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Ezekiel 40:43

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Ezekiel 40:43 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the hooks, a handbreadth long, were fastened within round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the oblation.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the hooks, a handbreadth long, were fastened within round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the oblation.
Ezekiel 40:43 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezekiel 40

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
40And on the [one] side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the gate toward the north, were two tables; and on the other side, which belonged to the porch of the gate, were two tables.
41Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew [the sacrifices].
42And there were four tables for the burnt-offering, of hewn stone, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high; whereupon they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt-offering and the sacrifice.
43And the hooks, a handbreadth long, were fastened within round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the oblation.
44And without the inner gate were chambers for the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south; one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north.
45And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house;
46and the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok, who from among the sons of Levi come near to Jehovah to minister unto him.
← Ezekiel 40:42Ezekiel 40:44 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And within were hooks, a hand broad, fastened round about, &c.] These, very probably, were fastened on the posts of the gate, near which were the washing room for the sacrifices, (<264038>Ezekiel 40:38), on which they were hung, when they were flayed, or the skin took off: in the slaughter house in the second temple, to the north of the altar, there were eight low stone pillars, upon which were boards of cedar foursquare, and iron hooks were fixed in them; and there were three rows of them in each, on which they hung the sacrificesf709, which were one above another; on the lowest they hung a lamb, on the middlemost a ram, and on the highest a bullock; these hooks stood out a hand’s breadth…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“hooks--cooking apparatus for cooking the flesh of the sacrifices that fell to the priests. The hooks were "fastened" in the walls within the apartment, to hang the meat from, so as to roast it. The Hebrew comes from a root "fixed" or "placed."”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Hooks - The alternative renderings given in the margin indicate the doubtfulness of the translation of the original word. The form is dual, and indicates that it is some object usually found in pairs. Some suggest that they were borders or ledges set, on either side of the tables, a handbreadth from the edges, to prevent the instruments placed on them from falling off. If the rendering “hooks” be adopted, it is to be explained thus: that these hooks were set on the wall “within,” that each hook was forked (hence, the “dual” form), and projected from the wall one span; and that on these hooks were hung the carcasses of the slain animals. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Within - Within the porch, where these tables stood. Hooks - Hooks on which the slaughtered sacrifice might be hanged, while they prepared it farther. Fastened - To walls no doubt, near these tables. Ezekiel 40:45”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“40:43 The hooks might be used to store the knives and implements mentioned in 40:42.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“within: These were probably for hanging up the victims in order to flay them. hooks: or, end-irons, or, the two hearth-stones upon: Lev 1:6, Lev 1:8, Lev 8:20 Ezekiel 40:44”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification