Ezekiel 46:11-15

5. The offering of the prince on behalf of the people.

(46:11-15)

TRANSLATION

(11) And in the feasts and in the solemnities the meal-offering shall be an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs as he is able to give and a hin of oil to an ephah. (12)

And when the prince shall prepare a freewill-offering, a burnt-offering or peace-offerings as a freewill-offering unto 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 forth; and after his going forth one shall shut the gate. (13) And you shall prepare a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt-offering unto the LORD daily: morning by morning you shall prepare it. (14) And you shall prepare a meal-offering with ii 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 unto the LORD continually by a perpetual ordinance. (15) Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meal-offering, and the oil, morning by morning, for a continual burnt-offering.

COMMENTS

On all feasts (e.g., Pentecost) and appointed seasons (e.g., New Year'S, Day of Atonement) the prince had the obligation to provide meal offerings as well as animals for sacrifice. He was required to offer an ephah of meal for each bullock or ram; for each lamb he would make a voluntary contribution of meal. Each ephah of meal was to be accompanied by a hin of oil (Ezekiel 46:11).

If the prince should desire to offer a free-will offering on a weekday, the eastern gate of the inner court would be opened for him. Upon his departure the gate was to be closed again. Only on sabbath days was the eastern gate left open all day so that worshipers might view the sacrificial ritual (Ezekiel 46:12).

Every day sacrifices were to be offered by the priests upon the great Temple altar. A lamb was to be offered and a meal-offering as well (Ezekiel 46:13-15). No mention is made here of an evening offering (cf. Numbers 28:4 f)[538]

[538] The amount of the meal offering also differs from that prescribed in Numbers.