Ezekiel 43:17

"The altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve wide, square in its four sides."

Key Reflection

The altar hearth described as twelve cubits by twelve cubits and square represents a perfect and balanced spiritual offering. This dimension reflects completeness and symmetry, symbolic of the comprehensive nature of the atonement Jesus would later provide through his sacrifice.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

The settle -The “lower settle” (L), projecting beyond the “upper settle” (M) one cubit on every side. His stairs -Jewish tradition says that the approach to the altar was by an inclined plane, because to go up “by steps” was forbiddenExodus 20:26. The number “twelve” was symbolic of the twelve tribes, “four,” of the earth; “sixteen” is the square of “four,” and “fourteen” the double of “seven,” the number of the covenant, as being composed of “three,” the number of God, and of “four,” the number of the world. Thus we have in the altar a special instance of Hebrew symbolism.

More from Ezekiel 43

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Go deeper with Bible.talk - your AI Bible study companion