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Ezekiel 46:1-9 King James Version (KJV)

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1 Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

2 And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.

3 Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons.

4 And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.

5 And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah.

6 And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish.

7 And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs according as his hand shall attain unto, and an hin of oil to an ephah.

8 And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof.

9 But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.

Ezekiel 46:1-9 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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1 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 The gate H8179 of the inner H6442 court H2691 that looketh H6437 toward the east H6921 shall be shut H5462 the six H8337 working H4639 days; H3117 but on the sabbath H7676 H3117 it shall be opened, H6605 and in the day H3117 of the new moon H2320 it shall be opened. H6605

2 And the prince H5387 shall enter H935 by the way H1870 of the porch H197 of that gate H8179 without, H2351 and shall stand H5975 by the post H4201 of the gate, H8179 and the priests H3548 shall prepare H6213 his burnt offering H5930 and his peace offerings, H8002 and he shall worship H7812 at the threshold H4670 of the gate: H8179 then he shall go forth; H3318 but the gate H8179 shall not be shut H5462 until the evening. H6153

3 Likewise the people H5971 of the land H776 shall worship H7812 at the door H6607 of this gate H8179 before H6440 the LORD H3068 in the sabbaths H7676 and in the new moons. H2320

4 And the burnt offering H5930 that the prince H5387 shall offer H7126 unto the LORD H3068 in the sabbath H7676 day H3117 shall be six H8337 lambs H3532 without blemish, H8549 and a ram H352 without blemish. H8549

5 And the meat offering H4503 shall be an ephah H374 for a ram, H352 and the meat offering H4503 for the lambs H3532 as he shall be able H3027 to give, H4991 and an hin H1969 of oil H8081 to an ephah. H374

6 And in the day H3117 of the new moon H2320 it shall be a young H1121 H1241 bullock H6499 without blemish, H8549 and six H8337 lambs, H3532 and a ram: H352 they shall be without blemish. H8549

7 And he shall prepare H6213 a meat offering, H4503 an ephah H374 for a bullock, H6499 and an ephah H374 for a ram, H352 and for the lambs H3532 according as his hand H3027 shall attain H5381 unto, and an hin H1969 of oil H8081 to an ephah. H374

8 And when the prince H5387 shall enter, H935 he shall go H935 in by the way H1870 of the porch H197 of that gate, H8179 and he shall go forth H3318 by the way H1870 thereof.

9 But when the people H5971 of the land H776 shall come H935 before H6440 the LORD H3068 in the solemn feasts, H4150 he that entereth H935 in by the way H1870 of the north H6828 gate H8179 to worship H7812 shall go out H3318 by the way H1870 of the south H5045 gate; H8179 and he that entereth H935 by the way H1870 of the south H5045 gate H8179 shall go forth H3318 by the way H1870 of the north H6828 gate: H8179 he shall not return H7725 by the way H1870 of the gate H8179 whereby he came in, H935 but shall go forth H3318 over against H5226 it.

Ezekiel 46:1-9 American Standard (ASV)

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1 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

2 And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate; and the priests shall prepare his burnt-offering and his peace-offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.

3 And the people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before Jehovah on the sabbaths and on the new moons.

4 And the burnt-offering that the prince shall offer unto Jehovah shall be on the sabbath day six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish;

5 and the meal-offering shall be an ephah for the ram, and the meal-offering for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

6 And on the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram; they shall be without blemish:

7 and he shall prepare a meal-offering, an ephah for the bullock, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according as he is able, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

8 And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof.

9 But when the people of the land shall come before Jehovah in the appointed feasts, he that entereth by the way of the north gate to worship shall go forth by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth straight before him.

Ezekiel 46:1-9 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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1 `Thus said the Lord Jehovah: The gate of the inner court that is looking eastward is shut the six days of work, and on the day of rest it is opened, and in the day of the new moon it is opened;

2 and come in hath the prince the way of the porch of the gate at the outside, and he hath stood by the post of the gate, and the priests have made his burnt-offering, and his peace-offerings, and he hath bowed himself by the opening of the gate, and hath gone forth, and the gate is not shut till the evening.

3 And bowed themselves have the people of the land at the opening of that gate, on sabbaths, and on new moons, before Jehovah.

4 `And the burnt-offering that the prince bringeth near to Jehovah on the day of rest `is' six lambs, perfect ones, and a ram, a perfect one.

5 And the present `is' an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs a present, the gift of his hand, and of oil a hin for an ephah.

6 And on the day of the new moon a bullock, a son of the herd, a perfect one, and six lambs and a ram, they are perfect.

7 And with an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, he prepareth a present, and for the lambs as his hand attaineth, and of oil a hin for an ephah.

8 `And in the coming in of the prince, the way of the porch of the gate he cometh in, and by its way he goeth out.

9 And in the coming in of the people of the land before Jehovah at appointed times, he who hath come in the way of the north gate to bow himself, goeth out the way of the south gate, and he who hath come in the way of the south gate, goeth out by the way of the north gate: he doth not turn back the way of the gate by which he came in, but over-against it he goeth out.

Ezekiel 46:1-9 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

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1 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working-days; but on the sabbath-day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

2 And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of [that] gate from without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall offer his burnt-offering and his peace-offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate, and shall go forth: but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.

3 And the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before Jehovah on the sabbaths and on the new moons.

4 And the burnt-offering that the prince shall present unto Jehovah on the sabbath-day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.

5 And the oblation shall be an ephah for a ram, and the oblation for the lambs as he shall be able to give; and oil, a hin for an ephah.

6 And on the day of the new moon, a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish.

7 And he shall offer an oblation, an ephah for the bullock, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according to what his hand may attain unto; and oil, a hin for an ephah.

8 And when the prince cometh in, he shall come in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he shall go out by the way thereof.

9 And when the people of the land come in before Jehovah in the set feasts, he that cometh in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that cometh in by the way of the south gate shall go out by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate by which he came in, but shall go out straight before him.

Ezekiel 46:1-9 World English Bible (WEB)

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1 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

2 The prince shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate outside, and shall stand by the post of the gate; and the priests shall prepare his burnt-offering and his peace-offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.

3 The people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before Yahweh on the Sabbaths and on the new moons.

4 The burnt offering that the prince shall offer to Yahweh shall be on the Sabbath day six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish;

5 and the meal-offering shall be an ephah for the ram, and the meal-offering for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

6 On the day of the new moon it shall be a young bull without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram; they shall be without blemish:

7 and he shall prepare a meal-offering, an ephah for the bull, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according as he is able, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

8 When the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he shall go forth by the way of it.

9 But when the people of the land shall come before Yahweh in the appointed feasts, he who enters by the way of the north gate to worship shall go forth by the way of the south gate; and he who enters by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate by which he came in, but shall go forth straight before him.

Ezekiel 46:1-9 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

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1 This is what the Lord has said: The doorway of the inner square looking to the east is to be shut on the six working days; but on the Sabbath it is to be open, and at the time of the new moon it is to be open.

2 And the ruler is to go in through the covered way of the outer doorway outside, and take his place by the pillar of the doorway, and the priests will make his burned offering and his peace-offerings and he will give worship at the doorstep of the doorway; then he will go out, and the door will not be shut till the evening.

3 And the people of the land are to give worship at the door of that doorway before the Lord on the Sabbaths and at the new moons.

4 And the burned offering offered to the Lord by the ruler on the Sabbath day is to be six lambs without a mark on them and a male sheep without a mark;

5 And the meal offering is to be an ephah for the sheep, and for the lambs whatever he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

6 And at the time of the new moon it is to be a young ox of the herd without a mark on him, and six lambs and a male sheep, all without a mark:

7 And he is to give a meal offering, an ephah for the ox and an ephah for the sheep, and for the lambs whatever he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

8 And when the ruler comes in, he is to go in through the covered way of the doorway, and he is to go out by the same way.

9 But when the people of the land come before the Lord at the fixed feasts, he who comes in by the north doorway to give worship is to go out by the south doorway; and he who comes in by the south doorway is to go out by the north doorway: he is not to come back by the doorway through which he went in, but is to go straight before him.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 46

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.