Discovery BoxEzekiel 8:16
Context8:16 Then he brought me to the inner court of the Lord’s house. Right there 1 at the entrance to the Lord’s temple, between the porch and the altar, 2 were about twenty-five 3 men with their backs to the Lord’s temple, 4 facing east – they were worshiping the sun 5 toward the east!
Ezekiel 40:44
Context40:44 On the outside of the inner gate were chambers for the singers of the inner court, one 6 at the side of the north gate facing south, and the other at the side of the south 7 gate facing north.
Ezekiel 42:14
Context42:14 When the priests enter, then they will not go out from the sanctuary to the outer court without taking off their garments in which they minister, for these are holy; they will put on other garments, then they will go near the places where the people are.”
Ezekiel 46:1
Context46:1 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: The gate of the inner court that faces east 8 will be closed six working days, but on the Sabbath day it will be opened and on the day of the new moon it will be opened.
Ezekiel 46:20
Context46:20 He said to me, “This is the place where the priests will boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they will bake the grain offering, so that they do not bring them out to the outer court to transmit holiness to the people.”
[8:16] 1 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something.
[8:16] 2 sn The priests prayed to God between the porch and the altar on fast days (Joel 2:17). This is the location where Zechariah was murdered (Matt 23:35).
[8:16] 3 tc The LXX reads “twenty” instead of twenty-five, perhaps because of the association of the number twenty with the Mesopotamian sun god Shamash.
[8:16] 4 sn The temple faced east.
[40:44] 6 tn “One” is not in the Hebrew text but is supplied for clarity in the translation.
[40:44] 7 tc This reading is supported by the LXX; the MT reads “east.”
[46:1] 11 sn The east gate of the outer court was permanently closed (Ezek 44:2).
