XLIII In this chapter and the next, the temple-service is described, but under the type of the Old Testament service. The glory of God first fills the temple, ver. 1-6. A promise of God's continuing with his people, if they obey him, ver. 7-12. A description of the altar of burnt offerings, ver. 13-17. Directions for the consecration of that altar, ver. 18-27.

Verse 2. Came - When the glory departed, it went eastward, and now it returns, it comes from the east. And his voice - Though by the voice of God, thunder is sometimes meant, yet here it was an articulate voice.

Verse 3. And it - This glory of the God of Israel. To destroy - To declare, that their sins would ruin their city, chap. ix, 3, 4. I fell - Overwhelmed, and as it were swallowed up.

Verse 4. Came - The sins of Israel caused the glory of the Lord to go out of his house, now the repentance of Israel is blest with the return of this glory.

Verse 6. The man - Christ. Stood - To encourage, and strengthen him.

Verse 7. He - The glorious God of Israel. My throne - The throne of his grace is in his temple; in the dispensations of grace, God manifests himself a king. My feet - Speaking after the manner of men, and expressing his abode and rest, in his temple, as the type, in his church, as the antitype. In their high places - Perhaps some kings were buried in the temples of their idols, near the idols they worshipped.

Verse 8. Their threshold - The kings of Judah and Israel, built temples and altars for their idols, and these are called their thresholds. They erected these in the courts, or near the courts of the temple. Abominations - Idolatries, and wickednesses not to be named.

Verse 9. Far from me - From my temple.

Verse 10. Son of man - Ezekiel, who is called thus above eighty times in this book. Shew - Describe it to them in all the parts. To the house - To the rulers, prophets, and priests especially, not excluding others. Their iniquities - When they shall blush to see what glory their iniquities had ruined.

Verse 12. The law - This is the first comprehensive rule: holiness becomes God's house; and this relative holiness referred to personal and real holiness. The top - The whole circuit of this mountain shall be holy, but the top of it on which the temple stands, shall be most holy.

Verse 13. The altar - Of burnt-offerings. And an hand-breath - The sacred cubit, three inches longer than the common cubit. The bottom - The ledge or settle, fastened to the altar on all sides at the bottom, shall be a cubit in height. The breadth - From the edge of this bench on the outside to the edge where it joined the body of the altar, a cubit, and this the breadth, twenty one inches, broad enough for the priests to walk on. Border - A ledge going round on all the squares. The edge - On the outer edge of this settle a span high. The back - As the back bears burdens, so this was to bear the weight of the whole altar.

Verse 14. From the bottom - From the first ledge, which was a cubit broad, and a cubit high from the ground. To the lower - To the top of that square settle, which is called lower, because another settle is raised upon it. Two cubits - In height. The lesser - From the highest edge of the uppermost settle, down to the cubit broad ledge about the lower settle. The greater - So called, because it exceeded the upper settle a cubit in breadth. Four cubits - ln height.

Verse 15. Four cubits - In height. From the altar - From the top of the altar.

Verse 17. Stairs - Or steps, for such they needed, (probably each stair about one fourth of a cubit,) to carry them, up to the first and second settles.

Verse 19. Give - Direct, or command that it be given.

Verse 20. Shalt take - Appoint it to be taken.

Verse 21. He - The priest. In the appointed place - That is, in the court of the house, and on the altar appointed; this is the first day's sacrifice.

Verse 22. They - The priests in attendance.

Verse 23. Shalt offer - On the third day, and so on, through seven days.

Verse 24. Shalt offer - Direct them to offer. Salt - It may allude to the perpetuity of the covenant thus made by sacrifice.

Verse 26. They - The priests in course.