The Lord’s Glory Returns
1After this, the man brought me back around to the east gateway.
2Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory.
3This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he came43:3 As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Latin Vulgate; Masoretic Text reads I came. to destroy Jerusalem. I fell face down on the ground.
4And the glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gateway.
5Then the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple.
6And I heard someone speaking to me from within the Temple, while the man who had been measuring stood beside me.
7The Lord said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died.43:7 Or kings on their high places.
8They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger.
9Now let them stop worshiping other gods and honoring the relics of their kings, and I will live among them forever.
10“Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan,
11and they will be ashamed43:11 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads if they are ashamed. of what they have done. Describe to them all the specifications of the Temple—including its entrances and exits—and everything else about it. Tell them about its decrees and laws. Write down all these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them.
12And this is the basic law of the Temple: absolute holiness! The entire top of the mountain where the Temple is built is holy. Yes, this is the basic law of the Temple.
The Altar
13“These are the measurements of the altar43:13a Hebrew measurements of the altar in long cubits, each being a cubit [18 inches or 45 centimeters] and a handbreadth [3 inches or 8 centimeters] in length.: There is a gutter all around the altar 21 inches deep and 21 inches wide,43:13b Hebrew a cubit [53 centimeters] deep and a cubit wide. with a curb 9 inches43:13c Hebrew 1 span [23 centimeters]. wide around its edge. And this is the height43:13d As in Greek version; Hebrew reads base. of the altar:
14From the gutter the altar rises 3-1/2 feet43:14a Hebrew 2 cubits [1.1 meters]. to a lower ledge that surrounds the altar and is 21 inches43:14b Hebrew 1 cubit [53 centimeters]; also in 43:14d. wide. From the lower ledge the altar rises 7 feet43:14c Hebrew 4 cubits [2.1 meters]; also in 43:15. to the upper ledge that is also 21 inches wide.
15The top of the altar, the hearth, rises another 7 feet higher, with a horn rising up from each of the four corners.
16The top of the altar is square, measuring 21 feet by 21 feet.43:16 Hebrew 12 [cubits] [6.4 meters] long and 12 [cubits] wide.
17The upper ledge also forms a square, measuring 24-1/2 feet by 24-1/2 feet,43:17a Hebrew 14 [cubits] [7.4 meters] long and 14 [cubits] wide. with a 21-inch gutter and a 10-1/2-inch curb43:17b Hebrew a gutter of 1 cubit [53 centimeters] and a curb of 1/2 a cubit [27 centimeters]. all around the edge. There are steps going up the east side of the altar.”
18Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for the burning of offerings and the sprinkling of blood when the altar is built.
19At that time, the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who minister before me, are to be given a young bull for a sin offering, says the Sovereign Lord.
20You will take some of its blood and smear it on the four horns of the altar, the four corners of the upper ledge, and the curb that runs around that ledge. This will cleanse and make atonement for the altar.
21Then take the young bull for the sin offering and burn it at the appointed place outside the Temple area.
22“On the second day, sacrifice as a sin offering a young male goat that has no physical defects. Then cleanse and make atonement for the altar again, just as you did with the young bull.
23When you have finished the cleansing ceremony, offer another young bull that has no defects and a perfect ram from the flock.
24You are to present them to the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and offer them as a burnt offering to the Lord.
25“Every day for seven days a male goat, a young bull, and a ram from the flock will be sacrificed as a sin offering. None of these animals may have physical defects of any kind.
26Do this each day for seven days to cleanse and make atonement for the altar, thus setting it apart for holy use.
27On the eighth day, and on each day afterward, the priests will sacrifice on the altar the burnt offerings and peace offerings of the people. Then I will accept you. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
