Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 46:9
But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.
The whole body of the people gathered together in the outer court, and from thence bodies went in turn into the inner court to worship, and then again out into the outer court.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Eze 46:9
The north gate . . . the south gate.
North and south in religion
Ezekiels temple sets forth the order, grandeur, and beauty of the Church in its vigour, and the life that shall go out from it in floods all over the world. It is the picture of the Gospel of Christ in its social aspect and in its healing and regenerating influence. What can be meant, then, by declaring regarding this temple that those who go in by the south door shall go out by the north, and that those who go in by the north shall go out by the south? A man may enter either by the north deer or the south. There is perfect liberty here. But there is no liberty as to what he shall do after that. He shall go right through. He shall make for the over against. Has not this a very plain meaning for us–that we should not sit still at that side of religion which first attracted us, not keep going beck over the old ground, but strive to go through the whole breadth of religion. There is a north and a south in religion. There is a bright, sunny side. It is always warm and genial there. And there is a cold, dark side, which only gets the sun on the longest days. Some come in by the one side, and some by the other. Some come with grief and tears, driven by bitter cold or wild blasts. Others come in by the door of hope and joy, drawn by bright promises. They come calm, easy, and radiant, as to an old home which they had never lost. Religion has many opposites, though no contradictions. The Bible is continually speaking of the importance of joining opposites together, such as prayer and praise, working and waiting, digging and crying, resting and running, weeping and rejoicing, past and future, time and eternity. The truth taught in the text, then, is a most practical as well as suggestive one, and one that lies very near to the root of success–that we should go on to the opposite good of that which we possess, not simply further than where we are, but that we should strive to reach and embrace the directly opposite attainment, not leaving or undervaluing what is possessed, but uniting to it that which may seem contrary or which may possibly have been considered by us as wholly antagonistic and incompatible. We shall find that it is these opposites which not only preserve from exaggeration and caricature, but that they are needful even for proper rooting and strength. When one finds out how opposites coalesce and help each other, need each other, claim each other, and are only themselves when they find each other, he is fortified against moral scepticism and against religious unrest. What I contend for is not a compromise, but a junction in which each remains to strengthen and develop the other. Do we wish to see examples of this in human life? Are not great generals who have a power of wide and far arrangement also remarkable for the opposite, the attention to small details? So men who have organised and sustained large mercantile enterprises have been remarkable combinations of opposite qualities, cautious and bold, cool and intense, patient and ardent, careful of little things, observant of the slightest signs, while conceiving great projects. If a painter is happy in outlines, it will not profit him much unless he studies minute effects; if he excels in form, he must try to excel also in colour. Everything in actual life needs its opposite to give it substance, pith, and permanence. We need to be often reminded of this truth, for everyone is inclined to some particular side of things, by temperament, by habit, or surroundings.
I. Truth. The truth of God has many sides, and there are truths which stand as opposites: whole classes of truths stand as opposites. A healthy, religious life seeks to lay hold of both of these.
1. Religion embraces truths that are mysterious and truths that are clear and plain. Can we be right if we seek merely clear things and neglect the vast mysteries, or if we are fascinated by the mysteries and despise or forget things easy to understand? Every man needs the plainest truths constantly, for religion is not mainly an exercise for the intellect or a discipline for faith, but rest and food for the feeblest. But let no man say, The plain and simple things are all I want; I care not for mysteries. They perplex me; they weigh upon me. I avoid them, I pass them by. Do you really think, then, that you have got hold of these plain truths while you thus act? The plain truths need the vast and unsearchable to give them force. You yourself need to be awed and mastered, ay, even bewildered and perplexed by the inscrutable.
2. There are truths of theory and truths of practice. Let the one class be added to the other. Theology ought to be the most inspiring of all sciences. If you have entered the temple by this door, it is well; but do not stay there. Religion is more than theology. A man may be very theological, and only a very little religious. But you never get a real hold of theology till you learn the elementary experiences of religion. Truly to pray and be contrite, and hold fellowship with God opens up theology.
II. Worship. Worship has many sides. It also abounds in opposites. Such are sorrow and joy, hope and fear, prayer and praise, supplication and promise, or resolve. How fully and impartially these are presented in the Word of God; yet how frequent it is for men to cling to one side of worship. How many enter at the north door of entreaty, and never really approach the south door of joy and praise. You must not remain in sorrow. Whoever has brought to God tears, sorrows, fears, doubts, burdens, let him bring great joy. He may find it hard to do this. It is called in the Psalms the sacrifice of joy. And truly it is a sacrifice and often the most costly that one can bring. It may cost you far more to bring joy to God than to bring labour and tears. So to pass over to the side of joy would really be the wholesomest endeavour that many a one could make. It would revolutionise his life. He would be renewed and made a spiritual man in the mere effort to bring to God joy. But there are those who find it easy to be glad and grateful, Depression, the awful burden of sin, bitter tears, or a sorrow that would find relief in tears, they have no experience of. Are they, then, under no obligation to sorrow! Can they ignore all that side of religion? Have they found their way to a region where it is superfluous? That cannot be if they are sinful men. He that does not know the secret of grief must be very much on the surface of things. There are those, again, who have been very earnest for themselves. They have pleaded and wrestled for pardon. They have cried many and many a time with all the earnestness of their nature after renewal, after deliverance from evil and attainment of Divine freedom; they have felt, as a crushing load, the burden of their own souls; but they have never felt the burden of the worlds evil and bondage. They must learn to be in thorough earnest about some object, and some person not their own, and that can bring no benefit to them. Only then is a soul truly emancipated, only then, when it takes up Gods cause and mans and forgets itself, does it know the greatness of prayer.
III. Moral and spiritual life.
1. How common it is to decry feeling and exalt conduct and action. The tendency is certainly right as to the comparative value of these opposites if they are regarded as antagonistic. Action, conduct in the full sense of the word, the action of the man is the end and aim of all. But, on the other hand, feeling is the proper basis of action and conduct. Pity and compassion are feelings; can anyone be acting a wise or noble part who decries or ignores them? Sympathy and benevolence are feelings. Admiration is a feeling. Taken together, these form that supreme feeling called love. Zeal and enthusiasm are feelings. Men who speak slightingly of feeling must surely be uneasy when they reflect on the value which the great human heart sets on these things, and the immense sway they wield. Surely they must be uneasy when they reflect how very differently the Word of God speaks, and how intent it is on expelling wrong feelings and awaking right ones. No! The true course is for men not to excuse or vindicate their want of feeling, but to lament it, to bewail their poverty, and press across that they may become rich. There are those who, on the other hand, rest in emotion, who are pleased with themselves that they are so susceptible, and have such fine, earnest, lofty desires. This is a huge danger. Feeling is for the purpose of action. Those, therefore, who feel strongly should of all men particularly set their hearts on action, on being extremely, thoroughly, minutely practical. It is easier for them than other men to be diligent and thorough. Their glow and enthusiasm ought to give them wings.
2. Devotion and righteousness in like manner stand over against each other; in other words, some are mainly for God, others mainly for man. There are those who feel strongly the claims of God and have a constant drawing to worship. The pleasure they take in devotion is real, but their conscience and their human affections are dormant. They need to have it strongly brought home to them that there is a whole side of things of the utmost moment which they are ignoring, that if a man love God he must love his brother also, and that this is the love of God to keep His commandments. And is not the opposite type frequent? The feeling of this class is expressed in such phrases as, The best worship of God is to do what is right. The best worship of God is to help men. The best worship of God is to be like Him. What shall we say to this? The helping of men may be a worship of God, but it may not. It will not be a worship of God unless there is first, and as the foundation of the life, direct worship of God. God claims direct worship, and the soul needs it. From whence will you draw your inspiration and your power to help men if you do not come into contact with God? (J. Leckie, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 9. He that entereth in by the way of the north, c.] As the north and the south gates were opposite to each other, he that came in at the north must go out at the south he that came in at the south must go out at the north. No person was to come in at the east gate, because there was no gate at the west; and the people were not permitted to turn round and go out at the same place by which they came in; for this was like turning their backs on God, and the decorum and reverence with which public worship was to be conducted would not admit of this. Besides, returning by the same way must have occasioned a great deal of confusion, where so many people must have jostled each other, in their meetings in different parts of this space.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
All except the prince, when they come to worship, must observe to go out at that door that is over against the door at which they came in.
Come before the Lord, present themselves and their sacrifices, in the solemn feasts, the three great annual feasts, the new moons, and the weekly sabbaths.
He that entereth in, & c.: the east gate they might not enter at, as already is observed, and whatever reason might be given besides, this passage in this verse gives one, they could not go right forward to go out, at a west gate; for the temple and the entrance into it stood in a straight line from every one of the east gates from the outmost court, so that if any should go straight forward, they would go into the temple and oracle, which was not to be. There were but two gates the people might enter at, the south or north.
He shall not return, & c.: none might turn their back on the temple, nor do that which looked like a going away from God, which may give us somewhat the meaning of Jer 2:27; 32:33, their turning the back on God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. The worshippers were on thegreat feasts to pass from one side to the other, through the templecourts, in order that, in such a throng as should attend thefestivals, the ingress and egress should be the more unimpeded, thosegoing out not being in the way of those coming in.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the solemn feasts,…. To worship the Lord, to pray and praise; to honour the Lord, and keep the solemn feast of love, the Lord’s supper:
he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth in by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate; that so such as were coming in, and going out, might not meet, and stop and hinder one another in going out and coming in: no mention is made of entering in by the east gate, which was only for the prince,
Eze 44:1, and there was no entering in, or going out, on the west:
he shall not return by the way of the gate he came in, but shall go forth over against it; signifying, that those that come to the house of God to worship, and join in communion with the saints, should not return to their former ways and practices; to their former rites, customs, and ceremonies in religion, used by them; and to their former principles and errors in doctrines; and to their former sinful courses of life; but go straight on and thorough stitch with it in their profession of Christ and his Gospel, and in the practice of spiritual and evangelic worship; see Lu 9:62.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(9) In the solemn feasts.Different arrangements were required for the great or solemn feasts, because at these all the males of Israel were commanded to be present, and therefore the numbers were very large. This affects both the people and (Eze. 46:10) the prince. The first provision is one for securing order in the vast concourse of people: by whichever (outer) gate any one enters (the north or the south), he shall pass out by the opposite one.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Provisions of Entry For The Prince and People On Feast Days ( Eze 46:9-10 ).
“But when the people of the land shall come before Yahweh at the appointed feasts, he who enters by way of the north gate to worship will go out by way of the south gate, and he who enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. He shall not return by way of the gate that he came in, but shall go straight before him. And the prince when they go in shall go in in the midst of them, and when they go out they will go out together.”
This remarkable restriction is powerfully significant. Firstly it indicates that on feast days the prince enters the temple precincts in the midst of the people. He is one with them in their worship, for indeed he is their representative, not in the sense of being apart from them, but as being one among them. In a sense he is the people, and is on the same level. It also ensured that there would be no solitary regal entry for the prince. There was to be no princely splendour. At this time all attention must be on the King in His sanctuary. (We must learn this too in our churches). Secondly it indicates that when the inner east gate is to be opened the people enter and leave as guests of Yahweh. They ‘pass through’. They are not free to do their own thing.
It is true that it might also, of course, have ensured a smoother flow for the people but it is questionable whether that was the main point. The main point was symbolic. After all they would be standing within the temple outer court before the inner east gate for some considerable period as they observed and in their own way took part in the ceremonies by prayer and worship and acclamation. They were not just queuing past a fixed point. And thus leaving by the way that they came might have made things easier to organise. But that was not the question. The principle to be established here was that when the inner east gate was open they were guests of the Almighty. Things must be orderly. This was not home, and ‘court procedure’ must be followed..
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 46:9. He that entereth in by the way of the north gate, &c. Some are of opinion, that these words imply the reason why the people were not to come in at the east gate; because, there being no passage or thoroughfare out of the temple westward, if they had entered in at the east gate, they must have returned back the same way they came in; which would have been turning their backs as it were upon the place of God’s residence. Dr. Spencer mentions this as a rule in the Talmud, “That they who come within the holy mount, should enter in by the way of the right hand, and go out by the left; understanding by the right hand the northern part of the temple, and by the left hand the southern:” and he is of opinion, that God designed to take away that superstitious distinction between the several gates of the temple, by commanding that every one should go out the opposite way to that by which he came in, whether to the south or the north. See Spencer, de Leg. Heb.; and the note on chap. Eze 43:12.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 46:9 But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.
Ver. 9. Shall go out the way of the south gate. ] For more easy passage sake, in such a multitude of people. But withal to teach us many things; as (1.) Not to turn our backs upon the holy ordinances; a (2.) To “make straight paths for our feet”; Heb 12:13 not looking back with Lot’s wife; Luk 17:32 not longing for the onions of Egypt, as those rebels in the wilderness, but advancing forward with St Paul, Php 3:13-14 looking forthright, Pro 4:25 having our eye upon the mark, and making daily progress toward perfection; (3.) That our memories are frail, and here we shall meet with many things that will withdraw us from thinking upon God; (4.) That our life is but short; a very passage from one gate to another: where to go back – i.e., to add anything to our lives – it is not granted, since our time is limited, Job 14:3 Act 17:26 and we are all hastening to our long home. Ecc 12:5 One being asked what life was? made an answer answerless; for he presently went his way.
a The Jews at this day depart out of the synagogue with their faces still toward the ark, like crabs going backward.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
solemn feasts = appointed times,
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eze 46:9-15
Eze 46:9-15
But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it. 10 And the prince in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth. 11 And in the feasts and in the solemnities the meat offering shall be an ephah to a bullock, and an ephah to a ram, and to the lambs as he is able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah. 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. 13 Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every morning. 14 And thou shalt prepare a meat offering for it every morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an hin of oil, to temper with the fine flour; a meat offering continually by a perpetual ordinance unto the LORD. 15 Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the oil, every morning for a continual burnt offering.
General worship regulations. Eze 46:9-15
Worshipers could enter by the north or south gate, but they must exit by the opposite gate; no one could exit by the gate through which they entered (Eze 46:9-10). Every animal of sacrifice brought by a worshiper was to be accompanied by an offering of one ephah of grain plus a hin of oil (Eze 46:11). Any time the prince desired, he could offer a freewill offering; when he presented a freewill offering, the inner east gate was opened for him, and the regulation of Eze 46:1 was temporarily set aside (Eze 46:12). Daily sacrifices are to be offered consisting of a yearling lamb (Eze 46:13); accompanying the sacrifice is to be a grain offering of one-sixth an ephah of grain and one-third a hin of oil (Eze 46:14-15). All the details of worship are a reminder that God is a God of order, not chaos (1Co 14:40); this is an appropriate prescription for worship at any time.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
when the people: This may intimate, that every thing should be regulated, in divine worship, so as to prevent disorder and interruption, and also that men should go forward and make progress in religion, and not turn their backs upon God.
come before: Exo 23:14-17, Exo 34:23, Deu 16:16, Psa 84:7, Mal 4:4
he that entereth in: Eze 1:12, Eze 1:17, Phi 3:13, Phi 3:14, Heb 10:38, 2Pe 2:20, 2Pe 2:21
Reciprocal: Eze 8:14 – toward Eze 40:24 – and behold
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 46:9. This one way requirement is another one of the unusual regulations imposed by the Lord. We are able at least to realize that much confusion would be avoided by not trying to reverse one’s direction in the midst of so many coming and going.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Worship during the annual feasts 46:9-15
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
When the people living in the Promised Land came to worship on the appointed feasts (Passover and Tabernacles, cf. Eze 45:21-25), they were to enter the outer court by either the north or south outer gate complexes. There was no gate on the west side, and the outer east gate would be sealed (cf. Eze 44:1-2). When they finished worshipping, they should depart from the opposite gate from which they entered, not the same one. This would result in an orderly traffic pattern during these crowded times (cf. 1Co 14:33).