The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Ezekiel 43
1 Afterward he brought me to the gate,
even the gate that looks toward the east.
2 Behold, the glory of the God of Israel
came from the way of the east. His voice
was like the sound of many waters; and the
earth was illuminated with his glory.
3 It was like 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 on my
face.
4 Yahweh’s glory came into the house by
the way of the gate which faces toward the
east.
5 The Spirit took me up and brought me
into the inner court; and behold, Yahweh’s
glory filled the house.
6 I heard one speaking to me out of the
house, and a man stood by me.
7 He said to me, “Son of man, this is the
place of my throne and the place of the
soles of my feet, where I will dwell among
the children of Israel forever. The house
of Israel will no more defile my holy name,
neither they nor their kings, by their
prostitution and by the dead bodies of their
kings in their high places;
8 in their setting of their threshold by
my threshold and their door post beside
my door post. There was a wall between
me and them; and they have defiled my
holy name by their abominations which
they have committed. Therefore I have
consumed them in my anger.
9 Now let them put away their prostitution,
and the dead bodies of their kings far
from me. Then I will dwell among them
forever.
10 “You, son of man, show the house
to the house of Israel, that they may be
ashamed of their iniquities; and let them
measure the pattern.
11 If they are ashamed of all that they
have done, make known to them the form
of the house, its fashion, its exits,
its entrances, its structure, all its ordinances, all
its forms, and all its laws; and write it in
their sight, that they may keep the whole
form of it, and all its ordinances, and do
them.
12 “This is the law of the house. On
the top of the mountain the whole limit
around it shall be most holy. Behold, this
is the law of the house.
13 “These are the measurements of the
altar by cubits (the cubit† is a cubit and
a hand width): the bottom shall be a cubit,
and the width a cubit, and its border
around its edge a span;‡ and this shall be
the base of the altar.
14 From the bottom on the ground to the
lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the
width one cubit; and from the lesser ledge
to the greater ledge shall be four cubits,
and the width a cubit.
15 The upper altar shall be four cubits;
and from the altar hearth and upward
there shall be four horns.
16 The altar hearth shall be twelve cubits
long by twelve wide, square in its four
sides.
17 The ledge shall be fourteen cubits long
by fourteen wide in its four sides; and the
border about it shall be half a cubit; and
its bottom shall be a cubit around; and its
steps shall look toward the east.”
18 He said to me, “Son of man, the Lord
Yahweh says: ‘These are the ordinances of
the altar in the day when they make it, to
offer burnt offerings on it, and to sprinkle
blood on it.
19 You shall give to the Levitical priests
who are of the offspring of Zadok, who
are near to me, to minister to me,’ says
the Lord Yahweh, ‘a young bull for a sin
offering.
20 You shall take of its blood and put it
on its four horns, and on the four corners
of the ledge, and on the border all around.
You shall cleanse it and make atonement
for it that way.
21 You shall also take the bull of the sin
offering, and it shall be burned in the
appointed place of the house, outside of the
sanctuary.
22 “On the second day you shall offer a
male goat without defect for a sin offering;
and they shall cleanse the altar, as they
cleansed it with the bull.
23 When you have finished cleansing it,
you shall offer a young bull without defect
and a ram out of the flock without defect.
24 You shall bring them near to Yahweh,
and the priests shall cast salt on them,
and they shall offer them up for a burnt
offering to Yahweh.
25 “Seven days you shall prepare every
day a goatfor a sin offering. They shall also
prepare a young bull and a ram out of the
flock, without defect.
26 Sevendays shalltheymake atonement
for the altar and purify it. So shall they
consecrate it.
27 When they have accomplished the
days, it shall be that on the eighth day
and onward, the priests shall make your
burnt offerings onthe altar and your peace
offerings. Then I will accept you,’ says the
Lord Yahweh.”