Ezekiel 44

The East Gate Assigned to the Prince

1The man then brought me backH7725 toH1870 the outerH2435 gateH8179 of the sanctuaryH4720 that facedH6437 eastH6921, but itH1931 was shutH5462. 2And the LORDH3068 saidH559 to meH413, “ThisH2088 gateH8179 is to remainH1961 shutH5462. It shall notH3808 be openedH6605, and noH3808 manH376 shall enterH935 through it, becauseH3588 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, has enteredH935 through it. Therefore it will remainH1961 shutH5462. 3Only the princeH5387 himselfH1931 may sitH3427 inside the gateway to eatH398H3899 in the presence ofH6440 the LORDH3068. He must enterH935 by wayH1870 of the porticoH197 of the gatewayH8179 and go outH3318 the same wayH1870.”

4Then the man brought meH935 toH413 the frontH6440 of the templeH1004 by wayH1870 of the northH6828 gateH8179. I lookedH7200 and sawH2009 the gloryH3519 of the LORDH3068 fillingH4390 HisH3068 templeH1004, and I fellH5307 facedownH413H6440. 5The LORDH3068 saidH559 to meH413: “SonH1121 of manH120, pay attentionH7760H3820; look carefullyH7200 with your eyesH5869 and listen closelyH8085 with your earsH241 to everythingH3605 IH589 tellH1696 youH853 concerning allH3605 the statutesH2708 andH3605 lawsH8451 of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068. Take careful noteH7760H3820 of the entranceH3996 to the templeH1004, along with allH3605 the exitsH4161 of the sanctuaryH4720.

Reproof of the Levites

6TellH559H413 the rebelliousH4805H413 houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 that this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: ‘I have had enoughH7227 of allH3605 your abominationsH8441, O houseH1004 of IsraelH3478. 7In additionH413 to allH3605 your other abominationsH8441, you brought inH935 foreignersH1121H5236 uncircumcisedH6189 in both heartH3820H6189 and fleshH1320 to occupyH1961 My sanctuaryH4720; you defiledH2490 My templeH1004 when you offeredH7126 My foodH3899—the fatH2459 and the bloodH1818; you brokeH6565 My covenantH1285. 8And you have notH3808 keptH8104 chargeH4931 of My holy thingsH6944, but have appointedH7760 others to keepH8104 chargeH4931 of My sanctuaryH4720 for you.’

9This is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: NoH3605 foreignerH1121H5236 uncircumcisedH6189 in heartH3820H6189 and fleshH1320 may enterH935H413 My sanctuaryH4720H3605—not even a foreignerH1121H5236 whoH834 lives amongH8432 the IsraelitesH1121H3478.

10SurelyH3588H518 the LevitesH3881 whoH834 wandered awayH7368 from MeH5921 when IsraelH3478 went astrayH8582, and whoH834 wanderedH8582 away from MeH5921 afterH310 their idolsH1544, will bear the consequencesH5375 of their iniquityH5771. 11Yet they shall beH1961 ministersH8334 in My sanctuaryH4720, having chargeH6486 ofH413 the gatesH8179 of the templeH1004 and ministeringH8334 there. TheyH1992 shall slaughterH7819 the burnt offeringsH5930 and other sacrificesH2077 for the peopleH5971H1992 and standH5975 before themH6440 to minister to themH8334.

12BecauseH3282 they ministeredH8334 beforeH6440 their idolsH1544 and becameH1961 a stumbling blockH4383 of iniquityH5771 to the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, thereforeH5921H3651 I swore with an upliftedH5375 handH3027 concerning themH5921 that they would bear the consequencesH5375 of their iniquityH5771, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069. 13They must notH3808 approachH5066 MeH413 to serve Me as priestsH3547 or come nearH5066H5921 anyH3605 of My holy thingsH6944H413 or the most holy thingsH6944. They will bearH5375 the shameH3639 of the abominationsH8441 they have committedH6213. 14Yet I will appointH5414 themH853 to keepH8104 chargeH4931 of allH3605 the workH5656 for the templeH1004 and everythingH3605 to be doneH6213 in it.

The Duties of the Priests

15But the LeviticalH3881 priestsH3548, who are descendedH1121 from ZadokH6659 and whoH834 keptH8104 chargeH4931 of My sanctuaryH4720 when the IsraelitesH1121H3478 went astrayH8582 from MeH5921H1992, are to approachH7126 MeH413 to minister before MeH8334. They will standH5975 before MeH6440 to offerH7126 Me fatH2459 and bloodH1818, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069. 16They aloneH1992 shall enterH935H413 My sanctuaryH4720H1992 and draw nearH7126 toH413 My tableH7979 to minister before MeH8334. They will keepH8104 My chargeH4931.

17

When they enterH935H413 the gatesH8179 of the innerH6442 courtH2691, they are to wearH3847 linenH6593 garmentsH899; they must notH3808 wearH5927 anything made of woolH6785 when they ministerH8334 at the gatesH8179 of the innerH6442 courtH2691 or insideH1004 the temple. 18They are to wear linenH6593H1961 turbansH6287 onH5921 their headsH7218 and linenH6593H1961 undergarmentsH4370 aroundH5921 their waistsH4975. They must notH3808 wearH2296 anything that makes them perspireH3154.

19When they go outH3318 toH413 the outerH2435 courtH2691, toH413H2691H2435 the peopleH5971, they are to take offH6584 the garmentsH899 in whichH834 theyH1992 have ministeredH8334, leaveH5117 themH853 in the holyH6944 chambersH3957, and dressH3847 in otherH312 clothesH899 so that they do notH3808 transmit holinessH6942 to the peopleH5971 with their garmentsH899.

20They must notH3808 shaveH1548 their headsH7218 or let their hairH6545H3808 grow longH7971, but must carefully trimH3697 their hairH7218. 21NoH3808 priestH3548 may drinkH8354H3605 wineH3196 before he entersH935H413 the innerH6442 courtH2691. 22And they shall notH3808 marryH3947H802 a widowH490 or a divorced womanH1644, butH518 must marryH3947 a virginH1330 of the descendantsH2233 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478H490, or a widowH490 of a priestH3548. 23They are to teachH3384 My peopleH5971 the difference betweenH996 the holyH6944 and the commonH2455 and show them how to discernH3045 betweenH996 the cleanH2889 and the uncleanH2931.

24InH5921 any disputeH7379, theyH1992 shall officiateH5975 as judgesH8199 and judgeH8199 according to My ordinancesH4941. They must keepH8104 My lawsH8451 andH853 statutesH2708 regarding allH3605 My appointed feastsH4150, and they must keep My SabbathsH7676 holyH6942.

25A priest must notH3808 defile himselfH2930 by goingH935 nearH413 a deadH4191 personH120. HoweverH3588H518, for a fatherH1, a motherH517, a sonH1121, a daughterH1323, a brotherH251, or an unmarriedH3808H1961H376 sisterH269, he may do soH2930, 26and afterH310 he is cleansedH2893, he must countH5608 off sevenH7651 daysH3117 for himself. 27And on the dayH3117 he goesH935 intoH413 the sanctuaryH6944, intoH413 the innerH6442 courtH2691, to ministerH8334 in the sanctuaryH6944, he must presentH7126 his sin offeringH2403, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069.

28In regard toH1961 their inheritanceH5159, I amH589 their inheritanceH5159. You are to giveH5414 them noH3808 possessionH272 in IsraelH3478, for IH589 am their possessionH272.

29TheyH1992 shall eatH398 the grain offeringsH4503, the sin offeringsH2403, and the guilt offeringsH817. EverythingH3605 in IsraelH3478 devotedH2764 to the LORDH1961 will belong to them. 30The bestH7225 of allH3605 the firstfruitsH1061 and of everyH3605 contributionH8641 from allH3605 your offeringsH8641 will belong toH1961 the priestsH3548. You are to giveH5414 your firstH7225 batch of doughH6182 to the priestH3548, so that a blessingH1293 may restH5117 uponH413 your homesH1004. 31The priestsH3548 may notH3808 eatH398 anyH3605 birdH5775H4480 or animalH929 found deadH5038 or torn by wildH2966H4480 beasts.