Ezekiel 43:13

13 istae autem mensurae altaris in cubito verissimo qui habebat cubitum et palmum in sinu eius erat cubitus et cubitus in latitudine et definitio usque ad labium eius in circuitu palmus unus haec quoque erat fossa altaris

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 et erubescant ex omnibus quae fecerunt figuram domus et fabricae eius exitus et introitus et omnem descriptionem eius et universa praecepta eius cunctumque ordinem eius et omnes leges eius ostende eis et scribes in oculis eorum et custodiant omnes descriptiones eius et praecepta illius et faciant ea
12 ista est lex domus in summitate montis omnes fines eius in circuitu sanctum sanctorum est haec ergo est lex domus
13 istae autem mensurae altaris in cubito verissimo qui habebat cubitum et palmum in sinu eius erat cubitus et cubitus in latitudine et definitio usque ad labium eius in circuitu palmus unus haec quoque erat fossa altaris
14 et de sinu terrae usque ad crepidinem novissimam duo cubiti et latitudo cubiti unius et a crepidine maiori usque ad crepidinem minorem quattuor cubiti et latitudo unius cubiti
15 ipse autem arihel quattuor cubitorum et ab arihel usque sursum cornua quattuor
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.