Ezekiel 43:1-9 · Bible study

Ezekiel 43:1-9 Commentary: The Return of the Lord's Glory

Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say

Meaning in one sentence

Ezekiel saw God's glory return from the east to fill the new temple, signifying His restored presence with a purified Israel forever.

Research Summary

Meaning: God's glory returns to the temple, promising His permanent presence with a purified people.
Key words: Glory (Shekinah), east, throne, soles of feet, whoredom (idolatry), carcasses of kings.
Main debate: Whether the temple is literal (future or post-exilic restoration) or symbolic (the church, the new creation).
Theological theme: Covenant restoration and the holiness of God's dwelling place.
Best use: A vision of hope that calls believers to remove sin and prepare for God's presence.

Translation Comparison

BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020

¹Then the man brought me back to the gate that faces east,

²and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory.

³The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when He came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the River Kebar. I fell facedown,

⁴and the glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east.

⁵Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

⁶While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple,

⁷and He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel will never again defile My holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and by the funeral offerings for their kings at their deaths.

⁸When they placed their threshold next to My threshold and their doorposts beside My doorposts, with only a wall between Me and them, they defiled My holy name by the abominations they committed. Therefore I have consumed them in My anger.

⁹Now let them remove far from Me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will dwell among them forever.

WEB World English Bible 2000

¹Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looks toward the east.

²Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth was illuminated with his glory.

³It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.

⁴Yahweh’s glory came into the house by the way of the gate which faces toward the east.

⁵The Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, Yahweh’s glory filled the house.

⁶I heard one speaking to me out of the house, and a man stood by me.

⁷He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell among the children of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no more defile my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their prostitution and by the dead bodies of their kings in their high places;

⁸in their setting of their threshold by my threshold and their door post beside my door post. There was a wall between me and them; and they have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed. Therefore I have consumed them in my anger.

⁹Now let them put away their prostitution, and the dead bodies of their kings far from me. Then I will dwell among them forever.

KJV King James Version 1769

¹Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:

²And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

³And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

⁴And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.

⁵So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.

⁶And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.

⁷And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.

⁸In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.

⁹Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

ASV American Standard Version 1901

¹Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east.

²And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shined with his glory.

³And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

⁴And the glory of Jehovah came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.

⁵And the Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house.

⁶And I heard one speaking unto me out of the house; and a man stood by me.

⁷And he said unto me, Son of man, this is the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, and by the dead bodies of their kings in their high places;

⁸in their setting of their threshold by my threshold, and their door-post beside my door-post, and there was but the wall between me and them; and they have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.

⁹Now let them put away their whoredom, and the dead bodies of their kings, far from me; and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898

¹And he causeth me to go to the gate, the gate that is looking eastward.

²And lo, the honour of the God of Israel hath come from the way of the east, and His voice is as the noise of many waters, and the earth hath shone from His honour.

³And according to the appearance is the appearance that I saw, as the appearance that I saw in my coming in to destroy the city, and the appearances are as the appearance that I saw at the river Chebar, and I fall on my face.

⁴And the honour of Jehovah hath come in unto the house, the way of the gate whose face is eastward.

⁵And take me up doth the Spirit, and bringeth me in unto the inner court, and lo, the honour of Jehovah hath filled the house.

⁶And I hear one speaking unto me from the house, and a man hath been standing near me,

⁷and He saith unto me: `Son of man, the place of My throne, And the place of the soles of My feet, Where I dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel to the age, Defile no more do the house of Israel My holy name, They, and their kings, by their whoredom, And by the carcases of their kings--their high places.

⁸In their putting their threshold with My threshold, And their door-post near My door-post, And the wall between Me and them, And they have defiled My holy name, By their abominations that they have done, And I consume them in Mine anger.

⁹Now do they put far off their whoredom, And the carcases of their kings--from Me, And I have dwelt in their midst to the age.

Darby Darby Bible 1890

¹And he brought me unto the gate, the gate which looked toward the east.

²And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east; and his voice was like the voice of many waters; and the earth was lit up with his glory.

³And the appearance of the vision that I saw was according to the vision that I had seen when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar: and I fell upon my face.

⁴And the glory of Jehovah came into the house by the way of the gate whose front was toward the east.

⁵And the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house.

⁶And I heard one speaking unto me out of the house; and a man was standing by me.

⁷And he said unto me, Son of man, [this is] the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever; and the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, they nor their kings, with their fornication, and with the carcases of their kings [in] their high places,

⁸in that they set their threshold by my threshold, and their post by my post, and [there was only] a wall between me and them, and they defiled my holy name with their abominations which they committed; and I consumed them in mine anger.

⁹Now let them put away their fornication, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899

¹And he brought me to the gate that looked towards the east.

²And behold the glory of the God of Israel came in by the way of the east: and his voice was like the noise of many waters, and the earth shone with his majesty.

³And I saw the vision according to the appearance which I had seen when he came to destroy the city: and the appearance was according to the vision which I had seen by the river Chobar: and I fell upon my face.

⁴And the majesty of the Lord went into the temple by the way of the gate that looked to the east.

⁵And the spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court: and behold the house was filled with the glory of the Lord.

⁶And I heard one speaking to me out of the house, and the man that stood by me,

⁷Said to me: Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever: and the house of Israel shall no more profane my holy name, they and their kings by their fornications, and by the carcasses of their kings, and by the high places.

⁸They who have set their threshold by my threshold, and their posts by my posts: and there was but a wall between me, and them: and they profaned my holy name by the abominations which they committed: for which reason I consumed them in my wrath.

⁹Now therefore let them put away their fornications, and the carcasses of their kings far from me: and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

Verse in Context

1 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looks toward the east.

2 Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth was illuminated with his glory.

3 It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.

4 Yahweh’s glory came into the house by the way of the gate which faces toward the east.

5 The Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, Yahweh’s glory filled the house.

6 I heard one speaking to me out of the house, and a man stood by me.

7 He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell among the children of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no more defile my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their prostitution and by the dead bodies of their kings in their high places;

8 in their setting of their threshold by my threshold and their door post beside my door post. There was a wall between me and them; and they have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed. Therefore I have consumed them in my anger.

9 Now let them put away their prostitution, and the dead bodies of their kings far from me. Then I will dwell among them forever.

10 “You, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern.

11 If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the form of the house, its fashion, its exits, its entrances, its structure, all its ordinances, all its forms, and all its laws; and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form of it, and all its ordinances, and do them.

Scholars' Consensus

Commentators across traditions agree that Ezekiel 43:1-9 describes the return of the divine glory (the Shekinah) to the new temple, reversing the departure recorded in Ezekiel 10-11. Barnes notes that the glory 'must take possession of the new sanctuary' as it did the tabernacle and Solomon's temple. The glory comes from the east, the direction it had left (Ezekiel 11:22-23), and enters the east gate to fill the house (vv.2,4-5). God declares this house 'the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet' (v.7), promising to dwell among Israel forever, but only if they remove the defilements of the past: idolatry, the high places, and what the text calls 'the dead bodies of their kings' (interpreted either as literal burials near the temple or as a metaphor for idols). John Gill sees this as a type of Christ's church; Matthew Henry applies it to the spiritual temple of believers. All agree the vision centers on God's restored presence with a purified people.

How settled is the interpretation?

Interpretive difficulty: Medium

Main views:

Literal Historical: Reads the vision as a promise for the restored post-exilic temple; God's glory returns spiritually as the people repent (linked to Ezra's temple).
Spiritual/Church: Interprets the temple as the church and the return of glory as Christ dwelling among believers (Gill, Henry; cf. 1 Cor 3:16).
Eschatological/Millennial: Views the temple as a literal building in Christ's future earthly reign, when God's glory will again fill a house (Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown; cf. Rev 21).

What is clear: God promises to dwell with a people who have put away idolatry and impurity; the vision is a revelation of His desire for ongoing, holy presence.

What Scholars Agree and Debate

Topic	Agreed	Debated
Return of the glory from the east	It reverses the departure of the glory in Ezekiel 10, 11.	Some see it as a literal historical event for the post-exilic temple; others interpret it symbolically for the church age or eschatologically for a future millennium.
Identity of 'carcasses of their kings'	It refers to something that defiles God's holy name.	Some commentators take it literally as dead bodies of kings buried near the temple (Henderson); others see it as a metaphor for idols that had lordship over Israel (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Gill).
Nature of the temple	God declares it His throne and dwelling place among His people.	Readings vary from the rebuilt temple under Zerubbabel (though the Shekinah did not return then), to the church as a spiritual temple, to a future millennial temple described in Revelation.

Historical & Cultural Context

Ezekiel ministered to the exiles in Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Earlier in his book (chs. 8, 11), he had seen the glory of Yahweh depart from Solomon's temple in stages: from the Most Holy Place to the threshold, then to the east gate, and finally to the Mount of Olives (Ezekiel 10:18-19, 11:22-23). This departure was a judgment for Israel's chronic idolatry. Now, in the twenty-fifth year of the exile (Ezekiel 40:1), Ezekiel is shown a new temple in a vision. The angelic 'man' has already measured the entire structure (chs. 40, 42). The east gate, the same gate through which the glory had left, now becomes the point of return.

In ancient Near Eastern thought, a temple was the deity's earthly dwelling, and the god's presence or absence determined the nation's blessing. The return of the glory thus signals that God is renewing His covenant. However, the vision also warns that the defilements of the past must be removed. The 'thresholds' and 'doorposts' reference (v.8) suggests the royal palace of Solomon was built too close to the temple, blurring the line between the sacred and the profane. The 'high places' were locations of illicit worship. Some interpreters understand 'carcasses of their kings' as literal burials within the temple precincts; others as a metaphor for idols that had 'reigned' over Israel. God demands that these be 'put away' (v.9) before He will dwell among them forever.

Textual Notes

The consulted commentary excerpts note no significant textual variants in this passage. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the major translations (WEB, KJV, ASV, BSB, YLT) show only minor differences in phrasing, not in meaning.

Reception History

The commentators supplied represent several traditions and show how this passage has been applied across church history. John Gill (Baptist) and Matthew Henry (Presbyterian) interpret the temple as a type of the gospel church, with the return of glory pointing to Christ's presence in the New Testament age. Barnes (Anglican) and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (Protestant) see it as a prophecy of a future literal temple, while the Cambridge Bible (Anglican) and Keil and Delitzsch (Lutheran) emphasize its symbolic and moral meaning for the exilic community. Early Christian tradition often read the passage as foreshadowing the incarnation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers, a view still held by many today.

Preaching This Verse

Three-point outline

The Glory Returns Through the East Gate (vv.1, 5). God comes back the way He left. The same gate that saw His departure now witnesses His return. The voice like many waters and the earth shining show that this is no ordinary entry, it is the Creator reclaiming His dwelling.
The Promise of Unbroken Fellowship (vv.6, 7). God says, 'This is the place of my throne ... where I will dwell among the children of Israel forever.' The language of throne and footstool pictures a king taking up residence. His presence is the point of the whole temple.
The Condition of Purity (vv.7, 9). Before that promise can be realized, the people must remove the defilements: whoredom, high places, and the 'carcasses of their kings.' God will not share His space with idols or impurity. Holiness is the doorway to His presence.

Five-point outline

The East Gate: The way of departure becomes the way of return.
The Sound and Light of Glory: God's presence fills the earth with noise and radiance.
The Throne and Footstool: God claims the temple as His royal dwelling forever.
The Confrontation with Defilement: Thresholds, doorposts, high places, and corpses, all must go.
The Call to Put Away: Repentance clears the ground for permanent presence.

Illustration hooks

A husband returns home after a long estrangement, walking through the same door he left. The whole house is prepared and waiting.
A family cleans the house top to bottom before a loved one arrives from the hospital, nothing out of place, nothing offensive.
A king’s palace has a private chapel that was misused for storage; now it is cleared and restored to its intended purpose.

Questions your congregation is asking

'What does 'carcasses of their kings' mean? Is it literal or symbolic?'
'Is this a prophecy about a literal temple that will be built in the future, or is it about the church?'
'How can I apply a temple vision to my own walk with God?'

Leading a Discussion

This passage shows God's desire to return to His people after judgment, but it requires their willingness to change. The vision is both a promise and a challenge. Use these questions to explore what it means to prepare for God's presence.

Discussion questions

What is the significance of the east gate in Ezekiel's vision? Why does the glory return through the same gate it left?
How does the description of God's glory (voice like many waters, earth shining) connect to earlier visions in Ezekiel (chs. 1, 10)?
Why does God call the temple 'the place of my throne' and 'the place of the soles of my feet'? What do these images tell us about His relationship to the building?
What specific defilements are listed in verses 7-9? How did they compromise the holiness of the temple?
Why does God demand that these defilements be 'put away' before He will dwell among them? What does this teach about His character?
In what ways might we today blur the line between sacred and profane in our own lives or church communities?
How does the promise 'I will dwell among them forever' give you hope, and what does it ask of you in return?

What the Commentators Say

9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.

Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826

Clarke highlights that God's glory came from the east, a direction he sees echoed in the historical spread of divine knowledge and the gospel from east to west. He also interprets the temple as a type of Christ's incarnation, where the fullness of God dwells bodily in Jesus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832

Barnes notes that the glory entering the new temple appears in a different form than before: not veiled in a cloud over the ark, but as a personal, living God who radiates power to the ends of the earth. Significantly, no ark or mercy-seat is mentioned, as the living cherubim and the rainbow of mercy replace the old symbols.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880

The commentator highlights that God's glory returns to the temple through the same East

Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599

The Geneva notes emphasize that God’s glory returns to the temple only after the people remove every trace of idolatry, including their kings’ defiling monuments. The presence of the Lord is conditional on repentance and purification. Until the abominations are put away, God will not dwell among them permanently.

Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748

Gill identifies the glory returning from the east as Christ, the brightness of the Father's glory, coming like the rising sun of righteousness. The voice like many waters is the gospel itself, swift and powerful. The earth shining with his glory pictures the gospel spreading everywhere, removing darkness and error, and bringing Christ's kingdom fully into view.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871

JFB stresses that the Shekinah glory, the hallmark of Solomon’s temple, was absent from the second temple, proving Ezekiel’s vision cannot describe that building. The prophet looks ahead to a future temple where God’s glory returns in surpassing measure, finally realizing the ancient ideal of a divine-human King ruling over a righteous people.

Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876

Keil and Delitzsch argue that the return of God's glory to the new temple restores the former covenant relationship, not a new, higher one. They insist the cloud was present here, matching earlier manifestations, even though it is not named, and the loud sound comes from the cherubim wings, not a divine voice.

Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857

Lange reads the return of God's glory through the east gate as a sunrise for the entire world, not just Israel. He identifies the "man" speaking from the house as the pre-incarnate Christ, the essential revelation of Jehovah's glory. For Lange, the temple's holiness now extends to every part, fulfilling the promise of permanent divine dwelling.

Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710

Henry stresses that even the most splendid temple is lifeless without God's own presence, comparing it to the dry bones that only stirred when the Spirit entered. He also contrasts God's authentic glory with idols, which borrow their shine from human craftsmen.

Cross-References

Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)

Ezekiel 10:19	The cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went out, with the wheels beside them. Then they stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
Ezekiel 40:6	Then he came to the gate which looks toward the east, and went up its steps. He measured the threshold of the gate, one reed wide; and the other threshold, one reed wide.
Ezekiel 42:15	Now when he had finished measuring the inner house, he brought me out by the way of the gate which faces toward the east, and measured it all around.
Ezekiel 44:1	Then he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which looks toward the east; and it was shut.
Ezekiel 46:1	“‘The Lord Yahweh says: “The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.
Isaiah 6:3	One called to another, and said, “Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of Armies! The whole earth is full of his glory!”
Isaiah 60:1	“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and Yahweh’s glory has risen on you!
Isaiah 60:3	Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.

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