TRV
Translation
King James Version
Then said he unto me, These are the places of them that boil, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.
Complete Jewish Bible
He said to me, "These are the stoves where those serving in the house will boil the people's sacrifices."
Berean Standard Bible
And he said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple will cook the sacrifices offered by the people.”
American Standard Version
Then said he unto me, These are the boiling-houses, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.
World English Bible Messianic
Then he said to me, These are the boiling houses, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Then said he vnto me, This is the kitchin where the ministers of the house shall seethe the sacrifice of the people.
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith unto me, `These are the houses of those boiling where the ministrants of the house boil the sacrifice of the people.'
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Commentary on Ezekiel 46 verses 19–24
19 ¶ After he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers of the priests, which looked toward the north: and, behold, there was a place on the two sides westward.
20 Then said he unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake the meat offering; that they bear them not out into the utter court, to sanctify the people.
21 Then he brought me forth into the utter court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and, behold, in every corner of the court there was a court.
22 In the four corners of the court there were courts joined of forty cubits long and thirty broad: these four corners were of one measure.
23 And there was a row of building round about in them, round about them four, and it was made with boiling places under the rows round about.
24 Then said he unto me, These are the places of them that boil, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.
We have here a further discovery of buildings about the temple, which we did not observe before, and those were places to boil the flesh of the offerings in, Eze 46:20. He that kept such a plentiful table at his altar needed large kitchens; and a wise builder will provide conveniences of that kind. Observe, 1. Where those boiling-places were situated. There were some at the entry into the inner court (Eze 46:19) and others under the rows, in the four corners of the outer court, Eze 46:21-23. These were the places where, it is likely, there was most room to spare for this purpose; and this purpose was found for the spare room, that none might be lost. It is a pity that holy ground should be waste ground. 2. What use they were put to. In those places they were to boil the trespass-offering and the sin-offering, those parts of them which were allotted to the priests and which were more sacred than the flesh of the peace-offerings, of which the offerer also had a share. There also they were to bake the meat-offering, their share of it, which they had from the altar for their own tables, Eze 46:20. Care was taken that they should not bear them out into the outer court, to sanctify the people. Let them not pretend to sanctify the people with this holy flesh, and so impose upon them; or let not the people imagine that by touching those sacred things they were sanctified, and made any the better or more acceptable to God. It should seem (from Hag 2:12) that there were those who had such a conceit; and therefore the priests must not carry any of the holy flesh away with them, lest they should encourage that conceit. Ministers must take heed of doing any thing to bolster up ignorant people in their superstitious vanities.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 19–24. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 19 and following) And he led me through the entrance that was on the side (or behind) the gate into the treasuries of the sanctuary, to the priests (or into chambers and rooms) that faced north. And there was a place there that faced west (or the sea: and as the LXX translated, separated). And he said to me: This is the place where the priests boil for the offense and for the sin (or for ignorance and therefore) where they boil the sacrifice (or the manna and the offering) so that they do not carry it out into the outer court, and the people may be sanctified. And he led me into the outer courtyard, and he led me around the four corners of the courtyard. And behold, there was a smaller courtyard in the corner of the courtyard, with a smaller courtyard in each corner of the courtyard. In the four corners of the courtyard, the smaller courtyards were arranged, forty cubits in length and thirty cubits in width. The measurements of each were the same: and a wall surrounded the four smaller courtyards in a circle. And kitchens were built underneath the colonnades around (or near) the dining areas, which Aquila interpreted as recesses, Symmachus as enclosures, and Theodotion put the Hebrew word Turoth itself. And he said, 'This is the house of the kitchens, where the ministers of the house cook the sacrifices of the people. For in Hebrew, Zeba means a man who holds a reed in his hand and a string of a mason, with which he measures the building. He led me, he says, through the entrance, which was on the side of the gate or behind the gate. He did not specify which gate, whether eastern, southern, or of another direction, but left it uncertain so that I would go to the place of the sanctuary, and to the treasury, or to the chambers of the priests, which faced north and the sea, namely, to the north and west. Holy Scripture has the custom of always calling the sea the west, according to the position of the land of Judaea. And it is to be noted that the place of the priests, where they cook sacrifices for transgressions, or ignorance, and for sins, so that they are not offered raw, is situated in the outer court facing north and west, from where the coldest wind arises and where the light of the sun sets. From this it is evident that whatever pertains to food is either for error or for sin. But if a sacrifice is offered also for ignorance, how much more for the consciousness of a transgression! Hence, Job offered a daily morning sacrifice for his sons, fearing that they had transgressed in ignorance. But what follows, 'So that they do not offer in the outer court, and the people who were not prepared for sanctification may be sanctified,' means that we should not lightly give holy things to those who are not sanctified, nor should we cast pearls before swine, nor give what is holy to dogs, as the Gospel says. Finally, Moses wished the people to be sanctified for three days from all impurity and from the embrace of their wives, so that they might approach Mount Sinai and receive the holy things when they were sanctified. But if they were commanded to be sanctified from their wives in order to approach and receive the words of God, it is clear that it is contained in the Law of the Apostles: 'Do not defraud one another, unless by consent for a time, so that you may give yourselves to prayer.' And with consent, we must abstain from our wives so that we may give ourselves to prayer. After this, it is written, 'And he led me into the outer court and led me around the four corners of the court. And behold, there was a small courtyard in the corner of the court, with small courtyards placed in each corner of the court, arranged in the four corners of the court.' That man, whom he often mentions, led him out from the place of the priests, which faced north or was separate, where the priests cook for transgressions, sins, or ignorance, and led him into the outer court. From this we understand that the court from which he went out was inside, and there were many courts in the Holy Scriptures, about which we read, 'You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.' And in John, 'And I have other sheep that are not of this fold, and it is necessary that I bring them also, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one fold and one shepherd.' For this in Greek is called αὐλὴ, which the simple Latin translation rendered as a sheepfold. But when he says, 'of this fold,' he shows that there is another one, which is either demonstrated in the multitude of the nations for the distinction from Israel or in heaven for the separation of the earthly fold. And according to the quality of merits, each office is assigned to a particular court, about which we have spoken more fully earlier. But this court that is now being discussed had small courtyards at each of its four corners, which the Seventy call minor, and we have called them small courtyards for the sake of easier understanding. They were forty cubits long and thirty cubits wide. Concerning these numbers, I remember that I have discussed in this same work that one refers to tribulations and narrowness, the other to perfect age. For forty days, Moses, Elijah, the Lord and Savior fasted in the wilderness, and they reach the priestly office not after the twenty-fifth year of age, but after the thirtieth. Therefore, the Lord was thirty years old when he came for baptism, and in this same work, the thirtieth year is mentioned at the beginning. Wherever there is food, there is also distress and temptation through which provisions are obtained. And when we reach the perfect age of man, everything must be trampled upon, and we must say, 'Having food and clothing, let us be content with these.' And, 'If the Lord gives me food to eat and clothes to cover me.' Or certainly, 'Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, but God will destroy both it and them.' For we will not eat or drink in the future, but we will be nourished by the bread that descends from heaven, about which it is sung in the Psalms, 'Man ate the bread of angels.' And, 'My food is to do the will of him who sent me.' But concerning the measure of the small courtyards, which possessed the corners of the large court, it signifies the four regions of the world. For in the sweat of our faces we eat bread, and every laborally profiting conduces to the stomach. Those four small courtyards or one wall surrounded, and kitchens were built underneath the colonnades all around, or they had nearby alcoves, so that where there is food, there is also the preparation of measures. And lest the prophet might not know what these things that he saw were, he said to him, 'This is the house of the kitchens, where the ministers of the Lord cook the sacrifices of the people.' Indeed, the sacrifices of the people, which are offered for transgressions, sins, and ignorance, are the food and refreshment of the priests, so that they remember not to seek anything else when the meats are also prepared for their refreshment in the temple.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 46:24 meticulously details specific areas within the visionary temple where the "ministers of the house" are designated to prepare the sacrificial portions intended for the people. This verse, part of a comprehensive divine blueprint for a future sanctuary, underscores God's profound emphasis on order, ritual purity, and the precise execution of worship, revealing that even the seemingly practical aspects of sacred service are imbued with spiritual significance and require dedicated attention.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 46:24, like much of Ezekiel's later chapters, is characterized by Meticulous Detail, providing an extraordinarily precise architectural and procedural blueprint for the visionary temple. This exactitude emphasizes God's absolute demand for order, purity, and reverence in worship. The specific designation of "places of them that boil" and the precise role of "ministers of the house" serve as Symbolism for the divine insistence on proper procedure and the sacredness of every aspect of temple service, even the seemingly mundane act of cooking. It reflects a theology where holiness permeates all functions within God's presence, leaving no room for casualness or defilement. Furthermore, the entire section is part of a grand Prophetic Vision, offering a future hope of restoration and renewed, perfectly ordered worship for Israel, a vision designed to comfort and instruct the exiles.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 46:24, with its focus on the precise preparation of sacrifices by dedicated ministers, profoundly underscores God's demand for holiness, order, and intentionality in worship. It reveals that even the practical, seemingly mundane aspects of sacred service are divinely regulated and imbued with spiritual significance. This meticulous attention to detail reflects a God who desires His people to approach Him with utmost reverence and purity, ensuring that every act of worship is performed in a manner that honors His majestic presence and maintains the sanctity of His dwelling. The role of the "ministers" also highlights the necessity of consecrated service in facilitating communion between God and His people, a principle that transcends the Old Testament sacrificial system and points to the enduring need for dedicated, pure service in God's kingdom.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 46:24, though describing a specific aspect of a visionary temple, offers timeless principles for believers today. It reminds us that God is a God of order, and He desires our worship, whether corporate or personal, to be conducted with intentionality, reverence, and purity. Just as the physical preparation of sacrifices was meticulous, our spiritual offerings—of praise, prayer, service, and our very lives—should be done with care and dedication, not haphazardly. Every area of our lives, even the seemingly ordinary tasks, can be transformed into acts of worship when done with a heart consecrated to the Lord. We are called to be "ministers" in our own spheres, serving God and others diligently, contributing to the health and purity of the spiritual "house" of God, which is the church and our own bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. This verse challenges us to consider how we prepare our hearts and lives to meet with God, ensuring that our spiritual offerings are "well-cooked" and acceptable in His sight.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is there such specific detail about "boiling places" in Ezekiel's vision?
Answer: The specific detail about "boiling places" in Ezekiel's vision (and throughout chapters 40-48) emphasizes God's demand for absolute order, ritual purity, and precision in all aspects of worship within His holy sanctuary. These areas were designated for the preparation of sacrificial meat, particularly those portions that the priests and the people were permitted to eat (e.g., peace offerings). The meticulous design ensures that the sacred food is handled and prepared in a ritually clean and appropriate manner, preventing any defilement or mixing with common activities. It underscores that even the practical, seemingly mundane tasks associated with worship are divinely regulated and essential for maintaining the sanctity of God's presence. This level of detail highlights the comprehensive nature of God's restoration plan and His desire for perfect worship, where every element contributes to the holiness of the sanctuary, as also seen in the detailed instructions for the tabernacle in Exodus 25-31.
Who are the "ministers of the house" mentioned in this verse?
Answer: The "ministers of the house" (Hebrew: meshartê ha'bayit) primarily refer to the priests and Levites who were consecrated for service within the temple. In Ezekiel's vision, specific roles and responsibilities are assigned to different groups within the Levitical priesthood, distinguishing those who had remained faithful from those who had strayed (e.g., Ezekiel 44:9-16). These ministers were responsible for the proper execution of all temple rituals, including the handling, preparation, and offering of sacrifices. Their role was to facilitate the people's worship and ensure that all sacred duties were performed according to divine command, maintaining the holiness of the sanctuary. Their dedicated service was crucial for the functioning of the sacrificial system and the people's communion with God, reflecting a divine principle of delegated authority and responsibility in sacred service.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 46:24, with its focus on the meticulous preparation of sacrifices by dedicated ministers within a visionary temple, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The physical temple and its elaborate sacrificial system, including the boiling of offerings, served as a shadow pointing to the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, whose single, perfect offering on the cross perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14). The Old Testament's need for designated boiling places and human ministers is superseded by Christ, who is both the perfect sacrifice and our great High Priest, having entered once for all into the holy places, not with the blood of goats and calves but with His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11-14). Furthermore, the "house" in Ezekiel's vision points to Christ Himself, who declared, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," speaking of the temple of His body (John 2:19-21). Through Him, believers are now built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5). Thus, the meticulous order and dedicated service seen in Ezekiel's vision are fulfilled in the perfect, once-for-all work of Christ, establishing a new covenant where perfect worship is offered through Him, and His redeemed people become the living temple.