What Does Ezekiel 46:2 Mean in the King James?

And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.

Ezekiel 46:2 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The prince leaves, yet the gate stays open: the encounter at the threshold does not end in closure.

THE MEANING

The movement holds approach, offering, bowing, and departure together: the prince enters, the priests prepare his offerings, and he bows at the gate’s threshold. His shelamim offerings share a root with shalom, wholeness, and the gate remains open until evening after he goes out.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that leaving the place of worship means the way has already closed.

THE ROOT

שְׁלָמָיו

shelāmāw

GROWS FROM

שלם

sh-l-m

to be whole, complete, or sound

“peace offerings” in this verse is shelāmāw. The Hebrew name for these offerings belongs to the same root family as shalom, wholeness. The root lets the offering carry more than a sense of calm: it connects the act at the threshold with completeness and well-being.

ALSO GROWS

shalom: wholeness, well-being

שָׁלוֹם

This familiar word shares the offering’s root, opening “peace” toward the fuller sense of wholeness.

shalem: whole, complete

שָׁלֵם

This branch makes the root’s connection to completeness explicit.

וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָה

ve-hishtachavah

GROWS FROM

שחה

sh-ḥ-h

to bow down, prostrate oneself

The action translated “worship” is a bodily bow at the threshold. The Hebrew keeps the posture visible, joining reverence to the exact place where the prince enters and leaves.

ALSO GROWS

shachah: to bow down

שָׁחָה

This verbal form names the root action plainly: lowering oneself in a bow.

hishtachavah: to bow oneself, prostrate oneself

הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה

This is the form used in the verse, making the prince’s posture at the threshold concrete.

THE PATTERN

A threshold of encounter holds entry, reverence, and return while access remains open beyond the moment of approach.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Psalm 100:4 · KJVThe gates and courts are a place of approach, entered with thanksgiving and praise.

Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.

Isaiah 60:11 · KJVLike the gate that remains open until evening, these gates hold access open beyond a single arrival.

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

John 10:9 · KJVThe door makes passage a movement of both entering and going out, like the prince’s journey through the gate.

THE THREAD

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

Psalm 34:14 · KJV

“Peace” here is ⁨שָׁלוֹם⁩ (shalom, wholeness), from the same root ⁨שלם⁩ (sh-l-m) as the offerings in Ezekiel. The shared root links the prince’s shelamim at the threshold with wholeness as something sought and pursued.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us