And you shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge and upon the rim all around. Thus you shall purify the altar and make atonement for it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The ritual here isn't just about cleaning the altar; it’s about making atonement for the altar itself. This implies the altar, as a structure meant to handle sin, becomes tainted and requires cleansing before it can be holy enough to offer sacrifices.
And you shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge and upon the rim all around. Thus you shall purify the altar and make atonement for it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel has just been shown a detailed vision of a restored temple and altar, a stark contrast to the defiled one he saw earlier. Now, he's instructed on a specific ritual using the blood of a sin offering bullock to consecrate this new altar. This act of applying blood to the altar's horns, corners, and rim is crucial for making it holy and ready for divine service.
Why was the blood applied specifically to the altar's horns and edges? It wasn't random splattering, but a deliberate, symbolic act.
In the Old Testament, the horns of the altar were considered the holiest parts, representing the altar's direct connection to God. Applying blood to these points, as well as the corners of the altar's base (the 'settle') and its surrounding border, was a visual and tangible way to consecrate the altar itself.
This wasn't just about making the structure ritually clean; it was about demonstrating that the altar, as the place where sin was dealt with, needed to be purified. The blood signified the removal of sin and the establishment of a covenant relationship.
Think of it like this: the altar was where the penalty for sin was enacted. Therefore, the very instrument of that penalty, the blood, had to mark the place to show it was now set apart and made acceptable for God's presence.
The verse states the blood 'cleanse and purge' the altar. What does it mean for an inanimate object to be cleansed from sin?
This ritual of cleansing the altar speaks volumes about the pervasive nature of sin and the holiness of God. The altar, being the focal point for sacrifices that dealt with human sin, could be seen as becoming 'tainted' by the very sins it mediated.
The blood application wasn't merely ceremonial; it was a profound declaration that the altar itself required atonement to be fit for divine service. This points to a core truth: even the means by which we approach God require purification. The altar needed to be 'unsinned' and 'made atonement for' so that the sacrifices offered upon it could be effective.
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This concept echoes in the New Testament, where Christ's sacrifice on the cross, the ultimate altar, is what cleanses us and makes our worship acceptable to God.
While this is an Old Testament vision, how does it prepare us for what's to come, particularly the work of Christ?
The meticulous application of blood described in Ezekiel's vision isn't just a historical detail; it's a powerful foreshadowing of the Gospel. The altar represents the place of sacrifice, and the blood signifies the atonement for sin.
Jesus, in becoming the ultimate sacrifice ('the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world'), fulfills and surpasses this Old Testament ritual. His blood, sprinkled not just on an earthly altar but through His sacrificial death, purifies us entirely and makes atonement for our sins.
This vision, therefore, becomes a theological pathway. It shows us the seriousness of sin, God's demand for atonement, and the essential role of sacrifice. It powerfully illustrates that the holiness required for us to approach God is achieved through the blood of His Son.
Understand the original words
qeren · Hebrew Noun
The most prominent points of an altar, representing the power and efficacy of the sacrifice; grasping them often symbolized a plea for sanctuary.
hata · Hebrew Verb
To cleanse or decontaminate from ritual impurity or moral defilement, making something fit for sacred use in the presence of a holy God.
kapar · Hebrew Verb
The act of covering sin through a prescribed ritual, resulting in the reconciliation between a holy God and a sinful people.
Ezekiel's vision of the altar's purification comes in the wake of the Temple's utter destruction. The detailed instructions for cleansing the altar with blood underscore the gravity of sin and the absolute necessity of atonement for any restored worship, offering a potent symbol of hope amidst profound devastation.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many and scattering the population. This event signifies a major divine judgment and loss for the Israelite people.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire begin their campaigns against Judah, deporting a first wave of notable citizens, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and thousands more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. The Temple in Jerusalem is partially plundered.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar completely destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple. This is the nadir of Israel's history, a devastating judgment marked by widespread loss and exile.
c. 571 BC
Ezekiel's Temple Vision
Ezekiel receives his extensive vision of a restored Temple, complete with detailed instructions for its construction and worship, providing a blueprint for future hope and spiritual restoration.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire, led by Cyrus, overthrows the Babylonian Empire, opening the door for the Jewish exiles to eventually return to their homeland.
This passage describes the initial consecration of the altar in the Mosaic law, directly paralleling the application of blood to the altar's horns as a ritual for purification and atonement.
Leviticus 4:7In the context of a sin offering, the blood was specifically applied to the horns of the altar, highlighting the blood's role in making atonement for sin and signifying the altar's purification.
Hebrews 9:22This New Testament passage articulates the foundational principle that 'without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness,' underscoring the deep theological significance of blood in atonement, which is visually represented in Ezekiel's vision.
Hebrews 10:4The author of Hebrews explains that the blood of bulls and goats cannot truly take away sins, pointing beyond the Levitical rituals to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, which fulfills and surpasses these Old Testament practices of purification.
1 Peter 1:2This verse speaks of sprinkling by the blood of Jesus Christ, drawing a powerful parallel between the Old Testament ritual of applying blood to the altar for purification and the New Testament reality of Christ's blood cleansing believers.
pulpitEzekiel 43:20: "And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it."
Verse 20. - And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it. The application of the victim's blood to and upon the altar formed an integral part of every expiatory offering; but "whereas in all the other kinds of sacrifice the blood was poured indifferently round about the altar of the fo…
ellicottEzekiel 43:20: "And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it."
(20) Take of the blood thereof.— Comp. Exodus 29:12 ; Leviticus 8:15 ; Hebrews 9:18 ; Hebrews 9:22 . Nothing is here said of the pouring the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar, as required in the law, and nothing of the burning of the fat upon the altar, because the prophet throughout…
The ritual here isn't just about cleaning the altar; it’s about making atonement for the altar itself. This implies the altar, as a structure meant to handle sin, becomes tainted and requires cleansing before it can be holy enough to offer sacrifices.
Ezekiel has just been shown a detailed vision of a restored temple and altar, a stark contrast to the defiled one he saw earlier. Now, he's instructed on a specific ritual using the blood of a sin offering bullock to consecrate this new altar. This act of applying blood to the altar's horns, corners, and rim is crucial for making it holy and ready for divine service.
Ezekiel has just been shown a detailed vision of a restored temple and altar, a stark contrast to the defiled one he saw earlier. Now, he's instructed on a specific ritual using the blood of a sin offering bullock to consecrate this new altar. This act of applying blood to the altar's horns, corners, and rim is crucial for making it holy and ready for divine service.
"And you shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge and upon the rim all around. Thus you shall purify the altar and make atonement for it." — The ritual here isn't just about cleaning the altar; it’s about making atonement for the altar itself. This implies the altar, as a structure meant to handle sin, becomes tainted and requires clean…
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Last reviewed October 2026