1
Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut for the six working days, but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened; on the day of the new moon it shall also be opened.
2
The prince shall enter from outside through the vestibule of the gate and stand by the gatepost. Meanwhile the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall bow down at the threshold of the gate, then go out again. And the gate shall not be shut until evening.
3
The people of the land shall also bow down before the LORD at that gate on the Sabbath days and on the new moon days.
4
The burnt offering that the prince shall present to the LORD on the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and one ram without blemish.
5
The grain offering with the ram shall be one ephah of flour, but the grain offering with the lambs shall be according to his ability, together with a hin of oil for each ephah.
6
On the day of the new moon he shall present a young bull without blemish, and six lambs and one ram without blemish.
7
As a grain offering he shall prepare one ephah of flour with the bull and one ephah of flour with the ram, but the grain offering with the lambs shall be according to his ability, together with a hin of oil for each ephah.
8
When the prince enters, he shall enter through the vestibule of the gate, and he shall go out by the same way.
9
But when the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by the north gate to bow down shall go out by the south gate, and whoever enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate. No one shall return by the gate through which he entered, but each shall go out by the gate opposite him.
10
As for the prince, he shall enter with them and go out with them.
11
At the feasts and the appointed festivals there shall be a grain offering: one ephah of flour with a bull and one ephah of flour with a ram, but the grain offering with the lambs shall be according to his ability, together with a hin of oil for each ephah.
12
When the prince prepares a freewill burnt offering or freewill peace offerings to the LORD, the east gate shall be opened for him, and he shall present his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out the gate shall be shut.
13
Each day he shall prepare a year-old lamb without blemish as a burnt offering to the LORD; every morning he shall do this.
14
Along with it, every morning he shall present a grain offering of one-sixth of an ephah of flour with one-third of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour; this is the grain offering to the LORD, and it is a lasting ordinance forever.
15
Thus they shall present the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil every morning as a regular burnt offering.
16
Thus says the Lord GOD: If the prince gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his sons, it shall belong to his son; it is his possession by inheritance.
17
But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall belong to that servant until the year of liberty, and then it shall return to the prince; only his sons may inherit his inheritance.
18
The prince shall not take any of the people’s inheritance, driving them out of their possession; from his own possession he may give an inheritance to his sons, so that none of My people may be driven from his possession.”
19
Then he brought me through the entrance beside the gate into the chambers for the priests on the north side of the sanctuary, and behold, there was a place at the far west end.
20
He said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering and bake the grain offering; they must not bring them out into the outer court, so that they do not consecrate the people of the LORD.”
21
Then he led me out to the outer court and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court, and behold, in each corner of the court there was another court.
22
In the four corners of the court there were small courts, forty cubits long and thirty cubits wide; the four of them were the same size.
23
Around the four small courts there was a stone wall, and at the base of the stone walls all around were places for cooking.
24
He said to me, “These are the cooking places, where the temple servants shall cook the sacrifices of the people of the LORD.”
🕊️⛩️🥖 Summary of Ezekiel 46 – New Worship Order and the Prince’s Inheritance
Ezekiel 46 continues the divine regulations for worship in the new temple. The Lord gives detailed instructions about the Sabbath, the festivals, and the offerings, as well as the special role of the prince. In addition, the Lord establishes laws concerning inheritance and the care of the holy space. This chapter emphasizes that worship of the Lord must be carried out with order, reverence, and full obedience.
📌 1. The East Gate Opened on the Feast Day (verses 1–3)
➡️ The closed east gate (Ezekiel 44:2) is opened only on the Sabbath and the new moon feast days
➡️ The prince must enter through that gate and present an offering
➡️ The people worship the Lord at the threshold, while the prince leads from within
🎯 Public worship is led in an orderly way and with reverence toward the Lord.
📌 2. The Prince’s Offering Procedure (verses 4–8)
➡️ On the Sabbath: the prince offers 6 lambs, 1 ram, and a grain offering
➡️ On the feast day: similar offerings, with added measures of grain and oil
➡️ The prince enters and leaves by the same way, not by another gate
🎯 The Lord establishes a protocol that shows worship is not a casual matter.
📌 3. The Daily Offering Procedure (verses 9–15)
➡️ The people enter through one gate and go out through the opposite gate – a sign of order and the flow of worship
➡️ Each morning there is a daily burnt offering: a flawless lamb, grain, and oil
🎯 Daily worship is an important part of spiritual life, not only on feast days.
📌 4. The Law of Inheritance for the Prince (verses 16–18)
➡️ If the prince gives an inheritance to his son, it becomes permanent property
➡️ If to a servant, it is only temporary until the Year of Jubilee (the year of freedom)
➡️ The prince must not take the people’s property by force
🎯 Leadership in God’s kingdom does not oppress, but protects and is just.
📌 5. The Holy Kitchen Rooms and Their Function (verses 19–24)
➡️ Ezekiel saw the kitchen rooms in the inner and outer court, where the priests and servants cooked the offerings
➡️ Their purpose: so that the people would not take part in what is holy, preserving the boundary between the holy and the common
🎯 The separation of functions is a form of honor toward holiness in service.
📖 Main Teaching
- Worship must be carried out in order, not carelessly
- The leader (prince) must be an example in worship and obedience
- The Lord orders spiritual and social matters: inheritance, justice, and the role of the people
- Everyday life is also part of worship — not only during great celebrations
- Holiness must be guarded, including in practical service such as cooking the offerings
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
📖 1 Corinthians 14:40
“Let all things be done decently and in order.”
➡️ The ordered worship in Ezekiel 46 is in harmony with New Testament principle.
📖 Hebrews 13:15
“Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God…”
➡️ Now, our spiritual sacrifice is praise and a life pleasing to God.
📖 1 Peter 2:9
“You are a royal priesthood…”
➡️ Believers are called to be spiritual leaders in a holy life.
📖 John 4:23–24
“True worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth…”
➡️ True worship is not only about outward form, but a heart turned toward the Lord.
🕊️ “The east gate must remain shut… but it shall be opened on the Sabbath day.” – Ezekiel 46:1
🕊️ “The people must enter… and go out by the opposite gate.” – Ezekiel 46:9
🕊️ “Every morning you must offer a lamb…” – Ezekiel 46:13
🕊️ “He must not take the people’s inheritance…” – Ezekiel 46:18
