17. The upper ledge is also square, 24½ feet long and 24½ feet wide. The border around it is 10½ inches wide. Its base is 21 inches around. Its steps are on the east.”
18. Then the man said to me, “Human being, this is what the Lord God says: These are the rules for the altar. When it is built, use these rules to offer burnt offerings and sprinkle blood on it.
19. You must give a young bull as a sin offering to the priests. These priests are the Levites from the family of Zadok. They come near me to serve me, says the Lord God.
20. Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the altar’s four corners. Put it also on the four corners of the ledge. And put it on the border all around. This is how you will make the altar pure and ready for God’s service.
21. Then take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the proper place in the Temple area. It will be outside the Holy Place.
22. “On the second day offer a male goat. It must have nothing wrong with it. It will be for a sin offering. The priests will make the altar pure and ready for God’s service. They will do it the same way they did with the young bull.
23. When you finish making the altar pure and ready, offer a young bull and a male sheep from the flock. They must also have nothing wrong with them.
24. You must offer them before the Lord. The priests will throw salt on them. Then they will offer them as a burnt offering to the Lord.