Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 44:4
Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face.
4. The prophet is brought by way of the N. gate into the inner court before the house. From his position in front of the house he beholds the glory of the, Lord filling the house, and falls on his face.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Admonition to the ministering priests, grounded upon former neglect.
Eze 44:4
The north gate before the house – The north gate of the inner court. God expostulates with His people in the seat of their former idolatries Eze 8:3.
Eze 44:5
Mark well – The careful arrangements made had all been intended to keep the temple and its surroundings from profanation. Hence, attention to these particulars is enjoined.
Eze 44:7
Strangers – This refers especially to the sin of unauthorized and unfaithful priests ministering in the services of the temple. Compare marginal references.
Eze 44:8
Mine holy things – The altar, its sacrifices, the sacred utensils, and the like.
For yourselves – According to your own pleasure, not My ordinances Num 16:40.
Eze 44:10
The Levites as a body had remained true to the temple-service at Jerusalem 2Ch 11:13; but individuals among them deserted to Israel probably from the first (see the marginal references), as in later years some went over to the worship of the Samaritans on Mount Gerizim. These apostate Levites shall bear their iniquities, they shall not be restored to their former rank and privileges.
Eze 44:11
Ministers – As, according to the new system, the Levites, as a body, were to receive their portion in the oblation Eze 45:5; the only manner in which the Levites of Eze 44:10 could live at all, was as part of the whole body, to which they were therefore reunited, but in the lowest grade. It is remarkable that the number of Levites who returned after the captivity was very small, not exceeding 400, of whom only 74 were priests assistants (Ezr 2:40-42; compare Ezr 8:15-19). The gap in their number was filled up by 220 Nethinim (given ones), probably originally strangers and captives, who, although employed in the temple services, were held by the Jews in the lowest repute.
Eze 44:12
Lifted up mine hand – i. e., The Lord sware Eze 20:5, that they should bear their iniquities.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Then, when he had been informed of the reason why the east gate was shut, and when he perceived he must not go out thereby.
He; the angel, or Christ in the appearance of man.
The way of the north gate; to the north gate of the inner court, whence he had a prospect of the temple, though no door to it on that side.
Behold; through the windows of the temple he did discern that brightness and lustre which filled the temple.
The glory of the Lord, & c.: see Eze 1:28; 43:2.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4-6. Directions as to thepriests. Their acts of desecration are attributed to “the houseof Israel” (Eze 44:6;Eze 44:7), as the sins of thepriesthood and of the people acted and reacted on one another; “likepeople, like priest” (Jer 5:31;Hos 4:9).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house,…. The north gate of the inward court, whither he was brought from the east gate, which was shut: this, and what follow, may have some respect to the churches in these our northern parts of the world, in their now declining circumstances, which are aptly represented in some following verses; but will hereafter be filled with the glory of the Lord, as follows:
and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord; as he had seen at the eastern gate, Eze 43:2:
and I fell upon my face; as he had done before, under a sense of the greatness and glory of the divine Majesty, and of his own vileness and unworthiness; see Eze 43:3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Position of Foreigners, Levites, and Priests in Relation to the Temple and the Temple Service. – The further precepts concerning the approach to the sanctuary, and the worship to be presented there, are introduced with a fresh exhortation to observe with exactness all the statutes and laws, in order that the desecration of the sanctuary which had formerly taken place might not be repeated, and are delivered to the prophet at the north gate in front of the manifestation of the glory of God (Eze 44:4-8). – Eze 44:4. And he brought me by the way of the north gate to the front of the house; and I looked, and behold the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah, and I fell down upon my face. Eze 44:5. And Jehovah said to me, Son of man, direct thy heart and see with thine eyes and hear with thine ears all that I say to thee with regard to all the statutes of the house of Jehovah and all its laws, and direct thy heart to the entering into the house through all the exits of the house, Eze 44:6. And say to the rebellious one, to the family of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Let it be sufficient for you, of all your abominations, O house of Israel, Eze 44:7. In that ye brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to desecrate it, my house, when ye offered my food, fat and blood, and so they broke my covenant to all your abominations, Eze 44:8. And so ye did not keep the charge of my holy things, but made them keepers of my charge for you in my sanctuary. – From the outer gate to which Ezekiel had been taken, simply that he might be instructed concerning the entering thereby, he is once more conducted, after this has been done, by the way of the north gate to the front of the temple house, to receive the further directions there for the performance of the worship of God in the new sanctuary. The question, whether we are to understand by the north gate that of the outer or that of the inner court, cannot be answered with certainty. Hitzig has decided in favour of the latter, Kliefoth in favour of the former. The place to which he is conducted is , ad faciem domus , before the temple house, so that he had it before his eyes, i.e., was able to see it. As the gateway of the inner court was eight steps, about four cubits, higher than the outer court gate, this was hardly possible if he stood at or within the latter. , i.e., the temple house, could only be distinctly seen from the inner north gate. And the remark that it is more natural to think of the outer north gate, because the next thing said to the prophet has reference to the question who is to go into and out of the sanctuary, has not much force, as the instructions do not refer to the going in and out alone, but chiefly to the charge of Jehovah, i.e., to the maintenance of divine worship.
At the fresh standing-place the glory of the Lord, which filled the temple, met the sight of the prophet again, so that he fell down and worshipped once more (cf. Eze 43:3, Eze 43:5). This remark is not intended “to indicate that now, after the preliminary observations in Ezekiel 43:13-44:3, the true thorah commences” (Kliefoth), but to show the unapproachable glory and holiness of the new temple. For Eze 44:5, see Eze 40:4; Eze 43:11-12. In Eze 44:6 is placed at the head in a substantive form for the sake of emphasis, and is appended in the form of an apposition. For the fact itself, see Eze 2:8. followed by , a sufficiency of anything, as in Exo 9:28; 1Ki 12:28, is equivalent to “there is enough for you to desist from it.” The , from which they are to desist, are more precisely defined in Eze 44:6. They consisted in the fact that the Israelites admitted foreigners, heathen, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, into the sanctuary, to desecrate it during the offering of sacrifice. It is not expressly stated, indeed, that they admitted uncircumcised heathen to the offering of sacrifice, but this is implied in what is affirmed. The offering of sacrifice in the temple of Jehovah is not only permitted in the Mosaic law to foreigners living in Israel, but to some extent prescribed (Lev 17:10, Lev 17:12; Num 15:13.). It was only in the paschal meal that no ‘ was allowed to participate (Exo 12:43). To do this, he must first of all be circumcised (v. 44). Solomon accordingly prays to the Lord in his temple-prayer that He will also hearken to the prayer of the foreigner, who may come from a distant land for the Lord’s name sake to worship in His house (1Ki 8:41.). The reproof in the verse before us is apparently at variance with this. Raschi would therefore understand by , Israelites who had fallen into heathen idolatry. Rosenmller, on the other hand, is of opinion that the Israelites were blamed because they had accepted victimas et libamina from the heathen, and offered them in the temple, which had been prohibited in Lev 25:22. Hvernick understands by the sons of the foreigner, Levites who had become apostates from Jehovah, and were therefore placed by Ezekiel on a par with the idolatrous sons of the foreigner. And lastly, Hitzig imagines that they were foreign traders, who had been admitted within the sacred precincts as sellers of sacrificial animals, incense, and so forth. All these are alike arbitrary and erroneous. The apparent discrepancy vanishes, if we consider the more precise definition of , viz., “uncircumcised in heart and flesh.” Their being uncircumcised in heart is placed first, for the purpose of characterizing the foreigners as godless heathen, who ere destitute not only of the uncircumcision of their flesh, but also of that of the heart, i.e., of piety of heart, which Solomon mentions in his prayer as the motive for the coming of distant strangers to the temple. By the admission of such foreigners as these, who had no fear of God at all, into the temple during the sacrificial worship, Israel had defiled the sanctuary. is in apposition to the suffix to . The food of Jehovah ( ) is sacrifice, according to Lev 3:11; Lev 21:6, etc., and is therefore explained by “fat and blood.” , which the lxx changed in an arbitrary manner into the second person, refers to the “foreigners,” the heathen. By their treading the temple in their ungodliness they broke the covenant of the Lord with His people, who allowed this desecration of His sanctuary. , in addition to all your abominations. How grievous a sin was involved in this is stated in Eze 44:8. The people of Israel, by their unrighteous admission of godless heathen into the temple, not only failed to show the proper reverence for the holy things of the Lord, but even made these heathen, so to speak, servants of God for themselves in His sanctuary. These last words are not to be understood literally, but spiritually. Allowing them to tread the temple is regarded as equivalent to appointing them to take charge of the worship in the temple. For , see Lev 18:30; Lev 22:9, and the commentary on Lev 8:35.
The Lord would guard against such desecration of His sanctuary in the future. To this end the following precepts concerning the worship in the new temple are given. – Eze 44:9. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall come into my sanctuary, of all the foreigners that are in the midst of the sons of Israel; Eze 44:10. But even the Levites, who have gone away from me in the wandering of Israel, which wandered away from me after its idols, they shall bear their guilt. Eze 44:11. They shall be servants in my sanctuary, as guards at the gates of the house and serving in the house; they shall slay the burnt-offering and the slain-offering for the people, and shall stand before it to serve them. Eze 44:12. Because they served them before their idols, and became to the house of Israel a stumbling-block to guilt, therefore I have lifted my hand against them, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah, that they should bear their guilt. Eze 44:13. They shall not draw near to me to serve me as priests, and to draw near to all my holy things, to the most holy, but shall bear their disgrace and all their abominations which they have done. Eze 44:14. And so will I make them guards of the charge of the house with regard to all its service, and to all that is performed therein. Eze 44:15. But the priests of the tribe of Levi, the sons of Zadok, who have kept the charge of my sanctuary on the wandering of the sons of Israel from me, they shall draw near to me to serve me, and stand before me, offer to me fat and blood, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah. Eze 44:16. They shall come into my sanctuary, and they draw near to my table to serve me, and shall keep my charge. – In order that all desecration may be kept at a distance from the new sanctuary, foreigners uncircumcised in heart and flesh are not to be admitted into it; and even of the Levites appointed for the service of the sanctuary according to the Mosaic law, all who took part in the falling away of the people into idolatry are to be excluded from investiture with the priests’ office as a punishment for their departure from the Lord, and only to be allowed to perform subordinate duties in connection with the worship of God. On the other hand, the descendants of Zadok, who kept themselves free from all straying into idolatry, are to perform the specifically priestly service at the altar and in the sanctuary, and they alone. The meaning and design of the command, to shut out the foreigners uncircumcised in heart from all access to the sanctuary, are not that the intermediate position and class of foreigners living in Israel should henceforth be abolished (Kliefoth); for this would be at variance with Eze 47:22 and Eze 47:23, according to which the foreigners ( ) were to receive a possession of their own in the fresh distribution of the land, which not only presupposes their continuance within the congregation of Israel, but also secures it for the time to come. The meaning is rather this: No heathen uncircumcised in heart, i.e., estranged in life from God, shall have access to the altar in the new sanctuary. The emphasis of the prohibition lies here, as in Eze 44:7, upon their being uncircumcised in heart; and the reason for the exclusion of foreigners consists not so much in the foreskin of the flesh as in the spiritual foreskin, so that not only the uncircumcised heathen, but also Israelites who were circumcised in flesh, were to keep at a distance from the sanctuary if they failed to possess circumcision of heart. The before serves the purpose of comprehension, as in Gen 9:10; Lev 11:42, etc. (compare Ewald, 310 a). Not only are foreigners who are estranged from God to be prevented from coming into the sanctuary, but even the Levites, who fell into idolatry at the time of the apostasy of the Israelites, are to bear their guilt, i.e., are to be punished for it by exclusion from the rights of the priesthood. This is the connection between the tenth verse and the ninth, indicated by , which derives its meaning, truly (imo), yea even, from this connection, as in Isa 33:21. are not the Levites here as distinguished from the priests (Aaronites), but all the descendants of Levi, including the Aaronites chosen for the priests’ office, to whom what is to be said concerning the Levites chiefly applied. The division of the Levites into such as are excluded from the service and office of priests ( , Eze 44:13) on account of their former straying into idolatry, and the sons of Zadok, who kept aloof from that wandering, and therefore are to be the only persons allowed to administer the priests’ office for the future, shows very clearly that the threat “they shall bear their guilt” does not apply to the common Levites, but to the Levitical priests. They are to be degraded to the performance of the inferior duties in the temple and at divine worship. The guilt with which they are charged is that they forsook Jehovah when the people strayed into idolatry. Forsaking Jehovah involves both passive and active participation in idolatry (cf. Jer 2:5). This wandering of the Israelites from Jehovah took place during the whole time that the tabernacle and Solomon’s temple were in existence, though at different periods and with varying force and extent.
Bearing the guilt is more minutely defined in Eze 44:11-13. The Levitical priests who have forsaken the Lord are to lose the dignity and rights of the priesthood; they are not, indeed, to be entirely deprived of the prerogative conferred upon the tribe of Levi by virtue of its election to the service of the sanctuary in the place of the first-born of the whole nation, but henceforth they are merely to be employed in the performance of the lower duties, as guards at the gates of the temple, and as servants of the people at the sacrificial worship, when they are to slaughter the animals for the people, which every one who offered sacrifice was also able to do for himself. Because they have already served the people before their idols, i.e., have helped them in their idolatry, they shall also serve the people in time to come in the worship of God, though not as priests, but simply in non-priestly occupations. The words ‘ are taken from Num 16:9, and the suffixes in and refer to . . ot ref , as in Eze 7:19; Eze 14:3; Eze 18:30. , not to raise the arm to smite, but to lift up the hand to swear, as in Eze 20:5-6, etc. , to draw near to all my holy things. are not the rooms in the sanctuary, but those portions of the sacrifices which were sacred to the Lord. They are not to touch these, i.e., neither to sprinkle blood nor to burn the portions of fat upon the altar, or perform anything connected therewith. This explanation is required by the apposition , which (in the plural) does not mean the most holy place at the hinder part of the temple, but the most holy sacrificial gifts (cf. Eze 42:13). , as in Eze 16:52. In Eze 44:14 it is once more stated in a comprehensive manner in what the bearing of the guilt and shame was to consist: God would make them keepers of the temple with regard to the inferior acts of service. The general expression , which signifies the temple service universally, receives its restriction to the inferior acts of service from ‘ , which is used in Num 3:26; Num 4:23, Num 4:30, Num 4:32, Num 4:39, Num 4:47, for the heavy duties performed by the Merarites and Gershonites, in distinction from the of the Kohathites, which consisted in (Num 3:28) and (Num 4:3). The priestly service at the altar and in the sanctuary, on the other hand, was to be performed by the sons of Zadok alone, because when the people went astray they kept the charge of the sanctuary, i.e., performed the duties of the priestly office with fidelity. Zadok was the son of Ahitub, of the line of Eleazar (1 Chr. 5:34; 1Ch 6:37-38), who remained faithful to King David at the rebellion of Absalom (2Sa 15:24.), and also anointed Solomon as king in opposition to Adonijah the pretender (1Ki 1:32.); whereas the high priest Abiathar, of the line of Ithamar, took part with Adonijah (1Ki 1:7, 1Ki 1:25), and was deposed from his office by Solomon in consequence, so that now the high-priesthood was in the sole possession of Zadok and his descendants (1Ki 2:26-27, and 1Ki 2:35). From this attitude of Zadok toward David, the prince given by the Lord to His people, it may be seen at once that he not only kept aloof from the wandering of the people, but offered a decided opposition thereto, and attended to his office in a manner that was well-pleasing to God. As he received the high-priesthood from Solomon in the place of Abiathar for this fidelity of his, so shall his descendants only be invested with the priestly office in the new temple. For the correct explanation of the words in these verses, however, we must pay particular regard to the clause, “who have kept the charge of my sanctuary.” This implies, for example, that lineal descent from Zadok alone was not sufficient, but that fidelity in the service of the Lord must also be added as an indispensable requisite. In Eze 44:15 and Eze 44:16 the priestly service is described according to its principal functions at the altar of burnt-offering, and in the holy place at the altar of incense. is the altar of incense (see Eze 41:22).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Idolatry of the Levites. | B. C. 574. |
4 Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face. 5 And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary. 6 And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations, 7 In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations. 8 And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves. 9 Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.
This is much to the same purport with what we had in the beginning of ch. xliii. As the prophet must look again upon what he had before seen, so he must be told again what he had before heard. Here, as before, he sees the house filled with the glory of the Lord, which strikes an awe upon him, so that he falls prostrate at the sight, the humblest posture of adoration and the expression of a holy awe: I fell upon my face, v. 4. Note, The more we see of the glory of God the more low we shall lie in our own eyes. Now here,
I. God charges the prophet to take a very particular notice of all he saw, and all that was said to him (v. 5): “Behold with thy eyes what is shown thee, particularly the entering in of the house and every going forth of it, all the inlets and all the outlets of the sanctuary;” those he must take special notice of. Note, In acquainting ourselves with divine things we must not aim so much at an abstract speculation of the things themselves as at finding the plain appointed way of converse and communion with those things, that we may go in and out and find pasture. 2. Hear with thy ears all that I say unto thee about the laws and ordinances of the house, which he was to instruct the people in. Note, Those who are appointed to be teachers have need to be very diligent careful learners, that they may neither forget any of the things they are entrusted with nor mistake concerning them.
II. He sends him upon an errand to the people, to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, v. 6. It is sad to think that the house of Israel should deserve this character from him who perfectly knew them, that a people in covenant with God should be rebellious against him. Who are his subjects if the house of Israel be rebels? But it is an instance of God’s rich mercy that, though they had been rebellious, yet, being the house of Israel, he does not cast them off, but sends an ambassador to them, to invite and encourage them to return to their allegiance, which he would not have done if he had been pleased to kill them. The whole race of mankind has fallen under the character here given of the house of Israel; but our Lord Jesus, when he ascended on high, received gifts for men, yea, even for the rebellious also, that, as here, the Lord God might dwell among them, Ps. lxviii. 18.
1. He must tell them of their faults, must show them their rebellions, must show the house of Jacob their sins. Note, Those that are sent to comfort God’s people must first convince them, and so prepare them for comfort. Let it suffice you of all your abominations, v. 6. Note, It is time for those that have continued long in sin to reckon it long enough, and too long, and to begin to think of taking up in time, and leaving off their evil courses. “Let the time past of your lives suffice, for by this time, surely, you have surfeited upon your abominations and have become sick of them,” 1 Pet. iv. 3. That which is here charged upon them is, (1.) That they had admitted those to the privileges of the sanctuary that were not entitled to them; whereas God had said, The stranger that comes nigh shall be put to death, they had not only connived at the intrusion of strangers into the sanctuary, but had themselves introduced them (v. 7): You brought in strangers uncircumcised in flesh, and therefore under a legal incapacity to enter into the sanctuary, which was a breaking of the covenant of circumcision, throwing down the hedge of their peculiarity, and laying themselves in common with the rest of the world. Yet if these strangers had been devout and good, though they were not circumcised, the crime would not have been so great; but they were uncircumcised in heart too, unhumbled, unreformed, and strangers indeed to God and all goodness. When they came to offer sacrifice they brought these with them to feast with them upon the sacrifice, because they were fond of their company, and this was one of their abominations, wherewith they polluted God’s sanctuary; it was giving that which was holy unto dogs, Matt. vii. 6. Note, The admission of those who are openly wicked and profane to special ordinances is a polluting of God’s sanctuary and a great provocation to him. (2.) That they had employed those in the service of the sanctuary who were not fit for it. Though none but priests and Levites were to minister in the sanctuary, yet we may suppose that all who were priests and Levites did not immediately attend there, but chosen men of them, who were best qualified, who were most wise, serious, and conscientious, and most likely to keep the charge of the holy things carefully; but, in making this choice, they had not regard to merit and qualification for the work: “You have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves, such as you had some favour or affection for, such as you either had got, or hoped to get, money by, or such as would comply with your humours and would dispense with the laws of the sanctuary to please you; thus you have not kept the charge of my holy things.” Note, Those who have the choice of the keepers of the holy things, if, to serve some secular selfish purpose, they choose such as are unfit and unfaithful, will justly have it laid at their door, that they have betrayed the holy things by lodging them in bad hands.
2. He must tell them their duty (v. 9): “No stranger shall enter into my sanctuary till he has first submitted to the laws of it.” But, lest any should think that this excluded the penitent believing Gentiles from the church, the stranger here is described to be one that is uncircumcised in heart, not in sincerity consenting to the covenant, nor putting away the filth of the flesh; whereas the believing Gentiles were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, Col. ii. 11. This circumcision of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter, was what the unbelieving Jews were strangers to and unconcerned about, while yet they were zealous to keep out of the sanctuary uncircumcised Gentiles, witness their rage against Paul when they did but suspect him to have brought Greeks into the temple, Acts xxi. 28.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
GLORY FILLED THE HOUSE
Verses 4-8:
Verse 4 relates that Ezekiel was then led in vision by way of the north gate, where sacrifice animals were prepared from without. From there he beheld the glory of the Lord come upon and fill the house of the Lord, Eze 3:13; Eze 43:15; Then he fell upon his face in awe as in Eze 1:28.
Verse 5 recounts the Lord’s new charge to Ezekiel as Son of man to mark well, pay specific attention, scrutinizing with his eyes, and hearing accurately with his ears all that the Lord had to say: concerning all the ordinances of the restored house of the Lord, with all of its laws. Then he was also directed to “mark well” the entering in of the house (the purpose or motive for which one entered it, and every going forth or departure from the sanctuary), which was to be nobly motivated for spiritual purposes, Joh 4:24; Eph 2:10; Rom 12:1-2; 1Co 15:58.
Verse 6 directed Ezekiel to address the rebellious ones, even of the house of Israel, the whole nation, telling them that he had a message to them, directly from the Lord, as in Eze 2:5. They were told to let it be sufficient to act upon, in turning from all their abominations with which they had offended God, Eze 45:9; 1Pe 4:3. For it was at the north gate, v. 4, that Ezekiel had been shown the idolatries of his people, Eze 8:5.
Verses 7, 8 charge specific sins of idolatry to Israel, of such things as they had brought into the sanctified temple area, of the former house of the Lord, to defile it. They-had brought in strangers, heathen, the uncircumcised in heart and in the flesh, into His sanctuary to pollute it. There these heathen had joined the Israelites in polluting the house of the Lord in offering bread, the fat, and the blood. Thus with their compromise outward form of worship; Both in violation or breach of the Law, and in absence of the Spirit, they had defiled or polluted His Holy place. Even priests, unregenerated, were heathen at heart, Act 7:51; and as such were regarded as aliens or strangers to the commonwealth of Israel. They too had become lax in permitting foreigners, uncircumcised, to partake of their sacrificial worship, without circumcision, Lev 17:8; Lev 17:10; See also v. 9; Eze 43:8; Act 21:28. It is further concluded, v. 8, that the priests had set the uncircumcised strangers at their own pleasure in holy parts of the temple, area, doing as they pleased, rather than themselves performing their Divinely described duties and rites, as described Jos 9:27; Ezr 8:20; Num 9:23; Num 16:40; 1Ki 12:31.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
2. The qualifications of the temple ministers (44:414)
TRANSLATION
(4) Then he brought me by the way of the north gate before the house; and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face. (5) And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I say unto you concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entrance of the house, with every egress of the sanctuary. (6) And you shall say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: O house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations, (7) in that you have brought in foreigners uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary, to profane it, even My house, when you offer My bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken My covenant, to add unto all your abominations. (8) And you have not kept the charge of My holy things; but you have set keepers of My charge in My sanctuary for yourselves. (9) Thus says the Lord GOD, No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into My sanctuary, of any foreigners that are among the children of Israel. (10) But the Levites that went far from me, when Israel went astray, that went astray from me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity. (11) Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the house, and ministering in the house: they shall slay the burnt-offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. (12) Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and became a stumblingblock of iniquity unto the house of Israel; therefore have I lifted up My hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity. (13) And they shall not come near unto Me, to execute the office of priest unto Me, nor to come near to any of My holy things, unto the things that are most holy; but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed. (14) Yet will I make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein.
COMMENTS
From the outer court the prophet was led by his angelic guide around through the northern gate (the eastern gate was to be kept perpetually closed) to the inner court. There the prophet again observed the glory of God filling the house (Eze. 44:4). At this juncture God spoke to him again, this time concerning the qualifications of those who might approach Him in His holy Temple. Ezekiel was bidden to make careful note of these ordinances, particularly those laws governing the approaches to the house (Eze. 44:5).
In the former Temple aliens had been permitted to discharge priestly functions. This was an abomination (Eze. 44:6) which must not persist in the age of the new Temple. Those uncircumcised in heart and flesh profaned the holiness of that sacred shrine. Gods bread, i.e., sacrifices of fat and blood, was not to be offered by those who did not wear in the flesh the badge of the covenant. To allow them to do so was to violate the covenant and commit abomination (Eze. 44:7). Apparently the use of foreign Temple servants such as the Carites (2Ki. 11:4) is here being proscribed. It may have been that in times when the priesthood was at low ebb some priestly duties actually had been assigned to these foreigners. In so doing, Gods people had been more concerned about what was convenient to them rather than what conformed to the instructions of God (Eze. 44:8).
The menial Temple work formerly done by aliens must in the future be performed by the Levites (Eze. 44:9). The duties of the Levites in Ezekiels Temple were threefold: (1) they were to have charge of the Temple gates, i.e., they were to police the crowds who entered for worship; (2) they were to minister in the house, i.e., courtyard, by slaying the sacrificial animals;[519] and (3) they were to stand before the worshipers to minister to them by helping them in their ritual responsibilities (Eze. 44:11).
[519] The slaughtering of the animal for sacrifice was not a priestly function and could be performed by a layman,
The demotion of the Levites in the new Temple was a punishment for previous transgression on their part. They had gone far away from God and had involved themselves in idolatry (Eze. 44:10). They had ministered to the people at idolatrous shrines and thus had become stumblingblocks to the people of God. God had taken an oath (lifted up My hand) against the Levites that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity in the new Temple age(Eze. 44:12).
In effect, the penalty against the once wayward Levites was reduction in status to that of lay servants in the Temple. They would not be allowed to come near the Lord, i.e., enter the inner courtyard, nor to minister at the sacrificial service, nor come near any holy thing in the Temple (Eze. 44:13). They would be keepers of the charge of the house, i.e., they would be restricted to functions in the outer court (Eze. 44:14).
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(4) The north gate.The prophet is now carried to the north gate, and since this is described as before the house and was in full view of it, it must have been the gate of the inner court, the appointed place for the killing of the sacrifices, and therefore especially fitting for the announcement of the ordinances of the priests. There he saw the glory of the Lord filling the house, and was commanded to give the utmost attention to the laws now to be announced.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4-5. Again the prophet is permitted to see the glory of Jehovah filling the inner temple (Eze 43:5), and again he is informed that every detail of the temple ritual is of symbolic importance. (Compare Eze 43:10-12, and introduction to chap. 40.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Glory of God Fills the Sanctuary.
‘Then he brought me the way of the north gate before the house, and I looked, and behold, the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh, and I fell on my face.’
Having been instructed about the future Ezekiel was now brought by the heavenly visitant to the north gate, facing the sanctuary, and there he saw the glory of Yahweh filling the sanctuary, as he had previously seen the glory of Yahweh at the River Chebar (chapter 1). And once again he prostrated himself before His glory, filled with joy that the eternal God was back in His land to bless it again.
Instructions Concerning the Future Running of the Temple.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
What a beautiful view is again and again given of the Shechinah, or glory of the Lord filling the house. And what an holy awe do we always find induced by it, on the minds of holy men of old. Isa 6:1-5 ; Dan 10:7-8 . Reader! what a blessed dispensation is that of the Gospel, to which we are called, who have Jesus to go to, and Jesus to trust in at all times, and who is the Lord Our Righteousness, and hath brought us nigh by his blood?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 44:4 Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face.
Ver. 4. Then brought he me. ] See on Eze 44:1 .
The glory of the Lord.
And fell upon my face.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 44:4-8
4Then He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord, and I fell on my face. 5The Lord said to me, Son of man, mark well, see with your eyes and hear with your ears all that I say to you concerning all the statutes of the house of the Lord and concerning all its laws; and mark well the entrance of the house, with all exits of the sanctuary. 6You shall say to the rebellious ones, to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, Enough of all your abominations, O house of Israel, 7when you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to profane it, even My house, when you offered My food, the fat and the blood; for they made My covenant void this in addition to all your abominations. 8And you have not kept charge of My holy things yourselves, but you have set foreigners to keep charge of My sanctuary.
Eze 44:4 the glory of the Lord This phrase refers to the personal presence of YHWH (cf. Eze 1:28; Eze 3:23; Eze 43:4-5; Exo 24:16).
filled the house This is reminiscent of
1. the tabernacle (cf. Exo 40:34-35)
2. Solomon’s temple (cf. 1Ki 8:11; 2Ch 5:14; 2Ch 7:1-3)
It was a visible way of showing YHWH’s acceptance and presence. Ezekiel saw YHWH’s glory fill the temple in his vision of chapter 10 (cf. Eze 10:4), as it would at YHWH’s return (cf. Eze 43:5).
I fell on my face Ezekiel (as all humans) is staggered by the holy, glorious presence of God (i.e., Eze 1:28; Eze 3:23; Eze 43:3; Gen 17:3; Lev 9:24; Dan 8:17; Dan 10:9-10; Dan 10:15; Rev 1:17).
Eze 44:5 This verse is very similar to Eze 40:4, with three commands.
1. mark well (lit. set your heart on) BDB 962, KB 1321, Qal imperative
2. see BDB 906, KB 1321, Qal imperative
3. hear BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal imperative
Ezekiel is to be careful what he sees so he can describe this future temple accurately for a restored, obedient Israel, especially the new temple’s entrances and exits.
Eze 44:6 the rebellious ones This noun (BDB 598) refers to Judah (cf. Eze 2:5-8; Eze 3:9; Eze 3:26-27; Eze 12:2[twice], 3,9,25; Eze 17:12; Eze 24:3). They are called rebellious because they violated YHWH’s statutes about the temple, especially in connection to non-Israelites’ involvement in temple activities. This refers specifically to political alliances made with foreign powers (i.e., Egypt, Babylon, etc.). This involved their gods.
abominations See Special Topic: Abomination .
Eze 44:7 uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh In context this refers to non-Israelites. It speaks of a rebellious heart, as well as an unbelieving (i.e., non-covenant) person. It could refer to
1. political alliances with foreign nations
2. welcoming foreign ambassadors by showing them the temple (i.e., 2Ki 20:12-15)
3. foreign servants in the tabernacle (cf. Jos 9:23; Jos 9:27)
4. the foreign guards in the temple (cf. 1Ki 11:4-16)
but the exact reference is uncertain. Ezekiel witnessed some of the abominations which occurred in Ezekiel 8-10.
The same expression, uncircumcised of heart, can be used of rebellious Israelites (cf. Lev 26:41; Deu 10:16; Deu 30:6; Jer 4:4; Jer 9:25-26).
Circumcision was a covenant sign (cf. Gen 17:9-14) and a covenant attitude of obedience and humility. The priests had violated this covenantal trust (cf. Eze 44:9-14).
profane This term’s (BDB 320) meaning is uncertain, but the same three consonant roots in Arabic meant to loosen or untie, which came to mean free from obligations. Here it refers to ceremonially defiling sacred places (cf. Eze 7:21-22[twice]; Eze 23:39; Eze 24:21; Lev 21:12; Lev 21:23). The temple was YHWH’s house and the place of His dwelling. To disregard it was to disregard Him (cf. Eze 23:36-45, esp. Ezek. 44:39).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eze 44:4-14
Eze 44:4-14
Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face. 5 And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary. 6 And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations, 7 In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations. 8 And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves. 9 Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel. 10 And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity. 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. 12 Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity. 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. 14 But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein.
Return to the Sanctuary. Eze 44:4-14.
Since the east gate was shut, Ezekiel’s guide brought him into the temple court through the north gate. As he stood in front of the temple, the glory of God filled the sanctuary (Eze 44:4). The return of the glory of God was the sign of the restoration of God’s presence that Ezekiel saw withdrawn from the temple in chs. 10 and 11. Ezekiel’s reaction was predictable — he fell on this face at the sight of the glory of God out of fear and reverence (Eze 44:4; cf. Eze 1:28; Eze 43:1-5). Once again Ezekiel was instructed to pay close heed to what he saw and heard (Eze 44:5; cf. Eze 40:4). The message condemned bringing foreigners into the sanctuary (Eze 44:7-8; cf. Neh 13:4-9), giving unauthorized individuals charge over holy things, and desecrating the temple with unholy foreign worship (Eze 44:7-8).
Rabbinic tradition says the “detestable practices” consisted of the employment of priests who were unqualified to minister before the Lord because of their evil deeds. It may also refer to the use of prisoners of war to perform menial tasks in the temple. They are not directly attributed to the Levites, however, whose sin is said to have been the idolatry and encouraging Israel in idolatry (Eze 44:10; Eze 44:12). Because of their idolatry the Levites were confirmed in the subordinate status given them in Numbers. There they were to serve at the tabernacle (Num 16:8-11), guard the tabernacle from defilement (Num 1:53; Num 3:10), and redeem the firstborn (Num 3:12-13; Num 3:40-43; Num 8:14-19 –Ezekiel mentions all but the last). In spite of their sin they were allowed to have a part in the temple service, but only as ministers in charge of the temple, in contrast to the priests who would be in charge of the altar (Eze 44:10; cf. Eze 40:45-46). They were to guard the temple gates and slaughter the animals of sacrifice, but they could not minister as priests or “come near,” meaning they could not go into the inner court (Eze 44:11-12).
For their faithfulness the priesthood is entrusted to the Zadokites, who are enjoined to protect the holiness of the temple (Eze 44:15). The lesson in all of this is that God has a place of service for everyone. Though the Levites were disqualified from leadership roles, they still had a significant part in the service of the temple. Past moral failure does not exclude one from worship or service in the house of God. It may, however, preempt one from serving in leadership roles where a moral failure would present a compromised testimony (Eze 44:11-14).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the way: Eze 40:20, Eze 40:40
the glory: Eze 3:23, Eze 10:4, Eze 10:18, Eze 10:19, Eze 11:22, Eze 11:23, Eze 43:4, Eze 43:5, Isa 6:3, Isa 6:4, Hag 2:7, Mal 3:1
and I fell: Eze 1:28, Eze 43:3, Gen 17:3, Num 16:42-45, Psa 89:7, Rev 1:17
Reciprocal: 1Ki 8:11 – for the glory 2Ch 7:1 – the glory Eze 8:14 – toward Eze 40:35 – to the Eze 46:19 – the entry Eze 47:2 – northward Rev 14:1 – I looked
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 44:4. Wherever one looked about the holy building he would see evidences of the glory of the Lord. Fell upon my face was an ancient custom when a person wished to manifest great respect for another and humility in himself. We need not suppose that one performed any violent action such as would cause an injury to the body. But the act was done in such a decided
manner as to leave no doubt about the genuine humility of the worshiper or any person who wished to give special recognition to another.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 44:4-8. Then he brought me by the way of the north gate of the house The east gate being shut. And, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord As appeared by the light which shone through the windows, for there was no door into the sanctuary on that side. And the Lord said, Son of man, mark well, &c. See notes on Eze 40:4; and Eze 43:2. Mark well the entering, &c., with every going forth of the sanctuary The word laws is to be understood in this last sentence, the sense being, that the prophet should admonish the people of the laws relating to the admitting certain persons into the temple, or the courts of it, and to suffer none that were unqualified to attend upon Gods service there. This appears to be the sense from the following verses. And thou shalt say, Let it suffice you of all your abominations Let the time past be sufficient for you to have provoked me with your abominations. In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, &c. In that ye have set up idols within the precincts of my temple, and have appointed idolatrous priests to officiate there. When ye offer my bread, the fat, and the blood At the very time when ye were offering my sacrifices upon the altar. Or the words may imply, that they suffered heathen to offer at Gods altar, expressly contrary to the law, Lev 22:27. By bread may be understood the meat-offerings made of flour, which accompanied the other sacrifices, although every thing offered upon the altar is properly called the bread of God. The fat and blood of every sacrifice were peculiarly appropriated to God. And they have broken my covenant Idolatry was a direct breach of that covenant into which God had entered with the Jews: upon which account it is so often represented under the metaphor of adultery. And ye have not kept the charge of my holy things You have not observed the laws I gave you for taking care of the things relating to my house and worship, but have appointed such persons to officiate there as best suited with your own inclinations.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eze 44:4-14. The Levites.The regulations that follow are among the most important in the book, and they have played a great part in the critical rearrangement of OT literature and the consequent reconstruction of OT history (p. 129). The drastic character of the innovation about to be described is forcibly suggested by the solemn introduction in Eze 44:5. In the past the menial offices of the sanctuary had been discharged by aliensoften probably prisoners of waruncircumcised in flesh and therefore, from Ezekiels point of view, also uncircumcised in heart. That is an abomination, to be tolerated no more within Yahwehs holy house. But who is henceforth to discharge those duties? The Levites, Ezekiel answers; and by that he means those who had officiated at the worship of the high places, nominally no doubt a Yahweh worship, but in reality, and especially to a man like Ezekiel, idolatrous. When these country sanctuaries were declared illegitimate in the time of Josiah (2 Kings 22 f.) the new legislation permitted them to come to Jerusalem and officiate on equal terms with the priests of the Jerusalem Temple (Deu 18:6-8). But this generous concession was thwarted by the intolerant attitude of the Jerusalem priests (2Ki 23:9). Ezekiel here solves the problem by admitting them indeed to the sanctuary service, but only to the humbler offices, such as the watching of the gates, the slaying of the sacrificial animals, etc. They could not offer sacrificethat was the privilege of the priests alone. Thus, while formerly priests and Levites were synonymous and every Levite might be a priest, Ezekiel distinguishes sharply between them, and the distinction is presupposed throughout the priestly literature in the middle of the Pentateuch, which reflects the opinions and usage of the post-exilic Church, in this as in so much else influenced by Ezekiel. In other words he regards the position of the Levites at the Temple as a degradation imposed upon them as a penalty for their participation in the idolatrous worship of the high places. (Eze 44:6, rebellious, recalls the stern tones of the first half of the book. In Eze 44:7, for they have broken read, with LXX, ye broke. In Eze 44:8, for set keepers read, set them as keepers. For for yourselves read therefore, which introduces Eze 44:9. Eze 44:12, lifted up mine hand, i.e. in oath.)
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
The ordinary priests and their service 44:4-14
The emphasis on the holiness of God that has marked this vision continues strong in this pericope and the next. God’s holiness will determine who serves as priests and how they serve.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
The guide proceeded to take Ezekiel through the north inner gate into the inner court of the temple. There he saw again the glory of the Lord that filled the temple proper, and he prostrated himself before it out of fear and reverence (cf. Eze 1:28; Eze 43:1-5).
"The new reference to the glory of God simply makes clear that it is the return of God to the temple that serves as a basis for the regulations to follow." [Note: McConville, p. 18.]