The Skeptics Annotated Bible (659 page)

15 So
the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.

(43.15)
“The altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.”

16 And
the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof
.

(43.16)
“The altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof.”

17 And
the settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about
; and his stairs shall look toward the east.

(43.17)
“The settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about.”

(43.18-25) God’s instructions for ritualistic animal sacrifices.

18 And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to
offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.

(43.18)
“Offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.”

19 And
thou shalt give to the priests the Levites
that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord GOD,
a young bullock for a sin offering
.

(43.19)
“Thou shalt give to the priests the Levites … a young bullock for a sin offering.”

20 And
thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about
: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.

(43.20)
“Thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about.”

21
Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering
, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.

(43.21)
“Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering.”

22 And
on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering
; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock.

(43.22)
“On the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering.”

23 When thou hast made an end of cleansing it,
thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.

(43.23)
“Thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.”

24 And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and
they shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the LORD.

(43.24)
“They shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the LORD.”

25
Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.

(43.25) “Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.”

26 Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.

27 And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.

44
Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.

(44.2-3) The gate is shut because God entered by it. The only other person that can use the gate is the prince who eats bread in front of God.

2
Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut
, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it
; because the LORD
, the God of Israel
, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.

(44.2)
“Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut … because the LORD … hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.”

3
It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.

(44.3)
“It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.”

4 Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and,
behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face.

(44.4)
“Behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face.”

5 And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary.

6 And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations,

(44.7-9) Don’t bring any strangers or people with uncircumcised hearts or flesh to God’s sanctuary when you’re offering him fat and blood.

7 In that
ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh
, to be in my sanctuary,
to pollute it
, even my house,
when ye offer
my bread,
the fat and the blood
, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.

(44.7)
“Ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh … to pollute it … when ye offer … the fat and the blood.”

8 And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.

9
Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary
, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.

(44.9) “Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary.”

(44.10-15) Stay away from idols or you’ll bear your iniquity (i.e., God will kill you). But be sure to offer God lots of fat and blood and burnt offerings.