Ezekiel – Chapter 43

Old Testament27 Verses

Chapter Summary

"And he brought me to the gate that looked towards the east." — so begins Ezekiel 43. Across its 27 verses, two threads run through the text: worship and praise and holiness. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1And he brought me to the gate that looked towards the east.

2And behold the glory of the God of Israel came in by the way of the east: and his voice was like the noise of many waters, and the earth shone with his majesty.

3And I saw the vision according to the appearance which I had seen when he came to destroy the city: and the appearance was according to the vision which I had seen by the river Chobar: and I fell upon my face.

4And the majesty of the Lord went into the temple by the way of the gate that looked to the east.

5And the spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court: and behold the house was filled with the glory of the Lord.

6And I heard one speaking to me out of the house, and the man that stood by me,

7Said to me: Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever: and the house of Israel shall no more profane my holy name, they and their kings by their fornications, and by the carcasses of their kings, and by the high places.

8They who have set their threshold by my threshold, and their posts by my posts: and there was but a wall between me, and them: and they profaned my holy name by the abominations which they committed: for which reason I consumed them in my wrath.

9Now therefore let them put away their fornications, and the carcasses of their kings far from me: and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

10But thou, son of man, shew to the house of Israel the temple, and let them be ashamed of their iniquities, and let them measure the building:

11And be ashamed of all that they have done. Shew them the form of the house, and of the fashion thereof, the goings out and the comings in, and the whole plan thereof, and all its ordinances, and all its order, and all its laws, and thou shalt write it in their sight: that they may keep the whole form thereof, and its ordinances, and do them.

12This is the law of the house upon the top of the mountain: All its border round about; most holy: this then is the law of the house.

13And these are the measures of the altar by the truest cubit, which is a cubit and a handbreadth: the bottom thereof was a cubit, and the breadth a cubit: and the border thereof unto its edge, and round about, one handbreadth: and this was the trench of the altar.

14And from the bottom of the ground to the lowest brim two cubits, and the breadth of one cubit: and from the lesser brim to the greater brim four cubits, and the breadth of one cubit.

15And the Ariel itself was four cubits: and from the Ariel upward were four horns.

16And the Ariel was twelve cubits long, and twelve cubits broad, foursquare, with equal sides.

17And the brim was fourteen cubits long, and fourteen cubits broad in the four corners thereof: and the crown round about it was half a cubit, and the bottom of it one cubit round about: and its steps turned toward the east.

18And he said to me: Son of man, thus saith the Lord God: These are the ceremonies of the altar, in what day soever it shall be made: that holocausts may be offered upon it, and blood poured out.

19And thou shalt give to the priests, and the Levites, that are of the race of Sadoc, who approach to me, saith the Lord God, to offer to me a calf of the herd for sin.

20And thou shalt take of his blood, and shalt put it upon the four horns thereof, and upon the four corners of the brim, and upon the crown round about: and thou shalt cleanse, and expiate it.

21And thou shalt take the calf, that is offered for sin: and thou shalt burn him in a separate place of the house without the sanctuary.

22And in the second day thou shalt offer a he goat without blemish for sin: and they shall expiate the altar, as they expiated it with the calf.

23And when thou shalt have made an end of the expiation thereof, thou shalt offer a calf of the herd without blemish, and a ram of the flock without blemish.

24And thou shalt offer them in the sight of the Lord, and the priests shall put salt upon them, and shall offer them a holocaust to the Lord.

25Seven days shalt thou offer a he goat for sin daily: they shall offer also a calf of the herd, and a ram of the flock without blemish.

26Seven days shall they expiate the altar, and shall cleanse it: and they shall consecrate it.

27And the days being expired, on the eighth day and thenceforward, the priests shall offer your holocausts upon the altar, and the peace offerings: and I will be pacified towards you, saith the Lord God.

Important Verses in Ezekiel 43

And behold the glory of the God of Israel came in by the way of the east: and his voice was like the noise of many waters, and the earth shone with his majesty.

Ezekiel 43:2

And the spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court: and behold the house was filled with the glory of the Lord.

Ezekiel 43:5

And he said to me: Son of man, thus saith the Lord God: These are the ceremonies of the altar, in what day soever it shall be made: that holocausts may be offered upon it, and blood poured out.

Ezekiel 43:18

And the days being expired, on the eighth day and thenceforward, the priests shall offer your holocausts upon the altar, and the peace offerings: and I will be pacified towards you, saith the Lord God.

Ezekiel 43:27

Historical Context

Ezekiel addresses the exiles in Babylon, moved from despair to hope of restoration within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 43 of 48 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 27 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The passage starts with these words: "And he brought me to the gate that looked towards the east." The final verse reads: "And the days being expired, on the eighth day and thenceforward, the priests shall offer your holocausts upon the…" The wider setting of Ezekiel is this: Ezekiel was deported to Babylon in 597 BC and prophesied among the exiles through astonishing visions: God's throne-chariot, the departure of His glory from the Temple, the valley of dry bones brought to life, and a new… Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

Who Wrote It

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile

When It Was Written

About 593-571 BC, in Babylon

Catholic Commentary

The prophetic discourse in this chapter speaks to a community facing the consequences of its choices before God. A pivotal line is verse 2: "And behold the glory of the God of Israel came in by the way of the east: and his voice was like the noise of many waters, and the earth shone with his majesty." The passage repeatedly touches on worship and praise.

According to Catholic interpretation, this chapter contributes to the book's portrait of judgment, restoration, and God's glory. Ezekiel's visions inform Catholic understanding of heaven and liturgy (CIC 1137). The Catechism and the liturgy frequently draw on such passages to nourish faith and moral life (CIC 265).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.
  • 'Be holy, for I am holy': God calls His people to be set apart for Him in every area of life.
  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.

Reflection for Today

The late section of Ezekiel—Chapter 43 of 48—opens a particular moment in the story of judgment, restoration, and God's glory.

According to Catholic teaching, Ezekiel's visions inform Catholic understanding of heaven and liturgy (CIC 1137). This chapter especially highlights the fear of the Lord as wisdom, a theme the Catechism develops in relation to the whole of revelation (CIC 74).

Let Ezekiel Chapter 43 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ezekiel Chapter 43 about?

Ezekiel 43 contains 27 verses. It opens with "And he brought me to the gate that looked towards the east." and closes with "And the days being expired, on the eighth day and thenceforward, the priests shall offer your holocausts upon the…". The book as a whole is prophetic visions and oracles.

What is a key verse in Ezekiel 43?

One of the most significant verses is verse 2: "And behold the glory of the God of Israel came in by the way of the east: and his voice was like the noise of many waters, and the earth shone with his majesty." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who wrote Ezekiel and when?

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile. About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

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