Ezekiel 42:13

13 Then he said to me, "The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite * the 1separate area, they are the 2holy chambers where * the priests who are 3near to the LORD shall eat the 4most holy things. There they shall lay the most holy things, the grain offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering; for the place is holy.

Ezekiel 42:13 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 42:13

Then said he unto me
The divine Person that measured and described these chambers, and brought the prophet to take a view of them, said to him, as follows: the north chambers, and the south chambers, which are before the
separate place, they be holy chambers;
these are the two rows of chambers before described, which were southward and northward to each other, though both in the northern part of the outward court; these were for holy persons to dwell in, and for holy things to be done in, as the churches of Christ are; they consist of holy persons, men called with a holy calling, and in them the holy word of God is preached, and holy ordinances administered: where the priests that approach unto the Lord shall eat the most holy
things;
which is to be understood not of the ministers of the Gospel, for whom a proper maintenance is to be provided, and who should live of the Gospel they preach; but of all the saints, who are made priests to God by Christ; and who approach unto the Lord by him, in his name and righteousness, and by the faith of him, with true hearts, in a spiritual manner; and which is profitable to themselves, and acceptable to God; for whom spiritual provisions are made in his house: these have most holy things to eat of, the holy word of God, the law part of which is holy, just, and good; and the Gospel part is our most holy faith, which is food for faith, savoury and salutary, milk for babes, and meat for strong men; and which is found and eaten, and digested by them: also our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the most holy, and is the sum and substance of the word and ordinances, and the food of believers, the bread of life, the hidden manna, the Lamb of God, and fatted calf; whose flesh and blood are meat and drink indeed, and are eaten and fed upon by faith. There shall they lay the most holy things;
lay up the word of God in their minds and memories, and remember the love of God, his sufferings and death, and the benefits arising from them, particularly in the ordinance of the supper: and the meat offering;
the "minchah", or bread offering, made of fine flour, typical of Christ, the bread of life: and the sin, offering, and the trespass offering;
both typical of Christ, made sin for his people; and who, by one sacrifice of himself, has made atonement for it, and an end of it; (See Gill on Ezekiel 40:39), these were called the most holy things, and were laid up in the sanctuary for the priests and their families to live upon, ( Leviticus 6:17 ) : for the place is holy:
the place of these chambers holy, as the temple itself, where these most holy things and holy persons were.

Ezekiel 42:13 In-Context

11 The way in front of them was like the appearance of the chambers which were on the north, according to their length so was their width, and all their exits were both according to their arrangements and openings.
12 Corresponding to the openings of the chambers which were toward the south was an opening at the head of the way, the way in front of the wall toward the east, as one enters them.
13 Then he said to me, "The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the separate area, they are the holy chambers where the priests who are near to the LORD shall eat the most holy things. There they shall lay the most holy things, the grain offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering; for the place is holy.
14 "When the priests enter, then they shall not go out into the outer court from the sanctuary without laying there their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other garments; then they shall approach that which is for the people."
15 Now when he had finished measuring the inner house, he brought me out by the way of the gate which faced toward the east and measured it all around.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Ezekiel 42:1, 10
  • 2. Exodus 29:31; Leviticus 7:6; Leviticus 10:13, 14, 17
  • 3. Leviticus 10:3; Deuteronomy 21:5; Ezekiel 40:46
  • 4. Leviticus 6:25, 29; Leviticus 14:13; Numbers 18:9, 10
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