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“So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigners, including those who live among the people of Israel, will enter my sanctuary if they have not been circumcised and have not surrendered themselves to the Lord. 10 And the men of the tribe of Levi who abandoned me when Israel strayed away from me to worship idols[a] must bear the consequences of their unfaithfulness. 11 They may still be Temple guards and gatekeepers, and they may slaughter the animals brought for burnt offerings and be present to help the people. 12 But they encouraged my people to worship idols, causing Israel to fall into deep sin. So I have taken a solemn oath that they must bear the consequences for their sins, says the Sovereign Lord. 13 They may not approach me to minister as priests. They may not touch any of my holy things or the holy offerings, for they must bear the shame of all the detestable sins they have committed. 14 They are to serve as the Temple caretakers, taking charge of the maintenance work and performing general duties.

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Footnotes

  1. 44:10 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung; also in 44:12.

‘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.

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Footnotes

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