Ezekiel 43:17 kjv
And 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.
Ezekiel 43:17 nkjv
the ledge, fourteen cubits long and fourteen wide on its four sides, with a rim of half a cubit around it; its base, one cubit all around; and its steps face toward the east."
Ezekiel 43:17 niv
The upper ledge also is square, fourteen cubits long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit. The steps of the altar face east."
Ezekiel 43:17 esv
The ledge also shall be square, fourteen cubits long by fourteen broad, with a rim around it half a cubit broad, and its base one cubit all around. The steps of the altar shall face east."
Ezekiel 43:17 nlt
The upper ledge also forms a square, measuring 24 1?2 feet by 24 1?2 feet, with a 21-inch gutter and a 10 1?2-inch curb all around the edge. There are steps going up the east side of the altar."
Ezekiel 43 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 20:24 | Make for me an altar of earth... | Design of earthen altars |
| Ex 29:43 | There I will meet with the people of Israel... | God's dwelling with Israel at the altar |
| Lev 1:11 | he shall slaughter it on the north side of the altar... | Proper placement of offerings |
| Num 3:26 | and the pillars and bases and the one gate for the court... | Temple structure components |
| 1 Chr 28:10 | Now, David said to Solomon, "Build the house of the LORD your God..." | Divine instructions for building the Temple |
| Ps 99:5 | Exalt the LORD our God; prostrate yourselves before his footstool! | Reverence for God's dwelling |
| Isa 56:7 | my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. | Universality of the Temple's purpose |
| Jer 17:12 | Your throne is glorious, on high from the beginning... | God's majestic throne |
| Ezek 40:46 | to stand guard over the threshold of the gate. | Temple guardians |
| Ezek 43:14 | And this shall be the area of the base on the ground... | Altar base measurements |
| Ezek 43:15 | So the altar hearth shall be four cubits high... | Hearth dimensions |
| Ezek 44:27 | And when he goes into the inner court, he shall put on linen garments... | Priesthood and sanctuary service |
| Zech 1:16 | Therefore, thus says the LORD: "I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy..." | God's return to His people and Temple |
| Matt 21:12 | And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought... | Cleansing of the Temple |
| Mark 11:15 | And they came to Jerusalem. And when he entered the temple he began... | Temple activities and cleansing |
| Luke 19:45 | And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold... | Temple devotion and disruption |
| John 2:15 | and making a whip of cords, he drove them out of the temple... | Zeal for God's house |
| Heb 10:19 | Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy places... | Access to God through Christ |
| Rev 21:22 | And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God... | The New Jerusalem and its absence of a physical Temple |
| Rev 21:27 | But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices... | Purity of the heavenly city |
| Rev 11:1 | Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood... | Measuring the heavenly Temple |
| Ezek 40:5 | And behold, a wall on the outside around the entire house... | Outer court dimensions |
| Ps 48:2 | Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion... | Zion's beauty and significance |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells... | Believers as God's Temple |
Ezekiel 43 verses
Ezekiel 43 17 Meaning
The verse describes the altar in the restored Temple as having a specific design that makes its base "a cubit in height." This detail emphasizes the physicality and precise dimensions of this sacred structure, signifying its holiness and the reverence due to it.
Ezekiel 43 17 Context
This verse is part of Ezekiel's elaborate vision of a new Temple and a restored Israel. Following the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple due to the people's sin, God grants Ezekiel a vision of a future Temple, signifying His renewed presence and covenant with His people. Chapter 43 specifically focuses on the altar and the protocols for worship within this new sanctuary. The chapter begins with God's glorious presence returning to the Temple, emphasizing the holiness of the place. The details concerning the altar's construction, including its dimensions, are given to instruct on how true worship, free from the corruptions of the past, is to be conducted. This vision offers hope and a blueprint for future restoration.
Ezekiel 43 17 Word Analysis
- "and": Conjunction indicating continuation.
- "the": Definite article specifying the noun.
- "altar": Hebrew: מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbe'aḥ). Refers to the place of sacrifice and worship. In this context, it's the great altar of burnt offering in the new Temple. The concept of the altar is central to Israelite worship, a point of contact between God and His people.
- "base": Hebrew: הֲדַס (ḥadas) - This is an unusual word in biblical Hebrew. Some scholars suggest it may refer to the "ledge" or "step" of the altar, a feature described in earlier Temple accounts and expected in a grand altar. It denotes a foundational part.
- "a": Indefinite article.
- "cubit": Hebrew: אַמָּה (ammah). A unit of measurement, roughly the length from the elbow to the fingertips, varying but generally around 18 inches (0.45 meters). This precise measurement highlights the exactness required in divine service.
- "in": Preposition indicating location or measurement.
- "height": Hebrew: גֹּבַהּ (govah). The vertical dimension.
Words-group analysis:
- "the altar base": Refers to the foundational platform or lowest part of the altar structure.
- "a cubit in height": Specifies the precise vertical dimension of this base.
Ezekiel 43 17 Bonus Section
This specific measurement for the altar's base, while seeming small, is crucial in the context of Ezekiel's visionary Temple, which is significantly grander than Solomon's Temple in its overall design. The detail of the base's height helps establish the scale and proportion of the entire sacrificial structure. The "base" might refer to a specific feature such as the lowest layer or perhaps a sort of projecting footing of the altar structure, intended for stability and perhaps symbolic separation from the ground itself. The repetition of precise measurements throughout Ezekiel's Temple vision underscores that this is not a casual reconstruction but a divinely mandated restoration of true worship. The altar, central to atoning sacrifice, symbolizes God's faithfulness to His covenant promises despite Israel's unfaithfulness, pointing forward to Christ.
Ezekiel 43 17 Commentary
The mention of the altar's base being "a cubit in height" emphasizes the structured and divinely ordained nature of worship. This specific dimension for the base signifies its importance as the foundation of the altar, connecting the earthly realm with the heavenly. It reflects the holiness of God and the requirement for order and purity in approaching Him. Unlike humanly devised structures or improvisations in worship, this altar is built according to heavenly patterns, symbolizing the perfection of God's design for reconciliation and fellowship with humanity. The altar, a place of sacrifice, foreshadows Christ, the ultimate sacrifice, who perfected God's way of approach to Himself, offering access into the holiest places even now. The earthly altar's structure pointed towards this future reality.