Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 45:21
In the first [month], in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.
21. The feasts. The passover on the fourteenth of the first month
feast of seven days ] So no doubt Heb. should be read, with the ancient versions. At present it reads: a feast of weeks of days. Ezekiel omits all ref. to the so-called feast of weeks, i.e. pentecost, seven weeks after the unleavened bread, when the sickle was put into the grain.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In the first month; Nisan, which is part of March and part of April with us.
The fourteenth day; as was appointed of old by Moses, Exo 12 at large.
Ye shall have; have, and slay, for so Exo 12:6.
The passover; the lamb, which was to be eaten with thanksgiving for Gods sparing the Jewish children, their first-born, when he slew the chief of the strength of Egypt, and for bringing the whole house of Israel out of Egypt.
A feast of seven days: see the institution, Exo 12.
Unleavened bread shall be eaten: though here is an ellipsis, yet the thing clearly speaks itself; through the whole feast unleavened bread was to be eaten under great penalty, Exo 12:18,19. These things no doubt concerned the returned captives, though they have a mystical meaning also.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. As a new solemnity, thefeast of consecration is to prepare for the passover; so the passoveritself is to have different sacrifices from those of the Mosaic law.Instead of one ram and seven lambs for the daily burnt offering,there are to be seven bullocks and seven rams. So also whereas thefeast of tabernacles had its own offerings, which diminished as thedays of the feast advanced, here the same are appointed as on thepassover. Thus it is implied that the letter of the law is to giveplace to its spirit, those outward rites of Judaism having nointrinsic efficacy, but symbolizing the spiritual truths of Messiah’skingdom, as for instance the perfect holiness which is tocharacterize it. Compare 1Co 5:7;1Co 5:8, as to our spiritual”passover,” wherein, at the Lord’s supper, we feed onChrist by faith, accompanied with “the unleavened bread ofsincerity and truth.” Literal ordinances, though not slavishlybound to the letter of the law, will set forth the catholic andeternal verities of Messiah’s kingdom.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month,…. Of the month Nisan, that day fortnight from the cleansing of the sanctuary; and that day week from the expiation of the house, and the recovery and reception of backsliders:
ye shall have the passover; Christ the passover sacrificed for us; held forth in the ministry of the word, and in the ordinance of the Lord’s supper; for the passover was a type of Christ: his purity and strength were signified by the lamb without blemish, a male of the first year; his separation to his office, his death, and the time of it, by the taking of this lamb from the flock some time before, and by slaying it between the two evenings; the manner of feeding on him, with fervent faith, and as a whole Saviour, attended with true repentance, and being willing also to suffer for him, by the lamb being eaten not raw, nor sodden, but roasted, and all of it, and with bitter herbs; and the security of his people by his blood from wrath and ruin, through the sprinkling it upon their consciences, by the sprinkling the blood of the passover on the lintel and door posts of the Israelites, which the Lord seeing passed by, and destroyed them not; and the new rules of keeping this passover, after observed, show that this respects not the type, but the antitype:
a feast of seven days; kept a whole week; and indeed Christ the passover is by faith to be lived upon throughout the week, as well as on Lord’s days, and indeed in every week:
unleavened bread shall be eaten; and not leavened; with reference to which the Gospel feast is to be kept, not with old leaven, with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, 1Co 5:7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Sacrifices at the Passover and Feast of Tabernacles
Eze 45:21. In the first (month), on the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall keep the Passover, a feast of a full week; unleavened shall be eaten. Eze 45:22. And the prince shall prepare on that day for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock as a sin-offering. Eze 45:23. And for the seven days of the feast he shall prepare as a burnt-offering for Jehovah seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily, the seven days, and as a sin-offering a he-goat daily. Eze 45:24. And as a meat-offering, he shall prepare an ephah for the bullock, and an ephah for the ram, and a hin of oil for the ephah. Eze 45:25. In the seventh (month), on the fifteenth day of the month, at the feast he shall do the same for seven days with regard to the sin-offering, as also the burnt-offering, and the meat-offering, as also the oil. – In the words, “shall the Passover be to you,” there lies the thought that the Passover is to be celebrated in the manner appointed in Ex 12, with the paschal meal in the evening of the 14th Abib. – There is considerable difficulty connected with the following words, , which all the older translators have rendered “a feast of seven days.” ”.syad n e ves fo signifies periods of seven days or weeks. A feast of heptads of days, or weeks of days, cannot possibly mean a feast which lasted only seven days, or a week. is used elsewhere for the feast of weeks (Exo 34:22; Deu 16:10), because they were to reckon seven weeks from the second day of the Passover, the day of the sheaf of first-fruits, and then to keep the feast of the loaves of first-fruits, or the feast of harvest (Deu 16:9). Kliefoth retains this well-established meaning of the words in this passage also, and give the following explanation: If the words stood alone without , it would mean that in future the Passover was to be kept like the feast of seven weeks, as the feast of the loaves of first-fruits. But the addition of , which is to be taken in the same sense as in Dan 10:2-3; Gen 29:14, etc., gives this turn to the thought, that in future the Passover is to be kept as a feast of seven weeks long, “a feast lasting seven weeks.” According to this explanation, the meaning of the regulation is, “that in future not only the seven days of sweet loaves, but the whole of the seven weeks intervening between the feast of the wave-sheaf and the feast of the wave-loaves, was to be kept as a Passover, that the whole of the quinquagesima should be one Easter , and the feast of weeks be one with the Passover.” To this there is appended the further regulation, that unleavened bread is to be eaten, not merely for the seven days therefore, but for the whole of the seven weeks, till the feast of the loaves of first-fruits. This explanation is a very sagacious one, and answers to the Christian view of the Easter-tide. But it is open to objections which render it untenable. In the first place, that , when used in the sense of lasting for days, is not usually connected with the preceding noun in the construct state, but is attached as an adverbial accusative; compare in Dan 10:2-3, and in Gen 41:1; Jer 28:3, Jer 28:11, etc. But a still more important objection is the circumstance that the words in Eze 45:23 unquestionably point back to , as there is no other way in which the article in ni elcitr a eht h can be explained, just as in Eze 45:22 points back to the fourteenth day mentioned in Eze 45:21 as the time of the pesach feast. It follows from this, however, that can only signify a seven days’ feast. It is true that the plural appears irreconcilable with this; for Kimchi’s opinion, that is a singular, written with Cholem instead of Patach, is purely a result of perplexity, and the explanation given by Gussetius, that Ezekiel speaks in the plural of weeks, because the reference is “to the institution of the Passover as an annual festival to be celebrated many times in the series of times and ages,” is no better. The plural must rather be taken as a plural of genus, as in , Gen 13:12 and Jdg 12:7; , Gen 19:29; or , Gen 21:7; Isa 37:3; so that Ezekiel speaks indefinitely of heptads of days, because he assumes that the fact is well known that the feast only lasted one heptad of days, as he expressly states in Eze 45:23. If this explanation of the plural does not commend itself, we must take as a copyist’s error for , feast of a heptad of days, i.e., a feast lasting a full week, and attribute the origin of this copyist’s error to the fact that naturally suggested the thought of , feast of weeks, or Pentecost, not merely because the feast of Pentecost is always mentioned in the Pentateuch along with the feasts of Passover and tabernacles, but also because the only singular form of that we meet with elsewhere is (Dan 9:27), or in the construct state (Gen 29:27), not and .
The word is used here as in Deu 16:1-2, so that it includes the seven days’ feast of unleavened bread. The Niphal is construed with the accusative in the olden style: mazzoth shall men eat. – In Eze 45:22 and Eze 45:23 there follow the regulations concerning the sacrifices of this festival, and first of all concerning the sin-offering to be presented on the fourteenth day, on the evening of which the paschal lamb was slaughtered and the paschal meal was held (Eze 45:22). The Mosaic legislation makes no allusion to this, but simply speaks of festal sacrifices for the seven days of mazzoth, the 15th to the 21st Abib (Lev 23:5-8; Num 28:16-25), with regard to which fresh regulations are also given here. The Mosaic law prescribes for each of these seven days as burnt-offerings two bullocks, a ram, and seven yearling lambs, as a meat-offering; three-tenths of an ephah of meal mixed with oil for each bullock, two-tenths for the ram, and one-tenth for each lamb, and a he-goat for the sin-offering (Num 28:19-22). The new law for the feasts, on the other hand, also requires, it is true, only one he-goat daily for a sin-offering on the seven feast days, but for the daily burnt-offerings seven bullocks and seven rams reach; and for the meat-offering, an ephah of meal and a hin of oil for every bullock, and for every ram. In the new thorah, therefore, the burnt-offerings and meat-offerings are much richer and more copious, and the latter in far greater measure than the former. – Eze 45:25. The same number of sacrifices is to be offered throughout the feast of seven days falling upon the fifteenth day of the seventh month. This feast is the feast of tabernacles, but the name is not mentioned, doubtless because the practice of living in tabernacles (booths) would be dropped in the time to come. And even with regard to the sacrifices of this feast, the new thorah differs greatly from the old. According to the Mosaic law, there were to be offered, in addition to the daily sin-offering of a he-goat, seventy bullocks in all as burnt-offerings for the seven days; and these were to be so distributed that on the first day thirteen were to be offered, and the number was to be reduced by one on each of the following days, so that there would be only seven bullocks upon the seventh day; moreover, every day two rams and fourteen yearling lambs were to be offered, together with the requisite quantity of meal and oil for a meat-offering according to the number of the animals (Num 29:12-34). According to Ezekiel, on the other hand, the quantity of provision made for the sacrifices remained the same as that appointed for the feast of Passover; so that the whole cost of the burnt-offerings and meat-offerings did not reach the amount required by the Mosaic law. In addition to all this, there was an eighth day observed as a closing festival in the Mosaic feast of tabernacles, with special sacrifices; and this also is wanting in Ezekiel. – But the following is still more important than the points of difference just mentioned: Ezekiel only mentions the two yearly feats of seven days in the first and seventh months, and omits not only the Pentecost, or feast of weeks, but also the day of trumpets, on the first of the seventh month, and the day of atonement on the tenth; from which we must infer that the Israeli of the future would keep only the two first named of all the yearly feasts. The correctness of this conclusion is placed beyond the reach of doubt by the fact that he practically transfers the feasts of the day of trumpets and of the day of atonement, which were preparatory to the feast of tabernacles, to the first month, by the appointment of special sin-offerings for the first and seventh days of that month (Eze 45:18-20), and of a sin-offering on the day of the paschal meal (Eze 45:22). This essentially transforms the idea which lies at the foundation of the cycle of Mosaic feasts, as we intend subsequently to show, when discussing the meaning and significance of the whole picture of the new kingdom of God, as shown in Ezekiel 40-48.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
21-25. It is commanded that on the fourteenth day of Abib (compare Exo 12:6) the passover shall be celebrated (Eze 45:21) and the prince “shall provide” (Eze 45:22-23; compare Eze 45:17) the sin offering and burnt offering. While the Levitical law required only two bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs as the daily offering, this most holy symbolic legislation requires seven bullocks and seven rams, and considerably more flour and oil. In the feast of tabernacles (Eze 45:25; compare Lev 23:33, etc.; Num 29:13, etc.) he shall offer the same sacrifices as in the passover feast. This divergence from the Levitical legislation is either because the Levitical law, as we now possess it, represents a later and more complex ceremonial than that of Ezekiel, or because there was a symbolic meaning, and therefore spiritual instruction, in these deviations from a well-known and ancient law. That every one of these ceremonial observances pictured visibly some spiritual lesson no one doubts; but just what lesson each sacrifice and offering taught we are not able to tell. (Yet compare notes Eze 43:10-12.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Prince’s Responsibility for the Passover and The Feast of Tabernacles.
What is described clearly abbreviates ancient ceremonies already known, the full details of which did not need to be described. The point being made here is the Prince’s responsibility for them. The Passover lambs themselves would be eaten in their houses, but what is described here are the major sacrifices on behalf of the people.
“In the first month on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the passover, a feast of seven days. Unleavened bread shall be eaten. And on that day the prince will prepare for himself, and for all the people of the land, a bullock for a sin offering. And for the seven days he shall prepare a whole burnt offering to Yahweh, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days. And a he-goat daily for a sin offering. And he shall prepare a meal offering, an ephah for a bullock and an ephah for a ram, and a hin of oil to an ephah.”
The Passover celebrated the deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12-13). It was thus a suitable feast to emphasise once the New Exodus had taken place. Here again was deliverance from a far country. From now on Passover (including the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread) would celebrate two deliverances. Note how Passover and Unleavened Bread are seen as one feast. Compare 2Ch 30:1-27; 2Ch 35:1-19. The public celebration of Passover in style appears regularly to have been the sign of a new beginning, as the people were reminded of what their covenant God had done for them.
There was to be a daily sin offering throughout the feast to deal with the sins of the people, thus seven in all, and twice sevenfold whole burnt offerings offered in worship and praise and dedication daily, a sweet savour to Yahweh (Gen 8:20-21; Lev 1:9; Lev 1:13), although these also included an atoning factor. Whole burnt offerings (literally ‘that which goes up’) were a very ancient form of sacrifice, offered long before the deliverance from Egypt (Gen 8:20-21; Gen 22:2). The whole of the offering was consumed by fire. Along with the whole burnt offerings a meal offering was offered.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 45:21 In the first [month], in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.
Ver. 21. In the fourteenth day. ] Upon that very day, not duly observed then by the Jews, was “Christ our passover sacrificed for us.” 1Co 5:7
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 45:21-25
21In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. 22On that day the prince shall provide for himself and all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering. 23During the seven days of the feast he shall provide as a burnt offering to the Lord seven bulls and seven rams without blemish on every day of the seven days, and a male goat daily for a sin offering. 24He shall provide as a grain offering an ephah with a bull, an ephah with a ram and a hin of oil with an ephah. 25In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, at the feast, he shall provide like this, seven days for the sin offering, the burnt offering, the grain offering and the oil.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
In the first month, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exo 12:19). App-92. This is the Feast of the Passover.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
first month
i.e. April. Exo 12:18; Num 9:2; Num 9:3; Num 28:16; Num 28:17; Deu 16:1.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
ye shall: Exo 12:1-51, Lev 23:5-8, Num 9:2-14, Num 28:16-25, Deu 16:1-8, 1Co 5:7, 1Co 5:8
Reciprocal: Exo 12:6 – fourteenth Num 28:19 – two young 2Ch 35:1 – the fourteenth Joh 18:28 – eat
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 45:21. This feast, is identical with that prescribed in the law of Moses. The details of that feast are recorded in Exodus 12 and Leviticus 23.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
On the fourteenth day of the first month of the year the Israelites were to celebrate the Passover and then a seven-day feast using unleavened bread (cf. Exo 12:1-14; Lev 23:5-8; Num 28:16-25). The same relationship between the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread that existed under the Old Covenant appears to exist here. The Jews celebrated the Passover after sundown on the fourteenth of Nisan. For the next seven days they celebrated the feast of Unleavened Bread. The Jews counted the beginning and ending of their days at sundown. So the whole combined festival really lasted seven days, and they often referred to it simply as Passover.
On the day of the Passover the prince would offer a bull as a sin offering for himself and the people. During the seven days of this Passover festival the prince would also offer each day seven bulls and seven rams without blemish as a burnt offering of worship and one ram for a sin offering. He would offer with each bull and each ram one ephah (about one-half bushel) of grain as a grain offering plus a hin (about one gallon) of oil with the grain. This celebration will doubtless commemorate Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and the importance of living sin-free in view of that sacrifice.