Bible Strands
Ezekiel 42:13
Then the man said to me, “The north and south chambers facing the temple courtyard are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the LORD will eat the most holy offerings. There they will place the most holy offerings—the grain offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings—for the place is holy.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The visionary guide addresses Ezekiel within the temple complex, identifying specific architectural zones for priestly use. This explanation occurs mid-tour as the guide delineates the courtyard's functional layout.
The words — לִשְׁכֹּת (lish.khot) refers to the enclosed chambers, while הַצָּפוֹן (ha.tza.fon) and הַדָּרוֹם (ha.da.rOm) fix their orientation to the north and south. These spatial markers ground the ritual instructions in the physical blueprint.
The thread — The mandate to consume sacred portions in consecrated rooms aligns with Leviticus 7:6 and Leviticus 10:17, which restrict eating most holy offerings to holy places. Ezekiel 40:46 similarly reserves a north-facing chamber for the Zadokite priests who minister at the altar.
Why it lands — The text establishes that approaching God requires strict adherence to designated boundaries and consecrated spaces. It demands that readers treat ritual proximity as a matter of structural obedience, not personal preference.
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
Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the Lord shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 7:6 Every male among the priests may eat of it. It must be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy.
- Leviticus 10:17 “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the holy place? For it is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the congregation by making atonement for them before the LORD.
- Ezekiel 40:46 and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, the only Levites who may approach the LORD to minister before Him.”
- Exodus 29:31 You are to take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place.
- Leviticus 6:29 Any male among the priests may eat it; it is most holy.
- Leviticus 14:13 Then he is to slaughter the lamb in the sanctuary area where the sin offering and burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest; it is most holy.
- Numbers 18:9 A portion of the most holy offerings reserved from the fire will be yours. From all the offerings they render to Me as most holy offerings, whether grain offerings or sin offerings or guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons.
- Leviticus 6:25 “Tell Aaron and his sons that this is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, the sin offering shall be slaughtered before the LORD; it is most holy.
- Leviticus 10:3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’” But Aaron remained silent.
- Leviticus 10:13 You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings to the LORD; for this is what I have been commanded.