Add parallel Print Page Options

‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “(A)No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary. 10 But the Levites who went far from Me when Israel went astray, who (B)went astray from Me after their idols, shall (C)bear the punishment for their iniquity. 11 Yet they shall be (D)ministers in My sanctuary, having (E)oversight at the gates of the house and (F)ministering in the house; they shall (G)slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall (H)stand before them to minister to them. 12 Because they ministered to them (I)before their idols and became a (J)stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have [a](K)sworn against them,” declares Lord Yahweh, “that they shall (L)bear the punishment for their iniquity. 13 And they shall (M)not approach Me to minister as a priest to Me, nor approach any of My holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they will (N)bear their dishonor and their abominations which they have done. 14 Yet I will [b]appoint them as (O)keepers of the responsibility for the house, of all its service and of all that shall be done in it.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 44:12 Lit lifted up My hand, bore up my hand; cf. 44:12b
  2. Ezekiel 44:14 Lit give

“This is what the Lord God says, ‘No foreigner who is both uncircumcised in heart and flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the Israelis is to enter my sanctuary. 10 But the descendants of Levi, who went far away from me when Israel abandoned me, who left me to follow their idols, are to bear the punishment of their iniquity. 11 Nevertheless, they are to serve in my sanctuary, overseeing the gates of the Temple, taking care of the Temple, slaughtering the burnt offerings and the sacrifices presented for the people, standing in the presence of the people, and ministering to them. 12 Because they kept serving them in the presence of their idols, becoming a sin-filled stumbling block to the house of Israel,’ declares the Lord God.

“‘I have sworn to them that they are to bear the consequences of their iniquity. 13 They are not to come near me to serve me as a priest, nor approach any of my holy things, including the most holy things. Instead, they are to bear the shame of the loathsome things that they have done. 14 Nevertheless, I will appoint them to take care of my Temple, including all of its service and everything that is to be done inside of it.’”

Read full chapter