Ezechiele 45:18

18 Così parla il Signore, l’Eterno: Il primo mese, il primo giorno del mese, prenderai un giovenco senza difetto, e purificherai il santuario.

Ezechiele 45:18 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 45:18

Thus saith the Lord God
Here begins the account of the times and seasons in which the above sacrifices should be prepared and offered; or that which was signified by them be held forth in the ministry of the word to the faith of God's people: in the first month, in the first day of the month;
the month Nisan, as Kimchi observes, who adds,

``which is the month of redemption, in which Israel were redeemed out of Egypt, and in which they shall be redeemed in time to come:''

this month answers to part of our March and part of April; it was the first month in the year with the Jews for their ecclesiastical affairs; so that the first day of this month was New Year's Day: thou shall take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the
sanctuary;
or, "make a sin offering for it" ^F7; here the Jews are puzzled; since, according to the law of Moses, in the beginnings of their months, they were to offer a burnt offering of two young bullocks and a ram ( Numbers 28:11 ) , whereas here only one bullock, and that a sin offering; wherefore R. Jochanan and R. Judah say, this must be left till Elijah comes to explain it; and as much at a loss are they how to account for it that Ezekiel should do this, whom they suppose to be the person spoken to; and therefore imagine this will be done by him after the resurrection, not being able to see that this shows the abrogation of the law of Moses; and that not the Prophet Ezekiel, but Christ the Prince and Priest, is here addressed; and whose sacrifice is designed by the young bullock without blemish; a type of him both in his strength and purity; and by which his sanctuary, his church and people, have all their sins expiated; and particularly the sins of the year past, this being represented as done on New Year's Day, which the annual atonement prefigured.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F7 (tajx) "expiatoque", Piscator; "expiabis", Cocceius, Starckius.

Ezechiele 45:18 In-Context

16 Tutto il popolo del paese dovrà prelevare quest’offerta per il principe d’Israele.

17 E al principe toccherà di fornire gli olocausti, le oblazioni e le libazioni per le feste, per i noviluni, per i sabati, per tutte le solennità della casa d’Israele; egli provvederà i sacrifizi per il peccato, l’oblazione, l’olocausto e i sacrifizi di azioni di grazie, per fare la propiziazione per la casa d’Israele.

18 Così parla il Signore, l’Eterno: Il primo mese, il primo giorno del mese, prenderai un giovenco senza difetto, e purificherai il santuario.

19 Il sacerdote prenderà del sangue della vittima per il peccato, e ne metterà sugli stipiti della porta della casa, sui quattro angoli de’ gradini dell’altare, e sugli stipiti della porta del cortile interno.

20 Farai lo stesso il settimo giorno del mese per chi avrà peccato per errore, e per il semplice; e così purificherete la casa.