Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 44:13
And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy [place]: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.
13. Eze 44:13 is closely connected with Eze 44:12 bear their iniquity, and they shall not come near unto me.
in the most holy place] Rather: unto the things that are most holy. The words are in apposition with “my holy things.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They shall never be admitted to the office, nor employed in the proper work of a priest that ministers to me. They shall not come into the temple, much less into the oracle, nor have any part in the offering up of sacrifices on the altar, though they have meat, drink, and lodging about the temple; yet, as discarded servants, that are retained lest they starve.
They shall bear their shame; they shall be little regarded, but disesteemed, and put to shame, and this shall be part of their punishment. They shall be dealt with according to their abominations, i.e. their apostacy and idolatry, and bear the punishment thereof.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of priest unto me,…. To bring the sacrifice to the altar, and offer it there; to sprinkle the blood, or burn the fat, or the incense; to intercede for the people, or bless them; see Ho 4:6:
nor to come near to any of my holy things in the most holy place; to do any business, either in the holy or in the most holy place; to offer holy things, or eat of them. The sense is, that these degraded ministers, who had sinned so greatly, and had fallen so foully, though restored by repentance; yet should not preach the word, nor administer any ordinance:
but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed; that is, the shame of their abominations, of their abominable principles and practices, which they have held and maintained; being publicly disgraced and degraded, and so notoriously distinguished.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Eze 44:13. And they shall not For they shall not.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 44:13 And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy [place]: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.
Ver. 13. And they shall not come near unto me. ] How great then was the love of the Lord Jesus to Peter and the rest of his disciples after his resurrection, as in sending them that sweet message, Mar 16:7 so in readmitting them to the work of the ministry after so foul a revolt. Joh 20:21-23 And doth he not the very same still for his poor sinful servants, who desire indeed to fear his name, but are often overtaken in a fault through infirmity of the flesh? Surely, Father Traves, said Mr Bradford, martyr, in a letter to him, I have clean forgotten God; I am all secure, idle, proud hearted, utterly void of brotherly love; I am envious, and disdain others; I am a very stark hypocrite, &c. a Thus he, and much more to like purpose, in his heavenly letters.
a Acts and Mon., 1511.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
not come near unto Me. This is to be the punishment in the coming future order.
a priest. See note on Eze 43:19.
most holy place = holy of holies.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
they shall not: Num 18:3, 2Ki 23:9
bear: Eze 32:20, Eze 36:7
Reciprocal: Eze 16:52 – bear thine Eze 32:24 – borne Eze 44:12 – and they shall Eze 45:4 – which
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 44:13. Just as Ezekiel was writing this verse, the Levites were in Babylon where they were destined to remain for nearly balf a century longer. While in that country they will not be permitted to perform the services of the sanctuary. And even after the return from captivity, the individuals
who were stained with Idolatry will not be permitted to came near unto me saith the Lord; that will be reserved for others.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
They would not be able to approach the Lord and serve Him; they could only serve the people. They would not be able to handle what was most holy, most closely associated with the Lord, in the temple. This would be a source of shame for them because of their former sins. Yet within this limitation the Lord promised to allow them to be in charge of the temple structure, its maintenance, and certain things that transpired there. The Levites in Solomon’s day had more responsibility (cf. 1Ch 15:16; 1Ch 16:4; 1Ch 23:28-31).
"They have their counterparts today in all aspects of church life and doubtless then, as now, many reckoned it a privilege to be attending on the people of God in the more mundane details of their religion. After all, they were doing their duties by divine appointment (14)." [Note: Taylor, p. 271.]