Ezekiel 46:15

Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the oil, every morning [for] a continual burnt offering.

Thus shall they prepare {H6213}{H6213} the lamb {H3532}, and the meat offering {H4503}, and the oil {H8081}, every morning {H1242} for a continual {H8548} burnt offering {H5930}.

Thus they will offer a lamb, a grain offering and oil each morning as the ongoing burnt offering.'

Thus they shall provide the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil every morning as a regular burnt offering.’

Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meal-offering, and the oil, morning by morning, for a continual burnt-offering.

Commentary

Ezekiel 46:15 KJV Commentary

Ezekiel 46:15, "Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the oil, every morning [for] a continual burnt offering," details a specific commandment for daily worship within the visionary temple described by the prophet Ezekiel. This verse highlights the meticulous and perpetual nature of the sacrifices God prescribed for His people.

Context

This verse is part of Ezekiel's extensive vision (chapters 40-48) describing a new temple, its ordinances, and the redistribution of land to the tribes of Israel. Given during Israel's Babylonian exile, this vision served as a message of hope and restoration, promising a future where God's presence would dwell among His people in a pure and orderly worship system. Chapter 46 specifically outlines the laws concerning the prince, the gates, and various offerings. The emphasis on "every morning" and "continual" underscores the unwavering commitment to regular worship and atonement in this future temple, echoing principles found in the Mosaic Law concerning daily burnt offerings.

Key Themes

  • Continual Devotion: The phrase "every morning [for] a continual burnt offering" emphasizes the unbroken rhythm of worship and dedication required. It signifies a constant acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and provision.
  • Divine Ordinance: The detailed instruction concerning the lamb, the meat offering (grain offering), and the oil demonstrates God's precise requirements for worship. These are not arbitrary rules but divine commands for approaching a holy God.
  • Elements of Sacrifice: The components—a lamb (representing atonement and purification), the "meat offering" (Hebrew: minchah, a grain or meal offering, representing dedication and thanksgiving), and oil (often symbolizing the Holy Spirit, consecration, or abundance)—collectively form a complete act of worship, encompassing expiation, sustenance, and consecration.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "meat offering" can be slightly misleading to a modern reader, as it typically refers to a grain or meal offering, not animal flesh. The Hebrew word is minchah (מִנְחָה), which denotes a gift, tribute, or present, often specifically a bloodless offering of grain, flour, or bread. The "burnt offering" (Hebrew: olah, עוֹלָה) signifies something that "goes up" in smoke, indicating that the entire animal was consumed on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication to God and atonement for sin.

Practical Application and Significance

While the detailed animal sacrifices of the Old Testament and Ezekiel's vision find their ultimate fulfillment in the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the principle of continual devotion remains highly relevant for believers today. We are no longer required to offer physical lambs, but the call to "continual" worship, praise, and dedication endures. This verse encourages:

  • Consistent Spiritual Discipline: Just as the morning offering was a daily ritual, believers are called to cultivate daily spiritual habits, such as prayer, Bible reading, and meditation.
  • Wholehearted Dedication: The burnt offering, wholly consumed, represents offering our entire selves to God. As Romans 12:1 teaches, we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
  • Worship in Spirit and Truth: Our "continual offering" today is not of animals, but of praise, thanksgiving, and lives lived in obedience to God, empowered by the Holy Spirit (cf. Hebrews 13:15).

Ezekiel 46:15 serves as a powerful reminder of God's unchanging desire for consistent, dedicated, and divinely ordained worship from His people, a principle beautifully transformed and fulfilled in the New Covenant through Christ.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Hebrews 10:1

    ¶ For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

  • Hebrews 10:10

    By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all].

  • Hebrews 7:27

    Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

  • Exodus 29:42

    [This shall be] a continual burnt offering throughout your generations [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.

  • Hebrews 9:26

    For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

  • Numbers 28:6

    [It is] a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.