Ezekiel 44:15-31
World English Bible
15 “‘“But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who performed the duty of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me. They shall stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood,” says the Lord Yahweh. 16 “They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my instruction.
17 “‘“It will be that, when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments. No wool shall come on them while they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. 18 They shall have linen turbans on their heads, and shall have linen trousers on their waists. They shall not clothe themselves with anything that makes them sweat. 19 When they go out into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they minister, and lay them in the holy rooms. They shall put on other garments, that they not sanctify the people with their garments.
20 “‘“They shall not shave their heads, or allow their locks to grow long. They shall only cut off the hair of their heads. 21 None of the priests shall drink wine when they enter into the inner court. 22 They shall not take for their wives a widow, or her who is put away; but they shall take virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest. 23 They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
24 “‘“In a controversy they shall stand to judge. They shall judge it according to my ordinances. They shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts. They shall make my Sabbaths holy.
25 “‘“They shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister who has had no husband, they may defile themselves. 26 After he is cleansed, they shall reckon to him seven days. 27 In the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering,” says the Lord Yahweh.
28 “‘They shall have an inheritance. I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no possession in Israel. I am their possession. 29 They shall eat the meal offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30 The first of all the first fruits of every thing, and every offering of everything, of all your offerings, shall be for the priest. You shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, to cause a blessing to rest on your house. 31 The priests shall not eat of anything that dies of itself, or is torn, whether it is bird or animal.
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Ezekiel 44:15-31
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Priests’ Duties and Privileges
15 “But the Levitical priests descended from Zadok,(A) who kept charge of My sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from Me, will approach Me to serve Me. They will stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. 16 “They are the ones who may enter My sanctuary(B) and draw near to My table to serve Me.(C) They will keep My mandate. 17 When they enter the gates of the inner court they must wear linen garments;(D) they must not have on them anything made of wool when they minister at the gates of the inner court and within it. 18 They must wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists.(E) They are not to put on anything that makes them sweat. 19 Before they go out to the outer court,[a] to the people, they must take off the clothes they have been ministering in, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes(F) so that they do not transmit holiness to the people through their clothes.(G)
20 “They may not shave their heads(H) or let their hair grow long,(I) but must carefully trim their hair. 21 No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court.(J) 22 He is not to marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin from the offspring of the house of Israel,(K) or a widow who is the widow of a priest. 23 They must teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and explain to them the difference between the clean and the unclean.(L)
24 “In a dispute, they will officiate as judges and decide the case according to My ordinances.(M) They must observe My laws and statutes regarding all My appointed festivals, and keep My Sabbaths holy.(N) 25 A priest may not come near a dead person so that he becomes defiled.(O) However, he may defile himself for a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister. 26 After he is cleansed, he is to count off seven days for himself.(P) 27 On the day he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court(Q) to minister in the sanctuary, he must present his sin offering.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.
28 “This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance.(R) You are to give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession. 29 They will eat the grain offering, the sin offering,(S) and the restitution offering. Everything in Israel that is permanently dedicated to the Lord will belong to them.(T) 30 The best of all the firstfruits of every kind and contribution of every kind from all your gifts will belong to the priests.(U) You are to give your first batch of dough to the priest(V) so that a blessing may rest on your homes.(W) 31 The priests may not eat any bird or animal that died naturally or was mauled by wild beasts.(X)
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- Ezekiel 44:19 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read court, to the outer court
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