The Altar of Sacrifice
The altar's measurements are laid out in long cubits, beginning with its gutter and rim, then moving upward through the lower and upper ledges to the altar hearth with its projecting horns. The hearth and ledge are square, and the altar steps face east. The precision of these dimensions presents the altar as a deliberately ordered structure suited for holy service.
T13hese are the measurements of the altar in long cubits (a cubit and a handbreadth): Its gutter shall be a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span around its edge. 14And this is the height of the altar: The space from the gutter on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the ledge one cubit wide. The space from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge shall be four cubits, and the ledge one cubit wide. 15The altar hearth shall be four cubits high, and four horns shall project upward from the hearth. 16The altar hearth shall be square at its four corners, twelve cubits long and twelve cubits wide. 17The ledge shall also be square, fourteen cubits long and fourteen cubits wide, with a rim of half a cubit and a gutter of a cubit all around it. The steps of the altar shall face east.”
The LORD then gives the statutes for the altar's consecration. A young bull is offered for sin, its blood applied to the altar's horns, corners, and rim, and its remains burned outside the sanctuary; on the second day a male goat continues the cleansing. Additional unblemished animals are presented with salt, and for seven days the priests make atonement and consecrate the altar so that from the eighth day onward the LORD will accept burnt offerings and peace offerings upon it.
18Then He said to me: “Son of man, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is constructed, so that burnt offerings may be sacrificed on it and blood may be splattered on it: 19You are to give a young bull from the herd as a sin offering to the Levitical priests who are of the family of Zadok, who approach Me to minister before Me, declares the Lord GOD. 20You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and all around the rim; thus you will cleanse the altar and make atonement for it. 21Then you are to take away the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the appointed part of the temple area outside the sanctuary. 22On the second day you are to present an unblemished male goat as a sin offering, and the altar is to be cleansed as it was with the bull. 23When you have finished the purification, you are to present a young, unblemished bull and an unblemished ram from the flock. 24You must present them before the LORD; the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the LORD. 25For seven days you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both unblemished. 26For seven days the priests are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; so they shall consecrate it. 27At the end of these days, from the eighth day on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Lord GOD.’”