The man then brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary that faced east, but it was shut.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which looks toward the east; and it was shut.
- KJV Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.
- NKJV Then He brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary which faces toward the east, but it was shut.
- NASB Then He brought me back by way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and it was shut.
- NLT Then the man brought me back to the east gateway in the outer wall of the Temple area, but it was closed.
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
Ezekiel is led to the temple's outer east gate, which he finds shut.
Overview
The east gate, through which God's glory had departed and returned (Ezekiel 10-11, 43), is now closed. Its shut state immediately raises the question of why, answered in the next verse. The detail emphasizes the holiness and exclusivity of God's presence, which the rest of the chapter will guard with careful regulations.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ezek 43:1Then the man brought me back to the gate that faces east,
- Ezek 42:14Once the priests have entered the holy area, they must not go out into the outer court until they have left behind the garments in which they minister, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they approach the places that are for the people.”
- Ezek 40:17Then he brought me into the outer court, and there were chambers and a pavement laid out all around the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement,
- Ezek 40:6Then he came to the gate facing east and climbed its steps. He measured the threshold of the gate to be one rod deep.
- 2 Chr 20:5Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD in front of the new courtyard
- 2 Chr 4:9He made the courtyard of the priests and the large court with its doors, and he overlaid the doors with bronze.
- Ezek 43:4and the glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east.
- Ezek 46:1“This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘The gate of the inner court that faces east must be kept shut during the six days of work, but on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.
- 2 Chr 33:5In both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven.
- Acts 21:28–30crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 44:1 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.