shall belong to them. 18 And the prince shall (AG)not take from the people’s inheritance, [z](AH)depriving them of their property; he shall give his sons inheritance from his own property, so that My people will not be scattered, anyone from his property.”’”

The Boiling Places

19 Then he brought me through the (AI)entrance, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers for the priests, which faced north; and behold, a place was there at the extreme rear toward the west. 20 And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the (AJ)guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall (AK)bake the grain offering, so that they do not bring them out into the outer courtyard [aa]and transfer holiness to the people.”

21 Then he brought me out into the outer courtyard and led me across to the four corners of the courtyard; and behold, in every corner of the courtyard there was a small courtyard. 22 In the four corners of the courtyard there were enclosed courtyards, forty [ab]cubits long and thirty wide; these four in the corners were [ac]the same size. 23 And there was a row of masonry all around in them, around the four of them, and cooking hearths were made under the rows all around. 24 Then he said to me, “These are the cooking [ad]places where the ministers of the house shall cook the sacrifices of the people.”

Notas al pie

  1. Ezekiel 46:1 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  2. Ezekiel 46:5 About 1 cubic foot or 0.03 cubic meters, and so throughout the ch
  3. Ezekiel 46:5 Lit for
  4. Ezekiel 46:5 Lit for
  5. Ezekiel 46:5 Lit a gift of his hand
  6. Ezekiel 46:5 About 1 gallon or 3.8 liters, and so throughout the ch
  7. Ezekiel 46:5 Lit for
  8. Ezekiel 46:6 Or young bull
  9. Ezekiel 46:7 Lit for
  10. Ezekiel 46:7 Lit for
  11. Ezekiel 46:7 Lit for
  12. Ezekiel 46:7 Lit his hand can reach
  13. Ezekiel 46:7 Lit for
  14. Ezekiel 46:8 Lit its way
  15. Ezekiel 46:9 Lit He shall not
  16. Ezekiel 46:10 As in many mss and ancient versions; MT they
  17. Ezekiel 46:11 Lit for
  18. Ezekiel 46:11 Lit for
  19. Ezekiel 46:11 Lit for
  20. Ezekiel 46:11 Lit a gift of his hand
  21. Ezekiel 46:11 Lit for
  22. Ezekiel 46:12 Or freewill offering
  23. Ezekiel 46:12 Or freewill offering
  24. Ezekiel 46:14 Lit perpetual statutes
  25. Ezekiel 46:17 Or liberty
  26. Ezekiel 46:18 Lit oppressing
  27. Ezekiel 46:20 Lit to
  28. Ezekiel 46:22 Each of these cubits equals about 21 in. or 53 cm
  29. Ezekiel 46:22 Lit one measure
  30. Ezekiel 46:24 Lit houses