Yechezkel 40:38

38 And the lishka and the entryways thereof were by the ulam vestibules of the she’arim, where they washed the olah (burnt offering).

Yechezkel 40:38 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 40:38

And the chambers, and the entries thereof, were by the posts
of the gates
Of the north gate; the plural for the singular; for not at the other gates, only at the north gate, were the sacrifices slain and washed; as under the law, only on the north side of the altar, ( Leviticus 1:11 ) , now, by the posts of this gate, or at the entrance of it on one side, stood a cell or chamber, and a door into it
^F15, as the words may be rendered; for they are singular in the text: where they washed the burnt offering;
its legs and inwards, ( Leviticus 1:9 ) , according to the law, there were lavers in Solomon's temple, to wash the sacrifices in, ( 2 Chronicles 4:6 ) , but there was no such cell or chamber there for such a purpose as here: and as this refers to Gospel times, and to the church in the latter day, no legal sacrifice can be intended here, which are all abolished; but this must be mystically and spiritually understood, and designs no other than the sacrifice of Christ, a sweet smelling savour to God: that this kind of offering was typical of the sacrifice of Christ is clear from ( Hebrews 13:11-13 ) , which whether of the herd, a bullock, represented Christ in his strength and laboriousness; or of the flock, and was either a sheep, an emblem of the innocence and patience of Christ; or a goat, which pointed him out as in the likeness of sinful flesh, traduced as a sinner, and made so by imputation; or of fowls, turtle doves, denoting his meekness and modesty; and all without spot or blemish signified the purity of his, nature and life; and these being burnt with fire were expressive of the pain and shame he endured when he bore our sins, and the wrath of God was poured on him as fire; the washing of the burnt offering denotes the purity of Christ's sacrifice, being offered up without spot. Some, as Polanus, have thought the ordinance of baptism is here designed, as the Lord's supper is by the tables next mentioned; and it is a note of Starchius upon the passage, that,

``he who is washed in the divine laver may be regaled with the heavenly feast.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (hxtpwhkvlw) "et cubiculum, et ostium ejus", Pagninus, Montanus; "caeterum fuit cella, et ostium ejus", Tigurine version.

Yechezkel 40:38 In-Context

36 The ta’im thereof, the jambs thereof, and the ulam vestibules thereof, and the chalonot to it round about; the length was fifty cubits, and the width five and twenty cubits.

37 And the jambs thereof were toward the khatzer hakhitzonah; and timorim were upon the jambs thereof, on this side, and on that side; and the going up to it had ma’alot shmoneh.

38 And the lishka and the entryways thereof were by the ulam vestibules of the she’arim, where they washed the olah (burnt offering).

39 And in the ulam of the sha’ar were two shulchanot (tables) on this side, and two shulchanot on that side, to slaughter thereon the olah and the chattat and the asham.

40 And at the side outside, as one goeth up to the petach hasha’ar hatzafonah, were two shulchanot; and on the other side, which was at the ulam of the sha’ar, were two shulchanot.