Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 44:11

Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, [having] charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.

11. The verse is closely connected with Eze 44:10 (note on Eze 44:10). The services which the Levites shall be allowed to perform are such as having charge of the gates, slaying the burnt-offering, and the peace-offering for the people and in general ministering to them, e.g. cooking the sacrificial flesh for their meals (Eze 46:24). To “stand before” is to serve, Num 16:9.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ministers; servants, employed in the lowest and least honourable work.

In my sanctuary; not the temple itself, but about the courts of it.

Having charge at the gates; shall be porters to open and shut and sweep, and ready to go on errands.

Ministering; probably made to learn the arts of mason or smith, to mend and repair, to fetch wood and water with Jebusites.

They shall slay; do that servile work for the sacrificing priest.

The sacrifice for the people; all the sacrifices the people bring.

Stand before; Hebrew expression of servants attendance.

To minister unto them; to wait on and obey the priests.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary,…. Though degraded from their office as priests and ministers of the word, yet being restored from their sins and errors, shall have a place in the house of God, and do their work there in a less honourable and a more servile way; as in former times, when ministers had sinned foully, and were degraded from their office, upon repentance they were not restored to that, but only admitted to lay communion; see 2Ki 23:9:

having charge at the gates of the house; like those sort of Levites who were porters and doorkeepers in the temple, or like our sextons or pew openers now:

and ministering to the house; employed as the Gibeonites were in hewing wood and bringing water for the use of the sanctuary, or in repairing of it; learning and exercising the business of smiths, masons, and carpenters:

they shall slay the burnt offering, and the sacrifice for the people; not bring it to the altar, and offer it there; only slay it, and skin it for the priests; which is not to be understood literally, there being no such sacrifice in Gospel times; but to denote the menial service and inferior post that such shall be employed in; if they have no trade, they shall learn one, in order to get a livelihood for themselves, and be serviceable to the interest of religion in a lower way; but ministers of the word they shall not be:

and they shall stand before them to minister unto them; either before the priests, whose servants they shall be, or before the people; signifying that those that sin publicly shall be rebuked before all.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Eze 44:11 Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, [having] charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.

Ver. 11. Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary. ] Though lapsed, they shall not be altogether discarded, see 2Ki 23:9 Neh 13:28 partly for the honour of the priesthood, but principally for the encouragement of such as, having fallen by infirmity, rise again by repentance. Capite minuuntur, sed non penitus efficiuntur.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)