Ezekiel 46:19-24

7. Preparing the sacrificial meals (46:19-24)

TRANSLATION

(19) Then he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers for the priests, which looked toward the north: and, behold, there was a place on the hinder part westward. (20) And he said unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass-offering and the sin-offering, and where they shall bake the meal-offering; that they bring them not forth into the outer court, to sanctify the people. (21) Then he brought me forth into the outer court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and, behold, in every corner of the court there was a court. (22) In the four corners of the court there were courts inclosed, forty cubits long and thirty broad; these four in the corners were of one measure. (23) And there was a wall round about in them, round about the four, and boiling-places were made under the walls round about. (24) Then said he unto me, These are the boiling-houses, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.

COMMENTS

Ezekiel's conducted tour of the Temple resumes in these verses. He was taken by his angelic guide into the priests-' chambers which ran parallel to the Temple on the north and south. This block of chambers faced north. He was led to the extreme western end of this structure (Ezekiel 46:19) and there was shown a special chamber. Here the priests were to boil the meat of the guilt-offering and sin-offering, and bake the meal of the meal-offering. These meats and cakes could only be eaten by the priests. They were to exercise care not to accidentally carry these sanctified foods into the outer court where they would sanctify or communicate holiness to the people (Ezekiel 46:20; Ezekiel 44:19).

The angel next brought Ezekiel to the outer court, He observed in each of the four corners of this court enclosures or small courts (Ezekiel 46:21). Each of these courts was forty by thirty cubits. The courts are said to be keturoth, which the King James Version renders inclosed. Some Rabbis thought the word meant uncovered, i.e., the corner structures were rootless to allow the smoke to freely ascend (Ezekiel 46:22), These small courts were equipped boiling places, i.e., fire places where large boiling pots could be placed (Ezekiel 46:23). The ministers of the house the Levites boiled the people's sacrifices for them (Ezekiel 46:24). This part of the sacrificial animal was eaten by the worshipers in a communal meal in the Temple courtyards.