Ezekiel 45 15

Ezekiel 45:15 kjv

And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 45:15 nkjv

And one lamb shall be given from a flock of two hundred, from the rich pastures of Israel. These shall be for grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement for them," says the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 45:15 niv

Also one sheep is to be taken from every flock of two hundred from the well-watered pastures of Israel. These will be used for the grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the people, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Ezekiel 45:15 esv

And one sheep from every flock of two hundred, from the watering places of Israel for grain offering, burnt offering, and peace offerings, to make atonement for them, declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 45:15 nlt

and one sheep or goat for every 200 in your flocks in Israel. These will be the grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings that will make atonement for the people who bring them, says the Sovereign LORD.

Ezekiel 45 verses

Ezekiel 45 15 meaning

Ezekiel 45:15 prescribes the required provisions from the prince for the religious cult in the restored temple. Specifically, it mandates the offering of one ram from every twelve fat sheep, along with one lamb from every two hundred animals, sourced from the prosperous land of Israel. These animals are designated to supply the needs for burnt offerings, grain offerings, and peace offerings. The ultimate purpose of these meticulously stipulated sacrifices is to effect reconciliation and atonement for the people of Israel before God. This establishes the prince's responsibility to ensure continuous, pure worship in the new era.

Ezekiel 45 15 Context

Ezekiel 45 is part of the extensive vision of the new temple and its regulations, given to the prophet Ezekiel from chapter 40 onwards. Following detailed architectural blueprints, Ezekiel shifts to the ordinances governing the sacred space and its worship. Chapter 45 outlines the division of the holy land for the sanctuary, priests, Levites, and the city, ensuring proper maintenance of the temple and its services. It specifically focuses on the "prince" (Nasi) and his role, distinct from a king, who is responsible for administrating justice, protecting the people, and crucially, providing for the temple's sacrificial system. Verse 15 details one of the prince's prescribed contributions to enable the collective worship and atonement rituals for the community, setting a standard for divine provisions and pure worship in this eschatological temple.

Ezekiel 45 15 Word analysis

• And (`wĕ`, וְ): A simple conjunction, connecting this specific offering requirement to the broader stipulations for the prince in the preceding verses. It indicates a continuation of instructions regarding the allocation of resources.
• one lamb (`keḇeś eḥāḏ`, כֶּבֶשׂ אֶחָד): `keḇeś` refers to a male lamb, usually less than a year old. `eḥāḏ` means 'one', signifying a precise numerical requirement. This specifies a young, unblemished animal, suitable for sacrifice, reflecting purity and newness.
• out of every flock (`miṣ-ṣōn`, מִצֹּאן): `miṣ-ṣōn` (from the sheep/flock) implies that this specific lamb is to be drawn from the common stock of animals owned by the people, managed or taxed by the prince. It refers to the overall aggregate of sheep.
• two hundred (`matayim`, מָאתַיִם): The precise number 200 (a collective count of sheep) serves as the base for selecting one lamb. This indicates a fixed ratio, ensuring consistency and adequacy of supply. It denotes meticulous divine regulation.
• and one ram (`wə-'ayil eḥāḏ`, וְאַ֧יִל אֶחָ֣ד): `ayil` specifically means a mature ram, a male sheep. Rams were significant in sacrifices, often representing strength or the most substantial part of the flock. `eḥāḏ` again denotes a specific singular count.
• out of every twelve (`miššānāh-ʿaśṭērē`, מִשְׁשַׁחֲלֵי עָשֶׁר): This Hebrew phrase is actually `miššənê ʿāsār` (מִשְׁשָּׁנָה עָשָׂר) "out of twelve," specifying a different, higher ratio (1:12) for rams, emphasizing their greater value or significance for certain types of sacrifices compared to lambs (1:200).
• of the fat sheep (`meṣûqîm`, מְצֻוקִים): This refers to "fat sheep" or "thick-fleshed ones," specifically chosen for their superior quality. `mĕšummānîm` (מְשֻׁמָּנִים) is often translated as "fattened ones." This detail underscores that the offerings must be of the highest possible quality, not just any animal. This is crucial for presenting acceptable sacrifices to God.
• from the water-course of Israel (`min-miššaḥ Yiśrā'ēl`, מִמִּשַּׁח יִשְׂרָאֵל): This phrase is difficult and has various interpretations. The most common interpretation understands `min-miššaḥ` as "from the moist place" or "from the well-watered pastures," suggesting the animals are to be drawn from the most fertile and prosperous lands of Israel. This implies the land is abundantly blessed to support high-quality animals, making such generous offerings possible. Other interpretations include "from the measure" (i.e., measured or weighed) or "from the best land of Israel". The Septuagint reads "from the pastures". This highlights the expected prosperity and natural resources available in the restored land.
• for a meat offering (`leminḥāh`, לְמִנְחָה): `minḥāh` most often translates to "grain offering" in the Mosaic law, made from flour, oil, and frankincense. In this context, given the prior mention of animals, it means that the specified animals are provided as the source to fulfill the requirement for grain offerings, which usually accompanied animal sacrifices (or `minḥāh` is used more generally here for a provision for worship, though "grain offering" is typical). Many English versions use "grain offering". The prince provides for these accompaniments.
• and for a burnt offering (`wəlʿōlāh`, וּלְעֹלָה): `ʿōlāh` is a "whole burnt offering" or "ascension offering," where the entire animal is consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication and atonement. The animals (especially the rams) are direct provisions for this purpose.
• and for peace offerings (`wəlāšlāmîm`, וּלְשְׁלָמִים): `šelāmîm` are "peace offerings" or "fellowship offerings," which typically included a communal meal shared between the offerer, priests, and God. These sacrifices celebrated fellowship, thanksgiving, or vowed fulfillment. The animals provide for this type of offering.
• to make reconciliation (`lekhappēr`, לְכַפֵּר): The verb `khappar` means "to atone," "to cover," or "to purge." It signifies the central theological purpose of all these sacrifices: to secure forgiveness, remove sin, and restore the broken relationship between God and His people. It refers to divine appeasement and propitiation.
• for them (`ʿalêhem`, עֲלֵיהֶם): Referring to the "house of Israel" mentioned in preceding verses and generally the people of Israel. The atonement is specifically for the sins and impurities of the covenant community.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• And one lamb out of every flock two hundred and one ram out of every twelve of the fat sheep: This specifies precise, quantitative, and qualitative requirements for the animals to be provided. The differing ratios (1:200 for lambs, 1:12 for rams) suggest different sacrificial roles or value, while "fat sheep" emphasizes the need for unblemished, prime offerings for God, reflecting His holiness and the serious nature of worship.
• from the water-course of Israel: This phrase indicates that these prime animals are to be sourced from the blessed, fertile lands of Israel itself. It implicitly guarantees that the land, under divine restoration, will be bountiful enough to support such offerings, tying the sacred rituals to the prosperity and covenant faithfulness of the nation. It highlights a cycle of blessing and offering.
• for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings: This delineates the multifaceted purpose of these provisions. The prince's contribution covers the full spectrum of required national sacrifices, including accompanying grain offerings, offerings of total dedication (burnt offerings), and offerings signifying fellowship and thanksgiving (peace offerings). This comprehensive provision ensures continuous and diverse acts of worship.
• to make reconciliation for them: This final phrase states the overarching theological goal of all these priestly activities. All the meticulous rules for quality, quantity, and source of sacrifice ultimately point to the fundamental need for atonement. The sacrifices cover the sins of the people, allowing them to remain in covenant relationship with a holy God.

Ezekiel 45 15 Bonus section

The "prince" (Nasi) in Ezekiel 40-48 is distinct from the traditional kings of Israel. Unlike the pre-exilic kings who often overstepped their bounds and defiled the temple worship (as critiqued by Ezekiel earlier), this prince is presented as a devout, subordinate leader focused on supporting the temple. His primary role, as indicated in this chapter, is to administer the holy district, uphold justice, and ensure the ongoing supply of resources for the sacrificial cult, rather than intervening in priestly duties. This emphasizes a restored governance structure where temporal authority serves spiritual ends. The meticulous details of these provisions also reflect God's absolute holiness, requiring a purified people served by unblemished offerings. While the physical sacrifices are superseded by Christ's singular sacrifice in the New Covenant, the principle of leaders supporting worship and the ongoing need for atonement and reconciliation remain eternally significant.

Ezekiel 45 15 Commentary

Ezekiel 45:15 lays out a critical component of the prince's responsibility within the divinely ordered structure of the visionary temple. It details a system of continuous animal provisioning from the general populace for specific national sacrifices: burnt, grain, and peace offerings. The required quality ("fat sheep") and the designated source ("water-course of Israel") underscore the expectation of bringing the best of a blessed land. The meticulous ratios reflect divine precision and abundance, ensuring adequate provisions for sustained worship. Fundamentally, these offerings served the purpose of "making reconciliation" or atonement for the people, maintaining their purity and right standing before God. This verse therefore integrates administrative leadership (the prince), economic prosperity (blessed land), cultic practice (specific sacrifices), and profound theological purpose (atonement) into a holistic vision for the renewed Israel. It sets a precedent for righteous governance supporting sacred duties, in stark contrast to past leadership failures.