(The Lord speaking is red text)
Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons.
The people of the land are also to prostrate themselves in worship before ADONAI at the entrance to that gate on Shabbat and on Rosh-Hodesh.
On the Sabbaths and New Moons the people of the land are also to bow in worship before the LORD at the entrance to that gateway.
And the people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before Jehovah on the sabbaths and on the new moons.
Likewise the people{H5971} of the land{H776} shall worship{H7812} at the door{H6607} of this gate{H8179} before{H6440} the LORD{H3068} in the sabbaths{H7676} and in the new moons{H2320}.
Ezekiel 46:3 is a part of the larger corpus of the Book of Ezekiel, which contains the prophecies of the prophet Ezekiel, who was active during the Babylonian Exile (6th century BCE). The verse is set within a detailed vision of the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem, which Ezekiel receives from God. This vision is meant to offer hope to the exiled Israelites, promising a future where worship and religious life will be restored and purified.
In Ezekiel 46:3, the verse specifically addresses the participation of the common people, referred to as "the people of the land," in the worship activities at the Temple. It prescribes that on Sabbaths and New Moons, which are significant days in the Jewish religious calendar, these people are to gather at the gate of the inner court of the Temple to worship the Lord. This instruction emphasizes the inclusivity of worship and the communal aspect of religious observance, suggesting that the restored Temple will be a place where all levels of society can come to honor God.
The historical context of this verse reflects the challenges faced by the Israelites during the exilic period. With the destruction of the First Temple (Solomon's Temple) in 586 BCE by the Babylonians, the people of Israel were deprived of their central place of worship. Ezekiel's prophecies, including the detailed instructions for the new Temple and its rituals, served to reassure the exiles that God had not abandoned them and that a future awaited where they would return to their homeland and reestablish their religious practices.
In summary, Ezekiel 46:3 is a verse that speaks to the communal and inclusive nature of worship in the vision of the restored Temple. It underscores the importance of regular religious observance on Sabbaths and New Moons, and it reflects the hope for a renewed religious life after the trauma of exile. The verse is part of a larger message of restoration, promising a future where the people of Israel can once again worship God in unity and according to His prescribed manner.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)