Ezekiel 42-43 - Prayer Tents

Rooms for the Priests

42Then the man led me out of the Temple courtyard by way of the north gateway. We entered the outer courtyard and came to a group of rooms against the north wall of the inner courtyard.H3318H2435H2691H1870H6828H935H3957H1508H1146H6828 2This structure, whose entrance opened toward the north, was 175 feet long and 87 1/2 feet wide.H6440H753H3967H520H6828H6607H7341H2572H520 3One block of rooms overlooked the 35-foot width of the inner courtyard. Another block of rooms looked out onto the pavement of the outer courtyard. The two blocks were built three levels high and stood across from each other.H6242H6442H2691H7531H2435H2691H862H6440H862H7992 4Between the two blocks of rooms ran a walkway 17 1/2 feet wide. It extended the entire 175 feet of the complex, and all the doors faced north.H6440H3957H4109H6235H520H7341H6442H1870H259H520H6607H6828 5Each of the two upper levels of rooms was narrower than the one beneath it because the upper levels had to allow space for walkways in front of them.H5945H3957H7114H862H398H2007H8481H8484H1146 6Since there were three levels and they did not have supporting columns as in the courtyards, each of the upper levels was set back from the level beneath it.H8027H5982H5982H2691H680H8481H8484H776 7There was an outer wall that separated the rooms from the outer courtyard; it was 87 1/2 feet long.H1447H2351H5980H3957H1870H2435H2691H6440H3957H753H2572H520 8This wall added length to the outer block of rooms, which extended for only 87 1/2 feet, while the inner block—the rooms toward the Temple—extended for 175 feet.H753H3957H2435H2691H2572H520H6440H1964H3967H520 9There was an eastern entrance from the outer courtyard to these rooms.H3957H3996H935H6921H935H2007H2435H2691 10On the south side of the Temple there were two blocks of rooms just south of the inner courtyard between the Temple and the outer courtyard. These rooms were arranged just like the rooms on the north.H3957H7341H1444H2691H1870H6921H6440H1508H6440H1146 11There was a walkway between the two blocks of rooms just like the complex on the north side of the Temple. This complex of rooms was the same length and width as the other one, and it had the same entrances and doors. The dimensions of each were identical.H1870H6440H4758H3957H1870H6828H753H3651H7341H4161H4941H6607 12So there was an entrance in the wall facing the doors of the inner block of rooms, and another on the east at the end of the interior walkway.H6607H3957H1870H1864H6607H7218H1870H1870H1903H6440H1448H1870H6921H935 13Then the man told me, “These rooms that overlook the Temple from the north and south are holy. Here the priests who offer sacrifices to the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. And because these rooms are holy, they will be used to store the sacred offerings—the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings.H559H6828H3957H1864H3957H6440H1508H6944H3957H3548H7138H3068H398H6944H6944H3240H6944H6944H4503H2403H817H4725H6918 14When the priests leave the sanctuary, they must not go directly to the outer courtyard. They must first take off the clothes they wore while ministering, because these clothes are holy. They must put on other clothes before entering the parts of the building complex open to the public.”H3548H935H3318H6944H2435H2691H3240H899H8334H6944H3847H3847H312H899H7126H5971 15When the man had finished measuring the inside of the Temple area, he led me out through the east gateway to measure the entire perimeter.H3615H4060H6442H1004H3318H1870H8179H6440H1870H6921H4058H5439 16He measured the east side with his measuring rod, and it was 875 feet long.H4058H6921H7307H4060H7070H2568H520H3967H7070H4060H7070H5439 17Then he measured the north side, and it was also 875 feet.H4058H6828H7307H2568H3967H7070H4060H7070H5439 18The south side was also 875 feet,H4058H1864H7307H2568H3967H7070H4060H7070 19and the west side was also 875 feet.H5437H3220H7307H4058H2568H3967H7070H4060H7070 20So the area was 875 feet on each side with a wall all around it to separate what was holy from what was common.H4058H702H7307H2346H5439H2568H3967H753H2568H3967H7341H914H6944H2455

The Lord’s Glory Returns

43After this, the man brought me back around to the east gateway.H3212H8179H8179H6437H1870H6921 2Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory.H3519H430H3478H935H1870H6921H6963H6963H7227H4325H776H215H3519 3This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he came to destroy Jerusalem. I fell face down on the ground.H4758H4758H7200H4758H7200H935H7843H5892H4759H4758H7200H5104H3529H5307H6440 4And the glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gateway.H3519H3068H935H1004H1870H8179H6440H1870H6921 5Then the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple.H7307H5375H935H6442H2691H3519H3068H4390H1004 6And I heard someone speaking to me from within the Temple, while the man who had been measuring stood beside me.H8085H1696H1004H376H5975H681 7The Lord said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died.H559H1121H120H4725H3678H4725H3709H7272H7931H8432H1121H3478H5769H6944H8034H1004H3478H2930H4428H2184H6297H4428H1116 8They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger.H5414H5592H5592H4201H681H4201H7023H2930H6944H8034H8441H6213H3615H639 9Now let them stop worshiping other gods and honoring the relics of their kings, and I will live among them forever.H7368H2184H6297H4428H7368H7931H8432H5769 10“Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan,H1121H120H5046H1004H1004H3478H3637H5771H4058H8508 11and they will be ashamed of what they have done. Describe to them all the specifications of the Temple—including its entrances and exits—and everything else about it. Tell them about its decrees and laws. Write down all these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them.H3637H6213H3045H6699H1004H8498H4161H4126H6699H2708H6699H8451H3789H5869H8104H6699H2708H6213 12And this is the basic law of the Temple: absolute holiness! The entire top of the mountain where the Temple is built is holy. Yes, this is the basic law of the Temple.H8451H1004H7218H2022H1366H5439H6944H6944H8451H1004

The Altar

13“These are the measurements of the altar: There is a gutter all around the altar 21 inches deep and 21 inches wide, with a curb 9 inches wide around its edge. And this is the height of the altar:H4060H4196H520H520H520H2948H2436H520H7341H520H1366H8193H5439H259H2239H1354H4196 14From the gutter the altar rises 3 1/2 feet to a lower ledge that surrounds the altar and is 21 inches wide. From the lower ledge the altar rises 7 feet to the upper ledge that is also 21 inches wide.H2436H776H8481H5835H8147H520H7341H259H520H6996H5835H1419H5835H702H520H7341H520 15The top of the altar, the hearth, rises another 7 feet higher, with a horn rising up from each of the four corners.H741H2025H702H520H741H4605H702H7161 16The top of the altar is square, measuring 21 feet by 21 feet.H741H8147H6240H753H8147H6240H7341H7251H702H7253 17The upper ledge also forms a square, measuring 24 1/2 feet by 24 1/2 feet, with a 21-inch gutter and a 10 1/2-inch curb all around the edge. There are steps going up the east side of the altar.”H5835H702H6240H753H702H6240H7341H702H7253H1366H5439H2677H520H2436H520H5439H4609H6437H6921 18Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for the burning of offerings and the sprinkling of blood when the altar is built.H559H1121H120H559H136H3069H2708H4196H3117H6213H5927H5930H2236H1818 19At that time, the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who minister before me, are to be given a young bull for a sin offering, says the Sovereign Lord.H5414H3548H3881H2233H6659H7138H8334H5002H136H3069H1121H1241H6499H2403 20You will take some of its blood and smear it on the four horns of the altar, the four corners of the upper ledge, and the curb that runs around that ledge. This will cleanse and make atonement for the altar.H3947H1818H5414H702H7161H702H6438H5835H1366H5439H2398H3722 21Then take the young bull for the sin offering and burn it at the appointed place outside the Temple area.H3947H6499H2403H8313H4662H1004H2351H4720 22“On the second day, sacrifice as a sin offering a young male goat that has no physical defects. Then cleanse and make atonement for the altar again, just as you did with the young bull.H8145H3117H7126H8163H5795H8549H2403H2398H4196H2398H6499 23When you have finished the cleansing ceremony, offer another young bull that has no defects and a perfect ram from the flock.H3615H2398H7126H1121H1241H6499H8549H352H6629H8549 24You are to present them to the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and offer them as a burnt offering to the Lord.H7126H6440H3068H3548H7993H4417H5927H5930H3068 25“Every day for seven days a male goat, a young bull, and a ram from the flock will be sacrificed as a sin offering. None of these animals may have physical defects of any kind.H7651H3117H6213H3117H8163H2403H6213H1121H1241H6499H352H6629H8549 26Do this each day for seven days to cleanse and make atonement for the altar, thus setting it apart for holy use.H7651H3117H3722H4196H2891H4390H3027 27On the eighth day, and on each day afterward, the priests will sacrifice on the altar the burnt offerings and peace offerings of the people. Then I will accept you. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”H3117H3615H8066H3117H1973H3548H6213H5930H4196H8002H7521H5002H136H3069