Ezekiel 40:42
And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice.
Ezekiel 40:42 · King James Version
Meaning
The verse describes the construction and purpose of the four stone tables in the Tabernacle where burnt offerings and sacrifices were made. The tables were specifically designed for this ritual, measuring one and a half cubits in length, width, and height. The use of hewn stone symbolizes the permanence and stability of the sacrificial system. The instruments used for slaughtering the animals and preparing them for the offerings were placed on these tables, emphasizing the sacredness and meticulous nature of the sacrificial process. The dimensions of the tables were not arbitrary but carefully prescribed to ensure proper handling of the offerings and to maintain the sanctity of the sacrifice. The details provided in this verse give us insight into the meticulous care and reverence with which the Israelites approached their worship practices in the Tabernacle.
Theological Overview
The verse from the book of Ezekiel describes the four tables made of hewn stone that were used for the burnt offerings in the temple. The dimensions of each table were a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high. These tables were specifically designed for the purpose of laying out the instruments used for sacrificing the burnt offerings and other sacrifices. The use of hewn stone for these tables symbolizes the importance and permanence of the sacrifices carried out in the temple. The meticulous details of the dimensions highlight the precision and care that went into the rituals of offering sacrifices to God. This verse demonstrates the reverence and importance placed on the act of offering sacrifices as a means of worship and seeking forgiveness from God.
Ezekiel 40:42 in other translations
American Standard Version
And 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.
World English Bible
There were four tables for the burnt offering, of cut stone, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high; whereupon they laid the instruments with which they killed the burnt offering and the sacrifice.
Douay-Rheims
And the four tables for the holocausts were made of square stones: one cubit and a half long, and one cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high: to lay the vessels upon, in which the holocaust and the victim is slain.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And the foure tables were of hewen stone for the burnt offering, of a cubite and an halfe long, and a cubite and an halfe broade, and one cubite hie: whereupon also they layde the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offring and the sacrifice.