Ezekiel 43:18

Then He said to me: “Son of man, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is constructed, so that burnt offerings may be sacrificed on it and blood may be splattered on it:

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Ezekiel as "Son of man" immediately after describing the altar's dimensions and eastern-facing steps. He delivers formal statutes concerning the altar's inauguration and the procedures for burnt offerings and blood splattering.

The words — The phrase בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-adam) literally means "son of man" or "son of humankind," marking Ezekiel's mortal status. כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה (koh amar Adonai Yahweh) translates to "thus says the Lord GOD," functioning as a standard prophetic formula.

The thread — The text's focus on altar statutes and blood splattering aligns with the consecration protocols in Exodus 40:29 and the sacrificial regulations in Leviticus 1:5 and 8:18. These passages establish a consistent biblical pattern for ritual purification and offering procedures.

Why it lands — The verse states that sacred space requires specific, divinely mandated procedures before any sacrifice can occur. It demands adherence to prescribed ritual boundaries rather than personal initiative in approaching the altar.

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

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said אֵלַ֗י'e.La/ito/ me בֶּן־ben-O son of אָדָם֙'a.Damhumankind כֹּ֤הkohthus אָמַר֙'a.Marhe says אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.Nai[the] Lord יְהוִ֔הYah.wehYahweh אֵ֚לֶּה'E.lehthese חֻקּ֣וֹתchu.Kot[are] [the] statutes of הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַha./miz.Be.achthe/ altar בְּי֖וֹםbe./Yomon/ [the] day הֵעָֽשׂוֹת֑וֹhe.'a.so.T/ois made/ it לְהַעֲל֤וֹתle./ha.'a.Lotto/ offer up עָלָיו֙'a.La/von/ it עוֹלָ֔הo.Laha burnt offering וְלִזְרֹ֥קve./li/z.Rokand/ to/ sprinkle עָלָ֖יו'a.La/von/ it דָּֽם׃Damblood

King James Version

And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord God; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.

Cross-references

Exodus 40:29 He placed the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded him.
Leviticus 1:5 And he shall slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests are to present the blood and splatter it on all sides of the altar at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
Leviticus 8:18 Then Moses presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.
Leviticus 16:19 He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.
Ezekiel 2:1 “Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.”
Ezekiel 45:18 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘On the first day of the first month you are to take a young bull without blemish and purify the sanctuary.
Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,
Hebrews 9:21 In the same way, he sprinkled with blood the tabernacle and all the vessels used in worship.
Hebrews 10:4 because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Hebrews 12:24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.