Ezekiel 46
Ezekiel 46 contains guidelines for the worship practices in a restored temple, the role of the leader (commonly referred to as a “prince”), as well as instructions regarding the people’s portions and inheritances. The main focus of this chapter is the specific procedures for the sacrifices offered to God—daily offerings, offerings on the Sabbath, offerings on the first day of the month—as well as the leader’s communal responsibilities.
1verse“‘The Lord GOD says: “The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.
2verseThe prince shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate outside, and shall stand by the post of the gate; and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.
3verseThe people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before the LORD on the Sabbaths and on the new moons.
4verseThe burnt offering that the prince shall offer to the LORD shall be on the Sabbath day, six lambs without defect and a ram without defect;
5verseand the meal offering shall be an ephah for the ram, and the meal offering for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.
6verseOn the day of the new moon it shall be a young bull without defect, six lambs, and a ram. They shall be without defect.
7verseHe shall prepare a meal offering: an ephah for the bull, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according as he is able, and a hin of oil to an ephah.
8verseWhen the prince enters, he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he shall go out by its way.
9verse“‘“But when the people of the land come before the LORD in the appointed feasts, he who enters by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he who enters by the way of the south gate shall go out by the way of the north gate. He shall not return by the way of the gate by which he came in, but shall go out straight before him.
10verseThe prince shall go in with them when they go in. When they go out, he shall go out.
11verse“‘“In the feasts and in the appointed holidays, the meal offering shall be an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.
12verseWhen the prince prepares a free will offering, a burnt offering or peace offerings as a free will offering to the LORD, one shall open for him the gate that looks toward the east; and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out; and after his going out one shall shut the gate.
13verse“‘“You shall prepare a lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering to the LORD daily. Morning by morning you shall prepare it.
14verseYou shall prepare a meal offering with it morning by morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour; a meal offering to the LORD continually by a perpetual ordinance.
15verseThus they shall prepare the lamb, the meal offering, and the oil, morning by morning, for a continual burnt offering.”
16verse“‘The Lord GOD says: “If the prince gives a gift to any of his sons, it is his inheritance. It shall belong to his sons. It is their possession by inheritance.
17verseBut if he gives of his inheritance a gift to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty; then it shall return to the prince; but as for his inheritance, it shall be for his sons.
18verseMoreover the prince shall not take of the people’s inheritance, to thrust them out of their possession. He shall give inheritance to his sons out of his own possession, that my people not each be scattered from his possession.”’”
19verseThen he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy rooms for the priests, which looked toward the north. Behold, there was a place on the back part westward.
20verseHe said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the meal offering, that they not bring them out into the outer court, to sanctify the people.”
21verseThen he brought me out into the outer 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.
22verseIn the four corners of the court there were courts enclosed, forty cubits long and thirty wide. These four in the corners were the same size.
23verseThere was a wall around in them, around the four, and boiling places were made under the walls all around.
24verseThen he said to me, “These are the boiling houses, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.”
Verses 1–8: Regulations for Sabbath and New Moon Offerings
The early part records in detail the order of the sacrifices offered on the Sabbath and the first day of the month, the types of offerings, and how to use the passageway (the eastern gate). The leader receives places of worship that are somewhat distinct from those given to the general people (such as entering and exiting through the eastern gate), which symbolically demonstrates reverence for God and the maintenance of order.
Verses 9–15: The People’s Worship and Ongoing Commitment
The middle portion of the text mentions the people’s worship attitudes and their movement (the entering and the exiting gates), emphasizing continuity in both change and ritual. Repetition in the types of sacrifices (burnt offering, grain offering, drink offering, etc.) and in the attitude of those who bring them awakens reverence and devotion in daily life.
Verses 16–18: The Leader’s Inheritance and Justice
Regulations related to the prince’s inheritance appear. By preventing the property rights of those in power within the community from being exercised arbitrarily—and especially by ensuring that the people’s portions are not unjustly taken—the chapter emphasizes the importance of realizing justice and righteousness.
Verses 19–24: The Kitchen (Supper Room) and Protection of Holiness
At the end, descriptions of auxiliary spaces related to preparing the offerings (the kitchen, the cooking room) show careful consideration for maintaining the holiness and sacredness of the sanctuary. It indicates that not only the center of worship, but also the environment and procedures are set apart before God.
Meditation Points
- Reflect on what the attitude and life posture of the person who worships should be.
- Notice how order within the community and the practice of human justice are connected to worship.
Try Applying It to Me
- Consider how you can connect the centrality of worship to everyday life in the place where you belong.
- Reflect on whether you are practicing justice and fairness within the community, along with respect for one another.
