Bible in 90 Days

Prophecy to Israel’s Mountains

36 “Now as for you, Son of Man, prophesy to Israel’s mountains and tell them, ‘Listen to this message from the Lord, you mountains of Israel: ² “This is what the Lord God says: ‘The enemy has been saying about you, “Good! The ancient heights are back in our possession!”’”’

³ “Therefore this is what you are to prophesy: ‘Here’s what the Lord God says, “You’ve been turned into a desolate wasteland and crushed by everyone who surrounds you for a very, very good reason. You’ve become the property of all the other nations and you’ve become the object of gossip and whispering campaigns of the nations.”’”

⁴ “Therefore listen to what the Lord God has to say, you mountains of Israel: ‘This is what the Lord God says to the mountains, to the hills, to the waterways, to the valleys, to the desolate wastelands, and to the abandoned cities that have become an object of derision to the mountains that surround you: ⁵ “‘Because this is what the Lord God says: “Motivated by my burning zealousness, I have spoken against the rest of the surrounding nations, including Edom, who confiscated my land, taking possession of it with joyful enthusiasm and with animal-like malice, in order to plunder Israel’s^[a] pastures.’ ⁶ “Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and speak to its mountains, hills, ravines, and valleys. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Pay attention! In my zealous anger I’m speaking because you’ve had to endure the mockery of the world’s nations.”’”

⁷ “Therefore this is what the Lord God says: “I hereby raise my hand to swear this oath: the nations that surround you will have their own mockery to endure! ⁸ But you mountains of Israel are going to sprout branches and bear fruit for my people Israel, because they’ll be coming soon.’”

The Future of Israel’s Mountains

⁹ “Watch me! I’m on your side! I’ll be turning in your direction, and you mountains^[b] will be plowed and planted. ¹⁰ I’m going to make the entire house of Israel grow—every single member^[c]—and their cities will be inhabited with all the ruins rebuilt. ¹¹ I’ll make both the population and the livestock increase throughout your territories. They’ll increase and be fruitful. I’ll make your territories to be settled like you were in the past, and you will be treated better than you ever were before. At that time you will know that I am the Lord.

¹² “I’ll lead my people, my nation of Israel, across you mountains,^[d] and they will take possession of you again, and you’ll be their inheritance once more. Never again will you leave them robbed of children.

¹³ “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Because some have been saying to you, “You mountains^[e] have been devouring human beings and leaving people childless,” ¹⁴ therefore you will no longer devour human beings or leave their nation childless,’ declares the Lord God. ¹⁵ ‘I won’t let you hear other people mock you, and no nation will ever make you childless again,’ declares the Lord God.”

Israel’s Past Punishments

¹⁶ This message came to me from the Lord: ¹⁷ “Son of Man, when the house of Israel was living on their own land, they defiled it with their lifestyles^[f] and behavior; they were as disqualified to be with me as a menstruating woman is to you.^{[g] 18} So I poured out my anger on them because of all the bloodshed throughout the land and because they had defiled it with their idolatry. ¹⁹ Then I scattered them among the nations, dispersing them to other lands, just as their lifestyles and behavior deserved. That’s how I judged them. ²⁰ Nevertheless, when they arrived in those nations, they continued to profane my holy name. It was said about them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, even though they’ve left his land.’ ²¹ I’ve been concerned about my holy reputation,^[h] which the house of Israel has been defiling throughout all of the nations where they’ve gone.”

The Coming Renewal of Israel

²² “Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “I’m not about to act for your sake, you house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy reputation, which you have been defiling throughout all of the nations where you’ve gone. ²³ I’m going to affirm^[i] my great reputation that has been defiled among the nations (that is, that you have defiled in their midst), and those people will learn that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I affirm my holiness in front of their very eyes. ²⁴ I’m going to remove you from the nations, gather you from all of the territories, and bring you all back to your own land. ²⁵ I’ll sprinkle pure water on you all, and you’ll be cleansed from your impurity and from all of your idols.”

²⁶ “‘“I’m going to give you a new heart, and I’m going to give you a new spirit within all of your deepest parts. I’ll remove that rock-hard heart of yours^[j] and replace it with one that’s sensitive to me.^{[k] 27} I’ll place my spirit within you, empowering you to live according to^[l] my regulations and to keep my just decrees. ²⁸ You’ll live in the land that I gave to your ancestors, you’ll be my people, and I will be your God. ²⁹ In addition, I’ll deliver you from everything that makes you unclean. I’ll call out to the grain you plant, ordering it to produce abundant yields, and I will never bring famine in your direction. ³⁰ I’ll increase the yields of your fruit trees and crops so that you’ll never again experience the disgrace of famine that occurs in other nations. ³¹ Then you’ll remember your lifestyles and practices that were not good. You’ll hate yourselves as you look at your own iniquities and loathsome practices. ³² I won’t be doing any of this for your sake,” declares the Lord God, “so keep that in mind. Be ashamed and frustrated because of your behavior, you house of Israel!”’”

The Restoration of Israel’s Cities

³³ “This is what the Lord God says: ‘At the same time^[m] that I cleanse you from all of your guilt, I’ll make your cities become inhabited again and the desolate wastelands will be rebuilt. ³⁴ The desolate fields will be cultivated, replacing the former wasteland that everyone who passed by in times past^[n] had noticed. ³⁵ They will say, “This wasteland has become like the garden of Eden, and what used to be desolate ruins are now fortified and inhabited.” ³⁶ Then the surviving people that live around you will learn that I, the Lord, have rebuilt these ruins and have cultivated these pastures that used to be desolate wastelands. I, the Lord, have spoken this, and I’m going to bring it about!’

³⁷ “This is what the Lord God has to say: ‘I’m going to allow the house of Israel to ask anything they want from me, including this: I’m going to increase their population as a shepherd increases his flock. ³⁸ The desolate cities will be filled with flocks of human beings, just like Jerusalem used to be filled with flocks of sheep during the times of the appointed festivals. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”

The Vision of the Valley of Bones

37 The Lord laid his hand on me and brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord to the middle of a valley that was filled with bones. ² He led me here and there throughout^[o] the valley, and I was amazed to see that the surface of the entire valley was covered with myriads of very dry bones! ³ The Lord^[p] asked me, “Son of Man, will these bones ever live?”

“Lord God,” I replied, “you know the answer to that!”^[q]

⁴ Then the Lord told me, “Prophesy to these bones. Tell them: ‘You dry bones, listen to the message from the Lord: “ ⁵ This is what the Lord God says to you^[r] dry bones! ‘Pay attention! I’m bringing my Spirit into you right now, and you’re going to live! ⁶ I’m going to grow tendons on you, regenerate your flesh, cover you with skin, and make you breathe again so that you can come back to life and learn that I am the Lord.’”’”

The Bones are Raised to Life

⁷ So I prophesied, just as I had been ordered to do so. Immediately there was a noise and a rattling—and then all of a sudden the bones came together by themselves! Each bone came together, all of them attached together!^{[s] 8} As I continued to watch, I saw tendons growing on the bones,^[t] and muscles growing and covering them, and then skin covered the flesh from above. But the bodies weren’t breathing. ⁹ Then he ordered me, “Prophesy to the Spirit, Son of Man. Tell the Spirit, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Come from the four winds, you Spirit, and breathe into these people who have been killed, so they will live.”’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as I had been ordered, breath entered them, and they began to live. They stood on their own feet as a vast, united army.

The Vision is Interpreted for Ezekiel

¹¹ “These bones represent the entire house of Israel,” the Lord^[u] explained to me. “Look how they keep saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our future is lost. We’ve been completely eliminated!’ ¹² “Therefore prophesy to them, and tell them, ‘Watch me! I’m going to open your graves, lift you out of those graves, and bring my people back into the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you’ll learn that I am the Lord, when I’ve opened your graves and caused you to come up out of them, my people. ¹⁴ I’m going to place my Spirit in you all, and you will live. I’ll place you all into your land, and you’ll learn that I, the Lord, have been speaking and doing this,’ declares the Lord.’”

The Future Union of Israel and Judah

¹⁵ A message came to me from the Lord, and this is what it was: ¹⁶ “Now as for you, Son of Man, grab a stick of wood for yourself and write on it these words:

“Then grab another stick and write on it:

¹⁷ “Then join them together end-to-end so that they become a single baton in your hand. ¹⁸ When the descendants of your people ask you, ‘Would you please explain to us what you mean by this?’ ¹⁹ you are to tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Watch me! I’m taking the baton that represents Joseph, which Ephraim is holding in his hand, along with his companions the tribes of Israel, and I’m going to join them with the baton that represents Judah. I’m making them a single baton, that is, a complete baton in my hand.”

²⁰ “The batons on which you engrave your writing are to remain right in front of them in your hand. ²¹ Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Watch me take the Israelis out of the nations where they’ve gone and return them from every direction. I’m going to bring them back into their own land. ²² I’m going to make them a united people in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and I’ll set a single king to rule over them. They’ll never again be two separate people. They’ll never again be divided into two kingdoms. ²³ They will never again defile themselves with their idols, with other loathsome things, or with any of their sins. Instead, I will deliver them from all of the places where they have sinned, and then I’ll cleanse them. They will be my people and I will be their God.”’”

David’s Rule as King

²⁴ “‘“My servant King David will be there for them, and one shepherd will be appointed for them. They will live according to my decrees, keep my regulations, and practice them. ²⁵ They will live in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob and on which your ancestors lived. They will live in that land, along with their children and grandchildren, forever. David my servant will be their everlasting leader. ²⁶ I’ll make a secure covenant^[v] with them, one that will last forever. I will establish them, make them increase in population,^[w] and will place my sanctuary in their midst forever. ²⁷ I will pitch my tent among them and will be their God. They will be my people, ²⁸ and the nations will learn that I, the Lord, am the sanctifier of Israel when I place my sanctuary in their midst forever.”’”

The Prophecy against Gog

38 This message from the Lord came to me: ² “Son of Man, turn your attention toward Gog,^[x] from the land of Magog,^[y] leader of the head^[z] of Meshech,^[aa] and of Tubal.^[ab] Prophesy this against him: ³ ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Watch out! I’m coming after you, Gog, leader of the head^[ac] of Meshech,^[ad] and of Tubal.^{[ae] 4} I’m going to turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and bring you out—you and your whole army—along with your horses and cavalry riders, all of them richly attired, a magnificent company replete with buckler and shield, and all of them wielding battle swords. ⁵ Persia,^[af] Cush,^[ag] and Libya^[ah] will be accompanying them, all of them equipped with shields and helmets. ⁶ Gomer^[ai] with all its troops, and the household of Togarmah^[aj] from the remotest parts of the north with all its troops—many people will accompany you. ⁷ Be prepared. Yes, prepare yourself—you and all of your many battalions that have gathered together around you to protect you.

⁸ “‘“Many days from now—in the latter years—you will be summoned to a land that has been restored from violence.^[ak] You will be gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which formerly had been a continuous waste, but which will be populated with people who have been brought back from the nations. All of them will be living there securely. ⁹ You’ll arise suddenly, like a tornado, coming like a windstorm^[al] to cover the land, you and all your soldiers with you, along with many nations.”’”

The Invasion Strategy

¹⁰ “This is what the Lord God says: ‘This is what’s going to happen on the very day that you begin your invasion: You’ll be thinking,^[am] making evil plans, ¹¹ and boasting, “I’m going to invade a land comprised of open country^[an] that is at rest, its people^[ao] living confidently, all of whose inhabitants will be living securely, with neither fortification nor bars on their doors. ¹² I’m going to confiscate anything I can put my hands on. I’ll attack the restored ruins and the people who have been gathered together from the nations, who are acquiring livestock and other goods, and who live at the center of the world’s attention.”^{[ap] 13} ‘Businessmen based in Sheba,^[aq] Dedan,^[ar] Tarshish,^[as] and all of its growling lions will ask you, “Are you coming for war spoils? Have you assembled your armies to carry off silver and gold, and to gather lots of war booty?”’”

God’s Rebuke to Gog

¹⁴ “Therefore, Son of Man, prophesy to Gog and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “When the day comes when my people are living securely, won’t you be aware of it? ¹⁵ You’ll come in from your home^[at] in the remotest parts of the north. You’ll come with many nations, all of them riding along on horses. You’ll be a huge, combined army. ¹⁶ You’ll come up to invade my people Israel like a storm cloud to cover the land. In the last days, Gog, I’ll bring you up to invade my land so that the world will learn to know me when I show them how holy I am before their very eyes.”’”

A Prediction for the Distant Future

¹⁷ “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Surely you’re the one about whom I spoke years ago in the writings^[au] of my servants, Israel’s prophets, aren’t you? They predicted back then that I would bring you up after many years, didn’t they? ¹⁸ So it will be that on that day, when Gog^[av] invades the land of Israel,’ declares the Lord God, ‘my zeal will ignite my anger. ¹⁹ Because of my zeal and burning anger, at that time^[aw] there will be a massive earthquake throughout the land of Israel. ²⁰ I’m going to shake the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the wild beasts, all the creatures that crawl on the earth, and every single human being who lives on the surface of the earth. Mountains will collapse, as will their mountain passages, and every wall will fall to the ground. ²¹ Then I’ll call for war against Gog^[ax] on top of every mountain,’ declares the Lord God, ‘and every weapon of war will be turned against their fellow soldier. ²² I’ll judge them with disease and bloodshed. I’ll shower him, his soldiers, and the vast army that accompanies him with a torrential flood, hailstones, fire, and sulfur. ²³ I will exalt myself and demonstrate my holiness, making myself known to many people, who will learn that I am the Lord.’”

The Destruction of Gog

39 “Now as for you, Son of Man, prophesy against Gog^[ay] and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord God has to say: “Watch out, Gog, you leader of the head^[az] of Meshech and of Tubal! ² I’m going to turn you around, drag you along to your destruction,^[ba] and bring you up from the farthest parts of the north, and carry you to the mountains of Israel. ³ There I will strike your bow from your left hand and your arrows from your right, causing your fall. ⁴ You will collapse on the mountains of Israel, along with all of your soldiers and the nations that have accompanied you. There the raptors, vultures,^[bb] and wild animals will feed on you. ⁵ You will fall dead in the open fields, because I have ordered this to happen,’ declares the Lord God. ⁶ ‘I’m also going to incinerate Magog, along with those who are settled down and at home in the islands. That’s when they’ll learn that I am the Lord. ⁷ I’ll make my holiness and reputation^[bc] known in the midst of my people Israel, and I won’t let my holiness be profaned anymore. The nations will learn that I, the Lord, am holy in the midst of Israel. ⁸ Pay attention! It’s coming and will certainly happen,’ declares the Lord God. ‘This will be the day about which I’ve spoken!’”’”

The Aftermath of the Battle

⁹ “After all this happens, the people who live in the cities of Israel will be kindling fires for seven years, using small shields, large shields, bows, arrows, clubs, personal weapons, and spears to do so. ¹⁰ They won’t need to cut down trees from the fields nor gather firewood from the forests, because they will light fires with the weapons as they plunder the plunderers and loot the looters!” declares the Lord God. ¹¹ “When all of this happens, I’m going to set aside a grave site for Gog in Israel’s Traveler’s Valley,^[bd] near the approach^[be] to the Dead Sea. She^[bf] will block off everyone who tries to bypass it. There they will bury Gog, and rename the area ‘Valley of Gog’s Gang’.^{[bg] 12} The house of Israel will be burying them for seven months in order to purify the land. ¹³ Everyone in the land will be involved in the burials, and this will serve as a reminder for them that I have glorified myself,” declares the Lord God. ¹⁴ “Men will be assigned to travel continuously throughout the land, exploring for seven full months as they go about burying the bodies that remain from the battle^[bh] on the surface of the ground, so that the land may be sterilized. ¹⁵ As scouts go searching throughout the land, whenever they see someone’s bones, they will place a sign beside the remains until the remains have been buried in the Valley of Gog’s Gang. ¹⁶ They’ll also name the city that is there ‘Hamonah,’^[bi] as they purify the land.”

An Invitation to Dine on Human Flesh

¹⁷ “Now as for you, Son of Man, this is what the Lord God has to say: ‘Tell all of the birds and wild beasts, “Come! Gather together and participate in the sacrifice that I’m going to make for you. This great sacrifice will take place on the mountains of Israel, where you’ll be eating flesh and drinking blood. ¹⁸ You’ll eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the world’s princes, drinking the blood of these rams, lambs, goats, bulls, all of them fattened as if they’re from Bashan, fit for slaughter! ¹⁹ You’ll eat until you’re fat and satiated. You’ll drink blood until you’re drunk from the sacrifice that I’m going to make for all of you. ²⁰ You’ll be fully satiated at my table, dining on^[bj] horse flesh, horsemen, elite soldiers, and every kind of warrior,” declares the Lord God. ²¹ ‘I’m going to display my glory among the people, and every nation will see the judgment that I administer by my own hand among them. ²² The house of Israel will learn that I am the Lord their God from that day forward! ²³ The nations will also learn that because of Israel’s sin the house of Israel went into captivity, since they were unfaithful in their behavior toward me. As a result, I hid my presence from them, turned them over to the control of their enemies, and they died by violence.^{[bk] 24} It was because of their defilement and transgression that I treated them this way by hiding my presence from them.’”

The Final Restoration of Israel

²⁵ “Therefore this is what the Lord God has to say: ‘I’m going to restore the resources of Jacob and show mercy to the entire house of Israel. I’ll be zealous for my own reputation^[bl] and for my holiness. ²⁶ They’ll forget their shame and all of their unfaithfulness by which they behaved so unfaithfully toward me. They will live on their land in confidence, not in fear. ²⁷ When I bring them back from the nations and gather them together from the lands that belong to their enemies, I will demonstrate my holiness through them right in front of the eyes of the world,^{[bm] 28} and they will learn that I am the Lord their God, who sent them into exile and who gathered them back to their land. I will not leave any of them remaining in exile. ²⁹ I’ll no longer hide my presence from them again when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel,’ declares the Lord God.”

The Vision of Jerusalem

40 At the beginning of year 25 of our captivity, on the tenth day of the fourteenth year after the destruction of Jerusalem^[bn]—on that very day—the Lord grabbed me in his hand and took me there. ² God brought me in a series of visions to the land of Israel and placed me on top of a very high mountain, where to the south there was something that looked like the outline of a city. ³ That’s where he took me. All of a sudden, there was a man whose appearance resembled glowing^[bo] bronze! He had a measuring reed and line in his hand as he stood in the city gate. ⁴ This is what the man told me: “Son of Man, watch carefully,^[bp] listen closely,^[bq] and remember^[br] everything I’m going to be showing you, because you’ve been brought here to be shown what you’re about to see. Be sure that you tell the house of Israel everything that you observe.”

Measuring the Temple Grounds

⁵ All of a sudden, we were at the exterior wall that completely surrounded the Temple. The man whom I had observed held a measuring reed that was six cubits^[bs] long as measured in cubits that were a cubit and a handbreadth^[bt] long. As he measured the thickness of the wall, he measured out one reed.^[bu] Its height was also one reed.^{[bv] 6} Then he went over to the gate that faced toward the east, ascended its steps, and measured its thresholds. One threshold measured one reed^[bw] and the other one measured one reed.^{[bx] 7} Each guardhouse^[by] measured one reed^[bz] long and one reed^[ca] wide, and the distance^[cb] between each guardhouse was five cubits.^[cc] The threshold of the gate near the vestibule facing away from the Temple entrance^[cd] measured one reed.^[ce]

⁸ Next, he measured the vestibule of the gate facing away from the Temple entrance at one reed.^{[cf] 9} He measured the vestibule of the gate inside at eight cubits^[cg] and the doorjambs at two cubits.^[ch] (The vestibule at the gate faced away from the Temple.) ¹⁰ Gate guardhouses stood facing east, numbering three on each side,^[ci] each of them of equal size^[cj] to the door jamb; that is, having the same^[ck] measurement on each side.^{[cl] 11} He measured the width of the gateway at ten cubits,^[cm] and the length of the gate at thirteen cubits.^[cn]

¹² The retaining^[co] wall in front of the guardhouses measured one cubit^[cp] wide. It stood one cubit^[cq] from the wall to the guardhouses, which were six cubits^[cr] square.^{[cs] 13} He measured the gate from the roof of the guardhouses to the roof of another^[ct] at 25 cubits^[cu] from doorway to opposite doorway. ¹⁴ Then he measured^[cv] the open air porch^[cw] at 60 cubits^[cx] from the doorjamb of the courtyard that encompassed the gate. ¹⁵ The distance from the front entrance gate to the vestibule of the inner gate measured 50 cubits.^{[cy] 16} Latticed windows faced the guardhouses, their side pillars within the gate all around, and also for the porches. Windows were placed all around inside, and the side pillars were engraved with palm trees.

The Outer Court

¹⁷ Next, he brought me into the outer court, where chambers and a paved area had been constructed all around the courtyard, with 30 chambers facing the pavement. ¹⁸ The pavement to the side^[cz] of the gates corresponded to the length of the gates. ¹⁹ He also measured the width from the front lower gate to the front of the exterior inner court at 100 cubits^[da] to the east and to the north.

The North Facing Outer Court

²⁰ Next, he measured the length and width of the outer north-facing gate to the courtyard. ²¹ It was equipped^[db] with three guardhouses on each side. Its side pillars and porches had measurements identical to the first gate: 50 cubits^[dc] long and 25 cubits^[dd] wide. ²² Its windows, porches, and palm tree ornaments had measurements identical to the east-facing gate. Reached by seven ascending^[de] steps, its porch lay^[df] to the front of the steps. ²³ From a gate that stood opposite the northern gate he measured 100 cubits,^[dg] as well as from the eastern gate.

The South Facing Gate

²⁴ Then he led me toward the south, where there was a gate with side pillar and porch measurements identical to the others. ²⁵ The gate and its porches contained windows all around, identical to the other windows. The length of the porch^[dh] was 50 cubits^[di] and its width was 25 cubits.^{[dj] 26} Seven steps led up to it, with a porch in front of them. Palm tree ornaments were engraved on its side pillars, one on each side. ²⁷ The inner court contained a south-facing gate measuring 100 cubits^[dk] from gate to gate toward the south.

The Inner Southern Court

²⁸ Next, he brought me to the inner courtyard by way of the south-facing gate. He measured the south-facing gate as having measurements identical to the others. ²⁹ The measurements of its guardhouses, its side pillars, and its porches were identical to the others. The gate and its porches contained windows all around. The length of the porch^[dl] was 50 cubits^[dm] and its width was 25 cubits.^{[dn] 30} Porches lay all around, measuring 25 cubits^[do] long and five cubits^[dp] wide, ³¹ leading to the outer courtyard. Palm tree ornaments were engraved on its side pillars. The stairway leading to it contained eight steps.

The Inner Eastern Court

³² Then he brought me into the inner east-facing courtyard, where he measured the gate, identical to the others. ³³ The measurement of its guardhouses, side pillars, and porches was identical to the others. The gate and its porches contained windows all around. The length of the porch^[dq] was 50 cubits^[dr] and its width was 25 cubits,^{[ds] 34} leading to the outer courtyard. Palm tree ornaments were engraved on its side pillars. The stairway leading to it contained eight steps.

The North Facing Gate

³⁵ Next, he brought me to the north-facing gate, where he measured the gate, identical to the others. ³⁶ The measurement of its guardhouses, side pillars, and porches was identical to the others. The gate and its porches contained windows all around. The length of the porch^[dt] was 50 cubits^[du] and its width was 25 cubits,^{[dv] 37} leading to the outer courtyard. Palm tree ornaments were engraved on its side pillars. The stairway leading to it contained eight steps. ³⁸ There was a chamber with a doorway by the side pillars next to the gate where they prepare^[dw] the burnt offerings.

³⁹ In the porch leading in front of the gate there were two tables on either side for slaughtering burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings, ⁴⁰ and on the outer side, approaching the northern gateway, there were two tables, as well as two tables on the opposite side of the porch in front of the gate. ⁴¹ In that way, there were four tables on each side in front of the gate, for a total of eight tables for use in slaughtering the offerings.^[dx]

⁴² There were four tables carved from stone for the burnt offering, each one and a half cubits^[dy] long, one and a half cubits^[dz] wide, and one cubit^[ea] high, on which the instruments are laid for slaughtering burnt offerings and sacrifices. ⁴³ Double hooks, a single handbreadth^[eb] in length, were installed all around in this portion of^[ec] the temple area.

The Inner Gate

⁴⁴ From outside leading into the inner gate there were chambers for the choir. One was beside the north gate facing the south, and another was at the south gate facing the north. ⁴⁵ The angel^[ed] told me, “This south-facing chamber is for the priests who maintain the Temple, ⁴⁶ and the north-facing chamber is for the priests who maintain the altar. These are Zadok’s descendants, who, as descendants of Levi approach the Lord to minister directly to him.” ⁴⁷ He measured the court in the form of a square at 100 cubits^[ee] long and 100 cubits^[ef] wide. The altar stood in front of the Temple.

The Temple Porch

⁴⁸ Next, he brought me to the Temple porch and measured the side pillars at five cubits^[eg] on each side. The width of the gate measured three cubits^[eh] on each side. ⁴⁹ The porch was 20 cubits^[ei] long and eleven cubits^[ej] wide. The stairway by which it was ascended was equipped with columns attached to its side pillars, one on each side.

The Vision of the Temple

41 Next he brought me to the Temple and measured its door jambs at six cubits^[ek] wide on each side of the structure.^{[el] 2} The entrance was ten cubits^[em] wide and its door jambs were five cubits^[en] wide on each side. He measured the length of the nave at 40 cubits^[eo] and its width at 20 cubits.^[ep]

³ Then he went inside and measured the door jambs at two cubits^[eq] wide and the doorway at six cubits^[er] high. The doorway was seven cubits^[es] wide. ⁴ He measured its length at 20 cubits,^[et] its width at 20 cubits^[eu] in front of the structure,^[ev] and then he told me, “This is the most holy area.”

⁵ Next, he measured the Temple walls at six cubits^[ew] high and the width of the side chambers at four cubits^[ex] around all four sides of the Temple. ⁶ The side chambers consisted of three stories, each above the other, with 30 chambers in each story. The side chambers extended out from the wall that faced the inside of the chambers where the chambers were fastened together, but the chamber walls were not fastened directly into the Temple walls themselves. ⁷ The side chambers surrounding the Temple were wider at each successive story, because the surrounding structure ascended by proportional increments as it rose, ascending to the highest story by going up successively from the lowest.

⁸ I observed a raised platform that surrounded the Temple, and the foundations of the side chambers were a full six cubits^[ey] deep. ⁹ The outer wall of the side chambers was five cubits^[ez] thick, and there was an empty space between the Temple’s side chambers ¹⁰ and its outer chambers 20 cubits^[fa] in width, surrounding the Temple on each side. ¹¹ The side chamber doorway facing the free space contained a single north-facing doorway and a second south-facing doorway. The width of the free space was five cubits^[fb] all around the perimeter.^{[fc] 12} The building that faced the west side of the courtyard was 70 cubits^[fd] wide, and the building’s wall was five cubits^[fe] thick all around. It was 90 cubits^[ff] long.

The Temple

¹³ Then he measured the Temple. It was 100 cubits^[fg] long, and the courtyard, its building, and its walls were 100 cubits^[fh] long. ¹⁴ The front of the Temple and its east-facing courtyard were each^[fi] 100 cubits^[fj] long. ¹⁵ Next, he measured 100 cubits^[fk] as the length of the structure toward the front of the courtyard that stood behind it, where it housed a gallery on each side of it. Then he measured the Temple and the inner porticos^[fl] of the courtyard, ¹⁶ the thresholds, the shielded^[fm] windows, and the surrounding three-storied galleries that stood opposite. From the ground to the shielded^[fn] windows, they were paneled with wood all around, ¹⁷ including up to the doorway, up to the Temple (both within and without) and all around both sides of the inner wall, according to his measurement. ¹⁸ There were carved cherubim and palm trees, alternating with a palm tree between a cherub, and each cherub had two faces, ¹⁹ with a human face looking^[fo] toward the palm tree on one side and a young lion’s face looking^[fp] toward the palm tree on the other side. These carvings extended all the way around the Temple, ²⁰ from the ground to above the doorway, as well as on the walls of the main sanctuary.

²¹ The door posts of the main sanctuary were square. Each door post was identical in appearance to the others. ²² The altar was made of wood, three cubits^[fq] high and two cubits^[fr] long. Its corners, base, and sides were of wood. He told me, “This table stands in the Lord’s presence.”

²³ The nave and the sanctuary each were equipped with double doors. ²⁴ Each door had two sections mounted on hinges,^[fs] for a total of two sections for one door and two sections for the other. ²⁵ The doors of the nave had carvings engraved on them, consisting of cherubim and palm trees identical to those on the walls. The front of the exterior porch was equipped with a wooden threshold. ²⁶ Shielded windows and palm trees were visible^[ft] on both sides; that is, on the sides of the porch, the side chambers of the Temple, and on its thresholds.

The Vision of the Outer Court

42 Then he brought me to the outer, north-facing courtyard into the chamber that stood opposite the structure that was facing north. ² It stood 100 cubits^[fu] long and 50 cubits^[fv] wide, with a door in the middle.^{[fw] 3} Opposite the 20 cubits^[fx] wide inner court, and opposite the paved area that comprised the outer court, there were three stories of galleries that faced each other. ⁴ In front of the chambers there was an inner walkway ten cubits wide and 100 cubits^[fy] wide, the openings to which were on the^[fz] north. ⁵ The upper chambers were narrower, since the galleries required more space than did the lower and middle portions of the building. ⁶ The three part structure had no columns, unlike the courts, which is why the upper chambers were offset from the ground upward, more so than the lower and middle chambers.

⁷ The outer wall by the side of the chambers toward the outer court and facing the chambers was 50 cubits^[ga] long. ⁸ While the chambers in the outer court were 50 cubits^[gb] in length, the chambers facing the Temple were 100 cubits^[gc] long. ⁹ Below these chambers, as one might enter from the outer court, was the east side entrance. ¹⁰ There were chambers built into the thick part of the wall of the court facing the east; that is, facing the separate area toward the front of the building, ¹¹ with a passageway in front of them, similar in appearance to the chambers that were on the north, proportional to their length and width, with all of their exits according to their arrangements and doorways. ¹² Corresponding to the chamber doorways facing the south was an opening at the beginning of the passage; that is, the passage in front of the corresponding part of the wall facing east as one might enter.

The Place for Holy Things

¹³ Then he told me, “The north and south chamber, which are opposite the courtyard, are consecrated areas where the priests who approach the Lord will eat consecrated offerings and lay the consecrated grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings, because the area is holy. ¹⁴ When the priest enters, they will not enter the outer court from the sanctuary without having removed their garments worn during their time of ministry, because they are holy. They will put on different clothes, and then they will approach the area reserved for the people.”

¹⁵ After he had finished measuring the inner temple, he brought me out through the east-facing gate and measured it all around. ¹⁶ He measured the east side at 500 reeds,^[gd] according to the length of the measuring stick, ¹⁷ the north side at 500 reeds, according to the length of the measuring stick, ¹⁸ the south side at 500 reeds, according to the length of the measuring stick, ¹⁹ and the west side at 500 reeds, according to the length of the measuring stick. ²⁰ He measured a wall that encompassed all four sides, 500 hundred long and 500 wide, dividing between the sacred and common areas.

The Vision of the Gates

43 Next, he brought me to the east-facing gate, ² and the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. His voice sounded like roaring^[ge] water, and the land shimmered from his glory. ³ His appearance in the vision that I was having was similar to what I observed in the vision where he had come to destroy the city, and also like the visions that I saw by the Chebar River. I fell flat on my face ⁴ while the glory of the Lord entered the Temple through the east-facing gate. ⁵ Just then, the Spirit lifted me up and carried me into the inner courtyard, where the glory of the Lord was filling the Temple! ⁶ I heard someone speaking to me from the Temple, and a man appeared, standing beside me!

God to Live among His People

⁷ “Son of Man,” the Lord God told^[gf] me, “This is where my throne is, where I place the soles of my feet, and where I will live among the Israelis forever. The house of Israel will no longer defile my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their unfaithfulness, by the lifeless idols^[gg] of their kings on their funeral mounds,^{[gh] 8} by their setting up their threshold too close to my threshold and their door post too close to my door post, with a wall between me and them. After all, they have defiled my holy name by the loathsome things that they did, so I devoured them in my anger. ⁹ But now let them send their unfaithfulness—that is, the lifeless idols^[gi] of their kings—far away from me, and I will live among them forever.”

Ezekiel Describes the Temple

¹⁰ “And now, Son of Man, describe the Temple to the house of Israel. They will be ashamed because of their sin. They will measure its pattern. ¹¹ If they are ashamed of everything that they’ve done, you are to reveal to them the design of the Temple, its structure, its exits and entrances, its plans, its ordinances, and all of its regulations. Write it down where they can see it and remember all of its designs and regulations, so they will implement them. ¹² This is to be the regulation for the Temple: the entire area on top of the mountain is to be considered wholly consecrated. This is to be the law of the Temple.”

The Altar

¹³ “Here are the measurements of the altar in cubits that were a cubit and a handbreadth^[gj] long: its base is a cubit^[gk] long and a cubit^[gl] wide, and its border around the edge at one handbreadth^[gm] is to be the height of the altar. ¹⁴ From the base on the ground to its lower edge is to be two cubits,^[gn] with its width to be one cubit.^[go] From the lesser ledge to the larger edge is to be four cubits.^[gp] Its width is to be one cubit.^{[gq] 15} The hearth is to be four cubits high,^[gr] and four horns are to extend upwards from the hearth. ¹⁶ The hearth is to be twelve cubits^[gs] long and twelve cubits^[gt] wide; that is, it will be a four-sided square. ¹⁷ It is to have a ledge fourteen cubits^[gu] long by fourteen cubits^[gv] wide around the four sides. Its border is to be half a cubit^[gw] and its base is to be a cubit^[gx] all around, with its steps facing east.”

The Offerings

¹⁸ Then he told me, “This is what the Lord God says: ‘These are the regulations for the altar, starting the day that it is constructed for presenting burnt offerings and sprinkling blood. ¹⁹ You are to present to the Levitical priests, Zadok’s descendants, who will approach me to serve me, a young bull for a sin offering,’ declares the Lord God. ²⁰ You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar,^[gy] on the four corners of its ledge, and on the border that surrounds it, thus cleansing it and making an atonement for it. ²¹ You are also to present a bull for a sin offering, incinerating it in the appointed place at the Temple, outside the sanctuary.

²² ‘The second day following commencement of offerings,^[gz] you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering to cleanse the altar the same way they cleansed it with the bull. ²³ After you’ve finished the cleansing, you are to present a young bull without defect and a ram from the flock without defect. ²⁴ You are to present them in the Lord’s presence, and the priests are to throw salt on them and then present them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

²⁵ ‘Every day for a week, you are to prepare a goat for a sin offering, a young bull, and a ram from the flock, each^[ha] without defect. ²⁶ For a seven day period they are to make atonement for the altar, purifying it and consecrating it. ²⁷ When they will have completed this period,^[hb] starting the next day,^[hc] the priests are to offer your burnt offerings on the altar, along with your peace offerings, and I will accept you,’ declares the Lord God.”

The Vision of the Outer Gates

44 Then the Lord God^[hd] brought me back through the east-facing outer gate of the sanctuary. But it was shut. ² The Lord told me, “This gate is to remain shut. It will not be opened. No man is to enter through it, because the Lord God of Israel entered through it, so it is to remain shut. ³ The Regent^[he] Prince^[hf] will be seated there,^[hg] as Regent Prince, and will dine in the Lord’s presence, entering through the portico of the gate and exiting through it also.”

The Front of the Temple

⁴ Then he brought me through the north-facing gate to the front of the Temple. As I looked, the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s Temple, and I fell flat on my face! ⁵ Then the Lord told me, “Son of Man, watch carefully,^[hh] listen closely,^[hi] and remember^[hj] everything I’m going to be telling you about all the statutes pertaining to the Lord’s Temple and all of its laws. Pay careful attention to the entrance to the Temple, along with all of the exits from the sanctuary.”

A Rebuke to the Rebellious

⁶ “You are to tell the Resistance—that is, the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “I’ve had enough of all of your loathsome behavior, you house of Israel! ⁷ You kept on bringing in foreigners, those who were uncircumcised in heart and flesh, to profane my sanctuary by being inside my Temple, and by doing so you’ve emptied my covenant, all the while offering my food—the fat and the blood—in addition to all of the other loathsome things you’ve done.^{[hk] 8} Furthermore, you haven’t paid attention to the requirements for my holy things. Instead, you placed foreigners in charge of my sanctuary.”’

⁹ “This is what the Lord God says, ‘No foreigner who is both uncircumcised in heart and flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the Israelis is to enter my sanctuary. ¹⁰ But the descendants of Levi, who went far away from me when Israel abandoned me, who left me to follow their idols, are to bear the punishment of their iniquity. ¹¹ Nevertheless, they are to serve in my sanctuary, overseeing the gates of the Temple, taking care of the Temple, slaughtering the burnt offerings and the sacrifices presented for the people, standing in the presence of the people, and ministering to them. ¹² Because they kept serving them in the presence of their idols, becoming a sin-filled stumbling block to the house of Israel,’ declares the Lord God.

“‘I have sworn to them that they are to bear the consequences of their iniquity. ¹³ They are not to come near me to serve me as a priest, nor approach any of my holy things, including the most holy things. Instead, they are to bear the shame of the loathsome things that they have done. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, I will appoint them to take care of my Temple, including all of its service and everything that is to be done inside of it.’”

Levitical Ordinances

¹⁵ “The descendants of Zadok, Levitical priests who took care of my sanctuary when the Israelis wandered away from me, are to come near me to minister to me. They are to stand before me to offer the fat and the blood to me,” declares the Lord God. ¹⁶ “They are to enter my sanctuary, approach my table to minister to me, and carry out my requirements. ¹⁷ Whenever they enter at the gates of the inner court, they are to be clothed with linen garments. They are not to wear wool when they are ministering within the gates of the inner courtyard or in the Temple. ¹⁸ Linen turbans are to be on their heads, and they are to wear linen undergarments. Also, they are not to clothe themselves with anything that makes them perspire.

¹⁹ “When they enter the outer courtyard, that is, the outer courtyard where the people are, they are to take off their garments in which they were ministering, lay them in the consecrated chambers, and put on different garments so they will not transfer^[hl] holiness to the people through their garments. ²⁰ Also, they are not to shave their heads nor let their hair grow long. Instead, they are certainly to trim the hair on^[hm] their heads. ²¹ None of the priests are to drink wine after entering the inner courtyard. ²² They are not to marry^[hn] a widow or a divorced woman. Instead, they are to marry^[ho] virgins from the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.”

Duties of Ministry

²³ “They are to teach my people how to discern^[hp] what is holy in contrast to what is common, showing them how to discern between what is unclean and clean. ²⁴ When disputes arise, they are to serve as a judge, adjudicating matters according to my ordinances. They are to enforce my laws, my statutes, all of my appointed festivals, and they are to sanctify my Sabbaths. ²⁵ They are not to come in contact with a dead body, so they don’t defile themselves, except in the case of their father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or for an unmarried sister, on whose behalf they may defile themselves. ²⁶ After he is cleansed from that contact,^[hq] he is to not to minister for seven days. ²⁷ On the day that he returns to the sanctuary’s inner court to minister, he is to offer his own sin offering,” declares the Lord God.

Ministerial Inheritances

²⁸ “Now with respect to the priests’^[hr] inheritances, I am to be their inheritance, and you are to give them no possession in Israel, since I am their possession. ²⁹ They are to eat the grain offerings, sin offering, and guilt offering. Everything consecrated in Israel is to belong to them. ³⁰ The first portion of all the first fruits of every kind and every offering of any kind is to be for the priests. You are to give the priest the first portion of your grain. As a result a blessing will rest on your household. ³¹ However, the priests are not to eat any bird or animal that has died a natural death or that has been torn apart.”

Israel’s Future Temple Park

45 “When you divide the land for an inheritance, you are to present a Terumah^[hs] to the Lord, a consecrated portion of the land 25,000 cubits^[ht] long and 20,000^[hu] cubits^[hv] wide. Everything within this area is to be treated as holy. ² A Holy Place is to be dedicated from this area in the form of a square measuring 500 by 500 cubits,^[hw] with a 50 cubit^[hx] buffer zone^[hy] surrounding it. ³ From this area a measure is to be made 25,000 cubits^[hz] long and 10,000 cubits^[ia] wide, which is to contain the sanctuary, the holiest of holy objects. ⁴ It is to be a holy portion of the land, set aside^[ib] for the priests who serve the sanctuary, who approach the Lord to serve him. It is to be a place for their houses, as well as the Holy Place of the sanctuary. ⁵ An area 25,000 cubits^[ic] long by 10,000 cubits wide is to be set aside^[id] for use by the Levite^[ie] servants of the Temple, 20 parcels^[if] for their residential properties. ⁶ The land allocation for the city is to be set at 5,000 cubits^[ig] wide and 25,000 cubits^[ih] long, adjacent to the sanctuary district, reserved for the entire house of Israel.”

The Portion for the Regent Prince

⁷ “The Regent Prince is to have a portion^[ii] on both sides of the consecrated allotment for the sanctuary and the city’s land allotment, adjacent to both on the west^[ij] and the east sides, comparable in length to one of the portions from the west^[ik] border to the east border. ⁸ This property in Israel is to belong to the Regent Prince,^[il] so my regent princes will no longer mistreat my nation. The remaining portion of the land is to be allotted to the house of Israel, that is, to its tribes.”

An Exhortation to Honest Business

⁹ “This is what the Lord God says, ‘Enough of you, you regent princes of Israel! Abandon your violence and destruction. Practice what is just and right instead! Stop confiscating property from my people!’ declares the Lord God. ¹⁰ ‘You’re to use an honest scale, an honest dry measure,^[im] and an honest liquid measure!^{[in] 11} The ephah and the bath are to be of equal volume; that is, the bath is to contain one tenth of an omer and the ephah one tenth of an omer. The omer is to be the standard on which their volume measurement is to be based. ¹² The shekel^[io] is to weigh 20 gerahs. The mina^[ip] is to be comprised of three coins weighing^[iq] 20, 25, and fifteen shekels, respectively.’”

Weight Standards for Offerings

¹³ “Here are the standards for presenting offerings: a sixth of an ephah that is based on the standard omer of wheat, and a sixth of an ephah based on the standard omer of barley. ¹⁴ The olive oil quota is to be based on the bath, measured at ten baths to each omer, which is equal to one kor. ¹⁵ The sheep quota is to be one from each flock of 200 taken from the pastures of Israel. From all of these you are to present grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement for them,” declares the Lord God.

¹⁶ “The entire nation living in the land is to present this offering to the Regent Prince in Israel. ¹⁷ The Regent Prince is to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings at the festivals, on the New Moons and Sabbaths, and at all of the prescribed festivals of the house of Israel. He is to provide the grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings in order to make atonement for the house of Israel.”

¹⁸ “This is what the Lord God says, ‘On the first day of the first month, you are to present a young bull without defect in order to cleanse the sanctuary. ¹⁹ The priest is to place some of the blood from the sin offering on the door posts of the Temple, on the four corners of the ledge around the altar, and on the posts of the gate leading to the inner court. ²⁰ You are also to do this on the seventh day of the month, to make atonement for any person who wanders away or who sins through ignorance in order to make atonement for the Temple.

²¹ “‘On the fourteenth day of the first month, you are to observe the Passover as a festival for seven days. Unleavened bread is to be eaten. ²² On that day, the Regent Prince is to provide, both for himself and for all the people who live in the land, a bull for a sin offering. ²³ Each day during the seven days of the festival, he is to provide a burnt offering to the Lord, consisting of seven bulls and seven rams without defect, offered each day throughout the seven days, along with a male goat offered each day as a sin offering.

²⁴ “‘The Regent Prince^[ir] is also to present a grain offering consisting of an ephah with each bull and an ephah with each ram, along with a hin of olive oil mixed with an ephah of grain. ²⁵ On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, during a seven day festival, the Regent Prince^[is] is to present these as daily sin offerings, burnt offerings, and grain offerings mixed with oil.’”

Regulations for the Inner Court

46 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘The inner, east-facing courtyard is to remain shut during the six working days of the week,^[it] but on the Sabbath day it is to be opened, as well as on the day of the New Moon. ² The Regent Prince is to enter through the portico of the gate from outside and is to stand at the doorframe of the gate where the priests are to present the Regent Prince’s^[iu] burnt offerings and peace^[iv] offerings. Then the Regent Prince^[iw] is to worship at the threshold of the gate and go out. The gate is not to be closed until evening. ³ The people who live^[ix] in the land are to worship at the doorway of the gate on the Sabbaths and New Moons in the Lord’s presence.’”

Sabbath Offerings by the Regent Prince

⁴ “‘The burnt offering that the Regent Prince is to present to the Lord on the Sabbath day is to consist of six lambs without defect, a ram without defect, ⁵ a grain offering with the ram consisting of an ephah, a grain offering with the lambs consisting of whatever amount he brings with him, and a hin of oil with each ephah of grain.^{[iy] 6} Furthermore, each New Moon there is to be a young bull presented without defect, six male lambs, and a ram without defect. ⁷ The Regent Prince^[iz] is to present an ephah^[ja] of grain^[jb] along with the bull, an ephah^[jc] of grain^[jd] along with the ram, a grain offering—consisting of as much^[je] as he is able to give—and a hin^[jf] of olive oil with each ephah^[jg] of grain.^[jh]

⁸ “‘The Regent Prince is to enter through the portico of the gate and is to leave the same way he came in. ⁹ When the people who live^[ji] in the land come into the Lord’s presence during the festivals, whoever enters through the northern gate is to leave through the southern gate, and whoever enters through the southern gate is to leave through the northern gate. No one is to leave by the same route that he enters, but instead is to go straight out. ¹⁰ The Regent Prince is to enter when they are coming in, and he is to leave when they go out.’”

Daily Offerings by the Regent Prince

¹¹ “‘The grain offering for the festivals and appointed festivals is to include an ephah^[jj] with a bull, an ephah^[jk] with a ram, and as much grain with the lambs as the Regent Prince^[jl] brings with him, along with a hin^[jm] of oil with each ephah. ¹² Whenever the Regent Prince presents a voluntary offering, burnt offering, or peace offering, he is to present it voluntarily to the Lord, and the east-facing gate is to be opened for him. He is to provide his burnt offering and peace offering as he does on the Sabbath. When he leaves, the gate is to be shut behind him. ¹³ He is to present a one year old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the Lord in the morning every day. ¹⁴ In addition, he is to present a grain offering with it every morning, consisting of a sixth of an ephah^[jn] mixed with one third of a hin^[jo] of oil. This grain offering is to be offered to the Lord as a permanent ordinance. ¹⁵ They are to present the lamb offering, the grain offering, and the oil every morning as an ongoing^[jp] burnt offering.’”

Gifts by the Regent Prince

¹⁶ “This is what the Lord God says: ‘If the Regent Prince gives a gift to someone,^[jq] it is to remain with the man’s descendants as their own inheritance. ¹⁷ But if he gives a gift to any of his servants, it is to belong to the servant^[jr] until the Year of Release, at which time it is to be returned to the Regent Prince. His inheritance is to belong only to his sons. ¹⁸ The Regent Prince is not to appropriate the nation’s inheritance nor take advantage of them by taking their property from them. Instead, he is to provide an inheritance for his sons from his own possessions so that my people will not be separated from their possessions.’”

The Place Where Offerings are Boiled

¹⁹ Then the angel^[js] brought me in through an entrance beside the gate into the north-facing chambers dedicated to the priests. As I looked toward the rear^[jt] of the far western end, I saw a place ²⁰ about which he said, “This is where the priests will be boiling the guilt and sin offerings and baking the grain offerings so they don’t bring them through the outer courtyard, thus diminishing the people’s holiness.”^{[ju] 21} Then he brought me out to the exterior courtyard and led me across to each of the four corners of the courtyard. There in each corner was an enclosed area set aside, ²² all of them the same size; that is, each was 40 cubits^[jv] long and 30 cubits^[jw] wide. ²³ A low wall^[jx] built of masonry surrounded each courtyard, with boiling places set in rows in the wall. ²⁴ He told me, “This is where^[jy] the ministers of the Temple will be preparing^[jz] the sacrifices that will be presented by the people.

The Vision of the Temple River

47 After this, he brought me back to the doorway to the Temple. To my amazement, there was water flowing out toward the east from beneath the threshold of the Temple! (The Temple faced eastward.) The water flowed down from beneath the right side of the Temple,^[ka] that is, from the south-facing side where the altar was located. ² Then he brought me out through the north gateway and around to the one outside that faces toward the east. To my amazement, water was trickling out from that part of^[kb] the south side, too!

³ As the man went out toward the east, he carried a measuring line in his hand. He measured out 1,000 cubits^[kc] as he led me through water that was ankle-deep. ⁴ Then he measured out another 1,000 cubits,^[kd] where he led me through water that was knee-deep. And then he measured out another 1,000 cubits,^[ke] where the water was waist-deep. ⁵ When he had measured out another 1,000 cubits,^[kf] the water had become deep enough that I wasn’t able to ford it. Instead, I would have had to swim through it.

⁶ Then, as he was bringing me back along the river bank, he asked me, “Son of Man, did you see all of this?” ⁷ As we were coming back, I was amazed to see that there were many, many trees lining both banks of the river. ⁸ He told me, “This river flows toward the eastern territories all the way down into the Arabah,^[kg] and from there its water flows toward the Dead^[kh] Sea, where the sea water turns fresh. ⁹ It will support all kinds of living creatures that will thrive abundantly wherever the river flows. There will be a great many fish, because this water will flow there and turn the salt water fresh. As a result, everything will live wherever the river flows. ¹⁰ A day will come when fishermen will line its banks—from En-gedi to En-eglaim^[ki] there will be plenty of room to spread out nets. There will be all sorts of species of fish, as abundant as the fish that live in the Mediterranean^[kj] Sea. There will be lots of them!

¹¹ “The river delta^[kk] will consist of swamps and marshes that will remain a salt water wetland preserve. ¹² Lining each side of the river banks, all sorts of species of fruit trees will be growing. Their leaves will never wither and their fruit will never fail. They will bear fruit every month, because the water that nourishes them will be flowing from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves will contain substances that promote healing.”