Ezekiel 44:2 kjv
Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.
Ezekiel 44:2 nkjv
And the LORD said to me, "This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the LORD God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut.
Ezekiel 44:2 niv
The LORD said to me, "This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it. It is to remain shut because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered through it.
Ezekiel 44:2 esv
And the LORD said to me, "This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it. Therefore it shall remain shut.
Ezekiel 44:2 nlt
And the LORD said to me, "This gate must remain closed; it will never again be opened. No one will ever open it and pass through, for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered here. Therefore, it must always remain shut.
Ezekiel 44 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 43:1 | ...and behold, the glory of the Lord entered the temple... | Ezekiel 43:2 (Entrance of God) |
| Isaiah 6:3 | ...Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! | Isaiah 6:3 (Holiness of God) |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us... | John 1:14 (Incarnation) |
| Hebrews 4:14 | Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens... | Hebrews 4:14 (Christ's Ascension) |
| Revelation 21:25 | And its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. | Revelation 21:25 (New Jerusalem) |
| John 10:9 | I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved... | John 10:9 (Jesus as the Door) |
| Matthew 27:51 | And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. | Matthew 27:51 (Temple Curtain) |
| Exodus 33:11 | Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. | Exodus 33:11 (God's direct interaction) |
| 1 Corinthians 6:19 | Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you...? | 1 Corinthians 6:19 (Believers as temples) |
| Leviticus 16:2 | ...that he must not enter the Holy Place within the veil... | Leviticus 16:2 (High Priest's entrance) |
| Numbers 20:6 | So Moses and Aaron went away from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting... | Numbers 20:6 (God's presence) |
| John 14:6 | Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." | John 14:6 (Jesus as the Way) |
| 1 Peter 2:4 | As you come to him, a living stone... | 1 Peter 2:4 (Jesus as the Living Stone) |
| Psalm 24:7 | Lift up your heads, O gates! and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. | Psalm 24:7 (Entrance of the King) |
| Revelation 22:14 | Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life... | Revelation 22:14 (Access to life) |
| Acts 1:9 | And after he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. | Acts 1:9 (Ascension) |
| 2 Corinthians 5:19 | ...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself... | 2 Corinthians 5:19 (Reconciliation) |
| Isaiah 45:1 | Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus... | Isaiah 45:1 (Cyrus, a type) |
| Song of Solomon 4:12 | A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a locked garden and a sealed spring of water. | Song of Solomon 4:12 (Symbolism of exclusivity) |
| Amos 5:26 | You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-gods your images, the god you made for yourselves, | Amos 5:26 (Idolatry) |
Ezekiel 44 verses
Ezekiel 44 2 Meaning
Ezekiel 44:2 speaks of a shut eastern gate, signifying that no one may enter through it because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it, and therefore it shall remain shut. This gate represents a divine boundary and the sacredness of God's presence.
Ezekiel 44 2 Context
Chapter 44 of Ezekiel follows a vision of a restored temple and its prescribed worship. It details the order and regulations for priests and the people within this renewed sanctuary. The preceding chapters describe the measurements of the temple and the presence of God's glory returning, signifying purification and recommissioning after a period of judgment. This specific verse establishes a foundational rule for accessing the temple complex in this new era, centered around God's definitive entrance.
Ezekiel 44 2 Word Analysis
- "This" (זֶה - zeh): Demonstrative pronoun, pointing specifically to the gate that follows. It emphasizes singularity and present reality.
- "gate" (שַׁעַר - sha'ar): Refers to an opening, entrance, or portal. In this context, it signifies a specific, important entryway.
- "eastern" (קֵדִמָה - kedimah): From the root קָדִים (qadim), meaning "east" or "before." This specifies the location of the gate. The east is often associated with the direction of sunrise, new beginnings, and divine presence in Scripture.
- "shall be" (יִהְיֶה - yihyeh): Future tense verb, indicating a definitive command or prophetic declaration.
- "shut" (סָגוּר - sagur): A participle, meaning closed, shut, or sealed. It denotes a permanent or significant closure.
- "no" (לֹא - lo): A negation, emphasizing the absolute prohibition.
- "man" (אִישׁ - ish): A person, an individual.
- "shall enter" (יָבוֹא - yavo): Future tense verb, meaning to come in or enter.
- "by" (בּוֹ - bo): A preposition "in" or "through" with the pronoun "it," referring to the gate.
- "because" (כִּי - ki): Conjunction indicating a reason or cause.
- "Lord" (יְהוָה - YHVH): The personal covenant name of God, expressing His eternal nature and relationship with His people.
- "the God of Israel" (אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - Elohei Yisrael): Designates God in His covenantal relationship with His chosen nation.
- "entered" (בָּא - ba): Qal perfect verb, signifying that God has already entered this gate. The past tense implies a completed action that has perpetual implications.
- "by" (בּוֹ - bo): Again, "in" or "through" it.
- "it" (הוּא - hu): Pronoun referring back to the gate.
- "shall be" (יִהְיֶה - yihyeh): Future tense verb.
- "shut" (סָגוּר - sagur): Participle, repeated for emphasis on its sealed status.
Group by words-group analysis:
- "This gate eastward shall be shut": This phrase establishes a unique designation and prohibition for a specific entrance. The eastern gate's closure is unprecedented and signals a radical shift in access.
- "it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it": This reinforces the absolute nature of the prohibition. The gate is made inaccessible for ordinary human ingress.
- "because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it, therefore it shall be shut.": This provides the singular, all-encompassing reason for the gate's permanent closure. God's own definitive entry sanctifies and seals it. His presence here renders it inviolable for any other.
Ezekiel 44 2 Bonus Section
The imagery of a shut eastern gate has been interpreted by some Christian scholars and theologians as a prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. His triumphal entry, ascension, and ultimate role as the sole mediator between God and humanity (John 10:9, John 14:6) resonate with the exclusive access implied by this gate. The eastern direction is also significant in biblical symbolism, often pointing towards the sunrise and the dawning of God's glory, and Christ as the Light of the World. This gate’s perpetual closure emphasizes that access to the Father is now solely through Christ, who Himself entered and ascended.
Ezekiel 44 2 Commentary
Ezekiel 44:2 speaks of a divinely ordained and permanent closure of a specific gate of the restored temple complex – the eastern gate. The reason for this absolute prohibition is profound: the Lord, the God of Israel, has already entered through it. This act of God's entering sanctifies the gate, making it a sacred threshold that can never again be crossed by mortal feet. This event is symbolic of God's pure presence and the exclusive nature of access to Him. It highlights that true communion with God is mediated by His own initiative and presence, not by human effort or prescribed routes of entry outside His designated way.