9 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 No stranger, H1121 H5236 uncircumcised H6189 in heart, H3820 nor uncircumcised H6189 in flesh, H1320 shall enter H935 into my sanctuary, H4720 of any stranger that is among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
In that ye have brought H935 into my sanctuary strangers, H1121 H5236 uncircumcised H6189 in heart, H3820 and uncircumcised H6189 in flesh, H1320 to be in my sanctuary, H4720 to pollute H2490 it, even my house, H1004 when ye offer H7126 my bread, H3899 the fat H2459 and the blood, H1818 and they have broken H6565 my covenant H1285 because H413 of all your abominations. H8441
So shall ye know H3045 that I am the LORD H3068 your God H430 dwelling H7931 in Zion, H6726 my holy H6944 mountain: H2022 then shall Jerusalem H3389 be holy, H6944 and there shall no strangers H2114 pass through H5674 her any more.
Yea, every pot H5518 in Jerusalem H3389 and in Judah H3063 shall be holiness H6944 unto the LORD H3068 of hosts: H6635 and all they that sacrifice H2076 shall come H935 and take H3947 of them, and seethe H1310 therein: and in that day H3117 there shall be no more the Canaanite H3669 in the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
But unto the wicked H7563 God H430 saith, H559 What hast thou to do to declare H5608 my statutes, H2706 or that thou shouldest take H5375 my covenant H1285 in thy mouth? H6310
Jesus G2424 answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 Verily, G281 verily, G281 I say G3004 unto thee, G4671 Except G3362 a man G5100 be born G1080 again, G509 he cannot G1410 G3756 see G1492 the kingdom G932 of God. G2316 Nicodemus G3530 saith G3004 unto G4314 him, G846 How G4459 can G1410 a man G444 be born G1080 when he is G5607 old? G1088 can G3361 G1410 he enter G1525 the second time G1208 into G1519 his G846 mother's G3384 womb, G2836 and G2532 be born? G1080 Jesus G2424 answered, G611 Verily, G281 verily, G281 I say G3004 unto thee, G4671 Except G3362 a man G5100 be born G1080 of G1537 water G5204 and G2532 of the Spirit, G4151 he cannot G3756 G1410 enter G1525 into G1519 the kingdom G932 of God. G2316
For this G5127 cause G5484 left I G2641 thee G4571 in G1722 Crete, G2914 that G2443 thou shouldest set in order G1930 the things that are wanting, G3007 and G2532 ordain G2525 elders G4245 in every G2596 city, G4172 as G5613 I G1473 had appointed G1299 thee: G4671 If any G1536 be G2076 blameless, G410 the husband G435 of one G3391 wife, G1135 having G2192 faithful G4103 children G5043 not G3361 accused G1722 G2724 of riot G810 or G2228 unruly. G506 For G1063 a bishop G1985 must G1163 be G1511 blameless, G410 as G5613 the steward G3623 of God; G2316 not G3361 selfwilled, G829 not G3361 soon angry, G3711 not G3361 given to wine, G3943 no G3361 striker, G4131 not G3361 given to filthy lucre; G146 But G235 a lover of hospitality, G5382 a lover of good men, G5358 sober, G4998 just, G1342 holy, G3741 temperate; G1468 Holding fast G472 the faithful G4103 word G3056 as G2596 he hath been taught, G1322 that G2443 he may be G5600 able G1415 by G1722 sound G5198 doctrine G1319 both G2532 to exhort G3870 and G2532 to convince G1651 the gainsayers. G483
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).