Ezekiel 46 9

Ezekiel 46:9 kjv

But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.

Ezekiel 46:9 nkjv

"But when the people of the land come before the LORD on the appointed feast days, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate; and whoever enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. He shall not return by way of the gate through which he came, but shall go out through the opposite gate.

Ezekiel 46:9 niv

"?'When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed festivals, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which they entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate.

Ezekiel 46:9 esv

"When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, he who enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate, and he who enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: no one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but each shall go out straight ahead.

Ezekiel 46:9 nlt

But when the people come in through the north gateway to worship the LORD during the religious festivals, they must leave by the south gateway. And those who entered through the south gateway must leave by the north gateway. They must never leave by the same gateway they came in, but must always use the opposite gateway.

Ezekiel 46 verses

Ezekiel 46 9 Meaning

The Lord instructs concerning entrance into the sanctuary: those who normally enter by the south gate must continue to enter by the south gate, and those who normally enter by the north gate must continue to enter by the north gate. The sanctuary’s gates are to be observed in the same manner as they were when the people first came to worship. This verse emphasizes continuity of established divine order for worship and access to God's presence, preventing a breach in holiness.

Ezekiel 46 9 Context

Ezekiel chapter 46 focuses on specific regulations for worship within the restored Temple, particularly concerning the prince and the people. This verse is part of a larger section (Ezekiel 45:18 - 46:24) that outlines detailed protocols for sacrifices, feasts, and access to the Temple. Historically, after the Babylonian exile, the people had to re-establish their covenantal relationship with God. This chapter in Ezekiel provides divine guidance for future worship, contrasting with the corrupt and disorganized worship of the past. It emphasizes maintaining order, holiness, and reverence for God's dwelling place. The rules here relate to how the common people are to enter and exit the inner courts of the Temple, specifying pathways to maintain sanctity.

Ezekiel 46 9 Word Analysis

• When (U+46, Modern Hebrew for "when," here temporal conjunction): Establishes the time or condition for the following instruction.
• the people ( Hebrew: הָעָם, ha'am): Refers to the general populace, not the prince or the priests specifically, but the Israelite community.
• of the land ( Hebrew: הָאָרֶץ, ha'aretz): Denotes the inhabitants of the promised land of Israel, underscoring their identity as God's people settled in their territory.
• shall worship ( Hebrew: יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה, yishtachaveh): Means to bow down, prostrate oneself; signifies humble adoration and reverence before God.
• at the entrance ( Hebrew: מִבָּא, mibao): Signifies the threshold or gateway.
• of the gate ( Hebrew: שַׁעַר, sha'ar): Denotes the specific entryway, whether north or south.
• which is the north gate ( Hebrew: הַצָּפוֹנִי, hatzaponiy): Specifies the northern entryway. The people designated to enter through this gate are prescribed.
• shall worship ( Hebrew: לִפְנֵי, lifnei): Used here in a distributive sense meaning "before" or "in the presence of" God at the gateway. The sense is they worship at the gate in the presence of the Lord.
• Then (Hebrew: אָז, az): Indicates the sequential action. After entering and perhaps performing some initial act of worship at the north gate.
• he (Hebrew: הוּא, hu): Refers to any male Israelite from the people.
• shall go out ( Hebrew: יֵצֵא, yetze): To depart or exit.
• by the south gate ( Hebrew: דָּרֹום, darom): Indicates the southern entryway. The directive here is a redirection upon exiting.
• and he who ( Hebrew: וְהַבָּא, vehaba): The one who comes.
• comes by the south gate ( Hebrew: מִבָּא, mibao): Refers to the person entering through the southern entrance.
• shall go out ( Hebrew: יֵצֵא, yetze): To exit.
• by the north gate ( Hebrew: הַצָּפוֹנִי, hatzaponiy): Indicates the northern entryway. Again, a specific exit route.
• and shall not return ( Hebrew: וְלֹא יָשׁוּב, velo yashuv): Prohibits backtracking or re-entering by the same gate or the opposite one immediately.
• returning ( Hebrew: לָשׁוּב, lashuv): Denotes going back or turning.
• the gate which was before it ( Hebrew: הַשַּׁעַר אֲשֶׁר מְמֻולָה עָלָיו, hashaar asher memulalah alav): Refers to the corresponding gate across from the one used for entrance, implying an orderly flow in and out. This is to prevent crisscrossing or confusion in accessing the sacred precincts.

Word Group Analysis

• "at the entrance of the gate which is the north gate, shall worship": This phrase establishes a specific location and action. Worship is to occur at the threshold of the north gate, not merely in proximity to it, and it implies the congregational worship of the common people.
• "he who comes by the south gate shall go out by the north gate; and they shall not return, returning the gate which was before it": This constitutes a rule for maintaining orderly circulation within the Temple precincts. Those entering by one specific gate (South) are directed to exit through its counterpart (North). The prohibition against "returning the gate which was before it" means they cannot use the same gate to exit, nor presumably, immediately re-enter through the gate they just exited, ensuring continuous, orderly movement in a specific direction to maintain separation and sanctity.

Ezekiel 46 9 Bonus Section

The emphasis on specific gates and orderly passage within Ezekiel’s vision of the Temple resonates with the spiritual reality described in the New Testament. While Jesus is the ultimate “gate” and access to God, the principle of entering and approaching God in a prescribed, holy manner remains. The orderliness described here can be seen as a foreshadowing of the New Covenant’s spiritual order, where believers, through Christ, have access to God. The careful prohibition against arbitrary movement underscores that access to the divine realm, whether physical or spiritual, is by God’s established means, emphasizing submission to His will and holiness. This maintained flow also prevents the contamination of sacred space, a concern evident in Leviticus.

Ezekiel 46 9 Commentary

This verse dictates the prescribed pattern of entrance and exit for the general populace at the Temple. It emphasizes adherence to specific gates for both entry and exit. This isn't about restricting access, but about maintaining an ordained order of worship. The rule that one enters by the north gate and exits by the south, and vice-versa, highlights a designed flow to preserve the sanctity of the place and prevent the commonality of passage. It points to the reverence and meticulousness required in approaching God and His dwelling. This detailed regulation reflects God's desire for order, holiness, and a clear distinction between the sacred and the profane, mirroring principles found throughout the Law, like the consequences faced by Nadab and Abihu for unauthorized worship.