Ezekiel 41:22
an altar of wood, three cubits high, two cubits long, and two cubits broad. Its corners, its base, and its walls were of wood. He said to me, “This is the table that is before the LORD.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The text highlights that this "altar" is specifically called "the table that is before the LORD." This isn't just an altar for burning sacrifices; it's described as a table, emphasizing its role in communion and fellowship with God, where He delights in His people.
As Ezekiel's vision moves into the inner sanctuary, he's shown a wooden structure, which his angelic guide identifies as "the table that is before the LORD." This is not the table of showbread, but the altar of incense, a place where fragrant offerings were constantly burned, symbolizing the ongoing prayers and intercessions that ascend to God. This scene follows the detailed measurements of the temple's chambers and doorways, and the shift in focus to this sacred altar highlights the continuous communion and worship that defines God's dwelling place.
Ezekiel sees an altar, but the angel calls it a 'table.' What's the connection between sacrifice and a meal?
This passage describes an altar made of wood, larger than its predecessors in the Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple. It stands three cubits high and is two cubits long and broad. Significantly, the angel identifies it not just as an altar, but as 'the table that is before the LORD.'
More Than Just Sacrifice
This isn't the altar of burnt offering in the outer court, but the altar of incense, located in the holy place. While historical accounts often refer to it as the 'golden altar' because it was overlaid with gold, Ezekiel's vision presents it purely as wood.
The angel's declaration that this altar is also a 'table' highlights a profound truth: God's presence is associated with both sacrifice and fellowship. The offerings brought to the altar were, in a sense, God's 'food.' The altar was where the sacred connection was maintained, a place where God's people presented their devotion and God received their offerings. Calling it a 'table' emphasizes that this sacred space is where God 'dines' with His people, receiving their worship and communion.
The altar is described as wood, but we know similar altars were covered in gold. What does this symbolic material tell us?
The altar of incense, often called the 'golden altar' because it was overlaid with gold (Exodus 30:3; 1 Kings 7:48), is presented here in Ezekiel's vision as being made entirely of wood.
Material Meanings
Understand the original words
mizbeach · Hebrew Noun
A raised structure or platform used for religious sacrifices, offerings, or memorials. Biblically, it signifies a place of encounter with God, atonement, or presentation of service.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant God of Israel, the personal name (YHWH) of the Creator. It signifies His holiness, presence, and His specific relationship with His people.
Ezekiel's vision of the altar of wood, larger than its predecessors and called 'the table before the LORD,' likely reflects the prophet's understanding of an enriched and expanded future worship, perhaps anticipating a time when the spiritual significance of worship would be more fully realized by a people humbled by exile.
c. 1445 BC
Tabernacle Altar of Incense Constructed
The instructions for the Tabernacle include an altar of acacia wood overlaid with gold, used for burning incense daily. This altar was relatively small, measuring one cubit by one cubit and two cubits high.
c. 960 BC
Solomon's Temple Altar of Incense
Solomon's Temple also featured an altar of incense, described as being made of cedar wood and overlaid with gold, similar to the Tabernacle's design.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens, including the prophet Ezekiel, were exiled to Babylon following a siege of Jerusalem. This marked the beginning of the Babylonian Captivity.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple, ending the kingdom of Judah and intensifying the exile for many Judeans.
This passage describes the original altar of incense in the Tabernacle, highlighting its construction of wood and gold, and its function in daily prayer and atonement, which sets the stage for understanding Ezekiel's vision.
1 Kings 7:48This verse mentions the 'golden altar' in Solomon's Temple, which is understood to be the altar of incense, providing a historical parallel to the altar described in Ezekiel's vision.
Malachi 1:7This verse uses the terms 'altar' and 'table' interchangeably when referring to offerings made to the Lord, reinforcing the connection made in Ezekiel 41:22 where the altar of incense is called 'the table that is before the LORD.'
Ezekiel 44:16This verse directly links the altar and the table in the context of the restored Temple, stating they will 'prepare them meat' and 'be fed of it,' further solidifying the symbolic interchangeability of these terms in Ezekiel's vision.
Revelation 8:3This New Testament passage speaks of an angel with a golden censer offering incense with the prayers of the saints, symbolizing Christ's ongoing intercession, which the physical altar of incense in the Old Testament prefigured.
clarkeEzekiel 41:22: "The altar of wood was three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before the LORD."
The altar of wood - This was the altar of incense, and was covered with plates of gold.
barnesEzekiel 41:22: "The altar of wood was three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before the LORD."
The altar of wood - The altar for incense (marginal reference); "altar of gold" (see 1 Kings 7:48 ). Walls - The corner pieces of the altar, rising into projections called in Exodus horns, here corners. Table - "table and altar" were convertible terms Mala…
The text highlights that this "altar" is specifically called "the table that is before the LORD." This isn't just an altar for burning sacrifices; it's described as a table, emphasizing its role in communion and fellowship with God, where He delights in His people.
As Ezekiel's vision moves into the inner sanctuary, he's shown a wooden structure, which his angelic guide identifies as "the table that is before the LORD." This is not the table of showbread, but the altar of incense, a place where fragrant offerings were constantly burned, symbolizing the ongoing prayers and intercessions that ascend to God. This scene follows the detailed measurements of the temple's chambers and doorways, and the shift in focus to this sacred altar highlights the continuous communion and worship that defines God's dwelling place.
As Ezekiel's vision moves into the inner sanctuary, he's shown a wooden structure, which his angelic guide identifies as "the table that is before the LORD." This is not the table of showbread, but the altar of incense, a place where fragrant offerings were constantly burned, symbolizing the ongoing prayers and intercessions that ascend to God. This scene follows the detailed measurements of the temple's chambers and doorways, and the shift in focus to this sacred altar highlights the continuous communion and worship that defines God's dwelling place.
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By presenting the altar as solely wood, this vision might emphasize the solid, foundational reality of Christ's mediation and intercession, grounded in His humanity and sacrifice. It could also reflect the potential scarcity of resources in a post-exilic community, as suggested by some commentators, focusing on the essence rather than opulent display.
Why are the specific measurements of this altar so important in Ezekiel's vision?
Ezekiel's vision provides specific dimensions for this altar: three cubits high, and two cubits long and broad. This is a notable increase compared to the dimensions of the altar of incense in the Tabernacle, which was two cubits high and one cubit long and broad (Exodus 30:2).
Greater Scope, Deeper Presence
The precise measurements underscore the deliberate and purposeful nature of God's design for worship and communion with His people.
c. 573 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Temple Vision
In his visions, Ezekiel received detailed measurements and descriptions of a future, ideal Temple. This vision likely occurred during his exile in Babylon, offering hope for restoration.
"an altar of wood, three cubits high, two cubits long, and two cubits broad. Its corners, its base, and its walls were of wood. He said to me, “This is the table that is before the LORD.”" — The text highlights that this "altar" is specifically called "the table that is before the LORD." This isn't just an altar for burning sacrifices; it's described as a table, emphasizing its role in c…
