Ezekiel 43 – NIRV & NIVUK

New International Reader’s Version

Ezekiel 43:1-27

The Glory of God Returns to the Temple

1Then the man brought me to the east gate. 2There I saw the glory of the God of Israel. He was coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters. His glory made the land shine brightly. 3The vision I saw was like the one I had when he came to destroy the city. It was also like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River. I fell with my face toward the ground. 4The glory of the Lord entered the temple through the east gate. 5Then the Spirit lifted me up. He brought me into the inner courtyard. The glory of the Lord filled the temple.

6The man was standing beside me. I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. 7He said, “Son of man, this is the place where my throne is. The stool for my feet is also here. I will live here among the people of Israel forever. They will never again treat my name as if it were not holy. They and their kings will not serve other gods anymore. The people will no longer make funeral offerings for their kings. 8The people of Israel placed their own doorway next to my holy doorway. They put their doorposts right beside mine. Nothing but a thin wall separated us. They treated my name as if it were not holy. I hated it when they did that. So I became angry with them and destroyed them. 9Now let them stop serving other gods. Let them stop making funeral offerings for their kings. If they obey me, I will live among them forever.

10“Son of man, tell the people of Israel about the temple. Then they will be ashamed of their sins. Let them think carefully about how perfect it is. 11What if they are ashamed of everything they have done? Then show them all the plans of the temple. Explain to them how it is laid out. Tell them about its exits and entrances. Show them exactly what it will look like. Give them all its rules and laws. Write everything down so they can see it. Then they will be faithful to its plan. And they will obey all its rules.

12“Here is the law of the temple. The whole area on top of Mount Zion will be very holy. That is the law of the temple.”

The Great Altar Is Rebuilt

13The man said, “Here is the size of the altar. The standard measurement I am using is 21 inches. The altar has a drain on the ground. The drain is 21 inches deep and 21 inches wide. It has a rim that is nine inches wide around the edge. Here is how high the altar is. 14From the drain to the lower ledge is three and a half feet. The lower ledge goes around the altar and is 21 inches wide. From the lower ledge to the upper ledge is seven feet. The upper ledge also goes around the altar and is 21 inches wide. 15The top part of the altar is where the sacrifices are burned. It is seven feet high. A horn sticks out from each of its four corners. 16The top part of the altar is square. It is 21 feet long and 21 feet wide. 17The upper ledge is also square. It is 25 feet long and 25 feet wide. The drain goes all the way around the altar. The rim of the drain is 11 inches wide. The steps leading up to the top of the altar face east.”

18Then the man said to me, “Son of man, the Lord and King speaks. He says, ‘Here are the rules for the altar when it is built. Follow them when you sacrifice burnt offerings and splash blood against it. 19Give a young bull to the priests as a sin offering. They are Levites from the family of Zadok. They approach me to serve me,’ announces the Lord and King. 20‘Get some of the bull’s blood. Put it on the four horns of the altar. Also put it on the four corners of the upper ledge of the altar and all around the rim. That will make the altar pure and “clean.” 21Use the bull for the sin offering. Burn it in the proper place outside the temple.

22“ ‘On the second day offer a male goat. It must not have any flaws. It is a sin offering to make the altar pure and “clean.” So do the same thing with the goat that you did with the bull. 23When you finish making the altar pure, offer a young bull and a ram from the flock. They must not have any flaws. 24Offer them to me. The priests must sprinkle salt on them. Then they must sacrifice them as a burnt offering to me.

25“ ‘Provide a male goat each day for seven days. It is a sin offering. Also provide a young bull and a ram from the flock. They must not have any flaws. 26For seven days the priests must make the altar pure and “clean.” That is how they will set it apart to me. 27From the eighth day on, the priests must bring your burnt offerings and friendship offerings. They must sacrifice them on the altar. Then I will accept you,’ announces the Lord and King.”

New International Version – UK

Ezekiel 43:1-27

God’s glory returns to the temple

1Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, 2and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. 3The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he43:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts I came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the River Kebar, and I fell face down. 4The glory of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east. 5Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

6While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. 7He said: ‘Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites for ever. The people of Israel will never again defile my holy name – neither they nor their kings – by their prostitution and the funeral offerings43:7 Or the memorial monuments; also in verse 9 for their kings at their death.43:7 Or their high places 8When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. 9Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them for ever.

10‘Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider its perfection, 11and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple – its arrangement, its exits and entrances – its whole design and all its regulations43:11 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts regulations and its whole design and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.

12‘This is the law of the temple: all the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple.

The great altar restored

13‘These are the measurements of the altar in long cubits,43:13 That is, about 53 centimetres; also in verses 14 and 17. The long cubit is the basic unit for linear measurement throughout chapters 40–48. that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a kerb of one span43:13 That is, about 27 centimetres around the edge. And this is the height of the altar: 14from the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge that goes round the altar it is two cubits high, and the ledge is a cubit wide.43:14 That is, about 105 centimetres high and 53 centimetres wide From this lower ledge to the upper ledge that goes round the altar it is four cubits high, and that ledge is also a cubit wide.43:14 That is, about 2.1 metres high and 53 centimetres wide 15Above that, the altar hearth is four cubits high, and four horns project upwards from the hearth. 16The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits43:16 That is, about 6.4 metres long and twelve cubits wide. 17The upper ledge also is square, fourteen cubits43:17 That is, about 7.4 metres long and fourteen cubits wide. All round the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a kerb of half a cubit.43:17 That is, about 27 centimetres The steps of the altar face east.’

18Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: these will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings and splashing blood against the altar when it is built: 19you are to give a young bull as a sin offering43:19 Or purification offering; also in verse 21, 22 and 25 to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who come near to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. 20You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge and all round the rim, and so purify the altar and make atonement for it. 21You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.

22‘On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. 23When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. 24You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

25‘For seven days you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. 26For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. 27At the end of these days, from the eighth day on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.’