Ezekiel 43:15
and the altar hearth, four cubits; and from the altar hearth projecting upward, four horns.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The Hebrew word for "altar" here isn't just one word, but two distinct terms that seem to work together: "mount of God" and "hearth of God" (or "lion of God"). This emphasizes that the altar wasn't just a stone structure, but a sacred place where God’s presence and power consumed the sacrifices, like a powerful lion devouring its prey.
Ezekiel is continuing his vision of a restored temple, this time focusing on the altar that stands within it. This description of the altar, including its dimensions and the prominent horns on its corners, follows the detailed measurements and layout of the temple structure itself and precedes further instructions on its consecration and use for sin offerings. The altar's specifications are meant to convey its holiness and the vital role it plays in reconciliation between God and His people.
Why would the Bible use two different, yet similar-sounding, words for the same altar? What deeper meaning do these names hold?
Ezekiel 43:15 uses two distinct Hebrew terms that are translated as 'altar' or 'hearth' in this verse: Harel and Ariel. Scholars debate their exact meanings, but the common thread points to God's presence and purpose.
The Mount of God (Harel)
The first term, Harel, is often understood as 'Mount of God.' This name emphasizes the altar's elevated and sacred position, a place set apart for divine connection, much like a mountain reaching towards the heavens.
The Hearth of God (Ariel)
The second term, Ariel, is more complex, potentially meaning 'Hearth of God' or even 'Lion of God.' The 'Hearth of God' idea connects to the altar as the place where God's fire consumed sacrifices, signifying His acceptance and presence. The 'Lion of God' imagery might evoke a sense of divine power and protective fierceness, or perhaps a consuming aspect related to judgment or purification.
These aren't decorative flourishes! What vital function did these 'horns' serve in ancient worship and what do they symbolize?
The mention of 'four horns' projecting upward from the altar is significant. These horns weren't mere decorations but had crucial functions in Old Testament worship.
A Place of Refuge
In the Mosaic Tabernacle and Temple, the horns of the altar were places where blood was applied during sin and guilt offerings. They symbolized the atonement that provided a means of escape from sin's penalty. Critically, they also served as a sanctuary. If someone fled to the altar and clung to its horns, they could find refuge from certain kinds of retribution, symbolizing God's protection for the penitent sinner.
Symbol of Divine Authority and Power
Beyond refuge, the horns represented the completeness and power of the sacrifice offered. They were the highest points, pointing towards God, and signified that the offering reached Him. The application of blood to the horns demonstrated the power of the sacrifice to cover sin and the unwavering authority of God's provision for His people.
Understand the original words
har'el · Hebrew Noun
The top section of the altar where sacrifices were consumed by fire, representing the place of divine consumption and acceptance of the offering.
qeren · Hebrew Noun
Projections at the four corners of the altar; they symbolize the power of the sacrifice and are points of refuge or places where blood is applied for atonement.
The detailed description of the altar, including its 'horns,' refers back to the established practices of Mosaic altars, symbolizing divine strength and refuge. This vision of a restored altar within a new Temple in Ezekiel's time provided a powerful message of hope and future restoration to an exiled people who had lost their Temple and land.
c. 967 BC
Solomon's Temple Completed
King Solomon's magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, which housed the Ark of the Covenant, was dedicated. This grand structure replaced the earlier Tabernacle and became the central place of Israel's worship.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom (Israel)
The Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its inhabitants. This event marked a significant loss of the northern tribes and a foreshadowing of judgment.
597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquered Jerusalem, exiling King Jehoiachin and many of the Judean elite. This marked the beginning of Judah's decline and exile.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar returned to destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and plunging the people into a devastating exile. This event represented the apparent abandonment of God's promises.
This passage describes the construction of the bronze altar for the Tabernacle, also featuring four horns at its corners, establishing a precedent for the altar's design in Ezekiel's vision.
Leviticus 4:7The instructions for atonement sacrifices specify applying blood to the horns of the altar, highlighting the functional and symbolic significance of these prominent features.
Psalm 118:27This psalm directly references applying a sin offering to the horns of the altar, linking the altar's horns to the concept of expiation and divine help.
Isaiah 29:1This prophetic passage uses the term 'Ariel,' which is echoed in Ezekiel's description of the altar, suggesting a layered meaning related to sacrifice and God's presence.
barnesEzekiel 43:15: "So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns."
The altar ... the altar - See the margin. The two words may denote, the first a square block (N) placed upon the upper settle, the second a slab (O), the thickness of which is not given, from which rose four horns Exodus 27:2 ; and to which it seems probable that the victims of sacrifice were at times bound. Psalm 118:27 . Why the names Harel and Ariel were used must be conjectural. Mount of G…
clarkeEzekiel 43:15: "So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns."
So the altar - ההראל haharel, "the mount of God." And from the altar - ומהאראיל umihaariel, "and from the lion of God." Perhaps the first was a name given to the altar when elevated to the honor of God, and on which the victims were offered to him, and the second, the lion of God, may mean the hearth, which might have been thus called, because it devoured and consumed the burnt-offerings, as…
The Hebrew word for "altar" here isn't just one word, but two distinct terms that seem to work together: "mount of God" and "hearth of God" (or "lion of God"). This emphasizes that the altar wasn't just a stone structure, but a sacred place where God’s presence and power consumed the sacrifices, like a powerful lion devouring its prey.
Ezekiel is continuing his vision of a restored temple, this time focusing on the altar that stands within it. This description of the altar, including its dimensions and the prominent horns on its corners, follows the detailed measurements and layout of the temple structure itself and precedes further instructions on its consecration and use for sin offerings. The altar's specifications are meant to convey its holiness and the vital role it plays in reconciliation between God and His people.
Ezekiel is continuing his vision of a restored temple, this time focusing on the altar that stands within it. This description of the altar, including its dimensions and the prominent horns on its corners, follows the detailed measurements and layout of the temple structure itself and precedes further instructions on its consecration and use for sin offerings. The altar's specifications are meant to convey its holiness and the vital role it plays in reconciliation between God and His people.
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c. 593 BC
Ezekiel's Commission
Ezekiel, a priest in exile, received his prophetic commission from God to speak to the exiles in Babylon. This vision occurred during the early years of the exile, before the final destruction of Jerusalem.
c. 573 BC— this verse
Vision of the New Temple
Ezekiel receives a detailed vision of a new Temple, including its measurements, layout, and elaborate sacrificial system. This vision, given in the latter part of his exile, offered hope for future restoration and God's abiding presence.
"and the altar hearth, four cubits; and from the altar hearth projecting upward, four horns." — The Hebrew word for "altar" here isn't just one word, but two distinct terms that seem to work together: "mount of God" and "hearth of God" (or "lion of God"). This emphasizes that the altar wasn't j…
