Ezekiel 43

1 Then [in the vision] the man brought me to the entrance on the east side.

The man took me back to the east gate.

2 Suddenly I saw the glory/brightness of the God of Israel coming from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of a rushing river, and all that area shone with his glory.

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.

3 What I saw in this vision was like what I saw in the visions that I had seen [previously, first] by the Kebar River and [later] when God came to destroy Jerusalem. I prostrated myself on the ground.

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.

4 The glory of Yahweh entered the temple through the east entrance.

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

5 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of Yahweh filled the temple.

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

6 [Then] while the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speak to me from inside the temple.

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

7 He said, “You human, this is [my temple], the place [I sit on] my throne and where I rest my feet. This is where I will live with the Israeli people forever. The Israeli people and their kings will never again disgrace me [SYN] by worshiping other gods [MET] at the shrines on their hilltops, or by [building] monuments to honor their kings who have died.

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.

8 They placed their altars near mine, and the doorposts of their [temples] were next to the doorposts of my [temple]. There was only a wall between them. And they disgraced me by the detestable things that they did. So, being very angry with them, I got rid of them.

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.

9 Now they must stop this disgusting worship of idols and these rituals to honor their kings who have died. If they stop doing those things, I will live among them forever.

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

10 You human, describe to the Israeli people what this temple that I have shown you [in a vision] is like, in order that they will be ashamed of the sins that they have committed [which resulted in their temple in Jerusalem being destroyed].

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,

11 If they are ashamed of all [the evil things] that they have done, tell them [all] about the temple [that I showed you]: its design/shape, the exits and entrances, [and everything else about it]. And tell them all my laws and regulations about worshiping me there. Write all these things down while they watch you, in order that they will be able to faithfully obey those laws.

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.

12 And this is the supreme law about the temple [DOU]: All of the area on top of the hill [where the temple will be built] must be kept sacred and holy.”

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.

13 These are the measurements of the altar, using the same kind of measuring stick that was used for the temple area: There is a gutter around the altar that is (21 in./53 cm.) deep and (21 in./53 cm.) wide. There is a rim around it that is (9 in./23 cm.) wide.

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

14 The lower part of the gutter is (3-1/2 feet/1.1 meters) high to the lower ledge/rim that surrounds the altar. The lower ledge is (21 in./53 cm.) wide. The upper part of the altar is (7 feet/2.1 meters) high, up to the upper ledge. That ledge is also (21 in./53 cm.) wide.

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.

15 The (hearth/place where the sacrifices are burned) at the top of the altar is another (7 feet/2.2 meters) high, and there is a projection that juts/extends up from each of the four corners.

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

16 That place at the top of the altar is square, (21 feet/6.4 meters) on each side.

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

17 The upper ledge is also a square, (24-1/2 feet/7.4 meters) on each side. There is a (21 in./53 cm.) gutter [at the bottom of the altar], and a (10.5 in./26.6 cm.) rim all around it. There are steps up to the east side of the altar.”

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.”

18 Then the man said to me, “You human, this is what Yahweh the Lord says: These are the regulations for sacrificing offerings that will be completely burned and for sprinkling the blood against the sides of the altar when it is built:

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:

19 You must present to the priests a young bull to be an offering to cause the altar to be acceptable to me. The priests are descendants of Levi, from the clan of Zadok, who come near to the altar to serve me.

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.

20 You must take some of the blood [from the bull that is sacrificed], and smear it on the four projections of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge, and all around the rim, to cause the altar to be acceptable to me, and to consecrate it.

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.

21 You must burn that bull outside the temple in the part of the temple area [that I have] designated for that.

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

22 The next day, you must offer a male goat that has no defects, to be an offering to cause the altar to be acceptable to me. Then you must purify the altar again, like you did with the bull that was sacrificed.

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.

23 When you have finished doing all that, you must offer a young bull and a ram, both of them without any defects.

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

24 You must offer them to [me], Yahweh, and the priests must sprinkle salt on them and completely burn them [on the altar] for a sacrifice to me.

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.

25 [Then], each day for seven days, you must bring [to the priest] a male goat [to be sacrificed] for an offering to cause the altar to be acceptable to me. You must also sacrifice a young bull and a ram, [each] without any defect.

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.

26 For seven days the priests will consecrate the altar and cause it to be acceptable to me. By doing that they will dedicate it to me.

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

27 At the end of those seven days, starting on the following day, the priests will continue to put on the altar offerings to be completely burned and offerings to maintain fellowship with me. Then I will accept you. [That it what I], Yahweh the Lord, declare.”

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.”