Ezekiel 43 20

Ezekiel 43:20 kjv

And 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.

Ezekiel 43:20 nkjv

'You shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim around it; thus you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it.

Ezekiel 43:20 niv

You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge and all around the rim, and so purify the altar and make atonement for it.

Ezekiel 43:20 esv

And you shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge and upon the rim all around. Thus you shall purify the altar and make atonement for it.

Ezekiel 43:20 nlt

You will take some of its blood and smear it on the four horns of the altar, the four corners of the upper ledge, and the curb that runs around that ledge. This will cleanse and make atonement for the altar.

Ezekiel 43 verses

Ezekiel 43 20 meaning

Ezekiel 43:20 outlines a specific ritual for the consecration of the altar in the visionary temple. It details the precise application of blood from a sacrificial animal onto designated parts of the altar: its four horns, the four corners of its ledge, and the rim all around. This act serves to purify and make atonement for the altar, rendering it holy and fit for divine service, allowing it to mediate between God and His worshipping people.

Ezekiel 43 20 Context

Ezekiel 43 is situated within the latter part of Ezekiel's prophetic visions (chapters 40-48), describing a new, divinely designed temple and its associated rituals. This vision was given to the prophet while he was among the exiles in Babylon, offering hope and a blueprint for a future ideal worship environment for a restored Israel. The chapter begins with the return of God's glory to the temple (Ezek 43:1-5), signifying His re-establishment of a dwelling among His people after the previous temple had been defiled and destroyed. Following instructions regarding the sanctity and boundaries of the temple, the focus narrows to the great altar, its dimensions, and most critically, its consecration. Ezekiel 43:20 is an integral part of these detailed instructions for dedicating the altar, ensuring it is ritually pure and acceptable for use in approaching a holy God. The meticulous nature of these instructions emphasizes the profound holiness of God and the strict purity required for worship in contrast to past failures and the defiled altars that led to the exile.

Ezekiel 43 20 Word analysis

• You shall take: A divine command, emphasizing the obligatory nature of this ritual as specified by God.
• some of its blood: (`mi-dāmāh`, מִדָּמָה) - "From its blood". The specific animal is implied to be a sin offering (as confirmed in Ezek 43:19-22). Blood is central to ancient Israelite purification and atonement rituals, signifying life (Lev 17:11) and the means by which defilement is purged and reconciliation achieved.
• and put it: (`wĕnātatāh`, וְנָתַתָּה) - "And you shall give/put". Denotes direct and deliberate application, not sprinkling, highlighting the precision of the ritual.
• on its four horns: (`ʿal qarnōtehā hā'arbaʿ`, עַל־קַרְנֹתֶיהָ הָאַרְבַּע) - These were projections at the corners of altars, serving as symbols of strength, refuge, and often points where blood was applied to seal consecration or make atonement for sin, common in Israelite worship (e.g., Exo 29:12, Lev 4:7).
• on the four corners of the altar's ledge: (`wĕʿal aṟbaʿ pinnōṯ ha-ʿăzārāh`, וְעַל־אַרְבַּע פִּנּוֹת הָעֲזָרָה) - "and on the four corners of the `azarah` (court/ledge)". The term `ʿăzārāh` here refers to the prominent projecting `ledge` or `shoulder` of the altar. This detail, distinct from earlier Tabernacle altars, signifies a thorough and specific application to the structural elements of this particular envisioned altar.
• and on the rim all around: (`wĕʿal ha-saḥôr s̱āvîḇ`, וְעַל־הַסָּחוֹר סָבִיב) - "and on the fence/border all around". This specifies the circumference of the altar's top surface. The Hebrew `saḥôr` refers to the enclosure or border, further reinforcing the idea of a comprehensive cleansing and demarcation of its sacred space.
• Thus you shall purify: (`wĕk̲ipper̠tāh` - וְכִפַּרְתָּהּ) - From the root `כָּפַר` (kāpar), meaning to cover, atone, or expiate. In this context, it refers to ritually cleansing the altar from any potential defilement and preparing it for sacred use, removing impurities that would hinder its function.
• and make atonement for it: (`wĕḵipartenām` - וְכִפַּרְתָּהּ) - The same verb, repeated or emphasized in some interpretations, stressing the complete expiatory act upon the altar itself. This makes the altar ritually fit to be the place where future atonement sacrifices for the people will be offered. It renders the altar itself consecrated and sacred.

• "take some of its blood and put it on": This phrase emphasizes the active, deliberate, and precise application of the consecrated blood. The efficacy of the ritual rests on strict adherence to divine instruction. The life-giving substance (blood) is used to activate the holiness and expiatory function of the altar.
• "on its four horns, on the four corners of the altar's ledge, and on the rim all around": This specific enumeration of locations highlights the thoroughness and totality of the altar's consecration. No part of the functional altar surface is to remain unpurified or unconsecrated, marking it as entirely set apart for God's holy purposes. This precision undergirds the concept that God demands meticulous obedience in worship.
• "Thus you shall purify and make atonement for it": These twin purposes convey the dual outcome of the ritual. "Purify" addresses the removal of inherent or acquired ritual impurity, rendering the altar clean. "Make atonement for it" further consecrates it, establishing it as acceptable and capable of fulfilling its divine role in mediating human approach to a holy God. This atonement is for the altar itself, ensuring its sacred efficacy before God.

Ezekiel 43 20 Bonus section

The extensive detail in Ezekiel's altar consecration (which continues beyond this verse to describe seven days of offerings) indicates the extreme emphasis God places on the sanctity of worship and the means by which humanity approaches Him. While physical altars and blood sacrifices have been fulfilled and transcended by Christ's New Covenant, the principle remains: divine presence demands absolute holiness and a means of purification. This vision serves not merely as a historical blueprint but as a powerful theological statement about God's nature and the ideal of pure worship He desires for His people, continually pointing toward the perfect purification offered in Christ.

Ezekiel 43 20 Commentary

Ezekiel 43:20 details a pivotal act in the consecration of the altar within the prophet's visionary temple. The precise application of blood to the altar's horns, corners, and rim underscores the necessity of divine cleansing and setting apart for any object intended for sacred use in God's presence. This ritual act, deeply rooted in the Levitical understanding of atonement through blood, purifies the altar not from moral sin, but from any defilement or imperfection that would render it unacceptable for mediating holy worship. It transforms a mere structure into a holy place for meeting God, capable of accepting sacrifices for the people's sins. This careful purification of the physical altar foreshadows the ultimate cleansing and sanctification achieved by the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose blood consecrated not just a physical altar but also those who approach God through Him, enabling true worship.