Ezequiel 46
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Ezequiel 46:1-10
46:1 "the gate of the inner court facing east" Remember the outer eastern gate was permanently sealed (cf. Ezek. 44:2) because this is the gate by which YHWH left the temple (cf. Ezekiel 10) and returned (cf. Ezekiel 43). ▣ "the new moon" This monthly feast is first mentioned in Num. 10:10 and explained in Num. 28:11-15. It is referred to in Ps. 81:3-5 and Ezek. 45:18; 46:3,6. Since the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the month (cf. Exod. 40:2,17), it is possible that it is connected to this event. The Jews used a lunar calendar. Special Topic: ANE Calendars 46:2 "his burnt offerings and his peace offerings" Also note, verse 12 lists several other offerings. Special Topic: Burnt Offering Special Topic: Peace Offering Special Topic: Sacrificial Systems of the Ancient Near East ▣ "he shall worship" This is an unusual form of a common religious concept of "worship" or "bow down" (BDB 1005, KB 295 II, Histaphel PERFECT with waw). The basic stem seems to be חוה (KB 295 II), which in Ugaritic means "to prostrate oneself in worship" or שחה, "to bow down" (BDB 1005). It occurs three times in this paragraph (cf. Ezek. 46:2,3,9). The prince has a special place at the gateway of the inner court where he can see the sacrificing being made, but cannot enter the sacred precincts of the priests. Special Topic: Worship ▣ "the gate shall not be shut" This is imagery of access and availability (cf. Isa. 60:11; Rev. 21:25). YHWH would receive the prince and the people in regular worship at all times. ▣ "the prince" This future Davidic leader ("prince," BDB 672) is mentioned several times in Ezekiel. YHWH will establish him as shepherd over a united covenant people, Ezek. 34:20-24 YHWH will restore the covenant people to their land and restore their Davidic prince. He will make an everlasting covenant of peace with an obedient Israel, Ezek. 37:24-28 he will eat/worship before YHWH in the new temple, Ezek. 44:2-3; 46:1-12 he shall receive a large special land allotment (i.e. great wealth) on both sides of the temple area to keep him from oppressing the people, Ezek. 45:7-8; 48:21-22 the people will give offerings to the prince so that he can provide sacrifices on special days, Ezek. 45:13-25 regulations about inheritance gifts given by the prince, Ezek. 46:16-18 46:4-7 The prince shall offer the sabbath six lambs one ram one ephah of grain (with ram) as much as able of grain (with the lambs) a hin of oil new moon a young bull six lambs a ram one ephah of grain (with bull) one ephah of grain (with ram) as much as able of grain (with lambs) a hin of oil 46:4 "without blemish" This term (BDB 1071) denotes an animal that is healthy and without obvious defect. In other words, it is a prime example (typical) of its breed in color, shape, and size (i.e. Exod. 12:5; Lev. 3:1). Special Topic: Blameless, Innocent, Guiltless, Without Reproach 46:5 "ephah. . .hin" See Special Topic: ANE Weights and Volumes (metrology). 46:7 "as much as he is able" NKJV, TEV "as much as he wants to give" "as much as he wishes" "what he pleases" "according as his hand can furnish" Peshitta, JPSOA, REB "as much as he can afford" The literal phrase is "as much as his hand can reach." The amount of sacrifices depended on two things. the free-will offerings of the people the wealth and/or ability and/or desire of the monarch 46:9 There were great crowds of people at the temple during the feast days. The procedure of verse 9 was to help with the congestion. 46:10 The prince has a special place to observe the sacrifices on the "special" days (i.e. appointed feasts), but on other days he was not allowed even this special place, but must enter and exit with other covenant people.
Ezequiel 46:13-15
46:13 NASB, NKJV, REB "you" NRSV, NJB, LXX, Peshitta, Vulgate "he" The MT has "you," but ancient translations (and some Hebrew MSS) understood it as a reference to "the prince" (same in Ezek. 46:14). ▣ "morning by morning" This refers to the "continual" (i.e. post-exilic designation), which was a lamb offered every morning and evening at the temple (cf. Exod. 29:38-42; Num. 28:3-4; 2 Kgs. 16:15). This continued in the time of Jesus. 46:14 "a perpetual ordinance" The Hebrew term "forever" (עולמ, BDB 761) is used in several senses as the Special Topic shows and must be interpreted in each context. Special Topic: Forever ('olam and aiōnios)
Ezequiel 46:16-18
46:17 "the year of liberty" This refers to the "year of Jubilee" (cf. Lev. 25:8-17, esp. Ezek. 46:10), in which the land returns to its original tribal owners because the land was a gift from YHWH (cf. Joshua 13-23). Special Topic: Feasts of Israel, II. C. 46:18 This verse links to Ezek. 45:8, where the prince is given a large section of land to keep him from taking common land from the people. This shows that "the prince" was understood as a person still affected by Genesis 3. This would not fit a NT understanding of "Messiah" (this is also true of Isa. 42:1 vs. 42:18-19). Oppression was often associated with the kingship (cf. Ezek. 18:7,12,16).
Ezequiel 46:19-20
46:19-20 This refers to the place where the priests prepared items to be offered items for them to eat This food was holy and had to be prepared and eaten in a special holy place (cf. Ezek. 35:11-13) 46:20 See the same emphasis in Ezek. 44:19.
Ezequiel 46:21-24
46:22 "corners. . .enclosed" Both of these words are uncertain. "corners" ‒ the VERB (BDB 893) is found only here in the OT. Many OT scholars assume it is a Hophal PARTICIPLE. The NOUN is found in Ezek. 26:24; 36:29; 46:21 (twice). It could refer to a corner post. Many of Ezekiel's architectural terms are rare and uncertain. "enclosed" ‒ BDB 883 (קטר) could also mean "vaulted" or "covered" (NEB, REB). JPSOA has "uncovered" or "unroofed," following the Mishnah (Middoth 2.5). The Septuagint assumes a different stem (קטנות), "smaller" (BDB 881-882), and is followed by Peshitta, NRSV, TEV, and NJB or possibly "the same size" (NEB, JPSOA footnote. REB).