Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 43

The new Temple had now been shown to the prophet with all its arrangements and measurements; it remained for the structure to be divinely accepted by the manifestation of the glory of the Lord, as in the case of the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34–35) and of the former Temple (1 Kings 8:10–11; 2 Chronicles 5:13–14; 2 Chronicles 7:1–3). The description of this and the accompanying message occupy Ezekiel 43:1-12. With Ezekiel 43:13, the account of the ordinances of Divine worship to be celebrated in the Temple begins and is continued to the end of Ezekiel 46.

From the way of the east.— The prophet had been brought (Ezekiel 43:1) to the east gate, from where he had formerly seen the glory of the Lord depart (Ezekiel 10:18–19; Ezekiel 11:1; Ezekiel 11:23) because of the pollution of His house. By the same way, the glory of the Lord was now to return to the sanctuary prepared for it.

When I came to destroy the city. That is, to announce its destruction (Genesis 49:7; Isaiah 6:10; Jeremiah 1:10).

Like the vision that I saw. Compare to Ezekiel 1:4 and following, Ezekiel 3:23, Ezekiel 10:15, Ezekiel 10:22. The manifestation of Divine glory to the prophet was the same throughout.

Brought me into the inner court.— Having seen the Divine glory enter by the eastern gate, the prophet, himself a priest, is brought into the court of the priests, and there sees the glory of the Lord fill the house as of old.

I heard him speaking. Although the pronoun is not expressed in the original, there can be no question that God Himself spoke directly to the prophet, as in Ezekiel 44:2, 5, 9, and so on. “The man” is without the article in the Hebrew, which leaves it uncertain whether the same being is meant who had previously guided the prophet; but as measurements were also made by this guide (Ezekiel 47:3–5), he was probably the same.

The place of the soles of my feet.—Compare 1 Chronicles 28:2; Psalms 132:7.

I will dwell ... for ever.—This was to be the unique distinction of the Temple seen in the vision. The Tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple had both been accepted as the unique dwelling-place of God, but both had passed away. The same would also be true of the material Temple of the restoration. But in this Temple of the vision, God promises that He will dwell forever.

By the carcasses of their kings.—The phrase “shall defile,” with which the later clauses of this verse are connected, is not an imperative but a simple future, and is in accordance with the generally ideal character of the vision. The word “carcasses” here is a difficult one.

Some commentators understand it literally as the burial of some of the kings in the Temple area. However, there is no historical proof that any were buried there; the gardens of the royal palace were far too distant for the language used here, nor is there any allusion anywhere to such defilement. The simplest explanation is that the language is based on Leviticus 26:30 and means idols. Manasseh and others had introduced their idols into the very courts of the Temple (2 Kings 21:4–7; see also 2 Kings 16:11).