Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 40:42
And the four tables [were] of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice.
42. Read: and there were four tables for the burnt offering, of hewn stone. The phrase “for the burnt offering” is very indefinite. These stone tables seem too small to slay the offerings upon, and the end of the verse intimates that instruments for slaughtering were laid on the stone tables.
whereupon also they laid ] whereupon they laid. The construction is peculiar.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Omit the and were. These four tables are not the same as those mentioned before. The eight tables (T) were for slaying and preparing the victims, and were probably of wood, these (S) were of hewn stone. There may be in the number twelve a reference to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The four tables; each four tables, for the prophet speaks of all eight, but names them four, because they were coupled so one four on the one side and the other four on the other side.
Hewn stone: it is not likely these were mean, worthless stones, but either best marble, or else some stone better than marble, and they are exactly square, a cubit and half every way.
One cubit high: here is nothing said of the thickness of these stone tables, it is probable they were of a good thickness, which, added to the cubit height, on which they were set, might raise them to convenient height for use.
They laid the instruments, when they were brought out for present use; at other times we know they were laid up in chambers and cupboards prepared for that end.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the four tables were of hewn stone,…. These are either the same tables as before, the four that were on one side, and the four that were on the other; they were all made of hewn stone: in the second temple they were made of marble; so it is said in the Misnah q,
“the marble tables were between the pillars;”
and they were made of marble, as the commentators r say, because that cools the flesh, and preserves it from corruption: they were both decent and durable; and may denote the continuance of the ordinance of the Lord’s supper till his second coming; and which is a decent and becoming ordinance, as well as perpetual: or these were other four tables, as Cocceius thinks; and which he places without the porch, near the cell or chamber, where the burnt offering was washed, Eze 40:38, and these are said to be for that, as follows,
for the burnt offering: and also for the sin offering, and for the trespass offering, though they are not mentioned:
of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad; just a foursquare:
and one cubit high; these were the dimensions of each table:
whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice: the knives with which they slew the creatures offered, and cut them to pieces, and the bowls and basins in which they received their blood; these were laid upon the tables, as the sacrifices were: and may signify, that in the ordinance of the Lord’s supper are not only represented the sacrifice of Christ, but the means, instruments, causes, and occasion of it; the sins of his people, for which he was wounded and bruised in his body, and with which he was pierced in his soul; and here we may look on him whom we have thus pierced, and mourn; and yet rejoice that there is healing by his stripes, pardon by his blood, and atonement by his sacrifice.
q Tamid, c. 3. sect. 5. & Middot, c. 3. sect. 5. r Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
‘And there were four tables for the burnt offering, of hewn stone, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and a cubit in height. On these were laid the instruments with which they slew the burnt offering and sacrifice. And hooks a handbreadth long were fastened within round about. And on the tables was the flesh of the oblation.’
The tables for the tools required for sacrifice are described here, each foursquare to symbolise perfection. The hooks were probably intended for hanging animal flesh on. So in the heavenly tabernacle, while situated on earth after the exile, it is made clear that the old order as far as sacrifices were concerned was to continue. Atonement had to be made for sin if men were to meet with God. It would be different once full atonement had been made once and forever. Similar dressed slaughter stones were discovered in the excavations at Ebla.
But if this was a heavenly temple where priests could not literally enter, why was the detail necessary? It was, of course, to provide a basic pattern so that when the priests in the earthly temple carried out their duties it was recognised that in some way this was affecting the situation with regard to the heavenly temple. By their actions they were approaching Heaven.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 40:42 And the four tables [were] of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice.
Ver. 42. Wherewith they slew the burnt offering. ] The faithful ministers of the do daily execute their priestly offices, and have their instruments according. See Act 10:13 Rom 15:15-16 Phi 2:17 . The saints also, as spiritual priests, &c. Rom 12:1 1Pe 2:9
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
hewn stone. The other eight (Eze 40:41) were probably of wood.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Reciprocal: Exo 25:23 – a table 1Ki 7:48 – the table
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 40:42. The tables were hewn out of solid stone and were one and a half cubits square by one cubit high. The stone being less porous than wood made them more sanitary. The instruments needed in preparing the animals were kept on the tables. Burnt offering . . . sacrifice. For practical purposes these words may generally be used interchangeably, but when a distinction is made one means something voluntarily brought to the service while the other is specifically required. However, the two are so interwoven in their application that I shall quote the definition from Strong for each. Offering is from quaiiAN and defined, Something brought near the altar, i.e,, a sacrificial present. Sacrifice is from ZEBACH which is defined, “Properly a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication a sacrifice {the victim or the act).”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
In addition to these four tables outside the inner gate complex, Ezekiel saw four tables of dressed stone, each one and a half cubits (2 feet 6 inches) long, one and a half cubits (2 feet 6 inches) wide, and one cubit (1 foot 8 inches) high. Archaeologists discovered two dressed stone slaughter tables of almost the same size and design at Ebla. [Note: See P. Matthiae, Ebla: An Empire Rediscovered, photos between pp. 160 and 161.] The ones Ezekiel saw were evidently near the other tables outside the entrance to the northern gate complex and held the utensils used for slaughtering the sacrificial animals. He also saw double hooks about three inches long hanging on the walls of the vestibule. Animal flesh was on the tables, animals that were being offered in sacrifice. Probably the hooks would hold the sacrificial meat.