Ezekiel 43:13

The Altar

13 "These are the measurements of 1the altar by cubits (the cubit being 2a cubit and a handbreadth):[a] its base shall be one cubit high[b] and one cubit broad, with a rim of one span[c] around its edge. And this shall be the height of the altar:

Ezekiel 43:13 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 43:13

And these are the measures of the altar after the cubits
Of the altar of burnt offering, which though measured before, the dimensions were not given till now; see ( Ezekiel 40:47 ) , this altar was a type of Christ, ( Hebrews 13:10 ) with respect to his deity, which is greater than the sacrifice of his human nature, the support of it, which sanctified it, and gave virtue and efficacy to it, and rendered it acceptable to God, ( Matthew 23:19 ) and the measures of it are said to be after the cubits used in the measuring of places and things belonging to this house, described; and what these were appears by what follows: the cubit is a cubit and an hand breadth;
not the common cubit, but what was larger than that by a hand breadth, or three inches: even the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit;
or, "the bosom" F20; that is, the foundation of the altar, as the Targum and Jarchi; the basis, foot, or settle of it; this was a cubit high, and a cubit broad: and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about shall be a span;
the edge or "lip" F21, of this bottom or settle, was a cubit broad, for the priests to stand and go round the altar, and to this there was a border of a span, or half a cubit, to prevent their slipping; or else to keep the blood, poured at the foot of the altar, from running upon the pavement: and this shall be the higher place of the altar;
or the projection or jetting of it out beyond others, which was further than any other part; otherwise it was the lower part of the altar.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (qyx) "sinus", Montanus; "gremium", Munster, Cocceius, Starckius. Ben Melech interprets it the middle of the altar.
F21 (htpv) "labium ejus", Pagninus, Montanus.

Ezekiel 43:13 In-Context

11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple, its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, that is, its whole design; and make known to them as well all its statutes and its whole design and all its laws, and write it down in their sight, so that they may observe all its laws and all its statutes and carry them out.
12 This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.
13 "These are the measurements of the altar by cubits (the cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth): its base shall be one cubit high and one cubit broad, with a rim of one span around its edge. And this shall be the height of the altar:
14 from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits, with a breadth of one cubit; and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, four cubits, with a breadth of one cubit;
15 and the altar hearth, four cubits; and from the altar hearth projecting upward, four horns.

Cross References 2

  • 1. [Ezekiel 40:47; Ezekiel 47:1]; See Exodus 27:1-8
  • 2. Ezekiel 40:5; [Ezekiel 41:8]

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters; a handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
  • [b]. Or its gutter shall be one cubit deep
  • [c]. A span was about 9 inches or 22 centimeters
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.