Ezekiel 43:8-18

8 In their setting of their threshhold by my threshholds, 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 my anger.

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

10 Thou 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 And if they shall be ashamed of all that they have done, show them the form of the house, and the fashion of it, and its goings out, and its comings in, and all its forms, and all its ordinances, and 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; Upon the top of the mountain, the whole limit of it around [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 a hand-breadth; even the bottom [shall be] a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border of it by its edge around [shall be] a span: and this [shall be] the higher place of the altar.

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.

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

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

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

18 And he said to 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 upon it, and to sprinkle blood upon it.

Ezekiel 43:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 43

The temple or house of God being measured, the worship of God in it is pointed out and observed in this and the following chapter; and which, though evangelical, is expressed in the language of the Old Testament. An account is given of the glory of the Lord returning to the house, and the way he did, and his taking possession of it, which the prophet was favoured with a view of, Eze 43:1-5, a promise is made of his continuance there, provided his people behaved as they should, Eze 43:6-9, an order is given to the prophet, to show them the form and fashion, the laws, orders, and ordinances of the house to them, to be observed by them, Eze 43:10-12, then follows the measuring of the altar of burnt offerings; which, though measured before in chapter forty, the dimensions are here given, Eze 43:13-17, and the chapter is concluded with directions about the consecration of it, Eze 43:18-27.