Ezekiel 45:18
in Ezekiel 45This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘On the first day of the first month you are to take a young bull without blemish and purify the sanctuary.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish; and thou shalt cleanse the sanctuary.
KJV
Thus saith the Lord God; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:
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This verse in Ezekiel 45
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThou shalt take a young bullock - and cleanse the sanctuary - There is nothing of this in the Mosaic law; it seems to have been a new ceremony. An annual purification of the sanctuary may be intended.
This site's exposition
you are to take a young bull without blemish
on Ezekiel 45:18-20
The sacred year opens on the first day of the first month with a young bull's blood on the doorposts of the temple. The rite is repeated on the seventh day “for anyone who strays unintentionally or in ignorance.” Keil sets it beside the altar's consecration in Exodus and Leviticus.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 18 and following) Thus says the Lord God: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without blemish, and you shall purify the sanctuary. The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the house, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the doorposts of the gate of the inner court.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), that is, to make atonement for the iniquity of the holy things the year past, that they might bring none of the guilt of them into the services of the new year, and to implore grace for the preventing of that iniquity, and for the better performance of the service of the sanctuary the ensuing year.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Thus saith the Lord God,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The year is to begin with a consecration service, not mentioned under the Levitical law; but an earnest of it is given in the feast of dedication of the second temple, which celebrated its purification by Judas Maccabeus, after its defilement by Antiochus.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
This order of certain solemn services does not follow exactly the order of Moses, of Solomon, or of Ezra. The deviation can scarcely have been accidental, and furnishes a fresh indication that the whole vision is symbolic, representative of the times when, after the oblation of the one Sacrifice, reconciliation and sanctification were effected for man through the presence of God dwelling in the midst of the people. Eze 45:18 In the first day - If this is only a special Passover for the dedication, the prolongation of the festival may be compared with that under Solomon 2Ch 7:8. But it is more probably a general ordinance, and, in this case, we have an addition to the Mosaic ritual (compare Lev 23:5). Here the “first day” is marked by the rites of expiation, which are repeated on the seventh day Eze 45:20, for the purpose of including those who transgressed from ignorance rather than willfulness. Eze 45:23 Comparing this with the daily sacrifices of the Paschal week Num 28:19-24, and those of the daily sacrifices of the week of the Feast of tabernacles (see Num 29:12...), it will be seen that here the covenant number seven is preserved throughout to indicate a perfect, in lieu of an imperfect, covenant with God. Eze 45:25 The Feast of tabernacles (compare the marginal references). Some think that the other great festival, the Feast of Weeks, is intended.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַר֮ | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֣י | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| יְהוִה֒ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3069 → | 306 times |
| בָּֽרִאשׁוֹן֙ | barishon | in the first [month] | H7223 → | 182 times |
| בְּאֶחָ֣ד | beechad | on [day] one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ | lachodesh | of the month | H2320 → | 284 times |
| תִּקַּ֥ח | tikach | you will take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| פַּר־ | par- | a young bull | H6499 → | 132 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | a young one of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בָּקָ֖ר | bakar | cattle | H1241 → | 183 times |
| תָּמִ֑ים | tamim | unblemished | H8549 → | 91 times |
| וְחִטֵּאתָ֖ | vechiteta | and you will cleanse from sin | H2398 → | 238 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמִּקְדָּֽשׁ׃ | hamikdash | the sanctuary | H4720 → | 75 times |
כֹּה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
אָמַר֮he says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
אֲדֹנָ֣י[the] Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
יְהוִה֒Yahweh
yahwehH3069 →306 times
בָּֽרִאשׁוֹן֙in the first [month]
barishonH7223 →182 times
בְּאֶחָ֣דon [day] one
beechadH259 →971 times
לַחֹ֔דֶשׁof the month
lachodeshH2320 →284 times
תִּקַּ֥חyou will take
tikachH3947 →966 times
פַּר־a young bull
par-H6499 →132 times
בֶּן־a young one of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
בָּקָ֖רcattle
bakarH1241 →183 times
תָּמִ֑יםunblemished
tamimH8549 →91 times
וְחִטֵּאתָ֖and you will cleanse from sin
vechitetaH2398 →238 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמִּקְדָּֽשׁ׃the sanctuary
hamikdashH4720 →75 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 9:14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:19
but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 10:22
let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
- 1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- Hebrews 9:12
He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.
- 1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
- 1 Peter 1:19
Through
Exodus 12:2“This month is the beginning of months for you; it shall be the first month of your year.
it leads to
- Exodus 13:4
Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving.
- Deuteronomy 16:1
Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.
- Exodus 34:18
You are to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, you are to eat unleavened bread as I commanded you. For in the…
- Exodus 13:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel.