And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof.
Parallel translations
- WEB The altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve wide, square in its four sides.
- BSB The altar hearth shall be square at its four corners, twelve cubits long and twelve cubits wide.
- NKJV The altar hearth is twelve cubits long, twelve wide, square at its four corners;
- NASB Now the altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve wide, square in its four sides.
- NLT The top of the altar is square, measuring 21 feet by 21 feet.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The altar hearth is a perfect square, twelve cubits on each side.
Overview
The square shape signifies symmetry, order, and completeness in worship. Twelve may evoke the twelve tribes of Israel, suggesting the altar serves the whole covenant people. Ordered worship reflects the character of a holy and faithful God who provides atonement for all His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Exod 27:1And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
- Exod 38:1–2And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
- Ezra 3:3And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.
- 2 Chr 4:1Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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How Ezekiel 43:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.