When the prince provides a freewill offering, either a burnt offering or peace offerings as a freewill offering to the LORD: This verse describes what the king has to do when he wants to give God a special offering. As well as the sacrifices and offerings that people have to give because God’s Law commands them to do so, there are other offerings and sacrifices that people can give just because they want to. Such an offering is called a freewill offering or “voluntary offering” (Good News Translation, Complete Jewish Bible). Some languages say “gift from the heart.” These offerings consist of an animal that is killed as a sacrifice. For burnt offering, see 40.38; for peace offerings, see 43.27.

The king must participate in the ceremony of the freewill offering from the same position he uses when he participates in the Sabbath and New Moon ceremonies, namely, standing in the east gateway of the inner wall (see verses 1-2). Because of that, the gate facing east shall be opened for him, that is, someone, probably one of the priests or the Levites, will open the outer door of the gateway for him so that he can enter it.

And he shall offer his burnt offering or his peace offerings as he does on the sabbath day means the king will make the freewill offering in the same way as he makes his offerings on the Sabbath day (see verses 4-5).

Then he shall go out: After the ceremony has ended, the king must leave immediately and not remain in the gateway longer than necessary.

And after he has gone out the gate shall be shut: This is different from what happens on the Sabbath day when the door stays open until evening. On the occasion of a voluntary offering, someone (again, probably a priest or a Levite) must close the gate as soon as the ceremony ends and the king leaves.

A model for this verse is:

• Sometimes the king will make a voluntary offering to me [the LORD], either a burnt offering or a peace offering. Then the people who serve in the Temple will open the door of the [inner] gateway that faces east for him, and he will make his offering as he does on the day of rest. When he leaves, they will shut the door of the gateway as soon as he has left.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .