Ezekiel 42:13

Eze 42:13 Then said he unto me, The north chambers [and] the south chambers, which [are] before the separate place, they [be] holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place [is] holy.

Ver. 13. They be holy chambers.] Or, Cells of the sanctuary, belonging to those that serve in the sanctuary. God appointeth his ministers their various stations, together with the bounds of their habitations,

Shall eat the most holy things.] Ministers must eat as well as others; they are not of the chameleon kind - cannot live upon air; and the Lord Christ "hath ordained that," as "they which waited at the altar were partakers of the altar," "so also should they that preach the gospel live of the gospel," {1Co 9:13-14}

And the meat offering and the sin offering,] i.e., The priests’ share out of them; for, besides they tithes and glebe, or suburbs, the priests had many rich revenues, and were far better provided for than today’s gospel ministers are, however begrudged that little that is allowed them.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 42:13-14. The north chambers, and the south chambers — Namely, those described in the foregoing part of the chapter; they be holy chambers, where the priests shall eat the most holy things — The show- bread, the remainder of the meat-offering, sin-offering, and trespass- offering, are expressly called the most holy things, Lev 6:14; Lev 6:17; Lev 24:9; and are distinguished from the holy things, such as the peace- offerings, first-fruits, and tithes, Lev 21:22. These were to be eaten within the precincts of the temple, by the direction of the Levitical law. There shall they lay the most holy things — These rooms were likewise set apart for laying up the remainder of the sacrifices, till they were eaten by the priests and their families, Lev 10:13; Lev 22:13. When the priests enter therein — Within the inner court; then shall they not go out of the holy place, &c., but there they shall lay their garments, &c. — They shall not go into the court of the people, in their priestly vestments, but shall lay them up in some of these chambers. The priestly garments were only to be used in the time of their ministration, as appears from Exo 28:43. And shall put on other garments, and shall approach, &c. — The words should rather be translated, and shall come into the court belonging to the people; the outer court, mentioned at the beginning of the verse.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

42:13-14 The priests would store the sacred offerings and eat the most holy offerings in these rooms. The clothes that the priests wore while ministering in the Lord’s presence would be stored there, and the priests would put on other clothes because these clothes were holy. All of these regulations represent a significant increase in the care taken to separate the holy from the profane, as compared to the similar laws in Leviticus (cp. Lev 6).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(13) Shall eat the most holy things.—In the next clause it is said, “There shall they lay the most holy things,” both clauses referring to the priests’ portion of the sacrifices. We cannot think of their laying the uncooked flesh of the sacrifice in the same room where they ate (the cooking was done in another room west of this, Eze_46:19-20); but the great size of this building—166 ft. long and half as broad—allowed of its division into several separate rooms. It is noticeable that there is no mention of the peace offerings, for it was not required in the law that they should be eaten in a holy place. For the others, see Lev_6:16; Lev_6:26; Lev_7:6. The “meat offering” is the unbloody oblation usually accompanying the animal sacrifices.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13, 14. Uses to which the chambers were put.

These cells serve two purposes: the priests shall eat in them the most holy things; and they shall deposit there the sacred garments when they put them off to go into the outer court among the people. The “most holy things” were the portion of the meal-offering not consumed on the altar (Lev_2:3; Lev_2:10; Lev_7:9-11; Lev_10:12), and the flesh of the sin and trespass offerings, except the flesh of the sin-offering for the high-priest and congregation, which was burnt outside the sacred buildings (Lev_6:30; Lev_7:6).

before the separate place] over against, as Eze_42:1; Eze_42:10, i.e. the longer wing on the N. and on the S. Nothing specially is said as to the uses of the shorter wing.

lay the most holy things] Naturally the meal-offering had to be baked before being eaten, and the flesh of the sacrifices boiled. Being most holy things they must be kept in a holy place.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then said he unto me,.... The divine Person that measured and described these chambers, and brought the prophet to take a view of them, said to him, as follows:

the north chambers, and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers; these are the two rows of chambers before described, which were southward and northward to each other, though both in the northern part of the outward court; these were for holy persons to dwell in, and for holy things to be done in, as the churches of Christ are; they consist of holy persons, men called with a holy calling, and in them the holy word of God is preached, and holy ordinances administered:

where the priests that approach unto the Lord shall eat the most holy things; which is to be understood not of the ministers of the Gospel, for whom a proper maintenance is to be provided, and who should live of the Gospel they preach; but of all the saints, who are made priests to God by Christ; and who approach unto the Lord by him, in his name and righteousness, and by the faith of him, with true hearts, in a spiritual manner; and which is profitable to themselves, and acceptable to God; for whom spiritual provisions are made in his house: these have most holy things to eat of, the holy word of God, the law part of which is holy, just, and good; and the Gospel part is our most holy faith, which is food for faith, savoury and salutary, milk for babes, and meat for strong men; and which is found and eaten, and digested by them: also our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the most holy, and is the sum and substance of the word and ordinances, and the food of believers, the bread of life, the hidden manna, the Lamb of God, and fatted calf; whose flesh and blood are meat and drink indeed, and are eaten and fed upon by faith.

There shall they lay the most holy things; lay up the word of God in their minds and memories, and remember the love of God, his sufferings and death, and the benefits arising from them, particularly in the ordinance of the supper:

and the meat offering; the "minchah", or bread offering, made of fine flour, typical of Christ, the bread of life:

and the sin, offering, and the trespass offering; both typical of Christ, made sin for his people; and who, by one sacrifice of himself, has made atonement for it, and an end of it; See Gill on Eze 40:39, these were called the most holy things, and were laid up in the sanctuary for the priests and their families to live upon, Lev 6:17,

for the place is holy: the place of these chambers holy, as the temple itself, where these most holy things and holy persons were.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

In Lev 10:13 it was prescribed that the priests should eat of the sacrifices in the “holy place.” This was originally before the altar in the inner court - now separate chambers are assigned, and these become “the holy place” for this purpose. Of the “trespass-offering” and “meat-offering” what was not consumed was eaten Lev 7:6, but the “sin-offering” was burned without the camp Eze 43:21. Probably the carcass was brought from the altar to the chamber before being carried out.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Holies. Hebrew, "who are very holy," and (Haydock) on duty. See Leviticus vi. 25.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Then said he; the measurer, Christ, man in appearance at that time.

The separate place: see Eze 42:1.

Holy chambers; set apart, consecrated to holy services and uses, as vessels, garments, and days may be holy.

The priests, and Levites too,

that approach; that were then in waiting, according to their courses; for this approach is not only mentioned as distinguished from the distance the people were kept at, but as including the present actual approaches of the priests, in their ministering before the Lord.

Shall eat together, as in a public refectory.

The most holy things; things devoted to God were these most holy, some parts whereof God gave to the priests to live on. In some of these chambers the holy things that might be eat were laid up as in a storehouse, and those which were not for present use were here to be reserved till they were to be used; and whether it were more or less that was allowed to the priests out of the offerings, here it was to be kept till used.

The meat-offering: see what this was, Lev 2:1-12; 6:14-16.

The sin-offering: see what this, Lev 6:26,29,30.

The trespass-offering: see Lev 7:2,3, &c.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13, 14. In these holy chambers the priests were to eat the most holy things, the holiest which have not been burnt in sacrifice (Lev_2:3; Lev_2:10; Lev_6:16-18; Lev_6:29-30; Lev_7:9-11; Lev_10:12). There also they must leave their holy vestments (Lev_16:23) when they entered the inner court. All this signified the sacredness of the priestly service and the increasing holiness of the temple as they drew nearer to the central abode of Jehovah.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 13, 14 These state the uses of the chambers just described, and now named holy chambers, to denote their separation and dedication to sacred purposes. Those purposes, again, are defined as two. The chambers were to serve as dining-halls and robing rooms for the priests when they officiated in the temple. The most holy things; literally, the holy of the holies (comp. Eze_41:4 Eze_43:12 Eze_45:3 Eze_48:12; Lev_2:3 Lev_6:17, Lev_6:25, 29 7:1, 6 10:12, 17 14:13 24:9 27:28; Num_18:9) signified those portions of the different sacrificial offerings which were to be eaten by the priests as the servants and representatives of Jehovah (see Keil"s "Biblische Archaologie," 1. or of the people (see Kurtz"s " Sacrificial Worship of the Old Testament," p. 240, Eng. transl.). Under the Law these were appointed to be eaten in the holy place beside the altar (Lev_10:12, Lev_10:13; Num_18:10) in Ezekiel"s temple, a special quarter in the near vicinity of the house should be reserved for this purpose. There those portions of the sacrifices that could be eaten were to be consumed; as e.g. the flesh of the sin and trespass offerings, and the meal of the meat offering; but as these could not be at once used, they were to be deposited there until they were prepared for eating, the flesh by being boiled and the meal by being mixed with oil. The obvious intention of this was to convey an idea of the special sanctity of the worship in which the priests were engaged; and just for this reason also they were required to array themselves in other garments (Lev_16:23) when they entered on their priestly functions. The putting on and off of these holy clothes took place in the chambers now referred to.

Holy places.

In a Protestant reaction against the superstition that attaches magical sanctity to certain sites, we have perhaps lost hold of the truths of which that superstition was a perversion.

I THERE IS A SANCTITY OF ASSOCIATION. We may own to a revulsion for a man who would botanize on his mother"s grave. Every Englishman must feel a thrill of national pride when he visits the field of Waterloo, as every Greek must have done when treading the plain of Marathon. Though a man may have traveled far and have acquired wealth that has raised him above his humble origin, it is but natural that he should look back to the cottage home of his childhood with tender affection as to the most sacred shrine on earth. It may be from superstition, or it may be from sentiment; but whichever be the cause, it is surely no strange thing to confess that the house of God in which a man has worshipped for years gathers to itself a peculiar consecration. There his burdened soul has been cheered; there the light has pierced his darkness; there he has sat side by side with the loved and lost, and if the place that once knew them now knows them no more, does not the very sense of change and the very pain of the vacancy add a new sacredness to the place, while dear memories of a beautiful past cling to its very walls and drape them with a sweet, sad sanctity?

II THERE IS A SANCTITY OF USE. The sacred chambers were to be used by the priests, and in them sacrificial meals were to be eaten. Thus the sanctity of sacred usage was to be attached to these rooms. The commonest thing becomes holy when it is consecrated to a holy purpose. The shop may be a temple, the counter an altar, and the wares sacrifices, when the business is carried on for the glory of God in quiet obedience to his will of righteousness. Thus the very bells on the horses may have "Holiness to the Lord" inscribed upon them. It is in this direction that we should move when we would abolish too narrow distinctions between the secular and the sacred. We should lose the distinction, not by making religion earthly, but by making earth religious; not by desecrating the spiritual functions, but by consecrating things of the outer world.

III THERE IS A SANCTITY OF LIFE. This is the only true sanctity. The other forms of sanctity are its reflections and results. True holiness resides in the heart, and there alone. That is the holy place in which the holy man dwells. The presence of the priest sanctifies the temple-chambers. But it is not the "linen ephod" or any badge of office that makes the true priest. Every man who has habitual access to the presence of God is a true priest of God. He who walks with God treads holy ground. A halo of sanctity surrounds the heavenly life. Whether this life be spent in a temple court, a hermit"s cell, a Christian home, or in the hard, fierce world, it is encircled with holiness, and it weaves about it its own sacred tabernacle.

HOMILIES BY J.R. THOMSON

Vers. 13, 14. Sacerdotal sanctity.

If the Jews were a peculiar, a consecrated, a holy people, it may be said that their sanctity was concentrated in the temple the building which was "holiness unto the Lord," and in the holy priesthood, set apart for the ministrations of the sanctuary. The angel who showed Ezekiel the temple of vision laid great stress upon this characteristic of the marvelous and symmetrical building.

I CEREMONIAL HOLINESS. This is exhibited as affecting:

1. The priests, who were set apart from the rest of the people. How should they be clean who bear the vessels of the Lord!

2. Their residences. During the period of their officiation in the temple services and sacrifices, they had their dwelling in certain chambers within the precincts, and these chambers were deemed holy places,

3. Their food. They are said to "eat the most holy things;" i.e. there were certain regulations as to food which were prescribed for them that had no reference to the people generally.

4. Their garments. The priests were provided with raiment which they were required to wear when ministering before the Lord. Holy functions necessitated holy vestments.

5. Their offerings. As the reader of this passage is reminded, it was the duty of the priests to present meal offerings, sin offering, and guilt offerings. As these were offered upon the holy altar to the holy God, they themselves were holy. It thus appears that everything connected with the position, the life, the ministrations, of the priests was marked by ceremonial sanctity.

II THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CEREMONIAL HOLINESS. What was the purpose of all the arrangements described in this and other passages of Old Testament Scripture? Why was this artificial separation introduced into the religion and life of the Hebrew people? A complete answer to these questions is perhaps not possible. But it is evident that it was intended to convey to Israel and to mankind:

1. A conception of the holy nature of God. Very different was the character claimed for himself by Jehovah from the character attributed to the deities of the heathen nations around. Whilst these deities were disfigured by selfishness, cruelty, and lust, Jehovah"s attributes were righteousness, holiness, and benevolence. Everything connected with the worship of God, as practiced in the temple at Jerusalem, was adapted to convey to men"s minds the idea of God"s infinite and spotless holiness.

2. A conception of the holy character of acceptable worship. Concerning idolatrous worship, we know that it was distinguished by perfunctoriness and superstition, and in some cases by impurity. Religious rites among the heathen are usually corrupt, or else mechanical and spiritually valueless. On the contrary, the worship of the true Hebrew, as is evident to the attentive reader of the Book of Psalms and of the prophets, was a sincere, holy, and spiritual worship. It was well understood that no other worship could be acceptable to the holy and heart-searching King of kings. And the arrangements described in this passage of the Book of Ezekiel were evidently adapted to produce and to deepen this impression.

3. A conception of the holy services of obedience and praise. Sacrifices were enjoined and required of the pious Hebrew; but sacrifices were not the only or the chief services to be presented by the devout worshipper. In connection with these, and beyond these, were the offerings which God ever delights to accept from his own people spiritual offerings of devotion and of active services. And if these are distinguished by one characteristic above another, that characteristic is true holiness. T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shall they lay - In some of these chambers the holy things that might be eat, were laid up as in a store-house; and those which were not for present use, were reserved, 'till they were to be used.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

the food offering

the grain or flour that the people offered to show that they were thankful to God

translationWords

holy

priest

Yahweh

sin offering

guilt offering

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.