4 Then brought H935 he me the way H1870 of the north H6828 gate H8179 before H6440 the house: H1004 and I looked, H7200 and, behold, the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 filled H4390 the house H1004 of the LORD: H3068 and I fell H5307 upon my face. H6440
And it was according to the appearance H4758 of the vision H4758 which I saw, H7200 even according to the vision H4758 that I saw H7200 when I came H935 to destroy H7843 the city: H5892 and the visions H4759 were like the vision H4758 that I saw H7200 by the river H5104 Chebar; H3529 and I fell H5307 upon my face. H6440 And the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 came H935 into the house H1004 by the way H1870 of the gate H8179 whose prospect H6440 is toward H1870 the east. H6921 So the spirit H7307 took me up, H5375 and brought H935 me into the inner H6442 court; H2691 and, behold, the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 filled H4390 the house. H1004
And one cried H7121 unto another, and said, H559 Holy, H6918 holy, H6918 holy, H6918 is the LORD H3068 of hosts: H6635 the whole earth H776 is full H4393 of his glory. H3519 And the posts H520 of the door H5592 moved H5128 at the voice H6963 of him that cried, H7121 and the house H1004 was filled H4390 with smoke. H6227
And it came to pass, when the congregation H5712 was gathered H6950 against Moses H4872 and against Aaron, H175 that they looked H6437 toward the tabernacle H168 of the congregation: H4150 and, behold, the cloud H6051 covered H3680 it, and the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 appeared. H7200 And Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 came H935 before H6440 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 Get you up H7426 from among H8432 this congregation, H5712 that I may consume H3615 them as in a moment. H7281 And they fell H5307 upon their faces. H6440
Then the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 departed H3318 from off the threshold H4670 of the house, H1004 and stood H5975 over the cherubims. H3742 And the cherubims H3742 lifted up H5375 their wings, H3671 and mounted up H7426 from the earth H776 in my sight: H5869 when they went out, H3318 the wheels H212 also were beside H5980 them, and every one stood H5975 at the door H6607 of the east H6931 gate H8179 of the LORD'S H3068 house; H1004 and the glory H3519 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 was over them above. H4605
Then did the cherubims H3742 lift up H5375 their wings, H3671 and the wheels H212 beside H5980 them; and the glory H3519 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 was over them above. H4605 And the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 went up H5927 from the midst H8432 of the city, H5892 and stood H5975 upon the mountain H2022 which is on the east side H6924 of the city. H5892
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).