This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.
Read it in contextThe Glory of the LORD Returns to the Temple
Start reading at Ezekiel 43:1 (Ezekiel 43:1 to Ezekiel 43:12).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The final vision describes the temple, worship, life-giving waters, and the land. Its interpretation should be distinguished from what the vision itself depicts.
43:1Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:
43:2And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.
43:3And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.
43:4And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.
43:5So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.
43:6And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.
43:7And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.
43:8In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.
43:9Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.
43:10Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.
43:11And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.
43:12This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest and prophet among the exiles, is the named prophetic voice and traditional author. Biblical references: Ezekiel 1:1; Ezekiel 1:3. stated in the text
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Ezekiel 40:1–48:35): Ezekiel is shown a visionary sanctuary, ordered worship, and land arrangements, which he is to declare to the house of Israel. The priestly and tribal groups in the vision are not all physically accompanying him. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? The house of Israel, with Ezekiel speaking especially among the Judean exiles in Babylonia. Some visions concern people in Jerusalem or other nations rather than people physically present with him. Biblical references: Ezekiel 3:11; Ezekiel 8:1; Ezekiel 24:21. stated in the text
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? The Glory of the LORD Returns to the Temple. Read Ezekiel 43:1 through Ezekiel 43:12 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The final vision describes the temple, worship, life-giving waters, and the land. Its interpretation should be distinguished from what the vision itself depicts. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The book repeatedly dates visions by years of captivity. Events pictured in a vision, the time of receiving it, and the time of later fulfillment should be distinguished. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? Ezekiel is among the exiles by the river Chebar. Visions carry him to other scenes, including Jerusalem; visionary location is not automatically ordinary physical travel. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in The Glory of the LORD Returns to the Temple (Ezekiel 43:1 to Ezekiel 43:12).
Start reading at Ezekiel 43:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? The shepherd promise can be read alongside Jesus' teaching about the good shepherd. The connection should retain Ezekiel's concern for the scattered flock and the failure of Israel's shepherds. See Ezekiel 34:11, Ezekiel 34:23, John 10:11. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Take warnings about personal responsibility and corrupt leadership seriously. When interpreting symbolic acts or visions, begin with the explanations supplied within the book. interpretation
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Ezekiel 43
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Ezekiel locates his ministry among the exiles and dates many visions by years of captivity. Symbolic acts and visions require attention to their stated explanations; a modern identification is not supplied merely by the presence of a symbol. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The final vision describes the temple, worship, life-giving waters, and the land. Its interpretation should be distinguished from what the vision itself depicts.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The final vision describes the temple, worship, life-giving waters, and the land. Its interpretation should be distinguished from what the vision itself depicts.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Ezekiel
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Ezekiel locates his ministry among the exiles and dates many visions by years of captivity. Symbolic acts and visions require attention to their stated explanations; a modern identification is not supplied merely by the presence of a symbol.
Connection to the wholeThe final vision describes the temple, worship, life-giving waters, and the land. Its interpretation should be distinguished from what the vision itself depicts.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.