The big picture
Ezekiel 43 opens in verse 1 with “Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and…”, and closes in verse 27 with “And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward…” Repeated or prominent terms include house, altar, cubit, LORD, cubits. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Ezekiel · King James Version · 27Ezekiel 43:1-7
1–7: Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward…
Ezekiel 43:1–7 opens with “Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:” and reaches “And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 43 develops its own movement around house, altar, cubit, LORD, cubits, with particular weight carried by glory, house, east.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:” Naming Afterward keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came…” Naming Chebar keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Ezekiel 43:1-7
King James Version1Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:
2And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.
3And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.
4And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.
5So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.
6And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.
7And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.
Ezekiel 43:8-14
8–14: In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by…
Ezekiel 43:8–14 opens with “In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall…” and reaches “And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 43 develops its own movement around house, altar, cubit, LORD, cubits, with particular weight carried by cubit, house, breadth.
Context that brings the passage to life
“In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them…” The line’s distinctive content terms include abominations, anger, committed. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of…” The line’s distinctive content terms include carcases, dwell, kings. Its relationship to verses 8 and 10 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them…” Naming Israel and Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include form, forms, ordinances. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.
Ezekiel 43:8-14
King James Version8In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.
9Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.
10Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.
11And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.
12This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.
13And these are the measures of the altar after the cubits: The cubit is a cubit and an hand breadth; even the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about shall be a span: and this shall be the higher place of the altar.
14And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser settle even to the greater settle shall be four cubits, and the breadth one cubit.
Ezekiel 43:15-21
15–21: So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall…
Ezekiel 43:15–21 opens with “So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.” and reaches “Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 43 develops its own movement around house, altar, cubit, LORD, cubits, with particular weight carried by altar, cubits, blood.
Context that brings the passage to life
“So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Ezekiel 43:15-21
King James Version15So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.
16And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof.
17And the settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about; and his stairs shall look toward the east.
18And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD ; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.
19And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord GOD , a young bullock for a sin offering.
20And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.
21Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.
Ezekiel 43:22-27
22–27: On the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish…
Ezekiel 43:22–27 opens with “And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering…” and reaches “And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ezekiel 43 develops its own movement around house, altar, cubit, LORD, cubits, with particular weight carried by blemish, offer, altar.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include blemish, bullock, cleansing. Its relationship to verses 22 and 24 shows what work it does in this passage.
Ezekiel 43:22-27
King James Version22And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock.
23When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.
24And thou shalt offer them before the LORD , and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the LORD .
25Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.
26Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.
27And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD .
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Ezekiel 43:1 begins with “Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:”
Where the chapter turns
Ezekiel 43:9 forms a natural hinge: “Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.”
The final note
Ezekiel 43:27 leaves the reader with “And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words house, altar, cubit, LORD, cubits, bullock help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does Judah's pledge differ from Reuben's earlier offer?
Judah accepts continuing personal responsibility rather than offering the lives of his sons.
What repeats an old family pressure?
Benjamin receives special treatment, recalling favoritism toward Joseph. Watch the brothers' response in chapter 44.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- wherefore
- for that reason
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.