Ezekiel 43

—by the carcasses of their kings in their high places.] By the idols set up by their kings in the high places, Jer. xvi. 18. W. Lowth. We may understand by “carcasses,” bodies offered to idols. Bp. Hall.

— and it was shut.] After that the glory of the Lord had entered that way. W. Lowth.

Ezekiel 43:2

2. — it shall not be opened.] Unless at particular seasons; see chap. xliii. 4; xlvi. 1, 2. W. Lowth. — because the Lord, the God of Israel, &c.] That is, the glory of the Lord; as it is expressed, chap. xliii. 2. 4: see also Exod. xxiv. 10; Isa. vi. 1. 5. W. Lowth.

Ezekiel 43:3

3. It is for the prince:] Solomon placed his seat at the entrance into the inner court before the altar of the Lord, 2 Chron. vi. 13; and here the prince seems to have had his place in aftertimes, whenever he came to worship in the temple, 2 Chron. xxiii. 13; xxxiv. 31. Not far from which place a seat was placed for the high priest, as may be gathered from Eli’s seat, 1 Sam. i. 9; and from whence the high priest pronounced the blessing after the service was ended; see Ecclus. l. 20. W. Lowth, Dr. Lightfoot. — to eat bread before the Lord:] To eat part of the peace offerings, chap. xlvi. 2. Bread stands for all sorts of entertainment; see Gen. xliii. 31; and parti- Ordinances for the priests. Before CHRIST 574.

Ezekiel 43:8

8. In their setting of] See 2 Kings xvi. 14; xxi. 4, 5. 7.

—and the wall between me and them.] The sense in the margin is better, “for there was but a wall between me and them.” W. Lowth.

Ezekiel 43:10

10, 11. — shew the house to the house of Israel.] It was indeed a model for them to imitate, as far as they were able; but we may probably suppose, that the words may have a further view and import; that the model of God’s temple here set forth, is but a pattern of heavenly things, and a type of that pure Church, “built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” which we may hope God may in due time every where restore. W. Lowth.

Ezekiel 43:12

12. — of the mountain] Mount Moriah, upon which the temple stood. W. Lowth.

We learn from Josephus, that the Asmonean princes built a tower close to the north side of the mount, which became famous toward the close of the Jewish history, under the name of the Tower Antonia. This was a profanation of the holy ground. Calmet.

be most holy. Behold this is the law of the house.

Ezekiel 43:13

13. — the bottom] The base of the altar. W. Lowth. — the higher place] In the Hebrew, “the back of the altar,” which imports that this base was the protuberance, or the widest part of it. W. Lowth, Houbigant.

Ezekiel 43:14

14. And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle] The “settle” means the imbenching or narrowing: the altar was made narrower as it came nearer to the top. On this lower settle or ledge the priests walked round the altar. W. Lowth, Abp. Newcome.

Ezekiel 43:15

15. — four horns.] One at each corner; see Exod. xxvii. 2. They arose from the uppermost bench, where the priest stood to officiate. W. Lowth.

In two ancient Egyptian pictures, taken from the ruins of Herculaneum, are representations of altars, having at each of their four corners a rising, which continues square to about half its height, but from thence is gradually sloped off to an edge or a point. It is likely that these are “the horns of the altar” alluded to in Scripture; and probably this is their true figure; see Ps. cxviii. 27. To retain the victim was perhaps the primary use of these horns. Fragments to Calmet.

Ezekiel 43:17

17. — stairs] See Exod. xx. 26. It was an inclined plane; God forbade his priests to go up by steps to his altar. The ascent up to the altar was by a gentle rising, which was thirty-two cubits in length, and sixteen in breadth, and landed (for the convenience of the priests who went up to sacrifice) upon the upper ledge or settle next the hearth, or the top of the altar. Dean Prideaux.

18. — the inner court.] The court just before the temple where the altar of burnt offering stood, ver. 27 of this chapter. W. Lowth.

— with linen] The ephod, mitre, breeches, and girdle, which was the habit of the ordinary priests, were all of fine linen, contrived “for glory and beauty,” Exod. xxviii. 40. W. Lowth.

Ezekiel 43:18

18. — These are the ordinances of the altar] At the Before CHRIST that is, the mountain of God. that is, the lion of God. The measures, and the ordinances of the altar. Before CHRIST 574. to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.

19. — with any thing that causeth sweat.] Lest those holy vestments may be soiled, or any outward uncleanliness may be caused thereby. Bp. Hell.

Ezekiel 43:19

19. — and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.] In touching them with their holy clothes. Whatever touched any thing holy, became itself holy, and was no longer to be profaned by vulgar use, Exod. xxx. 29; Lev. vi. 27. The altar sanctifies the gift, Matt. xxiii. 19. What touched the altar or the furniture of the tabernacle was holy; probably what the holy garments touched was so too. Abp. Seeker.

Ezekiel 43:20

20. Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long;] See Lev. xxi. The ministers of the sacred things shall not shave their heads so as to make them bare, nor yet shall they wear their hair long and disordered; but, avoiding the vanity of either extreme, they shall only cut their hair. Dean Spencer.

Ezekiel 43:21

21. — without the sanctuary.] In some place appointed for that purpose within the precincts of the holy mountain. The temple itself is called the “inner house,” chap. xli. 15; xlii. 15; to distinguish it from the outer court and precincts thereof. The body of the bullock, whose blood was to sanctify the altar, was to be burnt without the camp, by order of the law, Exod. xxix. 14. W. Lowth, Calmet.

Ezekiel 43:22

22. — a kid of the goats] This is over and above the sacrifices of consecration prescribed, Exod. xxix. 1. W. Lowth.

23. — for their wives] See Lev. xxi. 14.

Ezekiel 43:23

23. — a ram out of the flock] Called the “ram of consecration,” Exod. xxix. 31; Lev. viii. 22. W. Lowth.

24. — the holy and profane.] What places, according to the ceremonial law, are holy, and what common;

what things are defiled, and what clean. Abp. Newcome.

Ezekiel 43:24

24. — shall cast salt] Upon the victims, according to the law in Lev. ii. 13. W. Lowth.

25. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment;] See Deut. xvii. 8, 9; and the people were to seek the law at their mouths, Mal. ii. 7; that is, to enquire of them the purport and meaning of it. When the supreme judicial power was placed in the Sanhedrim, the majority of that court consisted chiefly of such as had the chief stations among the priests: see Acts iv. 5, 6. W. Lowth.

Ezekiel 43:26

26. Seven days] See Exod. xxix. 35; Lev. viii. 33. — and they shall consecrate themselves.] The expression in the original is, “they shall fill their hands.” The priests were consecrated to their office partly by the act of filling their hands with what they were to offer, Exod. xxix. 24. Calmet, W. Lowth. Chap. XLIV. ver. 1. — of the outward sanctuary] In

27. — seven days.] His uncleanness continued for seven days by the law, Numb. xix. 11; and the priests were to reckon to him seven days more, before he was to be admitted into the sanctuary. W. Lowth.

Ezekiel 43:28

28. — ye shall give them no possession] Their priesthood, their ministry in my sanctuary, and the perquisites thereto belonging, shall be to them instead of lands and cities, of which they shall not have any share as the other tribes; see Deut. x. 9; Josh. xiii. 14. W. Lowth, Michaelis. A portion was however allotted to them, under the new division in the following chapter. W. Lowth.

Ezekiel 43:29

29. — every dedicated thing] Devoted thing; as a field or a beast, Lev. xxvii. 28; Numb. xviii. 14. Abp. Newcome.

Ezekiel 43:30

30. — of your dough.] See Numb. xv. 20. — the blessing] That the priests, whose office it is