Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary

The land is to divided into thirteen equal portions. Jerusalem’s gates are described and the city is renamed “YHWH is There.”

II. Photo

Jerusalem is renamed: “The name of the city from that day on shall be ‘YHWH Is There.’” (v. 35)

III. Select Verses

4-5: Adjoining the territory of Naphtali, from the eastern border to the western border: Manasseh — one.  Adjoining the territory of Manasseh, from the eastern border to the western border: Ephraim — one.

9-10: The reserve that you set aside for the LORD shall be 25,000 long and 10,000 wide. It shall be apportioned to the following: The sacred reserve for the priests shall measure 25,000 [cubits] on the north, 10,000 on the west, 10,000 on the east, and 25,000 on the south, with the LORD’s Sanctuary in the middle of it.

11: This consecrated area shall be for the priests of the line of Zadok, who kept My charge and did not go astray, as the Levites did when the people of Israel went astray.

32: On the eastern side, [measuring] 4,500 cubits — there shall be three gates: the Joseph Gate: one; the Benjamin Gate: one; and the Dan Gate: one.

35b: The name of the city from that day on shall be “The LORD Is There.”

IV. Outline

1-29. The strips of land

    1. Northern border; Dan

    2. Asher

    3. Naphtali

    4. Manasseh

    5. Ephraim

    6. Reuben

    7. Judah

    8-22. The land set aside

        8-12. The temple and the Zadokite priests’ land

        13-14. The Levites’ land

        15-20. The city and land for the city workers

        21-22. The prince’s land

    23. Benjamin

    24. Simeon

    25. Issachar

    26. Zebulun

    27-27. Gad; Southern border

    29. Closing statement

30-35. The city gates and name

    30-31. Northern gates: Reuben, Judah, Levi

    32. Eastern gates: Joseph, Benjamin, Dan

    33. Southern gates: Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun

    34. Western gates: Gad, Asher, Naphtali

    35a. Circumference

    35b. The city’s name: “YHWH is There”

    

   

V. Comment

No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

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Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary

Yahweh shows Ezekiel a fertile river that flows from the temple to the Dead Sea. Yahweh demarcates the four borders of the land.

II. Photo

The temple’s river is fertile: “All kinds of trees for food will grow up on both banks of the stream. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail; they will yield new fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the Temple.” (v. 12)

III. Select Verses

2: Then he led me out by way of the northern gate and led me around to the outside of the outer gate that faces in the direction of the east; and I found that water was gushing from [under] the south wall.

5: When he measured yet another thousand, it was a stream I could not cross; for the water had swollen into a stream that could not be crossed except by swimming.

8-9, 12: “This water,” he told me, “runs out to the eastern region, and flows into the Arabah; and when it comes into the sea, into the sea of foul waters, the water will become wholesome.  Every living creature that swarms will be able to live wherever this stream goes; the fish will be very abundant once these waters have reached there. It will be wholesome, and everything will live wherever this stream goes… All kinds of trees for food will grow up on both banks of the stream. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail; they will yield new fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the Temple. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

13-14: Thus said the Lord GOD: These shall be the boundaries of the land that you shall allot to the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall receive two portions,  and you shall share the rest equally. As I swore to give it to your fathers, so shall this land fall to you as your heritage.

23: You shall give the stranger an allotment within the tribe where he resides — declares the Lord GOD.

IV. Outline

1-11. The temple’s river

    1-6. Ezekiel is shown the raging waters flowing from the Southern temple wall

    7-11. The temple’s waters will be fresh and fruitful, even in the Dead Sea

13-23. Dividing the land

    13-14. Twelve portions for the twelve tribes

    15-20. The four boundaries

    21-23. Sojourners should be given land where they reside

   

V. Comment

No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

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Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary

Ezekiel teaches the laws of the gate, offerings, and inheritances of the prince. Yahweh shows Ezekiel the places in the temple for cooking.

II. Photo

Yahweh teaches Ezekiel: “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering” (v. 20).

III. Select Verses

8: When the prince enters, he shall come in by the vestibule of the gate, and he shall go out by the same way.

9: When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed festivals, whoever enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: they shall not return by way of the gate by which they entered, but shall go out straight ahead.

13-14:  He shall provide a lamb, a yearling, without blemish, for a burnt offering to the LORD daily; morning by morning he shall provide it.  And he shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning regularly, one-sixth of an ephah, and one-third of a hin of oil to moisten the choice flour, as a grain offering to the LORD; this is the ordinance for all time.

18: The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their holding; he shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own holding, so that none of my people shall be dispossessed of their holding.

20: He said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so communicate holiness to the people.”

IV. Outline

1-15. Yahweh’s rules #1

    1-12. The prince

        1-3. The prince’s eastern temple gate for the Sabbath and new moons

        4-5. The prince’s sabbath offerings

        6-7. The prince’s new moon offerings

        8. The prince shall enter and exit through his gate

        9. The people shall enter the south gate but exit the north gate

        10. The prince’s entrance and exit on the holidays

        11. The prince’s meal offering for the holidays

        12. The prince’s gate can be opened for his free will offerings

    13-15. The daily lamb offering

16-18. Yahew’s rules #2: princely gifting and inheritances

19-24. Yahweh guides Ezekiel

    19-20. The place for cooking and baking the guilt, sin, and grain offerings

    21-24. The four places for cooking the peoples’ sacrifices

V. Comment

No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

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Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary

Ezekiel demarcates land around the temple for the priests, Levites, princes, and Israelites. YHWH tells the princes to do good, use proper measures, and provide offerings to the temple. YHWH  describes the offerings for the first and seventh months.

II. Photo

The princes must use correct measurements: “The shekel shall weigh 20 gerahs. 20 shekels, 25 shekels [and] 10 plus 5 shekels shall count with you as a mina.” (v. 12)

III. Select Verses

4-8a: It is a sacred portion of the land; it shall provide space for houses for the priests, the ministrants of the Sanctuary who are qualified to minister to the LORD, as well as holy ground for the Sanctuary.   Another [space], 25,000 long by 10,000 wide, shall be the property of the Levites, the servants of the Temple — twenty chambers.   Alongside the sacred reserve, you shall set aside [a space] 25,000 long by 5,000 wide, as the property of the city; it shall belong to the whole House of Israel.   And to the prince shall belong, on both sides of the sacred reserve and the property of the city and alongside the sacred reserve and the property of the city, on the west extending westward and on the east extending eastward, a portion corresponding to one of the [tribal] portions that extend from the western border to the eastern border  of the land.

10-12: Have honest balances, an honest ephah, and an honest bath.  The ephah and the bath shall comprise the same volume, the bath a tenth of a homer and the ephah a tenth of a homer; their capacity shall be gauged by the homer.  And the shekel shall weigh 20 gerahs. 20 shekels, 25 shekels [and] 10 plus 5 shekels shall count with you as a mina.

17: But the burnt offerings, the meal offerings, and the libations on festivals, new moons, sabbaths — all fixed occasions — of the House of Israel shall be the obligation of the prince; he shall provide the sin offerings, the meal offerings, the burnt offerings, and the offerings of well-being, to make expiation for the House of Israel.

21: On the fourteenth day of the first month you shall have the passover sacrifice; and during a festival of seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten.

IV. Outline

1-4. Land for the sanctuary and the priests

5. Land for the Levites

6. Land for the city and all Israelites

7-8a. Two portions of land for the princes

8b. Proper behavior for the princes

9-17. YHWH’s speech to the princes

    9. Do good, not evil

    10-12. Proper measures explained

    13-17. Required offerings and donations

18-25. YHWH’s speech about offerings

    18-20. Purification and atonement on 1/1 and 7/1

    21-24. The passover offerings beginning on 1/14

    25. These should be repeated on 7/15

V. Comment

No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

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Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary

Yahweh warns Ezekiel to heed the laws of the temple and teaches him the laws pertaining to the Zadokite priests.

II. Photo

Yahweh teaches Ezekiel about the clothing of the Zadokites: “And when they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen vestments.” (v. 17)

III. Select Verses

1-3: Then he led me back to the outer gate of the Sanctuary that faced eastward; it was shut.  And the LORD said to me: This gate is to be kept shut and is not to be opened! No one shall enter by it because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall remain shut.  Only the prince may sit in it and eat bread before the LORD, since he is a prince; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall depart by the same way.

6-7: And say to the rebellious House of Israel: Thus said the Lord GOD: Too long, O House of Israel, have you committed all your abominations,  admitting aliens, uncircumcised of spirit and uncircumcised of flesh, to be in My Sanctuary and profane My very Temple, when you offer up My food — the fat and the blood. You have broken My covenant with all your abominations.

10-14: But the Levites who forsook Me when Israel went astray — straying from Me to follow their fetishes — shall suffer their punishment: They shall be servitors in My Sanctuary, appointed over the Temple gates, and performing the chores of My Temple; they shall slaughter the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people. They shall attend on them and serve them. Because they served the House of Israel in the presence of their fetishes and made them stumble into guilt, therefore — declares the Lord GOD — I have sworn concerning them that they shall suffer their punishment: They shall not approach Me to serve Me as priests, to come near any of My sacred offerings, the most holy things. They shall bear their shame for the abominations that they committed. I will make them watchmen of the Temple, to perform all its chores, everything that needs to be done in it.

15-16: But the levitical priests descended from Zadok, who maintained the service of My Sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from Me — they shall approach Me to minister to Me; they shall stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood — declares the Lord GOD.  They alone may enter My Sanctuary and they alone shall approach My table to minister to Me; and they shall keep My charge.

22: They shall not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of the stock of the House of Israel, or widows who are widows of priests.

IV. Outline

1-3. The eastern gate is sacred and only for the prince

4. Ezekiel reenters the Temple

5-31. Yahweh’s speech

    5. Heed the laws of temple entrance

    6-9. The uncircumsized and non-Israelites shall not enter the sanctuary

    10-14. The Levites will serve as watchment and not enter the sanctuary because of their sins

    15-16. The Zadokite Levites shall serve as priests for their loyalty

    17-27. Laws for the Zadokites

        17-19. Linen clothing in the inner court

        20. Haircuts

        21. Wine in the inner court

        22. Marriage with virgins only

        23-24. Teaching and judging

        25-27. Impurity for a family funeral

    28-30. The Zadokites are to receive offerings, proscriptions, first fruits, votive offerings, and first bakings

    31. The Zadokite priests must not eat any animal that died naturally or was killed by another animal

V. Comment

No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

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Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary

Ezekiel sees Yahweh’s glory enter the temple. Yahweh tells Ezekiel to teach the people the temple’s measurements. Ezekiel is also told the measurements of the altar and how to consecrate it with seven days of sacrifices.

II. Photo

Ezekiel experiences Yahweh’s glory: “And there, coming from the east… was the presence of the God of Israel, and the earth was lit up by his presence.” (v. 2)

III. Select Verses

1-3: Then he led me to a gate, the gate that faced east.  And there, coming from the east with a roar like the roar of mighty waters, was the Presence of the God of Israel, and the earth was lit up by His Presence. The vision was like the vision I had seen when I came to destroy the city, the very same vision that I had seen by the Chebar Canal. Forthwith, I fell on my face.

5: A spirit carried me into the inner court, and lo, the Presence of the LORD filled the Temple

7a: It said to me: O mortal, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people Israel forever.

7b-9: The House of Israel and their kings must not again defile My holy name by their apostasy and by the corpses of their kings at their death.  When they placed their threshold next to My threshold and their doorposts next to My doorposts with only a wall between Me and them, they would defile My holy name by the abominations that they committed, and I consumed them in My anger.

10-11: [Now] you, O mortal, describe the Temple to the House of Israel, and let them measure its design. But let them be ashamed of their iniquities:  When they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the plan of the Temple and its layout, its exits and entrances — its entire plan, and all the laws and instructions pertaining to its entire plan. Write it down before their eyes, that they may faithfully follow its entire plan and all its laws.

18-19: Then he said to me: O mortal, thus said the Lord GOD: These are the directions for the altar on the day it is erected, so that burnt offerings may be offered up on it and blood dashed against it.  You shall give to the levitical priests who are of the stock of Zadok, and so eligible to minister to Me — declares the Lord GOD — a young bull of the herd for a sin offering.

26-27: Seven days they shall purge the altar and cleanse it; thus shall it be consecrated.  And when these days are over, then from the eighth day onward the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your offerings of well-being on the altar; and I will extend My favor to you — declares the Lord GOD.

IV. Outline

1-3. Ezekiel sees Yahweh’s glory coming from the east

4-5. Yahweh’s glory enters the temple

6-27. Yahweh’s speech

    6. Introduction

    7a. The temple is Yahweh’s dwelling place forever

    7b-9. The royal houses and cemeteries must be separate from the temple

    10-12. Command to teach Israel the temple’s measurements and to shame them

    13-17. The measurements of the altar

    18-27. Instructions for the altar’s consecration

        18. Introduction

        19-21. A bull sin offering by the Zadokite priests

        22. A goat sin offering

        23-24. A bull and ram as complete burnt offerings

        25-26. 7 days of goat, bull, and ram sin offerings

        27. On the 8th day other sacrifices can be brought

V. Comment

For a helpful video explaining the first half of this chapter, see Bibliaprints.com. Part of the video can be seen here:

VI. Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

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Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary

The chambers of the Temple’s innermost courtyard as well as the outermost wall are measured and recorded.

II. Photo

The outer wall is a symbolic barrier: “[The Temple] had a wall completely surrounding it, 500 [cubits] long on each side, to separate the sacred from the profane.” (v. 20) 

III. Select Verses

13-14: And he said to me, “The northern chambers and the southern chambers by the vacant space are the consecrated chambers in which the priests who have access to the LORD shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall deposit the most holy offerings — the meal offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings, for the place is consecrated.  When the priests enter, they shall not proceed from the consecrated place to the outer court without first leaving here the vestments in which they minister; for the [vestments] are consecrated. Before proceeding to the area open to the people, they shall put on other garments.”

15:  When he had finished the measurements of the inner Temple area, he led me out by way of the gate which faces east, and he measured off the entire area.

20: Thus he measured it on the four sides; it had a wall completely surrounding it, 500 [cubits] long on each side, to separate the consecrated from the unconsecrated.

IV. Outline

1-9. The northern chambers of the innermost courtyard

10-11. The eastern chambers of the innermost courtyard

12. The southern chambers of the innermost courtyard

13-14. Priestly usage of these chambers

15-20. The outermost gate, separating holy from profane

V. Comment

For a helpful video from bibliaprints.com which explains this chapter isometrically, see:

VI. Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

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Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary

The temple’s middle room, innermost room, and side rooms are measured and described.

II. Photo

The temple was decorated: “And all over the wall, both in the inner one and in the outer, ran a pattern.  It consisted of cherubs and palm trees, with a palm tree between every two cherubs.” (vv. 17-18)

III. Select Verses

4: Then he measured the depth, 20 cubits; and the width at the inner end of the great hall was also 20 cubits. And he said to me, “This is the Holy of Holies.”

17-20: And all over the wall, both in the inner one and in the outer, ran a pattern.  It consisted of cherubs and palm trees, with a palm tree between every two cherubs. Each cherub had two faces:  a human face turned toward the palm tree on one side and a lion’s face turned toward the palm tree on the other side. This was repeated all over the Temple;  the cherubs and the palm trees were carved on the wall from the floor to above the openings.

21-22: and before the Shrine was something resembling a wooden altar 3 cubits high and 2 cubits long and having inner corners; and its length and its walls were of wood. And he said to me, “This is the table that stands before the LORD.”

IV. Outline

1-2. The middle room

3-4. The innermost room

5-11. The temple’s side rooms, entrances, and courtyard

12. The building to the west

13-15. Area of the temple, its inner courtyard, and the building to the west

16. The outer windows

17-20a. The decorations: palmettes and human/lion faced cherubs

20b-21a. The mezzuzot to the middle room

21b-22. The altar in the middle room

23-25a. The doors for the middle and innermost rooms

25b-26. The outermost room with its windows and decorations

V. Comment

For a helpful video explaining this difficult chapter, see bibliaprints.com.

Part of the video can be seen here:

VI. Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

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Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary

Ezekiel is shown the measurements of the temple’s gates and courtyards by a man who shines like copper.

II. Photo

Ezekiel is given a tour of the temple’s measurements: “There, standing at the gate, was a man who shone like copper. In his hand were a cord of linen and a measuring rod.” (v. 3)

III. Select Verses

1-4:   In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, the fourteenth year after the city had fallen, at the beginning of the year, the tenth day of the month — on that very day — the hand of the LORD came upon me, and He brought me there.  He brought me, in visions of God, to the Land of Israel, and He set me down on a very high mountain on which there seemed to be the outline of a city on the south.  He brought me over to it, and there, standing at the gate, was a man who shone like copper. In his hand were a cord of linen and a measuring rod.  The man spoke to me: “Mortal, look closely and listen attentively and note well everything I am going to show you — for you have been brought here in order to be shown — and report everything you see to the House of Israel.”

42:  As for the four tables for the burnt offering — they were of hewn stone, one and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one cubit high — on them were laid out the instruments with which burnt offerings and sacrifices were slaughtered.

44-46: There were chambers for singers in the inner forecourt: one beside the north gate facing south, and one beside the east gate facing north.  [The man] explained to me: “The chamber that faces south is for the priests who perform the duties of the Temple;  and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who perform the duties of the altar — they are the descendants of Zadok, who alone of the descendants of Levi may approach the LORD to minister to Him.”

49: The portico was 20 cubits wide and 11 cubits deep, and it was by steps that it was reached. There were columns by the jambs on either side.

IV. Outline

1-4. Introduction

    1a. Date and place

    1b-2. God brings Ezekiel to a city in Israel

    3-4. A guide with a measuring stick tells Ezekiel to report what he sees

5-47. The temple’s gates and courtyards

    5. The wall

    6-16. The eastern gate, its hallway, and its alcoves

    17-19. The outer courtyard

    20-27. The northern and southern gates

    28-37. The three inner gates

    38-43. The chamber, tables, and shelves for sacrifice

    44-46. The chambers for the Zadokite and non-Zadokite priests

    47. The inner courtyard

48-49. The outer room of the temple and its entrance

V. Comment

For a helpful video from bibliaprints.com which explains this chapter, see:

VI. Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

Photo copied from http://36ood.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/tape_measure.jpg

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Gog’s soldiers will be buried for seven months, the birds will feast on the remains, and God will establish Israel in its land.

II. Photo
The birds will feast: “And you, O mortal, say to every winged bird and to all the wild beasts: Thus said the Lord God: Assemble, come and gather from all around for the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you — a great sacrificial feast — upon the mountains of Israel, and eat flesh and drink blood!” (v. 17)

III. Important Verses
3-5: I will strike your bow from your left hand and I will loosen the arrows from your right hand. You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your battalions and the peoples who are with you; and I will give you as food to carrion birds of every sort and to the beasts of the field, as you lie in the open field. For I have spoken — declares the Lord GOD.
9-10: Then the inhabitants of the cities of Israel will go out and make fires and feed them with the weapons — shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, clubs and spears; they shall use them as fuel for seven years. They will not gather firewood in the fields or cut any in the forests, but will use the weapons as fuel for their fires. They will despoil those who despoiled them and plunder those who plundered them — declares the Lord GOD.
11-12: On that day I will assign to Gog a burial site there in Israel — the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Sea. It shall block the path of travelers, for there Gog and all his multitude will be buried. It shall be called the Valley of Gog’s Multitude.  The House of Israel shall spend seven months burying them, in order to cleanse the land.
17-20: And you, O mortal, say to every winged bird and to all the wild beasts: Thus said the Lord GOD: Assemble, come and gather from all around for the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you — a great sacrificial feast — upon the mountains of Israel, and eat flesh and drink blood. You shall eat the flesh of warriors and drink the blood of the princes of the earth: rams, lambs, he-goats, and bulls — fatlings of Bashan all of them.  You shall eat fat to satiety and drink your fill of blood from the sacrificial feast that I have prepared for you. And you shall sate yourselves at My table with horses, charioteers, warriors, and all fighting men — declares the Lord GOD.

IV. Outline
1a. Introduction
1b-5. Gog’s soldiers will die in the hills of Israel
6. Doom for Magog
7. Recognition of God formula
8-10. Israel will use Gog’s weapons as firewood
11-16. The people will bury Gog’s dead for seven months
17-20. The birds will feast on the dead soldiers
21-24. Recognition of God formula: the reason for God’s punishing Israel
25-29. God will restore Israel in its land

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Allen, Leslie C. “Ezekiel 1-19” Word Biblical Commentary vol. 28 (Waco, Texas: Wordbook, 1994).
Collins, John J. “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible,” (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004).
Hals, Ronald M. “Ezekiel” The forms of the Old Testament Literature vol. 19 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1989)
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