8 In their setting H5414 of their threshold H5592 by my thresholds, H5592 and their post H4201 by H681 my posts, H4201 and the wall H7023 between me and them, they have even defiled H2930 my holy H6944 name H8034 by their abominations H8441 that they have committed: H6213 wherefore I have consumed H3615 them in mine anger. H639
Wherefore, as I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Surely, because thou hast defiled H2930 my sanctuary H4720 with all thy detestable things, H8251 and with all thine abominations, H8441 therefore will I also diminish H1639 thee; neither shall mine eye H5869 spare, H2347 neither will I have any pity. H2550
And he brought H7126 also the brasen H5178 altar, H4196 which was before H6440 the LORD, H3068 from the forefront H6440 of the house, H1004 from between the altar H4196 and the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and put H5414 it on the north H6828 side H3409 of the altar. H4196 And king H4428 Ahaz H271 commanded H6680 Urijah H223 the priest, H3548 saying, H559 Upon the great H1419 altar H4196 burn H6999 the morning H1242 burnt offering, H5930 and the evening H6153 meat offering, H4503 and the king's H4428 burnt sacrifice, H5930 and his meat offering, H4503 with the burnt offering H5930 of all the people H5971 of the land, H776 and their meat offering, H4503 and their drink offerings; H5262 and sprinkle H2236 upon it all the blood H1818 of the burnt offering, H5930 and all the blood H1818 of the sacrifice: H2077 and the brasen H5178 altar H4196 shall be for me to enquire H1239 by.
And he built H1129 altars H4196 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 of which the LORD H3068 said, H559 In Jerusalem H3389 will I put H7760 my name. H8034 And he built H1129 altars H4196 for all the host H6635 of heaven H8064 in the two H8147 courts H2691 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 And he made his son H1121 pass H5674 through the fire, H784 and observed times, H6049 and used enchantments, H5172 and dealt H6213 with familiar spirits H178 and wizards: H3049 he wrought H6213 much H7235 wickedness H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 to provoke him to anger. H3707 And he set H7760 a graven image H6459 of the grove H842 that he had made H6213 in the house, H1004 of which the LORD H3068 said H559 to David, H1732 and to Solomon H8010 his son, H1121 In this house, H1004 and in Jerusalem, H3389 which I have chosen H977 out of all tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 will I put H7760 my name H8034 for ever: H5769
Also he built H1129 altars H4196 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 whereof the LORD H3068 had said, H559 In Jerusalem H3389 shall my name H8034 be for ever. H5769
And he set H7760 a carved image, H6459 the idol H5566 which he had made, H6213 in the house H1004 of God, H430 of which God H430 had said H559 to David H1732 and to Solomon H8010 his son, H1121 In this house, H1004 and in Jerusalem, H3389 which I have chosen H977 before all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 will I put H7760 my name H8034 for ever: H5865
And he put forth H7971 the form H8403 of an hand, H3027 and took H3947 me by a lock H6734 of mine head; H7218 and the spirit H7307 lifted me up H5375 between the earth H776 and the heaven, H8064 and brought H935 me in the visions H4759 of God H430 to Jerusalem, H3389 to the door H6607 of the inner H6442 gate H8179 that looketh H6437 toward the north; H6828 where was the seat H4186 of the image H5566 of jealousy, H7068 which provoketh to jealousy. H7069 And, behold, the glory H3519 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 was there, according to the vision H4758 that I saw H7200 in the plain. H1237 Then said H559 he unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 lift up H5375 thine eyes H5869 now the way H1870 toward the north. H6828 So I lifted up H5375 mine eyes H5869 the way H1870 toward the north, H6828 and behold northward H6828 at the gate H8179 of the altar H4196 this image H5566 of jealousy H7068 in the entry. H872 He said H559 furthermore unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 seest H7200 thou what they do? H6213 even the great H1419 abominations H8441 that the house H1004 of Israel H3478 committeth H6213 here, that I should go far off H7368 from my sanctuary? H4720 but turn H7725 thee yet again, and thou shalt see H7200 greater H1419 abominations. H8441 And he brought H935 me to the door H6607 of the court; H2691 and when I looked, H7200 behold a H259 hole H2356 in the wall. H7023 Then said H559 he unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 dig H2864 now in the wall: H7023 and when I had digged H2864 in the wall, H7023 behold a H259 door. H6607 And he said H559 unto me, Go in, H935 and behold H7200 the wicked H7451 abominations H8441 that they do H6213 here. So I went in H935 and saw; H7200 and behold every form H8403 of creeping things, H7431 and abominable H8263 beasts, H929 and all the idols H1544 of the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 pourtrayed H2707 upon the wall H7023 round about. H5439 And there stood H5975 before H6440 them seventy H7657 men H376 of the ancients H2205 of the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 and in the midst H8432 of them stood H5975 Jaazaniah H2970 the son H1121 of Shaphan, H8227 with every man H376 his censer H4730 in his hand; H3027 and a thick H6282 cloud H6051 of incense H7004 went up. H5927 Then said H559 he unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 hast thou seen H7200 what the ancients H2205 of the house H1004 of Israel H3478 do H6213 in the dark, H2822 every man H376 in the chambers H2315 of his imagery? H4906 for they say, H559 The LORD H3068 seeth H7200 us not; the LORD H3068 hath forsaken H5800 the earth. H776 He said H559 also unto me, Turn H7725 thee yet again, and thou shalt see H7200 greater H1419 abominations H8441 that they do. H6213 Then he brought H935 me to the door H6607 of the gate H8179 of the LORD'S H3068 house H1004 which was toward the north; H6828 and, behold, there sat H3427 women H802 weeping H1058 for Tammuz. H8542 Then said H559 he unto me, Hast thou seen H7200 this, O son H1121 of man? H120 turn H7725 thee yet again, and thou shalt see H7200 greater H1419 abominations H8441 than these. And he brought H935 me into the inner H6442 court H2691 of the LORD'S H3068 house, H1004 and, behold, at the door H6607 of the temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 between the porch H197 and the altar, H4196 were about five H2568 and twenty H6242 men, H376 with their backs H268 toward the temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 and their faces H6440 toward the east; H6924 and they worshipped H7812 the sun H8121 toward the east. H6924
For when they had slain H7819 their children H1121 to their idols, H1544 then they came H935 the same day H3117 into my sanctuary H4720 to profane H2490 it; and, lo, thus have they done H6213 in the midst H8432 of mine house. H1004
In that ye have brought H935 into my sanctuary strangers, H1121 H5236 uncircumcised H6189 in heart, H3820 and uncircumcised H6189 in flesh, H1320 to be in my sanctuary, H4720 to pollute H2490 it, even my house, H1004 when ye offer H7126 my bread, H3899 the fat H2459 and the blood, H1818 and they have broken H6565 my covenant H1285 because H413 of all your abominations. H8441
And he took away H7673 the horses H5483 that the kings H4428 of Judah H3063 had given H5414 to the sun, H8121 at the entering in H935 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 by the chamber H3957 of Nathanmelech H5419 the chamberlain, H5631 which was in the suburbs, H6503 and burned H8313 the chariots H4818 of the sun H8121 with fire. H784 And the altars H4196 that were on the top H1406 of the upper chamber H5944 of Ahaz, H271 which the kings H4428 of Judah H3063 had made, H6213 and the altars H4196 which Manasseh H4519 had made H6213 in the two H8147 courts H2691 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 did the king H4428 beat down, H5422 and brake them down H7323 from thence, and cast H7993 the dust H6083 of them into the brook H5158 Kidron. H6939
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 43
Commentary on Ezekiel 43 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 43
Eze 43:1-27. Jehovah's Return to the Temple.
Everything was now ready for His reception. As the Shekinah glory was the peculiar distinction of the old temple, so it was to be in the new in a degree as much more transcendent as the proportions of the new exceeded those of the old. The fact that the Shekinah glory was not in the second temple proves that it cannot be that temple which is meant in the prophecy.
2. the way of the east—the way whereby the glory had departed (Eze 11:22, 23), and rested on Mount Olivet (compare Zec 14:4).
his voice … like … many waters—So English Version rightly, as in Eze 1:24, "voice of the Almighty"; Re 1:15; 14:2, prove this. Not as Fairbairn translates, "its noise."
earth his glory—(Re 18:1).
3. when I came to destroy the city—that is, to pronounce God's word for its destruction. So completely did the prophets identify themselves with Him in whose name they spake.
6. the man—who had been measuring the buildings (Eze 40:3).
7. the place—that is, "behold the place of My throne"—the place on which your thoughts have so much dwelt (Isa 2:1-3; Jer 3:17; Zec 14:16-20; Mal 3:1). God from the first claimed to be their King politically as well as religiously: and He had resisted their wish to have a human king, as implying a rejection of Him as the proper Head of the state. Even when He yielded to their wish, it was with a protest against their king ruling except as His vicegerent. When Messiah shall reign at Jerusalem, He shall then first realize the original idea of the theocracy, with its at once divine and human king reigning in righteousness over a people all righteous (Eze 43:12; Isa 52:1; 54:13; 60:21).
9. carcasses of their kings—It is supposed that some of their idolatrous kings were buried within the bounds of Solomon's temple [Henderson]. Rather, "the carcasses of their idols," here called "kings," as having had lordship over them in past times (Isa 26:13); but henceforth Jehovah, alone their rightful lord, shall be their king, and the idols that had been their "king" would appear but as "carcasses." Hence these defunct kings are associated with the "high places" in Eze 43:7 [Fairbairn]. Le 26:30 and Jer 16:18, confirm this. Manasseh had built altars in the courts of the temple to the host of heaven (2Ki 21:5; 23:6).
I will dwell in the midst … for ever—(Re 21:3).
10. show the house … that they may be ashamed of their iniquities—When the spirituality of the Christian scheme is shown to men by the Holy Ghost, it makes them "ashamed of their iniquities."
12. whole … most holy—This superlative, which had been used exclusively of the holy of holies (Ex 26:34), was now to characterize the entire building. This all-pervading sanctity was to be "the law of the (whole) house," as distinguished from the Levitical law, which confined the peculiar sanctity to a single apartment of it.
13-27. As to the altar of burnt offering, which was the appointed means of access to God.
15. altar—Hebrew, Harel, that is, "mount of God"; denoting the high security to be imparted by it to the restored Israel. It was a high place, but a high place of God, not of idols.
from the altar—literally, "the lion of God," Ariel (in Isa 29:1, "Ariel" is applied to Jerusalem). Menochius supposes that on it four animals were carved; the lion perhaps was the uppermost, whence the horns were made to issue. Gesenius regards the two words as expressing the "hearth" or fireplace of the altar.
16. square in the four squares—square on the four sides of its squares [Fairbairn].
17. settle—ledge [Fairbairn].
stairs—rather, "the ascent," as "steps" up to God's altar were forbidden in Ex 20:26.
18-27. The sacrifices here are not mere commemorative, but propitiatory ones. The expressions, "blood" (Eze 43:18), and "for a sin offering" (Eze 43:19, 21, 22), prove this. In the literal sense they can only apply to the second temple. Under the Christian dispensation they would directly oppose the doctrine taught in Heb 10:1-18, namely, that Christ has by one offering for ever atoned for sin. However, it is possible that they might exist with a retrospective reference to Christ's sufferings, as the Levitical sacrifices had a prospective reference to them; not propitiatory in themselves, but memorials to keep up the remembrance of His propitiatory sufferings, which form the foundation of His kingdom, lest they should be lost sight of in the glory of that kingdom [De Burgh]. The particularity of the directions make it unlikely that they are to be understood in a merely vague spiritual sense.
20. cleanse—literally, "make expiation for."
21. burn it … without the sanctuary—(Heb 13:11).
26. Seven days—referring to the original directions of Moses for seven days' purification services of the altar (Ex 29:37).
consecrate themselves—literally, "fill their hands," namely, with offerings; referring to the mode of consecrating a priest (Ex 29:24, 35).
27. I will accept you—(Eze 20:40, 41; Ro 12:1; 1Pe 2:5).