Ezekiel 43:20

You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and all around the rim; thus you will cleanse the altar and make atonement for it.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Lord GOD speaks to Ezekiel during a vision of the restored temple. The command follows the directive to provide a young bull for a sin offering.

The words — וְ/לָקַחְתָּ (ve./la.kach.Ta) means "and you will take," and מִ/דָּמ/וֹ (mi./da.M/o) translates as "some of its blood." These terms direct the priest to physically handle the sacrificial animal for the ritual.

The thread — Leviticus 8:15 records Moses applying blood to the altar horns for purification. Leviticus 16:19 and Exodus 29:12 similarly prescribe blood application for cleansing and consecration.

Why it lands — The text mandates a specific physical action to remove defilement from the altar. A reader must acknowledge that sacred space requires a prescribed ritual to establish atonement before ministry can proceed.

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

וְלָקַחְתָּ֣ve./la.kach.Taand/ you will take מִדָּמ֗וֹmi./da.M/osome of/ blood/ its וְנָ֨תַתָּ֜הve./Na.ta.Tahand/ you will put [it]עַל־'al-on אַרְבַּ֤ע'ar.Ba'[the] four קַרְנֹתָיו֙kar.no.Ta/vhorns/ its וְאֶל־ve./'el-and/ to אַרְבַּע֙'ar.Ba'[the] four פִּנּ֣וֹתpi.Not[the] corners of הָעֲזָרָ֔הha./'a.za.Rahthe/ ledge וְאֶֽל־ve./'el-and/ to הַגְּב֖וּלha./ge.Vulthe/ border סָבִ֑יבsa.Vivall around וְחִטֵּאתָ֥ve./chi.te.Taand/ you will cleanse from sin אוֹת֖וֹ'o.T/o<obj.>/ it וְכִפַּרְתָּֽהוּ׃ve./khi.par.Ta./huand/ you will make atonement for/ it

King James Version

And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.

Cross-references

Leviticus 8:15 Moses slaughtered the bull, took some of the blood, and applied it with his finger to all four horns of the altar, purifying the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it so that atonement could be made on it.
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.
Exodus 29:12 Take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; then pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
Exodus 29:36 Sacrifice a bull as a sin offering each day for atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it.
Leviticus 9:9 The sons of Aaron brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and applied it to the horns of the altar. And he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
Ezekiel 43:22 On the second day you are to present an unblemished male goat as a sin offering, and the altar is to be cleansed as it was with the bull.
Ezekiel 43:26 For seven days the priests are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; so they shall consecrate it.
Leviticus 4:25 Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
Leviticus 4:30 Then the priest is to take some of its blood with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
Leviticus 4:34 Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.