Ezekiel 43

King James Version

Full text for Ezekiel Chapter 43

1¶ Afterward he brought me to the gate, [even] the gate that looketh toward the east:

2And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice [was] like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

3And [it was] according to 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 upon my face.

4And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect [is] toward the east.

5So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.

6And I heard [him] speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.

7¶ And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, [neither] they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.

8In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.

9Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

10Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.

11And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write [it] in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.

12This [is] the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about [shall be] most holy. Behold, this [is] the law of the house.

13¶ And these [are] the measures of the altar after the cubits: The cubit [is] a cubit and an hand breadth; even the bottom [shall be] a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about [shall be] a span: and this [shall be] the higher place of the altar.

14And from the bottom [upon] the ground [even] to the lower settle [shall be] two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser settle [even] to the greater settle [shall be] four cubits, and the breadth [one] cubit.

15So the altar [shall be] four cubits; and from the altar and upward [shall be] four horns.

16And the altar [shall be] twelve [cubits] long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof.

17And the settle [shall be] fourteen [cubits] long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it [shall be] half a cubit; and the bottom thereof [shall be] a cubit about; and his stairs shall look toward the east.

18And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These [are] the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.

19And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord GOD, a young bullock for a sin offering.

20And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put [it] on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.

21Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.

22And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse [it] with the bullock.

23When thou hast made an end of cleansing [it], thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.

24And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up [for] a burnt offering unto the LORD.

25Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat [for] a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.

26Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.

27And when these days are expired, it shall be, [that] upon the eighth day, and [so] forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Ezekiel witnesses the glorious return of the Lord to the new temple, entering from the east gate and filling the house. God declares this temple to be His eternal dwelling place, condemning Israel's past defilement and calling for repentance. He then instructs Ezekiel to show the people the temple's pattern and the specific measurements and consecration rituals for the altar.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins with Ezekiel being led to the east gate, where he beholds the magnificent glory of the God of Israel returning to the temple, filling it with His presence, a vision reminiscent of his earlier encounters. The Lord speaks, proclaiming this temple as the permanent place of His throne and feet, where He will dwell among the children of Israel forever. He sternly rebukes Israel for their past defilement of His holy name through idolatry and the burial of their kings near His sanctuary, which provoked His wrath. God commands them to remove these abominations, promising to dwell among them if they do. Ezekiel is instructed to reveal the detailed form, fashion, and laws of the house to the Israelites, so they may be shamed by their iniquities and adhere to the divine ordinances, emphasizing the supreme holiness of the temple's entire precinct. The chapter concludes with precise measurements for the altar and a seven-day ritual for its consecration, involving specific sin and burnt offerings performed by the Zadokite priests, after which the Lord promises to accept their offerings.

Long Summary

Ezekiel is first brought to the east gate of the visionary temple, from which he observes the awe-inspiring glory of the God of Israel returning. This divine presence, accompanied by a voice like many waters, illuminates the earth and enters the temple through the east gate, filling the inner court and the entire house, a sight that causes Ezekiel to fall upon his face, recalling previous visions. The Lord then speaks to Ezekiel, declaring this temple to be the permanent location of His throne and the place where He will dwell perpetually among the children of Israel. He sternly condemns the house of Israel and their kings for past defilement of His holy name through spiritual "whoredom" and the proximity of their kings' carcases to His sanctuary, actions that provoked His consuming anger. God calls for them to utterly remove these abominations, promising that if they do, He will indeed dwell in their midst forever. Ezekiel is then commanded to present the detailed pattern, form, and all the ordinances and laws of the house to the house of Israel. This revelation is intended to shame them for their past iniquities and encourage them to diligently keep all the prescribed forms and laws. A key principle established is that the entire limit of the temple mount shall be considered most holy. Following this, the chapter provides meticulous measurements for the altar, detailing its base, lower and greater settles, horns, and overall dimensions, specifying a cubit and a hand breadth as the standard. Finally, the Lord outlines the specific ordinances for consecrating the altar over a period of seven days. This ritual includes daily sin offerings, such as a young bullock and a kid of the goats, and burnt offerings, including a young bullock and a ram, all without blemish. These offerings are to be performed by the Zadokite priests, with blood applied to the altar's horns and settles, and salt cast upon the burnt offerings. After this seven-day period of purging, purifying, and consecrating the altar, the priests are permitted to make regular burnt offerings and peace offerings, which the Lord promises to accept.

Core Concepts

  • Return of God's GloryThe majestic re-entry of the Lord's glory into the new temple from the east gate, signifying His renewed presence and dwelling among His people after a period of absence.
  • God's Permanent DwellingThe declaration that the visionary temple is the place of God's throne and the soles of His feet, where He will dwell forever in the midst of Israel, contingent upon their faithfulness.
  • Repentance from DefilementGod's condemnation of Israel's past sins, particularly idolatry ("whoredom") and the desecration of His sanctuary by the proximity of their kings' remains, and the call for them to remove these abominations.
  • Law of the HouseThe command for Ezekiel to reveal the precise form, fashion, and ordinances of the temple to Israel, intended to bring shame for their iniquities and ensure their adherence to divine statutes.
  • Holiness of the Temple MountThe explicit declaration that the entire precinct of the temple, upon the top of the mountain, shall be considered "most holy," emphasizing its sacred separation.
  • Altar Measurements and ConsecrationDetailed instructions for the physical dimensions of the altar and a seven-day ritual involving specific sin and burnt offerings performed by Zadokite priests to cleanse and consecrate it before regular worship can commence.