The altar

13 These are the measurements of the altar, using the same kind of measuring stick that was used for the temple area: There is a gutter around the altar that is ◄21 in./53 cm.► deep and ◄21 in./53 cm.► wide. There is a rim around it that is ◄9 in./23 cm.► wide. 14 The lower part of the gutter is ◄3-1/2 feet/1.1 meters► high to the lower ledge/rim that surrounds the altar. The lower ledge is ◄21 in./53 cm.► wide. The upper part of the altar is ◄7 feet/2.1 meters► high, up to the upper ledge. That ledge is also ◄21 in./53 cm.► wide. 15 The ◄hearth/place where the sacrifices are burned► at the top of the altar is another ◄7 feet/2.2 meters► high, and there is a projection that juts/extends up from each of the four corners. 16 That place at the top of the altar is square, ◄21 feet/6.4 meters► on each side. 17 The upper ledge is also a square, ◄24-1/2 feet/7.4 meters► on each side. There is a ◄21 in./53 cm.► gutter at the bottom of the altar, and a ◄10.5 in./26.6 cm.► rim all around it. There are steps up to the east side of the altar.”

18 Then the man said to me, “You human, this is what Yahweh the Lord says: These are the regulations for sacrificing offerings that will be completely burned and for sprinkling the blood against the sides of the altar when it is built: 19 You must present to the priests a young bull to be an offering to cause the altar to be acceptable to me. The priests are descendants of Levi, from the clan of Zadok, who come near to the altar to serve me. 20 You must take some of the blood from the bull that is sacrificed, and smear it on the four projections of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge, and all around the rim, to cause the altar to be acceptable to me, and to consecrate it. 21 You must burn that bull outside the temple in the part of the temple area that I have designated for that.

22 The next day, you must offer a male goat that has no defects, to be an offering to cause the altar to be acceptable to me. Then you must purify the altar again, like you did with the bull that was sacrificed. 23 When you have finished doing all that, you must offer a young bull and a ram, both of them without any defects. 24 You must offer them to me, Yahweh, and the priests must sprinkle salt on them and completely burn them on the altar for a sacrifice to me.

25 Then, each day for seven days, you must bring to the priest a male goat to be sacrificed for an offering to cause the altar to be acceptable to me. You must also sacrifice a young bull and a ram, each without any defect. 26 For seven days the priests will consecrate the altar and cause it to be acceptable to me. By doing that they will dedicate it to me. 27 At the end of those seven days, starting on the following day, the priests will continue to put on the altar offerings to be completely burned and offerings to maintain fellowship with me. Then I will accept you. That it what I, Yahweh the Lord, declare.”