“Thus says Yahweh God!
‘In the first month,
On the first day
Of the month,
You shall take a young bull
Without blemish.
Purify the sanctuary!
The priest shall take
Some of the blood
Of the sin offering.
He shall put it
On the doorposts
Of the temple.
He shall put it
On the four corners
Of the ledge
Of the altar.
He shall put it
On the posts
Of the gate
Of the inner court.
You shall do the same
On the seventh day
Of the month
For any one
Who has sinned
Through error
Or ignorance.
Thus,
You shall make atonement
For the temple.”
Yahweh, via Ezekiel, wanted them to purify the sanctuary on the 1st day of the 1st month. In other words, this would be a New Year’s Day activity. They were to take an unblemished bull and use him to cleanse the sanctuary at the start of the new year. The priest should take some of the blood from the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the Temple, as well as the four corners of the altar ledge and the posts of the gate of the inner court. The priest was also supposed to do this same ritual on the 7th day of the month for anyone who sinned inadvertently by error or ignorance. This purification ritual of the first day of the first month of the year would make an atonement for the Temple, so that it would be purified.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 