Ezekiel 43:17

“And the settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof, &c.] Here Kimchi confesses his ignorance. Jarchi interprets it, the top of the altar, with the place of the horns, and of the feet of the priests, and was twenty eight cubits by twenty eight, the fourteen mentioned being to be measured from the middlef764; and he seems to be right in making it to be the upper part of the altar, and not the lower settle, as some; the focus or hearth where the wood was laid, and the sacrifice burnt; and which had a projection of a cubit on each side, and so made the twelve cubits, the length and breadth of the altar, fourteen: and the border about it shall be half a…”

“settle--ledge [FAIRBAIRN]. stairs--rather, "the ascent," as "steps" up to God's altar were forbidden in Exo 20:26.”

“The settle - The “lower settle” (L), projecting beyond the “upper settle” (M) one cubit on every side. His stairs - Jewish tradition says that the approach to the altar was by an inclined plane, because to go up “by steps” was forbidden Exodus 20:26. The number “twelve” was symbolic of the twelve tribes, “four,” of the earth; “sixteen” is the square of “four,” and “fourteen” the double of “seven,” the number of the covenant, as being composed of “three,” the number of God, and of “four,” the number of the world. Thus we have in the altar a special instance of Hebrew symbolism. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Stairs - Or steps, for such they needed, (probably each stair about one fourth of a cubit,) to carry them, up to the first and second settles. Ezekiel 43:19”

“43:17 This altar was approached by steps going up the east side. This reversal of the normal ancient Near Eastern practice of having the steps approach from the west was possibly to avoid any hint of sun worship (see 8:16).”

“and the border: Exo 25:25, Exo 30:3; Kg1 18:32 his stairs: Rather, "its ascents," maalothehoo probably an inclined plane; for the law ordained that the priest should not ascend by stairs. Exo 20:26 look toward: Eze 8:16, Eze 40:6; Kg1 6:8; Neh 9:4 Ezekiel 43:18”