10. “You, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern.

11. If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the form of the house, and its fashion, and its exits, and its entrances, and  its ordinances, and its laws; and write it in their sight; that they may keep the whole pattern, and all its ordinances, and do them.

12. “This is the law of the house. On the top of the mountain the whole limit of it round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.

13. “These are the measure of the altar by cubits (the cubit is a cubit and a hand breadth): the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and its border by the edge around about a span; and this shall be the base of the altar.

14. From the bottom on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser ledge to the greater ledge shall be four cubits, and the breadth a cubit.

15. The upper altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar hearth and upward there shall be four horns.

16. The altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve broad, square in the four sides.

17. The ledge shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen broad in its four sides; and its border about it shall be half a cubit; and its bottom of it shall be a cubit round about; and its steps shall look toward the east.”

18. He said to me, “Son of man, thus says  the Lord יהוה : ‘These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood.

19. You shall give to the priests, the Levites, who are of the offspring of Zadok, who are near to me, to minister to me,’ says the Lord יהוה , ‘a young bull for a sin offering.

20. You shall take its blood, and put it on the  four horns, and on the four corners of the ledge, and on the border round about . Thus shall you cleanse it and make atonement for it.

21. You shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of the house, outside of the sanctuary.

22. “On the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bull.

23. When you have made an end of cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.

24. You shall bring them near before the יהוה, and the priests shall cast salt on them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering to יהוה.

25. “Seven days you shall prepare every day a goat for a sin offering. They shall also prepare a young bull, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.

26. Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and purify it. So they shall consecrate it.

27. When they have accomplished the days, it shall be that on the eighth day, and forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings on the altar, and your peace offerings. And I will accept you,’ says the Lord יהוה.”

ETZ CHAIM

It is a tree of life for those who cling to it, and those who uphold it are happy.  Its ways are pleasant, and all of its paths peaceful.

Return us to you, Lord, so that we shall return, renew our days as of old.