Ezekiel 44:15-27

3. The regulations for the Zadokite priests (44:15-27)

TRANSLATION

(15) But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to minister unto Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer unto Me the fat and the blood, (oracle of the Lord GOD): (16) they shall enter into My sanctuary, and they shall come near to My table, to minister unto Me, and they shall keep My charge. (17) And it shall be that, when they enter in at the gates of the inner court they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, while they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. (18) They shall have linen tires upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causes sweat. (19) And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they minister, and lay them in the holy chambers; and they shall put on other garments, that they sanctify not the people with their garments. (20) Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only cut off the hair of their heads. (21) Neither shall any of the priests drink wine, when they enter into the inner court, (22) Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away; but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that is the widow of a priest. (23) And they shall teach My people the difference be tween the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. (24) And in a controversy they shall stand to judge; according to My ordinances shall they judge it: and they shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed feasts; and they shall hallow My sabbaths. (25) And they shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that has had no husband, they may defile them selves. (26) And after he is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days. (27) And in the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin-offering (oracle of the Lord GOD).

COMMENTS

Only the sons of Zadok[520] would be allowed to minister before and within the sanctuary proper. They alone had remained faithful when the rest of the nation had gone into idolatry. The Zadokites would be permitted to come near to God to minister unto Him; to stand before God to offer the sacrificial portions of animals and the blood (Ezekiel 44:15); to enter into the sanctuary itself and minister there; to approach the table of showbread. Whereas the Levites were to keep the charge of the house (Ezekiel 44:14), the Zadokites were to keep My charge (Ezekiel 44:16).

[520] The genealogy of Zadok is found in 1 Chronicles 6:50-53. Zadok was a priest in David's day alongside Abiathar (2 Samuel 8:17; 2 Samuel 15:24 ff.). He became the high priest under Solomon.

In the new Temple the Zadokite priests were to serve clothed only in linen. They would not be permitted to wear the partly woolen garments worn by priests in the former Temple. Linen is light and clean in appearance. The heavier wool would cause perspiration which in turn would result in ritual defilement (Ezekiel 44:18). The holy linen garments were to be removed and stored in the holy chambers before the priests joined the lay people in the outer court. Holiness was communicated by direct contact (cf. Exodus 29:37; Leviticus 6:20). If the priests should mingle with the lay people in those holy garments, they too would be sanctified (Ezekiel 44:19). Holy and profane were never to meet in the new age.

The priests were to be examples of holiness and separateness to the people of God. They were not permitted to shave their heads nor let their hair grow long for those customs were associated with heathen practice (Ezekiel 44:20; cf. Leviticus 21:5; Leviticus 21:10). As in the Law of Moses, priests were not allowed to drink wine before performing their sacrificial ministry in the inner court (Ezekiel 44:21). Rigid marriage restrictions prohibited a priest from marrying anyone but an Israelite virgin[521] or the widow of a fellow priest (Ezekiel 44:22). These strict marriage regulations were perhaps designed to preserve the purity of the priestly families.

[521] In the law of Moses this regulation applied only to the High Priest (Leviticus 21:13 f.).

Ezekiel 44:23-24 outline some of the responsibilities of the priests. They were teachers,[522] and as such they were responsible for constantly reminding the people of the difference between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean (Ezekiel 44:23). In civil law cases the priests acted as judges.[523] In this capacity they were to render each verdict in accordance with the Law of God. However, the primary function of the priests was strictly to observe the regulations concerning the sacrifices which were to be offered on special festivals and sabbaths (Ezekiel 44:24).

[522] Cf. Deuteronomy 33:10; Malachi 2:7.

[523] Cf. Deuteronomy 17:8 ff; Deuteronomy 19:17; Deuteronomy 21:5.

As in the I aw of Moses, the priests of the new Temple age were to avoid contact with dead bodies. Exceptions were made in the case of close relatives (Ezekiel 44:25). Contact with a corpse defiled priests and rendered them temporarily unfit to perform their priestly function. A seven day separation and ritual washing was necessary to cleanse a priest defiled by death in the Law of Moses. Ezekiel's regulations call for another seven day period after the cleansing (Ezekiel 44:26). Upon resuming his ministry in the inner court the priest was to offer a sin-offering for his defilement (Ezekiel 44:27). These additional regulations are intended to heighten the sanctity of this Temple.