But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.

EZEKIEL 46:9KJV
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Ezekiel 46:9 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 46:9 mean?

Ezekiel 46:9 instructs that when the people of the land come before the LORD during the special feasts, anyone who enters the temple through the north gate must leave through the south gate, and anyone who enters through the south gate must exit through the north gate; no one is to leave by the same gate they entered. This rule is about the orderly movement of worshipers and may also symbolize a change or transformation that occurs through worship.

In this part of Ezekiel, the prophet is describing regulations for worship in a future temple, speaking to the people of Israel on behalf of God. The setting is a vision where Ezekiel is given detailed instructions about how worship should be conducted, especially during the appointed feasts. The verse emphasizes both reverence and order in approaching God, and the unique rule about not leaving by the same gate highlights the seriousness and structure of worship in this vision.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 46:9

  • "people" (עָם, ʿam, H5971): This word refers to the general population, not just priests or leaders, showing that these instructions are for all Israelites coming to worship.
  • "feasts" (מוֹעֵד, moʿed, H4150): This word means appointed times or festivals, indicating these are special, set times for communal worship, not just any gathering.
  • "worship" (שָׁחָה, shachah, H7812): This verb means to bow down or prostrate oneself, highlighting the act of humble worship before God.
  • "go forth over against it" (נָכַח, nokhach, H5226): This phrase means to exit opposite the way you entered, stressing the deliberate movement and perhaps the idea of not returning unchanged from an encounter with God.

Why Ezekiel 46:9 matters

  • The verse clarifies that worship in the temple is meant to be orderly and respectful, not casual or chaotic, which reflects the holiness of the setting.
  • By requiring worshipers to leave through the opposite gate, the passage may suggest that genuine worship leads to change, so people do not leave God's presence the same as they came.
  • This instruction connects to the broader section in Ezekiel where detailed temple regulations are given, showing the importance of structure and reverence in the relationship between God and His people.