Ezekiel 46:12

Eze 46:12 Now when the prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt offering or peace offerings voluntarily unto the LORD, [one] shall then open him the gate that looketh toward the east, and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he did on the sabbath day: then he shall go forth; and after his going forth [one] shall shut the gate.

Ver. 12. A voluntary burnt offering … one shall then open him the gate, &c.] Here is warrant for our week day lectures, a voluntary service well accepted; provided that afterwards one shut the gate, and men return to their honest labours.

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 46:12-14. Now when the prince shall prepare a voluntary offering — The foregoing verses gave directions about the sacrifices the prince was enjoined to offer upon solemn days; this gives directions concerning his free-will, or voluntary offerings, concerning which see Lev 22:18; Lev 22:21. Upon these occasions the eastern gate was to be opened for the prince; but then, as soon as the service was over, and he was gone out, the gate was to be shut, because that gate was not to stand open, but only on the sabbath and festival days. Thou shalt daily prepare — The LXX. read, He shall prepare, or make, a burnt-offering, &c., as also all the ancient versions, except the Chaldee. He shall prepare it every morning — The daily evening sacrifice is generally supposed to be here implied, according to the prescription of the law, Num 28:3. The sixth part of an ephah, &c. — In Num 28:5, the proportion required is the tenth part of an ephah, and the fourth part of a hin of oil. By a perpetual ordinance unto the Lord — The law of the passover is called a perpetual ordinance, Exo 12:17; and likewise the ordinances about the first- fruits. Lev 23:14. The Hebrew word, עולם, is used in each of these places; but it does not always denote perpetuity in a strict sense, but only a long period, or succession of time.

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

46:12 The voluntary burnt offering or peace offering was in addition to the regular daily offerings of meat, grain, and oil that symbolized the regular table fellowship and communion that had now been restored between God and his people.

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

Not only is he to perform official acts of worship on holy days and feasts, but in "voluntary" offerings daily he is to show his individual zeal, surpassing all his people in liberality, and so setting them a princely example.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(12) A voluntary burnt offering.—One case in which the prince might present a sacrifice is yet unprovided for. He might offer, like any of the people, a voluntary sacrifice at any time, either a burnt offering or a peace offering. In this case he is still to enter by the east gate; but the gate, instead of standing open until evening, as on the Sabbaths and new moons, is to be immediately shut as soon as he retires after the completion of the sacrifice.

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

12. Regulation when the prince presents a free-will offering. The east (inner) gate shall be opened for him on such occasions as on the sabbaths and new moons. Cf. Lev_7:16, Eze_33:28; Num_15:3; Num_29:39; Deu_12:6; Amo_4:5.

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.

Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the Lord,.... Called the daily sacrifice, Dan 8:11 typical of Christ's sacrifice, which has a continual daily virtue in it, to take away the sins of his people; and which ought to be looked unto faith, and pleaded by them for that purpose every day Joh 1:29,

of a lamb of the first year without a blemish; a type of Christ the Lamb of God, without spot and blemish, strong and able, and so fit and proper to be a sacrifice for the sins of others:

thou shalt prepare it every morning; or, "morning by morning" (m); this seems to be said not to the prince, but rather to the prophet, and indeed to every believer; who should, every morning he rises, look to Christ as the atoning sacrifice for sin, whose blood continually cleanses from it, and who is always in the midst of the throne as a lamb that had been slain, and ever lives to make intercession; and as the mercies of the Lord's people are renewed every morning, they should renew their thankfulness to God as often, and bring this lamb with them, through whose sacrifice their sacrifices of praise become acceptable. No mention is made of the evening sacrifice; see Exo 29:38, which some think is included in the morning burnt offering. Kimchi thinks that in future time this was not to be offered, only the morning sacrifice; but the true reason is, Christ has appeared once in the evening of the world, and offered up himself; yea, it was literally in the evening, or decline of the day, when he suffered, or between the two evenings, whereby he answered the type of the passover lamb; hence no evening sacrifice is mentioned, Christ's being offered up.

(m) "in mane, in mane", Montanus, Vatablus.

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

In Eze 46:2,4-7, orders were given about those offerings which were required, which the prince must offer; in this, direction is given about those that are free-will offerings, which in all points must be prepared as the other were on the sabbath day, which see in the forementioned verses.

One shall shut the gate; one of the priests’ porters; as the gate was opened for this service only on such a day, so, the service performed, some priests’ porter shall shut it, for it must not stand open on ordinary days. days.

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

Verse 12 determines the procedure in case of the prince resolving to offer privately, on his own account, a voluntary burnt offering or peace offering; better, a free-will offering (hbdn), a sacrifice prompted by the heart of the offerer, as opposed to one legally enjoined. (Exo_35:29; Lev_22:23) which might be either a burnt or a peace offering. In this case the east inner gate should be opened to him as on the sabbath days (see ver. 1), but, differently from what occurred on the sabbath, it should not remain open till the evening (ver. 2), but should be shut immediately the prince"s offering was done.

A free-will offering.

There were certain sacrifices and offerings which the pious Jew was bound to present. To omit compliance with certain regulations upon these observances would have been disloyalty. But there were other offerings which were optional, which were left to the feelings and to the circumstances of the worshipper. They were only brought when there was an especially lively sense of the Lord"s goodness, and an especial desire to express consecration and devotion. Gifts prompted by gratitude and love are the only gifts which are of value in the sight of him who searcheth and looketh upon the hearers.

I FREE-WILL OFFERINGS ARE BECOMING ON THE PART OF MAN. Man"s nature is distinguished by the glorious prerogative of liberty. There is for him no moral excellence or beauty in constraint. The heart is free, and it is the only gift which in God"s sight is precious; all other gifts have value so far only as they are the expression of the love and loyalty of the spiritual nature. Whatever is dedicated to God of the worshipper"s freewill is a human and a worthy offering, such as a being with man"s prerogative of liberty may justly offer.

II FREE-WILL OFFERINGS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD. False religions sometimes extort from devotees, by the motive of terror, gifts and offerings services and sacrifices which would otherwise be withheld. They must be fictitious" deities that are represented as gratified with such offerings as these. But the character of God is such as assures us of his willingness to receive what is freely and cheerfully presented. Not that he can be enriched by anything that his creatures can present. "Of thine own," they acknowledge thine own have we given thee." But all is precious to him that reveals a loyal, loving, and grateful heart. T.

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

And when the prince brings a freewill offering on the six working days.

one shall then open for him the gate, etc. Not to enter the Heichal through it, but he shall stand there, and the priests shall make his burnt offering and his peace-offering, and he shall prostrate himself and leave, as it is said: “as he would do on the Sabbath day.” Now what is stated regarding the Sabbath day (here)? (Verse 2) “And he shall stand at the doorpost of the gate, and the priests shall offer his burnt offering, etc.”

after he has gone out He does not say here: “but the gate shall not be closed until the evening,” as he says regarding the Sabbath day. For regarding the Sabbath day it says (verse 3): “And the people of the land shall prostrate themselves at the entrance of that gate.” Therefore, it is left open. But on weekdays it is not customary for them to come to prostrate themselves, for everyone is occupied with work; therefore, “after he has gone out, one shall close the gate.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.