Chapter Forty-Five

1-8. The portions of land for priests, Levites, the city, and the prince. 9-17. The prince’s tribute and its main purpose.

In chapters XLV and XLVI, before proceeding to the law of chapters XLVII and XLVIII concerning the distribution among the tribes of the new Israel of the new promised land, it is indicated that from this land, both in itself and from its products, must be set apart for the Lord – in the form of: a) sacred and princely portions of land; b) a tribute to the prince for his sacrifices to the Lord and a tribute from the people directly to the Lord: sacrifices of various kinds.

In verses 1-8 of chapter XLV the measure of the sacred portion with the surrounding 3 portions is indicated; the data of this section are more fully and in detail presented in Ezek 48:8-17. The sacred portion with the adjoining portions – to the north the Levites and to the south the city – forms a square space of 25,000 × 25,000 cubits, occupying almost the very center of the new promised land (slightly to the south of center). The most sacred part of this portion, to be the possession of the priests, with the temple in the middle, while having with the other two portions the same length of 25,000 cubits, has a width of 10,000 cubits; the Levite portion lying to the north of the priestly portion is of the same width; the city portion to the south is 5,000 cubits in width. From the east and from the west to the entire sacred portion (25 thousand cubits in width) adjoins the princely portion (see the diagram on page 538), embracing on both sides the sacred and extending rectangular with it across the entire width of the promised land (from the Jordan to the sea). Such an arrangement of the sacred portion was designed to indicate: a) that the temple should be the center of the land (in favor of historical reality, however, a concession was made in that the temple lies not in the very center among the tribes, as we shall see in chapter XLVIII) and b) that it should be protected from any contact with all that is not sanctified (for this purpose between it and the city is appointed an unbuilt space).

Ezekiel 45:1. When you divide the land by lot as an inheritance, you shall set apart for the Lord a sacred district, 25,000 cubits in length and 20,000 in breadth; it shall be sacred throughout its extent all around. Just as from the fruits of the land the firstfruits are dedicated to God (Ezek 44:30), so from the land itself. “By lot” the land is divided only among clans and families (Ezek 47:22), and to the tribes the portions are assigned by the prophet (Ezek 48 chapters); not so Josh 13:1 and following – From the land must be set apart for the Lord a teruma (Greek απαρχη, Slavonic “firstfruits,” Russian “portion”) – a gift (Deut 12:11; Exod 25:2; cf. Prov 29:4), which will therefore be a holy place, kodesh (Slavonic “holy,” Russian “sacred”), of the land. This holy place of the land, surrounding the temple (“all around”), is to represent 25,000 × 10,000 of an unspecified measure, perhaps cubits (“cubits” – Ezek 40:5 would not correspond to the width of the entire promised land); it is possible that the absence of a unit of measurement wishes to elevate the thought to heavenly, immeasurable magnitudes. From verse 4 it is evident that this part of the land will form the portion of the priests, especially sacred as adjoining the temple. The LXX in most manuscripts increase the width of the portion to 20,000, thus including in it the Levite portion (verse 5).

Ezekiel 45:2. Of this shall be for the sanctuary a square of 500 cubits by 500 cubits; and there shall be an open space around it of fifty cubits. The holiest part of the Lord’s portion is the place occupied by the temple itself with its two courts (“sanctuary,” kodesh) and having (still according to Ezek 42:16-20) 500 units of an unspecified measure in squares. See the diagram for Ezek 48. Because of the supreme holiness of this place, around it must be a free, unbuilt “space” (Slavonic “distance” – migra), as a comparatively narrow band – 50 units of measure – encircling the temple area and separating it from the dwellings of the priests (even).

Ezekiel 45:3. From this measure you shall measure off a length of 25,000 cubits and a width of 10,000 cubits; in it shall be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. The temple, now called by the prophet the more general name mikdash, Slavonic, Russian: “sanctuary,” “consecration” and characterized as “the Most Holy Place” (cf. Ezek 43:12) is to be within the measure just indicated for it (“from this measure”) the starting point, center, from which are to be measured those (already indicated in verse 1) 25,000 length and 10,000 units of measure width of the sacred portion. Recent commentators, following Cornill, place this verse immediately after the 1st, after it the 2nd, and then the 4th, assuming that the verses have been rearranged later, so that the mention of the sanctuary comes before that of the priests (in verse 4).

Ezekiel 45:4. This shall be a holy portion of the land; it shall be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to minister to the Lord; and it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. In order to ensure the special holiness of the place surrounding the temple (“holy portion,” Slavonic, more accurately “holy – kodesh – of the land”), it is to be given to the priests, “ministers” of the very “sanctuary” (not the temple in general, as the Levites – cf. verse 5) and constantly “coming near to God,” – given for the “houses” of theirs, – “shall be for them a place for houses and a holy place for the sanctuary,” Hebrew mikdash – lemikdash literally “a sanctuary (holy place?) for a sanctuary” – an unnatural expression, which is why the LXX read the first word as milkad – “separated,” “and shall be for them a place for houses separated (αφωρισμενους) for their sanctification,” that is, the houses of priests, being in such a place, like isolated, will correspond to the holiness of the priests; the expression also not quite smooth; recent scholars suppose in the first mikdash corruption from migra – free space. Special dwellings for priests are not contrary to the command Ezek 44:28: “give them no possessions in Israel – I am their possession,” because this portion (teruma verse 1) belongs properly to the Lord and the temple and the settlement on it of priests is only the concrete expression of the idea that the Lord is their portion (Shred.).

Ezekiel 45:5. Twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width shall belong to the Levites, the ministers of the house, as their possession for cities to live in. Corresponding to the lesser holiness of the Levites, “ministers” of the house in general (not the sanctuary – cf. verse 4) their portion, in size equal to the priestly portion of 25,000 × 10,000, but not diminished by the temple area (since there were more Levites), did not lie in such direct proximity to the temple as the priestly portion, but adjoined the priestly portion from the north (as is evident already from Ezek 48). “As their possession for dwelling” – Hebrew esrim leshakhot literally “twenty rooms”; because of the unnaturalness of such a meaning (the speech could be of houses on such a vast space, as in verse 4, not of rooms, and moreover in such small number), they read, with the LXX (cf. Num 35:2; Josh 14:4; Josh 21:2) – arim lashevet – “cities to dwell in.”

Ezekiel 45:6. And you shall assign the property of the city an area 5,000 cubits in width and 25,000 in length, alongside the holy portion; it shall belong to the whole house of Israel. If to the square of 25,000 units in length × 10,000 width (sacred priests + 10,000 width of Levite portion) obtained up to this point is added what belongs to the city, the future Jerusalem, of course, with its suburbs, 25,000 × 5,000, then is obtained a square of 25,000 × 25,000 units, embracing on all sides the temple. The lower, southern square of this square of 25,000 × 5,000, entering into this sacred square and lying in such the same relation “opposite” – leummat, literally “correspondingly,” to the sacred portion teruma hakodesh; Russian “sacred place set apart for the Lord,” but “for the Lord” is not in the original text, that is, in which the Levite portion lies, must have with the latter the same degree of holiness, therefore the LXX render the latter expression: “as if the firstfruits (απαρχη) of the holy things.” This city area, as well as the sacred and the princely portion inscribed further, is not to be considered the possession of any one tribe (as once the tribe of Judah considered Jerusalem its city), but of the whole house of Israel. More details on all this in Ezek 48:15-19.

Ezekiel 45:7. As for the prince, you shall give him a portion on either side of the holy district and the city property, on the west side westward and on the east side eastward, in length equal to the tribal portions, from the western to the eastern boundary of the land. On both sides of the square of 25,000 square units containing the Levite, priestly, and city portions extended throughout the width of 25,000 units, the princely (nasi, see explanation of Ezek 44:3) portion and reached on the east the Jordan, and on the west the Mediterranean Sea, embracing from the east and west the sacred square and occupying, like each “of the portions” of the 12 tribes, the entire width of the Promised Land. Ezek 48:21. See the diagram on p. 232. Slavonic: “And to the elder from that: and from this,” Greek εκ τουτου και απο τουτου – literally a translation of Hebrew mizze umizze, which now, following the Vulgate (hinc et inde), everyone translates “on either side.” The Slavonic text further: “In the firstfruits of the holy, in the possession of the city,” – “in,” Hebrew le, “for,” “correspondingly,” Russian “beside”; “firstfruits of the holy” – the sacred portion (teruma) verses 1 and 4. “By the face of the possession of the city” – the most precise definition of this “in.” “That which is toward the sea, and from those toward the sea that on the east” – literally, but with rearrangement and omission, a translation of Hebrew “from the side of the sea (west) to the sea and from the side of the east to the east,” that is, from the western, sea side (of the sacred portion) to the very west (the sea) and from the eastern side to the very east (of the Promised Land). “Length and as one part (tribal portion) from (απο) boundary that (των) to the sea (from the sea boundary of the land) and length to (επι) boundary that on the east of the land” – an expanded translation of Hebrew, where the word “of the land” is correctly taken into this verse from the beginning of the 9th Hebrew verse.

Ezekiel 45:8. This land shall be his possession in Israel; and My princes shall no more oppress My people, but they shall let the house of Israel have the land according to their tribes. The prince is allotted such a comparatively large portion of land (about 17 square units if one counts the actual width of the Promised Land at Jerusalem) so that the future princes, whom the Lord pointedly calls His (the LXX, however, have “of Israel”) and whom the prophet thinks as an entire hereditary succession (in contrast to the one Messiah with an endless kingdom with other prophets), so that these princes, like their predecessors (Ezek 22:6) do not oppress the people, also the Lord’s, as they, and chiefly so as not to rob the tribes of Israel of their portions. The beginning of the verse: “this is his land” (la’aretz – “for the land”) with the LXX should be referred to the preceding verse (see its explanation). Thus the prophet approaches the question of the rights and duties of the prince toward the people (verses 9-17), which is reduced to the question of the tribute, because the tribute, to which the prince has a right from the people, he is obliged to use for the cult, which even before the captivity was paid mainly from royal resources; now, with the complete absence of military expenses and with the perfect theocratization of society, this is the only purpose of state finances: the people pays tribute to the prince so that he, as the church’s patron, might have the means to bring the appointed sacrifices. Thus the whole life of the people (chiefly materially) is directed to religion. The prophet regulates the tribute first from the negative side, eliminating the abuses that had been made before in this sphere (verse 9). These abuses were of two kinds: less was taken from the prescribed, and something not prescribed at all was taken; the first necessitated a precise determination of measures in general (verses 10-12) and the measure for tribute (verses 11-15). Then the tribute is regulated from the positive side, by its purpose, which is indicated entirely in the maintenance of the people’s cult (verses 16, 17).

Ezekiel 45:9. Thus says the Lord God: Enough, O princes of Israel! Cease violence and oppression, and execute justice and righteousness; stop dispossessing My people, declares the Lord God. The essence of the new order on the new promised land from the external, governmental side must consist in the complete elimination of all wrongdoing and injury to the people on the part of the authorities. Of this wrongdoing there has heretofore been all too much, so that its measure is filled. The prophet names two kinds of such wrongdoing: “violence and oppression” – hamas and shod – see Jer 6:7; Hab 1:3: αδικιαν και ταλαιπωριαν, the second stronger than the first. Former prophets also often complained of such wrongdoings by the “princes”: for instance Mic 3:1-3; 1 Sam 12:4. Correspondingly two positive requirements are presented to the princes – not only justice but also righteousness in it. In connection with the foregoing and essentially, the prophet warns the princes especially against the greatest injury to the people – the seizure of land plots – under the pretext of, for instance, confiscations, as was permitted by Ahab with respect to Naboth; cf. also Isa 5:8; Mic 2:9. The last thought (“stop dispossessing…”) – the most probable translation of Hebrew “remove gerushtekhen,” where gerusha – from the root to expel; LXX: “take away violence”; Vulgate: separate continia vestra.

Ezekiel 45:10. You shall have honest balances, a true ephah, and a true bath. With the incorrect measures in private practice, which were generally widespread among ancient Hebrews and provoked the denunciations of the prophets (Lev 19:35 and onwards Deut 25:13 and onwards Amos 8:5; Hos 12:8; Mic 6:10; Prov 16:11), it was easier to contend than with abuses in this respect by the government itself when collecting tributes in kind, which abuses consequently were and perhaps not in small measure. All sorts of measures are mentioned: weights, measures for dry and liquid substances. “To you” — to the princes. LXX: “a just weight and a just measure and a just choenix let there be to you for measures” replace the specific terms ephah and bath with the general “measure” and choenix. The choenix is a daily ration of food per person and a defined grain measure of 2 xestai or 4 kotulai. “For measures” — the first word of verse 11 in Hebrew is drawn into verse 10 by the LXX.

Ezekiel 45:11. The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure, so that the bath shall contain a tenth part of a homer and the ephah a tenth part of a homer; their measure shall be established according to the homer. The ephah and the bath are measures of equal volume, but the former for liquids and the latter for dry substances; each is approximately 36.4 liters, about 3 buckets or 11 garnets. The bath is first mentioned in Isaiah, consequently this is a later measure; in Moses’ time a hin (Lev 19:36) — one-sixth of an ephah — served as the measure for liquids. A homer is 364.4 liters. Larger measures less readily permitted abuse, therefore smaller ones are established by them (5, 10). The Slavonic says “to receive,” “so that it should contain,” but thereafter the accusative should be used as in the Greek: “a tenth (read: one-tenth) part...”

Ezekiel 45:12. Twenty shekels shall make one shekel; and twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, and fifteen shekels shall constitute one mina for you. Just as the ephah and the bath were used to measure natural tributes, so weight was used for monetary ones, since coins in the proper sense did not exist. “Shekel” — 3.83 gold, 14.55 grams (4, 10); a silver shekel, consequently in value was about one ruble of ours (4 gold — 21 parts pure silver); German interpreters reckon in it their own 2 marks 50 pfennigs, and a ruble now is 2 m. 16 pf. The division of the shekel into gerahs existed already in Moses’ time and already Moses in every mention of the shekel insists that it should contain 20 gerahs, calling such a magnitude of shekel sacred (Exod 30:13; Lev 27:25; consequently Num 3:47); consequently the trimming of the shekel, which produced the ordinary, civil shekel, began already in that time. The LXX and Vulgate translate “gerah” as “obol”; obolos is an Attic coin, one-sixth of a drachma, 4-5 kopecks. “Twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels and fifteen shekels shall constitute one mina for you.” It forbids reducing the currency exchange. — Mina (mane) — a name for money common to Semites and Greeks (mna) appearing in biblical literature only around the period of captivity; 1 Sam 10:17; Ezra 2:69; Nehem 7:71-72. Comparing 1 Sam 10:17, where 3 minas of gold were used for a shield, with 2 Chr 9:16, where about the same shield it is said that it was made of “300 (shekels) of gold” (the word “shekel” by the way is not in the Hebrew; in the LXX “golden”), they concluded that a mina equaled 100 shekels; but now it has become known that in western Asia the mina contained 60 shekels (Nowack, Arch. I, 207 et seq. and others). It is remarkable that even the sum of the given numbers (20 + 25 + 15) makes 60. One cannot think with the Targum and rabbis that the prophet for greater accuracy of calculation designated here 60 through the sum of its summands: this would be a very strange expression. In no way can the supposition of Hitzig be proved, that here three minas of different worth are indicated: silver, gold, and copper. Therefore probably the Masoretic text is corrupted. Meanwhile the Alexandrian Codex gives a fully natural reading: “five shekels shall be (i.e., shall be reckoned as) five shekels, and ten shekels — ten shekels, and 50 shekels shall be one mina,” that is, shall not be reckoned at less than their value; 5 and 10 shekels, as round numbers, could have been taken as examples or perhaps were such coins; the mina by that time could have been reduced from 60 to 50 shekels. The Vaticanus codex is shorter but not so smooth; “five shekels — five and shekels, ten and fifty shekels — mina.” A mina, consequently, was about 50-60 rubles.

Ezekiel 45:13. This is the tribute which you must give to the prince: one-sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat, and one-sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley; “Tribute” to the prince, like the sacred offering (Ezek 44:30; cf. Ezek 45:1), is designated by the word terumah, because it too in the end goes to the temple and the cult, although this word “in Prov 29:4 has a secular sense” (Smend). From grains the tribute is paid only from the most important and constitutes 1/60 of the harvest, since 1 ephah is 1/10 of a homer, and the tribute constitutes 1/6 of an ephah. — “One-sixth part,” literally “divide into 6 parts” (verb instead of numeral).

Ezekiel 45:14. A provision concerning oil: one-tenth of a bath of oil; ten baths make a homer, because there are ten baths in a homer; The tribute from oil is already much less than the grain tribute; barely not twice less; only 1/100. And it is designated not as terumah (see verse 13), but as chok — “provision” (cf. Ezek 16:27 “ordinance,” Lev 7:34 “portion”). Cor (Aramaic kora, Greek koros) is the homer (Nowack, Arch. 1, 203. Benzing. 183) and must have replaced this name around the time of captivity (1 Sam 4:22; 2 Chr 2:10), becoming perhaps predominantly a measure for liquids; the lengthy explanation of this measure here shows that it was new. But the Hebrew text here is unintelligibly obscure and verbose — literally “and provision of oil: bath of oil — one-tenth part of a bath from a cor ten baths homer, because ten baths homer”; in the words “bath of oil” a gloss is seen (Deut 14:23); instead of “homer” one reads with Pish. and Vulgate. “cor”; “ten baths cor,” since naturally one would expect an explanation of what such a cor is, not a homer, explained in verse 11; the final sentence of the verse is considered dittography, supposing that ki, “because” arose from cor; but this sentence perhaps means that a cor equaled a homer. LXX: “a measure (kotule — cup) of oil from ten measures, since ten measures are a homer,” i.e., more briefly: 1/100 of a homer.

Ezekiel 45:15. One sheep from a flock of two hundred sheep from the pastures of Israel: all this for a grain offering and a burnt offering, and a peace offering, for their atonement, says the Lord God. The tribute from sheep is even less than from oil; namely twice less than the latter: 1/200. The tribute is very moderate. But the LXX according to Deut 14:23 here correct it to 1/100. — “One” is feminine in Hebrew, because large flocks consist for the most part of female animals. — A sheep, Hebrew se, as in Exod 12:3, means a head of any small livestock (and goats). But the LXX: probaton. Sheep are required for tribute “from the fat pastures of Israel,” misqeh: abundantly watered, as in Gen 13:10 the Jordan valley is called. This does not mean that owners of non-fat pastures were free from tribute, but that all pastures on the new sacred land will be fat. Troubled by this word, the LXX read something close in form; “a portion (tribute, aphaireina terumah) from all the territories of Israel.” “All this” — a felicitous addition of the Russian translation, since further it indicates not only the predestination of the tribute of sheep, but of all tribute to the prince: for a grain offering (the LXX imprecisely: “sacrifices,” should be, speaking of the predestination of sheep) sheep could not go. It is remarkable that among the sacrifices are not mentioned sacrifices properly for sin (the comparative sinlessness of the future Israel). — “For their atonement,” le appeal, literally “to cover,” a known sacrificial term from which comes the name of the mercy seat. The LXX is good: “to make atonement,” tou exilaskesthai. — “Their,” that is, of the tributaries, but the LXX in accordance with verse 13 “of you.” — The tribute had as one of its purposes expenses for sacrifices; the main purpose, but not the only one; for sacrifices alone it would have been too great. It went generally for the maintenance and expenses of the prince. Barley, by the way, was not used in the cult.

Ezekiel 45:16. All the people of the land are bound to make this offering to the prince in Israel. It is insisted upon the universal obligation of the tribute, perhaps in view of its absence in Mosaic law. — “Of the land” — a pleonasm, not present in the LXX (in the Slavonic it is). — “Offering,” terumah, see explanation of verse 13; cf. verse 1 and Ezek 44:30.

Ezekiel 45:17. And it shall be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings for the festivals and new moons and Sabbaths, all the feast days of the house of Israel; he shall provide the sin offering and the grain offering and the burnt offering and the peace offering to make atonement for the house of Israel. In exchange for the tribute the prince will repay the people with sacrifices, which are his chief obligation (literally from the Hebrew: “and on — al — the prince will be: burnt offerings” etc. Slavonic “and the elder shall make burnt offerings” etc.) toward the people to such an extent that others are not mentioned. Therefore blessed Jerome rightly sees in the prince a type of Christ. First the festive sacrifices of the prince are indicated, then his sacrifices in general (in verse 17b, but hardly daily; cf. Ezek 46:13-14). In the number of the first are indicated besides burnt offering and grain offering (the LXX the latter generally: “sacrifices”) also “drink offering,” Hebrew nesek, a term applied in the law of M. only to the pouring out of wine; but since it is completely excluded from the cult by Ezekiel (see explanation Ezek 44:21; cf. Ezek 23:42), then is meant the pouring out of oil (Ezek 46:5; cf. Mic 6:7). The festivals on which the prince must offer three mentioned kinds of sacrifices, also said to be three kinds: festivals in the proper sense, the greatest annual (chag as for example Passover, Tabernacles), less solemn and more frequent festivals — new moons and finally weekly festivals — Sabbaths; all are united in the term “festivals,” moadim from the root “to gather,” — festive gatherings (Gen 1:14; Lev 23:2). LXX: “festivals.” As ordinary non-festival sacrifices are indicated besides those also belonging to the first kind; burnt offerings and grain offerings, more sorrowful sacrifices: sin offering (chata) and less solemn: peace offerings. All these sacrifices of the prince have as their goal not so much him, even and generally not him himself, but the people, — the atonement (kapar — see in verse 15) of the house of Israel. The prince appears thus as a mediator and intercessor for his people before God. Table of festivals and their sacrifices. Since the tribute to the prince has as its chief purpose defraying his expenses on sacrifices, especially festive ones, the prophet passes from the discussion of it to the table of sacrifices and festivals. Regarding festivals, the year is divided into two halves, each of which is opened by a day of atonement, and in the middle of the first month has a great festival, in the 1st month Passover, in the 7th an unnamed festival, but corresponding to Tabernacles. Thus the year has two days of atonement and two highest festivals (Ezek 45:16-25). The further festivals are: Sabbath (Ezek 46:1-5) and new moons (6-7). For all these festivals sacrifices are indicated, and then additionally (8-12) some indications are given about the conduct of the prince and the people at these sacrifices. But each day is also honored with sacrifices (13-15). After a brief digression from the main subject — a note on the property rights of the prince (16-18), the prophet, to conclude his discussion of sacrifices, indicates the location in the temple of the sacred bakeries and sacrificial kitchens, whereby the present section on festivals and sacrifices, and equally the preceding one on sacred allotments and tribute is included in the discussion of the temple. This ritual code of Ezekiel draws attention by its difference from the corresponding sections of Mosaic legislation. Ezekiel prescribes not only different sacrifices for the festivals, but also gives a different table of the latter. Thus Ezekiel does not indicate the festival of Pentecost, the new year, and assigns instead of one two days of atonement, but less solemn. The brief overview presented of Ezekiel’s church year shows of itself the reason for these changes. Just as in the plan of the temple the vision of the prophet imparts to Solomon’s temple strict symmetry, so too does the present table of festivals with the Mosaic. Moreover, the construction of Ezekiel’s church year is determined by the number 7. The festival of Pentecost and the new year are eliminated precisely so that both halves of the year fully correspond to each other. With this same goal two days of atonement are introduced. With this latter at the same time the significance of this day is diminished — in correspondence with the great purity of the new Israel. Therefore negative criticism unjustly from the lesser complexity of Ezekiel’s church year concludes to its primacy in relation to the Mosaic, considering the Mosaic festivals, especially in the form as they appear in Lev 17-26 (the so-called “Priestly Code”) as a significant development of Ezekiel’s legislation; the church year of Deuteronomy is considered by negative criticism as an intermediate step between these phases of development, less different from Ezekiel’s than the book of Leviticus (just as there and in Ezekiel for Passover and Tabernacles 7, not 8 days are assigned: Deut 16:4; Lev 23:5 et seq.; Num 28:16 et seq.; Exod 12:18). Yet there are many more differences in Ezekiel’s prescriptions concerning sacrifices than in Mosaic law. Here already in not one particular is there agreement. But again one cannot say that Ezekiel’s laws concerning festive sacrifices are simpler and that the Mosaic ones represent their development. The former only present a more strictly organized system in which the quantity of sacrifices is precisely proportioned to the importance of the festival. The following table will clearly show the relationship of Ezekiel’s laws concerning sacrifices to the Mosaic. V signifies a burnt offering, S — a sin offering. M — a peace offering, l — a lamb, r — a ram, b — a bull, g — a goat, ox — an ox. The smallest sacrificial unit in Ezekiel, as also in Moses, is a lamb. For the ordinary sacrifice in Ezekiel a single such unit is taken, in Moses — two: the first gives the possibility to elevate the festival above weekdays and consequently to more sanctify the festival. This we already see in the laws of Ezekiel and Moses concerning the Sabbath sacrifice. While Moses simply doubles the Sabbath sacrifice, in Ezekiel on the Sabbath six lambs are offered for the preceding 6 days of the week and for the Sabbath the next sacrifice unit in size — a ram. On the new moon, the following festival in degree, to the Sabbath sacrifice is added and the further sacrifice unit in size — a bull (cf. Ps 50:21; 1 Sam 1:24; Mic 6:6-7). The sacrifice unit next in size to a ram — properly a goat, but in Ezekiel, as in Moses, is a sin offering, where in Ezekiel it replaces a bull for this sacrifice in less solemn cases. In Moses it is difficult to find any gradation and connection between the sacrifice of the Sabbath and the new moon. The new moons of the 1st and 7th months, serving in Ezekiel as days of atonement, are marked by the addition to the burnt offering — a sin offering, which in him is always a bull, not a goat, as in Moses, — an animal both larger and more worthy than a goat. Thus these two new moons are sufficiently distinguished from the series of others, whereas in Moses they somehow have fewer sacrifices than ordinary new moons. The distinguishing advantage of the new moon before the Sabbath — the sacrificial bull — in the festivals following the new moon in importance — Passover and Pentecost — is doubled in Ezekiel, while in Moses Passover has a sacrifice the same as the new moon, and Tabernacles — the largest of all festivals, many times surpassing both the Passover. The festival of the dedication of the temple stands alone in both legislative systems, but in Ezekiel it almost approaches the type of the new year, losing something from its solemnity (there are no 6 lambs). Thus Ezekiel’s ritual is approximately related to the Mosaic as his temple to that of Solomon: both the prophet and the king reconstructs according to the strict laws of symmetry, which in Moses could not be sufficiently present, perhaps because his legislation had to conform to customs already established before it. But complete symmetry in the cult gives Ezekiel the possibility to construct from sacred times a proper architecture of the temple, in which the believer beginning from weekdays ascends to ever greater holinesses: Sabbaths, new moons, and festivals, during the latter entering into the Holy of Holies of the church year.

Ezekiel 45:18. Thus says the Lord God: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a bull without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary. Remarkable is the brevity of expression without the word “month” and “day,” surpassing even ours (only the word “day” is dropped); incidentally, the concept day is expressed by the word “new moon,” la-hodesh (LXX and Russian “of the month”). — The discussion is about a new half-year, which in Ezekiel takes the place of such a universal new year. — “Take” — in an impersonal sense (not the prophet), therefore LXX: “let them take.” — “Bull,” Hebrew par, should be less young than egel (cf. Lev 9:2-3). — “Without blemish,” which was required of sacrificial animals also by Mosaic legislation. — “And cleanse the sanctuary,” not the people, as in Moses on the day of atonement. This day does not exist in Ezekiel’s calendar in view of the purity of the new Israel; it is replaced by a light rite of cleansing during a new half-year, a cleansing of the temple, to which, as the greatest holiness, something unclean could be equated from the comparatively pure people; see explanation of verse 20.

Ezekiel 45:19. And the priest shall take blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar and on the doorposts of the gate of the inner court. “Priest.” Ezekiel does not recognize a high priest, — one of the differences from Moses. — “Blood.” It is the chief element in the sacrifice. — “Of this sin offering.” Only here and as if in passing it is explained that the bull of verse 1 is a sin offering. — “Doorposts,” Hebrew mezuzat; the meaning “doorframe” — the most probable (see explanation Ezek 41:21); LXX: “thresholds,” in Ezek 46:2: “entrances,” and in Ezek 41:21 still otherwise (see there). LXX, Pesh., Vulgate., and recent scholars — wrongly plural: it is everywhere in Ezekiel in singular, because the object constituted one whole; Russian wrongly a new word compared with Ezek 41:21, where “doorframes.” Only the doorposts of the temple are sprinkled (the most important part of doors: Exod 12:7), because defilement can adhere to the temple only from without. “Temple,” Hebrew bait, house — the building of the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies. — “And on four corners of the ledge of the altar.” — “Ledge,” Hebrew azara see explanation Ezek 43:14. Just as the temple, the altar is sanctified only at the ends of its base, where it is adjoined with a less than it sacred place and where defilement could cleave to it. LXX read azara wrongly should have been otherwise, because: “and on four corners of the sanctuary (i.e., its building, — besides the doorframes, and on its corners), and on the altar.” — “And on the doorposts of the gate of the inner court.” — According to the degree of holiness the place following the altar — the inner court; it too is cleansed at the end; the outer is not cleansed. LXX also “thresholds.”

Ezekiel 45:20. And do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who has sinned in error and for anyone simple; so you shall cleanse the temple. “The seventh day of the month.” In Hebrew literally “in the seventh in the new moon.” If the 7th day of the month were meant, it would be said, as in verse 18, “new moon” with the preposition “le” and not “be.” Therefore the Masoretic text gives the right to understand the seventh month (in verse 18 also the word month is dropped), and the authority of the LXX confirms this understanding conclusively: “in the seventh month.” For such a meaning the Masoretic expression, to be sure, is not fully clear, but it is possible there is some corruption in it, from the desire to see here a festival of the new year, not an unprecedented — of a new half-year; the whole structure of Ezekiel’s calendar requires the latter kind of festival. “For anyone who has sinned in error and for anyone simple.” “In error” is an incorrect translation of the Hebrew shogeh, he who has sinned through error, mistake (Lev 4:2). Thus also the LXX: “from whosoever is ignorant and from an infant” (of mind?). In the renewed Israel there will be only such light sins. — “Temple,” bait, house.

Ezekiel 45:21. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall observe the Passover, a festival of seven days, when unleavened bread shall be eaten. “On the fourteenth day.” The first day of Passover, according to Mosaic law, was properly the 15th of Nisan, but since the ecclesiastical day among the Hebrews (as among us) was reckoned from the evening of the previous day, Passover began already on the 14th of Nisan and the evening of this day, thanks to the eating on it of the Passover lamb, was the most solemn moment of the festival. Therefore this date of the month is indicated here as the beginning for the festival. But this does not disturb the full correspondence in time of the celebration between Passover — the festival of the spring half-year and Tabernacles — the festival of the autumn half-year: the first day of both festivals falls on the 15th of their months; the celebration of Tabernacles just as of Passover began with the evening of the 14th of Tishri, but since this evening was not distinguished from other days of the festival, Ezekiel in verse 25 places the beginning of the autumn festival on the 15th day of the seventh month. Therefore it is completely unnecessary to correct here the 14 to 15 with recent interpreters for symmetry with the verse. “A festival of seven days.” According to Hebrew literally “a festival of weeks of days.” If there were not the addition “of days,” then by this definition the festival, Passover would be identified or combined into one 50-day festival with Pentecost, because it is precisely the latter that is called “the festival of weeks” (chag shivuot); but even the addition “of days” does not exclude such a meaning, because a week, seven is sometimes pleonastically called “a week of days” (Dan 10:2-3; cf. Gen 29:14: “a month of days”); only then the first word “week” would not stand in the status constructus (joining case), as it does here. Therefore all ancient translations understand here shivuot not in the meaning “week,” “seven” but “seven” (“septenary”), i.e., see here the thought that Passover should be celebrated 7 days; in favor of this speaks both the analogy of Mosaic law and the correspondence with the autumn festival of verse 25. Recent scholars suppose that here shib’at, seven, is corrected by scribes into shivuot, week, to introduce into the text an indication of the missing Pentecost in Ezekiel. — “Unleavened bread,” “which can be baked from bread already being harvested then.” (Bertholet.) But this is the second in significance rite of Passover; the first — the lamb — is not mentioned, but should be therefore that it is indicated by the very name Passover.

Ezekiel 45:22. And on that day the prince shall provide for himself and for all the people of the land a bull as a sin offering. “On that day,” in the evening of the 14th of the 1st month. — “The prince for himself and for all the people of the land.” About the significance of the prince in the cult of Ezekiel see preliminary remarks to Ezek 45:9-17 and explanation Ezek 45:17. — “The people of the land” — see explanation Ezek 7:27; but here in the sense of all subjects. — “A bull as a sin offering.” The usual sin offering in Ezekiel, as in Moses, is a goat; a bull — as a sin offering more solemn, appointed only for the first evening of the festival.

Ezekiel 45:23. And during these seven days of the festival he shall offer burnt offerings to the Lord daily: seven bulls and seven rams without blemish, and as a sin offering daily a goat from the goat herd. The sacrifice is very great both in comparison with Mosaic law and in comparison with sacrifices on other days in Ezekiel; see preliminary remarks and table.

Ezekiel 45:24. And he shall provide as a grain offering: one ephah for each bull and one ephah for each ram, and a hin of oil for each ephah. Grain offering, Hebrew mincha, this bloodless Old Testament sacrifice, which prepared for the bloodless Christian sacrifice, was appointed also in Moses’ law with each burnt offering; for the Passover it was considerably less than in Ezekiel: 3/10 of an ephah for a bull, 2/10 for a ram and 1/10 for a lamb (Num 28:20). Ephah and hin see explanation Ezek 45:10. With the great magnitude of the Passover burnt offering in Ezekiel the grain offering reaches an enormous magnitude: about 8 1/2 measures × 14 muds of flour in 1/2 bucket × 14 of oil. But the future fertility of the earth required such a great sacrifice.

Ezekiel 45:25. In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, for the festival, during seven days he shall make the same offerings: the same sin offering, the same burnt offering, and the same grain offerings and the same oil. “For the festival,” corresponding to Tabernacles, but for some reason not named by name (recent scholars: because it was the most ancient and therefore considered a festival par excellence). Fully equal to Passover and occupies in the second half of the year the same position as that in the first.