1 He led me to the gate, the one facing east,
2 and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of mighty waters, and the land was lit up by his glory.
3 What I saw was like the vision I had seen when I came to destroy the city, and like the vision I had seen beside the river Chebar; and I fell face down.
4 The glory of the LORD came into the house through the gate facing east.
5 The Spirit lifted me and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
6 I heard someone speaking to me from inside the house, while the man stood next to me.
7 He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will live among the children of Israel forever. Never again will the house of Israel defile my holy name, neither they nor their kings, with their harlotry and with the corpses of their kings at their high places,
8 setting their threshold next to my threshold and their doorpost next to my doorpost, with only a wall between me and them. They defiled my holy name by the abominations they committed, so I finished them off in my anger.
9 Now let them remove their harlotry and their kings' corpses far from me, and I will live among them forever.
10 "You, Son of man, describe the house to the house of Israel, so that they will be ashamed of their iniquities, and let them measure its plan.
11 If they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the house, its layout, its exits and entrances, its entire design and all its statutes, its entire design and all its laws; write it down before their eyes, so that they may keep its entire design and all its statutes and carry them out.
12 This is the law of the house: on the top of the mountain, its whole territory all around will be most holy. This, then, is the law of the house.
13 "These are the measurements of the altar in cubits (a cubit being a cubit plus a handbreadth): its base, a cubit high and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span around its edge. This is the height of the altar:
14 from the base on the ground up to the lower ledge, two cubits, the ledge being a cubit wide; and from the smaller ledge up to the larger ledge, four cubits, that ledge being a cubit wide;
15 the altar hearth, four cubits; and rising from the altar hearth, four horns.
16 The altar hearth was twelve cubits long and twelve wide, square on all four sides.
17 The ledge was fourteen cubits long and fourteen wide on all four sides, with a rim half a cubit around it and its base a cubit all around. Its steps are to face east."
18 He said to me, "Son of man, thus says the Lord GOD: These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is built, so that burnt offerings may be offered on it and blood sprinkled on it.
19 To the Levitical priests of the line of Zadok, who draw near to me to serve me, declares the Lord GOD, you are to give a young bull for a sin offering.
20 Take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge and on the rim all around; so you will cleanse it from sin and make atonement for it.
21 Then take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated place of the house, outside the sanctuary.
22 On the second day offer a male goat without blemish as a sin offering, and they will cleanse the altar as they cleansed it with the bull.
23 When you have finished cleansing it, offer a young bull without blemish and a ram without blemish from the flock.
24 Present them before the LORD; the priests are to throw salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to the LORD.
25 For seven days you are to provide a male goat each day as a sin offering; a young bull and a ram from the flock, without blemish, are also to be provided.
26 For seven days they will make atonement for the altar and cleanse it, and so consecrate it.
27 When these days are over, from the eighth day on the priests will offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar, and I will accept you, declares the Lord GOD."