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This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner who is uncircumcised in heart and flesh among all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel will enter into my sanctuary.[a]

10 “‘But the Levites who went far from me, straying off from me after their idols when Israel went astray, will be responsible for[b] their sin. 11 Yet they will be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the temple, and serving the temple. They will slaughter the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people, and they will stand before them to minister to them. 12 Because they used to minister to them before their idols and became a sinful obstacle[c] to the house of Israel, consequently I have made a vow[d] concerning them, declares the Sovereign Lord, that they will be responsible for[e] their sin. 13 They will not come near me to serve me as priest, nor will they come near any of my holy things, the things that are most sacred. They will bear the shame of the abominable deeds they have committed. 14 Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, all its service, and all that will be done in it.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 44:9 sn Tobiah, an Ammonite (Neh 13:8), was dismissed from the temple.
  2. Ezekiel 44:10 tn Heb “will bear.”
  3. Ezekiel 44:12 tn Heb “a stumbling block of iniquity.” This is a unique phrase of the prophet Ezekiel (cf. also Ezek 7:19; 14:3, 4, 7; 18:30).
  4. Ezekiel 44:12 tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”
  5. Ezekiel 44:12 tn Heb “will bear.”

‘Thus says the Lord God, “No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary. 10 But the Levites who went far away from Me when Israel went astray, who went astray from Me after their idols, they shall bear the punishment for their sin and guilt. 11 Yet they shall minister in My sanctuary, having oversight [as guards] at the gates of the temple and ministering in the temple. They shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them. 12 Because the priests ministered to them before their idols and became a stumbling block of sin to the house of Israel, therefore I have lifted up My hand and have sworn [an oath] against them,” says the Lord God, “that they shall bear the punishment for their sin and guilt. 13 And they shall not come near to Me to serve as priests to Me, nor come near to any of My holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they shall bear their shame and their disgrace and [the consequences of] their repulsive acts which they have committed. 14 Yet I will appoint them as caretakers of the temple, for all its service and for all that shall be done in it.

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