Ezekiel 42:13-14 - Exposition

These state the uses of the chambers just described, and now named holy chambers , to denote their separation and dedication to sacred purposes. Those purposes, again, are defined as two. The chambers were to serve as dining-halls and robing rooms for the priests when they officiated in the temple. The most holy things ; literally, the holy of the holies (comp. Ezekiel 41:4 ; Ezekiel 43:12 ; Ezekiel 45:3 ; Ezekiel 48:12 ; Le Ezekiel 2:3 ; Ezekiel 6:1-14 :17, 25, 29; Ezekiel 7:1 , Ezekiel 7:6 ; Ezekiel 10:12 , Ezekiel 10:17 ; Ezekiel 14:13 ; Ezekiel 24:9 ; Ezekiel 27:28 ; Numbers 18:9 ), signified those portions of the different sacrificial offerings which were to be eaten by the priests as the servants and representatives of Jehovah (see Keil's 'Biblische Archaologie,' 1. § 46) or of the people. Under the Law these were appointed to be eaten in the holy place beside the altar (Le Ezekiel 10:12 , Ezekiel 10:13 ; Numbers 18:10 ); in Ezekiel's temple, a special quarter in the near vicinity of the house should be reserved for this purpose. There those portions of the sacrifices that could be eaten were to be consumed; as e . g . the flesh of the sin and trespass offerings, and the meal of the meat offering; but as these could not be at once used, they were to be deposited there until they were prepared for eating, the flesh by being boiled and the meal by being mixed with oil. The obvious intention of this was to convey an idea of the special sanctity of the worship in which the priests were engaged; and just for this reason also they were required to array themselves in other garments (Le Ezekiel 16:23 ) when they entered on their priestly functions. The putting on and off of these holy clothes took place in the chambers now referred to.