Ezekiel 44:4 kjv
Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face.
Ezekiel 44:4 nkjv
Also He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple; so I looked, and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD; and I fell on my face.
Ezekiel 44:4 niv
Then the man brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of the LORD filling the temple of the LORD, and I fell facedown.
Ezekiel 44:4 esv
Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple, and I looked, and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple of the LORD. And I fell on my face.
Ezekiel 44:4 nlt
Then the man brought me through the north gateway to the front of the Temple. I looked and saw that the glory of the LORD filled the Temple of the LORD, and I fell face down on the ground.
Ezekiel 44 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 44:5 | Now consider carefully the entrance to the temple and the exits of the sanctuary... | Leviticus 26:2 (Holiness and obedience) |
| Ezekiel 44:5 | …and observe the rule for entering and leaving. | Numbers 3:25 (Tabernacle duties) |
| Ezekiel 43:4 | The glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east. | Isaiah 60:18 (Glory of God) |
| John 10:7 | Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep." | John 14:6 (Jesus as the way) |
| 1 Corinthians 3:16 | Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? | 1 Peter 2:5 (Living stones) |
| Revelation 21:25 | On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. | Isaiah 60:11 (Gates opened) |
| Hebrews 9:8 | The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the holiest was not yet revealed... | Hebrews 10:19-20 (New covenant access) |
| Acts 4:12 | Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind... | Philippians 2:9-11 (Jesus' exaltation) |
| Matthew 1:23 | "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel..." | Isaiah 7:14 (Prophecy of Immanuel) |
| Ezekiel 46:1,2 | This is the regulation for the gate... The gate shall remain shut... | Exodus 29:42 (Tabernacle entrance) |
| 2 Chronicles 7:2 | And the priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the priestly glory of the LORD... | Leviticus 16:2 (High priest's entry) |
| Romans 11:26 | "And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion...'" | Isaiah 59:20 (Deliverer comes) |
| Revelation 7:15 | Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple... | Revelation 22:3 (Service in New Jerusalem) |
| Hebrews 8:2 | He is the minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord erected... | John 1:14 (The Word became flesh) |
| John 1:9 | The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. | Psalms 36:9 (Light from God) |
| Ezekiel 10:3,4 | But the cherubim stood on the south side of the temple... then the glory of the LORD... | Ezekiel 11:23 (Glory departs) |
| Revelation 4:2,3 | Immediately I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven... | Ezekiel 1:28 (Glory of the LORD) |
| Matthew 27:51 | At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. | Mark 15:38 (Temple curtain torn) |
| Revelation 1:18 | "I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!..." | Colossians 1:18 (Head of the church) |
| Ephesians 4:10 | He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens... | Acts 1:9 (Jesus' ascension) |
Ezekiel 44 verses
Ezekiel 44 4 Meaning
This verse describes a permanent statute concerning the inner court of the LORD's house, specifically focusing on the entrance gate which faced east. It signifies the unique sanctity of this area and establishes specific conditions for the priests, highlighting a transition in priestly service within the restored worship.
Ezekiel 44 4 Context
Ezekiel 44 is part of the vision of the restored temple given to Ezekiel. This section outlines detailed regulations for the worship and personnel within this future temple. Chapter 44, in particular, deals with the limitations placed on the people and the specific roles and access of the "prince" and the Levites. Verse 4 shifts the focus to the sanctuary itself, specifically its eastern gate, emphasizing its perpetual sanctity. This comes after the departure and subsequent glorious return of God's glory in chapter 43, highlighting that the house is now definitively sanctified by His presence. The instruction concerning the eastern gate is crucial as it mirrors the divine glory's entry and exit.
Ezekiel 44 4 Word Analysis
- and - Connects this verse to the preceding instruction.
- it - Refers to the inner gate of the gate of the inner court.
- which - Introduces a relative clause describing the gate.
- looketh - (Hebrew: nabaṭ, נָבַט) Means to look upon, behold, consider, gaze at. It implies a careful and deliberate observation, not a casual glance. This suggests a specific direction or focus.
- toward - Indicates direction.
- the east - (Hebrew: qedem, קֶדֶם) Refers to the direction of sunrise. In Scripture, the east often symbolizes new beginnings, the direction from which divine presence or judgment approaches, and where glory enters.
- and - Connects two parts of the instruction.
- it - Refers to the gate again.
- shall - Indicates a future command or certainty.
- be - Existence or state of being.
- shut - (Hebrew: ṣagar, סָגַר) Means to close, shut up. This denotes a restriction of access.
- this - Refers to the gate being described.
- was - Past tense indicating a state.
- the gate - Refers to a specific portal.
- of - Possession or belonging.
- the house - Refers to the temple.
- the LORD - (Hebrew: Yahweh, יַהְוֶה) The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship and power.
- by - Indicates agency or means.
- which - Introduces a relative clause.
- it - Refers to the gate.
- entereth - (Hebrew: bōʼ, בּוֹא) Means to enter, go in.
- in - Entrance into a place.
- and - Connects two actions.
- it - Refers to the gate.
- shall - Future certainty.
- be - State of being.
- shut - (Hebrew: ṣagar, סָגַר) To close or bar.
Group Analysis:
- "looketh toward the east": This phrase directly references the gate that faced east. The choice of the eastern gate is highly significant, as Ezekiel 43:1-4 details how the glory of the LORD entered the temple through the east gate. This signifies divine presence and the purity of God's approach.
- "and it shall be shut": This instruction reinforces the perpetual sacredness of this specific gate. Its closure signifies that access is restricted to God alone or by divine appointment, differentiating it from other entrances that might be used for common passage. This mirrors how the high priest's access to the Holy of Holies was restricted.
- "that no soul of man pass thereby": This phrase is emphatic, stating absolute prohibition for any human being to enter through this gate. The implication is that its significance is beyond ordinary human access or transaction.
Ezekiel 44 4 Bonus Section
The emphasis on the eastern gate echoes prophecies about the coming Messiah and His unique role. In rabbinic thought, the East was sometimes associated with God's presence. This passage also connects to the idea of the Temple’s destruction, where the Eastern Gate was significantly breached, symbolizing a departure of God's presence. Ezekiel’s vision, therefore, re-establishes the divine prerogative for access and sanctity through a specific, uncompromised entry point. The concept of "no soul of man" passing implies that only divine-appointed individuals or the divine presence itself may use this gate, a theological barrier signifying the separation between human fallenness and divine holiness, bridged solely by divine provision. The subsequent verses clarify that the Prince and priests have specific duties regarding this gate, suggesting a carefully controlled interaction rather than complete removal of human agency from the temple's function, but still reinforcing the exceptional status of the eastern gate.
Ezekiel 44 4 Commentary
This verse sets apart the eastern gate of the inner court as eternally sanctified. It is not a gate for regular traffic. Its restriction highlights that access to the innermost divine presence is mediated through divine will, not human permission or effort. The eastward orientation points to the glory of God as the definitive focus. Jesus' teaching about Himself being the "gate" for the sheep (John 10:7) offers a New Testament parallel, indicating that access to God's true sanctuary is through Him. The future perfect depiction of the gate being shut signifies its permanent consecrated state, even as the people, priests, and even the divine glory (which returned in chapter 43) utilize other pathways or serve within its precincts. The eternal "shutting" underscores the exclusive access that the Messiah provides to the ultimate Holy of Holies.