Ezekiel 44 : 1 (HCSB)
The man then brought me back toward the sanctuary's outer gate that faced east, and it was closed.
Ezekiel 44 : 2 (HCSB)
The LORD said to me: "This gate will remain closed. It will not be opened, and no one will enter through it, because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered through it. Therefore it will remain closed.
Ezekiel 44 : 3 (HCSB)
The prince himself will sit in the gateway to eat a meal before the LORD. He must enter by way of the portico of the gate and go out the same way."
Ezekiel 44 : 4 (HCSB)
Then the man brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. I looked, and the glory of the LORD filled His temple. And I fell facedown.
Ezekiel 44 : 5 (HCSB)
The LORD said to me: "Son of man, pay attention; look with your eyes and listen with your ears to everything I tell you about all the statutes and laws of the LORD's temple. Take careful note of the entrance of the temple along with all the exits of the sanctuary.
Ezekiel 44 : 6 (HCSB)
"Say to the rebellious people, the house of Israel: This is what the Lord God says: *I have had enough of all your abominations, house of Israel.
Ezekiel 44 : 7 (HCSB)
When you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in both heart and flesh, to occupy My sanctuary, you defiled My temple while you offered My food-- the fat and the blood. You broke My covenant with all your abominations.
Ezekiel 44 : 8 (HCSB)
You have not kept charge of My holy things but have appointed *others to keep charge of My sanctuary for you.
Ezekiel 44 : 9 (HCSB)
"This is what the Lord God says: No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, may enter My sanctuary, not even a foreigner who is among the Israelites.
Ezekiel 44 : 10 (HCSB)
Surely the Levites who wandered away from Me when Israel went astray, and who strayed from Me after their idols, will bear the consequences of their sin.
Ezekiel 44 : 11 (HCSB)
Yet they will occupy My sanctuary, serving as guards at the temple gates and ministering at the temple. They will slaughter the burnt offerings and *other sacrifices for the people and will stand before them to serve them.
Ezekiel 44 : 12 (HCSB)
Because they ministered to the house of Israel before their idols and became a sinful stumbling block to them, therefore I swore an oath against them"-- *this is the declaration of the Lord God-- "that they would bear the consequences of their sin.
Ezekiel 44 : 13 (HCSB)
They must not approach Me to serve Me as priests or come near any of My holy things or the most holy things. They will bear their disgrace and the consequences of the abominations they committed.
Ezekiel 44 : 14 (HCSB)
Yet I will make them responsible for the duties of the temple-- for all its work and everything done in it.
Ezekiel 44 : 15 (HCSB)
"But the Levitical priests descended from Zadok, 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.
Ezekiel 44 : 16 (HCSB)
"They are the ones who may enter My sanctuary and draw near to My table to serve Me. They will keep My mandate.
Ezekiel 44 : 17 (HCSB)
When they enter the gates of the inner court they must wear linen garments; they must not have on them anything made of wool when they minister at the gates of the inner court and within *it .
Ezekiel 44 : 18 (HCSB)
They must wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They are not to put on *anything that makes them sweat.
Ezekiel 44 : 19 (HCSB)
Before they go out to the outer court, 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 so that they do not transmit holiness to the people through their clothes.
Ezekiel 44 : 20 (HCSB)
"They may not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but must carefully trim their hair.
Ezekiel 44 : 21 (HCSB)
No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court.
Ezekiel 44 : 22 (HCSB)
He is not to marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.
Ezekiel 44 : 23 (HCSB)
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.
Ezekiel 44 : 24 (HCSB)
"In a dispute, they will officiate as judges and decide the case according to My ordinances. They must observe My laws and statutes regarding all My appointed festivals, and keep My Sabbaths holy.
Ezekiel 44 : 25 (HCSB)
A priest may not come *near a dead person so that he becomes defiled. However, he may defile himself for a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister.
Ezekiel 44 : 26 (HCSB)
After he is cleansed, he is to count off seven days for himself.
Ezekiel 44 : 27 (HCSB)
On the day he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he must present his sin offering." *This is the declaration of the Lord God.
Ezekiel 44 : 28 (HCSB)
"This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession.
Ezekiel 44 : 29 (HCSB)
They will eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the restitution offering. Everything in Israel that is permanently dedicated *to the LORD will belong to them.
Ezekiel 44 : 30 (HCSB)
The best of all the firstfruits of every kind and contribution of every kind from all your gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give your first batch of dough to the priest so that a blessing may rest on your homes.
Ezekiel 44 : 31 (HCSB)
The priests may not eat any bird or animal that died naturally or was mauled by wild beasts.
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