Bible Strands
Ezekiel 44:4
Then the man brought me to the front of the temple by way of the north gate. I looked and saw the glory of the LORD filling His temple, and I fell facedown.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Ezekiel is guided by a man to the temple’s north gate, positioned between the Lord’s ruling on the prince’s access and a direct command to memorize every sanctuary statute.
The words — The Hebrew דֶּרֶךְ־ שַׁעַר הַצָּפוֹן (de.rekh- sha.'ar ha.tza.fOn) literally means "way of the gate of the north," pinpointing the exact northern approach Ezekiel takes.
The thread — Ezekiel’s vision of the LORD’s glory filling the sanctuary recalls his earlier sight by the Chebar canal (Ezekiel 3:23) and his initial throne-chariot vision (Ezekiel 1:28), while his prostrate collapse mirrors John’s reaction before the risen Christ (Revelation 1:17).
Why it lands — The text records the prophet falling facedown upon seeing the glory, demanding a response of immediate reverence to divine holiness rather than detached observation.
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 brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 1:28 The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.
- Revelation 1:17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
- Ezekiel 3:23 So I got up and went out to the plain, and behold, the glory of the LORD was present there, like the glory I had seen by the River Kebar, and I fell facedown.
- Ezekiel 40:20 He also measured the length and width of the gateway of the outer court facing north.
- Ezekiel 43:3 The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when He came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the River Kebar. I fell facedown,
- Isaiah 6:3 And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.”
- Ezekiel 40:40 Outside, as one goes up to the entrance of the north gateway, there were two tables on one side and two more tables on the other side of the gate’s portico.
- Haggai 2:7 I will shake all the nations, and they will come with all their treasures, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of Hosts.
- Genesis 17:3 Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
- Numbers 16:42 But when the congregation gathered against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the Tent of Meeting, and suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.