Ezekiel46

Ezekiel 46 details regulations for worship and offerings in the new temple, focusing on the prince's role and the people's participation. The east gate is opened on Sabbaths and New Moons for specific sacrifices by the prince and the people. Daily burnt offerings are commanded, and rules for the prince's inheritance are established to prevent oppression. The chapter concludes by describing designated cooking places for both priestly and communal sacrifices within the temple courts.

Regulations for the East Gate

1
"This is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'The east gate of the inner courtyard is to be shut on the six working days, but on Shabbat it is to be opened, and on Rosh-Hodesh it is to be opened. ​
2
The prince is to enter by way of the outer vestibule of the gate and stand by the support of the gate. The cohanim are to prepare his burnt offering and peace offerings. Then he is to prostrate himself in worship at the threshold of the gate, after which he is to leave; but the gate is not to be shut until evening. ​
3
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. ​
4
"'The burnt offering the prince is to offer ADONAI on Shabbat is to consist of six lambs without defect and a ram without defect. ​
5
The grain offering is to be a bushel for the ram, while for the lambs it can be as much as he wants to give; with a gallon of olive oil per eifah.
6
On Rosh-Hodesh it is to be a young bull, six lambs and a ram, all without defect.
7
He is to prepare a grain offering consisting of a bushel for the bull, a bushel for the ram, and for the lambs as his means allow; with a gallon of olive oil per bushel.
8
"'When the prince enters, he is to go in by way of the vestibule of the gate, and he is to leave the same way.

Movement of the People During Feasts

9
But when the people of the land come before ADONAI at the designated times, whoever comes in to worship by way of the north gate is to leave by way of the south gate, and whoever comes in by way of the south gate is to leave by way of the north gate; he is not to go back out through the gate by which he entered but is to exit straight ahead of him. ​
10
[On these occasions,] the prince is to be among them when they enter; and when they leave, they are to leave together. ​
11
"'At the festivals and at designated times, the grain offering is to be a bushel for a young bull and a bushel for a ram, while for the lambs it can be as much as he wants to give, with a gallon of olive oil per bushel.
12
"'When the prince provides a voluntary offering, whether it is a burnt offering or peace offerings that he offers voluntarily to ADONAI, someone is to open the east gate for him; and he is to provide his burnt offering and peace offerings as he does on Shabbat. Then he will leave; and after he leaves, the gate is to be shut. ​

The Daily Continual Offering

13
"'You are to provide a lamb in its first year that has no defect for a daily burnt offering to ADONAI; do this each morning. ​
14
Also each morning, provide with it a grain offering, one-sixth of a bushel, and one-third of a gallon of olive oil to moisten the fine flour; this is the ongoing grain offering for ADONAI, by a permanent regulation.
15
Thus they will offer a lamb, a grain offering and oil each morning as the ongoing burnt offering.'

Regulations for the Prince’s Inheritance

16
"Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'If the prince turns over part of his hereditary property to one of his sons, it is his inheritance; it will belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance. ​
17
But if he gives part of his hereditary property to one of his slaves, it will be his until the year of freedom, at which time it will revert to the prince, so that the prince's heritage will go to his sons. ​
18
The prince is not to take over any of the people's inheritance, thereby evicting them wrongfully from their property; he is to give his sons an inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people will be driven off their property.'" ​

Sacrificial Kitchens and Boiling Places

19
Next, he brought me through the entry at the side of the gate into the holy rooms facing north that were for the cohanim. At their far west end I saw a place ​
20
about which he said to me, "This is the place where the cohanim will boil the guilt offerings and sin offerings and bake the grain offerings. In this way they won't have to bring them into the outer courtyard and risk transmitting holiness to the people." ​
21
He took me into the outer courtyard and had me pass by the four corners of the courtyard, and there in each corner of the courtyard was another courtyard -
22
in the four corners of the courtyard were enclosed courtyards seventy feet long and fifty-two-and-a-half feet; the four courtyards in the corners were the same size.
23
There was a wall around each of the four, with open stoves all around the bases of the walls.
24
He said to me, "These are the stoves where those serving in the house will boil the people's sacrifices." ​

Study Notes for Ezekiel 46

Verse 1

The East Gate, shut since the LORD entered (Ezekiel 44:1-3), is opened only on sacred days (Sabbath, New Moon), symbolizing the special presence of God on those occasions.

Verse 2

The Prince worships 'at the threshold,' indicating he remains in the outer court. This restriction prevents him from entering the inner court like the priests, underscoring that his authority is civil, not priestly.

Verse 3

Notes the participation of the common people, emphasizing that the worship cycle (Sabbath and New Moon) involves the entire community, not just the priests and the Prince.

Verse 4

The detailed prescriptions for offerings reflect the highly ordered and specific nature of worship in the visionary temple, emphasizing perfect obedience and dedication.

Verse 9

This regulation ensures an orderly flow of traffic during major festivals, preventing chaos and reflecting the divine order established for worship. The people must exit through a different gate than they entered.

Verse 10

The Prince participates alongside the people, demonstrating his role as a leader who is subject to the same regulations as the community, unlike previous kings who usurped ritual authority.

Verse 12

The East Gate is allowed to be opened for *voluntary* offerings, showing that while rules are strict, there is still provision for spontaneous devotion and free-will sacrifice outside the set calendar.

Verse 13

This daily sacrifice (the *tamid*) is the bedrock of the sacrificial system, establishing a perpetual act of atonement and communion, mirroring the practice commanded in the wilderness (Ex. 29:38-42).

Verse 16

This section shifts from ritual law to civil law, regulating the distribution of the Prince's property to prevent the abuses of power seen in previous monarchies.

Verse 17

The 'year of liberty' is likely a reference to the Jubilee year (Lev. 25:10), ensuring that land given to a servant remains temporary and cannot dispossess the prince’s direct heirs.

Verse 18

This crucial command prevents the Prince from confiscating the people's land by oppression, a direct contrast to the historical sin of King Ahab against Naboth (1 Kings 21). This ensures social justice and stability within the restored community.

Verse 19

This final section describes the specific chambers required for preparing the holy sacrifices, emphasizing the careful maintenance of ritual purity within the temple complex.

Verse 20

The priests’ kitchens are located near the inner court to prevent the sanctified meat from leaving the holy area, thus avoiding the unintentional 'sanctification' or contamination of the people or the outer court.

Verse 24

These kitchens, distinct from the priests’ kitchens (v. 19), are for preparing the sacrifices brought by the common people, maintaining the separation between the highly holy area and the less holy areas of service.

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