Ezekiel 44
1 The east gate assigned only to the prince.
4 The priests reproved for polluting the sanctuary.
9 Idolaters incapable of the priests office.
15 The sons of Zadok are accepted thereto.
17 Ordinances for the priests.
outer <02435> [the outward.]
So called in opposition to the temple itself, which was the inner sanctuary.
faces <06437> [looketh.]
Lord ........................ Lord <03068> [because.]
prince <05387> [for.]
prince <05387> [the prince.]
It is probable that the prince mentioned here and elsewhere, does not mean the Messiah, but the ruler of the Jewish nation for the time being. For it is not only directed where he should sit in the temple, and eat his portion of the sacrifices, and when and how he should go out; but it is also ordered (ch. 45:22,) that at the passover he shall offer a bullock, a sin offering for himself and the people; and to guard him against any temptation of oppressing the people, he had a provision of land allotted to him, (ch. 45:8,) out of which he is to give an inheritance for his sons, (ch. 46:18.) These appear plainly to be political rules for common princes, and for a succession of them; but as no such rules were observed under the second temple, the fulfilment of it must still be future.
eat .... meal <0398> [to eat.]
enter <0935> [he shall enter.]
way <01870> [the way.]
glory <03519> [the glory.]
threw <05307> [and I fell.]
[mark well. Heb. set thine heart.]
statutes <02708> [concerning.]
pay attention ........................ Pay attention <07760 03820> [and mark well.]
entrances <03996> [the entering.]
Say <0559> [thou shalt say.]
Enough <07227> [let it suffice.]
bring <0935> [ye have brought.]
foreigners <01121> [strangers. Heb. children of a stranger.]
uncircumcised ... heart <06189 03820> [uncircumcised in heart.]
The introduction of uncircumcised persons to eat of the peace offerings and oblations, would have been a gross violation of the Mosaic law; but, as there was no law to exclude "the uncircumcised of heart," who were circumcised and ritually clean, this seems to point out a new and different constitution.
offer <07126> [when.]
fat <02459> [the fat.]
broken <06565> [broken.]
kept ............. keep <08104> [ye have not.]
charge ............. charge <04931> [charge. or, ward, or ordinance, and so ver.]
Levites <03881> [the Levites.]
<05375> [bear.]
ministers .............. serving ....................... minister <08334> [they shall be.]
As few, if any, of those who, before the captivity, had been guilty in these respects, lived to witness the restoration of the temple service; and as it does not appear that their descendants were thus degraded for the idolatry of their ancestors; it is probable that a thorough reformation of the whole church, or the prevalence of pure religion among the converted Jews, is here predicted.
oversight <06486> [having charge.]
slaughter <07819> [shall slay.]
stand <05975> [and they.]
minister <08334> [they ministered.]
sinful obstacle .... house ... Israel ..................... sin <03478 04383 05771 01004> [caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity. Heb. were for a stumbling-block of iniquity unto, etc.]
consequently .............. they .... responsible <05375> [therefore.]
consequently .............. they .... responsible <05375> [and they shall.]
come near ........... come near <05066> [they shall not.]
They ... bear <05375> [bear.]
descendants ............. people <01121> [the sons.]
descendants ............. people <01121> [when.]
stand <05975> [they shall stand.]
fat <02459> [the fat.]
blood <01818> [the blood.]
enter <0935> [They shall enter.]
table <07979> [to my table.]
To place the shew-bread there. It is observable, that the table in the sanctuary is mentioned rather than the altar of incense; perhaps intimating the change in the external institutions of Divine worship which should take place before the accomplishment of the prophecy. It is not easy to determine, whether any external regulations, with respect to Divine ordinances, answerable to these predictions, will be made among the converted Jews, when reinstated in their own land, or not.
keep <08104> [keep.]
wear <03847> [they shall.]
turbans <06287> [bonnets.]
Linen ......... linen undergarments <04370 06593> [linen breeches.]
[with anything that causeth sweat. or, in sweating places.]
Heb. in, or with sweat.
remove ................. put on <06584 03847> [they shall put.]
transmit holiness <06942> [sanctify.]
shave <01548> [shave.]
hair <06545> [nor suffer.]
marry <03947> [Neither.]
This was prohibited only to the high priest under the law; but is here extended to all the priests, perhaps to intimate the superior sanctity of the times to which it refers.
widow .................. widow <0490> [a widow.]
divorcee <01644> [put away. Heb. thrust forth.]
priest's <03548> [that had a priest before. Heb. from a priest.]
controversy <07379> [in controversy.]
This seems to intimate, that controversies, in the period predicted, will be generally decided by arbitration, according to the law of God; and not by litigations before human tribunals, according to the laws of man.
observe <08104> [they shall keep.]
festivals <04150> [in all.]
<06942> [and they shall hallow.]
inner <06442> [unto the inner.]
offer <07126> [he shall offer.]
inheritance ..... inheritance <05159> [I am their inheritance.]
eat <0398> [eat]
devoted <02764> [dedicated. or, devoted.]
first .......................... first portion <07225> [first. or, chief. all the first-fruits.]
blessing <01293> [that he may.]
