19 And when they go forth H3318 into the utter H2435 court, H2691 even into the utter H2435 court H2691 to the people, H5971 they shall put off H6584 their garments H899 wherein they ministered, H8334 and lay H3240 them in the holy H6944 chambers, H3957 and they shall put H3847 on other H312 garments; H899 and they shall not sanctify H6942 the people H5971 with their garments. H899
Whatsoever shall touch H5060 the flesh H1320 thereof shall be holy: H6942 and when there is sprinkled H5137 of the blood H1818 thereof upon any garment, H899 thou shalt wash H3526 that whereon it was sprinkled H5137 in the holy H6918 place. H4725
Then said H559 he unto me, This is the place H4725 where the priests H3548 shall boil H1310 the trespass offering H817 and the sin offering, H2403 where they shall bake H644 the meat offering; H4503 that they bear H3318 them not out into the utter H2435 court, H2691 to sanctify H6942 the people. H5971
And the priest H3548 shall put H3847 on his linen H906 garment, H4055 and his linen H906 breeches H4370 shall he put H3847 upon his flesh, H1320 and take up H7311 the ashes H1880 which the fire H784 hath consumed H398 with the burnt offering H5930 on the altar, H4196 and he shall put H7760 them beside H681 the altar. H4196 And he shall put off H6584 his garments, H899 and put on H3847 other H312 garments, H899 and carry forth H3318 the ashes H1880 without H2351 the camp H4264 unto a clean H2889 place. H4725
Seven H7651 days H3117 thou shalt make an atonement H3722 for the altar, H4196 and sanctify H6942 it; and it shall be an altar H4196 most holy: H6944 H6944 whatsoever toucheth H5060 the altar H4196 shall be holy. H6942
And thou shalt sanctify H6942 them, that they may be most H6944 holy: H6944 whatsoever toucheth H5060 them shall be holy. H6942
Then said H559 he unto me, The north H6828 chambers H3957 and the south H1864 chambers, H3957 which are before H6440 the separate place, H1508 they be holy H6944 chambers, H3957 where the priests H3548 that approach H7138 unto the LORD H3068 shall eat H398 the most H6944 holy things: H6944 there shall they lay H3240 the most H6944 holy things, H6944 and the meat offering, H4503 and the sin offering, H2403 and the trespass offering; H817 for the place H4725 is holy. H6918 When the priests H3548 enter H935 therein, then shall they not go out H3318 of the holy H6944 place into the utter H2435 court, H2691 but there they shall lay H3240 their garments H899 wherein they minister; H8334 for they are holy; H6944 and shall put H3847 H3847 on other H312 garments, H899 and shall approach H7126 to those things which are for the people. H5971
Ye fools G3474 and G2532 blind: G5185 for G1063 whether G5101 is G2076 greater, G3187 the gold, G5557 or G2228 the temple G3485 that sanctifieth G37 the gold? G5557 And, G2532 Whosoever G3739 G1437 shall swear G3660 by G1722 the altar, G2379 it is G2076 nothing; G3762 but G1161 whosoever G3739 G302 sweareth G3660 by G1722 the gift G1435 that is upon G1883 it, G846 he is guilty. G3784 Ye fools G3474 and G2532 blind: G5185 for G1063 whether G5101 is greater, G3187 the gift, G1435 or G2228 the altar G2379 that sanctifieth G37 the gift? G1435
Who G5101 then G3767 is G2076 Paul, G3972 and G1161 who G5101 is Apollos, G625 but G235 G2228 ministers G1249 by G1223 whom G3739 ye believed, G4100 even G2532 as G5613 the Lord G2962 gave G1325 to every man? G1538 I G1473 have planted, G5452 Apollos G625 watered; G4222 but G235 God G2316 gave the increase. G837
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 44
Commentary on Ezekiel 44 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 44
Eze 44:1-31. Ordinances for the Prince and the Priests.
2. shut … not be opened—(Job 12:14; Isa 22:22; Re 3:7). "Shut" to the people (Ex 19:21, 22), but open to "the prince" (Eze 44:3), he holding the place of God in political concerns, as the priests do in spiritual. As a mark of respect to an Eastern monarch, the gate by which he enters is thenceforth shut to all other persons (compare Ex 19:24).
3. the prince—not King Messiah, as He never would offer a burnt offering for Himself, as the prince is to do (Eze 46:4). The prince must mean the civil ruler under Messiah. His connection with the east gate (by which the Lord had returned to His temple) implies, that, as ruling under God, he is to stand in a place of peculiar nearness to God. He represents Messiah, who entered heaven, the true sanctuary, by a way that none other could, namely, by His own holiness; all others must enter as sinners by faith in His blood, through grace.
eat bread before the Lord—a custom connected with sacrifices (Ge 31:54; Ex 18:12; 24:11; 1Co 10:18).
4-6. Directions as to the priests. Their acts of desecration are attributed to "the house of Israel" (Eze 44:6, 7), as the sins of the priesthood and of the people acted and reacted on one another; "like people, like priest" (Jer 5:31; Ho 4:9).
7. uncircumcised in heart—Israelites circumcised outwardly, but wanting the true circumcision of the heart (De 10:16; Ac 7:51).
uncircumcised in flesh—not having even the outward badge of the covenant-people.
8. keepers … for yourselves—such as you yourselves thought fit, not such as I approve of. Or else, "Ye have not yourselves kept the charge of My holy things, but have set others as keepers of My charge in My sanctuary for yourselves" [Maurer].
10, 11. Levites … shall … bear—namely, the punishment of
their iniquity … Yet they shall be ministers—So Mark, a Levite, nephew of Barnabas (Ac 4:36), was punished by Paul for losing an opportunity of bearing the cross of Christ, and yet was afterwards admitted into his friendship again, and showed his zeal (Ac 13:13; 15:37; Col 4:10; 2Ti 4:11). One may be a believer, and that too in a distinguished place, and yet lose some special honor—be acknowledged as pious, yet be excluded from some dignity [Bengel].
charge at the gates—Better to be "a doorkeeper in the house of God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness" (Ps 84:10). Though standing as a mere doorkeeper, it is in the house of God, which hath foundations: whereas he who dwells with the wicked, dwells in but shifting tents.
15. Zadok—The priests of the line of Ithamar were to be discharged from ministrations in the temple, because of their corruptions, following in the steps of Eli's sons, against whom the same denunciation was uttered (1Sa 2:32, 35). Zadok, according to his name (which means "righteous") and his line, were to succeed (1Ki 2:35; 1Ch 24:3), as they did not take part in the general apostasy to the same degree, and perhaps [Fairbairn] the prophet, referring to their original state, speaks of them as they appeared when first chosen to the office.
17. linen—symbolical of purity. Wool soon induces perspiration in the sultry East and so becomes uncleanly.
18. bonnets—turbans.
19. not sanctify the people with their garments—namely, those peculiarly priestly vestments in which they ministered in the sanctuary.
20. Neither … shave … heads—as mourners do (Le 21:1-5). The worshippers of the Egyptian idols Serapis and Isis shaved their heads; another reason why Jehovah's priests are not to do so.
nor suffer … locks to grow long—as the luxurious, barbarians, and soldiers in warfare did [Jerome].
21. Neither … wine—lest the holy enthusiasm of their devotion should be mistaken for inebriation, as in Peter's case (Ac 2:13, 15, 18).
28. I am their inheritance—(Nu 18:20; De 10:9; 18:1; Jos 13:14, 32).
30. give … priest the first … that he may cause the blessing to rest—(Pr 3:9, 10; Mal 3:10).