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Ezekiel 41-44
Contemporary English Version

41 Next we went into the main room of the temple. The man measured the doorway of this room: It was 3 meters wide,[a] 2 five meters long, and the distance from the doorway to the wall on either side was two and a half meters. The main room itself was 20 meters by 10 meters.

3-4 Then the man walked to the far end of the temple's main room and said, “Beyond this doorway is the most holy place.” He first measured the doorway: It was one meter wide, 3 meters long, and the distance from the doorway to the wall on either side was 3.5 meters. Then he measured the most holy place, and it was 10 meters square.

The Storage Rooms of the Temple

5 The man measured the wall of the temple, and it was three meters thick. Storage rooms two meters wide were built against the outside of the wall. 6 There were three levels of rooms, with 30 rooms on each level, and they rested on ledges that were attached to the temple walls, so that nothing was built into the walls. 7 The walls of the temple were thicker at the bottom than at the top, which meant that the storage rooms on the top level were wider than those on the bottom level.[b] Steps led from the bottom level, through the middle level, and into the top level.

8 The temple rested on a stone base three meters high, which also served as the foundation for the storage rooms. 9 The outside walls of the storage rooms were two and a half meters thick; there was nothing between these walls 10 and the nearest buildings ten meters away. 11 One door led into the storage rooms on the north side of the temple, and another door led to those on the south side. The stone base extended two and a half meters beyond the outside wall of the storage rooms.

The West Building and the Measurements of the Temple

12 I noticed another building: It faced the west end of the temple and was 35 meters wide, 45 meters long, and had walls over 2.5 meters thick.

13 The man measured the length of the temple, and it was 50 meters. He then measured from the back wall of the temple, across the open space behind the temple, to the back wall of the west building; it was 50 meters. 14 The distance across the front of the temple, including the open space on either side, was also 50 meters.

15 Finally, the man measured the length of the west building, including the side rooms on each end, and it was also 50 meters.

The Inside of the Temple

The inside walls of the temple's porch and main room[c] 16 were paneled with wood all the way from the floor to the windows, while the doorways, the small windows, and the three side rooms were trimmed in wood.[d] 17 The paneling stopped just above the doorway. These walls were decorated[e] 18-20 with carvings of winged creatures and had a carving of a palm tree between the creatures. Each winged creature had two faces: A human face looking at the palm tree on one side, and a lion's face looking at the palm tree on the other side. These designs were carved into the paneling all the way around the two rooms.

21 The doorframe to the temple's main room was in the shape of a rectangle.

The Wooden Altar

In front of the doorway to the most holy place was something that looked like 22 a wooden altar. It was one and a half meters high and one meter square,[f] and its corners, its base,[g] and its sides were made of wood. The man said, “This is a reminder that the Lord is constantly watching over his temple.”

The Doors in the Temple

23 Both the doorway to the main room of the temple and the doorway to the most holy place had two doors, 24 and each door had two sections that could fold open. 25 The doors to the main room were decorated with carvings of winged creatures and palm trees just like those on the walls, and there was a wooden covering over the porch just outside these doors. 26 The walls on each side of this porch had small windows and were also decorated with carvings of palm trees.

The Sacred Rooms for the Priests

42 1-2 After the man and I left the temple and walked back to the outer courtyard, he showed me a set of rooms on the north side of the west building.[h] This set of rooms was 50 meters long and 25 meters wide. 3 On one side of them was the 10 meters of open space that ran alongside the temple,[i] and on the other side was the sidewalk that circled the outer courtyard.[j] The rooms were arranged in three levels 4 with doors that opened toward the north, and in front of them was a walkway five meters wide and 50 meters long.[k] 5 The rooms on the top level were narrower than those on the middle level, and the rooms on the middle level were narrower than those on the bottom level. 6 The rooms on the bottom level supported those on the two upper levels, and so these rooms did not have columns like other buildings in the courtyard. 7-8 To the north was a privacy wall 25 meters long,[l] 9-10 and at the east end of this wall was the door leading from the courtyard to these rooms.

There was also a set of rooms on the south[m] side of the west building. 11 These rooms were exactly like those on the north side, and they also had a walkway in front of them. 12 The door to these rooms was at the east end of the wall that stood in front of them.

13 The man then said to me:

These rooms on the north and south sides of the temple are the sacred rooms where the Lord's priests will eat the most holy offerings. These offerings include the grain sacrifices, the sacrifices for sin, and the sacrifices to make things right. 14 When the priests are ready to leave the temple, they must go through these rooms before they return to the outer courtyard. They must leave their sacred clothes in these rooms and put on regular clothes before going anywhere near other people.

The Size of the Temple Area

15 After the man had finished measuring the buildings inside the temple area, he took me back through the east gate and measured the wall around this area. 16 He used his measuring stick to measure the east side of this wall; it was 250 meters long. 17-19 Then he measured the north side, the south side, and the west side of the wall, and they were each 250 meters long, 20 and so the temple area was a perfect square. The wall around this area separated what was sacred from what was ordinary.

The Lord's Glory Returns to the Temple

43 The man took me back to the east gate of the temple, 2 (A) where I saw the brightness of the glory of Israel's God coming from the east. The sound I heard was as loud as ocean waves, and everything around was shining with the dazzling brightness of his glory. 3 This vision was like the one I had seen when God came to destroy Jerusalem and like the one I had seen near the Chebar River.

I immediately bowed with my face to the ground, 4 and the Lord's glory came through the east gate and into the temple.[n] 5 The Lord's Spirit lifted me to my feet and carried me to the inner courtyard, where I saw that the Lord's glory had filled the temple.

6 The man was standing beside me, and I heard the Lord[o] say from inside the temple:

7 Ezekiel, son of man, this temple is my throne on earth. I will live here among the people of Israel forever. They and their kings will never again disgrace me by worshiping idols at local shrines or by setting up memorials to their dead kings.[p] 8 Israel's kings built their palaces so close to my holy temple that only a wall separated them from me. Then these kings disgraced me with their evil ways, and in my fierce anger I destroyed them. 9 But if the people and their kings stop worshiping other gods and tear down those memorials, I will live among them forever.

10 The people of Israel must suffer shame for sinning against me, so tell them about my holy temple. Let them think about it, 11 then if they are truly sorry, describe for them the design and shape of the temple, the gates, the measurements, and how the buildings are arranged. Explain the regulations about worshiping there, then write down these things, so they can study and obey them.

12 The temple area on my holy mountain must be kept sacred! This is the most important law about the temple.

The Altar

13 (B) According to the official standards, the altar in the temple had the following measurements: Around the bottom of the altar was a gutter 50 centimeters wide and 50 centimeters deep, with a 25-centimeter ledge on the outer rim. 14-17 The altar rested on a base and had three sections, each one of them square. The bottom section was 8 meters on each side and one meter high. The middle section was 7 meters on each side and 2 meters high, and it had a 25-centimeter rim around its outer edge. The top section, which was 6 meters on each side and 2 meters high, was the place where sacrifices were burned, and the four corners of the top section looked like the horns of a bull. The steps leading up to the altar were on the east side.

The Dedication of the Altar

18 (C) The Lord God said:

Ezekiel, son of man, after the altar is built, it must be dedicated by offering sacrifices on it and by splattering it with blood. Here is what you must do: 19 The priests of the Levi tribe from the family of Zadok the priest are the only ones who may serve in my temple—this is my law. So give them a young bull to slaughter as a sacrifice for sin. 20 Take some of the animal's blood and smear it on the four corners of the altar, some on the corners of the middle section, and some more on the rim around its edge. That will purify the altar and make it fit for offering sacrifices to me. 21 Then take the body of the bull outside the temple area and burn it at the special place.

22 The next day, a goat[q] that has nothing wrong with it must be offered as a sacrifice for sin. Purify the altar with its blood, just as you did with the blood of the bull. 23 Then choose a young bull and a young ram that have nothing wrong with them, 24 and bring them to my temple. The priests will sprinkle salt on them[r] and offer them as sacrifices to please me.[s]

25 Each day for the next seven days, you must offer a goat and a bull and a ram as sacrifices for sin. These animals must have nothing wrong with them. 26 The priests will purify the altar during those days, so that it will be acceptable to me and ready to use. 27 From then on, the priests will use this altar to offer sacrifices to please me and sacrifices to ask my blessing.[t] Then I will be pleased with the people of Israel. I, the Lord God, have spoken.

The East Gate Must Remain Closed

44 The man took me back to the outer courtyard, near the east gate of the temple area. I saw that the doors to this gate were closed. 2 The Lord said:

I, the Lord God of Israel, came through this gate, so it must remain closed forever! No one must ever use it. 3 The ruler of Israel may come here to eat a sacrificial meal that has been offered to me, but he must use only the entrance room of this gate.

People Who Are Not Allowed in the Temple

4 Then the man took me through the north gate to the front of the temple. I saw that the brightness of the Lord's glory had filled the temple, and I immediately bowed with my face to the ground.

5 The Lord said:

Ezekiel, son of man, I am going to give you the laws for my temple. So pay attention and listen carefully to what kind of people are allowed to come in the temple, and what kind are not. 6 Tell those rebellious people of Israel:

I, the Lord God, command you to stop your evil ways! 7 My temple has been disgraced, because you have let godless, stubborn foreigners come here when sacrifices are being offered to me. You have sinned and have broken our solemn agreement. 8 Instead of following the proper ways to worship me, you have put foreigners in charge of worship at my temple.

9 And so I, the Lord God, say that no godless foreigner who disobeys me will be allowed in my temple. This includes any foreigner living in Israel.

The Levites Are Punished

The Lord said:

10 Some of the Levites turned their backs on me and joined the other people of Israel in worshiping idols. So these Levites must be punished! 11 They will still be allowed to serve me as temple workers by guarding the gates and by killing the animals to be sacrificed and by helping the worshipers. 12 But because these Levites served the people of Israel when they worshiped idols, I, the Lord God, promise that the Levites will be punished. They did not stop the Israelites from sinning, 13 and now I will no longer let the Levites serve as my priests or come near anything sacred to me. They must suffer shame and disgrace for their disgusting sins. 14 They will be responsible for all the hard work that must be done in the temple.

Rules for Priests

The Lord said:

15 The priests of the Levi tribe who are descendants of Zadok the priest were faithful to me, even when the rest of the Israelites turned away. And so, these priests will continue to serve as my priests and to offer the fat and the blood of sacrifices. 16 They will come into my temple, where they will offer sacrifices at my altar and lead others in worship.

17 (D) When they come to the inner courtyard, they must wear their linen priestly clothes. My priests must never wear anything made of wool when they are on duty in this courtyard or in the temple. 18 Even their turbans and underwear must be made of linen to keep my priests from sweating when they work. 19 (E) And before they leave to join the other people in the outer courtyard, they must take off their priestly clothes, then place them in the sacred rooms and put on their regular clothes.[u] That way, no one will touch their sacred clothes and be harmed.[v]

20 (F) Priests must never shave their heads when they are mourning. But they must keep their hair properly trimmed and not let it grow too long. 21 (G) They must not drink wine before going to the inner courtyard.

22 (H) A priest must not marry a divorced woman; he can marry only a virgin from Israel or the widow of another priest.

23 (I) Priests must teach my people the difference between what is sacred and what is ordinary, and between what is clean and what is unclean. 24 They will make decisions in difficult legal cases, according to my own laws. They must also observe the religious festivals my Law requires and must always respect the Sabbath.

25 (J) Touching a dead body will make a person unclean. So a priest must not go near a dead body, unless it is one of his parents or children, or his brother or unmarried sister. 26 If a priest touches a dead body, he is unclean and must go through a ceremony to make himself clean. Then seven days later, 27 he must go to the inner courtyard of the temple and offer a sacrifice for sin. After that, he may once again serve as my priest. I, the Lord God, have spoken.

28 (K) I myself will provide for my priests, and so they won't receive any land of their own. 29 (L) Instead, they will receive part of the grain sacrifices, as well as part of the sacrifices for sin and sacrifices to make things right. They will also be given everything in Israel that has been completely dedicated to me.[w] 30 The first part of every harvest will belong to the priests. They will also receive part of all special gifts and offerings the Israelites bring to me. And whenever any of my people bake bread, they will give their first loaf as an offering to the priests, and I will bless the homes of the people when they do this.

31 (M) Priests must not eat any bird or animal that dies a natural death or that has been killed by a wild animal.

Footnotes

  1. 41.1 It was 3 meters wide: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  2. 41.7 which meant that … on the bottom level: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  3. 41.15 The inside walls of the temple's porch and main room: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  4. 41.16 were trimmed in wood: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  5. 41.17 decorated: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 17.
  6. 41.22 one meter square: One ancient translation; Hebrew “one meter wide.”
  7. 41.22 base: One ancient translation; Hebrew “length.”
  8. 42.1,2 he showed me … the west building: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  9. 42.3 the 10 meters of open space … the temple: See 41.10.
  10. 42.3 the sidewalk that circled the outer courtyard: See 40.17.
  11. 42.4 50 meters long: Two ancient translations; Hebrew “50 centimeters long.”
  12. 42.7,8 long: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verses 5-8.
  13. 42.9,10 south: One ancient translation; Hebrew “east.”
  14. 43.4 the Lord's glory … temple: This was the same gate the Lord's glory went through when it left Jerusalem (see 10.19 and 11.22,23).
  15. 43.6 the Lord: Hebrew “a voice.”
  16. 43.7 by setting up memorials to their dead kings: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  17. 43.22 goat: Hebrew “male goat.”
  18. 43.24 The priests will sprinkle salt on them: See Leviticus 2.13.
  19. 43.24 sacrifices to please me: See the note at 40.38,39.
  20. 43.27 sacrifices to ask my blessing: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “peace offerings” or “offerings of well-being.” A main purpose was to ask for the Lord's blessing, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called “sacrifices to ask the Lord's blessing.”
  21. 44.19 take off their priestly clothes … put on their regular clothes: See 42.14.
  22. 44.19 no one will touch … and be harmed: Ordinary people were forbidden to touch anything that was sacred. If they did, it was believed they would somehow be harmed.
  23. 44.29 that has been completely dedicated to me: This translates a Hebrew word that describes property and things that were taken away from humans and given to God. In the early history of Israel, such things often had to be destroyed (see Joshua 6.15-19).
Listen to Ezekiel 41-44
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Ezekiel 41-44
New International Version

41 Then the man brought me to the main hall(A) and measured the jambs; the width of the jambs was six cubits[a] on each side.[b] 2 The entrance was ten cubits[c] wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were five cubits[d] wide. He also measured the main hall; it was forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide.[e](B)

3 Then he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance; each was two cubits[f] wide. The entrance was six cubits wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were seven cubits[g] wide. 4 And he measured the length of the inner sanctuary; it was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits across the end of the main hall.(C) He said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.(D)”

5 Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was six cubits thick, and each side room around the temple was four cubits[h] wide. 6 The side rooms were on three levels, one above another, thirty(E) on each level. There were ledges all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports were not inserted into the wall of the temple.(F) 7 The side rooms all around the temple were wider at each successive level. The structure surrounding the temple was built in ascending stages, so that the rooms widened as one went upward. A stairway(G) went up from the lowest floor to the top floor through the middle floor.

8 I saw that the temple had a raised base all around it, forming the foundation of the side rooms. It was the length of the rod, six long cubits. 9 The outer wall of the side rooms was five cubits thick. The open area between the side rooms of the temple 10 and the priests’ rooms was twenty cubits wide all around the temple. 11 There were entrances to the side rooms from the open area, one on the north and another on the south; and the base adjoining the open area was five cubits wide all around.

12 The building facing the temple courtyard on the west side was seventy cubits[i] wide. The wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length was ninety cubits.[j]

13 Then he measured the temple; it was a hundred cubits[k] long, and the temple courtyard and the building with its walls were also a hundred cubits long. 14 The width of the temple courtyard on the east, including the front of the temple, was a hundred cubits.(H)

15 Then he measured the length of the building facing the courtyard at the rear of the temple, including its galleries(I) on each side; it was a hundred cubits.

The main hall, the inner sanctuary and the portico facing the court, 16 as well as the thresholds and the narrow windows(J) and galleries around the three of them—everything beyond and including the threshold was covered with wood. The floor, the wall up to the windows, and the windows were covered.(K) 17 In the space above the outside of the entrance to the inner sanctuary and on the walls at regular intervals all around the inner and outer sanctuary 18 were carved(L) cherubim(M) and palm trees.(N) Palm trees alternated with cherubim. Each cherub had two faces:(O) 19 the face of a human being toward the palm tree on one side and the face of a lion toward the palm tree on the other. They were carved all around the whole temple.(P) 20 From the floor to the area above the entrance, cherubim and palm trees were carved on the wall of the main hall.

21 The main hall(Q) had a rectangular doorframe, and the one at the front of the Most Holy Place was similar. 22 There was a wooden altar(R) three cubits[l] high and two cubits square[m]; its corners, its base[n] and its sides were of wood. The man said to me, “This is the table(S) that is before the Lord.” 23 Both the main hall(T) and the Most Holy Place had double doors.(U) 24 Each door had two leaves—two hinged leaves(V) for each door. 25 And on the doors of the main hall were carved cherubim and palm trees like those carved on the walls, and there was a wooden overhang on the front of the portico. 26 On the sidewalls of the portico were narrow windows with palm trees carved on each side. The side rooms of the temple also had overhangs.(W)

The Rooms for the Priests

42 Then the man led me northward into the outer court and brought me to the rooms(X) opposite the temple courtyard(Y) and opposite the outer wall on the north side.(Z) 2 The building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide.[o] 3 Both in the section twenty cubits[p] from the inner court and in the section opposite the pavement of the outer court, gallery(AA) faced gallery at the three levels.(AB) 4 In front of the rooms was an inner passageway ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits[q] long.[r] Their doors were on the north.(AC) 5 Now the upper rooms were narrower, for the galleries took more space from them than from the rooms on the lower and middle floors of the building. 6 The rooms on the top floor had no pillars, as the courts had; so they were smaller in floor space than those on the lower and middle floors. 7 There was an outer wall parallel to the rooms and the outer court; it extended in front of the rooms for fifty cubits. 8 While the row of rooms on the side next to the outer court was fifty cubits long, the row on the side nearest the sanctuary was a hundred cubits long. 9 The lower rooms had an entrance(AD) on the east side as one enters them from the outer court.

10 On the south side[s] along the length of the wall of the outer court, adjoining the temple courtyard(AE) and opposite the outer wall, were rooms(AF) 11 with a passageway in front of them. These were like the rooms on the north; they had the same length and width, with similar exits and dimensions. Similar to the doorways on the north 12 were the doorways of the rooms on the south. There was a doorway at the beginning of the passageway that was parallel to the corresponding wall extending eastward, by which one enters the rooms.

13 Then he said to me, “The north(AG) and south rooms(AH) facing the temple courtyard(AI) are the priests’ rooms, where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will put the most holy offerings—the grain offerings,(AJ) the sin offerings[t](AK) and the guilt offerings(AL)—for the place is holy.(AM) 14 Once the priests enter the holy precincts, they are not to go into the outer court until they leave behind the garments(AN) in which they minister, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they go near the places that are for the people.(AO)”

15 When he had finished measuring what was inside the temple area, he led me out by the east gate(AP) and measured the area all around: 16 He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was five hundred cubits.[u][v] 17 He measured the north side; it was five hundred cubits[w] by the measuring rod. 18 He measured the south side; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 19 Then he turned to the west side and measured; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 20 So he measured(AQ) the area(AR) on all four sides. It had a wall around it,(AS) five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide,(AT) to separate the holy from the common.(AU)

God’s Glory Returns to the Temple

43 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east,(AV) 2 and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters,(AW) and the land was radiant with his glory.(AX) 3 The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he[x] came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. 4 The glory(AY) of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east.(AZ) 5 Then the Spirit(BA) lifted me up(BB) and brought me into the inner court, and the glory(BC) of the Lord filled the temple.(BD)

6 While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. 7 He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne(BE) 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(BF) my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the funeral offerings[y] for their kings at their death.[z](BG) 8 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. 9 Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them forever.(BH)

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

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

The Great Altar Restored

13 “These are the measurements of the altar(BM) in long cubits,[ab] that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span[ac] 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.[ad] 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.[ae] 15 Above that, the altar hearth(BN) is four cubits high, and four horns(BO) project upward from the hearth. 16 The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits[af] long and twelve cubits wide.(BP) 17 The upper ledge(BQ) also is square, fourteen cubits[ag] long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit.[ah] The steps(BR) of the altar face east.(BS)”

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(BT) and splashing blood(BU) against the altar when it is built: 19 You are to give a young bull(BV) as a sin offering[ai] to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok,(BW) who come near(BX) 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(BY) and on the four corners of the upper ledge(BZ) and all around the rim, and so purify the altar(CA) 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.(CB)

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

25 “For seven days(CE) 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.(CF) 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(CG) on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings(CH) and fellowship offerings(CI) on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

The Priesthood Restored

44 Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east,(CJ) and it was shut. 2 The Lord said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it.(CK) It is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it. 3 The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence(CL) of the Lord. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.(CM)”

4 Then the man brought me by way of the north gate(CN) to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple(CO) of the Lord, and I fell facedown.(CP)

5 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations and instructions regarding the temple of the Lord. Give attention to the entrance(CQ) to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary.(CR) 6 Say to rebellious Israel,(CS) ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel! 7 In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart(CT) and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant.(CU) 8 Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary.(CV) 9 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.(CW)

10 “‘The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray(CX) and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin.(CY) 11 They may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings(CZ) and sacrifices for the people and stand before the people and serve them.(DA) 12 But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the people of Israel fall(DB) into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand(DC) that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign Lord.(DD) 13 They are not to come near to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or my most holy offerings; they must bear the shame(DE) of their detestable practices.(DF) 14 And I will appoint them to guard the temple for all the work that is to be done in it.(DG)

15 “‘But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok(DH) and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat(DI) and blood, declares the Sovereign Lord.(DJ) 16 They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone are to come near my table(DK) to minister before me and serve me as guards.(DL)

17 “‘When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes;(DM) they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. 18 They are to wear linen turbans(DN) on their heads and linen undergarments(DO) around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.(DP) 19 When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and are to leave them in the sacred rooms, and put on other clothes, so that the people are not consecrated(DQ) through contact with their garments.(DR)

20 “‘They must not shave(DS) their heads or let their hair grow long, but they are to keep the hair of their heads trimmed.(DT) 21 No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court.(DU) 22 They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.(DV) 23 They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common(DW) and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.(DX)

24 “‘In any dispute, the priests are to serve as judges(DY) and decide it according to my ordinances. They are to keep my laws and my decrees for all my appointed festivals,(DZ) and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy.(EA)

25 “‘A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, then he may defile himself.(EB) 26 After he is cleansed, he must wait seven days.(EC) 27 On the day he goes into the inner court of the sanctuary(ED) to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer a sin offering[aj](EE) for himself, declares the Sovereign Lord.

28 “‘I am to be the only inheritance(EF) the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession. 29 They will eat(EG) the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings; and everything in Israel devoted[ak] to the Lord(EH) will belong to them.(EI) 30 The best of all the firstfruits(EJ) and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal(EK) so that a blessing(EL) may rest on your household.(EM) 31 The priests must not eat anything, whether bird or animal, found dead(EN) or torn by wild animals.(EO)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 41:1 That is, about 11 feet or about 3.2 meters; also in verses 3, 5 and 8
  2. Ezekiel 41:1 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts side, the width of the tent
  3. Ezekiel 41:2 That is, about 18 feet or about 5.3 meters
  4. Ezekiel 41:2 That is, about 8 3/4 feet or about 2.7 meters; also in verses 9, 11 and 12
  5. Ezekiel 41:2 That is, about 70 feet long and 35 feet wide or about 21 meters long and 11 meters wide
  6. Ezekiel 41:3 That is, about 3 1/2 feet or about 1.1 meters; also in verse 22
  7. Ezekiel 41:3 That is, about 12 feet or about 3.7 meters
  8. Ezekiel 41:5 That is, about 7 feet or about 2.1 meters
  9. Ezekiel 41:12 That is, about 123 feet or about 37 meters
  10. Ezekiel 41:12 That is, about 158 feet or about 48 meters
  11. Ezekiel 41:13 That is, about 175 feet or about 53 meters; also in verses 14 and 15
  12. Ezekiel 41:22 That is, about 5 1/4 feet or about 1.5 meters
  13. Ezekiel 41:22 Septuagint; Hebrew long
  14. Ezekiel 41:22 Septuagint; Hebrew length
  15. Ezekiel 42:2 That is, about 175 feet long and 88 feet wide or about 53 meters long and 27 meters wide
  16. Ezekiel 42:3 That is, about 35 feet or about 11 meters
  17. Ezekiel 42:4 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew and one cubit
  18. Ezekiel 42:4 That is, about 18 feet wide and 175 feet long or about 5.3 meters wide and 53 meters long
  19. Ezekiel 42:10 Septuagint; Hebrew Eastward
  20. Ezekiel 42:13 Or purification offerings
  21. Ezekiel 42:16 See Septuagint of verse 17; Hebrew rods; also in verses 18 and 19.
  22. Ezekiel 42:16 Five hundred cubits equal about 875 feet or about 265 meters; also in verses 17, 18 and 19.
  23. Ezekiel 42:17 Septuagint; Hebrew rods
  24. Ezekiel 43:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts I
  25. Ezekiel 43:7 Or the memorial monuments; also in verse 9
  26. Ezekiel 43:7 Or their high places
  27. Ezekiel 43:11 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts regulations and its whole design
  28. 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.
  29. Ezekiel 43:13 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  30. 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
  31. 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
  32. Ezekiel 43:16 That is, about 21 feet or about 6.4 meters
  33. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 25 feet or about 7.4 meters
  34. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  35. Ezekiel 43:19 Or purification offering; also in verses 21, 22 and 25
  36. Ezekiel 44:27 Or purification offering; also in verse 29
  37. Ezekiel 44:29 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord.
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