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Ezekiel 46:11 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

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11 And on the feast-days, and in the solemnities, the oblation shall be an ephah for a bullock and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs as he is able to give; and oil, a hin for an ephah.

Cross Reference

Leviticus 23:1-44 DARBY

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And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, [Concerning] the set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim as holy convocations -- these are my set feasts. Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; no manner of work shall ye do: it is the sabbath to Jehovah in all your dwellings. These are the set feasts of Jehovah, holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons: In the first month, on the fourteenth of the month, between the two evenings, is the passover to Jehovah. And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast of unleavened bread to Jehovah; seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread. On the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: no manner of servile work shall ye do. And ye shall present to Jehovah an offering by fire seven days; on the seventh day is a holy convocation: no manner of servile work shall ye do. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them, When ye come into the land that I give unto you, and ye reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest. And he shall wave the sheaf before Jehovah, to be accepted for you; on the next day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf, a he-lamb without blemish, a yearling, for a burnt-offering to Jehovah; and the oblation thereof: two tenths of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering by fire to Jehovah for a sweet odour; and the drink-offering thereof, of wine, a fourth part of a hin. And ye shall not eat bread, or roast corn, or green ears, until the same day that ye have brought the offering of your God: [it is] an everlasting statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings. And ye shall count from the morning after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering, seven weeks; they shall be complete; even unto the morning after the seventh sabbath shall ye count fifty days; and ye shall present a new oblation to Jehovah. Out of your dwellings shall ye bring two wave-loaves, of two tenths of fine flour; with leaven shall they be baken; [as] first-fruits to Jehovah. And ye shall present with the bread seven he-lambs without blemish, yearlings, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be a burnt-offering to Jehovah with their oblation, and their drink-offerings, an offering by fire of a sweet odour to Jehovah. And ye shall sacrifice one buck of the goats for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs, yearlings, for a sacrifice of peace-offering. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits as a wave-offering before Jehovah, with the two he-lambs; they shall be holy to Jehovah, for the priest. And ye shall make proclamation on that same day -- a holy convocation shall it be unto you: no manner of servile work shall ye do: [it is] an everlasting statute in all your dwellings throughout your generations. And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not in thy harvest entirely reap the corners of thy field, and the gleaning of thy harvest shalt thou not gather: thou shalt leave them unto the poor and to the stranger: I am Jehovah your God. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first of the month, shall ye have a rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. No manner of servile work shall ye do; and ye shall present an offering by fire to Jehovah. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Also on the tenth of this seventh month is the day of the atonement: a holy convocation shall it be unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and present an offering by fire to Jehovah. And ye shall do no manner of work on that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Jehovah your God. For every soul that is not afflicted on that same day, shall be cut off from among his peoples. And every soul that doeth any manner of work on that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. No manner of work shall ye do: [it is] an everlasting statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings. A sabbath of rest shall it be unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls. On the ninth of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of booths seven days to Jehovah. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation: no manner of servile work shall ye do. Seven days ye shall present an offering by fire to Jehovah; on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall present an offering by fire to Jehovah: it is a solemn assembly; no manner of servile work shall ye do. These are the set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim as holy convocations, to present an offering by fire to Jehovah, a burnt-offering, and an oblation, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings, everything upon its day; besides the sabbaths of Jehovah, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your voluntary offerings, which ye give to Jehovah. But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the produce of the land, ye shall celebrate the feast of Jehovah seven days: on the first day there shall be rest, and on the eighth day there shall be rest. And ye shall take on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, palm branches and the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days. And ye shall celebrate it as a feast to Jehovah seven days in the year: [it is] an everlasting statute throughout your generations; in the seventh month shall ye celebrate it. In booths shall ye dwell seven days; all born in Israel shall dwell in booths; that your generations may know that I caused the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God. And Moses declared the set feasts of Jehovah to the children of Israel.

Numbers 15:1-41 DARBY

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And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of your dwellings, which I give unto you, and will make an offering by fire to Jehovah, a burnt-offering or a sacrifice for the performance of a vow, or as a voluntary offering, or in your set feasts, to make a sweet odour to Jehovah, of the herd or of the flock, then shall he that presenteth his offering to Jehovah bring as oblation a tenth part of fine flour mingled with a fourth part of a hin of oil; and of wine for a drink-offering shalt thou offer the fourth part of a hin with the burnt-offering, or with the sacrifice, for one lamb. And for a ram thou shalt offer as oblation two tenth parts of fine flour mingled with oil, a third part of a hin, and of wine for a drink-offering shalt thou offer the third part of a hin; for a sweet odour to Jehovah. And when thou offerest a bullock for a burnt-offering, or a sacrifice for the performance of a vow, or for a peace-offering to Jehovah, then shall they present with the bullock as oblation three tenth parts of fine flour mingled with half a hin of oil; and of wine shalt thou present half a hin, for a drink-offering, as an offering by fire, of a sweet odour to Jehovah. Thus shall it be done for one ox, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or for a kid; according to the number that ye offer, so shall ye do to every one according to their number. And all that are born in the land shall do these things thus, in presenting an offering by fire of a sweet odour to Jehovah. And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whoever be among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering by fire of a sweet odour to Jehovah, -- as ye do, so shall he do. As to the congregation, there shall be one statute for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an everlasting statute throughout your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be, before Jehovah. One law and one ordinance shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you, then it shall be, when ye eat of the bread of the land, that ye shall offer a heave-offering to Jehovah; the first of your dough shall ye offer, a cake, for a heave-offering; as the heave-offering of the threshing-floor, so shall ye offer this. Of the first of your dough ye shall give to Jehovah a heave-offering throughout your generations. And if ye sin inadvertently, and do not all these commandments, which Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses, all that Jehovah hath commanded you through Moses, from the day that Jehovah gave commandment, and henceforward throughout your generations; then it shall be, if ought be committed by inadvertence [hid] from the eyes of the assembly, that the whole assembly shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering, for a sweet odour to Jehovah, and its oblation and its drink-offering according to the ordinance, and one buck of the goats for a sin-offering. And the priest shall make atonement for the whole assembly of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it was a sin of inadvertence, and they have brought before Jehovah their offering, as an offering by fire to Jehovah, and their sin-offering for their [sin of] inadvertence; and it shall be forgiven the whole assembly of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; for with all the people there was [a sin of] inadvertence. And if one soul sin through inadvertence, then he shall present a yearling she-goat for a sin-offering. And the priest shall make atonement for the soul that hath done inadvertently, when he sinneth by inadvertence before Jehovah, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. For him that is born in the land among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them -- there shall be one law for you, for him who doeth anything through inadvertence. But the soul that doeth ought with a high hand, whether born in the land, or a stranger, he reproacheth Jehovah; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. For he hath despised the word of Jehovah, and hath broken his commandment: that soul shall surely be cut off; his iniquity is upon him. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness they found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to the whole assembly. And they put him in custody, for it was not declared what should be done to him. And Jehovah said to Moses, The man shall certainly be put to death: the whole assembly shall stone him with stones outside the camp. And the whole assembly led him outside the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died, as Jehovah had commanded Moses. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them tassels on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and that they attach to the tassel of the corners a lace of blue; and it shall be unto you for a tassel, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Jehovah, and do them; and that ye seek not after [the lusts of] your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye go a whoring; that ye may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am Jehovah your God.

Numbers 28:1-29 DARBY

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And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, my bread for my offerings by fire of sweet odour to me, shall ye take heed to present to me at their set time. And say unto them, This is the offering by fire which ye shall present to Jehovah: two yearling lambs without blemish, day by day, as a continual burnt-offering. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb thou shalt offer between the two evenings; and a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for an oblation, mingled with beaten oil, a fourth part of a hin: [it is] the continual burnt-offering which was ordained on mount Sinai for a sweet odour, an offering by fire to Jehovah. And the drink-offering thereof shall be a fourth part of a hin for one lamb; in the sanctuary shall the drink-offering of strong drink be poured out to Jehovah. And the second lamb thou shalt offer between the two evenings; [with the] like oblation as that of the morning, and the like drink-offering, shalt thou offer it as an offering by fire of a sweet odour to Jehovah. And on the sabbath day two yearling lambs without blemish, and two tenth parts of fine flour as an oblation, mingled with oil, and the drink-offering thereof: it is the burnt-offering of the sabbath, for each sabbath besides the continual burnt-offering, and its drink-offering. And in the beginnings of your months ye shall present a burnt-offering to Jehovah: two young bullocks, and one ram, seven yearling lambs without blemish. And three tenth parts of fine flour as an oblation, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth parts of fine flour as an oblation, mingled with oil, for the ram; and a tenth part of fine flour mingled with oil as an oblation for each lamb: [it is] a burnt-offering of a sweet odour, an offering by fire to Jehovah. And their drink-offerings: half a hin of wine for a bullock, and the third part of a hin for the ram, and the fourth part of a hin for a lamb. This is the monthly burnt-offering for each month throughout the months of the year. And a buck of the goats shall be offered, for a sin-offering to Jehovah, besides the continual burnt-offering, and its drink-offering. And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the passover to Jehovah. And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast; seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. On the first day shall be a holy convocation: no manner of servile work shall ye do; and ye shall present an offering by fire, a burnt-offering to Jehovah: two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven yearling lambs; they shall be unto you without blemish; and their oblation shall be of fine flour mingled with oil: three tenth parts shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth parts for the ram; one tenth part shalt thou offer for each lamb, of the seven lambs; and a he-goat as a sin-offering, to make atonement for you. Besides the burnt-offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt-offering, shall ye offer this. After this manner ye shall offer daily, seven days, the bread of the offering by fire of a sweet odour to Jehovah; it shall be offered besides the continual burnt-offering, and its drink-offering. And on the seventh day ye shall have a holy convocation; no manner of servile work shall ye do. And on the day of the first-fruits, when ye present a new oblation to Jehovah, after your weeks, ye shall have a holy convocation: no manner of servile work shall ye do. And ye shall present a burnt-offering for a sweet odour to Jehovah: two young bullocks, one ram, seven yearling lambs; and their oblation of fine flour mingled with oil, three tenth parts for one bullock, two tenth parts for the ram, one tenth part for each lamb of the seven lambs;

Deuteronomy 16:1-22 DARBY

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Keep the month of Abib, and celebrate the passover to Jehovah thy God; for in the month of Abib Jehovah thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. And thou shalt sacrifice the passover to Jehovah thy God, of the flock and of the herd, in the place which Jehovah will choose to cause his name to dwell there. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread along with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread with it, bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste, -- that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt, all the days of thy life. And there shall be no leaven seen with thee in all thy borders seven days; neither shall any of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst at even on the first day, be left over night until the morning. -- Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover in one of thy gates, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee; but at the place that Jehovah thy God will choose, to cause his name to dwell in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the time that thou camest forth out of Egypt. And thou shalt cook and eat it at the place which Jehovah thy God will choose; and in the morning shalt thou turn and go unto thy tents. Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day is a solemn assembly to Jehovah thy God; thou shalt do no work. Seven weeks shalt thou count: from the beginning of putting the sickle into the corn shalt thou begin to count seven weeks. And thou shalt hold the feast of weeks to Jehovah thy God with a tribute of a voluntary-offering of thy hand, which thou shalt give, according as Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee; and thou shalt rejoice before Jehovah thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy bondman, and thy handmaid, and the Levite that is in thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow that are in thy midst in the place that Jehovah thy God will choose to cause his name to dwell there. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and thou shalt keep and do these statutes. The feast of tabernacles shalt thou hold seven days, when thou hast gathered in [the produce] of thy floor and of thy winepress. And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy bondman, and thy handmaid, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are in thy gates. Seven days shalt thou hold a feast to Jehovah thy God in the place which Jehovah will choose; for Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy produce, and in all the work of thy hands, and thou shalt be wholly joyful. Three times in the year shall all thy males appear before Jehovah thy God in the place which he will choose, at the feast of unleavened bread, and at the feast of weeks, and at the feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before Jehovah empty: each [shall give] according to that which is in his power to give, according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God which he hath given thee. Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes, that they may judge the people with just judgment. Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a bribe; for the bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. Perfect justice shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and possess the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not plant thyself an Asherah of any wood near unto the altar of Jehovah thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Neither shalt thou set thee up a statue, which Jehovah thy God hateth.

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Commentary on Ezekiel 46 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 46

In this chapter we have,

  • I. Some further rules given both to the priests and to the people, relating to their worship (v. 1-15).
  • II. A law concerning the prince's disposal of his inheritance (v. 16-18).
  • III. A description of the places provided for the boiling of the sacrifices and the baking of the meat-offerings (v. 19-24).

Eze 46:1-15

Whether the rules for public worship here laid down were designed to be observed, even in those things wherein they differed from the law of Moses, and were so observed under the second temple, is not certain; we find not in the history of that latter part of the Jewish church that they governed themselves in their worship by these ordinances, as one would think they should have done, but only by law of Moses, looking upon this then in the next age after as mystical, and not literal. We may observe, in these verses,

  • I. That the place of worship was fixed, and rules were given concerning that, both to prince and people.
    • 1. The east gate, which was kept shut at other times, was to be opened on the sabbath days, on the moons (v. 1), and whenever the prince offered a voluntary offering, v. 12. Of the keeping of this gate ordinarily shut we read before (ch. 44:2); whereas the other gates of the court were opened every day, this was opened only on high days and on special occasions, when it was opened for the prince, who was to go in by the way of the porch of that gate, v. 2, 8. Some think he went in with the priests and Levites into the inner court (for into that court this gate was the entrance), and they observe that magistrates and ministers should join forces, and go the same way, hand in hand, in promoting the service of God. But it should rather seem that he did not go through the gate (as the glory of the Lord had done), though it was open, but he went by the way of the porch of the gate, stood at the post of the gate, and worshipped at the threshold of the gate (v. 2), where he had a full view of the priests' performances at the altar, and signified his concurrence in them, for himself and for the people of the land, that stood behind him at the door of that gate, v. 3. Thus must every prince show himself to be of David's mind, who would very willingly be a door-keeper in the house of his God, and, as the word there is, lie at the threshold, Ps. 84:10. Note, The greatest of men are less than the least of the ordinances of God. Even princes themselves, when they draw near to God, must worship with reverence and godly fear, owning that even they are unworthy to approach to him. But Christ is our prince, whom God causes to draw near and approach to him, Jer. 30:21.
    • 2. As to the north gate and south gate, by which they entered into the court of the people (not into the inner court), there was this rule given, that whoever came in at the north gate should go out at the south gate, and whoever came in at the south gate should go out at the north gate, v. 9. Some think this was to prevent thrusting and jostling one another; for God is the God of order, and not of confusion. We may suppose that they came in at the gate that was next their own houses, but, when they went away, God would have them go out at that gate which would lead them the furthest way about, that they might have time for meditation; being thereby obliged to go a great way round the sanctuary, they might have an opportunity to consider the palaces of it, and, if they improved their time well in fetching this circuit, they would call it the nearest way home. Some observe that this may remind us, in the service of God, to be still pressing forward (Phil. 3:13) and not to look back, and, in our attendance upon ordinances, not to go back as we came, but more holy, and heavenly, and spiritual.
    • 3. It is appointed that the people shall worship at the door of the east gate, where the prince does, he at the head and they attending him, both on the sabbath and on the new moons (v. 3), and that, when they come in and go out, the prince shall be in the midst of them, v. 10. Note, Great men should, by their constant and reverent attendance on God in public worship, give a good example to their inferiors, both engaging them and encouraging them to do likewise. It is a very graceful becoming thing for persons of quality to go to church with their servants, and tenants, and poor neighbours about them, and to behave themselves there with an air of seriousness and devotion; and those who thus honour God with their honour he will delight to honour.
  • II. That the ordinances of worship were fixed. Though the prince is supposed himself to be a very hearty zealous friend to the sanctuary, yet it is not left to him, no, not in concert with the priests, to appoint what sacrifices shall be offered, but God himself appoints them; for it is his prerogative to institute the rites and ceremonies of religious worship.
    • 1. Every morning, as duly as the morning came, they must offer a lamb for a burnt-offering, v. 13. It is strange that no mention is made of the evening sacrifice; but Christ having come, and having offered himself now in the end of the world (Heb. 9:26), we are to look upon him as the evening sacrifice, about the time of the offering up of which he died.
    • 2. On the sabbath days, whereas by the law of Moses four lambs were to be offered (Num. 28:9), it is here appointed that (at the prince's charge) there shall be six lambs offered, and a ram besides (v. 4), to intimate how much we should abound in sabbath work, now in gospel-time, and what plenty of the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise we should offer up to God on that day; and, if with such sacrifice God is well-pleased, surely we have a great deal of reason to be so.
    • 3. On the new moons, in the beginning of their months, there was over and above the usual sabbath-sacrifices the additional offering of a young bullock, v. 6. Those who do much for God and their souls, statedly and constantly, must yet, upon some occasions, do still more.
    • 4. All the sacrifices were to be without blemish; so Christ, the great sacrifice, was (1 Pt. 1:19), and so Christians, who are to present themselves to God as living sacrifices, should aim and endeavour to be-blameless, and harmless, and without rebuke.
    • 5. All the sacrifices were to have their meat-offerings annexed to them, for so the law of Moses had appointed, to show what a good table God keeps in his house and that we ought to honour him with the fruit of our ground as well as with the fruit of our cattle, because in both he has blessed us, Duet. 28:4. In the beginning, Cain offered the one and Abel the other. Some observe that the meat-offerings here are much larger in proportion than they were by the law of Moses. Then the proportion was three tenth-deals to a bullock, and two to a ram (so many tenth parts of an ephah) and half a hin of oil at the most (Num. 15:6-9); but here, for every bullock and every ram, a whole ephah and a whole hin of oil (v. 7), which intimates that under the gospel, the great atoning sacrifice having been offered, these unbloody sacrifices shall be more abounded in; or, in general, it intimates that as now, under the gospel, God abounds in the gifts of his grace to us, more than under the law, so we should abound in the returns of praise and duty to him. But it is observable that in the meat-offering for the lambs the prince is allowed to offer as he shall be able to give (v. 5, 7, 11), as his hand shall attain unto. Note, Princess themselves must spend as they can afford; and even in that which is laid out in works of piety God expects and requires but that we should do according to our ability, every man as God has prepared him, 1 Co. 16:2. God has not made us to serve with an offering (Isa. 43:23), but considers our frame and state. Yet this will not countenance those who pretend a disability that is not real, or those who by their extravagances in other things disable themselves to do the good they should. And we find those praised who, in an extraordinary case of charity, went not only to their power, but beyond their power.

Eze 46:16-18

We have here a law for the limiting of the power of the prince in the disposing of the crown-lands.

  • 1. If he have a son that is a favourite, or has merited well, he may, if he please, as a token of his favour and in recompence for his services, settle some parts of his lands upon him and his heirs for ever (v. 16), provided it do not go out of the family. There may be a cause for parents, when their children have grown up, to be more kind to one than to another, as Jacob gave to Joseph one portion above his brethren, Gen. 48:22.
  • 2. Yet, if he have a servant that is a favourite, he may not in like manner settle lands upon him, v. 17. The servant might have the rents, issues, and profits, for such a term, but the inheritance, the jus proprietarium-the right of proprietorship, shall remain in the prince and his heirs. It was fit that a difference should be put between a child and a servant, like that Jn. 8:35. The servant abides not in the house for ever, as the son does.
  • 3. What estates he gives his children must be of his own (v. 18): He shall not take of the people's inheritance, under pretence of having many children to provide for; he shall not find ways to make them forfeit their estates, or to force them to sell them and so thrust his subjects out of their possession; but let him and his sons be content with their own. It is far from being a prince's honour to increase the wealth of his family and crown by encroaching upon the rights and properties of his subjects; nor will he himself be a gainer by it at last, for he will be but a poor prince when the people are scattered every man from his possession, when they quit their native country, being forced out of it by oppression, choosing rather to live among strangers that are free people, and where what they have they can call their own, be it ever so little. It is the interest of princes to rule in the hearts of their subjects, and then all they have is, in the best manner, at their service. It is better for themselves to gain their affections by protecting their rights than to gain their estates by invading them.

Eze 46:19-24

We have here a further discovery of buildings about the temple, which we did not observe before, and those were places to boil the flesh of the offerings in, v. 20. He that kept such a plentiful table at his altar needed large kitchens; and a wise builder will provide conveniences of that kind. Observe,

  • 1. Where those boiling-places were situated. There were some at the entry into the inner court (v. 19) and others under the rows, in the four corners of the outer court, v. 21-23. These were the places where, it is likely, there was most room to spare for this purpose; and this purpose was found for the spare room, that none might be lost. It is a pity that holy ground should be waste ground.
  • 2. What use they were put to. In those places they were to boil the trespass-offering and the sin-offering, those parts of them which were allotted to the priests and which were more sacred than the flesh of the peace-offerings, of which the offerer also had a share. There also they were to bake the meat-offering, their share of it, which they had from the altar for their own tables, v. 20. Care was taken that they should not bear them out into the outer court, to sanctify the people. Let them not pretend to sanctify the people with this holy flesh, and so impose upon them; or let not the people imagine that by touching those sacred things they were sanctified, and made any the better or more acceptable to God. It should seem (from Hag. 2:12) that there were those who had such a conceit; and therefore the priests must not carry any of the holy flesh away with them, lest they should encourage that conceit. Ministers must take heed of doing any thing to bolster up ignorant people in their superstitious vanities.