Part 562 (1/2)

43:9. Now therefore let them put away their fornications, and the carca.s.ses of their kings far from me: and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

43:10. But thou, son of man, shew to the house of Israel the temple, and let them be ashamed of their iniquities, and let them measure the building:

43:11. And be ashamed of all that they have done. Shew them the form of the house, and of the fas.h.i.+on thereof, the goings out and the comings in, and the whole plan thereof, and all its ordinances, and all its order, and all its laws, and thou shalt write it in their sight: that they may keep the whole form thereof, and its ordinances, and do them.

43:12. This is the law of the house upon the top of the mountain: All its border round about; most holy: this then is the law of the house.

43:13. And these are the measures of the altar by the truest cubit, which is a cubit and a handbreadth: the bottom thereof was a cubit, and the breadth a cubit: and the border thereof unto its edge, and round about, one handbreadth: and this was the trench of the altar.

43:14. And from the bottom of the ground to the lowest brim two cubits, and the breadth of one cubit: and from the lesser brim to the greater brim four cubits, and the breadth of one cubit.

43:15. And the Ariel itself was four cubits: and from the Ariel upward were four horns.

The Ariel... That is, the altar itself, or rather the highest part of it, upon which the burnt offerings were laid. In the Hebrew it is Harel, that is, the mountain of G.o.d: but in the following verse Haariel, that is, the lion of G.o.d; a figure, from its consuming, and as it were devouring the sacrifices, as a lion devours its prey.

43:16. And the Ariel was twelve cubits long, and twelve cubits broad, foursquare, with equal sides.

43:17. And the brim was fourteen cubits long, and fourteen cubits broad in the four corners thereof: and the crown round about it was half a cubit, and the bottom of it one cubit round about: and its steps turned toward the east.

43:18. And he said to me: Son of man, thus saith the Lord G.o.d: These are the ceremonies of the altar, in what day soever it shall be made: that holocausts may be offered upon it, and blood poured out.

43:19. And thou shalt give to the priests, and the Levites, that are of the race of Sadoc, who approach to me, saith the Lord G.o.d, to offer to me a calf of the herd for sin.

43:20. And thou shalt take of his blood, and shalt put it upon the four horns thereof, and upon the four corners of the brim, and upon the crown round about: and thou shalt cleanse, and expiate it.

43:21. And thou shalt take the calf, that is offered for sin: and thou shalt burn him in a separate place of the house without the sanctuary.

43:22. And in the second day thou shalt offer a he goat without blemish for sin: and they shall expiate the altar, as they expiated it with the calf.

43:23. And when thou shalt have made an end of the expiation thereof, thou shalt offer a calf of the herd without blemish, and a ram of the flock without blemish.

43:24. And thou shalt offer them in the sight of the Lord, and the priests shall put salt upon them, and shall offer them a holocaust to the Lord.

43:25. Seven days shalt thou offer a he goat for sin daily: they shall offer also a calf of the herd, and a ram of the flock without blemish.

43:26. Seven days shall they expiate the altar, and shall cleanse it: and they shall consecrate it.

Consecrate it... Literally, fill its hand, that is, dedicate and apply it to holy service.

43:27. And the days being expired, on the eighth day and thenceforward, the priests shall offer your holocausts upon the altar, and the peace offerings: and I will be pacified towards you, saith the Lord G.o.d.

Ezechiel Chapter 44

The east gate of the sanctuary shall be always shut. The uncirc.u.mcised shall not enter into the sanctuary: nor the Levites that have served idols: but the sons of Sadoc shall do the priestly functions, who stood firm in the worst of times.

44:1. And he brought me back to the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary, which looked towards the east: and it was shut.

44:2. And the Lord said to me: This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall pa.s.s through it: because the Lord the G.o.d of Israel hath entered in by it, and it shall be shut

44:3. For the prince. The prince himself shall sit in it, to eat bread before the Lord: he shall enter in by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go out by the same way.