44:24 “‘In a controversy they will act as judges; 3 they will judge according to my ordinances. They will keep my laws and my statutes regarding all my appointed festivals and will observe 4 my Sabbaths.
44:25 “‘They must not come near a dead person or they will be defiled; 5 however, for father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister, they may defile themselves. 44:26 After a priest 6 has become ceremonially clean, they 7 must count off a period of seven days for him. 44:27 On the day he enters the sanctuary, into the inner court to serve in the sanctuary, he must offer his sin offering, declares the sovereign Lord.
44:28 “‘This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance, and you must give them no property in Israel; I am their property. 8 44:29 They may eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, and every devoted thing in Israel will be theirs. 44:30 The first of all the first fruits and all contributions of any kind 9 will be for the priests; you will also give to the priest the first portion of your dough, so that a blessing may rest on your house. 44:31 The priests will not eat any bird or animal that has died a natural death or was torn to pieces by a wild animal. 10
1 tn Heb “from the offspring of the house of Israel.”
2 sn This task was a fundamental role of the priest (Lev 10:10).
3 sn For a historical illustration of the priest carrying out this function, see 2 Chr 19:9-11.
4 tn Heb “sanctify, set apart.”
5 sn This law was part of the legal code for priests (Lev 21:1-3).
6 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the priest) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 tc One medieval Hebrew
8 sn See Num 18:20; Deut 10:9; 18:2; Josh 13:33; 18:7.
9 tn Heb has in addition “from your contributions,” a repetition unnecessary in English.
10 tn The words “by a wild animal” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation as a clarification of the circumstances.