1.
Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:
2.
And, 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.
the glory. in Ezekiel 11:23 he had seen this glory quitting the Temple.
the God of Israel . See note on Isaiah 29:23 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim , App-4 .
3.
And 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.
that I saw. See Ezekiel 1:28 ; Ezekiel 3:23 .
to destroy. Hebrew idiom, by which the doer is said to do what he declares shall be done. See Ezekiel 9:1 , Ezekiel 9:5 ; note on Jeremiah 14:8 , Jeremiah 14:9 ; Jer 20:25 .
4.
And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
the house, Not Solomon's Temple, but the Temple which he had been shown in vision (Ezekiel 11 and Ezekiel 42 ).
the gate . Not the present gate on the east side of the Temple area, but that of the yet future Temple (Ezekiel 40:6 ; Ezekiel 40:42 , Ezekiel 40:15 ; Ezekiel 44:1 ; Ezekiel 46:1 ).
5.
So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.
spirit. See note on Ezekiel 8:3 . Heb, ruach . App-9 .
the man . Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .
stood . = was standing.
6.
And 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.
Son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .
the place of My throne. The Ellipsis must be thus supplied: "[This is] the place", &c. Not the
ark, as in Solomon's Temple. There is no ark here.
where I will dwell, &c. See Ezekiel 43:9 ; Ezekiel 37:26 , Ezekiel 37:28 ; Eze 37:48 , Eze 37:35 .Psalms 68:18 ; Psalms 132:14 .Joel 3:17 .
I will dwell, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 29:45 ).
children = sons,
for ever. Showing that this prophecy yet waits for its fulfilment, holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .
no more defile. Compare Ezekiel 20:39 ; Ezekiel 23:38 , Ezekiel 23:39 ; Ezekiel 39:7 , Hosea 14:8 , Zechariah 13:2 ; Zechariah 14:20 , Zechariah 14:21 .
whoredom. Always put for idolatry, by the Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Subject), App-6 .
by the carcases , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:30 ).
in their high places : or, in their death.
8.
In 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.
setting , &c. Compare Ezekiel 5:11 ; Ezekiel 8:3-16 ; Ezekiel 23:39 ; Ezekiel 44:7 . 2Ki 16:14 , 2 Kings 16:15 ; 2 Kings 21:4-7 ; 2 Kings 23:11 , 2Ki 23:12 ; 2 Chronicles 33:4 , 2 Chronicles 33:7 .
by close by, alongside of.
and the wall : or, "For [there was but a] wall".
abominations = idolatries.
9.
Now 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.
10.
Thou 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.
Thou. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and, Vulgate, read "Thou therefore". This is yet future, and involves the fulfilment of Ezekiel 37 , for Ezekiel and for the whole nation.
skew the house . . . let them measure. This will he the evidence, to the new nation, that all this prophecy, and Ezekiel's part in it, is of Jehovah.
iniquities. Hebrew ` avah . App-44 .
pattern: or, plan, or arrangement.
goings out = the exits.
comings in the entrances.
forms = models, or visible forms. The word is found only in this verse. Hebrew text written "form"; but margin "for
laws . Hebrew text written "law"; but margin laws". Some codices, with four early printed editions, read "laws" both in text and margin.
11.
And 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.
12.
This 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.
is . Supply "will be".
Upon, &c. Compare Ezekiel 40:2 ; Ezekiel 42:20 . Psalms 93:5 .Joel 3:17 . Zechariah 14:20 , Zechariah 14:21 .Revelation 21:27 .
most holy = the holy of holies,
holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .
Behold . Figure of speech Asterismos ( App-6 ), for emphasis.
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.
the altar . Hebrew. mizbeach . Same word as in Ezekiel 43:18 ; not the same as in verses: Ezekiel 43:15 , Ezekiel 43:16 .
cubits. See App-51 .
higher place = the pit i.e. the ash-pit. Hebrew gab = anything curved or convex, from gabab = hollow, hollowed out,
14.
And 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.
bottom = hollow.
settle = ledge. The Hebrew word in this sense occurs only here, verses: Ezekiel 43:17 , Ezekiel 43:20 , Ezekiel 43:19 . The altar will be thus narrowed at the top (twelve cubits square). The height and breadth will be the same as Solomon's, except that this will have these ledges for the priests to walk round.
15.
So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.
the altar = the hearth. Hebrew. ha harel = the mount of El. Not the same word as in Ezekiel 43:13 .
16.
And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof.
17.
And 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.
stairs . Steps were forbidden in Ex. Ezekiel 20:26 , but may be permitted here.
18.
And 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.
thus saith , &c. See note on 44. D.
the Lord GOD . Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah . See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .
the ordinances of the altar . Compared with the Mosaic tabernacle, the ritual began with the consecration of the priests (Leviticus 8:1-10 ); here, they are already consecrated (verses: Ezekiel 43:19 , Eze 43:28 ). In Leviticus 8:11 , the altar was anointed with the holy oil; here no anointing, and the priests are only from Zadok's line (Compare Ezekiel 40:46 ; Ezekiel 44:14 . In Exodus 29:36 , a bullock offered on seven successive days; here only once, and on the other days a kid of the goats. The offerings here (verses: Ezekiel 43:18-27 ) are National and Priestly (the Priest representing the Nation); not individual, for there will be no day of atonement. The sacrifices will not therefore be as when under the law.
in the day . See App-18 . This day is yet future, burnt offerings. See App-43 .
sprinkle , &c. = dash, or throw. Ref to Pentateuch (Leviticus 1:5 ). This expression is exclusively technical. App-92 . For the exceptions see 2 Chronicles 34:4 .Job 2:12 .Isaiah 28:5 . Compare Ezekiel 10:2 and Hosea 7:9 .
19.
And 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.
thou . Testifying to the share of Ezekiel "in the day when", &c.
the priests the Levites . Referring to the distinction between the Levitical priests and all other priests (heathen, Israelitish, or tribal). See note on Deuteronomy 17:9 .
saith the Lord GOD = [is] Jehovah's oracle.
bullock. See note on "ordinances", Ezekiel 43:14 .
sin offering. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 29:14 ). App-92 .
20.
And 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.
21.
Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.
he shall burn it . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 29:14 ).
22.
And 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.
23.
When 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.
24.
And 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.
cast salt . This was not done in this case under the Mosaic law. Compare Leviticus 2:13 . See App-92 .
25.
Seven 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.
26.
Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.
purge = atone for.
consecrate . See note on Exodus 29:41 , Leviticus 9:17 .
themselves = it.
27.
And 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.
your . . . you: i.e. nationally, not individually. See note on "ordinance", &c., Ezekiel 43:18 .
I will accept you , Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 22:27 . Deuteronomy 33:11 ). App-92 .