Ezekiel 43

1 The man took me back to the east gate.

Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looks toward the east.

2 There I saw the glory of Israel's God coming from the east. His voice sounded like a thundering waterfall, and the earth blazed bright with his glory.

Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth was illuminated with his glory.

3 The vision I saw was just like the vision I'd seen when he came to destroy the city of Jerusalem and like the visions I'd seen beside the River Kebar. I fell facedown on the ground.

It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.

4 The glory of the Lord entered the Temple through the east gate.

The LORD’s glory came into the house by the way of the gate which faces toward the east.

5 Then the Spirit picked me up and took me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple.

The Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the LORD’s glory filled the house.

6 I heard someone speaking to me from inside the Temple while the man standing beside me.

I heard one speaking to me out of the house, and a man stood by me.

7 He told me, “Son of man, this is where I have my throne. It's my home where I will live among the Israelites forever. The people of Israel and their kings won't ever again disgrace me and my holiness by their acts of prostitution and by their honoring their dead kings in their pagan high places.

He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell among the children of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no more defile my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their prostitution and by the dead bodies of their kings in their high places;

8 When they built their homes right next to mine—their threshold beside my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall separating us—they disgraced me and my holiness by the disgusting sins they committed. That's why I destroyed them in my anger.

in their setting of their threshold by my threshold and their door post beside my door post. There was a wall between me and them; and they have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed. Therefore I have consumed them in my anger.

9 Now if they get rid of their prostitution and their pagan honoring of their dead kings, and I will live with them forever.

Now let them put away their prostitution, and the dead bodies of their kings far from me. Then I will dwell among them forever.

10 Son of man, tell the people of Israel about the Temple and they'll be ashamed of their sins. Have them carefully consider its plan,

“You, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern.

11 and if they're ashamed of everything they've done, then explain to them the Temple's design, its layout, exits, and entrances—the complete plan—as well as all its regulations, specifications, and laws. Write them down as they watch, so that they can remember its complete plan and follow all its regulations.

If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the form of the house, its fashion, its exits, its entrances, its structure, all its ordinances, all its forms, and all its laws; and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form of it, and all its ordinances, and do them.

12 This is the Temple law: the whole area around the Temple on the mountain top is very holy. Pay attention: this is the Temple law.

“This is the law of the house. On the top of the mountain the whole limit around it shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.

13 These are the measurements of the altar in cubits (a cubit and the width of a hand): The gutter is to be one cubit deep and one cubit wide, with a rim one hand span wide along its edge. The back of the altar

“These are the measurements of the altar by cubits (the cubit is a cubit and a hand width): the bottom shall be a cubit, and the width a cubit, and its border around its edge a span; and this shall be the base of the altar.

14 measured from the gutter on the ground to the lower ledge is to be two cubits. The ledge will measure one cubit wide. The distance from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge is to be four cubits, and the ledge one cubit wide.

From the bottom on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the width one cubit; and from the lesser ledge to the greater ledge shall be four cubits, and the width a cubit.

15 The altar hearth is to be four cubits high, with four horns pointing upwards from it.

The upper altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar hearth and upward there shall be four horns.

16 The altar hearth shall be square, its four sides each measuring twelve cubits.

The altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve wide, square in its four sides.

17 The ledge is also to be square, measuring fourteen cubits by fourteen cubits, with a half-cubit rim and a one-cubit gutter all around it. The altar steps are to face the east.”

The ledge shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen wide in its four sides; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and its bottom shall be a cubit around; and its steps shall look toward the east.”

18 Then he told me: “Son of man, this is what the Lord God says: These are the regulations regarding the altar once it's built, so that it can be used to sacrifice burnt offerings and to sprinkle blood on it:

He said to me, “Son of man, the Lord GOD says: ‘These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they make it, to offer burnt offerings on it, and to sprinkle blood on it.

19 You shall give a young bull as a sin offering to the Leviticus priests from the family of Zadok, who come and minister before me, declares the Lord God.

You shall give to the Levitical priests who are of the offspring of Zadok, who are near to me, to minister to me,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘a young bull for a sin offering.

20 Take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and all the way round the rim. This is how you shall purify the altar and set it right.

You shall take of its blood and put it on its four horns, and on the four corners of the ledge, and on the border all around. You shall cleanse it and make atonement for it that way.

21 Then remove the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated place of the Temple area outside the sanctuary.

You shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of the house, outside of the sanctuary.

22 On the second day you are to bring as male goat without defects as a sin offering, and the altar shall be purified as it was purified with the bull.

“On the second day you shall offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they cleansed it with the bull.

23 After you've finished the purifying process, you are to present a young bull and a ram, both free from defects.

When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without defect and a ram out of the flock without defect.

24 You are to offer them to the Lord. The priests shall sprinkle salt on them and sacrifice them to the Lord as a burnt offering.

You shall bring them near to the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt on them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering to the LORD.

25 For seven days you are to supply a male goat daily for a sin offering. You are also to supply a young bull and a ram, they are both to have no defects.

“Seven days you shall prepare every day a goat for a sin offering. They shall also prepare a young bull and a ram out of the flock, without defect.

26 For seven days the priests are to set the altar right and purify it. This is how they will dedicate it.

Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and purify it. So shall they consecrate it.

27 Once these days are over, then from the eighth day the priests are to present the burnt offerings and peace offerings of your people on the altar. Then I will accept all of you, declares the Lord God.”

When they have accomplished the days, it shall be that on the eighth day and onward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings on the altar and your peace offerings. Then I will accept you,’ says the Lord GOD.”