He that entereth in by the way of the north gate, &c.— Some are of opinion, that these words imply the reason why the people were not to come in at the east gate; because, there being no passage or thoroughfare out of the temple westward, if they had entered in at the east gate, they must have returned back the same way they came in; which would have been turning their backs as it were upon the place of God's residence. Dr. Spencer mentions this as a rule in the Talmud, "That they who come within the holy mount, should enter in by the way of the right hand, and go out by the left; understanding by the right hand the northern part of the temple, and by the left hand the southern:" and he is of opinion, that God designed to take away that superstitious distinction between the several gates of the temple, by commanding that every one should go out the opposite way to that by which he came in, whether to the south or the north. See Spencer, de Leg. Heb.; and the note on chap. Ezekiel 43:12.
Related Commentaries of Ezekiel 46:9
Ezekiel 46:9
9 But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.