Bible Strands
Ezekiel 40:39
Inside the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings were to be slaughtered.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Ezekiel receives a visionary architectural survey from God, detailing the structural layout and ritual preparations for a restored temple. The revelation occurs during the Babylonian exile, establishing the exact spatial order for future sacrificial worship.
The words — The text places two tables (שֻלְחָנוֹת, shulchanot) on each side of the gateway's portico (אֻלָם, ulam). These tables functioned as the designated slaughter stations for the burnt, sin, and guilt offerings.
The thread — The procedure for these offerings aligns with Levitical requirements that unblemished sacrifices be presented at the entrance (Leviticus 1:3; 4:2). Ezekiel 46:2 later locates the prince standing at this same gateway post while the priests carry out the rites.
Why it lands — The verse requires strict adherence to the physical and procedural boundaries of sacred space. It demands that readers recognize worship and atonement must follow the exact spatial and ritual order God has established.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 1:3 If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to present an unblemished male. He must bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for its acceptance before the LORD.
- Leviticus 4:2 “Tell the Israelites to do as follows with one who sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s commandments and does what is forbidden by them:
- Ezekiel 46:2 The prince is to enter from the outside through the portico of the gateway and stand by the gatepost, while the priests sacrifice his burnt offerings and peace offerings. He is to bow in worship at the threshold of the gate and then depart, but the gate must not be shut until evening.
- Leviticus 4:13 Now if the whole congregation of Israel strays unintentionally and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly so that they violate any of the LORD’s commandments and incur guilt by doing what is forbidden,
- Leviticus 5:6 and he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD for the sin he has committed: a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering. And the priest will make atonement for him concerning his sin.
- Leviticus 6:6 Then he must bring to the priest his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram of proper value from the flock.
- Leviticus 7:1 “Now this is the law of the guilt offering, which is most holy:
- Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
- Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
- Ezekiel 40:42 There were also four tables of dressed stone for the burnt offering, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit high. On these were placed the utensils used to slaughter the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices.