Yehezkel 42-43

In perek 42 Yechezkel continues his tour of the future temple, and returns to the outer court after his visit to the holy sanctuary. In pesukim 1-14 the tour of the northern and southern chambers is described, and in pesukim 15-20 Yechezkel goes out onto the temple mount and sees its measurements and the wall which surrounds it.

In perek 43 the vision of the future temple comes to its climax with the return of the Glory of God to the temple through the eastern gate through which it left in perek 11. Just as the first tour of the temple ends with the Spirit of God leaving the temple, so too the tour of the future temple ends with the return of the Spirit of God to the temple. In the second half of the perek, (13-27), the dimensions of the altar and the dedication of the altar are described. This section is a connecting link between the description of the temple and its dimensions and the laws of the temple and the priests which will be described in the coming perakim.