Then said he unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake the meat offering; that they bear them not out into the utter court, to sanctify the people.

EZEKIEL 46:20KJV
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Ezekiel 46:20 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 46:20 mean?

Ezekiel 46:20 explains that there is a special place in the temple where the priests are to cook the offerings for sin and guilt, as well as bake the grain offering, so that these holy things are not taken out into the outer court where ordinary people are, which would make them holy too. This instruction is about keeping a clear boundary between what is set apart for God and what is common.

In this verse, a guide (likely an angel) is speaking to Ezekiel during his vision of the future temple. The guide points out a designated area for the priests to prepare offerings—specifically, the sin offering, the guilt offering, and the grain offering. The reason given is to prevent these offerings, which are considered holy, from being brought into the outer court and causing the people there to become consecrated in a way that is not intended.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 46:20

  • "boil" (בָּשַׁל, bashal): This word means to cook by boiling, and it is used here to describe how the priests are to prepare certain offerings. The detail shows that the preparation of offerings was a practical, hands-on task.
  • "bake" (אָפָה, aphah): This word means to bake, referring to the grain offering. The verse shows that not all offerings were treated the same way—some were boiled, others baked, depending on their type.
  • "utter" (חִיץ, chiytz): This word refers to the outer or external court of the temple. The instruction is about keeping the holy things within the inner, more sacred areas, highlighting the separation between holy and common spaces.
  • "sanctify" (קָדַשׁ, qadash): This word means to make holy or set apart. The concern is that if the offerings were taken out, the people in the outer court would be made holy in a way that was not appropriate or intended.

Why Ezekiel 46:20 matters

  • This verse clarifies that holiness in the temple was carefully managed, and not everything or everyone was meant to be set apart in the same way. It shows the seriousness with which boundaries between holy and common were kept.
  • Ezekiel 46:20 helps explain the practical side of temple worship, showing that the priests had specific duties and spaces for their work, not just rituals but also cooking and baking.
  • The verse connects to the wider passage by showing how the temple vision in Ezekiel is about order, separation, and respect for what is dedicated to God. It highlights the importance of proper procedures in worship.

Where else these words appear

“boil” Hebrew H1310 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 40:10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
  • Leviticus 8:31 And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it.
  • 2 Kings 4:38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.

“bake” Hebrew H644 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
  • Genesis 40:22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
  • Leviticus 26:26 And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.

“utter” Hebrew H2435 · used in 24 verses

  • 1 Kings 6:29 And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.
  • Ezekiel 10:5 And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.
  • Ezekiel 42:3 Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories.

“offering” Hebrew H817 · used in 41 verses

  • Genesis 26:10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
  • Leviticus 7:37 This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings;
  • Numbers 6:12 And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.