“This is the measurement of the altar using the same unit of measurement as the rest of the temple: The base is one cubit high and one cubit wide, with a rim of one span around its edge. The altar itself is to be this high: from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits, with a width of one cubit. And from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, four cubits high and one cubit wide. The altar hearth is to be four cubits high, with four horns projecting upward from the hearth, and the hearth a perfect square: twelve cubits long by twelve cubits wide. The ledge is also to be a square: fourteen cubits long and fourteen cubits wide on four sides with a rim around it of half a cubit, and its surrounding base one cubit. Its steps are on the east side of the altar.”
Lord YAHWEH said to me, “Son of man, here are the rules you must follow when the altar is built to offer burnt offerings and to splash on it the blood of the animals they sacrifice. You must give a young bull to the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok. They are the ones who may come before me to serve me and offer the bull as a sacrifice for sin, declares Lord YAHWEH. You must take some of its blood and smear it on the four horns, on the four corners of the ledge, and on its surrounding rim. In this way you will purify it and make atonement for it. Then take the bull offered as the sacrifice for sin and burn its carcass in the appointed place outside the sacred area. On the second day, you must offer an unblemished male goat as the sin offering, and the priests must purify the altar again as they did on the first day with the bull. When you have finished purifying the altar, you must offer a young, unblemished bull and a young, unblemished ram. You must present them before me, and the Zadokite priests will sprinkle salt on them and offer them as burnt offerings to me. Each day for seven days you must sacrifice to me a young male goat, a young bull, and a young ram as a sin offering. All of them must be unblemished animals. In this way the altar will be purified, cleansed, and consecrated for seven days. When the seven days of consecration are over, on the eighth day and each day afterward, the priest will offer burnt offerings and communion sacrifices on the altar on behalf of the people. And I will accept you and be pleased with you. I, Lord YAHWEH, have spoken.”
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